Best B1G Brewery Challenge: Play-In Voting, Part 1

It's Day One of our Best B1G Brewery Bracket Challenge, where you the reader get to vote on who the best brewery in the Big Ten footprint is!

The rules and guidelines can be found here, and I've included the bracket for you one more time below:

click to embiggen

As appropriate, I will provide my takes on the matchup, just to try and sway you or diminish your faith that I have any idea what I'm talking about.

Voting will stay open for two days!

Hearing no further complaints (or choosing not to hear them), away we go!

Don’t Read the Comments Bracket

Michigan

#4 Atwater Brewery vs. #5 Dark Horse Brewing Co.

#3 New Holland Brewing vs. #6 Short’s Brewing Co.

MNW's Hot Taek: I've had New Holland. I've not had Short's. So there's a big ol' grain of salt. But for their infusions on two already-excellent beers (Dragon's Milk and the Hatter series), New Holland gets my vote because Andrew K and I had to chug our bottles of Dragon's Milk before the 2013 MSU-NU game and when my memory returns to me in the second quarter I vaguely recall thinking "Goddamn, that's a good beer."

Maryland

#4 The Brewer’s Art vs. #5 Union Craft Brewing

MNW's Hot Taek: I've never visited or tried either of these breweries, because I'm still in denial that Maryland is in the Big Ten. If I'm choosing just based on looks (and my own distaste for Belgians generally), I take Union because I love a good gose.

Speth's Liver Memorial Bracket

Wisconsin

#4 Central Waters Brewing Company vs. #5 Capital Brewery

MNW's Hot Taek: While Capital does some really great seasonal things, their flagships (besides their IPA series, including Ghost Ship White and Dark Voyage Black) don't move the needle for me. Central Waters gets my vote for a diverse and solid lineup that packs a punch, too.

#3 Milwaukee Brewing Company vs. #6 Ale Asylum

MNW's Hot Taek: Ale Asylum recently opened a Milwaukee taproom, and I'm afraid I won't get served there anymore... They've overcome a bit of a reputation as all-hops, all the time, but MKE earns the nod for a wide range of options that bring both hops and malt to the front. Plus, their infusions--usually tea-centered--are top-notch.

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Remember, these polls stay open for just two days! Rally your friends behind the brewery of your choice, and start voting!

Thanks for participating in the first half of play-in matchups for the OTE Best B1G Brewery Challenge! Stay tuned for this afternoon, when two contentious Minnesota matchups, a couple of Ohio face-offs, and a battle of Chicagoland vs. Downstate will be decided!

MNW