So it was a natural fit that Wired staffers, in association with the amazing folks at the Rainforest Action Network, stopped by Monday evening to hold a Sweet 16 event for October Madness. In one corner, Ranger IPA from New Belgium. In the other, Lagunitas’ Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale. On the line: A trip to the Elite Eight of our ever-continuing beer tournament.

The Location: Yelp, 10th Floor, 706 Mission St., San Francisco

The Beers: New Belgium’s Ranger IPA (Fort Collins, Colorado) and Lagunitas’ Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale (Petaluma, California)

The Method of Dispense: Two iPad-enhanced beer taps

How They Fared: For anyone who might be listless after a long day at the office, Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale definitely gave a quick wake-up to those in attendance, thanks to a sweeter-than-you’d-think 7.8 percent ABV. (Truth be told, it tastes more like 9 percent.) Yelper Nina said it was “seasonal and delicious,” while Nikki from sales said it was “smooth and tasty.” Meg, her sales colleague, said it had “spicy notes of awesome,” while Nikk, who works in user ops, concluded that “at the risk of passing judgment on an entire class of beers, Little Sumpin’ has an interesting, multifaceted flavor, while Ranger IPA tastes, well, like an IPA.”

Still, Ranger IPA didn’t go down without a fight. At 6.5 percent ABV, this pale ale was “smoother and more comforting,” according to Yelper Casey from sales, while Mandy said it was “delicious and light.” Rebecca, an editor, said the Ranger “tastes like happy,” while Yelper Ryan felt it was “subtle yet flavorful, without being overpowering.”

In the end, though, the Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale pulled a huge win, knocking out its second IPA of the tournament and advancing to the Elite Eight, thanks to a commanding eight-vote victory.

Coming Tuesday: A review of another first-round matchup featuring Magnolia’s Proving Ground IPA and Blue Bell Bitter.

Images: Dave Mosher/Wired.com

Stay tuned to @wiredplaybook and @beerrobot for updates on attending future October Madness events in the Bay Area. Follow us on Twitter at @erikmal and @wiredplaybook and on Facebook.

See Also:

• October Madness: Our Search for the Most Wired Beer
• Ninkasi Brewing Brings Belief and Domination to Wired Beer …
• New Belgium Sneaks Up on the San Francisco Mission
• Boont Amber Ale Beats Big Daddy IPA at Sharktoberfest Showdown …
• Beer Battle at Twitter HQ Goes Black Butte's Way

Authors: Erik Malinowski

to know more click here