2013 Disney Beer Tournament Round One

Happy Hunger Games Disney Beer Tournament! 64 beers have been entered as tribute, but only one can be crowned the Disney Beer Tournament champion.

You may recall this was the Walt Disney World Beer Tournament last year. Since we've expanded to include a Disneyland Resort Beer List and an Epcot Food and Wine Festival Beer List, we've decided to include the beers on those lists as well. In order to qualify for the tournament, a beer needs to be on at least one of those lists. All the Beers and Ears readers have unknowingly chosen the beers for the tournament; we've taken the top 64 beers viewed on the beer lists in 2012 and entered them into the tournament. Additionally, we've retired last year's champion, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, to ensure we crown a new champion this year.

The first round of the tournament will run until Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 5:00 PM Central Daylight Time. At that time the polls will close and we will tally up the results. The next morning (Thursday, March 21) we will post the second round and it will run until Sunday, March 24 at 3:00 PM Central. The rounds will continue to be posted on Mondays and Thursdays for the next few weeks until we have a winner!

Here's the full bracket. Click it to enlarge as it gets rather small with the full bracket displayed.

WDW Beer Tournament 2013 Round 1

Let's dive into each region. First we'll look at this year's Mickey region!

2013 Beer Tournament Round 1 Mickey

Altenmünster Oktoberfest from the Germany pavilion has repeated as the number one overall seed this year. It faces the Belgian witbier Hoegaarden, the 16th seed in the Mickey region. Hoegaarden is one of the few beers served at the Be Our Guest Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom.

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The other Altenmünster beer, Altenmünster Dunkel, has taken the two seed here after being featured at the 2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival. Squeezing out the 15th seed is Florida Beer Co. Swamp Ape IPA, served at the Wolfgang Puck Grand Café in Downtown Disney.

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One of the Port Orleans favorites, Abita Amber, returns as the three seed in the Mickey region. Trying to knock it out early is Birra Moretti, the 14th seed.

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Hövels, another German beer in World Showcase, takes on Guinness Extra Stout in a battle between the fourth and 13th seeds.

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Germany is showing strong in the Mickey region as fifth seed Radeberger Pilsner is the fourth German beer in the region. Widmer Hefeweizen, found a few locations including ESPN Club, is the 12th seed looking to advance.

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The most popular of American light lagers, Bud Light, found its way to the sixth seed of the Mickey region. Stella Artois, the Belgian pale lager, should make this an interesting matchup as the 11th seed.

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Rogue Dead Guy Ale, served at Raglan Road, is the seventh seed facing the Danish beer Carlsberg, the 10th seed, found in the Norway pavilion.

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The final matchup pits the eighth seed Abita Turbodog against the nitrogen-infused Boddingtons English Pub Ale primarily served at the Rose and Crown.

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Next we'll look at the Donald region!

2013 Beer Tournament Round 1 Donald

 

The German beers continue to dominate the seeding; Schöfferhofer Weizen takes the number one seed here and faces the 16th seed Ace Joker Hard Cider from the Cabana Bar at the Dolphin. 


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Yuengling is a popular Walt Disney World beer, so it's no surprise it picked up the two seed here. Blue Point Toasted Lager faces off here as the fifteen seed.

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Young's Double Chocolate Stout moved to the standard beer list recently and made an impressive three seed here. Woodpecker Premium English Cider has a tough match here as the fourteen seed.

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La Fin Du Monde, one of the Unibroue beers at Le Cellier, returns as the four seed in the Donald region. However, Kona Castaway IPA would like to put it away early with a 13th seed upset.

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The fifth seed here is Cigar City Jai Alai IPA, one of the home state beers from Tampa, FL. On the other side is the African beer Bedele featured in Animal Kindgom and Animal Kingdom Lodge.

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Another IPA, sixth seed Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA, faces eleventh seed Kronenbourg 1664, the staple of the France pavilion.

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Unibroue gets a second beer into the Donald region with Trois Pistoles as the seven seed. The IPAs continue to pile up here with 10th seed Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA.

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One more Unibroue rounds out the region with Éphémère as the eight seed. The Mexico pavilion brings forth its first entrant with the ninth seed Dos Equis Ambar.

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Moving on to the Minnie region!

2013 Beer Tournament Round 1 Minnie

 

Abita Purple Haze takes the top seed in the Minnie region. Bass Ale, a favorite in the UK pavilion, faces off in this first round match.

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Safari Amber, the beer specially brewed for Animal Kingdom, returns to the tournament as a two seed this year. It also faces a UK pavilion beer, the 15th seed Harp Lager.

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Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock was the anniversary beer for the 2012 Food and Wine Festival which earned it a three seed in this year's tournament. Newcastle Brown Ale, a beer scattered around both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, takes the 14th seed.

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Guinness Draught, recently taken off the standard beer menu at Walt Disney World and replaced by Young's Double Chocolate Stout, hopes to redeem itself against another Florida beer a beer that started in Orlando but is currently brewed in South Carolina, Orange Blossom Pilsner.

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From San Francisco, Anchor Steam earns a five seed in this year's tournament. On the other side of this match is Birra Moretti La Rossa from Italy as the twelve seed.

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Blue Moon, a part of the standard Walt Disney World beer menu, gets the six seed in the Minnie region. Ommegang Three Philosophers earns an eleven seed even though it's only served at Il Mulino at the Swan.

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Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale, available at a few Walt Disney World locations as well as Trader Sam's at the Disneyland Hotel, comes in as a seven seed this year after making it to the Elite Eight last year. Key West Sunset Ale hopes to make a good showing as the 10th seed of the Minnie region.

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The last matchup of the Minnie region pits the mysterious Berliner Kindl Dark as the eight seed against the very fruity Leinenkugel Berry Weiss as the nine seed. Both beers were featured at the 2012 Food and Wine Festival.

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Finally, here's the Goofy region!

2013 Beer Tournament Round 1 Goofy

Even though Schöfferhofer Grapefruit was only served during the 2012 Food and Wine Festival (and sold out long before the festival was even over), it earned the number one seed in the Goofy region. It faces 16th seeded Unibroue Maudite; could we be looking at the first ever upset of a number one seed?

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Florida Beer Devil's Triangle, another Food and Wine Festival beer, made its way to the number two seed here. Magic Hat #9, served at ESPN Club and Splitsville, comes in as the fifteen seed.

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Last year's runner up was Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale; this year it comes in as a three seed. Hakim Stout, an African beer featured at the Dawa Bar, matches up as the fourteen seed.

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Bell's Two-Hearted Ale is back this year as the four seed hoping to make a run, but 13th seed Unibroue Don-de-Dieu is hoping to make that run a short one.

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New to the tournament and the Walt Disney World standard beer menu this year is Angry Orchard Hard Cider - Crisp Apple with the Goofy region's five seed. It squares off against the 12th seed Orlando Brewing Pale Ale featured at The Wave in the Contemporary Resort.

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Chimay Red, the first of two from Chimay in the Goofy region, makes it in as a six seed. Dos Equis Lager manages to get the 11th seed and has a tough battle here.

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Kona Longboard Lager from the Tambu Lounge at the Contemporary enters the tournament as a seven seed. Ace Apple Hard Cider from the Cabana Bar at the Dolphin is a newcomer to the tournament but comes in as a 10 seed.

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In the final matchup of the first round the 8th seed Chimay Blue Grande Reserve, one of the Be Our Guest Restaurant beers, takes on the 9th seed Tusker Premium Lager found at Animal Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Lodge.

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Remember, the first round ends Wednesday, March 20 at 5:00 pm Central Daylight Time. Be sure to get your votes in before then! The second round will be posted the morning of Thursday, March 21.