Changing the brew: Brewfest features India pale ale as competition class for first time

Brewer Steve Simpson is putting in extra hours at the Snowy Mountain Brewery in preparation for the 18th annual Steinley Cup Brewfest.

He is cleaning up the brewery, but he has one thing ready to go — his competing brew, an India pale ale.

Pale ale, wheat, stout, amber ale, pilsner and brown ale are the usual competing classes of brews in the annual festival, but this year the Saratoga-Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce decided to add two more competing classes, India pale ale and red ale.

“We never had that as a competition class before,” said Stacy Crimmins, Saratoga-Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce Director.

On Aug. 17, spectators and beer connoisseurs can come to Kathy Glode Park in Saratoga to taste microbrews from breweries across Wyoming. $20 gets you in and a 12 ounce mug for sampling the different brews. Volunteers will start letting people into the event at 1 p.m.

Simpson said he thinks his rye brew will saet him apart from the competition.

Although many take the competition seriously, including the five-judge panel out of Colorado, the environment is very friendly, Crimmins said.

“The competition is a friendly competition, but I think they really do get excited when they win,” Crimmins said.

Simpson said, since 2009, he has yet to take first in the Steinley Cup competition, but is always hopeful.

Winning isn’t everything in the Steinley Cup, Crimmins said. The event also offers a chance for brewers to get together and talk.

“They like the fact that it’s smaller so they can actually visit with the tasters and each other,” Crimmins said.

In 2011, 11 Wyoming breweries attended the Steinley Cup competition partially thanks to Simpson, who reached out to individual brewers in the state.

Simpson said he hopes to see even more breweries gather at the event this year.

Simpson said there are now 21 breweries in the state, and he is reaching out to all of them.

“I am sending the paper work to all of them,” he said.

This year’s Steinley Cup will also feature live music from the Bakerville Band and a chili cook-off competition.

“The chili goes fast, so if you want to vote on the chili, you need to get there early,” said Addie Fletcher, Vice President of the Saratoga-Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Those who want to enter the competition can receive an entry form from the Chamber and must pay a $10 entry fee. They can enter in the following categories: red chili, green chili, tortillas or salsa.

“I have never seen anybody have a bad time there. It is always a good time,” Fletcher said.

Crimmins said she urges everyone to have a good time but to drink responsibly.