We’re only Homebrewers, so nothing is for sale. Like NES cartridges though, we’ll trade beer with you; We’re always down with that. We like talking about hop varieties, IBUs, power-ups, and boss battles.

Pixelated Pints would love to return this year with a delightfully aromatic offering that’s bursting with tropical citrus. Having attended each Worthy, and participated in the first Homebrew competition, we know what the people at the Craft Beer Showcase need! We’ve attended several competitions in the past and even participated in Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp, but now we’re seeking the win at the Worthy and a chance to brew at ABC!

I am worthy because I brew my beer for fun, enjoyment and experimentation, not just for competition. That said, I won first place at the 2014 Holyoke Canoe Club Brewfest homebrew competition and third place at the 2014 Worthy homebrew competition. I don’t use the most sophisticated or expensive equipment, in fact most of my Homebrewery consists of repurposed items. I take great pride in transforming this equipment into something useful to brew with, such as my old 12-gallon Cambro cooler mash-tun. I take similar pride in experimenting with new ingredients. My entry for this competition is an IPA made in the spirit of a farmhouse ale, brewed with a generous helping of malted wheat, unrefined cane sugar, and lots of fruity and citrusy hops. This beer is light in body, full on flavor, and perfect for a warm summer day.

Last year was my first worthy challenge, and it was accepted, I was the first Homebrewer to run out of beer (in 40 mins no less), the beer nut loved it (got both of his tokens), finished in the top half of the group. This year I believe I will take it all. I have worked hard to perfect this recipe in honor of my second child and the hoppy punch will take you to hoppy place.

We’re passionate about homebrew and craft beer here at Knightly Brewing. Nearly all of our equipment is custom made or modified, with an emphasis on performance and producing a better final product. And with four years and hundreds of batches under our belt, we’ve got the experience to put it to good use.

We have been in multiple local festivals as well as entered mail-away competitions, and always score very well. Last year, we served ten gallons at both the Holyoke Canoe Club Craft Brewfest and the Springfield Museum Culture and Cocktails Oktoberfest, scoring 4th and 5th, respectively. Our most recent victory was winning Best In Show for our SMaSHing English IPA at the 2014 Reddit Homebrew Competition.

Our flagship IPA has been reformulated and is better than ever. Last summer’s version was a real crowd-pleaser, winning over numerous non-IPA drinkers. Tropical IPA 2.0 is ready to hit this year’s festival circuit and win big!

Old Jute is an American Barleywine, a very intense beer! The American Barleywine style is very complex and can be a challenge to the palate. Old Jute is very dark brown in color, thick in body, high in alcohol (8.5% abv), and very high in hops (154 IBU’s). It is slightly sweet and has a fruity aroma. This beer was brewed with 9 different grains including Maris Otter and Bohemian Pilsner, 5 different hop varieties were used throughout brewing and fermentation and include Chinook, Challenger, Centennial, Cascade and Nugget. It took 2 different yeasts to bring the brew to completion. Barleywine, like wine, can be cellared for years and will improve with age. Old Jute has been aged for over 9 months. This is a beer for sipping and enjoying!

As a Homebrewing operation it is the mission of Footbridge Brewing to continually push the boundaries of brewing by exploring and producing high-gravity flavorful ales that serve as a platform to celebrate life. Through our atypical ales it is our purpose to promote all that is good about the wonders of beer as well as its ability to bring people together in good company and in spirit.

As winner of the 2014 Worthy Homebrew competition I assure you that this year’s IPA will be another crowd pleaser. Crafted with American malts and a blend of American and New Zealand hops, this IPA showcases bright citrus and tropical flavors and aromas with a clean, smooth finish. A perfect ale for celebrating life in the sun!