It's the final day of the regular season!  Ratings have been pouring in, and there are several very tight races in some of the Divisions.  If things hold up they way they currently stand, this will be the hoppiest Beer Bowl yet!!

In the Brewery Division, Flying Fish Belgian Dubbel holds a good lead over a pack of IPAs all seperated by less than a tenth of a point.  With the top 2 beers advancing to Beer Bowl, this race is definately coming down to the wire.  A single rating on any of those beers could dictate the outcome!
Bear Republic Racer 5 holds a 0.04 lead over Blue Point Hoptical Illusion, which is only 0.04 ahead of local favorite Heavy Seas Loose Cannon!
If you're interested in seeing one of those advance - sample it and throw a rating on it!

The top 4 within the Corner Bar are all within 0.07 points, and again, with the top 2 advancing, it's come down to the last day!  Stone IPA holds a 0.03 lead over Flying Dog Tire Bite, which is barely ahead of Brooklyn Winter Ale and Saranac Black & Tan!

Hops continue to lead the standings in the Dive, where Harpoon IPA holds a sizeable lead over 2nd rated beer Dales Pale Ale.  Dale's is neck and neck with Youngs Double Chocolate Stout, however, and a single rating could tip the scale one way or the other!

The Pub Division is lead by a pair of winter seasonals.  Will they be around for Beer Bowl 8?  Makes it interesting for the beers behind them, as if they're unavailable, Redhook ESB and potentially Yuengling Lager could fill the slots.  Currently, Anderson Valley Winter Solstice and Leinenkugels Fireside Nut Brown hold commanding leads, but as I mentioned, they are seasonals, and if they're unavailable, it's going to be the next one up!

The Rathskeller looks like it has been decided for some time, but 3rd place beer Blue Point Toasted Lager has drawn closer to the top two, and is currently only 0.05 behind the top 2.  Right now, Grimbergen Dubbel (one of two imports currently in the field) and Heavy Seas Peg Leg Stout hold the top 2 spots.

Brooklyn Lager and Guinness are just within a tenth of the top 2 in the Saloon Division, as Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale and Fordham Copperhead hold the top two spots there.

The Tap House has an interesting race, as another winter seasonal holds one of the top 2 spots.  In first, Redhook Longhammer IPA seems to be "in" with a sizeable lead.  Heavy Seas Winter Storm holds the 2nd spot, however as with all winters, if this one is unavailable, it comes down to a race between Stoudts American Pale Ale, Murphys Stout, and Miller Lite (did I just type Miller Lite???).  Those 3 are only seperated by 0.05 point, and again, a single rating on any of them could tilt the balance!

The Tavern race is very tight for the 2nd spot, while Stone Pale Ale seems to have locked up the top spot.  Battling for 2nd, Hook & Ladder Golden Ale and Guinness Extra Stout currently both have a 3.7 average, while Yuengling Black & Tan is only 0.03 behind. 

In what looks like a settled situation, Lagunitas Maximus IPA holds the top spot with Newcastle Brown (the other import) holding 2nd, in the Watering Hole.

Lastly, in the Champions Division (Division populated with all the beers that participated in Beer Bowl VII), the top 4 will advance, and it's an EXTREMELY tight race.  From the 8th ranked beer up, everything is rated higher than a 3.6, and the top 5 are all between 3.79 and 3.71.  Sam Adams Winter (see winter seasonal) holds the top spot, by one hundreth of a point over Troegs Pale Ale, which is 0.05 over Heavy Seas Pale ale, followed by Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 0.01 behind.  Currently on the outside looking in - Blue Moon Full Moon - 0.01 behind, Heavy Seas Gold, 0.06 behind, Sam Adams Boston Lager, 0.07 back, and Heavy Seas Small Craft Warning (0.1 behind).  A single rating changes everything!

Having said all that, again, we're looking at our hoppiest Beer Bowl yet, and we've got the potential for a lot of new beers this year!  There are some VERY tight races out there, and with one day left - a single rating on any of them could make a drastic difference!

Hoppy New Year!