Stone Brewing Company was crowned the winner of the best beer contest at the CPTV and WNPR’s Craft Beer and Chili Challenge Aug. 22 at Mohegan Sun.

The California brewery won the favorite beer award with its various offerings, including the “Arrogant Bastard Ale.” Saranac Brewing, of New York, came in second, followed by Connecticut’s own Willimantic Brewing Company in third.  

The sold-out crowd also voted on the best chili in the state. Eli Cannon’s Tap Room of Middletown won with its Mexican spiced chili, one of the spiciest offered that day.

Plan B Burger Bar of West Hartford came in second with its certified natural beef chili. Hartford’s Society Room’s Hawaiian pulled pork chili and the Mohegan Sun Executive Chefs’ BBQ smoked beef brisket chili tied for third.

Willimantic Brewing Company offered a spicy vegetarian chili that was my favorite. Other restaurants concocted chili dishes containing some unusual ingredients, such as ostrich, pineapple, buffalo, venison and sweet potato.

The Brewer’s Cow of Old Lyme had a popular booth featuring their beer-infused ice cream flavors, including Irish Stout and Ten Penny Beer Nut Parfait.

Forty-three breweries and 13 restaurants participated. The organizers said the event will be held again next year.  

“Those who attended the event enjoyed a great experience and all of our craft brewers and chefs did such a good job, it made it extremely difficult for voters to choose just one craft beer and chili as their favorite,” said Dean Orton, CPTV and WNPR’s vice president of development and media services. “We are certainly looking forward to next year and exploring how we can add to the fun and the overall experience of the event.”

Do you agree with the voting? Does Stone Brewing Company have the best beer?