The Final Four contenders in the quest to find the finest spicy chicken sandwich in the surrounding Mile High City area, hosted by The Denver Post, resulted in two surprising outcomes, and 300 Suns Brewing was one of the winners.
Longmont’s 300 Suns Brewing narrowly defeated Colorado chain Blazing Bird with 50.7% of the vote. Dave's Hot Chicken, an L.A.-originated franchise that began in 2017, triumphed over Denver’s darling Denver Biscuit Co., garnering 57% of the votes.
The owners of 300 Suns summed up their current thoughts and appreciation for the Longmont community Wednesday morning on Instagram:
Now the ultimate spicy chicken sandwich showdown is here: nationwide versus local. As with every March Madness competition, upsets and surprises are inevitable. Not the NCAA basketball bracket over the past few weeks, but rather the outcomes of this spicy chicken sandwich contest, which began with 32 of Denver's favorite hot chicken spots and has now narrowed down to a flock of two in the championship.
The most significant upset from the Elite Eight round was undoubtedly Blazing Bird's slim victory over top-seeded Music City Hot Chicken, Colorado's first Nashville hot chicken restaurant.
During the Elite Eight round, Denver Biscuit Co. dominated by securing a staggering 78% of the vote, knocking out Knockabout Burgers. 300 Suns Brewing ousted Republik of Chicken with 65% of the vote. Music City Hot Chicken triumphed over Steuben's with a 62% turnout, and Briar Common Brewery prevailed with 62% against Carm & Gia Metropolitan.
Dave's Hot Chicken eliminated Lucky Bird with 57% of the vote. Lea Jane's Hot Chicken claimed 56% of the vote against Cluck Chicken. Lastly, Blazing Bird again scarcely squawked ahead with 52% of the vote over Mono Mono Hot Korean Fried Chicken.
Dave's Hot Chicken, with two Denver locations, was co-founded by Dave Kopushyan, who honed his skills at the three Michelin-star restaurant The French Laundry. Known for its hot seven spice levels, Dave's Hot Chicken has been dubbed one of the fastest-growing chains in the U.S. with over 100 locations.
"There have been some unexpected upsets in this competition. When we saw all of these hard-working businesses that we were up against, my first thought was that it was an honor just to be in the mix amongst all of these great companies,” chef Nate Say of 300 Suns said, “Our first-round against a fellow brewpub, Colorado Plus Brewpub, was a close race with lots of friendly competition. After we won that bracket, we were fueled to see just how far we could go.”
Say's Nashville hot chicken, which is hand-battered, marinated in buttermilk overnight, coated in a seasoned flour mixture, fried to order, and brushed with hot chili oil, is 300 Suns best-selling menu item.
To officially cast your vote, go to The Denver Post website. If you dare to try their Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich visit 300 Suns Brewing at 335 1st Ave Unit C. Voting for the final round is open until Monday, April 3, at 9 a.m.
“When I saw that Music City Hot Chicken was on our side of the bracket, they were my number one concern. I used to go in there a few times a month as a patron long before we even opened the food truck,” Say added. "Now, here we are in the final two: big guy versus the little guy. May the best hot chicken sandwich win."
