Fermentedly Challenged

Colorado Beer News 052013

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:59:00 +0000

Today is Weights and Measures Day. It's practically a beer holiday. Without weights and measures we'd have no idea just how many ABV's, IBU's, SRM's or OG/FG are in our favorite beers. So why not make it a craft beer holiday and celebrate with a craft beer that has all the right numbers you're looking for. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Monday, May 20th, 2013.

Memorial Day is coming this weekend! What are you planning to do? Read Fermentedly Challenged each day this week for ideas.

Metro Denver

Arvada Beer Company (Arvada) - For this week, Happy Hour is every day from opening til 2pm and 4pm to 7pm where you'll get $1 off pints and snifters. This Thursday, May 23rd is the Kollaboration Kolsch release. And then on Friday, May 24th is the Arvada Pride Double IPA release. Stop in also on Saturday for the live remote of the Colorado Craft Beer Show from 12pm to 2pm.

Odyssey Beerwerks (Arvada) - Over the weekend, Odyssey Beerwerks held a "soft" opening to work out all the kinks before their official Grand Opening this Saturday, May 25th. Arvada is about to become a much bigger craft beer destination! Look for more info on their opening later in the week. They are located at: 5535 W. 56th Avenue, Suite 107 in Arvada, Colorado. Website - Facebook.

Mountain Toad Brewing (Golden) - There's a second new brewery opening this Saturday, May 25th. Mountain Toad Brewing will also open this weekend with several new beers of their own in Golden, Colorado. They are located at: 900 Washington Avenue. Doors open for the first time at noon and stays open until 10pm.

Lowry Beer Garden (Denver) - This Thursday, May 23rd from 5pm to 10pm, Lowry Beer Garden is celebrating their 1st Anniversary and is throwing a party. This event is also a fundraiser for The Lowry Foundation and will include a silent auction with over 30 great items to bid on. For more info visit their Facebook page.

Lone Tree Brewing (Lone Tree) - If you missed some of their special tappings for American Craft Beer Last Week - don't fret! They still have a chance to try some of those beers. Kollaboration Kolsch, Peach Wheat and Triforce Tripel are still available along with Marienplatz Pilsner and Acres O' Green Irish Red on Nitro. Just because ACBW is over doesn't mean you can continue to enjoy craft beer!

Boulder County

Avery Brewing (Boulder) - Avery will be the official beer sponsor this weekend for the 26th Annual Boulder Creek Festival happening on May 25th through the 27th. he Festival is free to the public and features something for everyone: 9 separate event areas with 500 vendors showcase everything from community arts and crafts to health alternatives and technology while 4 performance stages feature a spectrum of music and dance. The Festival also features carnival rides, food and beverage vendors (including Avery beer), and the signature event: a rubber duck race down the creek!

Northern Colorado

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - Grimm Brothers has created a new Facebook page called "Fabled Fermentation" that will be devoted to announcements and information about Grimm Brothers activities outside of their home base. They'll be featuring Restaurants, Night Clubs, Liquor Stores and Special Events throughout Colorado. Their regular Facebook page will still track all their important information of what's up at their Loveland operation.

Colorado Brewers' Festival (Ft. Collins) - The festival is about 1 month away and is now in their 24th year. Tickets are now available for the June 22nd and 23rd festival. This year, there will also be a Connoisseur Event with beer and food on Friday night, June 21st from 7pm - 10pm. VIP admission is available for Saturday and Sunday 1 hour earlier and a special VIP Lounge with shade and seating. This is a festival made up of solely Colorado breweries. Tickets are available from Inticketing.com - get them early as the price is higher at the gate!

CooperSmith's Pub & Brewing (Ft. Collins) - There are two new beers being tapped today at CooperSmith's. The first is Motueka Pale Ale. The name Motueka comes from the Maori language, and means weka island, the weka being a small bird of the rail family. Motueka is also the name of a town and river in New Zealand as well as a variety of hop that comes from that region. This pale ale features 100% Motueka hops with their very lively and lifted lemon and lime followed by a background of tropical fruit. 6.4% ABV, 39 IBUs. The second beer is Hopfather - Part Two. “There are many things my father taught me here in this brewery. He taught me: keep your malt close, but your hops closer." This medium bodied American style red ale starts with a light caramel sweetness that quickly gives way to the bold tropical fruit, citrus and resinous hop flavors. The long dry finish allows the biscuity malt flavors to appear amongst the lingering bitterness. 7.1% ABV, 46 IBUs.

Funkwerks (Ft. Collins) - This Thursday, May 23rd, Funkwerks will be releasing their Raspberry Leuven - a Belgian-style Berliner Weisse infused with raspberry puree. It'll be available both in bottle and on draft.

Southern Front Range

Pikes Peak Brewing (Monument) - Today is More Beer Monday! Join in today at 5:30pm when PPBC taps their Beam Engine Bitter - a PROPER pint of British Style Bitter! Also, Dave Futey of the Western Museum of Mining and Industry will be giving a talk on the namesake of the brew: The Cornish Beam Engine. Beer and an education in one sitting.

Red Leg Brewing Company (Colorado Springs) - This upcoming brewery has now received all of their licenses (state, city and federal). They are now quickly preparing to open their doors very, very soon. Stay tuned for word on opening day (targeting around July 1st). Their brewery will be located at 4630 Forge Road in Colorado Springs, CO.

Mountains and West

Festival of the Brewpubs (Arapahoe Basin) - Yes, they are still open for skiing up at Arapahoe Basin for Memorial Weekend and not only that, they are also hosting a beer festival right at the base of the ski hill on Sunday from 12pm to 4pm. It's the 12th Annual Festival of the Brewpubs. All of the Summit County brewpubs will be on hand pouring samples of their beer including: Pug Ryan's, Breckenridge Brewery, Dillon Dam Brewery, and more. Enjoy live music from 1-4pm. More info at their website.

Elevation Beer Company (Poncha Springs) - Have you tried their Spring seasonals yet? In their Double Black Series spring release, False Summit, is a Belgian Quadrupel aged in Breckenridge Distilling Bourbon barrels for six months and adds a bit of oak and vanilla tones to the beer. Also, in their Black Series release is Third Base, a Belgian Tripel made with Belgian Candi Sugar and with notes of Lemon and Orange peel. Both beers are available now at the tasting room, beer bars, and liquor stores across the state of Colorado.

Glenwood Canyon Brewing (Glenwood Springs) - Today the brewery took delivery of new tanks for their brewhouse. Expansion happens! Expect more good beer in the weeks and months to come. They even made a video about it - check it out on their Facebook page.
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Catch up on Colorado Beer News from last week:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

View Colorado Brewery Maps
[ Boulder-Longmont Map ] [ Denver Area Map ] [ Northern Colorado Map ]
[ Southeast Colorado Map ] [ Northwest Brewery Map ] [ Southwest Colorado Map ]

CO Beer Dinners - Expand your palate! How about a beer dinner or pairing event? Lots of events are taking reservations now. Check out the Colorado Beer Dinner & Pairing Events listing.

Live Music - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and top watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find out who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

CO Beer Festivals - Looking for info on upcoming beer festivals or related events in Colorado? Check out the listings on the 2013 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar. Updated daily.

Like us on Facebook - There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook Page. Find recaps, special offers, and tips that you won't find on the blog.

Colorado Beer News is published daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Colorado Beer News 051713

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:47:00 +0000

Today is National Bike to Work Day. Leave that car at home, tune up that bicycle and pedal to work today. Everyone is encouraged to share the road and get some exercise and cut back on the use of fossil fuels. Riding a bike can be great fun. Consider biking over to your favorite restaurant, pub or brewery for a pint after work. Although consider having someone pick you and your bike up and take you home if you do. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Friday, May 17th, 2013.

Celebrate American Craft Beer Week - May 13-19 - Final 3 Days!

Metro Denver

Arvada Beer Co (Arvada) - ABC now has a Traditional Bock on tap. This is the beer that they brewed up as part of one of their brew classes. It's a 9% ABV 28 IBU Bock. Due to the limited supply, no growler fills of this beer will be made.

Falling Rock Tap House (Denver) - Sour Heads! Tonight, May 17th at 5:30pm, Falling Rock will be hosting "Night of the Sours". They'll pull out some great sour beers for ACBW including: Russian River Supplication, Russian River Sanctification, Russian River Consecration, Bruery Sour in the Rye, Dry Dock Ambassador, Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza and more. Then on Saturday, May 18th starting at 5:30pm it's "Night of the Barrel"! Barrel aged beers will be the nights focus with tappings like: Bruery White Oak, Deschustes Abyss (2010), Deschutes Black Butte XXIII (2011), Deschutes Stoic (2011), Dogfish Head Palo Santo, Lost Abbey Angel’s Share (2011???), North Coast Old Rasputin XV, Odell Bourbon Barrell Stout (2012), Port Older Viscosity (2011). Hit one or both nights!

Bull & Bush Brewery & Pub (Denver) - It's been 17 years in the making, but Bull & Bush are now in the process of bottling their Man Beer for the first time. They recently installed a new bottling line and are about to put their Colorado Style IPA into bottles with a bright orange label with big black letters. It took several iterations to come up with the right label design. (Picture credit - Carrie Saldo / KUNC)

Great Divide Brewing (Denver) - Today at noon Great Divide will put up a special beer in their tap room. Stop in for a taste of their Peach Grand Cru! And once that limited beer is gone they'll put up another surprise pilot beer, but you'll have to be there to find out what it will be!

Hops & Pie (Denver) - Plan to stop in at Hops & Pie on Friday June 7th for a special Firkin 1st Friday tapping of Stone Brewing Company's Stone Ruination IPA Cask. The cask will be filled with Amarillo & Chinook Hops to boost the IBU rating on this beer to close to a gazillion! It taps at 6pm on June 7th. Don't miss this treat!

Yak & Yeti (Arvada) - Today Yak & Yeti is tapping a Belgian Peach Whiskey Ale. It started out as a Belgian Blonde and was aged for several months in a Leopold Brothers Peach Whiskey barrel. This is one you'll want to try.

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project (Denver) - Sour fans will want to get to Crooked Stave early for the 12 noon ROY-G-BIV Day celebration. They will debut the new Wild Wild Brett Violet - the last in the "rainbow" color releases in their Wild Wild Brett Series. There will be a limit of 6 375ml bottles per person. Then starting at 1pm they will open up limited pours of each of the other W.W.B. colors - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Indigo. Other brews like St. Bretta and Hop savant will also be on tap that day. Remember, get there early!

Big Choice Brewing (Broomfield) - Come by today as Big Choice will be tapping one keg of their Rail Slide Extra Pale Ale that's double dry-hopped with Amarillo! It's a hop worth seeking out.

Elk Mountain Brewing (Parker) - Today at 4pm Elk Mountain Brewing will tap their Whiskey Barrel Stout. Then on Saturday, 5/18 everyone is invited to join them in the back of the brewery to help brew a firkin that will be tapped on a later date. RSVP on their Facebook event sign up. Then stick around on Saturday for live music with your beer from Warren Floyd starting at 7pm.

Boulder County

Left Hand Brewing (Longmont) - This Saturday, May 18th from 5pm to 10pm is the first of three scheduled Summer Jam Concert Series performances at Left Hand Brewing. This Saturday, there will be 3 bands: Whitewater Ramble, Bonnie & The Clydes & Grant Farm. The concert starts at 5pm and runs til 10pm. Tickets are $15 and are available at Left Hand Brewing - 1265 Boston Avenue in Longmont, CO.

Avery Brewing (Boulder) - The 15th beer in their Barrel-Aged Series has been announced and this one will remind you of a Mounds candy bar. It's called "Momi Hiwa Barrel-Aged Coconut Porter". It's described as: "No. 15 Much like a certain fabled two-piece candy bar of our youth, rich, dark chocolate notes accented with aromatic toasted coconut. What would ad depth and character to this already delicious combo, we wondered? The answer is time (6 months) well spent in the very best rum barrels available." - This barrel-aged coconut porter was bottled on April 20th, 2013 and had only 362 cases produced. This big beer weighs in at an incredible 16.19% ABV. Stay tuned for a release date and availability. Also, at 5pm today Avery will release their Red Table Saison in the taproom.

Kettle & Stone Brewing Co (Boulder) - Boulder's upcoming brewery is getting very close to brewing their first batch of beer. They just took delivery of their first grain shipment. Brew day won't be too long now. Look for a June 2013 opening at 6880 Winchester Circle in Boulder, CO.

Northern Colorado

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - There's a new beer tapping at Grimm Brothers today - "Willow Wren" an Erntebier. It's a low alcohol "harvest" beer weighing in at 3.9% ABV and 36 IBU. It's designed as an anytime table beer. Willow Wren has a distinct roast flavor with hints of chocolate and toffee. Also, Grimm Brothers will be pouring their Maiden's Kiss Maibock at West Flanders Brewing in Boulder tonight starting at 5pm. The first 20 pints get prizes - plus they are giving away a set of tickets to the Front Range Rally beer and food truck festival in Loveland that takes place on May 18th. Back at the Grimm Bros taproom tonight - live music from Christopher "Snowball" Smith starts at 6pm.

City Star Brewing (Berthoud) - The beers keep flowing for American Craft Beer Week. Enjoy a pint while listening to live music from Stave Manshel (veteran of Firefall) starting at 6:30pm.

Front Range Rally (Loveland) - One day left to get tickets for tomorrow's Front Range Rally beer & food truck festival at the Loveland Food Bank - 2600 N. Lincoln in Loveland, CO. 110 beers from 34 breweries, food trucks and 2 live bands from 3pm to 7pm. Visit www.frontrangerally.org for tickets.

KUNC Craft Beer Week Series (Greeley) - KUNC Radio (91.5 FM) closes out their week-long series on American Craft Beer Week today with a segment on the Art of Beer Labels. Check out the article and you can also listen to the recorded report via a link on their page. Interviews with members from Crooked Stave, Bull & Bush Brewery & Pub and CAUTION: Brewing Company were featured.

New Belgium (Ft. Collins) - New Belgium has come up with 4 short TV spots promoting their Fat Tire Amber Ale. You can find all four of them on YouTube. We'll preview one of them below. The others can be found at: 1-here, 2-here, 3-here, and 4-here.

Verboten Brewing (Loveland) - A new tapping for American Craft Beer Week! Stop in today for a taste of "Good Day to You" - a salted Caramel Chocolate Porter. It taps promptly at 3:00pm. This one will only be around for a short while and won't be made that often.

City Star Brewing (Berthoud) - Today between 5pm and 9pm, City Star Brewing will be the featured brewery at The Welsh Rabbit Cheese Shop in Ft. Collins during their Beer and Cheese pairing. City Star owners John and Whitney will be attending too.

Southern Front Range

Rocky Mountain Brewery (Colorado Springs) - According to the Boston Globe, Rocky Mountain Brewery will be one of two breweries that will be creating a special beer in honor of the fallen MIT police officer who died allegedly at the hands of the Boston Marathon bombers. This beer will be called "Collier Stout". The beer will cost $5.50 and $1 from each sale will go towards a memorial fund in memory of Sean Collier. This beer will be made in a limited run, around 2,000 pints.

Trinity Brewing (Colorado Springs) - There will be a Barrel room open house tonight at Trinity starting at 5:00pm. Check out their newly built barrel room and barrel tables. They will supply the hors 'doeuvres and some special tastings directly from the barrels.

Mountains and West

Steamworks Brewing (Durango) - The Original Joint Effort and 18th Annual Faceplant Ale Tapping Party is next Friday May 24th. Things kick off with the now infamous Unofficial bike regalia From Ska Brewing to Steamworks Brewing - meet out at Ska at 5pm or join up with the gang at the Durango Cyclery for an in-town "working stiffs" rally point around 5:30pm. Russell will host a skidding contest and Steamworks will tap the Faceplant Ale when the crew works their way to the brewpub. All those that participate will get a free commemorative glass and a free beer as well as a chance to win a ton of goodies including a chance at a sweet cruiser. Dj Ras Daws and Raplhsta will provide the hot licks.

Ska Brewing (Durango) - Celebrating American Craft Beer Week at Right Coast Pizza in Wheat Ridge, CO with a special beer tapping today at 6:00pm! A cask-conditioned lager- Mexican Logger with Mangos, Lemongrass, Habaneros & El Dorado Hops.
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Catch up on Colorado Beer News from earlier this week:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

View Colorado Brewery Maps
[ Boulder-Longmont Map ] [ Denver Area Map ] [ Northern Colorado Map ]
[ Southeast Colorado Map ] [ Northwest Brewery Map ] [ Southwest Colorado Map ]

CO Beer Dinners - Expand your palate! How about a beer dinner or pairing event? Lots of events are taking reservations now. Check out the Colorado Beer Dinner & Pairing Events listing.

Live Music - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and top watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find out who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

CO Beer Festivals - Looking for info on upcoming beer festivals or related events in Colorado? Check out the listings on the 2013 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar. Updated daily.

Like us on Facebook - There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook Page. Find recaps, special offers, and tips that you won't find on the blog.

Colorado Beer News is published daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Goose Island India Pale Ale review

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Fri, 17 May 2013 02:59:00 +0000

Yes, this is actually a beer review of a beer owned by AB InBev, well sorta. Back in 2011, Goose Island Beer Company of Chicago, Illinois had 58% of their company bought out by Anheuser-Busch InBev. Since that time, several Goose Island beers have been brewed at various AB-InBev plants across the USA. Fort Collins Colorado is one of them and also another in Baldwinsville, New York. I spied a single bottle of Goose Island India Pale Ale at my local beer store in Northern Colorado and was surprised to learn that this bottle wasn't brewed in Fort Collins, but actually from New York.

I looked it up, and the Fort Collins AB plant does indeed brew the Goose Island India Pale Ale and so does the Baldwinsville, NY plant. So then why would a New York bottle be located on a store shelf in Colorado? Hmm curious indeed. I noticed that this bottle had a "Bottled On Date" of November 18, 2012 and it says to enjoy within 180 days. This beer is being reviewed on the 178th day of that 180 day freshness period. So naturally, I wanted to see if this beer held its freshness for the last 6 months.

Goose Island India Pale Ale weighs in at 5.9% ABV and 55 IBU. Would a bottle that traveled all the way from New York and sitting in a beer cooler still be good? OK, call me a sucker for IPA's, but I had to find out. I'll solve the New York mystery later. For reporting purposes however, I have to call this a New York beer since it was bottled there. I grew up in Michigan and I've seen Goose Island beer around there for years, but has corporate life changed this beer? Well, one thing about this beer - it won a gold medal at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival in the English Style IPA category, so it must still be doing fairly well.

Appearance: Goose Island India Pale Ale (IPA) poured a medium copper gold color with a near white billowy head. The beer itself was modestly carbonated and poured with near perfect clarity into the glass. No sediment was visible. The foam created a nice white lacing that seemed to stick around well on the glass.

Aroma: Goose Island's IPA still had a some citrus (almost like lemons) and an earth and pine aroma, somewhat grass-like even after nearly 6 full months in the bottle. I've smelled bigger bouquets of hops in IPAs before, so perhaps age had dulled the hop nose a bit. Also in the background I could pick up some bready malts with a hint of sweetness. Had I been blindfolded, I might have had difficulty picking this out as an IPA, but perhaps a regular Pale Ale. Still, it was pleasant enough to warrant wanting to try it.

Taste: This IPA didn't have a sharp bitter beginning, rather a bitter sweet start followed by a slightly bigger bitter ending. This seemed like a chewy, resiny brew, yet I could tell that the hops had diminished in bitterness. It was still a clean tasting beer with no lingering after taste. I could pick up a hint of caramelized malts in this brew as well. The beer was easy enough to drink and I had no problem finishing the entire 12oz bottle in less than 15 minutes.

Overall: It's always a good idea to check for an expiration date or bottled on date when you select a hoppy beer. Hops aren't meant to be cellared very long, if at all. IPA's are best tasted fresh. While I could see some quality in this beer, I think I would have liked it better if it had been just a month or less old. I can't help but wonder why a bottle from New York was shipped all the way out to Colorado when the Bud plant here in Fort Collins makes the very same beer. Hmmm, is a puzzlement. Perhaps the Fort Collins plant is mis-labeling their beer with label stock from New York.

As for recommending this beer, yes, it was still decent, just not as fresh. I'll have to try a fresher bottle next time. I need to speak with my liquor store owner about the source of this beer. No wonder it was in the singles section - the 6 month old 6-pack wasn't selling fast enough apparently. I think in the future, I'll stick to drinking Goose Island's Bourbon County Stouts instead - I absolutely love those.

Disclosure: I paid full retail price for this beer at my local liquor store. I got this beer as a single in a build-your-own 6-pack section.

Related articles:
- Goose Island Christmas Ale 2009 review.
- Goose Island 2008 Bourbon County Stout review. (2009 review)
- Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA review.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Colorado Beer News 051613

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:32:00 +0000

Today is Love a Tree Day. Yes, it's the original tree hugger holiday where people should remember to take care of the trees in their community and protect them. Some go as far as hugging their trees, but we'll leave that decision up to you. Celebrate trees and nature today and take some time today to maintain the trees around your neighborhood. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Thursday, May 16th, 2013.

American Craft Beer Week Continues! #ACBW - May 13-19, 2013
Nationwide toast at 6:00pm Mountain Time - many locations.

Metro Denver

Lone Tree Brewing (Lone Tree) - It's Terrific Thursday! 5776' English IPA is their tap of the day, plus Wingin' It will be there later on. Come down and test your skills with Trivia night. Two rounds, one at 6pm and 7pm , winner of each round will get a growler of their choice! The Josh's will be here to serve you beer and entertainment!

Mountain Toad Brewing (Golden) - It's official! On Saturday May 25th at noon - Mountain Toad Brewing will have their official Grand Opening in Golden, Colorado. The construction is finally done, the permits are all in and it's time to open their doors. The brewery is located at 900 Washington Avenue in Golden (corner of 9th Street and Washington). After the opening, their official business hours will be: 2pm-9pm Tuesday - Thursday, 12pm - 10pm Friday - Saturday, and 12pm - 8pm on Sunday. Beers they have planned are: Apex Amber (6.6% ABV), White Ranch Wit (6.5% ABV), Mt Zion IPA (6.9% ABV 75 IBU), and Ryrish Stout (5.9% ABV). Mountain Toad brews off a 10 BBV brewhouse and a 1 BBL pilot system. Expect up to 8 beers on tap including some rotating seasonal / experimental brews soon. Visit them on the web: mountaintoadbrewing.com.

Strange Brewing Co (Denver) - Tomorrow, May 17th marks the first ever bottle release for Strange Brewing. They've bottled up 1,000 22oz bottles of their Dr. Strangelove barleywine-style ale. This beer won a bronze medal at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival. Stop by the taproom to buy a bottle or two. At 11.5% ABV it should cellar well also. But why wait?

CAUTION: Brewing Company (Denver) - It's their first anniversary of their taproom this Saturday. Stop in starting at 11:00am for a CAUTION 1st Anniversary Party. There will be plenty of great beer, food, events (big wheel races) and even a band. American Craft Beer Radio will be doing a remote from 12pm to 1pm - stop in and say hi to Gary V and his radio gang. The party will run until 8:00pm(ish). "It's gonna be epic".

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project (Denver) - This Sunday is ROY-G-BIV Day at Crooked Stave. Crooked Stave is hosting a bottle release for their Wild Wild Brett Violet on May 19th. In order to celebrate the completion of their Wild Wild Brett Series and bottle release for Wild Wild Brett Violet, Crooked Stave will be hosting a ROY-G-BIV Day. (aka Rainbow Day) The bottle release of Wild Wild Brett Violet will START at 12:00pm and last until the bottles are sold out. Also, there will be a 6 BOTTLE LIMIT for Wild Wild Brett Violet. Beginning at 1:00pm they will tap limited offerings of ALL the colors of the Wild Wild Brett Series every half hour: Rouge, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue & Indigo. Violet, St. Bretta and Hop Savant will be on tap all day. 21+ only event. Event is rain or shine. More info & tickets on the website.

Boulder County

Left Hand Brewing (Longmont) - It's back! Left Hand Brewing is reviving their old recipe from 4 years ago. St. Vrain Tripel Ale is back for the summer in 22oz bottles and in kegs. It's been since 2009 that they last released this beer. Look for it soon on tap and at your favorite store.

Avery Brewing (Boulder) - Today at 5:00pm is the official release of Avery Twenty XX India Pale Ale. It's their official 20th anniversary beer. Meet up at 5pm at their tap room for the 20th anniversary celebration. There will be live music playing there as well. This is billed to be one of their hoppiest beers to date! Grats on 20 years Avery! Looking forward to the next 20.

Boulder Beer Co (Boulder) - This Saturday, May 18th is the 2nd annual Innovation Celebration at Boulder Beer Co. It's the cap off of their American Craft Beer Week festivities. They're taking over their own bar and putting up a selection of rare Boulder beers that include some one-of-a-kind small batch brews from their pilot system. Love music on the patio from 5-8pm from Pro-Leisure. VIP admission at 11am ($30) and include breakfast, tasting glass and 16 4oz tasters, otherwise everyone else starts up at 12 noon. Come see what rare selections Boulder Beer has on tap.

J Wells Brewery (Boulder) - It's Thursday and they are open early with lots of beer. Today they've got several beers on tap including: Jamie's Pale, Hop Haze, Jamie's Best (best bitter), J Wells' Chocolate Milk Stout, Gitana Brown Ale, and Lights Out Stout.

Northern Colorado

Equinox Brewing (Ft. Collins) - Do you love Snickerdoodles? Then perhaps you'll be interested in trying a special firkin beer called Snickerdoodle O'rion Irish Red Ale at Equinox Brewing today. They're tapping it at noon just for you.

Black Bottle Brewery (Ft. Collins) - Tonight at 6:00pm, Black Bottle will be hosting a special Collaborative Beer Dinner with 4 other breweries. Enjoy 5 courses and 5 beers. You'll get 1 beer from each of the following breweries: Stone Brewing, Left Hand Brewing, Clown Shoes Brewing, Boulevard Brewing and Black Bottle. The cost is $35 plus tax and tip. Call or stop by the brewery to reserve your seat. View the official event on Facebook for menu and details.

Front Range Rally (Loveland) - 34 confirmed breweries, over 110 beers and lots of food and live music. Loveland is ready to party outside at the Loveland Food Bank on North Lincoln. Get tickets online at www.frontrangerally.org or at the gate. Tickets with or without food are available as well as designated driver tickets. 21+ only event (exception 18+ designated driver and kids under 5 with parent). The fest runs from 3pm to 7pm rain or shine.

Pateros Creek Brewing (Ft. Collins) - Today's Outlaw tap is a unique one - Lazy Lavender Lounger - a porter with lavender and orange. A good one for sipping out on the patio.

Southern Front Range

Phantom Canyon Brewing (Colorado Springs) - New beer alert! Stop in and try their Kakapo - New Zealand Pale Ale. It's a hop-forward pale ale with peppery and light citrus aromatic notes from New Zealand grown Pacific Jade hops. Light malt flavors and substantial bitterness blend with mineral dryness leaving a crisp dry finish. 4.8% ABV. Named after a ground-dwelling parrot that lived on the isolated landmass of New Zealand for thousands of years, the kakapo evolved into one of the world's most remarkable birds.

Mountains and West

Elevation Beer Co (Poncha Springs) - This weekend during May 18th - 19th, Elevation Beer Company is hosting their First Anniversary Party at their taproom. They've put out a big beer list just for the occasion. In the tasting room they'll be pouring: 8 Second Kolsch, First Cast IPA, Little Mo' Nitro Porter, 7437 Double IPA, Quadrupel, Third Base Trippel and False Summit Quadrupel aged in Bourbon Barrels. Plus 2 rotating taps including Brown's Canyon India Brown Ale, and Prostator Smoked Doppelbock. But that's not all, outside on the Draught Truck they'll also pouring Senorita Horchata Imperial Porter, Apis IV Quadrupel, APis IV aged in Cabernet Barrels, and Oil Man Imperial Stout along with some beers from inside. Green & Blue series beers are just $3 and Black and Double Black Diamond series beers are $6. Plus they'll have some limited edition stainless steel pint glasses available for $5. Stop in and join the celebration!

Grand Valley Beer Festival (Grand Junction) - This Saturday in the University Center Ballroom on the Colorado Mesa University campus will be the 3rd Annual Grand Valley Beer Festival. 150 different beers from 31+ breweries all in one place. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Come thirsty! The fest runs from 1pm to 5pm. Live music from Zolopht and the Destroyers. Get tickets at Fisher's Liquor Barn or Kannah Creek Brewing Company. Info: www.grandvalleybeerfestival.com.

Snowmass Mammoth Festival (Snowmass Village) - Remember the Chili Brew Fest? Well this year's it's become something much bigger - the Snowmass Mammoth Festival. Even more breweries and more music and of course lots of Chili! It's happening the weekend of June 7-8, 2013. Tickets and info at: www.snowmassmammothfest.com.
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Catch up on Colorado Beer News from earlier this week:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday

View Colorado Brewery Maps
[ Boulder-Longmont Map ] [ Denver Area Map ] [ Northern Colorado Map ]
[ Southeast Colorado Map ] [ Northwest Brewery Map ] [ Southwest Colorado Map ]

CO Beer Dinners - Expand your palate! How about a beer dinner or pairing event? Lots of events are taking reservations now. Check out the Colorado Beer Dinner & Pairing Events listing.

Live Music - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and top watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find out who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

CO Beer Festivals - Looking for info on upcoming beer festivals or related events in Colorado? Check out the listings on the 2013 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar. Updated daily.

Like us on Facebook - There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook Page. Find recaps, special offers, and tips that you won't find on the blog.

Colorado Beer News is published daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Left Hand revives St. Vrain Tripel for summer

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:24:00 +0000

It's like an old friend returning from a very long trip. Left Hand Brewing of Longmont, Colorado announced today that they are bringing back their St. Vrain Tripel after a long hiatus. Read their press release below for all the details of this summertime release.

[PRESS RELEASE] (LONGMONT, CO) – The revival of St. Vrain has come! For the first time in over 4 years, Left Hand’s Belgian Tripel is back for summer 2013! Named for the local river running alongside the brewery, St. Vrain is a true to style Belgian Tripel, light in color with a touch of Celelia hops and malt sweetness. But don’t be fooled… what at first appears benevolent can manifest into a mighty serpent in waiting. Further sips, reveal the warm spiciness and intoxicating nature hidden within. Things are not always what they seem.

The beer pours a brilliant gold with aromas of tropical fruit, spicy pepper, and bubble gum. Bottle conditioned for a truly monastic feel, St. Vrain bubbles effervescently with a fluffy white head. First sips open with light malt and a honey-like sweetness tempered by mint and peppery flavors, transitioning to herbal hoppy notes and a slightly nutty finish redolent of chestnuts. The finish is warming and dry, with a slight lingering bitterness.

Since the beer’s last release in 2009, the 2013 edition of St. Vrain features a label redesign in line with the rest of Left Hand portfolio. Playing off the drinkable yet deceitful high alcohol nature of the Belgian Tripel, the label brings to life the classic theme of good vs. evil. The St. Vrain river alongside the brewery is illustrated, as well as the face of Ceran St. Vrain himself – a regional 17th Century fur trader. Available in of Left Hand’s 27 state distribution, St. Vrain will be packaged in 22 oz bottles and kegs.

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Related articles:
- Left Hand brewing continues tremendous growth spurt.
- Left Hand Twin Sisters Double IPA review.
- Left Hand Fade to Black Volume 4 review. (2012)

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Telluride Face Down Brown Ale review

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Thu, 16 May 2013 01:18:00 +0000

Brown ales are supposed to be non-exciting, at least that's what most people are led to believe. Not so when you consider today's beer review. Telluride Brewing Company recently won multiple awards for one of its beers - Telluride Face Down Brown Ale. This beer took home gold in both the 2012 World Beer Cup and at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival in the American Style Brown Ale category.

What also makes this brown ale special is that it was brewed in a tiny mountain town of Telluride, Colorado and distributed in cans. Just last January (2013), Telluride Brewing struck a distribution deal that now brings Face Down Brown Ale and others of its label to the Front Range area of Colorado. Previously, folks along the Eastern Slope could only get a taste of this beer at beer festivals or in Western Colorado. I was pleased to find a single can of this in a singles section at my local beer store.

Telluride Brewing has only been around for less than two years. They opened in October of 2011. Now they make around 12 different beers, but only a couple of which are now in cans. Face Down Brown is a year round beer that weighs in at 5.7%. it's described as a hybrid of an English and American style Brown that has tones of chocolate, toffee and nut flavors. It's bittered with Magnum, Tettanger CTZ and Cascade hops. For far, it's their only gold medal winning beer and it's won two of them.

Appearance: Face Down Brown came out of the can ready for business. The color reminded me of a cola, brown with mahogany highlights. This beer easily built up a big tall tan head with just a bit of an aggressive pour. The foam stuck well to the sides of the glass - just a wonderful lacing. The beer was nearly dark enough to hide the other side of the glass, but around the bottom and sides of the glass I could almost see through it. It turned out a bit darker than most brown ales.

Aroma: A ha! The aroma, right off the bat, told me why this beer won medals. It's the best brown ale aroma I've known. There was a rich chocolate and toffee aroma here. It certainly lived up to the brewer's description there. This is an aroma I look for in a chocolate stout as well. It's bold, with a sweet roasted malt scent and with a nutty character as well. Most browns I've had are pretty bland in this department, but Telluride spent some extra time with the aroma here. Simply wonderful and inviting. I got a hint of citrus and spice from the hops as well.

Taste: Face Down Brown had a medium body rich with bit of a bite from the bitterness at the end of the sip. This beer had a heavier feel than other brown ales, and that's a good thing. There was plenty of roasted malts here that reminded me of coffee, bitter chocolate and a big malt flavor. The malts were not sweet as the aroma might have indicated, at least not at first. The beer does change a bit as it warms and more of the sweetness came through later on. This was a roasty and bitter brew with lots of flavor. I could almost taste the Cascade hops in the flavor here too. The Cascade hops really come out of hiding after the first several sips and as the beer warmed up a bit.

This beer may well be a Brown ale through and through, but what I found funny was when I exhaled through my nose after a big sip, it reminded me of an IPA. One might even call this a Brown IPA although it falls short of the bitterness and hop nose of an IPA. The malts definitely still shined brightly here, but the hops manage to dig their way to the top on the back side.

Overall: Telluride's Face Down Brown Ale was quite the surprise. The aroma really sold me on this beer and the taste surprised me due to its complexity, bitter taste and quality. If you aren't a big fan of brown ales then you may not have tried the right one. Get this and compare it to other browns you've had and this one will sell you on what a Brown ale should taste like. I would definitely agree with the Gold medals. This beer is one of the better Brown ales.

Disclosure: I paid full retail price for this beer at my local liquor store as part of a build your own six pack deal.

Related articles:
- Telluride Brewing bringing its beers to Denver.
- Telluride Brewing Company opens for business. (Oct. 2011)
- Upslope Brown Ale review.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Colorado Beer News 051513

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:29:00 +0000

Today is National Chocolate Chip Day. Want to spice up your life today? Why not add some chocolate chips to your day! Add some to your favorite dessert, over ice cream or perhaps simply pair some with a pint of rich creamy stout. A bit of chocolate today will help you get over the hump. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Wednesday, May 15th, 2013.

Happy American Craft Beer Week! #ACBW (May 13-19)

Metro Denver

Hops & Pie (Denver) - How do you celebrate American Craft Beer Week today? With $2 Craft Cans tonight from 5pm to close.

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project (Denver) - Crooked Stave fans in Fort Collins! Go join Kyle at Tap n Handle in FoCo tonight at 6pm for a Crooked Stave mini tap-takeover. He will be pouring St. Bretta - Spring, Vieille Artisanal Saison, and their recently packaged Hop Savant dry hopped with experimental hop 344! The first 6 people to order all three receive a Crooked Stave logo tulip glass! He'll also be giving out stickers, smiles and high fives all night!

Denver Beer Co (Denver) - Don't Forget! Join Denver Beer Company this Friday, May 17th for their Spring Beer Dinner in their Barrel Room. Details and tickets at the taproom!

The Brew on Broadway (Englewood) - Englewood's newest brewery is opening very soon! They plan to start brewing their first batches any day now. They will announce their official opening day at that time. Their beautiful wood floors are just waiting for you!

Boulder County

Burning Can (Lyons) - This year's Burning Can festival takes place on Saturday, June 1st at Bohn Park in Lyons, CO and featured ONLY canned craft beer. Festival hours are 4-7pm for General admission and 3-7pm for VIP. Tickets are available now at: www.burningcan.com. Burning Can takes place during the Lyons Outdoor Games which run from May 31st through June 2nd. Over 3 dozen canning breweries are expected to participate.

Twisted Pine (Boulder) - Tomorrow, Thursday, May 16th - Twisted Pine will be hosting a Nationwide Toast for American Craft Beer Week at 6pm Mountain time. Join in for a FREE sampler toast.

Upslope Brewing (Boulder) - This Friday evening (May 17th) at 7pm, Upslope will be host to the Boulder Premiere of the documentary film "Crafting A Nation" at their new Flatiron Park location (not the Lee Hill one). This is a follow up film to "Beer Culture" and takes a look at the national craft beer scene. Tickets are available on Eventbrite for this 95 minute film. Tickets are also available in the tap room. Have a brew and watch a great craft beer movie.

FATE Brewing (Boulder) - FATE Brewing Company will release eleven of its twelve collaboration beers on Sunday, May 19th, 2013, just in time to toast American Craft Beer Week. Head brewer, Jeff Griffith, teamed up with many Boulder County breweries to stack hands on a variety of unique recipes. FATE will be offering the following collaboration brews: Echo Brewing Company (Eisbock), Crystal Springs Brewing Company (Wee Heavy Scotch Ale), Asher Brewing Company (100% Organic Cocoa Punk'n Porter), Wild Woods Brewing Company (Eastside Extra Pale Ale), Shine Restaurant and Gathering Place (Let Your Fate Shine Imperial IPA), Boulder Beer (English Brown Mild), Twisted Pine Brewing Company (Twist of FATE Rye Brown Ale), Mountain Sun/Southern Sun Pub & Brewery (Cherry FATE, Chocolate Cherry Foreign Stout), Big Choice Brewing Company (Biere de Garde), Lone Tree Brewing Company (Schwarzbier), Bru Handbuilt Ales and Eats (Trippel), and Twelve Degree Brewing (Hommelbier).

Northern Colorado

Patrick's Irish Pub (Greeley) - Starting tonight you can get some wood fired pizzas from Peach Pit Pizza right outside of Patrick's Irish Pub. Every Wednesday at 5pm the Peace Pit truck will be parked out front with food to pair with the 31+ taps at Patrick's. Plus, tonight is Open Mic night starting at 9:30pm. Come share your talent.

High Hops Brewery (Windsor) - Today's Wednesday (Humpday) Firkin is a Lemon Ginger Honey ale. It's the perfect drink for sitting on the patio and watching the Spring sunset. it taps at 5pm.

Black Bottle Brewery (Ft. Collins) - Just tapped today! Stop in for taste of their Sour Diesel - it's a sour porter that was brewed with Black Berries and aged in Maker's Mark barrels. It's a 6.3% sour wonder just for American Craft Beer Week!

Mayor of Old Town (Ft. Collins) - Join Funkwerks co-founder Brad Lincoln at The Mayor of Old Town tonight (May 15th) from 6pm-9pm for their Keeping it Classy cigar and pipe smoking night featuring our collaboration Belgian-style Dubbel, Son of Nothing! Remember, it's American Craft Beer Week-- so go enjoy some craft beer!

Front Range Rally (Loveland) In 3 days (May 18th 3-7pm) over 32 breweries and nearly 15 food truck will gather outside at the Loveland Food Bank for a festival benefiting Food Bank of Larimer County. Tickets are still available at www.frontrangerally.org. The beer list has been released and there will be some special beers included in the line-up that you won't want to miss. Come hungry as there will be plenty of food available to fill you up. Click the image to get the full beer menu. Also expecting beers from Crabtree, Boulder Beer and Wynkoop to be added soon. Attendees will be given a beer list at the gate.

Loveland Aleworks (Loveland) - What's coming down the pipelines at Loveland Aleworks? Just today they brewed up some Zach's Imperial IPA and are starting on a Black IPA. Look for these batches soon to be on tap!

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - If today is Wednesday, then it must be Open Mic Night! Bring your talent to the taproom and earn a free pint. The show starts at 6:00pm, but the beers will be flowing all night til close. Also, tonight at the new Alama Drafthouse Cinema in Littleton, join Grimm Brothers for brewers night followed by a Star Trek Double Feature that ends with a showing of the new film "Star Trek Into Darkness". Get there by 5:30pm!

Odell Brewing and New Belgium (Ft. Collins) - This Sunday May 19th, test drive an electric vehicle at New Belgium Brewing with Drive Electric Northern Colorado from 12n-4p and you will receive a free pint of "Plug In Pale Ale" at Odell Brewing Co! Those who test drive will also get a chance to win a New Belgium Cruiser Bike. The 1st 100 test drivers will receive a New Belgium gift card. Test drivers will get to drive from New Belgium over to Odell Brewing. Just be sure not to drink then drive. Test drive first! More info at: driveelectricnoco.org
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Catch up on Colorado Beer News from earlier this week:
Monday | Tuesday

CO Beer Festivals - Looking for info on upcoming beer festivals or related events in Colorado? Check out the listings on the 2013 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar. Updated daily.

View Colorado Brewery Maps
[ Boulder-Longmont Map ] [ Denver Area Map ] [ Northern Colorado Map ]
[ Southeast Colorado Map ] [ Northwest Brewery Map ] [ Southwest Colorado Map ]

CO Beer Dinners - Expand your palate! How about a beer dinner or pairing event? Lots of events are taking reservations now. Check out the Colorado Beer Dinner & Pairing Events listing.

Live Music - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

Like us on Facebook - There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook Page. Find recaps, special offers, and tips that you won't find on the blog. "Like" us and get even more soon after it happens. Thanks for helping us grow to over 1700+ "Likes" in 2013!

Colorado Beer News is published daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. Stop back here often for all the latest. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Crooked Stave L'Brett d'Or 2012 review

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Wed, 15 May 2013 02:27:00 +0000

There's nothing to compare to trying a limited release oak aged sour ale after stashing it away for many months. Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project put out a series of Cellar Reserve Membership beers in 2012. One such beer is their Crooked Stave L'Brett d'Or - a dry hopped surreal golden sour ale aged in oak barrels. The beer saw limited tap time in 2012 and was also put into several hundred 375 green wax topped bottles for the Cellar Reserve membership.

I had jumped on the opportunity to get into the 2012 Cellar Reserve Membership and waited until 2013 to pick up the bulk of my purchase. So here in 2013, this beer has had a chance to age a bit further and was to be a treat for this evening. I haven't previously tried this beer before, but seeing how I am a huge fan of beers made with Brettanomyces I was eager to open this bottle up.

L'Brett d'Or weighs in at a respectable 7.0% ABV. Each year, Crooked Stave plans to release another version of L'Brett d'Or only do something a bit differently with it each year. This brew falls into the Sour Ale / Wild Ale category. I expect to get some funky sourness out of this beer. What I don't know is, how the extra time will affect the overall taste. I expect the dry hopped bitterness to be calmed a bit after an additional 6 months in the bottle. Let's find out.

Appearance: L'Brett d'Or poured a very cloudy medium golden orange color with a modest 1-finger tall foamy white head. While I didn't see any chunky particles in this beer, there was some noticeable murky yeast that came out of the bottle. The head left a slight lacing, but what little there was of it slid off very quickly and did not stick to the glass. The beer opened with a slight hiss and seemed to be slightly carbonated.

Aroma: Brett and oak! Oh my yes! There is an unmistakable aroma of Brettanomyces. That and the tell tale traces of oak barrel in the nose. This funky beer had a slightly sweet scent about it, but I couldn't really pick up much of the dry hops. The months had mellowed the hops and a bit of fruit came out from underneath. The brew had an acidic tinge that I've come to enjoy.

Taste: At last my love I have found you! This beer is on the sweet yet highly tart side. The funk and the oak tones come through along with some sweet fruits. There is an acidic bite on the back end with a hint of vinegar and with a clean, yet tart finish. While there was some bitterness about this beer, the sweet tangy malt taste dominated.

On the sour pucker scale: 1 being tame and 10 being ultimate pucker power - I'd give this beer an 8.5. This is one sour treat that I wish I had a whole keg of. Don't let the cloudiness fool you. This is a clean tasting sour with plenty of taste. The oak barrel gave this beer some earthy character with a hint of herb (probably from the hops).

Overall: For me, this beer is close to perfection for this sour head. It's got all the major sour tartness and a sharp bite on the end. Just right for a special night of bottle sharing. Since there was only a bit over 12oz of this I recommend you savor this one slowly as it will all too quickly want to disappear. If you get a chance to trade for a bottle of this DO IT! Give up one of your good bottles for this beer. It's worth it.

A big thumbs up to Chad Yakobson and his staff for creating one excellent sour. So far, it's one of my all-time favorite sour beers. I'm going to have to re-join the Cellar Membership in 2014 to try to get more of this one. Worth every dollar I spent on this beer.

Disclosure: I got this bottle as part of a paid annual Cellar Reserve Membership package. I paid for the membership myself.

Related articles:
- Crooked Stave to host ROY-G-BIV Day May 19th. (2013)
- Crooked Stave Sentience Wild Quadrupel Cognac Barrel review.
- A visual tour of Crooked Stave Barrel Cellar. (2013)

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Twisted Pine Cultivates Cucumber Cream Ale

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:43:00 +0000

How do you make a truly unique Colorado craft beer? Put a bunch of cucumber in it! Twisted Pine today releases a new Cucumber Cream Ale that's bound to get some interesting looks from fans. This beer comes on the heals of last year's Carrot IPA. There's fresh Colorado ingredients being used here. Check out their press release below for the scoop on this unusual beer release.

Newest installment in Farm to Foam® series released May 14th

[PRESS RELEASE] Boulder, Colorado – May 14th 2013 – Fans of Twisted Pine Brewing Company will soon find a super-refreshing new way to cool off in the early summer sun as the brewery releases their Cucumber Cream Ale, the second offering from its popular Farm to Foam series. The beer, made with over 300 lbs of Colorado cucumbers, will be available May 14th.

Twisted Pine began the Farm to Foam series last year as “a tribute to the sustainable spirit of Colorado.” With that goal in mind, the brewers source all ingredients for each beer in-state. The latest recipe utilizes malted barley and wheat from Colorado Malting Company in Alamosa, Crystal hops from Misty Mountain Hop Farm in Olathe, and English cucumbers (clipped from their vines just a day or two prior to use) from 2 R’s Farm in Platteville.

Lead brewer Henry Jager explains that the decision to use only Colorado-grown ingredients, while restrictive in a sense, opens the door to new avenues of creativity in recipe-writing. “Our options for local grain and hop varieties are certainly limited, but there are so many other plants that grow well here and, if you open your mind a little and are willing to get a little weird, the possibilities for great beers are pretty vast.”

Cucumber Cream Ale sits in the glass a slightly hazed, sunglow yellow topped with a head the color and consistency of freshly whipped cream. The beer breathes out the aroma of garden-fresh cucumbers fringed with subtle esters from the yeast just before the fruit (yes, cucumber is a fruit, Look it up!) pops on the tongue with a soft, cooling effect. Malt and hop flavors are intentionally subdued, making Twisted Pine’s newest Farm to Foam beer the perfect type of light and refreshing beverage to quench one’s thirst after a long day spent in the sun… perhaps gardening.

Cucumber Cream Ale will be available in limited amounts on draft and in wax-dipped 750ml bottles throughout Colorado and a select few other states. More details can be found at twistedpinebrewing.com. And keep an eye out later this summer as Twisted Pine plans to reprise last year’s Roots Revival, the carrot IPA that kicked off the Farm to Foam series.

About Twisted Pine Brewing Company
Based in Boulder, Colorado, Twisted Pine Brewing Company has been hand-crafting quality ales since 1995. In addition to such favorites as Hoppy Boy IPA, Raspberry Wheat Ale and Billy’s Chilies, the brewery has repeatedly pushed the boundaries of style guidelines with such creations as Big Shot Espresso Stout, Northstar Imperial Porter and Ghost Face Killah. Twisted Pine is actively involved with local charitable organizations and is a staunch advocate of sustainable business practices. For more information, visit www.twistedpinebrewing.com.

Related articles:
- Twisted Pine La Petite Saison review.
- More articles about Saisons.
- Twisted Pine Raspberry Wheat Ale review.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Colorado Beer News 051413

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:56:00 +0000

Today is Underground America Day. While the vast majority of Americans live above ground, there are a growing number who live below ground. Today is a day to choose to do something underground like: ride a subway, explore a cave, visit some catacombs, explore an underground crypt. Sound creepy? It can be, however it can be a simple as enjoying some time in a basement man-cave. Being underground doesn't have to be dark or uncomfortable experience. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Tuesday, May 14th, 2013.

Celebrate American Craft Beer Week! May 13-19, 2013. #ACBW

Metro Denver

Rock Bottom Brewery (Denver) - On Wednesday, May 15th at 6pm, Rock Bottom will tap "Snake Spit", a Black India Ale and for the 1st 30 minutes, those of legal drinking age can get a free pint of it up until 6:30pm. Then on Thursday, stop in for Beer & Cheese from 6pm to 7:30pm. They're offering up four 6oz beers paired with a variety of cheeses for $10. Then mark your calendars fro Wednesday, May 29th for the tapping of "Fools Gold, Belgian Ale" at 6pm. Again, a free pint offer for the first 30 minutes until 6:30pm.

Copper Kettle Brewing (Denver) - It's Saison Cask Month! This Wednesday's cask is a tangy Mango Saison. They'll be tapping this cask from 3pm to 9pm. Stop in for a taste of this special creation.

Big Choice Brewing (Broomfield) - For ACBW, Big Choice is on the road up in Longmont tonight at the new CHUBurger restaurant at 6:00pm. There they will be helping to tap a big keg of their Hemlock Double IPA. If you buy a 16oz Big Choice beer you'll get a free 16oz Big Choice pint glass to take home with you. Plus this will be a great chance to experience the food at the new CHUBurger as well.

Freshcraft (Denver) - Freshcraft is hosting a week-long celebration of American's definitive craft beer style - the IPA! Well OK, the British invented it first, but America made it better! They're turning over all their taps to dedicate to IPAs from all over the country. There will also be tappings each evening during #ACBW at 7pm of special IPAs too. The list will be awesome.

Boulder County

Twisted Pine Brewing (Boulder) - Today Twisted Pine releases their new Cucumber Cream Ale as part of their Farm to Foam Colorado program. That beer was made using a boatload of cucumbers. Tagging along with this release is an additional release of their Carrot IPA. Both use locally-sourced ingredients. Also, for Wednesday, if you ride your bike to the taproom and show the staff your bike helmet - you'll be given your first pint on them!

FATE Brewing Company (Boulder) - Hey Denver! For the first time tomorrow, Wednesday May 15th, a FATE Brewing Beer will be on tap in Denver. They've brought over a keg of their newly release Cascadian Dark Ale over to Lucky Pie Pizza in Denver and now Denverites can start enjoying FATE brew without the trek to Boulder. Also for #ACBW, World of Beer in Glendale, CO is hosting a Colorado Nano Tap Takeover and FATE's Kolsch Style Ale, IPA and Cascadian Dark Ale will be featured on tap.

Oskar Blues (Longmont) - Stop down to the Tasty Weasel Taproom for Tasty Tuesday today. They are going to tap a Cherry Chub on draft and you'll want to get some. It's that same great Old Chub infused with cherries!

Northern Colorado

Front Range Rally (Loveland) - This Saturday, May 18th from 3pm to 7pm - don't wait in line for tickets to the Front Range Rally beer & food truck festival - purchase your tickets online today. The festival is just 4 days away. There will be over 100 different beers to sample and a variety of great food trucks on hand to satisfy your noms. This festival is located outside at the Loveland Food Bank at 2600 N. Lincoln in Loveland, just off of Hwy 287. Proceeds from this festival go to Food Bank of Larimer County and will help to feed those in need in Northern Colorado.

High Hops Brewery (Windsor) - Just in time for American Craft Beer Week, High Hops is putting out several new beers on tap just for the occasion. On Wednesday, May 15th at 5pm they'll tap a Lemon Ginger Honey Red. On Thursday, May 16th, stop in for a taste of their Chernobley - a cherry edition of their Noble Belgian quad. And then on Saturday, May 18th feel the sweet heat from their Habanero Honey. Three uniquely different brews! Live music on Friday 6pm and Saturday 5pm. Now open at Noon every day of the week! Play Northern Colorado Brewery Bingo and get your card stamped on select beers.

Echo Brewing (Frederick) is a custom sponsor for a community bike ride that will take place in Frederick this summer. The 1st annual Tour de Flight will take place June 22, 2013 in conjunction with Frederick in Flight. The ride will begin at 4:30 p.m. and will end at Crist Park in Downtown Frederick. Everyone can enjoy the evening Frederick in Flight balloon glow festivities after the ride including kids activities, food, a beer garden (with Echo Brewing beer), chainsaw woodcarving contest, live music and hot air balloons lighting the night sky. The route is a ten-mile primarily off-street loop appropriate for most ages and skill levels, that will utilize the existing trail system through several Frederick neighborhoods. Traffic control and route signage will be provided. Join them for a great ride followed by a fun night! Registration is now available at www.regonline.com/tourdeflight. Individuals and groups that register by May 31st will receive an event t-shirt!

The Fort Collins Brewery (Ft. Collins) - The brewery is putting out three new beers on tap in the Tasting Room this week as part of their American Craft Beer Week celebration. Weizenbock, part of the limited release Tap Club series, combines the rich flavors of a dunkelweizen (dark fruit, wheat, banana, clove, and chocolate, to name a few) with the strength and body of a bock. Happy Pils, another member of the Tap Club series, is a continental Pils that is light and slightly sweet on the tongue and finishes with refreshing dryness without being overly bitter. Perfect for the warm days of early summer. And finally is FCB’s contribution to the Collusion Project in which all breweries in the City of Fort Collins took part to celebrate American Craft Beer Week. All breweries started out with same malt bill and collaborated with two other breweries to select the yeast, hops, and additional malts. FCB’s version, created with the help of Black Bottle Brewery and Coopersmith’s, features Apple wood and Cherry wood smoked malts to add just a hint of smoke and was aged on French Oak chips to add a black tea spice flavor.

Pateros Creek Brewing Co (Ft. Collins) - PCBC is teaming up with PreGame CornHole to bring you a summer bags/cornhole league. They'll be running the league and Pateros Creek will be bringing you drink specials. It's every Wednesday from 6-9pm on summer nights. Contact them as soon as possible because registration ends on May 30th.

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - Today for all you Facebook and Fermentedly Challenged fans. Head to Grimm Brothers and ask for the Hickory Snow Drop Firkin Special. Mention you saw this on Facebook or Fermentedly Challenged and get $1 off this special firkin brew. It's just one of the specials during #ACBW.

City Star Brewing (Berthoud) - Euchre players! Tonight is Euchre Tuesday at City Star. The games start at 6:30pm. Play brewery bingo while you're at it and get your card stamped on select brews. Starting next week, Euchre Tuesdays start at 7:00pm.

Funkwerks (Ft. Collins) - Tonight in Fort Collins at the Tap and Handle, it's Funkwerks night starting at 5pm. There will be plenty of Funkwerks beer on tap plus you'll get a shot at winning free stuff. Come meet some of the Funkwerks staff!

Verboten Brewing (Loveland) - During their off day, Verboten was busy expanding their tap lines. Expect to see up to 11 beers on tap in the days to come at Verboten Brewing. Today they've got "Mantooth" Imperial IPA, "Thinking of Something Orange" Orange Blossom Wheat, and "Midnight Expresso" Espresso Stout on Nitro. All 3 tap at 3pm. Happy hour runs from 3-6pm.
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Catch up on Colorado Beer News from earlier this week:
Monday

View Colorado Brewery Maps
[ Boulder-Longmont Map ] [ Denver Area Map ] [ Northern Colorado Map ]
[ Southeast Colorado Map ] [ Northwest Brewery Map ] [ Southwest Colorado Map ]

CO Beer Dinners - Expand your palate! How about a beer dinner or pairing event? Lots of events are taking reservations now. Check out the Colorado Beer Dinner & Pairing Events listing.

Live Music - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

CO Beer Festivals - Looking for info on upcoming beer festivals or related events in Colorado? Check out the listings on the 2013 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar. Updated daily.

Like us on Facebook - There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook Page. Find recaps, special offers, and tips that you won't find on the blog. "Like" us and get even more soon after it happens. Thanks for helping us grow to over 1600+ "Likes" in 2013!

Colorado Beer News is published daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. Stop back here often for all the latest. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Pluots and Paardebloem - New Belgium's newest Lips of Faith beers

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:34:00 +0000

New Belgium is no stranger to experimentation and their Lips of Faith series of beers showcase their creativity in the bottle. This week New Belgium is releasing two beers with odd sounding names, but made with ingredients you may be familiar with. Here is their Press Release dated May 13, 2013 about their two latest creations - Pluot and Paardebloem.

[PRESS RELEASE] Ft. Collins, Colo., May 13, 2013 – New Belgium Brewing, maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a wide variety of award-winning beers, has two new quarterly Lips of Faith offerings now available: Paardebloem, which is the newest collaboration with Red Rock Brewing in Salt Lake City, and Pluot.

Paardebloem is the sixth collaboration beer with Red Rock Brewing. The beer brings together a diverse set of ingredients ranging from peach juice to dandelion greens. It blends funky brettanomyces with New Belgium’s house Belgian ale yeast, and includes a touch of wood-aged sour beer and Grains of Paradise. Paardebloem pours a light, hazy gold and is 9 percent ABV.

Pluot is a subtly sweet ale made from pluot juice, which is a hybrid of a plum and an apricot. Pluot is light golden, delivering fruity aromas and distinct esters. It is also created with house Belgian ale yeast and brettanomyces, bringing a hint of spice and a malty backbone. ABV is 10 percent. Both of these Lips of Faith selections will be available through July or until supplies run out.

“All three of these selections are bold statements of Belgian tradition, offering imagination in every pour,” said New Belgium Assistant Brewmaster Grady Hull. “The Lips of Faith series was created for those wanting to push their palate.”

As you begin your annual festival and beer-tasting planning, don’t forget to see if either New Belgium’s Tour de Fat (https://www.facebook.com/TourDeFat/events) or Clips Beer and Film Tour (https://www.facebook.com/ClipsBeerAndFilmTour/events) is coming to your area.

To find New Belgium beers near you, use the New Belgium Libation Location tool: http://www.newbelgium.com/beer.aspx. Pricing varies by location. You can also follow New Belgium on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/newbelgium and Twitter @NewBelgium.

About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work and one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses. The 100% employee owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, and one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses. In addition to Fat Tire, New Belgium brews eight year round beers; Ranger IPA, Rampant Imperial IPA, Shift Pale Lager, Sunshine Wheat, 1554 Black Ale, Blue Paddle Pilsener, Abbey Belgian Ale and Trippel. Learn more at www.newbelgium.com.

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Related articles:
- New Belgium expands their Colorado capacity.
- 2013 New Belgium Tour de Fat schedule revealed.
- New Belgium's Clips Beer and Film Tour Announces 2013 Schedule.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Grimm Brothers Maiden's Kiss Maibock Lager review

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Tue, 14 May 2013 02:26:00 +0000

It's the lusty month of May and with it come the Spring seasonals out in force. Grimm Brothers Brewhouse put out a lusty beer of their own this month - Grimm Brothers Maiden's Kiss - a Maibock lager. The classic "Grimm Brothers" bottle artwork once again adorns the bottles of this release and they've put another sultry fairy tale maiden on the label. I believe this not only attracts attention to this beer, but also manages to sell a lot of t-shirts as well.

Maibocks tend to be a very malty brew with a bit of spicy quality at times. Grimm Brothers released this beer around the 1st of May this year and it's already seems to be a popular beer with the locals. Maiden's Kiss weighs in around 7.3% ABV and has a low IBU rating. This beer is a lager and was brewed at lower temperatures than ales and tends to take a bit longer to ferment than other ales.

I was fortunate enough to try this beer initially the day before it was released at the brewery. I liked the sample and was given a full 22oz bottle by the brewery to give it a full review. This beer is available around Northern Colorado and now the Denver and Boulder area thanks to a recent distribution agreement Grimm Brothers made with Tivioli Distributing.

Appearance: Maiden's Kiss poured out a dark golden color. There was a modest sized off-white head that left a clingy lacing along the glass. The head didn't last long. The beer was mostly clear with just the slightest hint of haze. The beer was decently carbonated and opened with a gentle hiss. I could not see any noticeable sediment in the bottle and the beer itself was sediment free in the glass with the first and 2nd pour.

Aroma: This maiden has the aroma of toasted malts with an earthy background. There was a sweet, yet peppery tone to this beer as well. Both the malts and the hops were noticeable in this beer, but the hops were not huge, but rather subtle with a spicy tone. The malts took center stage with each inhale. I couldn't pick up any fruity esters, which is fine in this beer, but there was a slight sweetness detectable overall. Being a lager, I could pick up a slight hint of sulfer, but I really had to let this beer warm up a bit for any of that to start coming out. Luckily, this beer fell short of any "cooked corn" aroma. Later on, I felt I could almost pick up some citrus in the nose as well.

Taste: Maiden's Kiss starts out and finishes with a malty tone. The hops added an earthy sense as well. There was just a hint of tangy-ness in this beer, but it wasn't sour by any means. This beer had a medium to full body feel to it. The malts really dominate in this beer. I found myself having no problem with the 1st half of this bottle. It drinks well on the cool side. Later on, as the beer warmed, the malts begin to really dominate. I could pick up just a hint of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in this beer, but not much. Lagers tend to pick up a bit of this in some varying levels.

The second half of this bottle, when warmed up, gave a slightly different experience. While still malty while cold or later a bit warmer, this beer became more of a slower sipping beer with the second pouring. I tended to like this beer better when it was cold, fresh out of the fridge.

Overall: Maibocks are either a hit or miss in my book. Grimm Brothers managed to hit this style of beer fairly dead on in my opinion. It's not exactly a beer I'd go for on a hot day, but rather on a cooler Spring day. It was well made, with a very good malt base. It's a style I prefer not to have a lot of, but then again at 7.3% ABV I probably would only want about a glass of this anyway. Grimm Brothers makes some excellent German-style beers and this is one of them. Drink this one cold and you'll definitely enjoy this Springtime beer.

P.S. - Once again, absolutely love the artwork on this label. Grimm Brothers has a great look to their beer brand. I had this beer both on draft and in the bottle. Great both ways, but seems best at the brewery on tap.

Disclosure: This was a complimentary bottle given to me directly by Grimm Brothers Brewhouse. This is not a paid review, but an honest opinion given in return for the free bottle.

Related articles:
- Grimm Brothers The Bleeding Heart Coffee Porter review.
- Grimm Brothers Sooty Brother Grätzer Ale review.
- Grimm Brothers The Farmer's Wild Daughter review. (2013)

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Colorado Beer News 051313

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:20:00 +0000

Today is National Frog Jumping Day. Frog jumping has been a part of American culture since nearly a century ago thanks in part to a short story by Mark Twain - "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County". While we don't advocate the scaring of frogs into jumping as far as they can today, rather we ask that if you see see a frog today to leave it be and know that they help eat those nasty mosquitoes that will soon be biting you. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Monday, May 13th, 2013.

Happy American Craft Beer Week! (ACBW) - May 13-19, 2013.

Metro Denver

Colorado Plus Brew Pub (Wheat Ridge) - Today is the Grand Opening of Colorado Plus Brew Pub (or CPlus). They held soft openings during the last weekend and will open officially today at 4:00pm. They will offer up 56 Colorado-only craft beers on tap. Expect their own brewing operations to be in operation later this month and their own beers on tap by June. They also have a kitchen with a full menu of food available to go with all that great Colorado craft beer. For more information, check out the Grand Opening page with photos. Also, those who show up have a chance to win free tickets to the upcoming Knockin' Rocks Brooms & Brewfest coming up in June in Ft. Collins!

Denver Beer Company (Denver) is hosting their Spring Beer Dinner at the brewery this Friday, May 17th at 7pm. Tickets are $50 per person and are available at the brewery. Call 303.433.2739 to reserve your seats. 3 courses and 4 beers will be served.

Lone Tree Brewing (Lone Tree) - Welcome to ACBW! LTBC will be tapping not 1, but 2 beers today for Craft Beer Week. At noon they'll tap ONE KEG of Queen Vidrevitz, a Russian Imperial Sout aged in Downslope Distilling Whiskey barrels. Then at 5pm they will tap a limited release of a special barrel-aged Zombie!

Hops & Pie (Denver) - Here's what's special pouring at Hops & Pie for American Craft Beer Week. On Tuesday, from Stone Brewing - 2012 Double Bastard on dark toasted oak & Stone Double Dry Hopped Ruination. On Wednesday it's $2 Craft Can Night from 5pm to 10pm. On Thursday, try Avery Brewing's Hand of Buddah, Lilikoi & Out of Sight, plus Avery Twenty at 5pm. On Friday, a special tapping of Firestone Walker Reserve on firkin. Then on Saturday, it's their Littlest Big Beer Fest featuring the beers from The Bruery (5 different beers). Something for every craft beer lover this week.

Black Shirt Brewing (Denver) - Here's the itinerary for activities at Black Shirt Brewing this week for ACBW. Today - BSB Now Playing - the 1st in a live music series featuring 2 bands: Sawmill Joe and Cubby. On Wednesday May 15th - Noble Swine Supper Club will be serving food in the tap room from 5-9pm. BSB will release their Coffee Red Porter beer at 7:30pm. On Friday May 17th Brava Pizzeria will be in the taproom from 5-9pm and BSB will be serving up 6 different Red Ales on tap.

Elk Mountain Brewing (Parker) - This Wednesdays firkin will be an 80 Shilling, a Scottish Export 80/-. The beer taps at 4:00pm.

CAUTION: Brewing Co (Denver) - Don't forget this Saturday's 1st Taproom Anniversary party. They'll have the following beers pouring for the occasion: Oatmeal Cinnamon Stout, Citra single hopped Dark Pale Ale, Juniper Berry Double IPA, Gluten free Lemongrass Saison, .5%ABV Red Ale, Mango Blonde, Chocolate Hefeweizen, and a Honey Basil Amber. Plus a few more surprises.

Vine Street Pub & Brewery (Denver) - For ACBW Vine Street is featuring an IPA heavy tap wall all week. You can get some of these IPA's: Illusion Dweller English-Style IPA, FYI American-Style IPA, Resinous Rye IPA, Vagabond American-Style IPA, High Wire American-Style India Black Ale, Hop Vivant American-Style Imperial IPA, Avery's Maharaja Imperial IPA, and Telluride Brewing's Fishwater Imperial IPA. In addition all three pubs will be releasing the Boulde English '840' Malt Liquor. "It's like 420 times 2, brah!"

Boulder County

Crystal Springs Brewing (Boulder) - Today marks the 3rd anniversary of the Crystal Springs Brewing Company. They have plans to open up their own tap room in the near future in Boulder. Currently, they are a production only brewery and sell beer in bottles and cans in local Boulder-area liquor stores and select restaurants. Today, they are bottling Butch Pale Ale in 22oz bombers. Look for it soon on store shelves. Congrats to Crystal Springs for 3 great years!

Twisted Pine Brewing (Boulder) - For craft beer week they are offering $1 off pints of their flagship Hoppy Boy. You can even get a FREE Tall Hoppy (stash) can in the taproom. There will be twisted trivia with prizes on the hour leading up to Geeks Who Drink trivia tonight at 7pm. Also this week, look for the debut of their new Cucumber Cream Ale. It's made with cucumbers growth on their own 2 R's Farm.

Boulder Beer Co (Boulder) - Today at 4:20pm Boulder Beer will be hosting a nationwide Nitro Rolling Simul-Tap of their Nitro Mojo IPA at dozens of bars throughout the USA. This beer is described as "Herbaceous!". It's being served up on Nitro to give the beer that smooth & creamy mouthfeel. Stop in at the taproom to celebrate Nitro Mojo IPA today.

Northern Colorado

Black Bottle Brewery (Ft. Collins) - Tonight at 5pm, BBB will have all 9 Fort Collins collusion variation beers on tap! This will be the only day you can sample all 9 beers in one location. 9 Fort Collins brewers got into teams and came up with unique variations on the same theme.

Front Range Rally (Loveland) - This Saturday, May 18th from 3pm to 7pm outside at the Loveland Food Share in Loveland, CO is the 1st ever Front Range Rally beer & food truck festival. Over 100 unique craft beers from over 32 breweries will be pouring along with tasty delights from a variety of area food truck vendors. Tickets are still available at www.frontrangerally.org and at the gate. Proceeds from this festival will go directly to Food Bank for Larimer County who helps area families in need of food. Live music will also be playing on stage. The festival is located at 2600 N. Lincoln Ave in Loveland, CO. Designated Driver tickets also available (18+). Children under 5 allowed free with parent. Must be 21+ otherwise. Expect mid-70s weather on Saturday!

Brewery Bingo (Northern Colorado breweries) - Starting today, just in time for American Craft Beer Week! Stop in at most any Northern Colorado brewery in Ft. Collins, Greeley, Loveland, Berthoud, and Windsor and ask for a Bingo card. As you drink beer you'll get a stamp on your bingo card. Get a Bingo and you'll be eligible to win a special shirt! More info at: facebook.com/BreweryBingoNorthernColorado. Participating breweries include: New Belgium, Pateros Creek, Fort Collins Brewery, Funkwerks, City Star, Crabtree Brewing, Rock Bottom Centerra, Big Beaver, Grimm Brothers, Odell Brewing, Verboten Brewing, Black Bottle Brewing, CopperSmith's, Loveland Aleworks, CB & Potts and High Hops Brewing.

New Belgium (Ft. Collins) - The next Lips of Faith beer is now available from New Belgium. Pluot is the name of their new ale brewed with Pluot juice. What's a Pluot? It's a hybrid fruit of Plums and Apricots. The resulting beer is semi-sweet, yet soured by brettanomyces and has a bit of spice along with a malty backbone. It's available for a limited time in 22oz bomber bottles through July.

Mountains and West

Kannah Creek Brewing (Grand Junction) - The next all-female brewer collaboration beer Fleurs de Cerisier finally will be tapped today at 3:00pm. Stop in for a pint and see how well 8 female brewers from all over Colorado can create a unique cherry blossom saison. The beer taps at 11:00am at Kannah Creek and will also be on tap at Boulder Beer in Boulder, Oskar Blues Home Made Liquids & Solids in Longmont, and The Vail Ale House in Vail, CO. Proceeds from this beer benefit The Pink Boots Society. Participating female brewers were from Kannah Creek, Odell, Prost, Great Divide, Ska, Revolution, Boulder Beer, Oskar Blues and Wynkoop.

Elevation Beer Company (Poncha Springs) - For American Craft Beer Week, Elevation Beer is going to be the featured brewery at a beer dinner at Lucky Pie in Louisville this Wednesday. Also, they will be participating in a Belgian tap takeover at Right Coast Pizza in Wheat Ridge on Thursday. Plus it's their 1st year anniversary this weekend at the brewery. Stop in at their taproom in Poncha Springs and see all the great beers available.

Ark Valley Libation Society - Members of the new Ark Valley Libation Society (Amica's, Elevation Beer Co, and Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub) recently got together and brewed up a collaboration beer called Brown's Canyon India Style Brown Ale and released it on Friday, May 10th. Proceeds from this 16oz bottled beer will go to benefit Friends of Browns Canyon - a group dedicated to preserve the iconic local whitewater canyon corridor. This beer is available at Amica's, Elevation Beer, and Moonlight Pizza as well as local area liquor stores and restaurants. This is a limited release and is expected to sell out within a month or so.

Tommyknocker Brewery (Idaho Springs) - Tommyknocker has a few specials going this week for ACBW. Get a Tommyknocker Butt Head Bock Brat, fries and a beer for $5.99. Also, get $2 off any growler purchase when you mention craft beer week. You can get free brewery tours this week - call ahead to schedule or ask when you arrive.
_____________________________________________________________________

Catch up on Colorado Beer News from last week:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

View Colorado Brewery Maps
[ Boulder-Longmont Map ] [ Denver Area Map ] [ Northern Colorado Map ]
[ Southeast Colorado Map ] [ Northwest Brewery Map ] [ Southwest Colorado Map ]

CO Beer Dinners - Expand your palate! How about a beer dinner or pairing event? Lots of events are taking reservations now. Check out the Colorado Beer Dinner & Pairing Events listing.

Live Music - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

CO Beer Festivals - Looking for info on upcoming beer festivals or related events in Colorado? Check out the listings on the 2013 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar. Updated daily.

Like us on Facebook - There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook Page. Find recaps, special offers, and tips that you won't find on the blog. "Like" us and get even more soon after it happens. Thanks for helping us grow to over 1600+ "Likes" in 2013!

Colorado Beer News is published daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. Stop back here often for all the latest. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Grand Opening: Colorado Plus Brew Pub

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:32:00 +0000

Grand Opening Today!

Colorado Plus Brew Pub
6995 W. 38th Ave.
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
Email: thecoloradoplus@gmail.com
Phone: None listed.
Date Opened: May 13, 2013 4pm
Business Hours: Monday - Sunday 11:00am - 11:00pm
Owners: Eugene Kahng, Jesse Duplessis, Doug Sattem.

Facebook - Website

Grand Opening Beers on Tap:
None of their own beer on opening day, however they will have 56 guest Colorado craft beers on tap opening day. Their own small 1 barrel brewery on location will start brewing beer sometime in June 2013 and will have several of their own beers on tap. They also feature a kitchen with a full pub menu of food. Head brewer Adam Draeger.

Photos

Photos of Colorado Plus Brew Pub from their Facebook Page. Last picture courtesy Albert B Hanner. Click on photos for a larger image.

Map

View Larger Map

Related articles:
- Grand Opening: Upslope Brewing Company - Flatiron Park.
- Grand Opening: BREW Pub & Kitchen - Durango, CO.
- Grand Opening: FATE Brewing Company - Boulder, CO.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Colorado Beer News 051013

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:52:00 +0000

Today is "Stock up on Craft Beer Day". Since May 10th doesn't have an interesting made up holiday, we may as well make up our own. In honor of the upcoming American Craft Beer Week, go out and stock up on some local craft beer and prepare to celebrate with it during American Craft Beer Week May 13-19, 2013. Pick up an old favorite craft brew or try something new you haven't had before. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Friday, May 10th, 2013.

Homebrewing (US-wide) - This week will go down in history as being the first time that homebrewing beer was legalized in all 50 US states. Just this week, Alabama became the last state to legalize homebrewing, following closely with Mississippi who was the 49th state earlier this year. As of July 1st, every state in the union will allow for the homebrewing of beer. It's taken around 34 years from the time President Jimmy Carter first legalized home brew to be made to the time it was legal in all 50 states. Better late than never.

Metro Denver

Epic Brewing Company (Denver & Utah) - Business plans are moving along at the upcoming Denver location for Epic Brewing Company. Yesterday, they showed off their new location at 3001 Walnut Street in the RiNo district of Denver. If all goes according to plan, their brewing operations installation, aka Phase One, will be completed by sometime in June and they could be selling beers as early as July 2013. The next phase would be to add a tap room and a retail shop by the end of this Summer or early Fall. The Utah-based brewery is expanding and opening up this 2nd brewery in Denver which will initially brew up some Colorado-only beers as part of their "Classic" line of beer. We can expect to see an IPA, a pale ale and a lager. Opening a second location in Denver is allowing them to get around some of Utah's more restrictive liquor laws.

Rackhouse Pub (Denver) - If you're looking for a craft beer event for next week's American Craft Beer Week (#ACBW13) you might want to head over to the Rackhouse Pub. They've put up a list of events including 2 with Avery Brewing, one with Yak & Yeti, and one each with Oskar Blues, New Belgium and Great Divide. Check out their #ACBW13 event page for specific details and dates. If you go, tell them Fermentedly Challenged sent you.

Odyssey Beerwerks (Arvada) - The grand opening date has been set for May 25th for Odyssey Beerwerks. The brewery plans to have 6 beers on tap for opening day including: Brick Lane Bitter, Caber Tosser Scotch Ale, Ghost Rider Pale Ale, Helios Hefeweizen, Nebula Belgian Black Double IPA and Psycho Penguin Vanilla Porter. At some point down the road, Odyssey plans to have as many as 12 of their beers on tap. Find them at 5535 W. 56th Ave Suite 107 in Arvada, CO on May 25th. They'll be room for you and up to 79 other friends in their taproom.

3BAD On The Hill Beer Tasting (Thornton) - Don't forget! Tomorrow night, Saturday May 11th at The Brittany Hill in Thornton is the 3BAD On The Hill Beer Tasting Event. It's runs from 6:30pm to 10:30pm. This event will raise month for the Romito Foundation and Three Brothers Against Duchenne. Tickets are $40 at the door. Eight local breweries and cider companies will be participating. Great food and live music will be on hand. More info at www.romitofoundation.org.

Lowry Beer Garden (Denver) - Tomorrow, May 11th from 11am to 5pm stop in for the American Craft BrewFest at Lowry Beer Garden. Eight different Colorado breweries are participating. Sample some of their rare craft beers. $20 entry gets you a taster mug with unlimited samples. Tickets available at the door. Participating breweries include: Upslope Brewing, Tommyknocker, Fort Collins Brewing, Lone Tree Brewing, Copper Kettle Brewing, Avery Brewing, Great Divide Brewing and CAUTION: Brewing.

Boulder County

Under The Sun Eatery & Taphouse (Boulder) - Does your Mom enjoy a good drink? If so, consider taking your Mom out for a Mother's Day dinner at Under The Sun in Boulder. Buy here a dinner and they'll honor her with a free drink of her choice. She can choose from one of 21 Mountain Sun ales, or 10 guest tap beers, 7 wines on tap or even a margaritas on tap. Mom will also receive a rose along with her dinner as well. Be good to your Mom on Mother's Day this Sunday.

Twisted Pine Brewing (Boulder) - If you thought their Carrot IPA was wild, wait until you try their new Cucumber Cream Ale debuting this Tuesday for American Craft Beer Week. This is a beer that many have been highly anticipating. Stop in next week for a taste and try some of their other beers on tap.

Avery Brewing (Boulder) - Sour fans - get over to Avery tonight at 5pm for a special tapping of their Bad Apple - a sour Belgian pale ale aged in oak barrels with Granny Smith apples. So bad, it's good!

CU Grads (Boulder) - Grats to the class of 2013! Happy Graduation this weekend! Hope you celebrate with a great local craft beer.

Northern Colorado

Pateros Creek Brewing (Ft. Collins) - In honor of the last day of classes at CSU today, any CSU student (of legal drinking age) can come to the brewery today, show your student ID and get $1 off pints all day long! What better way to start your summer! Grats to the Ram grads!

Hops and Shops Shuttle (Ft. Collins) - Once again this year, the Hops & Shops shuttle is running around town. For $5 you can get on/off as often as you wish. The shuttle stops at the following places: Town Pump, Pateros Creek, New Belgium, Odell Brewing, Fort Collins Brewery, Funkwerks, Coopersmith's, Equinox, Black Bottle, CB & Potts, the CSU Transit in front of Lory Student Center, and The Mayor of Old Town. Leave your car behind and let the driver take you to your favorite spots! The shuttle repeats every hour - Fridays 4pm - 10pm and Saturdays 12pm - 10pm.

Echo Brewing (Frederick) - Good news! Echo's Razz Raspberry Wheat is once again back up on tap for your drinking pleasure. Also tonight JAMS PLACE will be on site serving up some soup, sandwiches and cheesecakes from 5pm - 9pm. Start your weekend off at Echo Brewing.

Verboten Brewing (Loveland) - Their new web site is up and running! Check it out at verbotenbrewing.com and click on the Beer tab to see what's on tap today. There are 7 beers currently listed and 5 more listed as coming soon.

Brewery Bingo Northern Colorado (Most NoCo Breweries) - Starting on May 13th and running all through American Craft Beer Week, stop in at most every Northern Colorado brewery in Ft. Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Berthoud and Windsor - ask for a Bingo Card and order a beer on the bingo card and get stamped. If you get a Bingo in stamps then you win! Check out the details on the official Facebook page on how you can get your Bingo card and win free stuff just for visiting breweries and drinking beer! Who said playing Bingo was just for Seniors?

Crabtree Brewing (Greeley) - FRAMBO is a new beer now on tap which is a blend of Belgian Blonde ale with fresh raspberries & brettanomyces, a trappist brown ale, lactobacillus and aged in French oak barrels. It's a beer even tough enough for Rambo - his picture is even on the tap handle! Stop in for a taste of this sour wonder.

KUNC Radio (91.5 FM Greeley) - Next Week is American Craft Beer Week and KUNC public radio in Greeley is celebrating with five days of stories all about the Colorado craft beer community. It all starts Monday at 6:30am and 8:30 am. http://kunc.org/ - Listen in via radio or via the net.

Southern Front Range

Bristol Brewing Company (Colorado Springs) - Hey Denverites! Today from 4pm to 6pm over at Keg Liquors you can visit with brewery rep David for a Bristol Brewing hand sale. If you buy a Bristol 6 pack he'll throw in a free 7th beer for free. Keg Liquors is at 28060 S. Colorado Blvd in Denver.

Trinity Brewing (Colorado Springs) - Tonight marks the release of their Farmhouse Du Tomme at 5pm. It's the 1st commercial Saison that their brewer Tom Brown crafted. It was inspired by wild ingredients found by hiking around in Colorado. It has amaranth grain, mustard seed and lemon grass blended in for a unique taste.

Mountains and West

Revolution Brewing (Paonia) - It's Friday and sunny! Beer on the porch anyone? They'll be opening at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, complete with a beer & brat special. $9 gets you a pint of your pleasure and a locally raised bratwurst from Desert Weyr, LLC on a locally baked wholewheat bun from the Flying Fork Cafe & Bakery. When in Paonia, drink as the locals do.
_____________________________________________________________________

Catch up on Colorado Beer News from earlier this week:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

View Colorado Brewery Maps
[ Boulder-Longmont Map ] [ Denver Area Map ] [ Northern Colorado Map ]
[ Southeast Colorado Map ] [ Northwest Brewery Map ] [ Southwest Colorado Map ]

CO Beer Dinners - Expand your palate! How about a beer dinner or pairing event? Lots of events are taking reservations now. Check out the Colorado Beer Dinner & Pairing Events listing.

Live Music - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

CO Beer Festivals - Looking for info on upcoming beer festivals or related events in Colorado? Check out the listings on the 2013 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar. Updated daily.

Like us on Facebook - There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook Page. Find recaps, special offers, and tips that you won't find on the blog. "Like" us and get even more soon after it happens. Thanks for helping us grow to over 1600+ "Likes" in 2013!

Colorado Beer News is published daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. Stop back here often for all the latest. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

FoCo breweries get together for a Collusion of beers

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:36:00 +0000

Local Breweries join forces for American Craft Beer Week®

[PRESS RELEASE] Fort Collins, CO – On May 13th, 2013, American Craft Beer Week, a celebration of the more than 2,400 small and independent American craft brewers, will kick off around the country. The brewers of Fort Collins have once again united for the week-long celebration over a shared passion for craft beer in the spirit of camaraderie.

Undaunted by a challenge, Fort Collins’ craft brewers opted for a unique format for collaborating. The 2013 Collaboration began with the local craft brewers forming nine teams of three and deciding on one recipe containing 90% of same malts for each brew. The remaining 10% malt, hops, yeast and spices were selected by each brewing team. The result is nine very unique beers from one common starting point, much like the brewers that crafted them.

The various versions of this year’s Fort Collins Collusion will be on tap during American Craft Beer Week (May 13-19). Fort Collins beer enthusiasts are encouraged to come out and try the different brews at each brewery throughout the week.

On Monday, May 13th, the brewers will be meeting at Black Bottle Brewing Co. for a group toast. All nine beers will be available side by side for one evening only. Join Fort Collins’ Craft Brewers in celebration with their Collaboration Confabulation!

For more information on American Craft Beer Week, please visit www.craftbeer.com.

###

Related articles:
- Black Bottle Brewery opens to a full house. (2012)
- Black Bottle Brewery photo gallery. (2012)
- Sneak peak behind Black Bottle Brewery.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Colorado Brewery Music May 9-15 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:25:00 +0000

Like a little music to go with that taproom beer? While craft beer may be the universal social lubricant, local live music is the key to the soul. Here's a line-up of local and regional musicians and groups who are playing at a local brewery taproom or craft beer bar near you here in Colorado for May 9th through 15th, 2013.

Get a complete music listing for the next two months for all local breweries and beer bars and more at the Colorado Brewery Music Listings page. More bookings are being added daily.

Colorado Brewery Music This Week

Thursday, May 9th, 2013
- The 14ers (rock) - Grimm Brothers Brewhouse - Loveland - 6:00pm - 8:00pm
- The Wolftone - Echo Brewing Co - Frederick - 7:00pm - 9:00pm
- Laura Meyer (folk/blues) - City Star Brewing - Berthoud - 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- Marty Nightengale - World of Beer - Cherry Creek - 9:00pm
- David and Enion Tiller - OB HMLS - Longmont - 5:30pm - 8:30pm

Friday, May 10th, 2013
- Alive Inside - Equinox Brewing - Ft. Collins - 6:00pm - 8:00pm
- Beaver Jam Bluegrass Jam - Big Beaver Brewing - Loveland - 8:30pm - 10:00pm
- County 11 - High Hops Brewery - Windsor - 6:00pm - 8:00pm
- Scott Dale - West Flanders Brewing - Boulder - 8:30pm - 10:30pm
- Live Music - Lone Tree Brewing - Lone Tree - 7:00pm
- The Jay & Neil Show - World of Beer - Cherry Creek - 9:00pm
- Squid - Left Hand Brewing - Longmont - 9:00pm - 11:30pm
- Blue Mountain Ranchhands - Oskar Blues Grill & Brew - Lyons - 8:00pm - 11:30pm
- The Outlier's - OB HMLS - Longmont - 8:00pm - 11:30pm
- Craig Corona - Loveland Aleworks - Loveland - 7:00pm - 10:00pm.

Saturday, May 11th, 2013
- Grant McIntosh and Sharon Glassman (country) - Bootstrap Brewing - Niwot - 4:00pm
- Tyler T - Equinox Brewing - Ft. Collins - 6:00pm - 8:00pm
- Greg Anderson - High Hops Brewery - Windsor - 5:00pm - 7:00pm
- Hotfoot Duo - Echo Brewing Co - Frederick - 7:00pm - 9:00pm
- Aaron McCloskey & Alex Johnstone - City Star Brewing - Berthoud - 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- Kenny Lee Young - World of Beer - Cherry Creek - 9:00pm
- Mark's Midnight Carnival Show - Pikes Peak Brewing - Monument - 7:00pm - 10:00pm
- Craig Cornet & the Phast and Wreckless - Very Nice Brewing - Nederland - 6:30pm - 8:30pm
- Teresa Storch - Left Hand Brewing - Longmont - 5:00pm
- Bill and John McKay - Oskar Blues Tasty Weasel - Longmont - 4:30pm - 6:30pm
- Taarka - Oskar Blues Grill & Brew - Lyons - 8:00pm - 11:30pm
- Rebel Tongue - OB HMLS - Longmont - 8:00pm - 11:30pm
- The Vinyls - Golden City Brewery - Golden - 3:00pm - 5:00pm.

Sunday, May 12th, 2013
- Jababa - Mountain Sun - Boulder - 10:00pm
- Scott Von - Left Hand Brewing - Longmont - 4:30pm
- Bluegrass Pick - OB HMLS - Longmont - 12:00pm - 3:00pm
- Ginger Roots - Oskar Blues Grill & Brew - Lyons - 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- David Booker - OB HMLS - Longmont - 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Monday, May 13th, 2013
- Pick'n & Brew'n Bluegrass Pick - West Flanders Brewing - Boulder - 8:00pm - 10:00pm
- Electric Blues Jam - OB HMLS - Longmont - 7:30pm - 11:00pm

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013
- Bluegrass Pick - Oskar Blues Grill & Brew - Lyons - 8:00pm - 11:00pm
- Trail Ridge School Band - OB HMLS - Longmont - 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013
- Open Mic Night - Grimm Brothers - Loveland - 6:00pm - 8:00pm
- The Constitution - Odell Brewing - Ft. Collins - 4:00pm - 6:00pm
- Danny Shafer - Revolution Brewing - Paonia - 5:30pm.
- Tribute to Bob Dylan - Oskar Blues Grill & Brew - Lyons - 7:00pm - 11:00pm
- Kyle Hollingsworth - Boulder Beer Co - Boulder - 4pm - 7pm - Hoopla Rollout Party.

Do you know of any live music at a brewery or craft beer bar that's missing here? Breweries - want to add your listings here for FREE? Let us know and contact us HERE.

Related articles:
- The HUGE list of Colorado Beer Releases. 2012-2013
- Upcoming Colorado Beer Dinners and Pairing Events.
- List of Colorado Breweries in Development. 2013-2015

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Colorado Beer News 050913

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:37:00 +0000

Today is Lost Sock Memorial Day. We've all had losses. That sad realization when you fold laundry and discover a single unmatched sock. Today is the day to pay tribute to all those lost socks who never seem to find their way home. Take time today to honor those single remaining socks and put on two of them that have no partner. Maybe someday, someone will invent a way to prevent lost socks from happening. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Thursday, May 9th, 2013.

Metro Denver

Dry Dock Brewing Co (Aurora) - Stop in on Saturday, May 18th for a special Colorado Freedom Memorial Blonde Ale tapping event from 11am until 1pm. Proceeds of this new ale will help out the Colorado Freedom Memorial Foundation. They'll also be taking donations at the tapping party.

Cannonball Creek Brewing (Golden) - Got the rainy day blues? Comfort those blues by stopping in at Cannonball Creek today to taste their new "yet to be named" Oatmeal Stout. This brew will tap at 3:00pm today. Also Smokey J's BBQ will be in the house to pair your beers with food. Can you give this beer a good name? Let them know.

CAUTION: Brewing Co (Denver) - On Saturday, May 18th from 11am to 8pm, CAUTION: Brewing will be hosting their First Anniversary Tap Room Shindig. This involves a tap takeover, big wheel races, and live music from Redline Radio. Get $4 beers all day. American Craft Beer Radio (102.3) will also be on hand from 12-1pm.

Big Choice Brewing (Broomfield) - Been to CHUBurger yet in Longmont? Big Choice will be holding a release party there on Tuesday, May 14th at 6pm. Big Choice will release their Hemlock Double IPA. It's big and sticky - come get some.

Tipsy's Liquor World (Littleton) - Tomorrow, Friday May 10th from 5pm to 7pm, a Funkwerks rep will be on site handing out free samples of Funkwerks beer! If you are a saison beer fan you'll want to head over there and try some.

Boulder County

AHA Rally (Longmont) - The American Homebrewers Association wants to announce that they will be throwing a Membership Rally on Saturday, July 13, 2013 from 1-4pm at Left Hand Brewing Company - 1265 Boston Avenue in Longmont, CO. Several AHA Staff members will be on hand as well as the brewery staff. Get a VIP tour of Left Hand Brewery. There will be a special tapping only available to rally attendees - the 2010 Wake Up Dead Stout. Plus, there will be chances to win great prizes from the AHA and Left Hand Brewing Co. Attending the rally is FREE for current AHA members. Non-members can join the AHA at the rally at a discounted rate. For more info visit the AHA Rally Page.

Oskar Blues (Longmont) - Oskar Blues' new variety canned 12-pack called Canundrum is being released this month. It'll have 4 beers each of Dale's Pale Ale, Mama's Little Yella Pils and Old Chub Scotch Ale. And don't be surprised to occasionally find a can of something else mixed in there. It's been known to happen. Available in 32 states.

Northern Colorado

Verboten Brewing (Loveland) - Tonight at the Forge Publick House in Fort Collins, it's another in a continuing session of Brewer's Series tonight featuring the beer of Verboten Brewing. Featured beers include: Susan Cummings Witt and Werwolf Daye IPA. They'll be pouring between 6-8pm for $3 a pour. The Forge is located down Firehouse Alley behind Suehiros at 232 Walnut in FoCo. Also, coming up on Wednesday, May 15th from 6:30pm to 7:30pm it's another Women & Beer event, a beer club just for the ladies.

Equinox Brewing (Ft. Collins) - Today's special Thursday firkin tapping will be an Irish Cream Mr. Delicious Oatmeal Stout. It taps at noon and chances are this won't last long.

Loveland Aleworks (Loveland) - The brewery's 1st anniversary is coming up in early July and already they are making plans for a "Fest Of Ales" to celebrate it with. They plan on brewing up some special brews including: Black IPA, Pliny Clone DIPA, Red Wit and Blue, Apricot Ale, Sour Peach Saison and a Lemongrass Honey Wheat. Stay tuned for more news on this upcoming celebration.

New Belgium (Ft. Collins) - There's a new Lips of Faith collaboration brew being released soon, it's a joint effort between New Belgium and Red Rock Brewing called Paardebloem. It's a Belgian Strong Ale made with peach juice, grains of paradise, and dandelion greens. Not only that but it's been partially oak aged as well. It weighs in at 9% ABV. Look for it soon on store shelves.

Pateros Creek Brewing (Ft. Collins) - There's a new Outlaw beer on tap today for Thursday. It's a Jasmine infused Kolsch that they call Old Town Blossom - a beer made just for Spring. Also, trivia tonight from 7-9pm and food outside by Dam Good Tacos.

The Mayor of Old Town (Ft. Collins) - For American Craft Beer Week, the Mayor is trolling down memory lane all week. They are beginning with anecdotes and short essays by their staff and industry people about the early craft beer. They will feature beers each day and tell the history of the beer and brewery through social media. Kevin Bolin (owner) says: "While we all love to chase the White Whales of beer, sometimes we need to remember the beers that brought us here. To celebrate Craft Beer week, we have brought in a number of the 'Flagship' beers from around the country that helped pave the way for our current craft beer revolution. We are offering a special flight of Flagship beers, 5 samples for $5.55 for the week! Beers will be changing all week and all types of different flights will be available. You pick them, we pour them. Come down to the Mayor and get reacquainted with the beers that made you fall in love with craft beer. "

Southern Front Range

Rock Bottom (Colorado Springs) - Today they're tapping La Vida Loca - a Chili Mexican Lager. Stop in for a bite and a pint.

Mountains and West

53 Peaks Brewing Company (Conifer) - Thanks to the tremendous response to their Kickstarter campaign which ends today, 53 Peaks Brewing reached their goal of raising $20,000 to help start the brewery. They intend to use that money to go towards purchasing their 7 BBL brewing system, a Mash Tun, Lauter Tun, Hot Liquor Tank, and Brew Kettle. Then they'll be going off to purchase fermenters to hold their bubbling golden brew. The upcoming brewery plans to open in Conifer by January 2014. Stay tuned for more news as it develops.

Copper Club Brewing CO (Fruita) - Good news hop lovers! Copper Club's 18 Road IPA is now back on tap. It's a 7.5% ABV 68 IBU brew made with Misty Mountain Hope Farm (Olathe, CO) Nugget hops. It's described as smooth! Stop in to try one.
_____________________________________________________________________

Catch up on Colorado Beer News from earlier this week:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday

View Colorado Brewery Maps
[ Boulder-Longmont Map ] [ Denver Area Map ] [ Northern Colorado Map ]
[ Southeast Colorado Map ] [ Northwest Brewery Map ] [ Southwest Colorado Map ]

CO Beer Dinners - Expand your palate! How about a beer dinner or pairing event? Lots of events are taking reservations now. Check out the Colorado Beer Dinner & Pairing Events listing.

Live Music - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

CO Beer Festivals - Looking for info on upcoming beer festivals or related events in Colorado? Check out the listings on the 2013 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar. Updated daily.

Like us on Facebook - There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook Page. Find recaps, special offers, and tips that you won't find on the blog. "Like" us and get even more soon after it happens. Thanks for helping us grow to over 1600+ "Likes" in 2013!

Colorado Beer News is published daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. Stop back here often for all the latest. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Colorado Beer News 050813

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Thu, 09 May 2013 01:00:00 +0000

Today is Night Shift Workers Day. Here's to you late night laborers. You burn the midnight oil to keep American moving after dark. Take time today to stay up late and say thanks to someone who works all night while we sleep. Only thing is, if you want to buy them a beer you'll have to wait until the morning hours when they get off of work! Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Wednesday, May 7th, 2013.

Metro Denver

Odyssey Beerwerks (Arvada) - According to their Facebook page, Arvada's newest brewery will be holding their Grand Opening on Saturday, May 25th. More details should be coming soon. Odyssey Beerwerks is located at: 5535 W. 56th Avenue in Arvada, CO. They're in the Goldstrike Business part at the NW corner of Ralston and 56th. Find them on the web at: www.odysseybeerwerks.com.

Colorado Plus (Wheat Ridge) - Speaking of grand openings, Colorado Plus will hold their this coming Monday, May 13th. While their brewery isn't quite operational yet, they'll still have 56 taps full of Colorado only craft beer flowing. Plus you can order food right out of their own kitchen. They've just passed their final inspections this week so their opening is on schedule for Monday. CPlus is located at 6995 W. 38th Avenue in Wheat Ridge, CO. Check them out on Facebook.

Hogshead Brewery (Denver) - The production capacity at Hogshead just got a lot bigger! They just got in a new 20 barrel fermenter. It was so big it barely fit inside! Look for even more Hogshead cask beers to be served up in the weeks to come. Today cask conditioned ales being tapped include: Cross Channel Blonde Belgian dry hopped with Saaz, Mother Fuggles AK, and Denver Pride dry hopped with Simcoe.

Renegade Brewing (Denver) - An old friend isn't exactly leaving, it's getting a new name. Today marked the last day for their Ryeteous beer. It's now retire and being replaced with a beer called Redacted. Rest assured, it's the same great beer only with a name that won't bring the wrath of out-of-state lawyers. Look for Redacted in cans and on tap.

Black Shirt Brewing (Denver) - A word of warning from BSB. They have just 1 keg of their 2013 Red IPA Track #1 left and it is currently on tap. When that keg is gone, that beer will be off tap for at least 3 weeks! Better get some soon.

Boulder County

Boulder Beer Company (Boulder) - Next Wednesday, May 15th from 4pm to 7pm it's Boulder Beer Hoopla Rollout Party with Kyle Hollingworth at the brewery tap room! Hoopla Pale Ale is back for another season and Boulder Beer is throwing a party for it. There will also be a String Cheese sculpture contest, Hula Hoop games and a special performance by Kyle Hollingsworth!

Northern Colorado

Black Bottle Brewery (Ft. Collins) - New brew on tap! Today the brewery tapped their Kolsch. It's called Friar Chuck. It's the brewer Sean's Dad's favorite beer - cuz he won't drink nothing else! Also, plan to stop by on Monday, May 13th, the start of American Craft Beer Week, for 9 different special Collusion beers made by teams from 9 different breweries. Each beer has 90% of the same malt base, yet with 10% of other ingredients up to the brewing team's choice. You'll get to taste them all side-by-side to see which one you like best.

Crabtree Brewing (Greeley) - The first phase in building a whole new brewery has been completed with their move to the new location on 29th Street. Now Phase 2 begins which will build out a whole new brewery building behind the existing one. In order to keep growing they need more room! The brewhouse they have now is just temporary and is already quite packed. Pardon their dust while the bulldozers take over out back soon. 7 years and still growing strong! In the meantime, bring in your growlers today for Growler Day special prices.

City Star Brewing (Berthoud) - Trivia is back in the taproom tonight and it is becoming a "Challenge of Nonsense". Bring your best team of friends to compete for things like free beer! Trivia gets underway at 7:30pm. Wear your favorite wrestling mask if you're bold!

Funkwerks (Ft. Collins) - Don't forget - their Nelson Sauvin - a light, single-hopped saison with Muscat grape must is back on tap in their tasting room today. Also, coming up on Tuesday, May 14th over at the Tap and Handle in Fort Collins will be Funkwerks brewery night starting at 5pm. Stop in for some great Funkwerks beer and talk beer with the Funkwerks reps. Rumors of limited free merchandise being available.

The Fort Collins Brewery (Ft. Collins) - Attention Tap Club members! FCB will be tapping their new Weizenbock beer in their tap room on Monday, May 13th. It's got those classic banana and clove esters backed up by a big malt base. Not a Tap Club member? Sign up in their Tap Room!

Pateros Creek Brewing (Ft. Collins) - Take a video peak at founder Steve Jones and his Pateros Creek Brewing Company in this short 2:40 minute video. Here what's coming up in the near future. If you can see the video below, watch it on YouTube.

Southern Front Range

Paradox Beer Company (Woodland Park) - Today the brewery was busy bottling some Whisky Barrel Hell for Stout. It's been aging in Breckenridge Bourbon Barrels for 7 months. The bottle release for this beer will happen around the end of the month. Are you getting excited yet?

Trinity Brewing (Colorado Springs) - Tonight is their kick off of "The Giving Beer", the non profit this week is Partners In Housing. It starts at 5:30 PM and runs through 7:30 PM, and a $1.00 from every Trinity beer sold will go to this great organization! Come out and enjoy some amazing beers while supporting the local community!

Mountains and West

Bonfire Brewing (Eagle) - Word has it that Bonfire Brewing will be starting their very own Bonfire hop farm this year up near Eagle, CO. They're starting off small with about 100 rhizomes. Look forward to more home grown hops in Bonfire beers in a year or two.
_____________________________________________________________________

Catch up on Colorado Beer News from earlier this week:
Monday | Tuesday

View Colorado Brewery Maps
[ Boulder-Longmont Map ] [ Denver Area Map ] [ Northern Colorado Map ]
[ Southeast Colorado Map ] [ Northwest Brewery Map ] [ Southwest Colorado Map ]

CO Beer Dinners - Expand your palate! How about a beer dinner or pairing event? Lots of events are taking reservations now. Check out the Colorado Beer Dinner & Pairing Events listing.

Live Music - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

CO Beer Festivals - Looking for info on upcoming beer festivals or related events in Colorado? Check out the listings on the 2013 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar. Updated daily.

Like us on Facebook - There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook Page. Find recaps, special offers, and tips that you won't find on the blog. "Like" us and get even more soon after it happens. Thanks for helping us grow to over 1600+ "Likes" in 2013!

Colorado Beer News is published daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. Stop back here often for all the latest. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Colorado Beer News 050713

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:43:00 +0000

Today is National Teacher Day. This is a day where we pause to show appreciation of all of our hard working teachers out there who are doing their best to provide a quality education to all who desire it. Be sure to take some time and thank a teacher today. After all, where would you be if you never had any teachers in your life? Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Tuesday, May 7th, 2013.

Metro Denver

Arvada Beer Company (Arvada) - Happy Hour(s) today run from 12pm to 2pm and also from 4pm to 7pm. Get $1 off all pints during that time. You'll have 11 beers on tap to choose from today.

Copper Kettle Brewing (Denver) - On Saturday, July 20th from 4pm to 8pm, CKBC will host the 2nd annual "A Night to Remember" beer festival. Up to 10 breweries will be on hand at CKBC pouring unlimited samples to honor the victim's of last year's Aurora Theater Shooting. 100% of ticket sales will go towards the ACT Foundation providing funds and opportunities to students with unique needs. Food trucks and two bands & a DJ will be on hand as well. They'll also host a silent auction for some cool stuff.

Hops & Pie (Denver) - On Saturday, May 18th, stop by at Hops & Pie for another in their monthly Littlest Big Beer Fest - this month featuring a mini tap takeover from The Brewery of Orange County, California. This tap takeover will feature flights & single pours of 6 different beers from The Bruery including: Sour in the Rye (Rye Funk), Saison de Lente (Spring Saison), Humulus Lager (Not an IPA), White Oak (bourbon barrel-aged Wheatwine), Tradewinds (Belgian-style Golden Ale, and Mischief (Hoppy Belgian-style Golden Strong Ale). The tappings begin at Noon. Stay for a bite as well.

Boulder County

Oskar Blues (Longmont) - From their recent blog post: "Spring at the (OB Hops & Heifers) farm is off to a great start, all the recent moisture has really pushed the hops into high gear. It is also great for the pastures creating rich green grass the cows love. The hops are on their third year and we are looking forward to focusing on cone production. The past two years we have really focused on root growth and plant establishment. Now that they are established, we can focus on shoot development that leads to cone production. In the photo you can see how abundant the new hop shoots are, this is a great indicator that the plant has an extensive well developed root system to support aggressive growth. We will be pruning off these initial shoot tips and cook them up at the restaurant. Chef Loui has already pickled some yum! The shoots that emerge after pruning will be more aggressive and yield more cones."

Left Hand Brewing (Longmont) - In honor of National Teacher Day, Left Hand is offering all teachers a "Free Pint Card" with the purchase of any pint of beer in their taproom today. Just show your school ID to qualify.

Boulder Beer Co (Boulder) - On Saturday, May 18th Boulder Beer is taking over itself! That is they are hosting an Innovation Celebration Tap Takeover in their taproom. A complete tap-takeover of their most innovative, small-batch "Brewer's Choice" beers. In some cases there will only be 40 pints of each beer available. So if you want to try some rare and 1-off beers from Boulder Beer Co - better get their early. VIP entry at 11am ($30) and General Admission at 12pm. Listen to live music from 5-8pm from Pro-Leisure. Event runs til 10pm.

Northern Colorado

New Belgium (Ft. Collins) - Those clever marketing folks at New Belgium put out another classic video promoting their new Rolle Bolle Ale. They must have fun thinking these up. If you can't see the video below, check out New Belgium's Facebook page. In other news, New Belgium also has plans to expand distribution to Florida before the fall hits. Get ready Sunshine State!

Tony's Bar (Ft. Collins) - On Wednesday, May 8th, Breckenridge Brewery of Denver will be on hand for Brewery Night at Tony's starting at 7pm. Get flights of 4 different Breckenridge beers and $1 drafts. Plus there will be a ping glass giveaway and a chance to win baseball tickets. Come get to know Breckenridge beers.

Black Bottle Brewery (Ft. Collins) - In honor of Nurse's Week, all RN's and CNA's and nursing students (21+) can stop in today, show your credentials and get a free Black Bottle beer! Offer good all day today - May 7th, 2013.

High Hops Brewery (Windsor) - This week's firkin is a Blackberry Noble - it's their classic Noble One with a splash of blackberry added for a twist. It taps on Wednesday, May 8th at 5pm. Pair that up with food from the Giggling Greek food truck. Also, stop in to listen to live music 6-8pm on Friday & 5-7pm on Saturday.

Odell Brewing (Ft. Collins) - Today Odell Brewing issued a Press Release about their new upcoming Montage variety 12-pack. This new 12-pack hits store shelves with 4 different beers: Odell 90 Shilling, Odell IPA, St. Lupulin and the new Loose Leaf American Session Ale. Check out the press release for all the details.

Funkwerks (Ft. Collins) - Here's a short 2 minute promotional video all about Funkwerks in Fort Collins. Up until recently, they self distributed all their own beer. Now they have picked up some distributors and are now on shelves in both Colorado and Nebraska. If you can't see the video below, view it on YouTube.

Southern Front Range

Paradox Beer Company (Woodland Park) - They've journeyed from the Highlands in Scotland to the Highlands of Colorado - Paradox Beer just got in a big shipment of some huge 500 litre Scotch barrels that they plan to use for some upcoming beers, one of which is rumored to be a Scotch Barrel-aged Kilted Lass. Look for something wonderful to be aged in those barrels and released in the months to come.

Mountains and West

Dillon Dam Brewery (Dillon) - Just a reminder for anyone planning on visiting Dillon this week, the Dillon Dam Brewery is closed for cleaning and maintenance through Thursday, May 9th. They will re-open on Friday, May 10th at 3:00pm for Happy Hour. Then next Tuesday, it's Tap It Tuesday 555. A 5 gallon keg of the Brewmaster's special stash will be tapped at 5pm and you can get a $5 half-pint of their Neapolitan Porter aged with Wild-Honey-Bourbon-soaked white oak, and brewed with spicy green chilies, vanilla beans and fresh strawberries.
_____________________________________________________________________

Catch up on Colorado Beer News from earlier this week:
Monday

View Colorado Brewery Maps
[ Boulder-Longmont Map ] [ Denver Area Map ] [ Northern Colorado Map ]
[ Southeast Colorado Map ] [ Northwest Brewery Map ] [ Southwest Colorado Map ]

CO Beer Dinners - Expand your palate! How about a beer dinner or pairing event? Lots of events are taking reservations now. Check out the Colorado Beer Dinner & Pairing Events listing.

Live Music - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

CO Beer Festivals - Looking for info on upcoming beer festivals or related events in Colorado? Check out the listings on the 2013 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar. Updated daily.

Like us on Facebook - There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook Page. Find recaps, special offers, and tips that you won't find on the blog. "Like" us and get even more soon after it happens. Thanks for helping us grow to over 1600+ "Likes" in 2013!

Colorado Beer News is published daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. Stop back here often for all the latest. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

Odell releases a Montage variety 12 pack

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Tue, 07 May 2013 19:58:00 +0000

Variety is the spice of life and now it comes in a variety 12-pack. Odell Brewing announces the release of their new Montage variety 12-pack that comes with a new beer. Read their press release issued today.

Odell Brewing announces new variety 12 pack featuring Loose Leaf American Session Ale

[PRESS RELEASE] Fort Collins, CO. – In May, 2013 Odell Brewing will release its first variety 12 pack, Montage. The new package will feature two brewery flagships, a seasonal offering, and a new brew, Loose Leaf American Session Ale.

Loose Leaf was developed on the brewery’s five barrel pilot system. The Odell brewers wanted to create a beer that was lighter in color, lower in alcohol content, but also flavorful and distinct. The final recipe is crisp and balanced with lower IBU's and a bright hop aroma. At 4.5% ABV, it’s delicate and refreshingly drinkable with a clean finish.

The brewery plans to issue three different versions of Montage mirroring its seasonal release schedule. Each edition of the variety pack will include brewery favorites 90 Shilling and IPA, the current seasonal offering as well as a new limited release pilot system inspired brew.

“Montage gives our brewers a new avenue to share their innovations,” said Eric Smith, Director of Sales & Marketing for Odell Brewing. “Not only does it include our flagship offerings, but it also gives us the opportunity to share our seasonal brews, and it extends our creative pilot system inspired offerings beyond the brewery walls.”

Odell Brewing will release Montage initially just in Colorado in May. The brewery will continue to launch the package in its other markets beginning in June. The brewery plans to celebrate the release with a special Loose Leaf tapping during the weekend of May 10th.

Loose Leaf American Session Ale will also be available on draft exclusively at all Colorado Old Chicago locations during the week of May 13th – 19th as part of a special American Craft Beer Week® - Odell Brewing tap takeover.

About Odell Brewing Company
Founded in 1989, Odell Brewing was started by Doug Odell, his wife Wynne, and his sister Corkie. Twenty-four years later, the culture of family and collaboration still thrives fostering a brewery full of beer-centric people. It is this passion for beer that inspires Odell Brewing to create quality, hand-crafted, innovative brews. As a regional craft brewery, Odell Brewing is committed to serving the communities in which it distributes by sourcing local raw materials, and through its charitable giving program known as Odell Outreach. Odell Brewing was recently named a “Top Company of 2010” byColoradoBiz Magazine and is an award winning brewery, nationally and internationally: 2012 Brewers Association Recognition Award, 2011 Great American Beer Festival® - gold medal for Friek. 2010 North American Beer Awards – gold medal for Woodcut No. 3. 2009 BrewNZ Awards – gold for 5 Barrel Pale Ale. 2008 World Beer Cup® – gold for IPA. 2007 Great American Beer Festival® – gold medal for IPA.

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Related articles:
- Odell Brewing introduces Celastrina Saison.
- Odell wants to Shake Your Tree with a new release.
- Grain and Grape to unite in new Odell release.

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Breckenridge Brewery unveils 2013 Denver Comic Con beer

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:29:00 +0000

KA-BOOM! BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY UNVEILS ‘THE CAPED BREWSADER’ BEER

[PRESS RELEASE] Denver, Colorado, May 6, 2013… Without relying upon a single superpower, Breckenridge Brewery of Colorado will unveil its latest concoction, “The Caped Brewsader” – the official 2013 Denver Comic Con beer – this Thursday, May 9, at Punch Bowl Social at 7 p.m. The limited edition Belgian Witbier was specially crafted for the Denver Comic Con event, a three-day comic book and sci-fi convention slated May 31 through June 2.

The Caped Brewsader is a Belgian Witbier (wheat beer) brewed with an ancient citron plant fruit called Buddha's Hand. This tropical fruit is segmented into finger-like sections, resembling the hand of Buddha. The result is a slightly hazy, crisp and refreshing ale that has a subtle citrus flavor perfect for summer enjoyment. Approximately 40 pounds of Buddha’s Hand was added to the 100-barrel batch of beer.

The idea for this year’s beer sprouted when Breckenridge Brewery staff met with Comic Con co-founder Charlie La Greca and his team.

“Our Comic Con friends wanted a well-crafted, summer drinking beer, and they wanted to get a little crazy with it,” recalls brewer John Jordan. “The idea of adding fruit surfaced. This is where the light bulb immediately sparked with me. I had started developing a recipe some years back using this crazy looking citrus fruit – it looks like something right out of a sci-fi movie! It was a perfect fit!”

On the day of the brew, the Denver Comic Con team came to Breckenridge Brewery to assist with the brew. They were able to mill in malt, cut up, prepare and add the fresh Buddha’s Hand and hops.

The beer’s name, “The Caped Brewsader,” was selected from more than 300 entries in a Denver Comic Con online naming contest. More than 15,000 voters helped select the beer’s winning identity.

Renowned Australian comic book artist Ben Templesmith, known for his work on “Fell” and “30 Days of Night,” designed the label, pint glass and tap handle art. Templesmith is a New York Times best-selling artist and writer who has garnered numerous honors and awards in his industry.

The Caped Brewsader debut party at the Punch Bowl Social, 65 Broadway in Denver, will begin at 7 p.m. on May 9, and the first 200 guests to arrive will receive a limited edition commemorative pint glass designed by Templesmith. Breckenridge Brewery will be providing samples of The Caped Crusader and special giveaways. Following its launch at the Punch Bowl, the beer will be served at the Denver Comic Con as well as at numerous restaurants and bars throughout the Denver area while supplies last. For a complete list of locations click here.

This is the second year Breckenridge Brewery has sponsored the Denver Comic Con event, a three-day extravaganza May 31 through June 2 at the Colorado Convention Center. The event covers the world of comic books, film and related media. It is a fundraiser for Comic Book Classroom, a charitable organization that teaches children in underprivileged schools how to read through comic books. The Caped Brewsader will be served throughout the event, and Breckenridge Brewery will be on hand providing a photo booth, superhuman activities and Caped Brewsader comic booklets.

For more information on The Caped Brewsader, visit www.breckbrew.com.

About The Caped Brewsader
Malts: Two Row, White Wheat, Caramel 30, Carapils, Torified Wheat
Hops: Cascade
Yeast: Proprietary Belgian Strain
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 5.5%
Bittering Unites (IBU): 17
Extras: Buddha’s hand citron plant fruit

About Breckenridge Brewery
Breckenridge Brewery was founded in 1990 in Breckenridge, Colorado. In the past two decades Breckenridge Brewery has grown from a small 3,000-barrels-a-year brewpub to one of the most successful craft beer and restaurant companies in the nation. It now handcrafts more than 52,000 barrels of fresh beer annually and owns and operates five brewpubs and ale houses in the state of Colorado. For more information visit www.breckbrew.com.

About Denver Comic Con
Denver Comic Con is a three-day Fan Convention featuring the best in popular television shows, movies, Japanese animation, CosPlay, toys, gaming, sci-fi/fantasy and comic books. Every ticket purchased helps educate children in socioeconomically challenged communities in Colorado by providing an accredited after school program for students to learn to read through comic books. For more information visit www.denvercomiccon.com.

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Related articles:
- Breckenridge Brewery joins forces on WORK Collaboration Brew.
- Breckenridge Brewery chooses its new Colorado home.
- Breckenridge tries out new 5-litre mini-kegs. (2012)

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Colorado Beer News 050613

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:45:00 +0000

Today is No Diet Day. It's the day after Cinco de Mayo and it's the one day out of the year where you can throw your diet aside and just not worry about it. You'll probably not feel much like eating today anyway as you may need some time to recuperate after the weekend's fiesta. Happy Monday! Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Monday, May 6th, 2013.

Metro Denver

Copper Kettle Brewing (Denver) - CKBC came out with an extensive release schedule for the month of May and they have plenty in store for their upcoming Saison Cask Wednesdays and Saturday Tap releases. This week, on May 8th they'll tap a Raspberry Lemon Saison on cask, and on May 11th it's the Return of the Dortmunder Lager to the taps. Something new to try every Wednesday and Saturday this month. See their full release line-up listed in the Colorado Beer Release posting. Also, stop in tonight and play some Pub Trivia for a chance to win some #freebeer.

Colorado Plus Brewpub (Wheat Ridge) - It's official! The grand opening of Colorado Plus is happening next Monday, May 13th in Wheat Ridge inside the old Valente's Italian Restaurant building. They plan to have 56 taps of only Colorado craft beer available and a full menu of food from their kitchen. Their brewery is not quite completed yet, but head brewer Adam Draeger (of Yak & Yeti fame) states that their 1 barrel brewhouse will be up and running very soon. Colorado Plus plans to host a couple of soft opening events on Friday from 4-8pm and Saturday from 4-8pm also for a sneak peak. Colorado Plus Brewpub is located at: 6995 W. 38th Avenue in Wheat Ridge, CO.

Dry Dock Brewing Co (Aurora) - Starting this week, you can find the new 12-pack Booty Box of Dry Dock beers available in stores. Each Booty Box will have 4 different Dry Dock canned beers including their Hefeweizen, Hop Abomination, Apricot Blonde and their Amber Ale. (3 each) Now getting some variety just got easier.

Great Divide Brewing Co (Denver) - Set the date for June 15th from 2pm to 6pm! It's the Great Divide Nineteen Anniversary party at the taproom. Tickets are $30 advance / $35 at the door. There will be plenty of beer, food trucks and live music from 4 different bands. It's going to be their biggest party of the year. They'll be closing off the street for this one, so don't miss it. Also, coming up in July - a new member of the Yeti family will debut - stay tuned.

Arvada Brewing Company (Arvada) - What to get your favorite craft beer lovin' Mom for Mother's Day? How about "Beer for a Year"! It's a growler fill a month for 12 months. It's $92 at ABV plus you'll also get 2 logo pint glasses if you sign up this week.

Boulder County

Avery Brewing Co (Boulder) - Looking for the perfect treat for that Mom in your life this Mother's Day? Bring Mom to the Moms n' Malts Brunch at the Avery Taproom on Sunday, May 12th at 9:00am. They will be serving 4 gourmet brunch courses and pairing them with 3 beers. There will be both meat or vegetarian dishes to choose from. Get tickets in the Avery Taproom. Also, join in at Avery Brewing on May 18th starting at 12pm for the Craft Brew Crawl. Bring your bikes as they will be doing a brewery crawl all afternoon and visiting as many other breweries as possible. The crawl will finish back at Avery at 5:00pm.

Left Hand Brewing (Longmont) - Distribution for Left Hand Brewing keeps expanding. Starting next week, Left Hand beers will be distributed to upstate New York! Left Hand plans to sponsor several tasting events all over the Empire State starting next week. J.J. Sheehan Distributing will be the official distributor for Left Hand in that area. Also, closer to home, Left Hand Brewing is planning to kickoff their summer music events with a Summer Jam concert starting on May 18th from 5pm to 10pm. Three groups will perform live: Whitewater Ramble, Bonnie & The Clydes, and Grant Farm - this will take place at the Left Hand Brewing Company in Longmont, CO. Tickets are $15 and doors will open at 4:00pm. Local food and craft beer will be available during the shows.

Bootstrap Brewing Company (Niwot) - Fans - Stick's pale Ale is back on tap today!

Twisted Pine Brewing Co (Boulder) - You may have seen it already, but after 18 years, Twisted Pine has officially changed its logo. The new logo blends the Colorado flag along with a silhouette of a pine tree and soon you'll be seeing it on everything they do, but transition does take some time. New packaging will be phased in as time allows. New logo stickers are available inside their ale house.

Northern Colorado

Knockin' Rocks Brooms & Brewfest (Ft. Collins) - If you haven't already, check out the official Facebook page for the Knockin' Rocks Brooms & Brewfest, Like them and get clues on where you can find free tickets for the upcoming beer festival set for June 29th at the NoCo Ice Center in Fort Collins, CO. The list of breweries attending keeps getting longer!

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - You know the drill - it's TACOS & TRIVIA night. Food starts at 6pm from Chaulkboard Gourmet Express and Geeks Who Drink Pub QUizzes starts at 7:00pm. Is your team gonna win? Stop in for a taste of the new Maiden's Kiss Maibock.

Southern Front Range

Trinity Brewing (Colorado Springs) has teamed up with a non-profit organization "Partners in Housing" to offer up a new Wednesday fundraiser session. Every Wednesday from 5:30pm to 7:30pm $1 from every Trinity beer sold will go to their associated non-profit organization. Stop in on Wednesday evenings and know you are helping homeless families achieve self-sufficiency.

Rocky Mountain Brewery (Colorado Springs) - It's back! Nerd Night Monday that is. Bring in your group for some table top gaming (Risk, D&D, Apples to Apples, Cribbage, Warhammer, etc...) and receive 10% off your whole groups tab IN ADDITION TO pitchers at growler price! Prefer to go it solo? That's cool too, just bring in your laptop because PC GAMERS RECEIVE buy one get one free 1/2 pints!

Mountains and West

Snowmass Mammoth Festival (Snowmass Village) - There will be two beer tasting sessions at this year's Snowmass Mammoth Festival on June 7th & 8th. Over 25 microbreweries are planning to participate in this year's fest. Find more info in the June Colorado Beer Festival Calendar.

Bonfire Brewing (Eagle) - This Friday, May 10th, Bonfire Brewing is hosting their own Eagle Outside Festival Kickoff Block Party. The party begins outside the taproom at 4:00pm. There will be live music from Hardscrabble starting at 6:30pm. Location: 127 Second Street in Eagle, CO. Get a FREE pint of beer for those that arrive by bicycle.
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Catch up on Colorado Beer News from last week:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

View Colorado Brewery Maps
[ Boulder-Longmont Map ] [ Denver Area Map ] [ Northern Colorado Map ]
[ Southeast Colorado Map ] [ Northwest Brewery Map ] [ Southwest Colorado Map ]

CO Beer Dinners - Expand your palate! How about a beer dinner or pairing event? Lots of events are taking reservations now. Check out the Colorado Beer Dinner & Pairing Events listing.

Live Music - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

CO Beer Festivals - Looking for info on upcoming beer festivals or related events in Colorado? Check out the listings on the 2013 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar. Updated daily.

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Colorado Beer News is published daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. Stop back here often for all the latest. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.

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Introducing The FCB Art Brewery

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:56:00 +0000

When #art and #beer collide, the result can often be amazing. The Fort Collins Brewery is announcing a new venture designed to bring together local artists with a new downtown Fort Collins art studio that aims to create beer-related artwork in a unique setting - The FCB Art Brewery. Read below for their detailed Press Release on how local artists can participate.

[PRESS RELEASE] Creativity is a core ingredient of beer, so FCB has a natural affinity with others engaged in creative activities and wants to see them succeed. That’s why FCB is partnering with the new Downtown Artery, a Fort Collins organization that provides artists with affordable studio and presentation spaces, to create the FCB Art Brewery: a studio that artists can use to explore the combination of beer and visual art.

The FCB Art Brewery will be occupied by one or two FCB Art Brewers who will work on several beer-inspired pieces and produce artwork for FCB’s limited release Tap Club series in addition to other non-beer-related projects.

The Art Brewers will retain complete ownership of their work, receive a VIP Tour and Tasting at FCB, and their work will be promoted through FCB’s website, social media, press contacts, and friend and family network.

New Art Brewers will be chosen every four months, and FCB is accepting applications for the first Art Brewers from May 3rd to May 24th. Winners will be announced by the end of May and can move into the studio immediately.

The grand opening of the Downtown Artery will take place on Friday June 7th, and the doors will be thrown wide open so art and beer lovers can check out the new facility, meet the Art Brewers, and sample some of FCB’s liquid art. Thereafter, the Downtown Artery will be hosting exhibitions on the first Friday of every month so the public can see works of the FCB Art Brewers and all the other artists in the building.

Those not in driving range of Fort Collins can keep tabs on what is going on in the FCB Art Brewery on FCB’s website, social media pages, newsletter, and YouTube channel.

For more information about the FCB Art Brewery, including how to apply to be an Art Brewer, visit fortcollinsbrewery.com/artbrewery.

Additional links:

Downtown Artery
Website: Downtownartery.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/downtownartery

The Fort Collins Brewery
Website: fortcollinsbrewery.com
Facebook: facebook.com/fortcollinsbrewery
Twitter: twitter.com/fortcollinsbrew
YouTube: youtube.com/FortCollinsBrewery

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Related articles:
- Fort Collins Brewery to release Hoptitude Imperial Extra Pale Ale.
- March 2013 brings new releases for The Fort Collins Brewery.
- The Fort Collins Brewery Tap Club gets a revamp.

This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog. Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today.

All-Female collaboration Beer to be simultaneously tapped

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Butler) — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:04:00 +0000

After a successful 1st collaboration brew, a team of all female Colorado brewers recently got together in Grand Junction to brew up a new beer that's set to hit the taps next week. Check out the latest press release from Kannah Creek Brewing Company to see what this beer is all about.

[PRESS RELEASE] GRAND JUNCTION, Co., May 3, 2013 – On May 13 there will be a simultaneous tapping at nine different Colorado locations of an all-female collaboration brew that took place at Kannah Creek Brewing Company. The collaboration beer is a cherry blossom saison aptly named Fleurs de Cerisier.

Eight female brewers and brewery representatives joined Kannah Creek Brewing Company’s female brewer, Emma Faulkner, on April 21to participate in Colorado’s 2nd all-female collaboration brew. The brewing session lasted about eight hours, and the brewing process takes about two additional weeks before the beer is ready to tap.

The women in attendance decided to tap the collaboration beer on the first day of American Craft Beer Week, May 13-19. The 8th annual American Craft Beer Week is an opportunity for craft beer lovers all across the U.S. to celebrate the more than 2,400 small and independent brewers that help shape America’s vast craft beer culture. “We wanted a way to celebrate craft beer and to contribute to the week as female brewers,” Faulkner stated.

Kannah Creek Brewing Company will tap their portion of the collaboration brew at 3pm on Monday the 13. The other confirmed tapping locations are Boulder Beer, Hand Made Liquid & Solids (Oskar Blues Brewery), and The Vail Ale House representing Great Divide Brewing Company. The five other participating breweries have yet to announce the locations where they will tap the Fleurs de Cerisier.

Proceeds from this collaboration brew will be donated to the Pink Boots Society. “The Pink Boots Society was created to empower women beer professionals to advance their careers in the Beer Industry through Education,” according to the mission statement on the Pink Boots Society website (pinkbootssociety.org).

Participating breweries include: Kannah Creek Brewing Company, Oskar Blues Brewery, Odell Brewing Company, Ska Brewing Company, Wynkoop Brewing Company, Revolution Brewing, Prost Brewing Company, Great Divide Brewing Company, Boulder Beer, and Funkwerks.

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Related articles:
- Odell Brewing introduces Celastrina Saison Ale.
- River North to release barrel-aged Black IPA.
- Crooked Stave to host ROY-G-BIV Day May 19th.

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