Small Town Colorado

Free Beer Swag! (winner will be chosen 1/25/14

2014-01-07T22:07:00.000-07:00

Like promised here is your chance to get some free beer swag that I have picked up on my beer tasting travels!

I am a sticker kinda girl and always make sure to pick some up whenever I get a chance.

I cover my car with stickers:

I cover my (very poorly stocked) bar with stickers:

But, sometimes I even end up with more stickers than I can use, so here's your chance to get some of my extra beer swag.

What you get:

3 New Belgium coaster/postcards
4 Breckenridge Brewery Coasters
1 Back Country Brewery Sticker
1 Avery Brewing Sticker
1 Asher Brewing Sticker
1 Upslope Brewery Sticker
1 Breckenridge Brewery Sticker (not pictured, but it looks like the coasters)
1 CB & Potts Temporary Tattoo
1 New Belgium key chain bottle opener

How do you win, you ask?

Go to my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SmallTownColorado 'Like and Share' the 'Free Beer Swag' post pinned to the top of the page, that's it! A random winner will be chosen on January 25th. Why January 25th? Because it's a month after Christmas and you deserve a present :) Also, like my facebook page to get updates on future giveaways!

I Know It's Been a While

2013-12-28T23:24:00.000-07:00

I know it has been a while since I have written here. Finally I feel like all the craziness that has been my life is starting to settle down (or at least I am starting to get it all figured out). However, even with the rest of my life starting to calm down, visiting breweries is still out of the question , at least for a little while. Because if it's not one thing it's another; of course, my ever faithful, little yellow Subaru decided that now would be a good time to develop an overheating problem.

Even though I'm a little stuck right now, I am planning on making sure that I set aside some time to do some writing.

Also, in order to kick off the rapidly approaching new year right, I will be giving away some free beer swag that I have collected on my various journeys (details to be posted shortly).

Buy Local Mondays - Girlie Goods/Good View Natual Products

2013-07-15T19:57:00.000-06:00

I kinda forgot about this today; sure I picked up some groceries at Nature's Pantry and some beer from Little Daisy Liquor, but I have already written about both of those and I haven't really had much time today to do anything besides what I had to do.

If you have read my 'about' section, you probably know that I just opened/am in the process of opening a graphic design/web design business (Organized Chaos Design & Marketing). One of the businesses that I am currently working with is Girlie Goods/Good View Natural Products and while technically I haven't bought any products, I have gotten a few freebie samples.

I have some of the Almond Avocado Moisturizing Cream and Almond Lip Balm and I LOVE these products! While you can't buy these products online... yet (but when I finish the website you will be able too, yes I am shamelessly pimping my own business too), but if you are in the Chaffee County area the products are available at Neighborhood Natural Goods in Salida, CO.

Just a pic from my photo shoot today.

Chicken Panini (My Version of Amicas Pan E Pollo Panini)

2013-07-14T19:30:00.000-06:00

The other day, I was reading through some of my old posts and in the post about Amicas Pizza and Microbrewery, I mentioned that I would share the recipe of my homemade version of their Chicken Panini (it took a little trial and error, but I think it's pretty close). So, finally (over a year later) I am getting around to posting it.

Ingredients:

Bread (any thicker sliced bread, or bread that you can slice yourself)
Cooked Chicken (shredded or chicken breast cut into chunks)
Provolone Cheese
Pesto
Artichoke
Roasted Red Peppers
Mayonnaise
Olive Oil

I use either boneless/skinless chicken breast or in this case Chicken Tenders (from Scanga Meat) cooked and shredded or cut (or torn) into chunks.

Mix equal parts pesto and mayo together (you can do more of one or the other depending on your taste), I mix about 1/2 tbsp of each for each sandwich.

Slice thick (thicker than regular sandwich bread) slices of your bread of choice. In this case I used a loaf of whole grain bread that I picked up at the farmers market this morning, but I have also used french bread or wheat french bread.

Spread your Pesto/Mayo mix on one of the slices of bread. Layer chicken, artichoke, roasted red pepper and cheese.

Brush the top of the sandwich with olive oil, put the oiled side down in your panini press and brush the other side with oil. (here are some ideas on how to make a panini without a panini press), personally I use my George Foreman grill as a panini press (obviously with the lid closed).

Cook until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted (takes about 5-6 minutes in my George Foreman grill, but time may vary)

While the panini was cooking, I threw together a little salad, just some lettuce and tomato from the farmers market with some croutons and fresh Parmesan cheese with a little oil and vinegar.

So here it is, the Amicas Chicken Panine and Salad

And here is my version (if only I had a Bomber Blonde Ale to go with it):

Il Vicino also has a similar sandwich, little known fact: Amicas used to be an Il Vicino brewpub, I'm not sure exactly when it change, but when I was growing up it was an Il Vicino and when it changed ownership, the menu pretty much stayed the same.

I know that the recipes I post are a little bit vague as far as amounts, but I am a firm believer that recipes are just guidelines. I know I read recipes to get an idea and then alter it to my own taste.

The Blue Moon Controversy?!?!?

2013-07-10T20:23:00.003-06:00

I read something once that called Blue Moon 'the most controversial beer in America' (http://blog.beeriety.com/2010/03/18/blue-moon-the-most-controversial-beer-in-america/) and maybe it is. I know, I know, Blue Moon has been largely responsible for getting people interested in craft beer, but much like it's compatriot AC Golden Brewing Company (which I wrote about here) Blue Moon Brewing & Sandlot Brewing Company (the Blue Moon Brewery at Coors Field) is in fact owned by MillerCoors (aka one of the, if not THE biggest brewer in the country). I guess that's why the Blue Moon Brewery is in Coors Field, right?!?!?

Really the only problem that I have with these beers is that they try so hard to keep themselves from being connected to the MillerCoors name, it kinda makes it seem like a 'wolf in sheep's clothing'.

That being said, from time to time I really do enjoy a Blue Moon with a slice of orange.

Can't you tell by the way I cut an Orange that I used to be a bartender,

I never met someone who wasn't a bartender who cut fruit like that

(gotta cut it that way to put it on a glass)

I have to admit that even I didn't know that Blue Moon made more than just their standard Belgian White (which is what I got today), but one of the cashiers at my favorite little home town liquor store knows all about my beeriosity (beer + curiosity) and mentioned that they were now carrying a few other of Blue Moon's brews. They also carry the Agave Nectar Ale, Farmhouse Red Ale and Rounder Belgian Style Pale. So in the interest of expanding my beerizons (beer horizons) I am planning on picking up another Blue Moon brew for my usual Friday evening boozestravaganza.

And because Blue Moon always makes me think of this song (yep, I grew up listening to oldies), here is a little tune.

Buy Local Mondays - CCFA (Buena Vista Farmers Market)

2013-07-08T22:25:00.001-06:00

CCFA (Central Colorado Foodshed Alliance) lists their mission as:

"The Central Colorado Foodshed Alliance (CCFA) is a cooperative organization created to stimulate and support the local food economy in our foodshed, defined as the area within 100 miles of Salida, Colorado.

Within the foodshed the CCFA works to unite local producers and consumers, provide education about the value of local food, and foster a vibrant local economy while promoting productive open space and sustainability.

The CCFA provides many resources, for the benefit of the membership, to reach these goals. The Salida Farmers Market, the Guide to Local Food, and an active website facilitate the building of relationships between those who produce food and those who eat food. Community workshops, the film series, and Foodshed Education sponsored events provide exposure to local and global food issues.

Shedfest, a harvest season celebration, and the annual membership meeting are venues to highlight the vibrancy of our community and inspire new ideas. Individuals, businesses, producers or consumers; everyone has a role to play in the local food economy and therefore, also has a place in the CCFA."

One of my favorite things about summer has to be fresh produce and my weekly trip to the farmers market. On my last trip I picked up a couple of types of locally grown lettuce and tomatoes, from Weathervane Farms (because salad is definitely a staple in the summer) as well as some fresh baked from Styria Bakery.

Buy Local Mondays - Nature's Pantry

2013-07-01T20:54:00.002-06:00

Nature's Pantry, is my local natural/organic/health food store, when you live in the middle of nowhere, there are no Wild Oats or Whole Foods or Vitamin Cottages. We have City Market (Kroger) or Nature's Pantry.

I know with all drinking that I do, it's hard to believe, but I really really do care about what I eat...

I saw this tent at a brewery festival I went to a few summers ago, and that pretty accurately sums up how I feel. I think that if you're going to drink like I do, it's probably a good idea to eat healthy food (gotta keep your body guessing). As I've mentioned before I like to stick with locally produced food as much as I can and if I can't get it locally, I at least try to eat organic. While, yes the regular grocery store does have some local produce and organic items, it's not like a bigger city where they have a large selection...

So, off I went today to Nature's Pantry in search of some local produce and GMO free tortilla chips (and to support a small local business).

and because every now and then I forget to take pictures,

this one came from the Nature's Pantry Facebook Page

I found lots of yummy, tasty, healthy things on my little outing, including some GMO free blue corn tortilla chips and locally grown eggplant, yay and NOMS!!!

So, ,while not everything is local here are a few super yummy and healthy meal ideas:

A super HUGE salad made with all Colorado grown veggies (Romaine Lettuce, Mushrooms, Tomato, Cucumber) and GMO free Ranch Dressing (and a little cheese that I'm not sure where it was made). And a Gin and Tonic with a slice of organic lime!

Soft tacos made with GMO free tortillas, local ground beef (from Scanga Meat Company) and locally grown lettuce and tomato. (and Tapatio Hot Sauce, gotta have my Tapatio).

Yes, it may be a little more pricey, but as I've mentioned before I think it's worth it! And supporting the local economy is good for everyone!

Buy Local Modays - Scanga Meat Company

2013-06-24T16:57:00.000-06:00

Obviously I support my local/in-state breweries, but I try to support locally owned businesses and buy locally produced products as much as possible. I could go on and on about all the reasons I choose to support local businesses, but nothing sums it up quite as well as what I was once told by a customer at my 'day job'.

This particular customer is a salesman at a local car dealership (well the next town over, our town is too small to have a car dealership) and over the years we have purchased a few of our business vehicles from him.He came into the office looking for an item after I told him the price, he told me:

"I saw it for a little cheaper online, but they aren't going to buy a car from me."

There isn't much of a better reason than that, keeping money in your local economy helps everyone.So on that note, I am going to try to reserve Mondays for posting about local businesses that I support (and I'm going to try my hardest to post something every Monday, that's why I picked Monday, it's payday and my day off).

It seems like every other day (if not every day) I find another reason to believe that it is important to know where your food comes from, whether it is GMOs or meat having e-coli or pink slime (if you don't know what that is you can read about it here). And so for that reason I have (for the most part) stopped buying meat products from the grocery store (and if I must it comes from my local natural/organic grocer). But, hey, I like meat and don't plan on becoming a vegetarian any time soon (although I was a vegetarian for a few years). I have, however chosen to support a local company instead. And maybe most importantly, I like a rare bloody burger, but I have always been terrified to eat meat picked up from the grocery store without making sure it is thoroughly cooked!

Scanga Meat Co. is located twenty-some odd miles away, they process their own meats and it gives me some peace of mind knowing that. They have a little shop at their ranch just outside of Salida, CO where you can pick up their meat products as well as cheeses and a few other natural products (although the other products aren't made there).

Even my brother who isn't really one to take a stand on much of anything, and used to mock me for going to the farmers market and spending a little extra, has recently began to realize that eating foods produced locally is a good idea. I know that local and organic products have a reputation for being a bit more expensive, and hey, I am a girl on a budget, but for me the peace of mind is worth spending a little more.Even though, it is a little more expensive, I still bought quite a bit for fairly inexpensive. I got 2lbs of ground beef, bacon, italian sausage and chicken for under $20 and that is definitely enough to get me by for a few of weeks (meat wise anyway).

STC (Small Town Colorado) Summer Beer Picks

2013-06-23T17:10:00.000-06:00

Technically it is now the 3rd day of summer, so I am a little bit behind on this post (I meant to post this on the first day of summer), but I suppose it is better late than never. Without any further ado, here is my list of 10 must have summer beers!

# 10: New Belgium Brewing - Rolle Bolle or as I call it "Fat Tire with a Twist", it is very similar to Fat Tire, but with a citrus (orangy) twist.

#9: Left Hand Brewing Company - Polestar Pilsner I first tries this beer when I grabbed one from the 'mix and match' section of my favorite liquor store. A Pilsner is a type of Lager (like you know Bud, Coors and all those beers), but it has a bit of a kick to it (it's just a little hoppy) and although I am not generally a fan of hoppy beers that kick sets it apart from the other lager type beers.

#8: New Belgium - Fat Tire. Fat Tire has always said summer to me, when I was in college I used to work at a rafting company during the summer and Fat Tire was the beer of choice for most of the rafting industry, and my introduction to craft beer (if you haven't read it yet, you can read my full post on Fat Tire -Beer, It's A Love Story - here).

#7: Bristol Brewing Co. - Yellow Kite Summer Pils (available April - October) I first tried this beer at The Colorado Brewers Guild's Brewer's Rendezvous (my favorite must attend beer festival). I love this beer,it is one of the seasonal beers I can't wait to get my hands on as soon as 'spring' hits.

#6: Bristol Brewing - Beehive Honey Wheat. Apparently Bristol Brewing has the summer beer thing figured out (and beer in general, they are one of my favorite craft brewers). Instead of rewriting what I already wrote, you can read what I posted about Beehive here.

#5: Elevation Beer Co. - Apis IV I know, I know it looks too dark to be a 'Summer Beer' (at least to me, because I usually think light beers when I think of summer beer), but it is actually similar to Bristol Brewing's Beehive, and again, if you want to read more, you can read my post here.

#4: Amica's - Bomber Blonde Ale. Bomber Blonde Ale is light and has just a hint of a fruity taste, but not an overwhelming fruity taste, because if you follow this blog you probably know that I have an aversion to fruity beers (I may be a girl, but that's a little too girly, even for me). It's a great beer for summer, and day drinking (as I mentioned in my post here)!

Now for my top 3 summer beers and believe me it' was tough to figure out what order to put these in, but here they are.

#3: Breckenridge Brewery - SummerBright Ale. If Fat Tire was my introduction to craft beer, SummerBright Ale was the beer that cemented my undying love of craft beer. This is a summer beer for everyone, even the 'non-beer-snobs', this is even the one and only craft beer that my brother will drink (and he is a guy who only drinks Corona and Coors). I have read some reviews that say it is too watery, but for me it is one of the best summer beers!

#2. Asher Brewing - Treehugger Organic Amber. When I first tried this beer a couple of summers ago, it was the first beer in a very long time that just made me say, wow! It is a slightly sweet amber ale, which was so good that I forgot to take pictures when I was at the brewery. But, this is not only a great summer beer, but as of right now my favorite beer. (So, sad I can't get it here, but next trip I make to Boulder, I will definitely be picking up a growler - or two)

#1: San Luis Valley Brewing Co. - Valle Especial. Valle Especial is a Mexican Lager, you know, like Corona, which is why I rated this as my number one summer beer pick. Corona always has been and always will be the first beer that I grab for relaxing on a hot summer day, the Valle Especial is very similar to Corona, but made in Colorado! Honestly, there is nothing better in the summer than an ice cold beer with a slice of lime.

Gluten Free Beer

2013-06-13T21:49:00.000-06:00

Gluten Free seems to be all the rage lately, every where you go there are gluten free options. With so many people going gluten free it makes sense to have some gluten free beer options. Of course there are a few gluten free beers out there, but the Colorado craft beer lovers need an option too.

This post is somewhat of a follow up to my last post 'Hard Cider, Baby', in which I mentioned that a friend-of-a-friend had asked me about gluten free beer and hard ciders made in Colorado for the bar she works at. I told her about New Planet Beer, but I had never tried it myself. So, last Friday night when I headed to my favorite liquor store (The Little Daisy, which I wrote about here) I happened to notice that they had just started carrying New Planet Beer.

I had never actually tried New Planet Beer (or any gluten free beer) for a few reasons. First, because I was a little scared that it wouldn't be very good, second, because up until last week I had never run across any in my local liquor stores (a down side to living in a small town is that I have long ago exhausted their selection of craft beers) and finally, because I have not gotten nearly as many chances as I have wanted to visit breweries lately. So, after seeing a new craft beer in the cooler at my little liquor store and because I had told someone about it already, I, of course was going to have to grab a six-pack.

So, with my new beer to try in hand off I went to my usual Friday afternoon hangout with my friends, my friends who happen to make their own beer (which I wrote about here). I have to admit that I cracked the first bottle with just a little bit of trepidation, but I was pleasantly surprised with my purchase.

They had a choice of 'Tread Lightly Ale', 'Pale Ale', and 'Raspberry Ale'. I, of course went with the 'Tread Lightly Ale', because as I mentioned at least a few times before I am not the biggest fan of 'hoppy' beers, obviously the 'Pale Ale' was out (even if they aren't quite as 'hoppy' as an IPA), they are still a bit hoppy for me. And despite the fact that it is generally considered a 'girly beer', I just can't get on board with fruity beers (although I will admit that I did have quite the love affair with Tommy Knocker's TundraBeary Summer Ale once upon a time).

There was a hint of sweetness , which while I am not an expert I would guess comes from the corn extract. I will also mention that for those of us who watch (or do our very best to try to watch) what we put into our bodies, their labels actually list the ingredients. Also, they list the nutrition information, which as much as I have always thought they should put on beer labels, I now see why they don't. Let's just say that it made me want to go for a run, and it's probably not nearly as high calorie as some beers. But, back on topic, I was impressed with my first gluten free beer and would like to try some of their other options (maybe someday soon I will get a chance to take alittle brewery visiting weekend trip.

***On a side note, I would like to mention that my thoughts are with all of the people who have been/are being affected by the wildfires in Colorado right now. And I would like to mention that much of Colorado does have fire-bans currently, so if you live in or are visiting Colorado, please check on the restrictions in your area. And please follow all bans.***

Hard Cider, Baby!

2013-06-06T21:06:00.001-06:00

Honestly, I never knew that anyone in Colorado made hard cider, actually I had never even thought about it. I have only had hard cider a hand full of times in my life.

Why write about cider now? Well, an acquaintance of mine is a bartender and the bar that she works at is trying to specialize in alcohol from Colorado. A mutual friend of ours told her about my blog and suggested that she talk to me. So, she asked first if I knew of any gluten free beers from Colorado, so I of course told her about New Planet Beer. And then she wanted to know if I knew of any hard ciders from Colorado, and as I already mentioned, I had no idea. So, with the help of my good friend Google (which I'm sure thinks I am a raging alcoholic with all of the alcohol related searches I do), I found out about the Colorado Cider Company, and hunted down a bottle of 'Glider Cider' (I even had to go to a liquor store the next town over to find it).

Like I said, I have only had hard cider a hand full of times, so I don't really have much to compare it to. The Colorado Cider Company website describes it as :

Colorado Cider Company was founded to produce a fresh hard cider for the discerning Colorado drinker. With a well-developed craft beer market and and educated populace, Hard Cider has been a missing choice in the cacophony of craft drinks in local pubs & liquor stores. We hope to remedy that.

Glider is our flagship dry cider. Crisp, tart and drinkable.

Gluten Free-All Juice, 6.95% ABV- in 22oz bottles

It isn't quite as sweet as I remember the few ciders I have tried in the past, but I actually like that about it! The fact that it has a little bit of tartness to it may have made me become just a little bit of a hard cider fan and if I am ever asked again if I know of a hard cider from Colorado I will have an answer.

Spring Beer Picks

2013-05-30T20:46:00.000-06:00

While a majority of people are starting to think of summer, here in Small Town Colorado, it is just now starting to feel like spring. So, while I will be thinking about summer drinking soon, here are just a few spring beer picks.

Just a Little Earth Day Post

2013-04-22T22:14:00.000-06:00

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a bit of a hippy. Yes, I recycle, I try to avoid wasting electricity, I turn the water off while I brush my teeth and I try to buy recycled products when I can. No, I am not an eco-zealot, but I do believe that there are little things that we can all do to take better care of the planet, many of which require little to no extra effort.

I have not always been a big water drinker, but I have been making an effort to get my full recommended 64oz. of water a day. We all know that bottled water is expensive and for those of you who do not recycle, it adds A LOT of waste to our landfills. Luckily I happen to live in Small Town USA in the Mountains of Colorado and I have well water, here we don't have to drink bottled water or worry about having a water filter. However for those of you who aren't as lucky visit FilterForGood to see how Nalgene and Brita have teamed up to help cut down on waste from bottled water. I liked it 'cause it's sponsored by Nalgene, and I just happen to have a slight obsession with Nalgene water bottles (especially covered in stickers, but we will save that for a future blog). Don't believe me? Well here is just a portion of my collection.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. As a nature/landscape photographer, who just so happens to be lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places around Leave No Trace is another organization that is worth checking out. Isn't that really a principal that we should all live by anyway? I am all for enjoying nature, with summer just around the corner I know I am ready to partake in all of my favorite outdoor activities. But just be considerate of the next person and leave your favorite outdoor getaway in the same or better condition than you found it.

And of course what mountain girl does not enjoy a good beer? And it just so happens that some of my favorite beers of choice are brewed by Colorado's own New Belgium Brewery who just so happen to use wind power to brew their beers (and have for over a decade!) Even my faithful friend Mr. Fat Tire Flyer, who is currently hanging around on my wall waiting to go out and play is made of recycled plastic :) Recycling can be fun!

So have fun, enjoy nature, drink beer and feel free to share your own eco-friendly links.

Scotch and Home-Brew Beer

2013-04-16T19:25:00.000-06:00

I know I haven't written much lately, but that's because I decided to take a month off of drinking (I may have gone a little overboard partying for my birthday at the end of March). I decided to post a little somethin' anyway. I wasn't planning on posting about this since it's not really a brewery, but I'm gonna anyway.

A couple of my friends make their own home-brew beer, which so far has been pretty good.

The first beer they made was a European Bock which was really good. When their next batch was ready to be bottled I offered to help (since I helped them drink the last batch). So, I spent an evening washing out beer bottles (many of which I had donated to their cause) and putting caps on 3 cases of beer.

I capped those beers, go me!

And as my friend Tom told me that I would appreciate it more if I helped... I told him that I ALWAYS appreciate beer, but I was pretty proud of myself :)

Tom looking through the beer recipe book, trying to pick the next batch

After 2 weeks of waiting, not so patiently, the beer was ready to drink and it was delicious, tasted a lot like Fat Tire! So, we have this tradition of getting together on Friday nights and drinking the home-brew beer and as of late Scotch (since Tom is on a mission to become a Scotch aficionado).

The official first taste of the beer I helped bottle.

I know, I know, the Scotch is not from Colorado, but not everything I drink can be from Colorado :) This is probably a good part of the reason that I needed a detox month, but it's always fun!

Deerhammer Distilling Company... Redux

2013-03-09T22:34:00.000-07:00

For those of you who've been reading this for a while, maybe you will remember that I wrote about Deerhammer Distilling Company before and that I was not particularly impressed (you can read that post here). But I also promised to give them a second chance, it just took a little longer to get around to than I had planned on. I did finally get around to it though. And I am glad to say that this time around I can give them my 'seal of approval'.

Deerhammer Drink Menu

I went in there on a Thursday night, which in the winter in Buena Vista is usually a slow night wherever you go. So, still being a little unsure about the place when I was told they had a drink that wasn't on the menu which was a gin drink (I don't remember the name of it), I opted to give that a try, mostly because in general I prefer gin to whiskey.

I may be letting my 'white-trash' side show a little bit here, but when I drink gin, I usually mix it with Squirt. This drink tasted a little bit like that, but with a little bit of a honey flavor. Not quite as sweet, but it was delicious! And since I've already admitted that I have a 'white trash' side, I may as well admit that I like 'girly drinks' too...

'High Roller'

So, for my second drink I had the 'High Roller' which is whiskey, coconut, pineapple, orange basically it is piña colada-esque. It was very tasty and I can see this becoming a favorite summer standby! After two drinks I was feeling pretty good and had to call it a night. So, I will give you a little heads up, if you ever find yourself at Deerhammer Distilling, the drinks are strong. Later I was talking to a friend and mentioned that I had two drinks, and his comment was that 'you only ever have one drink when you go there, even I know that'. So, yeah, pace yourself!

Also if you happen to be in the Arkansas Valley next weekend, check out the Ark Vally Libation Society launch party in Salida.

Ski Joring

2013-03-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

In all of my years of living in Colorado I have never actually watched Ski Joring, until yesterday anyway. So, what is Ski Joring?

"The sport of ski joring began several hundred years ago in Scandinavian countries as a way to travel during the long winters. Laplanders skied on Nordic skis holding the reins attached to reindeer. Ski joring found its way to North America, where ranchers attached a long rope to the saddle horn of a horse that was ridden at high speeds down a long straightaway. Currently, the sport of equestrian ski joring has become a highly specialized competitive sport, where competitors must navigate a course of jumps, gates and sometime spear rings. Competitive ski joring competitions are currently taking place in more than five states in the USA, and in several countries worldwide. In some parts of the world, skiers are pulled behind dogs, mules and snowmobiles. Whatever the means, the sport of ski joring is growing rapidly, and is just as much fun for spectators as it is for competitors. Courtesy of the North American Ski Joring Association." ~ from www.visitleadvilleco.com

Who knew spending the day freezing and watching people on skis being pulled around by horses could make for an entertaining way to spend a Sunday? But it was, and I guess I should also probably thank my neighbor for dragging a very hungover me out of my house, driving since I was in no condition to be behind the wheel, putting up with me and my camera and freezing all day! I have to be honest, I have lived a pretty short drive from Leadville for most of my life and I have never really spent much time there, I have driven through Leadville hundreds of times, but haven't really stopped to explore.

For once my driving pictures are taken while someone else was driving,

probably safer that way...

I think every driving picture I take has a crack running through it...

I guess I and everyone I ride with needs a new windshield.

Downtown Leadville, CO

A 'hair of the dog' morning vodka... to get me back to being my regular charming

self instead of barely functioning hungover me ;) And it was f-ing COLD and a little
booze always warms you up!

And the Scarlet Tavern had the best no smoking sign ever!

Not the best quality cell phone video, but it's something.

Because apparently everyone has to make a 'Harlem Shake' video...

yeah, I don't get it

Don't mind the beeping mid video, that would be my phone telling me it was
dying and me being a long ways from my charger :)

Lucky Pie

2013-02-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time I used to live/work in the Boulder, CO area; I worked in Boulder and lived in Broomfield. For anyone who knows me , they know that when I left Boulder, I didn't look back. There are very few reasons for me to go back to the Boulder area; one is that my BFF lives near Boulder, second is that there is GREAT beer in Boulder and finally there is nothing that goes together like beer and pizza and Lucky Pie is one of the better 'beer & pizza places' that I have been to.

Saying that Lucky Pie is one of the better 'beer & pizza places' I have been to is definitely a compliment (especially coming from me). Yes, we know that beer and pizza go great together, but honestly it has almost become a cliche. In my little corner of the world we have 4 micro-breweries/brew-pubs and 3 of them are 'beer & pizza places'. While Lucky Pie isn't a brewery, it is a tap room with a great selection of craft beers. Lucky Pie has an ever changing selection of craft beers on tap and also have a seasonal menu that uses primarily (if not all) Colorado produced ingredients.

Tivoli Helles Lager - Tivoli Beer

So on my last trip to visit my BFF, I dragged her on a little outing to Lucky Pie in Louisville (they also have a location in LODO now).

So, next time you happen to be in Boulder (or more specifically Louisville) this is the place to go for your beer and pizza fix.

Rio Grande & Sierra Blanca Brewing Company

2013-02-16T23:51:00.000-07:00

I know that the Rio Grande & Sierra Blanca Brewing Company is not a Colorado brewery, but we love and appreciate our neighbors, right? My mommy and I have a tradition of getting away for a mother daughter weekend to Taos, NM once a year. Before our last trip I had been talking to someone about my love of micro-brew beers and was told that if I ever get to New Mexico that I need to try Alien Amber Ale, that it was similar to Fat Tire, and if you read my post 'Beer, It's a Love Story', then you already know that Fat Tire was my first (beer) love!

So, one night when we found a cute little place for dinner, with patio dining - I'm a sucker for patio dining - and I saw Alien Amber Ale on the drink menu, well obviously I had to try it!

I will say that I was pretty impressed with this brew and it was definitely similar to Fat Tire. It was a little bitterer (is that a word?) that my beloved Fat Tire, but is definitely something I would drink again and I regret not picking up a 6 pack or two before leaving New Mexico... oh well, maybe next trip. But if you ever find yourself in New Mexico looking for a tasty cerveza to try I suggest some Alien Amber Ale!

San Luis Valley Brewing Company

2013-01-31T22:30:00.000-07:00

My trip to San Luis Valley Brewing Company was an impromptu stop when I was passing through Alamosa on a trip to Taos, NM.

Me being the kind of girl who is always looking for a new cerveza and a new microbrewery/brew pub to try, I of course decided that this would be a great place to stop for lunch and a couple of drinks (and no, I wasn't driving).

So, after trying a few tasters, I settled on the Valle Especial, which is described as a 'Mexican-style Lager', which is somewhat like Corona (but better). And for anyone who doesn't know this about me, there is really not much that I enjoy more than an ice cold Corona with a fresh lime wedge on a hot summer day. So, finding a Colorado brew (since I always prefer to support local businesses) I like even more than my old summer standby, that is always a plus!

So, overall I suggest that if you find yourself passing through Alamosa that you stop here for a drink or two.

Meanwhile, In Small Town Colorado

2013-01-10T21:09:00.000-07:00

I know that I have been behind on my posting, but as I mentioned on my Facebook Page, it's a New Year and I once again have a functioning computer at home, so I'm trying to get back to a regular posting schedule. And as the New Year starts I am going to try to expand this page a little bit. So, in the name of expanding I thought I would do a little booze related 'how to'.

Last weekend I found a dresser listed on Facebook (for FREE), on the High Rockies Yard Sale page (it's kinda like craigslist). It needed a little - or a lot of - help, but it had potential! A soon as I saw it the wannabe DYI Rockstar in me decided that it would make an awesome bar, and solve some of my kitchen storage issues.

Like I said, it needed a little TLC, but had potential! So after a long, very very long, night of painting and replacing hardware I ended up with what I like to think is a pretty awesome bar!

So, I used a little left over paint, obviously some of which was from my kitchen wall, and turned one (wo)man's trash into another (wo)man's treasure! And since this page has historically been mostly about booze, I will point out that no bar is complete without being stocked with booze, including some great Colorado wines from two of my favorite wineries Vino Salida and Canyon Wind Cellars!

Beer, It's A Love Story

2012-12-02T23:38:00.000-07:00

First loves, we all have them. They are always with you, no matter where you go in life afterwords, they always hold a special place in your heart. Isn't the same thing true for a beer lover? I know for me it is. I may have had crushes on Bud Light, Coors and a few others as a teenager (shhhh...). But my real true first love was with New Belgium.

FIBArk - 2012

It's the same old story, girl sees ~~boy~~ New Belgium around, but is too shy (aka - not 21 yet) to make a move. She sees New Belgium at FIBArk, she sees New Belgium at restaurants, she sees New Belgium doing promo events, she sees New Belgium at every summer festival, she sees New Belgium rafting... they seem to have so much in common and always seem to be at all the same places. Eventually girl meets New Belgium and falls in love. For a while girl and New Belgium are happy, girl loves Fat Tire, girl loves Sunshine Wheat, girl loves Blue Paddle, girl loves Skinny Dip (which sadly it appears isn't being made anymore), girl loves everything about New Belgium. But as is destined to happen with most first loves, girl and New Belgium grow apart, she doesn't stop loving New Belgium, she just wants to experiment and see what else is out there. She knows that New Belgium will always hold a special place in her heart, but for now she needs something more, something different.

Girl travels and has flings with The Moab Brewery, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co, Sangre De Cristo Brewing and maybe a few she doesn't remember. Girl falls for a few foreigners, has a summer fling with Corona. She loves an Australian accent and has some fun with Fosters. She even tried to go Irish and tried to make it work with Guinness for longer than she should have. Girl 'plays the field' with Great Divide, Ska Brewing, Avery Brewing, Asher Brewing and too many others to name... she's kind of a brewery whore.

Brewers Rendezvous - 2011

All the while she still sees New Belgium around from time to time, sometimes it's just in passing as she walks past hand in handle with Breckenridge Brewery, or whatever the newest brewery of choice. Sometimes it's awkward as she leaves with PBR or Bud Light. Sometimes girl and New Belgium hook-up for old times sake.

Maybe some day girl will settle down, maybe she won't. Maybe she's not a one brewery kind of girl. But no matter where she goes and no matter how many breweries she's been with, New Belgium will always hold a special place in her heart, New Belgium was after all her first love.

Small Town Colorado

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USA Pro Cycling Challenge

2012-08-22T19:35:00.000-06:00

We are quickly counting down to the end of summer here in Small Town Colorado and that can only mean that it is time for the 2nd USA Pro Cycling Challenge...

As much as I would have loved to be able to travel around Colorado for different stages of the race, alas the day job didn't allow for that this year. However I did manage to sneak out of the office for a while today to see when the race passed through Buena Vista. If you happen to be a somewhere that the USA Pro Cycling Challenge is passing through, definitely worth taking the time to watch for a while.

If Life is a Comedy Then Why All the Tragedy?

2012-07-20T11:42:00.000-06:00

(Not sure who to credit for this great image)

‎"None of us know and this makes it a mystery, if life is a comedy then why all the tragedy?" - Chris Rice

Thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, family and friends of today's shootings. Remember to not only keep the victims and those effected by today's tragedy in your thoughts but also the victims of all of this summers tragedies.

(heartcolorado.com)

Free Beer Swag!

2012-07-16T21:17:00.000-06:00

Well the weekend was everything that I hoped it would be with, had some friends in town for the weekend and had a great outing to the South Park Saloon and Green Parrot on Friday then the Brewers Rendezvous on Saturday!

I know I said I'd do this yesterday, but I am pretty sure that I drank more over the weekend than I should have and of course also proceeded to party the evening away at the Victoria Tavern. So, in other words... I was hurtin' a little bit yesterday and didn't get around to it. I didn't even turn on my computer over the weekend :)

But as promised, a day late, some beer lover can win the beer swag above (8 stickers, 8 coasters, 1 temporary tattoo and 1 bottle opener). All you have to do is like Small Town Colorado on facebook, and go to the 'Beer Swag Contest' tab and enter to win. Contest winner will be chosen on 7/19 at 4pm MST (when I get back from the rest of my vacation).

Elevation Beer Company

2012-07-09T21:31:00.000-06:00

Elevation Beer Company is Colorado's newest microbrewery, well at least I think it is. Their grand opening was May 19th, while I wanted to go to their grand opening, I was in Boulder spending some quality time with Asher Brewing that weekend. But as the newest brewery in the state a visit to Elevation was near the top of my 'to-do' list. And one of the owners of Elevation Beer Co is from my hometown and actually went to elementary school with my brother so that made me pretty excited to visit too.

When I walked in to Elevation Beer Co, I was a little surprised by how empty it was as there was only one other customer there when I walked in. Granted it was the middle of the afternoon, but it was a Saturday afternoon. It still always makes me a little sad when a bar or brewery is empty when I walk in because it is always great to get to talk to other beer lovers and share beer stories and find out about some brews you haven't tried before.

Elevation Beer is a little bit tricky to find, even though I am familiar with the area I had to google map it before I headed out. They could definitely use some better signage to lead you there, however I am hoping that because they haven't even been open for 2 months yet that this is planned for the future. However once you find yourself at the brewery, the interior is cute and charming. I must note that the bar stools were far from my favorite bar stools I've ever sat on and I couldn't see myself spending an evening sitting there having a few drinks. While old tractor seats may be cute visually, they are not comfortable for extended amounts of time.

Luckily they do have a few tables as well, but while visiting a bar or brewery solo sitting at the bar is customary.

After trying the Mount Blanca Belgian Saison and the Signal De Botrange, I fell for with the Mount Blanca and decided to enjoy a glass.

When I was about half way through that drink a couple came in raving about how they had heard so much about the Apis IV (with a long 'A'), buying several 750ml (wine bottle size) bottles of it. And well after that I just had to sample that as well.

'Apis, the genus of the honeybee, is in homage to the hardworking honeybees of Colorado that provided the caramelized honey we use in making this fantastic beer.' - http://www.elevationbeerco.com/

Now as much as I enjoyed the Mount Blanca Saison, Apis IV quickly took its place. Much like Bristol Brewing's Beehive Honey Wheat, it had just a tiny hint of sweetness, even less than Beehive, but that touch of sweetness dare I say *may* have changed my opinion just a little bit on dark beers.

*Yes, I am drinking beer out of a wine glass*

Because as anyone who has read much of this blog knows, dark beers aren't usually my forte. Despite the fact that I am not usually a dark beer lover, I ended up walking out of Elevation Beer with a bottle of the Apis IV which I enjoyed immensely a few nights later (out of a wine glass).