Today is Loomis Day. It's a day that celebrates Mahlon Loomis, a guy who got the first patent on wireless communications back in the 1800's. You might say his ideas were slightly ahead of his time. Cheers to that and Happy Hump Day! Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Wednesday, May 30th, 2012.
Colorado Beer News is continually updated during the day (10am to 3pm) with new stories as they break, so stop back here often for all the latest. If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here.
Trinity Brewing (Colorado Springs) - Recently, Trinity Brewing received an award from RateBeer for being the 24th best brewery in the world for 2011. Congrats to Jason and his crew on this wonderful honor.
Beer Factoid - According to Beer West Magazine, the city of Fort Collins, Colorado produces 70 percent of Colorado's craft beer and is home to the most micro-breweries per capita in the state. Read more in their article about Fort Collins.
Gravity Brewing (Louisville) - The brewhouse at Gravity Brewing just got a bit more crowded. Yesterday, they received a load of new equipment including their fermenters, a filter, a hot liquor tank and a glycol chiller. This just means opening day is just that much closer. Stay tuned for more news on their progress.
Pumphouse Brewery (Longmont) - Have you stopped in at the Pumphouse Brewery lately? They've got a new seasonal brew on draft - Cherry Wheat. A lightly malted beer with a hint of cherry. Also try some of their many other beers and pair one with a meal. Located at: 540 Main Street in Longmont, CO.
Colorado Craft Beer Show (AM 760 Denver) - Starting this Saturday, the Colorado Craft Beer Show with John Turk and the Gubna is expanding to a full two hours! They'll be broadcasting live from 12 noon to 2pm on AM 760 in Denver every week through the rest of the year. Tune in this Saturday as they will be broadcasting live from Avery Brewing Company and the Boulder SourFest. They will have some special guests as well. Next week, they'll be up in Lyons broadcasting from the Burning Can Festival.
Denver Beer Company (Denver) - Want to help grow some hops for this year's batch of Neighborhood Pale Ale? Tomorrow afternoon, May 31st at 5pm, Denver Beer Company will be hosting their 2012 Hop Swap, open to everyone. They will hand out traditional American Cascade hop plants for Denverites to grow in their own backyards. The certified organic hop starters from Fort Collins’ Summit Plant Labs are well suited to grow in Colorado’s Front Range climate. Once the hops mature in the fall, Hop Swap participants will bring their hop harvest back to the brewery where they will be used in a true “local” brew. Hop Swap farmers will have the opportunity to help Denver Beer Co. brewers craft a traditional American Pale Ale made with their own hops. 350 hop plants will be available first come first served.
Banjo Billy's Bus Tours (Denver) - This local bus tour company is offering up a Denver Brewery Tour Package. For $34, you'll be driven on a tour of 4 breweries, receive 3 pints of beer, and spend roughly 3 hours touring the inside of some of Denver's best breweries including: Wynkoop Brewing, Breckenridge Brewery, Strange Brewing Company and Denver Beer Company. Tours begin at 5:15pm at the Wynkoop. Click here for more info on this tour.
Brewery Music - 
Looking for some music to go along with your beer? Check the Brewery Music Listings and see who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar in Colorado. Updated daily.
Colorado Cider Company (Denver) - Starting June 3rd, the Colorado Cider Company will be open on Sundays from 1:00pm to 5:00pm along with their regular hours on Fridays (3pm to 6pm) and Saturdays (2:30pm - 6:30pm). Stop in and try one of their hard ciders. Located at: 2650 W. 2nd Ave #10 in Denver, CO.
Copper Kettle Brewing (Denver) - This Saturday, June 2nd from 12pm to 10pm - it's the return of their Dortmunder Lager. For all of you lager fans, CKBC will be bringing back their Dortmunder Lager. Malty, slightly hoppy and an overall good beer for a summer afternoon! Classic, clean, aromatic aroma and a slightly dry finish. Come join in to welcome back a Copper Kettle favorite! The Orange Crunch Food Truck will be out @ 5 PM with Philippine-style empanadas available to munch on.
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - Today at 4pm, they'll be cracking open a special firkin of Oak Aged Griffin. They'll be serving up $4 pints of this brew. You can also get some hot dogs too as The Daily Dawg LLC will be on hand serving up Vienna-style dogs for your eating pleasure.
Ska Brewing (Durango) - Mild to Wild Rafting and Ska Brewing are teaming up for the first ever Paddles & Pints Rafting Trip in Southwest Colorado! Two of the greatest things Durango has to offer are whitewater rafting and delicious craft beers. They are bringing the two together for a weekend of awesome Colorado whitewater rafting on the scenic and thrilling Piedra River combined with an evening of a Ska beer tasting and food pairing in camp. For more details on this check out the webpage.
Wynkoop Brewing (Denver) - Today and Tomorrow, The Wynkoop Brewing Co. will be hosting a blood drive for Children's Hospital from 9am-1pm each day. The best part, donate a pint of blood and Wynkoop will give you a certificate for a pint of fresh brew. Call the Wynkoop to get on the donation list. 303-297-2700.
Crabtree Brewing (Greeley) - Attention 462 Beer Club Members! On Saturday, June 16th at 4pm - Crabtree Brewing will be hosting their official Ménage à Trois release party. There will be free samples, appetizers and laughs. A toast will be held at 4:15pm for this double award winning Braggot style beer, made with a blend of their Boxcar Brown aged with plums in Merlot barrels, also blended with a whiskey barrel aged Oatmeal Stout, and mixed with a wildflower honey fermented with Boxcar Brown in Merlot barrels. It's a luscious trinity of bottle passion. Members may purchase up to 6 bottles of this brew at $6 a bottle (12oz). Club members should RSVP with the number of bottles to reserve by Wednesday, June 13th.
Cheeky Monk (Denver) - Join in between June 4-10 at the Colfax location to celebrate the seasonal farmhouse ales known as Saisons! They're bringing in some real treats from both Belgian & American crafters for you to kick off the summer! Also stop in the Westminster location on June 6th for a special Anniversary Celebration.
The Mayor of Old Town (Fort Collins) - Tonight is going to be a great night for Cigar Night at the Mayor. Stop by Edward's Pipe & Cigar Shop first. If you buy $20 in product you'll get a free beer at the Mayor. The cigar celebration will be on the patio starting at 6:00pm.
Bristol Brewing (Colorado Springs) - Ready for a one mile footrace in Colorado Springs on June 30th? So is Bristol Brewing. Sign up for The Bristol Mile, pound the pavement and get a free pint on them (with registration). Early-bird registration is taking place now through June 1st and is just $15 per person. More info at the Victory Racing website.
City Star (Berthoud) - Trivia buffs! Stop in tonight at City Star for trivia in the taproom. The fun starts at 7:30pm. The winner(s) get $20 in City Star beer!
Looking for a beer festival? Check out the listings on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar.
There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 850 "Likes" so far in 2012!
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
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Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Colorado Beer News 053012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Left Hand Smokejumper Smoked Imperial Porter review
It's been four long years, but Left Hand Brewing finally brought back one of it's highly requested beers from 2008 - Left Hand Smokejumper Smoked Imperial Porter. This beer won gold at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival, beating out the likes of Alaskan Smoked Porter.
Smokejumper was made in honor of the brave souls who parachute into wildfire areas and risk their lives to save people, property and wildlife and to put out some of the biggest fires around. It also is helping to promote the National Smokejumper Association. Many a toast was raised with this beer with the words: "Here's to smoke in your glass, not in the woods".
Smokejumper is a hefty brew that weighs in at 8.8% ABV and is rated at 50 IBUs. The smoky flavor comes from hand-smoked malts and some of the bitterness comes from Magnum and Mt. Hood hops. This beer is made so that it could be aged even further. Smoked beers tend to take on some wonderful characteristics with age. This bottle was fairly fresh as this was released back in late April of 2012.
Appearance: Smokejumper poured about as dark as they come, a 84 SRM color (black). The brew looked thick and it yielded a small, 1-finger tall brown head that quickly dissolved into just a thin ring around the edge of the glass. There was a very loud hiss when I popped the cap so I assumed it was bottle conditioned and adequately carbonated. Swirling the brew left just a thin, slippery lacing that quickly slid off the glass edge.
Aroma: Ah yes, there was a definite sweet, smoky aroma to this beer. A smell that reminded me of both a campfire, smoked meats (like bacon or jerky) and roasty malts. This is the type of smell that reminded me of cooking out during a camp-out. It was a very inviting aroma, one that I couldn't help but recognize as a smoked beer. The smoke is dominant, yet pleasant.
Taste: Smokejumper hit me with a big swig of roasted malt. The malt was semi-sweet, smokey in flavor and had a nicely balanced bitterness that was both spicy and earthy. If I held my breath and tasted this, the malts really came out and filled my mouth. It had a touch of a sweet molasses taste and big on roasted malts. Then when I inhaled deeply, the rich smokey aroma and flavor really come through. If not for the smoke, I could swear this was a wonderful imperial stout, yet it was missing the coffee-like tones.
Overall: This was a smoked beer that only took a sip or two to really get into. I was loving this brew almost right from the start. The big smoke flavor was a semi-shock to the system, but immediately after it mellowed out and the rich, complex flavors really shone through. I would easily compare this to other great smoked porters I've had at the GABF and here locally.
If you love smoky flavor, a beer with a lot of flavor, thick, chewy and rich - then this one you should seek out. I'm ready to go out and pick up a couple more bottles of this and age them for another year or two. Granted, this beer is excellent now, but I'm also curious on how it will hold up to time. At a big 8.8% ABV, this beer should last for several years in a well conditioned cellar.
My grats to Left Hand Brewing for putting out a wonderful smoked beer. It's not a brew to fear, rather one to seek out.
Disclosure: I was sent a complimentary bottle of this beer directly from Left Hand Brewing Company for review. I was not paid to endorse this product.
Video showing the pour of Left Hand Smokejumper Smoked Imperial Porter:
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Related articles:
- Beer Week Sauce specially tapped by Left Hand Brewing.
- Get jumping for Left Hand's Smokejumper.
- Left Hand releases Smokejumper Imperial Porter. (2008)
- Alaskan Smoked Porter 2008 review.
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
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Colorado Beer News 052912
Welcome back from a long holiday weekend. Did you survive it OK? While it's Tuesday, it feels like a virtual Monday. Let's hope the week doesn't hit you in the face too quickly. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Tuesday, May 29th, 2012.
Colorado Beer News is continually updated during the day (10am to 3pm) with new stories as they break, so stop back here often for all the latest. If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here.
TRVE Brewing (Denver) - The date has been set Denver! TRVE Brewing is planning to open their doors to the public for the first time on Saturday, June 9th at noon. According to their blog: "We’ll let ya walk around a bit and check the place out (though we’ll probably still have some finishing touches to put on the place). You’ll get a sample of Wanderlust, our Belgian-American Pale. Best of all you’ll finally be able to pick up the badass growlers we’ve been dying to get in your hands." - Note, this is just a sample opening primarily for their CVLT members. The official full opening with full-size beers will be on Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 at 4:00pm.
Silverton Brewery (Silverton) - Stop by the brewery at 1333 Greene Street in Silverton, Colorado. They now are pouring 7 house beers! Beer is also available in cans and bottles. Come get some!
Ouray Brewery (Ouray) is now showing off not one but two new Ouray Brewery HydroFlasks. These stainless steel lined containers keep liquids (beer) cold for up to 24 hours, or hot liquids hot for up to 12 hours. They are available in 40oz and 64oz sizes. These are now available in their merchandise corner at the brewery. (Image courtesy Ouray Brewery).
Odell Brewing Company (Fort Collins) - Did you make the Small Batch Festival last Saturday? If not, you can get a great recap in pictures over on the Beertographer web site. There was a great turn out, 20 beers were on tap, and a good time was had by all.
Hunters Moon Meadery (Severance) - It takes a lot of honey to make mead. And not surprisingly, it also takes a lot of honey bees to make that honey. Owner Greg found a new swarm of honeybees to adopt over the weekend. Apparently a big swarm was hanging out near a playground in Boardwalk Park in Windsor this weekend. The swarm was about the size of a basketball and the bees were carefully collected and transferred to the fields around the meadery in Severance. Talk about "freebees"! - Also - come to their Hunters Moon Meadery Open House on Sunday, June 3rd from 1pm to 5pm in Severance. They'll be giving away free samples plus you can try out Mead Shaved Ice cones! RSVP to the meadery.
Loveland Aleworks (Loveland) - Their 1st and 2nd batches of beer are now bubbling away in the fermenters. This is great news as this means opening day can't be too far away now. Look for Loveland Aleworks to be opening sometime soon in June! The brewery is located at 118 West 4th Street in Loveland, CO.
Boulder Beer Company (Boulder) - Look for their Hoopla Pale Ale to be available in 12oz cans starting in late July 2012. Here's a preview of how they'll look. (Image courtesy Boulder Beer Company).
Copper Kettle Brewing (Denver) - Today is Pints for Purpose Tuesday. $1 of each pint sold today goes towards the Make A Wish Foundation, helping make wishes come true for sick children. Who knew stopping in for a beer could help out a good cause?!
Blue Moon Brewing (Denver) - After being selected as top choice on social media, Blue Moon Brewing will soon release a new beer called Caramel Apple Spiced Ale. This was part of the "Craft the Next Blue Moon" program. This brew beat out Dark Chocolate Bacon Porter and Blackberry Tart Ale as the next one to release. Look for this to be available before the next blue moon on August 31, 2012.
Steamworks Brewing (Durango) - This Friday, June 1st, 2012 - Steamworks will unveil another in their popular Friday Firkins. This time they are introducing "Pinky Tuscadero", a brew with a unique pink tint. It's a variation on their popular Colorado Kölsch and is re-fermented with pink guava fruit puree and Champagne yeast. The firkin taps at 3pm this Friday and will drain fast. Get their early to try a glass. They are located at 801 E. Second Avenue in Durango, CO.
Twisted Pine Brewing (Boulder) - 4-packs of the new 16oz tall Hoppy Boy cans are now available at the ale house. Also, come thry their latest Brewer's Choice beer: Red Rye-der - a hoppy red ale weighing in at 6.1% ABV and 57 IBUs.
The Mayor of Old Town (Fort Collins) - Here are some facts you may not know about beer at The Mayor: "Did you know that of the 100 taps we have, we have no beers priced over $8.00. We have 3 beers at $8.00. The average beer price is $5.09 and we have 33 beers that are priced at $4.00 or less with 3 beers priced at $2.00. Can you guess what beer we've sold the most of over the last year?" - Stay tuned for details on their upcoming 1st year anniversary.
The Fort Collins Brewery (Fort Collins) is teaming up with The Wapiti Colorado Pub in Loveland for a Beer Pairing Dinner this Thursday, May 31st, 2012 at 6:00pm at the Mariana Butte Golf Course. This will be a five-course dinner and the cost will be $38 per person (+tax + tip). RSVP for this dinner at (970) 635-1985.
Pateros Creek Brewing (Fort Collins) - Stop in today and bring your growler. They're filling growlers for just 5 dollars today.
Ska Brewing (Durango) - Jonathan Shikes at the Westword is reporting today that Ska Brewing is planning on releasing four separate canned stout releases starting this fall. Look for the first one name "Autumnal Mole Stout" to hit shelves in September. The brew is made with peppers, cocoa and spices and blended into a wonderful dark stout. Three other stouts will also be released coming out either at a solstice or an equinox. For the full story, see the full article on Westword.com.
Amicas Pizza & Microbrewery (Salida) - Coming up the week of June 3rd through June 10th, it's Amicas 10th Anniversary Fun(d)raiser Week Long, Give-Back Celebration. There will be live music playing daily. 7% of all sales will be shared between Guidestone Farm To Table and S.O.S.S. (Support Our Salida Schools). Get discounts on merchandise, happy hours every day 3:30pm to 5:30pm with $3 pints. Located at 136 E. 2nd Street in Salida, CO.
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - Time for another firkin release! Tomorrow, Wednesday May 30th, Grimm Brothers will release their Oak Aged Griffin. They'll tap the firkin at 4pm and will go until it drains that same day. This won't be available the next day as their firkins are a 1-day only item. Stop in and get some before it's gone.
BierWerks Brewery (Woodland Park) - Starting this last weekend, BierWerks is now operating under their new Summer business hours. They are open 7 days a week starting at 11:00am each day. They close at 10pm Monday through Saturday and at 8pm on Sundays. Stop in for a beer!
Bootstrap Brewing (Niwot) - June is going to be another busy month for brewery openings in Colorado. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 20th for the opening of Bootstrap Brewing at 6778 North 79th Street in Niwot. It's located just south of Cottonwood Park Shopping Center. They initially plan to have their tasting room open Monday through Thursday 3pm to 8pm and Fridays through Sundays 12pm to 8pm. These hours will most likely change as they get more established.
Funkwerks (Fort Collins) - Recently during an interview with Beer City Television, Funkwerks revealed that they are looking to expand their distribution. Currently, they are distributing from Fort Collins down to Colorado Springs, but now are looking to expand to the Western Slope of Colorado and possibly add another state or two to their existing distribution. All of this could happen within the next year.Looking for some music to go along with your beer? Check the Brewery Music Listings and see who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar in Colorado. Updated daily.Looking for a beer festival? Check out the listings on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar.
There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 850 "Likes" so far in 2012!
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
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Odell Brewing promotes the value of play through UnBottled
Fort Collins, CO – This week, Odell Brewing Company kicked off UnBottled. What is UnBottled? It’s the playful spirit within Odell Brewing that leads to collaboration, creativity and innovation. Play is what Odell puts in all their beers. And what they hope you get out of them.
There’s a growing awareness of the value of play, thanks in part to Stuart Brown’s book, Play; Kevin Carroll’s book, Red Rubber Ball; and recent marketing campaigns from companies like Keen (“Recess is back”) and Purina (“Play like a pet”).
But play has always been part of the Odell culture. They refer to their pilot brewing system as their “playground,” and their mission statement practically makes fun official. They invite anyone in the company to try their hand at brewing. And when they need to let off steam, they've been known to have shrink-wrap boxing matches or shoot hoops right there inside the brewery. At Odell, they know that play brings people together, loosens them up and forces them to think differently—and sometimes, to stop thinking so hard.
Playful experimentation has produced some of their most talked-about beers, including St. Lupulin, Myrcenary, Friek and the industry’s first-ever Twitter beer. Each year they celebrate this approach to brewing at their Small Batch Festival. And of course, they encourage fun and community every day in the taproom, through games, live music and a collective commitment to donate proceeds to a Charity of the Month.
For Odell Brewing, play isn’t a distraction from brewing. It’s a secret ingredient.
Here’s how you can play along:
Great Ball Hunt, June 2: Part treasure hunt, part pub crawl. Odell hides a bunch of UnBottled balls in their favorite pubs around Ft. Collins and Denver; hilarity ensues. The hints are dropping now on Facebook and Twitter.
UnBottled Sharing (June 2nd - July 7): Show the world how you get UnBottled. For every photo or video you post to the Odell UnBottled Facebook app, they’ll donate $1 to one of three non-profits: Trout Unlimited, United Way or Education and Life Training Center.
Playday, June 30: What happens when everyone everywhere plays on the same day? Only the best day ever! Make your pledge to play, starting June 3 on Facebook.
Join the fun at Facebook.com/OdellBrewingCo and twitter.com/OdellBrewing
About Odell Brewing Company:
Founded in 1989, Odell Brewing was started by Doug Odell, his wife Wynne, and his sister Corkie. Twenty-three 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” by ColoradoBiz Magazine and is an award winning brewery, nationally and internationally: 2012 World Beer Cup® - Silver for IPA. 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 Thornbridge Pond Hopper set for June release.
- There's some Shenanigans going on at Odell Brewing
- Odell Saboteur review.
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
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Friday, May 25, 2012
Colorado Beer News 052512
Today is Geek/Nerd Pride Day. Originally set up to celebrate the release of the first Star Wars film in 1977, this day has evolved into a celebration of that inner geek in all of us. it's also Towel Day in celebration of the works of Douglas Adams. Go out and do something nerdy today. And why not - it's Friday and the start of a long holiday weekend here in the USA. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Friday, May 25th, 2012.
Colorado Beer News is continually updated during the day (10am to 3pm) with new stories as they break, so stop back here often for all the latest. If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here.
Elevation Beer Company (Poncha Springs) - Last weekend during their grand opening, Elevation Beer Company had over 1000 people attend! It was a huge success. For those of you who can't journey all the way to Poncha Springs, fear not! Their beer is bottled and is available at over 12 location around Denver. Try some at the following locations: Applejacks Wine and Liquor, Mile High Wine and Spirits, Highlands Wine and Liquor, Joy Wine and Spirit's, Mr. B's Wine and Spirit's, Lukas Liquor's, Biggie's Wine and Spirits (Conifer), Grapes and Grains, Amato's Ale House, Hop's and Pie, Rackhouse Pub, and Fresh Craft.
TRVE Brewing (Denver) - Upcoming brewery TRVE Brewing is getting closer to opening. Just yesterday they moved their very first batch of beer into the fermenter. This beer is named Wanderlust, a Belgian-American Pale. Stay tuned for news on opening day. They are located at 227 Broadway #101 in Denver, CO.
Lone Tree Brewing (Lone Tree) - Today and tomorrow from 5pm to 9pm at Nicolo's Pizza in Highlands Ranch - head brewery Jason will be on hand with samples of beer from Lone Tree Brewing and will be happy to talk about his beers with you. Stop in, try one and say hello!
The Springs Beer Fest (Colorado Springs) - This year's Springs Beer Fest will be held on Saturday, August 11th from 12 noon to 5pm in Antler's Park in the Springs. Over 25 breweries are expected to attend and pour. Tickets are $20 and are available online at Blacktie-Colorado. Mark your calendars now! Food and fun for the whole family.
Twisted Pine Brewing (Boulder) - Twisted Pine is turning 17 and they are throwing an anniversary party on Saturday, July 14th from 2pm to 7pm at the brewery parking lot. Try over 25 unique brews including the tapping of Twisted Pine's 17th anniversary brew. Live music from Danny Shafer, Longest Day of the Year and Hot Soup. The cost for all this fun is $25. See Twisted Pine for more details.
New Belgium (Fort Collins) - The event dates have been set for this year's Tour de Fat. Over 15 cities across the country will be participating. Here in Colorado, the Tour de Fat will be in Fort Collins on Saturday, September 1st and in Denver the next Saturday, September 8th. Mark your calendars and participate in one the of largest bicycle parades around!
Gravity Brewing (Louisville) - This new brewery, expected to open this summer, is one step closer to becoming reality. Their fermenters were just shipped this week from Oregon and should arrive in Colorado early next week. Stay tuned for more news on their upcoming opening. They will be located at: 1150 Pine Street, Unit B in Louisville, CO.
American Craft Beer Radio (102.3FM Denver) - Tomorrow (Saturday) on the show, Jonathan Shikes from Denver Westword, will be co-hosting with Gary V. Sitting in studio with them to talk about all of the up coming festivals this year will be Dustin from Avery Brewing Company, Boone from Bristol Brewing Company, Andy from Ska Brewing, and Elizabeth from Firestone Walker Brewing Co. It all starts at noon tomorrow on 102.3 ESPN.
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - Just one more day until Maifest at Grimm Brothers. They have a pile of door prizes to give out. Stop in anytime between 12 noon and 10pm. There will be plenty of food available from Bedrock BBQ, The Daily Dawg, and Cramer's Handmade Bread Company. Live music on hand from Steve Mancell. Games & activities for the kids too! Bean Bag Toss, Make Your Own May Basket and a Traditional May Pole Dance. Plus, it's the official release of their new beer - Little Farmer - a Maibock. Don't miss the fun this Saturday!
San Luis Valley Brewing (Alamosa) - Lots of news from the brewery this week. SLVB will be pouring beers at the Blues, Brews & BBQ Fest in Beaver Creek on Saturday May 26th from 1pm to 5pm. At the brewery that night, live music from Dr. Roberts (Beatles Tribute Band) at 8:30pm. They will also have a beer trailer outside pouring beers at SummerFest on The Rio June 1st thru June 3rd in Cole Park in Alamosa. At the brewery, now on tap is their new chocolaty & hoppy S & A Black IPA. Coming soon: Wildfire Red, and Setting Sail Kiwi Ale. They've added 4 new taps to their back bar with the focus being on BIG, BOLD, and BARREL AGED brews. Now pouring on 16 taps! Stop in. Located at: 631 Main Street in Alamosa, CO.
Rackhouse Pub (Denver) - Heading to Avery SourFest on June 2nd from Denver? Ride the bus from Rackhouse Pub. They've teamed up with Star Bar set up a bus on June 2nd that’s going to bring people from the Rackhouse up to Avery’s SourFest. The bus is $20 and they have about 30 spots left. Tickets for the bus are available on BrownPaperTickets.com.
Big Beaver Brewing (Loveland) - You already knew about Big Beaver's brews, but did you know about their BBQ Sauces? You can get hot-off-the-grill Brats at Big Beaver and add one of 4 different home-made BBQ sauces on top. They've got: Big Woody Double IPA Original BBQ Sauce, Tug the Pug Porter Sweet sauce, Wonder Wiener Wheat Mustard Infused Sauce and the Burning Beaver Ale Spicy Sauce. They also host BBQ/Beer events twice a month where they serve up pulled pork, brisket, and chicken sandwiches with sides of coleslaw, beans and cornbread.
Odell Brewing (Fort Collins) - Just a reminder, parking for tomorrow's Small Batch Festival from 3pm to 7pm is very limited. You are encouraged to ride your bike, or for $5 you can take the Hops and Shops Shuttle there. Finding alternative transportation will help avoid issues at the festival. Please leave your dogs at home.
The Fort Collins Brewery (Fort Collins) - A reminder - now through the end of May 31st at FCB - They will donate $1 to the Poudre Fire Authority for every taster try sold. Come in and grab a taster try and help out a good cause. FCB also has a new Sour Kraut (Berliner Weisse) on tap over at Cranknstein in FoCo. Try it straight or sweeten it up with some tasty syrups.
Echo Brewing Company (Frederick) - Tonight from 5-8 pm come by and get some wood fired pizza from Ablaze Food Truck! They will also be tapping their new Tri-Town Brown. Pizza and beer - what could be better?Looking for some music to go along with your beer? Check the Brewery Music Listings and see who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar in Colorado. Updated daily.Looking for a beer festival? Check out the listings on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar.
There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 850 "Likes" so far in 2012!
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
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Thursday, May 24, 2012
Colorado Beer News 052412
Today is Morse Code Day. Who would have thought back in 1844 when the first Morse code message was sent that today we'd all be texting, messaging, emailing and GPS'ing. While some people still practice Morse Code, let's be glad that we don't still have to rely on it for long distance communications. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Thursday, May 24th, 2012.
Colorado Beer News is continually updated during the day (10am to 3pm) with new stories as they break, so stop back here often for all the latest. If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here.
Arvada Beer Company (Arvada) - It's going to be a busy weekend at Arvada Beer. Today the much anticipated release of their Double IPA. They've upped the malt and hops to make this an even bigger Double IPA. It goes on tap at 12 today. Then at 4pm the Brewers Limited Reserve, based on Saison de Davis, this is a very refreshing beer. 10 gallons until it's gone. On Friday, May 25th, they'll release Grandview Pilsner. They will be serving it for the next month instead of the Goldline IPA. Saturday, they have the Colorado Craft Beer Show broadcasting live at 12 noon. Come on down and join the fun!
Bristol Brewing (Colorado Springs) - Happy Hour just got hoppier on Thursdays in May. Join Bristol Brewing tonight and on May 31st from 4pm to 9pm for $3 pints of their Compass IPA. Located at 1647 South Tejon Street in the Springs.
Colorado Brewers' Festival (Fort Collins) - The festival is looking for more volunteers to help support the annual Colorado Brewers' Festival on June 23rd and 24th. Do you want to volunteer? As a volunteer, you will receive a special edition t-shirt and a free admission into the festival at another shift. To volunteer, check out the handy volunteer registration form.
Pateros Creek Brewing (Fort Collins) - It's Thursday and it's time for another famous Outlaw tap! Today's Outlaw is by Nick who's been wood aging some SnowMelt (India Wheat Ale). The brew has a creamy mouthfeel with enough hop bitterness to balance it out. Come get a taste of "Back in Black Oak". It taps at noon and we'll see how long it lasts. Later today, listen to live indie folk music from Leland Sundries at 6pm.
Ouray Brewery (Ouray) - Announcing the Grand Opening of the OBC's new Tap Room and Riverside Beer Garden. It happens tomorrow, May 25th at 4pm. They'll be featuring gourmet wraps, chips and of course their beer! Hours will be 4pm to 8ish Friday through Sunday until June 13th. After that day they will expand to Wednesday through Sunday. Look for a party by the river!
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - A reminder that on Saturday, May 26th from 12pm to 10pm it's MAIFEST at Grimm Brothers. There will be food from Bedrock BBQ, The Daily Dawg, and Cramer's Handmade Bread Company. Music from Steve Mancell. Games & Activities for Kids! Bean Bag Toss, Make Your Own May Basket, and more. Traditional May pole dance. And the release of Grimm's Maibock, Little Farmer! They hope to see a lot of you there!
J Wells Brewery (Boulder) - Thanks to a tip from a reader, there is another new brewery headed to Boulder this year. The new brewery, headed by brewer James Wells, is expected to be located at 2516 49th Street in Boulder, CO. Supposedly, this brewery will be open sometime in June. They are currently gathering the required city permits. Stay tuned for more info on this brewery. They do have a blog: jwellsbrewery.com/blog and a Facebook page as well.
Fort Collins Beer Pairing (Fort Collins) - Attention CSU Alumni - here's a new beer event for you taking place on Friday, June 1st from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at the Hilton Fort Collins - 425 W. Prospect. Join Colorado State University Alumni and friends for a new event - the Fort Collins Beer Pairing. From pilsners to porters, you will enjoy beer from local breweries paired with gourmet small plates. Also, there will be a speaker, Dr. Nicole Garneau who will talk about the history and science of brewing. Live music will also be on hand from the band Constitution. 7 different Colorado breweries will be on hand pouring beers each with a couple different beer selections. Please contact the CSU Alumni Asscociation at (970) 491-6533 or csualumni@ar.colostate.edu with questions or concerns.
Dillon Dam Brewery (Dillon) - It's Acoustic Night at the Dam tonight! Bring your instrument or voice for a great night of acoustic talent with Kendrick! And it's Ladies Night! Ladies drink free half pints from 9-11pm!
Tommyknocker Brewery (Idaho Springs) invites you to the Idaho Springs Summer Kick Off on Saturday, June 2nd. Free BBQ in the park. A parade starts at 11am. BBQ & Entertainment from 12pm to 3pm. All proceeds go to the Clear Creek County Victims Advocates. And of course, plenty of Tommyknocker beer and soda available.
Crabtree Brewing Company (Greeley) - Crabtree Brewing is offering $3 pints for all teachers today!! Especially for those of you in District 6... what better way to end the school year! Crabtree gives thanks for all the amazing work that teachers have done with our children this past year. See you after school today!
Oskar Blues (Longmont) - For those of you who've recently been to the Tasty Weasel, you'll know that construction is underway to expand their tap room. Walls were busted out this week and expansion has begun. Excuse their mess while construction is underway!
AC Golden Brewing (Golden) - Here's some news passed along by BeerPulse.com today. AC Golden Brewing Company’s Peche and Apricot sour beers will arrive tomorrow (Friday, May 25) in limited quantities at Mile High Wine and Spirits in Lakewood, Colo. The beers are part of AC Golden’s Hidden Barrel Collection. They were bottled throughout last year and have been cellared since then to allow bottle conditioning to occur. Peaches and apricots from Palisade, Colo., were used in crafting the beers. Peche won silver in the American-style Brett Ale category at the Brewers Association World Beer Cup earlier this month. Eight cases of Peche and 14 cases of Apricot will be available.
Festival Season Begins! (Statewide) - This weekend officially marks the beginning of the outdoor festival season and KDVR Fox31 has put together a video highlighting several of the big festivals happening in Colorado this year. Several of these include beer festivals. Check out the video below, or if you can't see the video, head to the KDVR web site for more.
Trinity Brewing (Colorado Springs) - Happy Hour Today from 2-6 PM! $2 off all House Brews (including Slap Your Mammy!!!) and a buck off snacks. AND::: Don't miss their beer release tomorrow at 5:00pm! Saison du Tomme!Looking for some music to go along with your beer? Check the Brewery Music Listings and see who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar in Colorado. Updated daily.Looking for a beer festival? Check out the listings on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar.
There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 850 "Likes" so far in 2012!
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
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Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Colorado Beer News 05231
Today is Lucky Penny Day. There's an old saying - "See a penny pick it up, all day long you have good luck". Find your lucky penny today and see if you happen into some good luck. Sure, a penny won't buy you anything these days, but it may help put a smile on your face if but for a moment. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012.
Colorado Beer News is continually updated during the day (10am to 3pm) with new stories as they break, so stop back here often for all the latest. If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here.
Choice City Butcher & Deli (Fort Collins) - TONIGHT! A tapping party for Choice City Badonka Dunkle! $1 sliders & $1 off all beers! Design Contest ends at 6pm tonight. Draw the Tap handle for us! The winner will receive a free pint and 4 sliders every Wednesday until the beer is gone!
Wynkoop Brewing Company (Denver) - Children’s Hospital Blood Drive: The Wynkoop is looking for 70 big-hearted folks to donate blood at Wynkoop Brewing Co. on Wednesday & Thursday, May 30th & 31st, 9am-1pm. In exchange for your help, they’ll give you a complimentary pint at their place. Can they tap your vein? Contact Christine@wynkoop.com to get on the required signup list. And thanks for the bloody help. Don't worry, the volunteers taking blood don't sparkle and won't take more than is needed.
Del Norte Brewing (Denver) - Their beer Orale is off to a fast start this year, winning their first medal at their first competition. Del Norte got a Bronze in the Lager category at last weekends Grand Valley Beer Festival. Congrats to Del Norte!
Pateros Creek Brewing (Fort Collins) - The small brewery is looking to expand, but to do so they need your help. Pateros Creek is hoping to fund their expansion with help from the community. Take a look at the following video and check out the plans they hope to work on with the help of their loyal fans. Visit their page on CommunityFunded. If you can't view the video below, please check it out on YouTube. Also, get ready for their 1st Anniversary celebration coming up on Saturday, June 9th starting at 4:00pm. Music, food, games, new beers and more!
Odell Brewing (Fort Collins) - The Small Batch Festival is coming up this Saturday, May 26th from 3pm to 7pm at Odell Brewing Company. In order to help keep things rolling smoothly for this festival, Odell Brewing invites fest goers to review their Small Batch Festival FAQ on their website. It has some tips, recommendations, directions, info on parking and what to bring and not to bring to the festival.
New Belgium (Fort Collins) - Heard on the web. Beerpulse.com is reporting a new label approval for a new brew coming out of New Belgium called "New Belgium Planet Bluegrass Summer Bliss Lager". Sounds like a beer made specifically for a music event. As word comes out on this beer we'll be sure to pass it along.
Pikes Peak Brewing (Monument) - Word came down from FocusOnTheBeer.com yesterday that Pikes Peak Brewing is planning to release some beer in bottles. In a quote from the brewery: "On June 5th at 6:00pm we will release the Summit House Barrel Stout in 750mL bottles! They are each signed and numbered. Only 150; first come/first serve. This will also mark the first Tuesday we are open." - With such a limited release, the bottles are sure to sell out quick.
Breckenridge Brewery (Denver) - What's coming down the line next from Breckenridge Brewery? According to Todd Usry, look for them to re-release their 72 Imperial Chocolate Cream Stout. Also, look for another collaboration effort with Stranahan's Whiskey to put out a whiskey barrel-aged version of their Vanilla Porter. Stay tuned for word on availability of these brews.
City Star Brewing (Berthoud) - There will be Trivia in the taproom at 7:30pm this evening! The winning individual or team will receive $20 in free beer. Their IPA, Red Necktar and Cowboy's Golden beers are on tap today. Feel free to bring in your own snacks, dinner, etc.
Tommyknocker Brewery (Idaho Springs) - Recently, three Tommyknocker beers won medals at the Australian Beer Awards. Their Tommyknocker Butthead Doppelbock took silver and their Tommyknocker Hop Strike Black Rye IPA and Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown Ale took bronze medals. Also, during the Grand Valley Beer Festival last weekend, their Tommyknocker Saison took a silver medal in the competition. Grats on all these accomplishments!
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - The first of their firkins is being released today. Stop in around 4pm to try some dry-hopped Snow Drop. It's the first of many experimental firkins to come.Looking for some music to go along with your beer? Check the Brewery Music Listings and see who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar in Colorado. Updated daily.Looking for a beer festival? Check out the listings on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar.
There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 850 "Likes" so far in 2012!
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
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Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Oskar Blues - Sun King Brewery Chaka Belgian Style Ale review
Two regionally different breweries, one collaboration effort, two different cans, same named beer. Oskar Blues of Colorado and Sun King Brewery of Indiana recently got together to collaborate on a Belgian-style ale and the product of that effort was named: Chaka - Belgian-style Ale. Due to a stroke of luck, I managed to get a hold of sample cans of the same beer from each of the two breweries to do a side-by-side comparison of the same beer.
Would the same recipe and similar cans result in a beer that tasted just the same yet being from opposite sides of the country? I wanted to find out. I opened up a 16oz can of both Oskar Blues Chaka and Sun King Chaka. Both beers were stored under identical conditions. Both cans arrived boxed with cold packs and freshness was all but guaranteed. Both beers had the very same ABV rating, 8% ABV. Both were in resealable 16oz cans, each brewery had never used this type of can before now.
Would distance, travel and different sources of water make for a different drinking experience with the same beer? Let's find out.
Appearance: I opened each can and did a side-by-side pour (see video below). Each brew appeared to be the same color, a dark rusty orangish-red. In each beer I got roughly the same amount of head, just slightly above 1-finger tall. One slight difference I noticed was that the Oskar Blues head managed to stay a bit more creamier looking and stayed built up a while longer than the Sun King version of Chaka. Both beers had decent clarity. No sediment, fairly see-through and had a decent amount of carbonation. Not much lacing stuck to each glass when swirled as it slid off fairly quickly. I may be imagining it, but the head on the Sun King beer looked just slightly darker than the Oskar Blues head, but perhaps that was due to the Sun King's head being slightly thinner.
Aroma: Here is where I noticed another difference in the beers. The Oskar Blues beer had a bigger banana and fruit-like nose than the Sun King beer. It seemed that the Oskar Blues beer had a bit more sweet malt aroma than the Sun King. The Sun King seemed had a bit more spice to the nose. Could this be the result of a slightly different yeast strain or perhaps a minor deviation in the hops used? The Sun King brew seemed more "earthy", while the Oskar Blues beer was a bit more fruity. Both were pleasant smelling and inviting.
Taste: I took turned sipping the Oskar Blues for a while, then clearing my palate, and then sipping the Sun King brew for a time. I went back and forth and yes, I could tell some differences between the two. As in the aroma, the Oskar Blues Chaka had a slightly more fruity taste to it and also felt a bit more creamier in my mouth. The Sun King Chaka seemed a bit more toned down, less fruity, not quite as creamy. Yet both reminded me of the same recipe for sure. The Oskar Blues had a bit more "tang" in it, for the lack of a better word. No, the Oskar Blues Chaka wasn't soured, but it did seem to have a bit more flavor and zest. Both beers were nice semi-slow sipping beers. The 8% ABV was definitely noticeable (as they usually are). Both gave me a nice warming effect almost immediately.
Overall: If I had done this as a blind taste test, I probably would have preferred the Oskar Blues over the Sun King by a slight margin. Granted, it's the same recipe, but the water source, how the yeast worked in the brew and perhaps some slight differences in hop additions made for similar but different experiences. Granted, not too many people will have the opportunity to compare these two same-named beers side-by-side, so I consider myself lucky.
Both beers were fine examples of a Belgian-style ale. Both pack a lot of flavor and kick. I was pleased with both samples.
Disclosure: Each brewery sent me 1 or more samples of this beer for me to try and evaluate. I was not paid to endorse this beer, nor to write a favorable review. Yes, it was free beer to me, but I try not to let that influence my review.
Video showing the pour of both Oskar Blues and Sun King Brewery's Chaka Belgian-style Ale:
If you can't view the video via RSS or email please visit the blog or view it on the Fermentedly Challenged YouTube channel.
Related articles:
- Oskar Blues re-invents their 16oz can with Chaka.
- Oskar Blues Deviant Dale's IPA review.
- Sun King Batch 555 Isis Double IPA review.
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
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Colorado Beer News 052212
Today is Buy A Musical Instrument Day. Stop by a music store and purchase that instrument you've always wanted to try. Dedicate yourself some practice hours and get a start on a new source of fun. Invite some friends over to play something with you and share a beer. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012.
Colorado Beer News is continually updated during the day (10am to 3pm) with new stories as they break, so stop back here often for all the latest. If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here.
Crabtree Brewing (Greeley) - On Wednesday, May 23rd at 7pm at Crabtree Brewing, there will be a free showing and discussion of the movie "Carbon Nation". The EPA is releasing the first federal limits on the amount of carbon pollution power plants can spew into our air. Carbon pollution is a lead contributor to climate disruption and poses serious threats to Americans' health and our economy. To learn more about the opportunities in accounting for carbon pollution, come see a free showing of "Carbon Nation" at Crabtree Brewery this Wednesday! As a special bonus for Sierra Club supporters, the first 30 of-age attendees to arrive who are on their RSVP list will get their first drink on them! After the film, there will be a short presentation and discussion about what the film means for us locally, and what we can do to get involved. RSVP on their Facebook event page.
The Pub Dialogues (Denver) - It's time for another Pub Dialogues get together! The next discussion will be held at Vine Street Pub & Brewery on Tuesday, May 29th from 5:45pm to 8:00pm. The topic of discussion will be "A Weary Superpower: America's Role in a New World". As the only superpower, what should America do? What roles should America undertake? To leave alone? What are the primary concerns for America in the first half of the 21st century? Join in and discuss these questions and more. OvalOptions will provide facilitators to guide small groups in discovering the world of artisan beverages, the complexities therein, and the challenges they face. Grab a pint and join in! Questions - contact Jason Gladfelter at (720) 295-7119.
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - Lots of things happening at Grimm Brothers this week. Tonight is Damsels' Night - ladies get $1 off all pints. Wednesday is Fabled Firkin day - try some Snow Drop dry hopped with Mt. Rainier and Ahtanam hops and try some Bedrock BBQ. Thursday it's Bike In / Buck Off - if you ride your bike to the taproom you'll get $1 off pints. Listen to live music and try some eats from the Chalkboard Gourmet. Friday the Giggling Greek will be on premise and the Bike In/Buck Off special continues. Then on Saturday, it's MAIFEST from noon to 10pm and the release of Little Farmer (Maibock). Get details on Maifest in today's press release.
Vine Street Pub & Brewery (Denver) - It's T-Shirt Tuesday over at the Vine Street Pub and Brewery (and also over at Pearl Street in Boulder)! Buy a Mountain Sun shirt and get a free pint, wear your shirt and get happy hour prices all day long! Over 21 beers on tap to choose from.
Cranknstein (Fort Collins) - Attention Hewlett Gulch fire firefighters! Cranknstein still has FREE beer for the wildland firefighters! Pass the word, they want to thank them for all of the hard work they put in this last week fighting the Hewlett Gulch fire!
Renegade Brewing Company (Denver) - On Sunday, June 10th from 11am to 1pm - Time for another vinyassa of Renegade's Bend and Brew! Join their faithful yoga instructor, Kristen for an hour of twists, binds, folds, and stretches. After yoga, enjoy 3 tasters of your choice and a full pour of your favorite Renegade brew. Space is limited and this is not to be missed. Sign up now! They are now doing an online sign-up, you can sign up and pay for the event.
Copper Kettle Brewing (Denver) - Their Pints for Purpose continues. Today $1 from every pint sold will go towards benefiting the American Red Cross. Come in, have a brew and help support a great organization!
Echo Brewing Company (Frederick) - One of Colorado's newest breweries now has a fresh batch of Kirby Kolsch on tap. Stop in for a pint and bring your growlers for a fill this week.
Palisade Brewing Company (Palisade) - Join in on Saturday, May 26th at 3pm for their Summer BBQ. Live Music from, Lowlands and Russ Chapman. Palisade Brewing will be firing up the grill around 3pm and serving some yummy BBQ all evening long. Don't miss this afternoon/night of great music, great food and great beer. Get here early and grab a seat on the NEW Patio!! Don't forget your dancing shoes!
Angry Orchard (Cincinnati, OH) - Ever tried a hard cider? Did you know that the folks who bring you Samuel Adams has a cider company? Fermentedly Challenged recently tried some bottles of Angry Orchard hard ciders. They come in three styles: Crisp Apple, Traditional Dry and Apple Ginger. The Apple Ginger was particularly good. Check out the reviews on these fairly new nation-wide hard ciders and perhaps try one as a change of pace.
MillerCoors (Golden) - The big boys up in Golden are experimenting with some new beers in their "Coors Master Brewers" series. A new beer coming out soon is called "Third Shift" - an amber lager. This brew won an award at the 2012 World Beer Cup. It's already on shelves in California, Texas and Nevada and I imagine will hit Colorado soon enough (after all they make it here). Look for it in 16oz cans. More and more, the macro brewers are creating more "craft-like" brews in efforts to make up for sliding sales of their yellow fizzy beers.
Backcountry Brewery (Frisco) - Recently, the mountain-area brewery has been experiencing a growth spurt and has sign a lease for additional space to increase the capacity of their brewery. They hit their current capacity of 2400 barrels earlier this year and with the new space they'll be able to grow to 6000 barrels a year and begin bottling their products. It will also allow them to expand their Front Range presence. This move is being called an "interim step" as they have more long term plans to build a larger scale brewery within the next two years. See the full story in the Summit Daily newspaper article.
New Belgium (Fort Collins) - Whispers of a new possible collaboration are going around Fort Collins this week as one of the brewmasters from Westmalle, Jan Adriaensens (trappist brewery), was spotted at Tap and Handle in Fort Collins this week. Beerpulse.com and Trinity Brewing was reporting that he had been spotted talking with representatives from New Belgium (Peter Bouckeart) and Allagash Brewing (Bo) in the New Belgium brewhouse and around town this week. If there is a collaboration coming out of this meet-up we'll be sure to pass on the news as it unfolds.
New Brewery Rumors (Manitou Springs) - FocusOnTheBeer.com is reporting that Manitou Springs may soon be getting it's own brewery according to a Colorado Springs Independent article. The article states: "It appears that Kevin LeGrande of LeGrande Accents Boutique — also owner of the Promenade Building at 725 Manitou Ave. — has notions to open a brewery at that site in partnership with another Colorado brewing outfit, yet to be named. As the agenda documents outline, the brewery would only allow on-site consumption (and guest food to be brought in by clientele). It would not bottle or can, and would keep limited nighttime hours, closing by 10 p.m."
Funkwerks (Fort Collins) - On their blog today, Funkwerks announced that they are converting one of their staple beers, White, into a seasonal beer instead of a year round beer. They have been constantly tweaking the recipe trying to get it just right. The new seasonal White sports a new light blue label and has some subtle changes including the use of lemon peel instead of grapefruit peel as well as using a slightly different yeast and adjusting the the malt base and boosting the ABV from 5.5% to 6.5%. Enjoy it while it's there. You'll miss it when it's out of season. But fear not, it'll come back each year. Looking for some music to go along with your beer? Check the Brewery Music Listings and see who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar in Colorado. Updated daily.Looking for a beer festival? Check out the listings on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar.
There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 850 "Likes" so far in 2012!
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
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Angry Orchard Hard Ciders review
Clever marketing sometimes gets you noticed and for this new start-up hard cider maker, their label graphics got my attention. Recently, I was contacted by the Angry Orchard Cider Company of Cincinnati, Ohio and was offered a chance to sample their products. Normally, I don't do hard cider reviews on this beer blog, but I am a fan of hard ciders and was willing to give these a try.
Angry Orchard Cider Company, it turns out, is an offshoot of the Boston Beer Company, makers of the Samuel Adams line of craft beers. During the last year, Angry Orchard test marketed three styles of hard cider in selected states. Colorado just happened to be one of them. Now their line of hard ciders are going national and soon you'll be seeing Angry Orchard hard ciders where ever Samuel Adams beers are sold.
Angry Orchard sent me out a 6-pack sampler with 2 bottles each of the three hard ciders they make. These are: Angry Orchard Hard Cider - Crisp Apple, Angry Orchard Hard Cider - Traditional Dry, and Angry Orchard Hard Cider - Apple Ginger.
The ciders come packaged in brown twist-off beer-like 12oz bottles with a bright red cap and what I call some very clever graphics with human-like apple trees. The hard cider is marked as "Naturally Gluten Free" and all of them weigh in between 5% and 5.5% ABV. Each bottle is between 190 and 200 calories.
During the course of the last week or so, I sampled each of these products. While I won't do a long individual review of each beverage, I will point out some of the tasting highlights of each one.
Angry Orchard Hard Cider - Crisp Apple
This hard cider was probably had the freshest tasting apple flavor of the three. This hard cider was made from apples grown in France and Italy. The hard cider is only slightly dry, and yes, crisp is a good name for this drink. It went down very easy and tasted good both cold and as it warmed. Before I knew it, I had finished a bottle of this very quickly and was looking for more. This cider also had what I'd call a more fermented, almost yeast like side aroma that was very pleasant. This bottle had a blue label.
Angry Orchard Hard Cider - Traditional Dry
This hard cider had a green label and had a more classic dry hard cider taste. It was slightly less sweet than the Crisp Apple version yet was very smooth and drank very easy. If you like your hard ciders dry, this is the version for you. This hard cider was slightly darker in color than the previous cider.
Angry Orchard Hard Cider - Apple Ginger
I was a bit hesitant on this one before I tasted it as ginger is not my favorite spice. Granted, I do like Ginger Ales (the soft drink that is), but I've had ginger beers and haven't always enjoyed it. To my surprise, the Apple Ginger hard cider was refreshingly different. It definitely reminded me of Ginger Ale, only with a kick and a dry, tart finish. The brew was darker than the other two ciders, more of a burnt orange color and appropriately with an orange label. It has a nice spicy aroma that luckily wasn't overpowering. I was pleasantly surprised by this taste and actually ended up thinking this was one of my favorites of the bunch.
Overall Impression
I've had hard ciders from other big cider makers before and these hard ciders from Angry Orchard compare well with them. All three flavors were unique in their own way and were very enjoyable. Hard ciders can be a nice change of pace to beer. Just be careful though, they tend to go down a lot quicker than beer and the alcohol can sneak up on you if you drink them too quickly. Yes, they will go down quick and easy and they won't disappoint. I might even be tempted to homebrew some hard cider at this point.
I'm wondering if this is the start of an off-shoot that other breweries will follow. I've seen some of the big 3 macro beer makers start to dabble in hard ciders and now the Boston Beer Company. Do you think hard ciders should be part of a beer breweries repertoire?
Look for these hard ciders in stores where ever Samuel Adams beers are sold. If not now, they will be soon. For more information on Angry Orchard Hard Ciders visit them on the web at: www.AngryOrchard.com.
Related articles:
- Colorado Cider Company Glider Cider Dry review.
- 2008 All Colorado Beer Festival highlights (cider review).
- Samuel Adams Imperial White review.
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
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Grimm Celebrates Spring with Maifest
Loveland, Colorado – Grimm Brothers Brewhouse is hosting a family-friendly Maifest event for the entire community on Saturday, May 26 from noon-8 PM.
“This is an event for the whole family. We have lots of giveaways, food, and games for the kids,” said Russell Fruits, Grimm’s Beer Evangelist.
Of course, any good German festival includes beer too.
“Maifest, or May Fest, is a traditional German festival that celebrates the reawakening of spring after winter’s cold darkness,” said Don Chapman, President and Head Brewer, “And what better way to celebrate than a enjoying our new beer, Little Farmer.”
Little Farmer is a rich malty maibock, dominated by malty tones of pilsner and Munich malts. It is balanced by a warming alcohol finish and enough hoppy bitterness to create a clean crisp finish.
Grimm intends to have a May pole, games for kids, food from Bedrock BBQ, pretzels and beer muffins from Cramer’s Handmade Bread Company, and lots of door prizes and giveaways. In addition, Grimm plans to donate a portion of the profits to Relay for Life.
“It’s simply a great day of events for our community. We love being a part of Loveland, and we want to celebrate with our community,” said Fruits.
Event details:
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Noon-10 p.m.
Grimm Brothers Brewery
623 N Denver Ave
Loveland, CO 80537
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ABOUT GRIMM BROTHERS BREWERY
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse is a craft brewery in Loveland, Colorado. We feature German inspired beers and other unique flavors. Grimm Brothers opened in July of 2010 and has rapidly become known in the Colorado beer scene as producing terrific German inspired beers. Come visit us on www.grimmbrosbrewhouse.com.
Related articles:
- Grimm Brothers plans releases, firkins and more.
- Grimm Brothers The Fearless Youth review.
- Grimm Brothers Brewhouse Little Red Cap review.
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
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Monday, May 21, 2012
Colorado Beer News 052112
Today is I Need a Patch for That Day. Seems like there is a patch for just about every ailment these days. How about a patch for Mondays? Wouldn't that be great! Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Monday, May 21st, 2012.
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Oskar Blues (Longmont) - During the weekend at the Grand Valley Beer Festival in Grand Junction, Oskar Blues took home 5 medals in the beer competition. 2 Gold (G'Knight and Gubna) and 3 Bronze (Dale's Pale Ale, Old Chub, and Deviant Dales). Grats to O.B. for their great showing!
Bootstrap Brewing Company (Niwot) - The brewhouse is coming along. This weekend they added two new stainless fermenters and are expecting a third to arrive on Wednesday this week. First brew day can't be too far off now!
Hunters Moon Meadery (Severance) - Ever wanted to see how a meadery works? Hunters Moon Meadery is hosting an open house on Sunday, June 3rd at 1:00pm to 5:00pm. The meadery is located at 404 Immigrant Trail in Severance, CO. Take a tour and chat with meadmaker and beekeeper Greg and Taste Mistress Kim about bees, honey & mead. Please RSVP via their Facebook Event invite.
City Star Brewing (Berthoud) - Berthoud's new brewery is planning to host Trivia this Wednesday, May 23rd at 7:30pm with your host Ian Phillips. The winning individual or team will receive $20 in free beer! Then stop by on Thursday evening at 6:00pm for some live music by Russ Hopkins.
Copper Kettle Brewing Company (Denver) - Speaking of Trivia, Copper Kettle will also be hosting trivia tonight (May 21st) at both 6:30pm and 7:30pm. Win FREE BEER for your team. Hints include: Supremes, Electricity, Pre-80's music, Kids and drinking do mix.
Great Storm Brewing (Colorado Springs) - To honor Memorial Day, for a limited time only (ie when the barrel runs out), GSB will offer up their refreshing Sunshower Strawberry Blonde Ale starting May 25th. This all-American beer uses US-grown pale and light crystal malts, Pacific northwest hops, and 12 pounds of California-grown ripe red strawberries. With its light body and strawberry freshness, this pale beer is perfect for the warming weather, but still carries some seriousness at 5.8% ABV. They'd like to thank their military customers with a dollar off pints 25 - 26 May, just show your military ID!
Grand Openings - Grats to both Elevation Beer Company (Poncha Springs) and to CAUTION: Brewing Company for their openings during the weekend. Elevation Beer Company welcomed a big crowd including Governor Hickenlooper, Senator Gail Schwartz and State Rep Tom Massey to their grand opening. And CAUTION: Brewing Company opened the doors on their brand new tasting room in Denver. Grats to all their hard work in getting these new places open. Cheers!
Odell Brewing (Fort Collins) - According to an interview done by Brewbound.com, Odell Brewing is planning to do a brewhouse equipment expansion for their core products and is expected to be completed by the fall of 2013. The brewery is expected to make between 65,000 and 67,000 barrels in 2012 and this upcoming expansion will allow them to exceed their current capacity of 80,000 barrels. Odell Brewing greatly expanded their operations just over a year ago and is now set to grow again. View the entire interview at Brewbound.com.
Crooked Stave (Denver) - Their 2nd Cellar Reserve release is being pushed back to the weekend of June 16th and 17th. Originally, Persica was to be released during Memorial Weekend, but members requested to move the date back since many of them were not going to be available to pick up their bottle. Crooked Stave will be at Falling Rock Tap House on June 16th and at Backcountry Pizza & Tap House on June 17th where members can pick up their allotted bottles.
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - Tonight is Game Night at Grimm Brothers from 6pm to 8pm. There will be FREE root beer and lemonade for the kids and they'll provide the game boards. Stop in and try a pint and have some fun. Don't forget - this Saturday will mark the release of "Little Farmer" - a Maibock brew to be held during their Maifest celebration.
Big Choice Brewing (Broomfield) - Starting this coming weekend, Big Choice will be extending their weekend hours all summer long. Saturdays: 2pm to 10pm and Sundays: 2pm to 9pm. They will be open on Memorial Day from Noon to 10pm with Orange Crunch serving up their Empanadas at noon.
Burning Can Beer Fest (Lyons) - Burning Can is just 3 weeks away. Tickets are available now for the Saturday, June 9th event from 12pm to 4pm in Lyons, CO. Oskar Blues is teaming up with Lyons Outdoor Games & the Colorado Brewers Guild to bring you entertainment for both you and your taste buds. Lyons Outdoor Games is a world-class celebration of mountain sports. The event was created 11 years ago as a fundraising vehicle for the Lyons Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Events. In addition to a full compliment of kayaking, biking, fly fishing, chainsaw carving and dog events, the 2012 Games will feature numerous clinics & exhibitions put on by some of the world’s most elite professional athletes in addition to the newly added CANNED beer garden, Burning Can!
Crazy Mountain Brewing (Edwards) - This Thursday, May 24th: Beer Pairing Dinner with Balata Restaurant in Singletree, CO. $42 (plus tax & tip) gets you 6 beer styles and 5 sumptuous dishes prepared by renowned Chef Steven Topple. Dishes include: Halibut, Braised Short Rib, Wild Boar Brats and more. Reservations required: 970-477-5353. Balata is located at: 1265 Berry Creek Road in Singletree, CO.
Lowry Beer Garden (Denver) - It's opening week! Denver's new beer garden will open on Wednesday, May 23rd at 11:00am. Celebrating Colorado’s craft beer culture, the Lowry Beer Garden will be nestled in its very own park with more than 4,500 square feet of outdoor garden area, vast open-air seating, and an inviting covered pavilion. The communal Oktoberfest-style picnic tables that collectively can accommodate up to 350 guests, will foster an environment of community and conviviality. The Garden will offer a thoughtful draft and bottled beer selection with a focus on Colorado and handcrafted brews. The Lowry Beer Garden also serves up your favorite casual fare with locally-made gourmet brats & sausages, freshly-baked pretzels, house-ground burgers, hand-cut fries and chef-created salads. So come in, relax, hang out with your neighbors in everyone’s new favorite gathering spot and enjoy a cold beer in the Colorado open air! Located at: 7577 E. Academy Boulevard in Denver, CO. If you show up TONIGHT from 5pm to 8pm, you can get a sneak peek.
Summit of Bluegrass & Brews (Dillon) - The beer fest season is starting up. You ready? On June 23rd in Marina Park in Dillon, CO from 1pm to 5pm - the Summit of Bluegrass & Brews will feature over 25 Colorado breweries and offer up free bluegrass music at the Lake Dillon Amphitheatre. Bands include: Marty Jones & The Great Unknowns, Missed The Boat, and David Grisman Bluegrass Experience. The official after-party will be held at Pub Ryan's Brewery. Cost is $30 for the unlimited beer tasting. More info & tickets here.
Small Batch Festival (Ft. Collins) - This Saturday, May 26th marks the return of the annual Small Batch Festival at Odell Brewing Company in Fort Collins. The festival runs from 3:00pm to 7:00pm and admission is free. There will be live music going on the entire time. Beer tokens are $4 each and there will be over 20 different beers on tap including some rare experimental batches brewed up by Odell Brewing. Please try to either walk there or take your bike if possible as parking space is extremely limited. No parking will be allowed on Lincoln Street (you will be towed). Festival will happen rain or shine. Food will be available from Choice City Butcher, Cozzolas Pizza and Moe's Barbeque. Located at 800 E. Lincoln Ave in FoCo.Looking for some music to go along with your beer? Check the Brewery Music Listings and see who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar in Colorado. Updated daily.Looking for a beer festival? Check out the listings on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar.
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This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
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