Sometimes a bottle on the shelf just strikes me as being something a bit different and hence the reason I picked this one up. The bottle itself had an informative mini-greeting card attached to it's neck and a flashy ribbon sticker that went over the top of the cap. This brew was named Grand Teton Brewing Company Wake Up Call Imperial Coffee Imperial Porter. It's part of their 2011 Cellar Reserve series. This brewer from Victor, Idaho is no stranger to Colorado as I've seen bottles from this brewery on shelves here for several years.
Wake Up Call is the type of brew that (supposedly) can be enjoyed anytime of day, even breakfast, due to the addition of coffee. It's a fairly bold brew, weighing in at 7.5% ABV, so perhaps it's not the best thing to have just before the morning commute. The beer also has an IBU rating of about 40 so you'll know it's decently bitter as well. Wake Up Call comes in a large 750ml bottle, yet without a cork or cage.
I shouldn't forget that this is also an imperial porter, so I can expect to get a bit of roast, some cocoa and caramel tones and a good kick from the higher ABV. Would this coffee porter measure up to others I've had recently, let's find out.
Appearance: Wake Up Call, a bottle conditioned brew, opened with a nice hiss and poured a very, very dark brown. A decent sized tan brown head rose in the glass and left a sticky lacing alongside the tall narrow glass. The lacing stuck around for a while. The brew seemed adequately carbonated for a porter. I could see just a hint of a dark mahogany edges around the glass. Dark, foamy and with a nice head. So far so good.
Aroma: When this brew was cold, right out of the bottle, the dominant factor in this brew was the roasted coffee. As the beer warmed, I could pick out some chocolate and lastly some tell-tail earthy hops. It seemed to be a nice blend of scents. Some nuttiness, roasted malt, a touch of hops and of course an acidic rich coffee aroma. It was inviting.
Taste: The first thing I tasted with Wake Up Call was the sweet roasted malts. There was definitely a coffee sensation there, bitter, slightly acidic, but with some caramel maltiness, a full body and with some highlights of cocoa. It was just sweet enough to balance the bitterness. Almost like what a good creamer does with coffee.
It's almost hard to tell the difference between an imperial porter and an imperial stout anymore. I suppose this porter was a tad sweeter and had a bit more caramel malts in it to keep it from being a complete roast-fest. It had a nice balanced taste just just enough hop in there to notice.
Overall: I had no problem what so ever in finishing off the entire 750ml bottle myself over the course of a 3 hour period. I slow sipped it while watching some of my favorite TV episodes. I quickly became a fan of this imperial coffee porter. While I'm not going to start drinking coffee (never got used to it in the morning), I'm certainly won't stop looking for good coffee porters and stouts.
Grand Teton Brewing Company is definitely on my to-buy list. I've liked this brew and also their ESB that I tried a couple years back. I look forward to sampling more brews from this Idaho brewery.
Have you tried a Grand Teton Wake Up Call Imperial Coffee Porter? What did you think of it?
Video showing the pour of :
If you can't view the video via RSS or email please visit the blog.
Related articles:
- Grand Teton Bitch Creek ESB Ale review.
- Fort Collins Brewery Common Ground review.
- Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast review.
- Twisted Pine Big Shot Espresso Stout review.
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Grand Teton Wake Up Call Imperial Coffee Porter review
Colorado Beer News 021012
Today is Try a New Brew Day. OK, so maybe that's a made up holiday. But consider the alternative, Umbrella Day just didn't seem to fit a cold Friday in February. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Friday, February 10th, 2012.
If you have some Colorado brewery news items you'd like included in the daily Colorado Beer News post please contact me today. This daily Colorado Beer News page is constantly updated during the day (10am to 3pm) with new stories 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) - Attention Pliny the Younger (Russian River) fans! Choice City Butcher & Deli has announced that they will have not one but two kegs of Pliny the Younger on tap at their business this week. Monday, February 13th at 5pm the first of two kegs will be tapped. They will be selling 50 tickets starting at 3pm. After those tickets are gone the line will start. The 2nd keg will be tapped at a later date. If you've ever wanted to try one of the most sought after brews from Russian River, this will be your chance.
TRVE Brewing (Denver) - Another milestone reached on their path to opening their brewery in Denver. They've just received their State licenses! Congrats to TRVE. Next up, awaiting final TTB approval.
Wynkoop Brewing (Denver) - Welcome the latest Colorado brew to hit cans - Wynkoop's B3K Black Lager! Look for them in 12oz 6-packs around Denver liquor store shelves now. This is Wynkoop's 3rd beer to make it to their hand-canned canning line. B3K Black Lager won medals for this beer at both the 2008 and 2011 GABF. Also available in 15.5 and 5.2 gallon kegs. (Image courtesy Wynkoop Brewing Co)
Dry Dock Brewing (Aurora) - There will be an In-store tasting tonight from 4-7pm at Jordan Wine & Spirits on the NE corner of Lincoln & Jordan in Parker! Buy any 2 Dry Dock Bombers & receive a free pint glass & a free beer token. Come taste their new release... Belgian Style Tripel!
Beer Related Events Happening this Weekend:
- Danny Williams Fundraiser - Backcountry Pizza & Taphouse - Boulder - Feb. 11 - 6pm
- 31st Annual Chocolate Lovers' Fling - UCAR Event Center - Boulder - Feb. 11 - 7pm
- Wild Beer and Wild Game Dinner - Trinity Brewing Co - Co. Springs - Feb. 12 - 8pm
Details in the February 2012 Colorado Beer Festival & Events Calendar.
American Craft Beer Radio (FM 102.3 EPSN) - Gary's guest host this week will be Dustin LeMoine from Avery Brewing. Also joining in will be Xandy Bustamante from Elevation Brewing Company of Poncha Springs and also Kevin Bolin and Michelle Peth from The Mayor of Old Town in Ft. Collins. Add to that a phone-in guest from Jolly Pumpkin in Michigan. Show starts at 12 noon on ESPN Radio 102.3 FM Denver.
Colorado Craft Beer Show (AM 760 Denver) - Another awesome craft beer radio show will be on the air this Saturday at 12 noon to 1pm - it's Turk and the Gubna who will be doing a live remote show from the Arvada Beer Company in Arvada. Here all the latest Colorado craft beer news and listen to some special guests. This one is on the AM dial - 760 AM in Denver from 12 noon to 1pm.
Friday Night Brewery Music Line-up - who's playing music with beer tonight:
- Joel Tromberg - C.B. & Potts - Collindale Golf Course - Ft. Collins - 6:00pm - 8:00pm
- Hot Club of Pearl Street - Asher Brewing tap room - Boulder - 6:00pm
- Live Music - Gunnison Brewery - Gunnison - every Weds. & Fri. nights.
- A Stick, a Pick, and a Chick plus One - BierWerks - Woodland Park - 6:00pm - 8:00pm
- Jo Jo Reed Zydeco - Oskar Blues Grill & Brew - Lyons - 8:00pm - 11:30pm
- Quemando (Salsa Dance Party) - O.B. Home Made Liquids & Solids - Longmont - 8:00pm - 11:30pm
- Justin & Pete - Bonfire Brewing - Eagle - 8:00pm
- Live music - Star Bar - Denver - Friday and Saturday evenings 9:00pm
- Live Music - Palisade Brewing Company - Palisade - 7:00pm
- The Seers - Equinox Brewing - Fort Collins - 5:00pm
- Steve Manshel - Pourhouse - Loveland - 9:00pm - 10:00pm
- The Old River Band (Snowscape 2012) - Silverton Brewery - Silverton - 9:00pm
- Danny Shafer - Twisted Pine Brewing - Boulder - evening
Check out the brewery music line-ups for Saturday and Sunday night here.
The Mayor of Old Town (Fort Collins) - Come out to Comedy Night on February 15th! They Mayor will host their first Awesome Ladies of Local Comedy show! They have the honor of Maria Gejer, Cat Winston, Jodee Champion and Lori Callahan to headline. Bring your Valentine! Starts at 8:00pm.
Ouray Brewery (Ouray) - The Ouray Brewery is pleased to present a benefit speaker and slideshow featuring Brad Johnson, a local expert climber. He will be presenting his adventures climing in Peru and discussing his book "Classic Climbs of the Cordillera Blanca". Cost $10 at the door. Proceeds go to help the Ouray Ice Park. Located at: 607 Main Street, Ouray, CO. (970) 325-7388.
Dry Dock Brewing (Aurora) - More news from Dry Dock - The beer list has just been announced for the upcoming Beer & Food Pairing Fundraiser for Breast Cancer at Dry Dock Brewing Company on Sunday, February 19th from 12:30pm to 5:00pm. Beers: Sour Barrel Aged Saison, Sour Apricot, Hefeweizen, Raspberry Vanilla Porter Firkin, Dubbel & Weizenbock. Foods: cheese, cured meats, and chocolate. Price is $25 in advance, or $30 at the door. Proceeds go to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
New Belgium (Fort Collins) - The folks at New Belgium let it slip out on Twitter today that they are in the works to plan a collabeeration brew along with Alpine Beer Company of California on a new sour (brettanomyces) beer. More info on this coming later today.
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - Hey Colorado Eagles hockey fans! Grimm Brothers is giving away 2 tickets to Saturday's (Feb 11th) Colorado Eagles game in Loveland. Stop by their taproom and try Loveland's official Valentine's beer and enter to win. Only one entry per person.
Falling Rock Tap House (Denver) - More kegs of Pliny the Younger are headed to Colorado and Falling Rock will get 3 of them. Falling Rock will be tapping Pliny the Younger on Sunday, February 12th @1PM, then the Second Keg on Saturday February 18th @ 1pm, and then the Last Keg on Saturday February 25th @5pm. They will open (as usual) at 11am each day. Tickets will be issued as people arrive that will allow you to purchase a beer, this method seemed to de-stress the event last year so they’re going with that again. Be there!
Check out what's happening on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals and Events Calendar.
Like what you see here? There's even more Colorado beer happenings on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 675+ "Likes" so far in 2012!
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Growth leads to expansion at Wynkoop Brewing
Brewery after brewery in Colorado has been reporting good growth in beer production for 2011 and the Wynkoop Brewing Company in Denver Colorado is also chiming in with excellent numbers. Along with recent partnerships with Breckenridge Brewing, the Wynkoop is making strides to get even better. The following is a press release from the downtown Denver brewery revealing the totals for this past year and how expansion is helping them to grow further.
Wynkoop Brewing Announces Brewery Expansion and 2011 Growth
Denver, CO (Feb 2012) - Since June of 2011, Wynkoop Brewing Company
(Colorado’s first brewpub) has been at full brewing capacity and unable to pursue
new accounts for its small-batch draft and hand-canned beers.
Despite that scenario, the pioneering brewpub (founded by Colorado governor John Hickenlooper) boosted its annual sales for distributed beer by 33% over 2010. The brewery also produced 3870 barrels of beer in 2011, up from 3500 barrels in 2010.
To help increase the supply of Rail Yard Ale, Silverback Pale Ale and its other beers, Wynkoop has just completed its first brewery expansion in 13 years.
The company’s four classic “open” fermenters have been moved from the main-floor brewhouse to a newly built space downstairs in the Wynkoop beer cellar.
In place of those fermenters, Wynkoop has installed two 20-barrel unitanks in the main-floor brewhouse.
The two new tanks increase Wynkoop’s brewing capacity by 20% and allow for more aging time of the company’s lagers (including newly released cans of B3K Black Lager) and specialty beers.
“We’re making the best beer of our 23-year history,” says head brewer Andy Brown, whose brewing team landed a pair of medals at last year’s Great American Beer Festival. “The expansion helps us continue that improvement and gives us a better chance to meet demand for our liquid art.”
With this additional capacity Wynkoop will also be able to produce a new line of extra-limited-release canned and kegged beers the brewery had hoped to begin producing last year. Those beers were postponed due to high demand for its canned microbrews.
Wynkoop beers are currently hand-canned on a tabletop machine from Canada’s Cask Systems. Wynkoop began hand-canning and self-distributing its canned and kegged beer in January of 2010.
Wynkoop Brewing Company was founded in 1988 by former Denver mayor and
current Colorado governor John Hickenlooper and a group of urban pioneers
that included Ron Robinson, Wynkoop’s current GM.
Get more details at http://www.wynkoop.com
###
Related articles:
- The inaugural Denver Rare Beer Tasting at the Wynkoop. (2009)
- A look back at the 2009 Beer Drinker of the Year competition. (2009)
- Wynkoop debuts new cans and brews. (2009)
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!
July 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals Calendar
July 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events
July brings the heat to Colorado and the peak of the outdoor beer festival season. Vacations are in full swing, brew fests and outdoor music concerts are in abundance and summer ales are in stock. There are always plenty of drink and food events going on at most Colorado breweries and entertainment venues as well. This page will be updated often as news of upcoming events are announced.
Here is a list of the upcoming Colorado beer fests, beer dinners, tapping parties, seminars and related events for July 2012. These listings are updated every week, so stop back often to see the latest happenings with beer in Colorado. Dates and events are subject to change at any time so please check with the event web site before attending. If you know about another event not listed here please add a comment below.
[ June 2012 ] - [ August 2012 ] - [ Main Calendar ]
Gary Brewsey: Men's Beer Club
Every Monday Night
The Mayor of Old Town - 632 S. Mason St.
Fort Collins, CO
Time: 5:30pm - 6:45pm
Cost: $5 taster flight
Join the growing number of men who meet each week at The Mayor of Old Town to talk beer and learn about it's history, the styles and how it's made. Select samples from the 100 different beers on tap each week.
Facebook Page
Beer Bettys: Ladies Only Beer Club
Every Tuesday Night
The Mayor of Old Town - 632 S. Mason St.
Fort Collins, CO
Time: 6:00pm
This free to join Ladies Only club meets every Tuesday at 6pm. They are a grass roots group of women who are interested in learning more about beer, it's history, the flavors and more. Sample from over 100 different beers on tap.
Facebook Page
Breckenridge Brewery's 22nd Anniversary Party
July 7, 2012 (Saturday)
Breckenridge Brewery
Denver, CO
Details coming soon.
Loveland Loves BBQ, Bands & Brew
July 13-14, 2012 (Friday - Saturday)
Downtown Loveland
Time: TBA
Cost: TBA
Come downtown to taste award winning brews, enjoy live entertainment and mouth watering BBQ, July 13 & 14. Other activities to experience are amusements, shopping marketplace and Saturday's car show. Fun for the whole family. More info at: (970) 980-4764.
16th Annual Colorado Brewers Rendezvous
July 14, 2012 (Saturday)
Riverside Park
Salida, CO
Time: 1pm to 5pm
Cost: $25 estimate
Over 50+ Colorado breweries will be in attendance for one of the best brewer attended festivals of the year. There will be live music, local food vendors and plenty of beer. Meet the brewers. This is a major fundraiser for the Colorado Brewers' Guild.
Official web site
16th Annual Biergarten Festival
July 14, 2012 (Saturday)
TEV Edelweiss Pavilion - 17832 Highway 8
Morrison, CO
Time: 2pm - 10pm
Cost: $10 entry - beer extra, kids under 12 free.
Traditional Biergarten as found in southern Germany. One day family event with Schuhplattlers, German music, food and, of course, beer. Also games for children and appearances by professional sports figures. Info and RSVP: (303) 837-1146 - Official web site
Twisted Pine's 17th Anniversary Party
July 14, 2012 (Saturday)
Twisted Pine Brewing Company
Boulder, CO
Time: 2pm - 7pm
Details coming soon.
South Pearl Jam Festival
July 14, 2012 (Saturday)
1200 Block of South Pearl Street
Denver, CO
Time: 12pm - 9pm (tentative)
What happens when you mix a warm summer afternoon, ice-cold draft beer, and some fun, funky music? You get the South Pearl Street Music Festivals. Inaugurated in 2007, the brainchild of a South Pearl Street merchant, the first Blues & Brews debuted on August 11th on the 1200 block of South Pearl Street. Entering its fifth year, the music festivals have become a neighborhood tradition and a real shindig. Held on the second Saturdays of June, July, and August, this year’s series includes a new genre, jam music and has been affectionately and respectfully nicknamed South Pearl Jam. The question remains – is it a music festival with really good beer or a beer festival with really good music?
Web site
Hops for Habitat
July 20, 2012 (Friday)
Plains Conservation Center - 21901 E. Hampden Ave.
Aurora, CO
Time: 5pm to 9pm (tentative)
Cost: $30 estimate, $15 for designated drivers
Join dozens of Colorado brewers for an evening of fun, music, and beer. Meet the brewers while surrounded by the summer beauty of the prairie. Live music, wagon rides, campfire with s'mores, root beer floats and games. Info: (303) 693-3621.
Web site
Breckenridge Beer Festival
July 21, 2012 (Saturday)
Downtown - 505 South Main Street
Breckenridge, CO
Time: Afternoon
Cost: $25 includes sample glass.
The Breckenridge Beer Festival has grown into one of the best beer festivals in the Colorado. Every July, brew masters from around the country get together to show off their best beers for thousands of thirsty beer enthusiasts. Enjoy beer samplings from local and national breweries, while you jam to free live music on the Main Street Station stage. With great beer, tons of food and shopping, this is one beer festival you don't want to miss out on!
Web site
Summer Brew Fest
July 27, 2012 (Friday)
Mile High Station - 2027 West Lower Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO
Time: 6:00pm VIP, 7:00pm - 10pm General Admission
Cost: $30 General, $40 VIP - tickets will sell out quick
The Summer Brew Fest at Mile High Station will celebrate craft beverages from around Colorado and beyond and features; live local music, food, and other vendors. This event benefits Swallow Hill Music Association. Dozens of breweries in attendance, over 125+ different beers.
Official web site
Other known events coming with dates pending:
- Rocky Mountain Old Time Music Festival - Lyons, CO
- 2nd Annual Colorado Beer Cocktail Party - Star Bar - Denver
- Elizabeth Celtic Festival - Casey Jones Park - Elizabeth
- Hops & Honky Tonk Festival - Oskar Blues Home Made Liquids & Solids - Longmont
- Kyle's Brew Fest - Boulder Beer Company - Boulder
- Bark & Bluegrass Festival - Civic Center Park - Fort Collins
- 7th Annual Collegiate Peaks Music Fest - McPhelemy Park - Buena Vista
More events will be posted soon.
Related articles:
- June 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals Calendar.
- 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar.
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!
Colorado Beer News 020912
Today is Extraterrestrial Visitor Day, a day commemorating the supposed Roswell UFO incident in 1947 and all other sightings since that time. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Thursday, February 9th, 2012.
If you have some Colorado brewery news items you'd like included in the daily Colorado Beer News post please contact me today. This daily Colorado Beer News page is constantly updated during the day (10am to 3pm) with new stories so stop back here often for all the latest. If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here.
Denver Beer Company (Denver) - Get ready for Coffee Beer Fest! Come get hopped up with DBC on Saturday Morning the 18th of Feb from 9am till Noon. $25 tickets. Call them at the brewery (303) 433-2739 to purchase, or pick one up at the bar. They will be pouring unlimited mugs of 5 different coffee beers (keep the mug) all morning and several local coffee roasters will be sampling their brews. Also included will be a killer breakfast burrito from Chile Billy and ALL YOU CAN EAT BACON! The beer lineup: Stormy Winter Stout - a Barrel Aged American Stout aged with roasted coffee beans. Espresso Milk Stout. This will be a cask conditioned version of our Milk Stout with the finest espresso beans roasted by our neighbors at Paris. Swineheitsgebot – they are bucking the German purity law with this one enough to make King Ludvig cry into his beer. This is their Rauchbier (smoked lager) aged with coffee and pounds of BACON. Paris’ Neighborhood Roast Coffee Stout – Another brew in collaboration with their friends down at Paris on the Platte.
Falling Rock Tap House (Denver) - Rumor on the street says that for today's Thirsty Thursday, Falling Rock will be tapping a keg of Oskar Blues' Old Double Bagger Barleywine. This is a limited batch so get some while it lasts. Also on tap will be Old Beer-Wagon Barleywine from Backcountry Brewery. It's Dain Bramage Month at Falling Rock - try some barleywine!
Elevation Beer Company (Poncha Springs) - The soon to open brewery, Elevation Beer Company has put out a 3-minute promotional video about their brewery, their beers and their town. Give it a look. If you can't view this video here, try it on YouTube.
Equinox Brewing (Fort Collins) - This is week two of Fromage February! At noon today they will be tapping a firkin of Omega Rauchbier, a traditional German style smoked lager. Nate and Dean from The Welsh Rabbit Cheese Shop in Fort Collins have paired this smoky beer with Polder Blanc, a Dutch goat milk gouda. Come in for free samples of cheese with pints and half pint purchases as long as the beer lasts today!
Copper Kettle Brewing (Denver) - Speaking of cheese pairings, Copper Kettle will also be putting together the cheese and brew today starting at 7:00pm. Spots for this are still available - email them if interested - kristen[at]copperkettledenver.com.
Pateros Creek Brewing (Fort Collins) - This week's Outlaw Tap is an Earl Grey Bitter, an English ale make "Englishier" according to them. Tap room opens at noon today.
Echo Brewing Company (Frederick) - Echo Brewing is another step closer to opening it's doors. They've recently finished installing their new cooler and are now working to finish up on their bar and flooring. Opening day can't be too far away once they start brewing beer.
Avery Brewing (Boulder) - This month's Sisterhood of the Hop event will be Dinner with a Female Master Brewer. On Wednesday, February 29th at 6:30pm at the West End Tavern in Boulder. Denise Jones of Moylan's Brewing Company will host a 4-course dinner paired with here tasty beers. Tickets are available for $40 at the Avery Tap Room.
Black Shirt Brewing (Denver) - This brewery is still working hard towards their eventual opening day. Their plumbing has been installed and is awaiting final inspection. A new entryway is being constructed. They have a new agreement with Voss Family Farms to use their hops almost exclusively this year. Their application to the TTB has been submitted for their review and also submitted a Manufacturer's license application to the State for their review. It's still a work in progress but they are coming along.
Wit's End Brewing (Denver) - Whether you love or hate Valentine's Day, there's something for everyone on February 14th from 4pm to 8pm - a chocolate and beer pairing. Single or taken, it doesn't matter, there will be plenty to savor with this pairing. Some get some!
Crazy Mountain Brewing (Edwards) - Friday February 17th Crazy Mountain Brewery is throwing a party to kick off Mardi Gras Weekend! Wear your Mardi Gras beads and come shake your hips to SnowBlind: An 80's 90's classic metal/hard rock band. In true CMBC fashion, they will be serving $2.00 beers during the show.
Check out what's happening on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals and Events Calendar.
Like what you see here? There's even more Colorado beer happenings on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 675+ "Likes" so far in 2012!
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Colorado Beer News 020812
Today is Laugh and Get Rich Day. Take time out to find some of the more humorous aspects of life today. Even if you don't get rich in money, you can always get rich in the spirit of life! Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Wednesday, February 8th, 2012.
If you have some Colorado brewery news items you'd like included in the daily Colorado Beer News post please contact me today. This daily Colorado Beer News page is constantly updated during the day (10am to 3pm) with new stories so stop back here often for all the latest. If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here.
Elk Mountain Brewing (Parker) - It's Firkin Wednesday at Elk Mountain and today's special brew is their Black Rye-PA. The firkin taps at 4:00pm and goes until it's dry. A new firkin every Wednesday.
Hunters Moon Meadery (Severance) - Yesterday, the small meadery in Northern Colorado was busy bottling and labeling their new Sweet Mountain Berry Melomel. It will be in select stores starting tomorrow, February 9th. Makes a wonderful drink to share for Valentine's Day.
Kannah Creek Brewing (Grand Junction) - If you drive by the brewery today, you'll notice something is different, namely a new logo outside of the brewery. Yesterday, after a recent spring cleaning and 1-day closure, a new brighter and more modern looking logo sign was installed outside of the brewery. At night, it's much brighter than the old sign. Look for this new look inside and throughout the brewery.
Carver Brewing (Durango) - Some breweries make more than just beer, in Carver Brewing's case, they also make a good Root Beer. And a special event is happening tomorrow at the brewery - "Trees and Root Beer are the Answer!” a tree-planting project, whose goal is to establish and expand the Pete Harter Arboretum at Needham Elementary School, will hold a fundraising dinner at Carver’s Restaurant on Thursday February 9th from 4:00PM until closing. Supportive community members may enjoy all items off the entire menu in addition to the showcased specials of Root Beer Braised Ribs and of course, Root Beer Floats. Carver’s Restaurant will generously donate a percentage of proceeds from the night’s sales. Located at: 1022 Main Avenue in Durango.
Crabtree Brewing (Greeley) - There are two new beers coming on tap this Saturday, February 11th, 2012 starting at 5:00 pm! The first is from one of their home brewer's called Schimäre. It's a rye/wheat/barley ale that is a clash of styles. Too light in color and spicy in flavor for a conventional Rogenbier; and yet too high in alcohol and rich in complexity for a traditional Hefeweizen. The result is a chimeric 'Rogenweizen' that challenges preconceptions, but satisfies any beer drinker. Limited supply! Their other release is for Valentine's Week; it is a Cherry Chocolate Stout. It's our GABF® Silver Medal winning Oatmeal Stout with the perfect mix of cherry and chocolate! These beers will only be available on draft in the tasting room. Get it while you can! Speaking of cans - their regular Oatmeal Stout went into 16oz cans today. Look for it on shelves soon!
New Belgium (Fort Collins) - speaking of cans, New Belgium was busy showing off their test run of new 16oz cans featuring their Ranger IPA and Fat Tire. Look for these to hit shelves in the near future. (Image courtesy New Belgium - click to enlarge). New Belgium was also declared the 3rd largest craft brewery in the US in 2011. They produced 713,000 barrels of beer according to Beer Marketer's Insights. #2 was Sierra Nevada and #1 was Samuel Adams.
Backcountry Pizza and Tap House (Boulder) - Remember that this Saturday, February 11th is the fundraiser for Danny Williams at Backcountry Pizza and Tap House in Boulder from 6pm-10pm. Enjoy a pizza buffet, beer garden and silent auction with unique items from a variety of breweries with all proceeds going to the Danny Williams Fund. Proceeds are for his family and to help keep the beer cave going. More info here.
Ska Brewing (Durango) - Ladies! The Barley Pop Betties are holding their monthly meeting at Ska Brewing today at 5:30pm to 7pm+! Today's meeting will include a tour of the brew house, getting to know the basic ingredients and the beer making process, samples of some tasty beers. The purpose of this group is to get together with friends and acquaintances and sample tasty beers, learn more about the art and science of brewing, and further your appreciation for this fine beverage. Meets every 2nd Wednesday of the month - HQ is Ska Brewing.
Also from Ska Brewing is word of an upcoming Pre-Valentine's Day Lingerie Fashion Show and Gift Boutique at the brewery on Friday, February 10th from 7pm to 10pm. Guys come shop for your gals - ladies shop for yourself. Come for the show, stay for the beer. Flowers, gift cards, chocolate, beer, lingerie, and more beer!
Mountain Sun (Boulder) - Stout Month continues and lasts all month long at all three locations including Southern Sun and Vine Street Pub. Over 12 different and unique stouts on tap at each location. Plus guest taps and more. Stop in for Stout Month and give in to the Dark Side of beer.
Telluride Blues & Brews Festival - You've got one week left for your chance to win (2) 3-day passes for this year's 19th Annual Telluride Blues & Brews Festival through their online festival survey. Help improve the festival with your feedback and get a chance to attend free. Dates: September 14-16, 2012 in Telluride, CO.
Check out what's happening on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals and Events Calendar.
Like what you see here? There's even more Colorado beer happenings on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 675+ "Likes" so far in 2012!
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Colorado Beer News 020712
Today is Wave All Your Fingers At Your Neighbor's Day. Just be careful not to do them one at a time however. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Tuesday, February 7th, 2012.
If you have some Colorado brewery news items you'd like included in the daily Colorado Beer News post please contact me today. This daily Colorado Beer News page is constantly updated during the day (10am to 3pm) with new stories so stop back here often for all the latest. If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here.
Copper Kettle Brewing (Denver) - Start Valentine's Day a little earlier this year and attend a Dunkelweiss and Pre-Valentine's Day Party at Copper Kettle on Friday, February 10th from 5pm to 9pm. They will be releasing their new Dunkelweiss that day. The Harvest Food Truck will also be there with several sweet delights to tempt you with. Pair 2 Mexican Chocolate Stouts with 2 Cinnamon Bread Puddings, or 2 Dunkelweiss with 2 Buttermilk Cake slices, or 2 Bourbon Stouts with 2 Flourless Chocolate Cake slices. Each combo for just $10!
Crabtree Brewing (Greeley) - Next week, Crabtree will be bottling up a special concoction called a braggot. This braggot, named Menage a Trois, is a mix of 3 different blends, a brown ale, an imperial stout and a honey mead. Parts of this brew have been aged in barrels for months and will be put into special 12 ounce bottles and each will be sold separately. I tasted some last night at Crabtree and it's tasting wonderful! Look for this brew to be available sometime in mid-March. Also being packaged next week is their gold medal winning Berliner Weiss. Look for it to return to shelves later this month.
Choice City Butcher & Deli (Fort Collins) - Recently voted one one of the best beer restaurants in the world, Choice City is offering up some great events next week. On Tuesday, Valentine's Day, they will be hosting a Valentine's Veal Osso Bucco Dinner at two times: 5pm and 8pm. Then on Wednesday, February 15th, it's their 8th Anniversary Party - and they'll be celebrating with a firkin of Odell Coconut Porter. Then on Thursday, February 16th, come meet the owner and brewmaster of Port Brewing Company / The Lost Abbey - Tomme Arthur. They will be pouring special brews from those California breweries. An event not to be missed.
Bonfire Brewing (Eagle) - Yesterday, their final proofs of their new bomber bottles were revealed. These bombers will be filled with Tent Pole Vanilla Porter and also Awry Rye Pale Ale. Look for these soon. Hopefully enough will hit the front range area, otherwise we'll be doing some runs up the CO I-70 corridor. View the bottles on Facebook.
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - Yesterday, Grimm Brothers experimented with opening their taproom on Monday and were open from 1 to 7pm. Look for them to test more Mondays soon. Traditionally, they have been closed this one day of the week, but if they get enough interest they could open up on many more Mondays. Stop by on Wednesday at 6pm for their release of "The Bleeding Heart", a cherry chocolate porter just in time for Valentine's Day.
Rockyard Brewing (Castle Rock) - The brewers at Rockyard have been busy. They've just put up several brews up on tap this week including: Excavator - a doppelbock, a nitro version of Lightning Strike Stout, and The Evil Beaver - a Belgian Dark Strong ale. Come check them out when you're in the Rock! Also, check out their One-Off Deviation Brewmaster's Dinner on February 16th at 6:30pm. Cost: $41.94 (tax & tip included). Call (303) 814-9273 for reservations by February 13th. See menu on Facebook.
Wynkoop Brewery (Denver) - The three finalists for this year's Beerdrinker of the Year competition have been named! Warren Monteiro from New York, Greg Nowatzki from Las Vegas, and J. Wilson from Iowa. Judging for the finals will take place on Saturday, February 25th at 2pm at the Wynkoop Brewery in Denver. If you've never seen the Beerdrinker of the Year finals competition, you really should check it out - lots of fun, pomp and circumstance - and Beer!
Lone Tree Brewing (Lone Tree) - Join LTB on Valentine's Day for the tapping of their first collaborative project - "My Cherie Amour" Chocolate Cherry Stout. They will be having a tapping event on February 14th from 4pm to 7pm. With a $5 donation to the American Heart Association, attendees will receive a free 6oz taster of the Chocolate Cherry Stout and be entered to win a Vintage Romance Gift Basket from Maroon Bells gourmet chocolate factory.
Blue Moon Brewing Company @ the Sandlot (Denver) - According to an article on Westword today, the Sandlot Brewery has been busy brewing up some unusual test beers inside Coors Field during the off season. One is called: Caramel Apple Spiced Ale, another is called: Blackberry Tart Ale, and the third and most unusual is called: Dark Chocolate Bacon Porter. Yup, you got that right. Bacon! There will only be 40 barrels of each beer made and that will be used in select test markets between February 20th and March 20th. The best beer of the three will be brewed in volume either at Coors in Golden or at a MillerCoors plant in North Carolina. Personally, I'd like to try the Chocolate Bacon Porter just to see how well bacon mixes with beer. What do you think of these choices?
Yak & Yeti (Arvada) - Ever taste a beer that seems to be a cross between Atomic Fireballs, and Dentyne Fire Gum? On Valentine's Day, Yak & Yeti wants you to try this red brew named Cinnamon Love Wheat, a brew made with actual Red Hots candy from Ferrara Pan. You can try it starting tomorrow as they'll be tapping it at 4pm on Wednesday the 8th. This is a follow-up beer to their popular "Atomic Firebeers" they brewed for the 2011 GABF. Get ready for a blast of cinnamon!
The Fort Collins Brewery (Ft. Collins) - Tap Club members - stop in for a new release today - their "Smoochie" - an oak barrel aged Weihenstephen Hefeweizen. Tastes like a raspberry smoothie with a slight tartness and banana flavor.
Crooked Stave (Ft. Collins/Denver) - Those who signed up for the 2012 Crooked Stave Cellar Reserve Membership this year were informed today that their membership cards and trustee membership cards were being sent out today and should arrive to them within a few days. Hopefully word of the first membership release will come soon after that. More info on this as it develops!
Grand Lake Brewing Company (Grand Lake) - Grand Lake Brewing Company (Grand Lake, CO) is trying to raise $26,000 in funding to help them expand the brewery and help bring more of their beer to the front range of Colorado and beyond. Check out their Kickstarter project and if you want to help them out please do so by Thursday, March 8th.
Check out what's happening on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals and Events Calendar.
Like what you see here? There's even more Colorado beer happenings on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 670+ "Likes" so far in 2012!
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Colorado Beer News 020612
Today is Lame Duck Day. I suppose that's what Tom Brady and the Patriots are feeling like today, right? Football season has finally come to an end. Onward to more basketball, hockey and the promise of baseball with Spring training. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Monday, February 6th, 2012.
If you have some Colorado brewery news items you'd like included in the daily Colorado Beer News post please contact me today. This daily Colorado Beer News page is constantly updated during the day (10am to 3pm) with new stories so stop back here often for all the latest. If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here.
Tap and Handle (Fort Collins) - There's a new beer bar that's opening in Fort Collins - Tap and Handle. This new start recently had their "soft opening" at their location at: 307 S. College Ave. They will be featuring 74 beers on tap, great food and will offer billiards and a beer garden. Look for their official Grand Opening celebration coming soon. In the meantime, stop by to say hi. Open every day except Tuesdays 11am to midnight or later. Check out their Facebook page.
TwinHops Brewing (Aurora) - Three brothers, Scott, Rick and Brad Burton, have one dream - to open a brewery in Colorado. This new start-up plans to open it's doors sometime in the summer of 2012. Right now you can track their progress on Twitter @TwinHopsbrewing or on Facebook. Some beers they plan to brew include an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, a blonde ale and a rye IPA. Check out this and a lot of other breweries in the works in the Colorado Breweries in Development list.
Left Hand Brewing (Longmont) - How would you like to have a chance to win BEER FOR A YEAR! Here it is - come to a Left Hand 400lb Monkey Cask Ale Night at either the Old Louisville Inn in Louisville on Friday, February 10th @ 6:30pm or at West End Tavern on Thursday February 23rd at 6:30pm. Join Left Hand and come prepared to give your best Toast, Quote or even a Song for the enjoyment of all. Each patron who does so will receive a logo pint glass and a ticket for a chance to win Beer for a Year. If you aren't so bold, you can still get a logo pint glass with your first purchased pint of the Monkey and a ticket with each for a chance as well.
Bristol Brewing Company (Colorado Springs) - Gotten your ticket yet for this year's Firkin Rendezvous on February 18th 2pm-5pm? The Eighth Annual Firkin Rendezvous will feature one-of-a-kind cask ales from some of Colorado’s best microbreweries. Attendees will receive a commemorative glass, all you can/should taste, a chance to talk to your favorite brewers about your favorite beers, and complimentary food. Hurry tickets going quick. Call (719) 633-2555 to get yours. $50 VIP or $35 General Admission.
Colorado Craft Beer Show - miss the show on Saturday? No worries, you can listen to the podcast online anytime. For this week's craft beer show - check out their podcast on the AM760 website. Guests included Todd Thibault from Breckenridge Brewery and Justin Lloyd from Denver's Star Bar.
Ghost Plate & Tap (Denver) - Having a hard time getting going in the morning in downtown Denver? Stop in the Ghost Plate & Tap for FREE COFFEE FEBRUARY! Come in from 6am - 10am Monday through Friday all month for a free cup of NOVO coffee. Just mention you saw the post on Facebook (you can mention Fermentedly Challenged too just to see their reaction).
The Mayor of Old Town (Fort Collins) - Check out these weekly events! Monday: The Gary Brewsey's Mens Beer Club at 5:30pm, Tuesday: Beet Betty's Womens Beer Club at 6pm and Tom Barbour Trio Jazz at 7pm. Wednesday: Comedy night at 7pm, Thursday: James Mitchell hosts an Acoustic Open Mic night. Come for the fun - stay for the beer!
Colorado Beer Festival Calendar - Over the weekend, Colorado beer festivals and events for May 2012 and June 2012 were posted on the blog. This is the time of year when summer plans are being made and there is going to be a lot of beer-related activities coming up this year. More events are being added all the time. Stay tuned for July and August events coming soon!
Breckenridge Brewery (Denver) - Todd Thibault revealed this weekend that Breckenridge Brewery will be expanding again in March. They are expecting delivery on four more 300 barrel fermenters next month. Once installed, Breck will be at maximum capacity for their site, ie - they won't have any more room to install any more fermenters. Business is good!
Phantom Canyon Brewing (Colorado Springs) - Today (Monday Feb. 6th) get to play FREE pool all day at Phantom Canyon when you purchase a beer! More proof that beer paves the way to entertainment.
Odell Brewing (Fort Collins) - Today it became official, Odell Brewing will be hosting the finish line to this year's Ride The Rockies bike race! The entire race spans several days, June 9th - 15th 2012, starting in Gunnison and ending in Fort Collins. The last leg of the race on the 15th goes from Estes Park down to Fort Collins for the big finish at Odell Brewing on East Lincoln Avenue. It's going to be a big party this year!
Dry Dock Brewing Company (Aurora) - The Winter 2012 catalog of Northern Brewer (Homebrew Supply Catalog) now has Dry Dock Brewing Company's Apricot Blonde, Pale Ale Vanilla Porter and the SS Minnow Mild Ale available as a homebrewing ingredient kits! Check page 13 of your catalog for details!
Crazy Mountain Brewing (Edwards) - Homebrewers, don't forget to submit your brews for Crazy Mountain's 2nd Annual Homebrew ProAm! The deadline is Friday, February 24th. Unlimited number of styles per person may be submitted. Call 970-926-3009 for more information. Winners will be announced on March 9th, 2012. One lucky winner will get to brew 17.5 barrels of their beer with Brewmaster, Kevin Selvy and get it tapped on March 30th, 2012.
Golden City Brewery (Golden) - The Bridgewater Grill in Golden (800 11th Street) starts it’s Colorado Beer Tour beer dinner series on Wednesday, February 8th. The premier event will feature Golden City Brewery, the 2nd largest brewery in Golden. Chef David Davis will feature five carefully crafted courses each paired with beers from Golden City Brewery. Space is limited to 50 people, contact the Bridgewater Grill for reservations. 303-279-2010. Cost: $75 including tax and tip.
Vine Street Pub (Denver) - Tickets are on sale now at all three Mountain Sun Pubs for "Stout 101: Understanding the Great Stout" this Saturday, February 11th at 3pm at the Vine Street Pub. Learn the history of stout, hear the folklore of Stout Months past and experience a guided tasting with our brewers, including Oatimus Prime Imperial Oatmeal, Trickster, Girl Scout, Norwegian Wheat, Addiction, Old School, Dark Harvest Pumpkin, and 2012 Home Brew Winner Chai Stout. Tickets are only $35 and includes snacks! This class is not to be missed and will sell out!
Funkwerks (Fort Collins) - Funkwerks is releasing a new beer today called Caspercot! We took our original session beer, Casper, and conditioned it with whole dried Turkish apricots resulting in a slightly sweet and refreshing twist on our lightest saison. Come in and enjoy a glass today!
Check out what's happening on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals and Events Calendar.
Like what you see here? There's even more Colorado beer happenings on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 670+ "Likes" so far in 2012!
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
June 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals Calendar
June 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events
June means heading outdoors and the beer festivals & events head there as well. Vacations are in full swing, brew fests are starting to be in abundance and summer ales are in stock. There are always plenty of drink and food events going on at most Colorado breweries and entertainment venues as well. This page will be updated often as news of upcoming events are announced.
Here is a list of the upcoming Colorado beer fests, beer dinners, tapping parties, seminars and related events for June 2012. These listings are updated every week, so stop back often to see the latest happenings with beer in Colorado. Dates and events are subject to change at any time so please check with the event web site before attending. If you know about another event not listed here please add a comment below.
[ May 2012 ] - [ July 2012 ] - [ Main Calendar ]
Gary Brewsey: Men's Beer Club
Every Monday Night
The Mayor of Old Town - 632 S. Mason St.
Fort Collins, CO
Time: 5:30pm - 6:45pm
Cost: $5 taster flight
Join the growing number of men who meet each week at The Mayor of Old Town to talk beer and learn about it's history, the styles and how it's made. Select samples from the 100 different beers on tap each week.
Facebook Page
Beer Bettys: Ladies Only Beer Club
Every Tuesday Night
The Mayor of Old Town - 632 S. Mason St.
Fort Collins, CO
Time: 6:00pm
This free to join Ladies Only club meets every Tuesday at 6pm. They are a grass roots group of women who are interested in learning more about beer, it's history, the flavors and more. Sample from over 100 different beers on tap.
Facebook Page
3rd Annual Boulder SourFest
June 2, 2012 (Saturday)
Avery Brewing Company -
Boulder, CO
Time: 12:00pm to 5:00pm
Cost: $45 - tix go on sale in April and will sell out quickly.
Pucker up beer lovers - this festival embraces brett, lacto and pedio like nothing else. It's Avery's 3rd Boulder SourFest! There is expected to be over 60 different sour ales from around the country and from overseas at this popular festival. Your entry gets you a souvenir tasting glass, tasting tickets and access to some of the best sour beers around. This is an event not to be missed. www.averybrewing.com
Snowmass Chili Pepper and Brewfest
June 8-9, 2012 (Friday and Saturday)
Snowmass Village, CO (near Aspen)
Time: Friday 3:30pm - 9:00pm, Saturday 1:00pm - 9:00pm
Cost: TBA
In conjunction with International Chili Society, Snowmass Village hosts two chili competitions, the Hot Times Regional Chili Cookoff and the Sizzling Snowmass Regional Championship, in addition to a salsa competition. Come on out and vote for your favorite chili in the Peoples Choice Chili Cookoff! Meanwhile, 30 brewers from around the globe face off in the prestigious “Snowmass Summer Ale” competition for their seasonal brew on Friday, followed by a Grand Tasting for a sampling of their latest & greatest on Saturday! Take the FREE Snowmass Village Shuttles to the event once in town.
snowmasschiliandbrew.com
Greeley Blues Jam
June 8-9, 2012 (Friday & Saturday)
Island Grove Park and 10 other venues
Greeley, CO
Time: Friday 5pm to 1am, Saturday 11am - late
Cost: TBA - some free music events and others with tickets.
Listen to a huge selection of blues entertainment over two days. Outdoor beer garden during the event in downtown Greeley. More of a music fest than a beer fest but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying the blues with a local brew.
greeleybluesjam.wordpress.com
Rocky Mountain Brewfest
June 9, 2012 (Saturday)
Estes Park Brewery - 470 Prospect Village Dr.
Estes Park, CO
Time: 12pm to 5pm (tentative)
Cost: $35 (estimate)
There will be over 50 brews from 16 breweries on hand. Your ticket includes a tasting glass, a food ticket and unlimited samples. Live music, great food (brats) and lots of outdoor fun surrounded by Rocky Mountain National Park.
BrewGrass
June 9, 2012 (Saturday)
1200 Block of South Pearl Street
Denver, CO
Time: TBA
What happens when you mix a warm summer afternoon, ice-cold draft beer, and some fun, funky music? You get the South Pearl Street Music Festivals. Inaugurated in 2007, the brainchild of a South Pearl Street merchant, the first Blues & Brews debuted on August 11th on the 1200 block of South Pearl Street. Entering its fifth year, the music festivals have become a neighborhood tradition and a real shindig. Held on the second Saturdays of June, July, and August, this year’s series includes a new genre, jam music and has been affectionately and respectfully nicknamed South Pearl Jam. The question remains – is it a music festival with really good beer or a beer festival with really good music?
Web site
Food & Wine Classic in Aspen
June 15-17, 2012 (Friday to Sunday)
Aspen, CO
Time: 10am - 6:15pm Friday & Saturday, 10:30am - 2:00pm Sunday
Cost: If you have to ask you can't afford it. (Seriously) - Over $1000.
Their 30th year! OK, so this isn't a beer event, but they do have daily Beer & Food Pairing seminars sponsored by Stella Artios. For wine enthusiasts, this is one of the biggest events of the year, but only if you can afford it. Wine, food, seminars, ritz. Rub elbows with the 1%'ers.
www.foodandwine.com/classic
23rd Annual Colorado Brewers' Festival
June 23-24, 2012 (Saturday and Sunday)
Old Town (downtown)
Fort Collins, CO
Time: 11:00am - 5:00pm each day, tix available starting June 1st.
Cost: (Estimated) $10 advance / $15 at the gate - plus $1 beer tokens for 4oz tasters
Great beer, food, live music and fun! Nearly 60 unique Colorado craft beers will be poured over this weekend dedicated to beer lovers of all kinds! The Colorado Brewers' Festival is made up solely of Colorado Breweries, including nine host breweries from Fort Collins. It's Fort Collins' biggest beer festival of the year!
Details at: downtownfortcollins.com.
Other events expected this month: (dates and info TBA)
- Rails & Ales Brewfest - Alamosa, CO
- Summer Solstice Music Festival - June 16th - Golden, CO
- Oskar Blues Burning Can Beer Festival - Lyons, CO
- Great Divide 18th Anniversary Party - Denver, CO
Stay tuned for more June events - more being announced soon!
Related articles:
- May 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals Calendar.
- July 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals Calendar.
- 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar.
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Twisted Pine Big Shot Espresso Stout review
Cold winter nights were made for rich dark beers. This beer not only goes well during the winter, but can even substitute for coffee as a popular breakfast beverage on weekends. This brew is none other than Twisted Pine Big Shot Espresso Stout.
Twisted Pine makes Big Shot Espresso Stout as part of their year-round Timberline Series and is available in 22oz bomber bottles. Every bottle literally has a big shot of espresso built into it.
Like stouts but don't drink coffee? No problem. I don't drink coffee either, but after sampling this brew, I might just take up the beverage. Big Shot Espresso Stout weighed in at 6.0% and around 30 IBU's. It's brewed with Northern Brewer and East Kent Goldings hops. It's won several medals including a Silver at the 2008 GABF, Bronze at the 2010 GABF, and a Silver at the 2006 World Beer Cup.
Appearance: As the majority of stouts do, Big Shot Espresso Stout poured nearly total black with just a trace of a dark mahogany around the edges of the glass. A huge, thick, frothy brown head grew in the glass and lasted a good long time. Once the thick foam calmed, swirling the glass gave rise to another nice finger tall lacy head.
Aroma: This beer has coffee written all over it. It reminded me instantly of walking into a coffee shop and smelling the rich roasted blends of coffee beans. I could pick up some chocolate, molasses and roasty malts in the nose as well. This is the kind of beer I could enjoy just with my nose alone, it's aroma is very inviting. It's almost as powerful smelling as a Russian Imperial Stout.
Taste: I was sure to let this beer warm up a bit from the fridge as many stouts like this tend to taste even better as they go along. This was one thick, chewy stout. It had all the flavors of coffee, roasted malts and a hint of molasses and chocolate. It was nicely bittered. The malts in this brew were not really sweet at all, yet balanced enough not to tip the bitterness scale.
This brew's flavor just filled my mouth completely. It coated my tongue and went down thick and smooth. A stout that I wouldn't mind having a full serving of.
Overall: I can see why Twisted Pine won medals for this beer. They found a great recipe in this espresso laced beverage. While I'm not the kind of guy who'd drink beer for breakfast, I could envision why some people might. The idea of pairing this with pancakes or waffles covered with syrup and washing it down with Big Shot Espresso Stout seems inviting.
I'll have to give an update later on whether the espresso in this brew was enough to keep me up at night. I believe the mix of alcohol and espresso are probably enough to cancel each other out.
Overall, this was a savory brew that I'd recommend to anyone who loves dark beer. Coffee or no, this is what a good stout should be. Nice job, Twisted Pine!
Video showing the pour of :
If you can't view the video via RSS or email please visit the blog.
Related articles:
- Twisted Pine's second Artisan Ale to release. (Canis Lupulis)
- Twisted Pine Ghost Face Killah review.
- Twisted Pine American Amber Ale review.
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!
May 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals Calendar
May 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events
May marks the traditional beginning of the beer festival season in Colorado. School's are closing for the year, and vacation times are about to start. There are always plenty of drink and food events going on at most Colorado breweries and entertainment venues. This page will be updated often as news of upcoming events are announced.
Here is a list of the upcoming Colorado beer fests, beer dinners, tapping parties, seminars and related events for May 2012. These listings are updated every week, so stop back often to see the latest happenings with beer in Colorado. Dates and events are subject to change at any time so please check with the event web site before attending. If you know about another event not listed here please add a comment below.
[ April 2012 ] - [ June 2012 ] - [ Main Calendar ]
Gary Brewsey: Men's Beer Club
Every Monday Night
The Mayor of Old Town - 632 S. Mason St.
Fort Collins, CO
Time: 5:30pm - 6:45pm
Cost: $5 taster flight
Join the growing number of men who meet each week at The Mayor of Old Town to talk beer and learn about it's history, the styles and how it's made. Select samples from the 100 different beers on tap each week.
Facebook Page
Beer Bettys: Ladies Only Beer Club
Every Tuesday Night
The Mayor of Old Town - 632 S. Mason St.
Fort Collins, CO
Time: 6:00pm
This free to join Ladies Only club meets every Tuesday at 6pm. They are a grass roots group of women who are interested in learning more about beer, it's history, the flavors and more. Sample from over 100 different beers on tap.
Facebook Page
AHA Big Brew
May 5, 2012 (Saturday)
Designated AHA Sites Statewide
This is a annual celebration of National Homebrew Day (May 5). Each year, homebrewers around the world invite family and friends to their brewing site on the first Saturday in May to celebrate the holiday. Everyone is encouraged to help out with the homebrewing some beer, enjoy the fun and join in on a world-wide toast at noon CDT. Find out where the designated Big Brew site is in your area and attend.
Official Web Site
Colorado Beer Week
May 11-19, 2012 (9 days - Fri. - Sat.)
Statewide celebrations
Colorado Beer Week brings together seven days of taste bud exhilaration and gastronomic exploration. Throughout the state, artisanal craft beers will be paired with locally grown foods and locally prepared menus crafted by Colorado’s best chefs. There simply is nothing else like it anywhere in the country. Throughout the week, restaurants, bars, hotels and brewpubs will be hosting events to not only sell more beer, but to give guests from around the world a better understanding of the versatility of this beverage that we are all so passionate about. Through a series of beer dinners, specials and events, we will soon be the number one stop for beer lovers every year.
www.cobeerweek.com
American Craft Beer Week
May 14-20, 2012 (Monday - Sunday)
Nationwide
Beer weeks are giving craft beer fans across the U.S. ever-increasing options to enjoy and share the beverage they love. Beer weeks celebrate the culture and community of craft beer, and give breweries and beer businesses the opportunity to connect with the fans. The Brewers Association, the national non-profit association on behalf of the majority of today's U.S. breweries, and publishers of CraftBeer.com, celebrate the culmination of these events each May with American Craft Beer Week (ACBW), The Mother of All Beer Weeks.
Official Web Site
Blues, Brews, and BBQ
May 26 - 27, 2012 (Saturday + Sunday)
Beaver Creek Village
Vail Valley area, CO
Times: 12:00pm to 6:00pm each day (time approximate)
Join everyone at Beaver Creak as chefs from the Vail Valley, greater Colorado and neighboring states serve up delicious barbeque, live entertainment rocks the Village, and of course, plenty of microbrews from across the country all for your sampling pleasure. Stay tuned for ticketing and more event details.
Small Batch Revival
May 26, 2012 (Saturday)
Odell Brewing Company - 800 E. Lincoln Ave.
Fort Collins, CO
Time: 3:00pm - 7:00pm
Cost: $4 per beer token.
It's party time at Odell Brewing. They're celebrating the joy of making small batches of beer. It's something Odell Brewing excels at. There will be Food, Live Music and plenty of beer. Over 25+ different kinds of Odell brew on tap! Kids are welcome but please leave your animals at home. Consider biking in for this event!
11th Annual Festival of the Brewpubs
May 27, 2012 (Sunday)
Arapahoe Basin Ski Resort
Keystone, CO (just outside of town)
Time: 12:00pm - 4:00pm (estimate)
Cost: $25 per entry - includes a 14oz mug handed out.
It's a Memorial weekend Beach Party! Join in for A-Basin's largest party of the year! Spend the day sampling mugs of beer from a variety of Summit County brewpubs for one low price per 14 oz mug (must be 21 and have ID). Expected breweries include Pug Ryan’s, Breckenridge, Dillon Dam and Backcountry plus more! Expect great live music, springtime skiing and much more!
Stay tuned for more May events - more being announced soon!
Related articles:
- April 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals Calendar.
- 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar.
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Colorado Beer News 020312
Today is Give Kids A Smile Day. And for many kids here in Colorado today they're smiling already - many schools are closed due to bad weather. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Friday, February 3rd, 2012.
If you have some Colorado brewery news items you'd like included in the daily Colorado Beer News post please contact me today. This daily Colorado Beer News page is constantly updated during the day (10am to 3pm) with new stories so stop back here often for all the latest. If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here.
Kettles Homebrew Supply (Fruita) - There's a brand new homebrew shop that opened yesterday in Fruita - Kettles Homebrew Supply. They are located at 233 E. Aspen Avenue (downtown). The owners are Daniel and Michele Collins. Please give them a warm welcome. Visit them on Facebook or on their website www.kettleshomebrew.com. Better yet, visit their shop directly when you're in Fruita! View all the listings for Colorado Homebrew Supply Stores.
Pateros Creek Brewing (Fort Collins) - For some, the 64oz growler is a handy way to take fresh tapped beer home. For others, that's more than they need. For that reason, Pateros Creek has now stocked new 32oz mini-growlers. Just enough for two pints. Stop in to pick one up, starting at $12 new with a fill and $5 refilled. Check out their Facebook pic for a view. Full growlers are also available for those who like to share (or horde for a long snowy weekend).
Yak & Yeti (Arvada) - Remember their gluten-free Apple Ale back in November? For those who are gluten-sensitive, gluten-intolerant or have been formally diagnosed with Celiac’s Disease they will be happy to know another batch of Yak & Yeti's gluten-free (GF) beer is back on tap. The recipe is deliciously simple: sorghum, apple cider and a hop pellet (but just one). The beer tastes more of a sweet hard cider than a beer, but that is what they were going for …cider! Now on tap.
Pumphouse Brewery (Longmont) - Heard from the brewer... "Not sure if you've heard yet, but that sneaky Hooligan Double IPA has resurfaced! Shhh! Don't tell anyone! This is our brewers' (and many other staff members') favorite so let's just keep this between friends, shall we?" - well, the cat's out of the bag now. Drink up!
Oskar Blues (Longmont) - The Tasty Weasel Taproom is going to host their Three Year Anniversary celebration on Friday, February 24th and it all starts around 4pm and runs til 10pm. There will be plenty of awesome Oskar Blues brews flowing, plus a Brewskee Ball Tournament too. Patrons will be able to CAN their own 16oz stovepipe cans of specialty brews and participate in their famous Silent Disco. Brewery tours and food from the OB Bonewagon will also be available that day. Come help them celebrate getting out of their terrible two's and into the thrilling three's!
Avery Brewing (Boulder) - Direct from the Avery Monthly Mash newsletter - "February brings us love in so many ways... Not only will doe-eyed couples bat lashes at each other over Valentine's Day dinners, but our fair brewery will spread its arms (pints in each hand) for that drinking hug you've come to know. We celebrate the unity of craft beer with our annual release of Collaboration Not Litigation Ale. As closet oenophiles, we pay homage to the glorious grape with our release of Muscat d'Amour and Récolte Sauvage, marking our first DUAL Barrel-Aged Series release. And we gather at the Tap Room for the sincerest 'I love you, man!' around."
What's happening in Colorado this weekend (besides the snow storm?):
- SnowDash - Echo Mountain - Extreme 5K - Feb. 4th, 8am-12pm
- Batter Meets Beer Cupcake Pairing - Crazy Mt. Brewing - Edwards - Feb. 3rd. 5:30pm
- Artisan Ale Release Party - Twisted Pine - Boulder - Feb. 4th 12pm - 9pm
- Big Game Party - Choice City Butcher & Deli - Ft. Collins - Feb. 5th 4pm
- Super Firkin Saturday - Lucky Pie - Louisville - Feb. 4th 2pm - 5pm
- Breakfast Stout Party - Copper Kettle Brewing CO - Denver - Feb. 4th 12pm-9pm
Check the February Beer Event Calendar for details.
Beer Lovers of Fort Collins (Meetup Group) - If you enjoy craft beer and sharing a brew with fellow enthusiasts, consider coming to one of the upcoming Meetup events in Fort Collins. They will be meeting at the following locations in February:
- Old Chicago - 147 S. College Ave - Saturday, Feb. 4th at 5:00pm.
- The Mayor of Old Town - 632 S. Mason St. - Saturday, February 11th at 6:00pm.
Frozen Dead Guy Days (Nederland) - Mark your calendars! This year's Frozen Dead Guy Days has been set for Friday, March 2nd through Sunday, March 4th. Don't miss out on all the winter fun. Details at: frozendeadguydays.org.
Beer on the Radio - This weekend starts the Battle of the Craft Beer Radio Shows. There will be two craft beer shows airing at the same time on two different radio stations. Join the Gubna and Turk on the Colorado Craft Beer Show on AM 760 Denver OR you can listen in to Gary V's American Craft Beer Radio on FM 102.3 ESPN. Both shows air at Noon. If you want to listen to both, no worries - you can always catch their recorded podcasts online later in the week.
Shamrock Brewing (Pueblo) - In Pueblo for the Big Game? Stop in at Shamrock Brewing Company at 108 West 3rd Street. They're sponsoring a big Sunday Brunch from 10am to 2pm. Then a tailgate party starts at 3pm with free appetizers. Plus $2 pint of the day goes from 10am to 4pm. Get a $12 "Pitcher and Appetizer" special during the game. If you wear either a Patriots or Giants jersey at kick-off you'll get a FREE HOUSE BEER!
San Luis Valley Brewing (Alamosa) - The brewery is celebrating the arrival of a new baby to the family and in honor of that big event they are releasing a special beer today - Caden's Rather Large Ale. It's a 6.9% ABV light red colored ale with a slight hop dominance and a crisp finish. It's available on tap for $2.50 all day and in bottles for take home. This brew was made along with their friends at Amica's in Salida. Also, during the Big Game this Sunday, stop in for 1/2 off appetizers and $2 pints of Hefe Suave from pre-game to the end of the game.
Eddyline Brewing (Buena Vista) - in honor of their 2000th Like on Facebook, Eddyline is offering up $2 Pints of beer for the next 24 hours starting at 11:00am today. Stop by on your way back from Monarch Mountain and get a pint.
Dry Dock Brewing (Aurora) - There will be an In-Store tasting tonight from 4pm to 7pm tonight at Hampden Crossing Liquors at the NW corner of Hampden & Tower in Aurora. Buy any 2 Dry Dock bomber bottles and get a free pint glass and free beer token. Come and taste their new Tripel!
Dad & Dude's Breweria (Aurora) - Not afraid of the snow? Prove it! Come out to Dad & Dude's today and just for braving the weather they will give you your first beer for just $1! Isn't that worth the drive? Located at: 6730 S. Cornerstar Way, Suite D in Aurora, CO.
Strange Brewing Company (Denver) - Drink with the Girls Scouts tonight at Strange Brew after 6pm. Er, that is, they will be selling their Girl Scout cookies there. But you can pair your Cherry Kriek or Paint It Black Stout with some Thin Mints if you like! $1 off pints with every box you purchase! Those girls will go anywhere to make a sale these days!
Breckenridge Brewery (Denver) - they done it again. Twice! Breckenridge has put out two new spoof TV ads poking fun at Dos XX and Corona in their latest Truth in Beervertising series of ads. Check them out below or on YouTube.
The Least Interesting Man in the World
Watch on YouTube instead.
Find Your Couch
Watch on YouTube instead.
Funkwerks (Fort Collins) - Funkwerks' Valentine’s Day Hibiscus Saison, Roselle, is being bottled today! They had the opportunity to pour a glass out of the brite tank, and they claim it’s beautiful! Roselle is due to be released early next week and they’ll be running a special once it’s released: two of their glasses, designed specifically for Roselle with heart-etched nucleation points, and a 750ml bottle for $20.
Left Hand Brewing (Longmont) - This Valentine’s day, bring your honey down to the Tasting Room for a special line-up of Left Hand beers paired with local artisanal chocolates. $6 will get you three samples of beer carefully paired with 3 hand-made chocolates, while supplies last.
Equinox Brewing (Fort Collins) - and you thought 64-oz growlers were huge. Now Equinox Brewing is offering up 80oz. Nalgene growlers! These are unbreakable, BPA-free plastic. They work great for outdoor activities where glass isn't allowed. It's like getting an extra pint in every fill.
Check out what's happening on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals and Events Calendar.
Like what you see here? There's even more Colorado beer happenings on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 650+ "Likes" so far in 2012!
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!