Just Doing It and Being "That Guy" at Copper Kettle

To quote—with a family-friendly filter on—pre-alien-worshipping Tom Cruise in Risky Business (his best film ever; I’ll entertain no dissenting opinions), “there's one thing I learned in all my years. Sometimes you just gotta say, ‘What the ****, make your move.’"  It’s a quote that, if lived by exclusively, will probably cause more headache than good but, when used sparingly, can be quite beneficial.  Having trying and failing repeatedly to gather a crew to visit Copper Kettle Brewing Company (always a snow storm or general busyness getting in the way), Nicole and I, after internalizing and paraphrasing the aforementioned quote, cast our friends to the wayside and went on our own.  No worries, friends, we haven’t written you off completely; there’s, like, ten new breweries opening in the metro area within a few months so we’ll be sure to flash mob one of those establishments soon.  River North Brewery, perhaps? 

We pulled up to the brewery, walked inside, and, for an instant, thought we had entered a coffee shop.  No wobbly bar stools, stark walls, or fluorescent lighting for Copper Kettle; the taproom looks like the showroom of Pier 1 Imports: dark-stained, wood furniture, stone-tiled bar façade, and artful wall accents.  If I had looked over to see a bespectacled hipster with a sweater and scarf writing a novel on his laptop I’d have been only mildly surprised.

We snagged a two-top (although we eventually moved to a bigger table as my sister and her—I don’t know—boyfriend, I guess, joined us shortly after arrival) and Copper Kettle owner/head brewer Jeremy Gobien came by to take our order.  As we do at any new brewery, we ordered a flight of everything on tap: Bavarian Helles (4.6% ABV, 16 IBU), Kettleweizen (4.8% ABV, 14 IBU), Dunkelweiss (5.5% ABV, 13.6 IBU), High Country Breakfast Stout (10.2% ABV, 70 IBU), Better Half IPA (7% ABV, 72 IBU), Black IPA (7.6% ABV, 68 IBU), and Mexican Chocolate Stout (6.2% ABV, 50 IBU).   

Bavarian Helles is straw-colored, white-foamed, and clear.  It features a light, lemony aroma and a bready, slightly bitter (in a citrus peel kind of way) flavor that sits on the back of the tongue.  It finishes dry.

Like bubblegum?  Then you’ll definitely want to order the Kettleweizen.  This hazy, dark gold brew packs a yeasty, orange-y, bubblegum-like nose and the taste is, likewise, full of the mentioned chewable accompanied by a banana aftertaste.  An easy comparison could be made between this beer and Dry Dock’s Hefeweizen.        

Dunkelweiss is a murky brown-red topped with a beige head.  The aroma is lightly roasted and the flavor is a mish-mash of so many competing flavors that it is hard to pin down.  Certainly, a little bit of the dark malt flavor comes through but so does a fruity tartness.  Maybe my palate is unsophisticated or maybe this beer needs to go back to the drawing board but Dunkelweiss just didn’t do it for me.

Big, roasted, coffee-esque flavors epitomize High Country, a black-bodied stout with barely perceptible red highlights and a rusty brown head.  Like a strong, black cup of Joe, High Country is quite bitter and will have you spitting black like a dilophosaurus.

Better Half looks like an orange cloud with a sprinkling of eggshell-white foam on top.  The scents wafting from the glass are big on citrus hops as well as sweet sugariness thus reminding the drinker of a margarita.  Better Half tastes like pine needle tea and the bitterness tends to stick around.

Black IPA, like High Country, has a rusty brown head and a black body but, unlike High Country, the highlights are brown.  A smoky aroma paves the way for a roasted, lightly bittered flavor.

Had the flights ended there, I would have chalked Copper Kettle off as just another stop on Nicole and I’s journey to visit every brewery in the state; they’ve got solid beer, no doubt, but if you were thinking of writing home about it—don’t. 

But then magic happened.  I took a sip of Mexican Chocolate Stout.

The earth stood still, a bright, white light emanated from my core, and angels from on high rang out in joyful noise.  This, dear reader, is a beer that Colorado can rally behind.  It looks pedestrian enough—black with a tan head like any other stout—but the aroma dashes any notions of mediocrity.  Imagine yourself at the county fair as you walk by the churro vendor; that sweet, cinnamon-y scent that fills your nostrils is the same smell in Mexican Chocolate Stout.  And the flavor?  It’s a liquid sopapilla with a touch of chocolate drizzled on top and a pinch of hot peppers stuffed inside; it starts out sweet but finishes with a dull burn that, while never overbearing, is long-lived.

Mexican Chocolate Stout is a good beer.  Nay, it is a great beer.  I will go as far as to say it may be the best stout on the face of this planet—seriously!  If I’m wrong then it’s at least top five.  But, I don’t think I am wrong since Mexican Chocolate Stout brought home the gold at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival (although it was in the herb and spice beer category, not the stout category).  Go to Copper Kettle right now and don’t forget to bring a growler so you can spread the goodness of this beer to your friends and family.  

After drinking beer, the best thing to do at Copper Kettle is people-watch.  Indoor picnicking with bags and bags of brought-in food and real, ceramic dishes and pots?  Yes, you’ll find that at Copper Kettle.  It was a Thanksgiving Day feast over at that other table!  I also saw something that made me introspect a bit; a man wearing three items of clothing each featuring a brewery logo.  I admit it; when I go to a brewery, I like to let it be known through my apparel, beer journal, and business cards that I’m a beer geek.  It’s sad, really, like “that guy” who wears the band’s t-shirt at the concert.  I guess I’m no different than Captain Doofus who either really, really likes Harpoon Brewery or really, really works for Harpoon Brewery and I’m big enough to concede that point.  I am, however, not strong enough to actually stop being “that guy” so look for me and my beer shirt at your next brewery visit or beer festival.    

Prost!

Chris

Our visit to Copper Kettle added something fun to my boring Sunday afternoon which consisted of grading papers and falling asleep on the couch. I was excited to try the Mexican Chocolate Stout because I had heard good things about it. I also saw it in ice cream form at Sweet Action the day before and I am sad that I didn’t try it. The Mexican Chocolate Stout is amazing! When you smell it, you feel the intensity of the cinnamon in your nostrils. When you taste it, you feel the heat of the guajillo chili peppers. The guajillo pepper is only rated a 2,500-5,000 on the Scoville Scale but it still packs a nice punch in the back of the mouth. I like the sweet dessert-like aspect of this beer but I also like that it is spicy. It’s different and I like that. I like the beers that “think outside the box” and this one definitely fits the bill.

As I write this, I am trying to figure out how many breweries we have been to. I tried to count using a brewery list on a website but I only got 71; last time I counted in our beer journal we were up to 75.  So, I started a list so that I can have an accurate count. I thought I would have started a list like this a long time ago but at least I have one now.

Nicole

How Colorado Brewers Guild and Bridgewater Grill Busted My Gut

Despite the impression one might get from my blog wherein I wax authoritative on beer and constantly berate other states for not being as good as Colorado, I am actually a fairly modest guy.  I realize that I’m not the first or only person with a beer blog and I realize I’m probably not the best, either.  Nonetheless, I write because I love to write and I drink beer because I love to drink beer and I write about drinking beer because I love to write about drinking beer.  The size of my audience has never been a factor; I’d keep writing for Beer in Colorado (and Examiner.com and Denver off the Wagon) even if I was the only person reading.  However, it instills in me a nugget of warm pride knowing that people other than my mom are reading what I’m writing.  It is especially pleasing when those other people are involved in the industry on which I’ve based my passion.

Last Monday, I received an e-mail from Steve Kurowski, the marketing manager for the Colorado Brewers Guild, who first mentioned that he reads my Examiner reviews and then asked if I, as a beer blogger, would like to attend the inaugural Colorado Beer Tour in which Colorado breweries team-up with the chefs of Bridgewater Grill—located in The Golden Hotel—and pair gourmet dishes with the appropriate beer.  The event is to become a monthly occurrence with a different brewery represented each time.  Steve was wondering if I could, via my various web-based writing outlets, muster up as much public interest as possible.  So, the Guild knows about my writing and wants to utilize my skills to promote their events?  Forget this modesty crap; I’m a badass and my blog is better than your blog.

Nicole and I arrived at The Golden Hotel, made our way to the Bridgewater lounge where we met Steve, Jeremy Friedman—the hotel’s director of food and beverage, and Adrienne Rinaldi who you may know as the Beer Snob Chick. 

We schmoozed around a bit, talked about the upcoming Beer Bloggers Conference in Indianapolis (still debating if I’ll go), and eventually found our way to the appetizer table.  February’s brewery of the month was Golden City Brewery so we were greeted with Legendary Red Ale paired with corn beef and cabbage rolls on a whole grain bun with mustard and pickled onions along with BBQ shrimp and Andouille sausage skewers.  I think the reason this beer and these apps were combined is because Legendary is an altbier (or a German amber brewed with Munich malts and German hops) while the pickled onions tasted like sauerkraut and the mustard reminded me of giant, soft pretzels so, when all’s combined, it’s like Oktoberfest in your mouth.  I’m not sure how the skewers fit into this ensemble; I guess they were just there because they tasted good. 

Legendary Red with roll and skewer

Up until this point everybody was just milling about the lounge like leaves floating in a puddle but, when it came down to the actual meal, we had ourselves a seat.  Word of warning to anybody thinking they’ll be having an intimate dining experience with their sweetie—you won’t get any of that here.  Instead, attendees sit at a long table like heroes of Heorot merrily drinking grog, hyperbolizing past accomplishments, and causing a general stir.  Nicole and I were seated next to a couple that moved to Golden just a year ago as well as some local restaurant personalities.  Throughout the night I heard stories of running a kitchen and tales of Newcastle-fueled antics in England while I, in turn, chewed everybody’s ear off with my travels and experiences in Colorado craft beer.

Our first course was Mad Molly's Brown Ale with five onion soup made with a gallon of Mad Molly mixed in.  This was a hearty spread; the thick, bready, cheesy goodness of the soup complemented the velvety mouthfeel of Mad Molly effectively filling my gut in a matter of sips.  The rustic nature of both the beer and the soup made me feel like a frontiersman hunkered down for a winter storm.

Mad Molly with soup

The second course was Evolution IPA paired with short ribs braised in said IPA with Boursin mashed potatoes, pickled red onions, and sautéed beets.  When speaking of the food portion of this course, one cannot effectively describe the flavor without repeatedly using the word “rich.”  Oh, the creaminess of the cheese, the succulent nature of the meat, the sweetness of the sauce!  So rich was the meal it could probably buy a private island.  So rich, indeed, that it would have been difficult to finish had it not been paired with the citrusy, grapefruit-like Evolution which acted as an expert palate cleanser. 

Evolution with short ribs

By the time the final course came around I was already feeling as stuffed as an over-zealous taxidermist’s mount but the food and beer was so good I was determined to see it through to the end: Lookout Stout paired with an oatmeal cookie bite, cherry cheesecake, and Breckenridge Bourbon ice cream.  This was probably the easiest pairing for the hosts to put together.  Of course a big, roasted, chocolate-y stout would be served with dessert; it’s not hard to conceive.  Plus, an oatmeal stout and an oatmeal cookie?  Hand-in-hand, my friend.  The final course was the epitome of decadence and was intended to be a knock-out punch that would put attendees in a food coma post-consumption.  It did what it was designed to do.

Lookout Stout with cookie and cheesecake

Nicole and I made it through and left a wee bit heavier and completely sated.  Before we left, we chatted a little more with our fellow beer geeks including the Golden City rep who told me some interesting anecdotes about how a small brewery runs; perhaps I’ll be able to use that information in future endeavors.

Great work, everybody (i.e. Colorado Brewers Guild, Bridgewater, and Golden City).  It was a delicious and informative occasion and I have faith that there will be many more Colorado Beer Tours in the future.  As a matter of fact, the next one is on March 7^th.  Reserve your spot now; you will not regret it.

Prost!

Chris

When Chris told me about the dinner, I was expecting small plates: food samples and some taster-sized glasses of beer. When we walked into the Bridgewater Grill there was a table set up with about 25 seats. I didn’t realize that was for the Brewers Guild dinner until we had already sampled the appetizers and critiqued the first beer. As the dinner began, Chris and I found ourselves sitting next to the owner, general manager, and one of the chefs of Willow Creek, a restaurant in Evergreen. We will have to plan a dinner there in the summer so that we can sit on the patio that overlooks the lake.                

The first course of the meal was a five onion soup that was baked in a crock. Paired with the Mad Molly’s Brown Ale, the soup made for a nice start to the meal. Despite its delicious taste, I didn’t want to fill up on the soup knowing there were two more courses to come.

The second course included beef short ribs that marinated in the Evolution IPA for about 14 hours. The short ribs rested on a fluffy mountain of Boursin mashed potatoes and was encircled by sautéed yellow beets. I didn’t recognize the Boursin name at first, but after looking at the website, I realized that I have tried this cheese before. I found a recipe on the Boursin website that I want to try the next time I make mashed potatoes.  The ribs were very tender but rich. I only ate a little bit which probably looked like I didn’t like it. In reality, it was something I would order again (and you can too because it is a special item on the menu at the Bridgewater Grill for the rest of the month). Knowing that there was an oatmeal cookie and ice cream being served next, I had to prioritize.  

The oatmeal cookie, Breckenridge Bourbon ice cream and dark cherry cheesecake were served with the Lookout Stout. Of the four beers that were showcased, this was my favorite. It was a perfect match with the dessert on a cold, wintery night. I am tempted to pick up a bottle to enjoy by the fireplace. My favorite part of the dessert was the bourbon ice cream made with bourbon from the Breckenridge Distillery in Breckenridge. This is something that I want to try to make. Just like Chris, who enjoys making creative beers, I enjoy experimenting with ice cream. I found a recipe, now I just need to buy some Breckenridge Bourbon and support Colorado’s economy.

Nicole

Super Bowl of Beer: Sam Adams vs. Saranac

Some people judge a city based on its politicians.  Some, on its citizens.  Some people say a city is great because of its natural beauty and others say it’s about the architecture.  Perhaps a metropolis is worthwhile if it has a thriving arts scene.  Maybe we’re attracted to it because of its rich history.  More often than not, though, we base a city’s greatness on how well their professional sports teams play.  That’s not the most accurate way to identify quality urban sites (six Super Bowl wins does not make Pittsburgh any less of a cesspool) but it’s the way most Americans do it nonetheless.

Why not try a different method?  Why not base a city’s greatness on the quality of its beer culture?  In anticipation of the impending Super Bowl, I have pitted Boston and New York beers against each other in a blind, head-to-head competition to see which team—Patriots or Giants—represents the better beer city.  For the Patriots, I chose the obvious: a Sam Adams variety pack.  A more difficult choice was deciding which brewery would represent the Giants.  The Brooklyn Brewery would have been a good contender but, as you can ascertain from the title of this blog, I live in Colorado and Brooklyn beer isn’t so easy to come by.  That is why I ultimately settled on Saranac—it isn’t from New York City but it is, at least, within the state and it is readily available in Denver.

I matched the beers from each brewery by style as closely as possible and had Nicole pour the competing beers in identical glasses without my observing.  This is how the game played out:

Sam Adams Alpine Spring vs. Saranac Bohemian Pilsener
Beer one is a clear, pale yellow color and has a sweet candy-like aroma: apple-y and lemony with floral hops.  It possesses a small amount of bitter flavor that quickly subsides.    It tastes sweet, malty, fruity, and cider-like.  Beer two is orange/yellow with a bit of haze.  It also has a candy-like aroma but leaning more towards oranges rather than lemons.  The floral hop nose is more apparent and the flavor is yeasty, bready, dry, and similar to that of an unsalted pretzel. 

I liked beer two best, Nicole liked them both but with the addendum that beer one would be best for summertime drinking and that beer two is an “anytime beer” so it wasn’t exactly a run-away.  The way I see it, one team scored a touchdown, the other a field goal.  The score thus far: Sam Adams: 7, Saranac: 3. 

Sam Adams Mighty Oak Ale vs. Saranac Vanilla Stout
This is an “apples and oranges” match-up—two barely similar beers—but both bottles tout a vanilla flavor thus they were matched together.  Beer one is a clear, copper color—like rust.  The aroma is apple-y with a touch of vanilla and wood in the flavor.  Beer two is pitch-black with scarcely any highlights.  The nose is like raisins, chocolate, and vanilla mixed together and the flavor is vanilla, caramel, and a more pronounced bitterness. 

Nicole and I agreed that beer two was the superior beer.  Sam Adams: 7, Saranac 10.

Sam Adams Boston Lager vs. Saranac Lake Effect Lager
This was a challenge I thought would be much closer but it turned out the beers were as disparate as the previous competition.  Beer one is clear, burnt amber red with an eggshell head.  The aroma is malty, roasted, and toffee-esque.  The taste is bready, malty, low on hops, and akin to a Scottish ale, molasses, or a gingerbread cookie.  Beer two is a clear orange/yellow and smells like an orange popsicle.  It is sweet, flowery, and yeasty on the tongue with a dry mouthfeel. 

Nicole and I split our choices; she liked beer one (Saranac) and I liked Beer two (Sam Adams).  Both teams went three and out.  Sam Adams: 7, Saranac 10.

Sam Adams Black Lager vs. Sam Adams Chocolate Bock vs. Saranac Chocolate Lager
Whoa, whoa, whoa!  Sam Adams is putting in two players for this round?  That’s not fair!  Then again, history has shown that the Patriots can cheat and pretty much get away with it so why shouldn’t the beer representing them do the same?  Beer one is a clear, oaky brown—like iced tea.  A dark chocolate/brownie with an almost peppery smell permeates the nose while oak, plum, raisin, and the burn of alcohol round out the flavor.  Beer two is a deep, deep red with a lighter chocolate aroma intermingled with wood and a little vanilla scent.  It tastes a little chocolate-y, a little woody, and a little skunky.  Beer three is an even deeper shade of red than beer two with a slight chocolate aroma accompanied by a sweet essence.  The chocolate flavor is much more pronounced than it is in the nose—it’s like drinking alcoholic chocolate milk. 

From best to worst, Nicole liked beer two (Sam Adams Black Lager), beer one (Saranac), and beer three (Sam Adams Chocolate Bock).  I, on the other hand, ranked it as such: beer three, beer one, and beer two.  All three beers scored the same which means that, even though it was outmatched, Saranac held off Sam Adams.  No score. Sam Adams: 7, Saranac 10.

Sam Adams Whitewater IPA vs. Saranac India Style Copper Ale
This, too, was a match-up that I thought would be more neck-and-neck.  It turns out an IPA and an India style copper ale are quite different.  Beer one smells lemony and lightly hopped.  It tastes like coriander and the hop profile is more akin to an English IPA than an American IPA.  Beer two smells malty and molasses-y.  The malts are so much that they essentially counteract any hop bite thus making this beer taste like a Scottish ale.  The mouthfeel is thick and velvety. 

Nicole and I split out choices again.  She went for beer two (Saranac) and I went for beer one (Sam Adams).  Again, it’s a wash.  Sam Adams: 7, Saranac 10.

Sam Adams Irish Red vs. Saranac Big Moose Ale
The final round.  I really didn’t know what type of beer Big Moose was but every other beer had already found a competitor so I put it against Irish Red.  Beer one is a clear reddish orange akin to a sunset.  It smells of floral hops and sugar while the taste is bitter like that of an orange peel.  Beer two is a clear mahogany with scents and flavors that remind the drinker of plums or grapes.  It’s also quite dry. 

It came down to this round to determine the winner.  Nicole and I both agreed; beer two was better.  Final score: Sam Adams: 14, Saranac 10.

Yes, New England has won the Super Bowl of beers but, if you must know the truth, I had a hard time getting through this challenge; Sam Adams and Saranac make some pretty terrible beers.  Sure, Boston edged out New York but it’s like Kim Kardashian outsmarting a goat.  I mean, yeah, you won, Kim, but it’s a freaking goat.  And it was a close game. 

Through this competition I learned one invaluable truth—cities with great football teams have an inverse proportion of great beer.  If great beer equaled a great NFL team then the Broncos or the Seahawks or the Chargers would be in the Super Bowl every year.  And, if the same is true for basketball, the Trail Blazers would be in the finals all the time.  So, no, Denver, Tebow didn’t answer your prayers but I hope you can still enjoy the game sipping on a fine-crafted Colorado-made beer because—and I hope you don’t take it for granted—it’s some of the best beer you can get.  I know--I’ve had what the other 49 have been making. 

Prost!

Chris

DIY at B&B Makes for a VHBG (That Stands for "Very Happy Beer Geek")

I’ve seen a ski rack made of two-by-fours and duct tape strapped to the top of an ‘83 Buick.  I’ve seen mountain shacks shingled with discarded, discolored license plates.  I’ve seen jeans patched with corduroy, wounds dressed with torn t-shirts, and bicycles modified with sidecars, trailers, and bar tops.  For better or worse, Colorado is a do-it-yourself kind of state.

This attitude stems from our history—when Colorado was the real-life version of Frontierland.  When your wagon wheel broke, when your food rations ran low, and when your safety was threatened by wild animals, what did you do?  You didn’t call AAA, you mended that wheel yourself.  You didn’t go to Safeway, you ate what you killed.  You didn’t involve animal control, you wrestled a cougar with your bare hands and let loose a primeval howl thus informing predators you were on the top of the food chain.  That independent pioneer spirit still lives in the Coloradoan’s daily life; “I can do it myself,” is the unofficial state motto and, seeing as Colorado is America’s beer HQ, it’s only natural that the DIY outlook would eventually find its way into the realm of craft beer.  You see, in other states you can order a beer that’s been dry-hopped.  Well, well, well, hello Mr. Rockefeller!  You got somebody hopping your beer for you?  You probably pay somebody you drink it for you, too.  Here in Colorado—at least at Bull & Bush Pub and Brewery—we aren’t completely inept; we hop our beers ourselves.

I speak of Bull & Bush’s Whole Hop Infusion: a process in which customers order a beer, choose a type of hop (currently, Cascade, Crystal, and Chinook are on the menu but Nugget and Northern Brewer are coming soon), and flavor their beer in a French press.  Customers can then wait a little while for a touch of hop aroma and taste or have it sit for a long time (ten minutes is the recommended maximum time), allowing the natural oils of the hop cones to really inundate the beer creating a colossal hop wallop on the nose and tongue.  It’s up to you, the drinker, to decide how long you want those hops to soak in.

Intrigued, I, along with my sisters, made a trip to Bull & Bush.  I had to give this contraption a whirl.  For the first beer, we played it pretty safe—we ordered a Justice IPA with Chinook hops.  The risk was low because it’s already a hopped-up beer—we’d just be adding a little more.  I waited the full ten minutes because I wanted to feel all the aggressive power of the hops.  My watch flashed ten, I gently pushed down on the stem of the French press, and, like a geisha with green tea, gently poured the beer into my stemmed glassware.  I was greeted with a seductive scent—the freshest hopped beer one could possibly hope for.  These grassy, peppery aromas are the stuff of beer geek dreams.  The flavor is, likewise, entrancing.  Certainly, Justice would highlight the hops even without the Whole Hop Infusion but the dry-hopping process imparts a smoky, earthy flavor that I, for one, find hard to top.

Justice with Chinook

Anybody who has read more than a handful of my posts know I’m not one for taking the easy route when it comes to beer; I came to experiment.  Dry-hopping Justice was child’s play; I wanted to dry-hop a style that isn’t known for its hop profile.  I ordered the Big Ben Brown Ale with Cascade hops. *Gasp* Scandalous!  Sacrilege! Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes! Volcanoes!  The dead rising from the grave!  Human sacrifice!  Dogs and cats living together!  Mass hysteria! Even the waitress said, “oh, that’s naughty” when I placed my order.

What’s the hubbub all about?  Simply put, you just don’t dry-hop brown ales.  Browns are all about the malts; they’re nutty, toffee-like, chocolate-y, or molasses-y, but they are not hoppy.  The beer pope may condemn me to beer hell where the only thing to drink is lukewarm Natty Ice but, like Galileo’s run-in with the real pope, I believe history will vindicate my actions.

Enough lead-in, let’s get down to the beer.  Like Justice, I waited the full ten minutes and, when I finally poured it out, I was in for a surprise in incongruence; in terms of flavor, Big Ben’s dark malts were too strong to allow much, if any, hope taste to come through.  It is, in essence, the typical flavor of an English brown ale albeit with a slipperier mouthfeel caused by the myrcene.  The nose, however, tells a different story.  The Cascade hops, usually prevalent in beers from the American Northwest, contribute a Deschutes-y pale ale-like smell.  Close ones eyes and smell a Cascade dry-hopped Big Ben and one couldn’t guess it’s actually a brown ale. 

Big Ben with Cascade

Is dry-hopping brown ales the next big thing in the American craft beer movement?  Likely not, but that’s the beauty of the Whole Hop Infusion process; you can experiment and play with different combinations until you hit gold.  Maybe I won’t Cascade hop a brown next time I’m at Bull & Bush but I can guarantee you I’ll come up with some other concoction that’s just as odd.

What do you say?  Are you ready to put a little more input into the beer you’re drinking?  As of now, only Bull & Bush and Table 6 offer this service but this beer geek has a feeling that the trend is going to spread to other Denver establishments very soon.  The craft beer scene in this city, nay, in this state, is too strong to ignore and the beer community demands innovation after innovation.  Colorado must stay on top of its game.  However, until the inevitable influx of self-dry-hopping finds a home in other establishments, go to Bull & Bush, try the Whole Hop Infusion, and be a beer hipster that dry-hopped his/her own beer before it was cool.

Prost!

Chris                                 

The Colorado/Massachusetts War

There’s scarcely any doubt that Colorado is at least among the best places in America to procure a fine, hand-crafted ale or lager.  The sheer number of breweries, the countless beer festivals (including the granddaddy of them all, Great American Beer Festival), and the overall beer-mindedness of the state’s citizens essentially proves that point.  Sure, Colorado has worthy competition in the Pacific Northwest where some of the first microbreweries popped up, in the San Diego-area where the biggest, boldest beers were conceived, in Wisconsin where an increasing number of small breweries seek to reclaim their state’s beer image after the corporate giants ruined it, and, hell, in light of the fact that it won the most medals at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival (also the most gold medals), even Indiana can be considered a leader in the realm of craft beer.  As much competition as Colorado has, there is an even greater number of regions that are so un-evolved in beer culture that they’re just squishy bits of barely-multicellular mold compared to the highly advanced Homosapien of beer that is Colorado.  Among the slimy, unworthy throngs is the bean-eatin’, tax-hikin’, Matt Damon-lovin’, letter “R” un-pronouncin’, chowdah heads of Boston.

Okay, so what’s with the hostility towards the Bay State?  To put it simply and immaturely, they started it! 

NFL fans as well as all Americans not living under a rock know that the Denver Broncos will be taking on the New England Patriots in a playoff game this Saturday, January 14^th.  It’s also no secret that, sometimes, the mayors from the opposing teams’ cities make non-monetary bets on the game.  For example, if the Chiefs and the Eagles were to play each other, the mayor of Kansas City would have to send the mayor of Philadelphia a plate of his city’s world-famous BBQ ribs if his team lost and the mayor of Philly would have to send KC some cheesesteaks if his team lost.  Just last week, the mayor of Pittsburgh was forced to “Tebow” in front of the city skyline and, depending on the outcome of the upcoming game, either Denver’s Mayor Hancock will have to wear a Patriots jersey and send Boston’s Mayor Menino a Colorado steak or Menino will have to adorn the Paul Revere statue with a Tebow jersey and send Hancock a lobster dinner.  That’s no problem with all of that; it’s fun, it’s silly, and it stays within the jurisdiction of professional sports.  But then Menino had to keep flapping his jaw.

In an interview with the Boston Globe, Menino said, “I mean, you know, Colorado beer? It hasn't even made it east yet. Sam Adams has made it to the west and Harpoon has made it out there, but Colorado Rocky beer? Uck.”

I’ve talked about warring beer factions before.  I’ve talked about Oregon breweries going to battle against Colorado breweries.  I’ve talked about the hubbub surrounding Funkwerks and their Māori King.  I’ve talked about how a brewery in Washington got its panties in a twist over Dry Dock’s Seven Seas.  This is different.  This is some uninformed dirt-bag that will say any rotten thing if it gets the public’s attention; Menino is the Kanye West of the political world.

Part of me hates that I’m giving in to his provocation but I have my reasons.  If the trash talking had been relegated to pro football things would have been peachy; pro sports were invented for that type of talk and, besides that, the worst player on the worst team still makes a butt-load of cash so, really, how badly do words hurt?  But no!  Menino attacked our brewers.  He attacked our small business owners.  He attacked those who help keep Colorado’s economy afloat.  By God, he attacked the very values—the idea that everybody has a right to high-quality beer—that make Colorado great.

Let’s dissect Menino’s quote piece by piece and reveal how much of a blowhard he really is, shall we?

“Colorado beer…hasn’t even made it east yet.”

Really?  New Belgium Brewing is coast-to-coast, Great Divide, despite having to pullout of a few distribution regions, still sends beers east, Breckenridge Brewery is just as widespread, and even little ol’ Tommyknocker goes to states that touch the Atlantic.  These are facts that I learned via five minutes of internet research.  True, I did find that none of the mentioned breweries distribute to Massachusetts but that doesn’t mean Colorado doesn’t share its world-class beer with the rest of America.  Maybe your state just isn’t good enough to have Colorado beer, Menino.  

“Sam Adams has made it to the west and Harpoon has made it out there.”

For this part of my argument, I’m going to contradict myself a bit but that’s inevitable when the original statement is, itself, contradictory.  Menino’s logic is that only good beer is available to the masses when, in fact, most people know that something made for the masses is inevitably terrible e.g. pop music, McDonald’s, sitcoms...etc.

Hancock also made a good rebuttal in the Denver Post: "First of all, we are the microbrew capital of the nation. Some of the best beer in the world is brewed here in Colorado. The moment Sam Adams sells more beer than Coors, then he can come talk to me. Otherwise, he needs to stay in Boston and not talk about our beer."

While I wish Hancock had emphasized the microbrewery aspect more, he makes a great point;  If widespread distribution is what makes a beer great—which Menino insinuates—then Coors beats the ever-living crap out of anything that comes out of Boston.

"Colorado Rocky beer? Uck."

You don’t hold a gigantic beer fest like Great American Beer Festival in a state that doesn’t already have a thriving beer scene.  Furthermore, who’s been winning more medals at said festival?  Eric Gorski, investigative reporter for the Denver Post writes on his Twitter account, “All time @GABF medals for Colorado beers: 491. Massachusetts: 94. @First_Drafts @BostonDotCom @SteveGreenlee @timhoover.”  Suck on that, Menino.

I see that certain Colorado breweries are making game-day bets with Massachusetts breweries.  As a long-time Patriots-hater, there’s nothing I’d like to see more than Tom Brady get pulverized like an overripe banana between two very large Bronco defenders but that really isn’t the point, is it?  A good football team does not equal a good beer scene.  I demand a beer taste-off!  I want my state’s breweries to throw down the gauntlet and challenge Massachusetts to a head-to-head competition.  Patriots win, Broncos win, it doesn’t matter because Colorado has the nation’s best beer no matter what some blabbermouth Masshole has to say.

Prost!

Chris

Small Brewery, Big Personality

I've never been a supporter of New Year's resolutions.  For one, I've always felt that if you've been meaning to do something then, dammit, just do it; no point in waiting till the end of December to create a positive change.  Also, having been raised Catholic, I already had to contend with Lent.  I could scarcely make myself commit to 40 days let alone 365.  Nonetheless, the spirit of the season possesses me and I decided, for the first time, to make a resolution.  I have heard the secret to a successful resolution is to make one that can be kept and I figure the best way to accomplish that is to make your resolution something you already like to do.  That is why I have decided that, in 2012, I shall visit new Colorado breweries and, on December 31^st, the total number will be comparable to the total visited in 2011.  Thanks to Wit’s End Brewing Company, I am 1/13^th closer to realizing that goal.

 

Having opened but a few months ago, Wit’s End was a component in the 2011 Denver brewery surge.  Along with Renegade Brewing Company, Denver Beer Co., Copper Kettle Brewing Company, and Caution: Brewing Co., Wit’s End has helped make the past year an unusually productive one for craft beer in the Mile High City (I anticipate that TRVE Brewing Company, Prost Brewing Company, Black Shirt Brewing Co., and Black Sky Brewery will continue the growth in 2012).  Yes, with the obvious exception of Tebow Mania, right now is a good time to be a Denverite. 

The first thing you’ll notice about the brewery upon your approach is the fact that you don’t notice it; tucked away in an industrial strip which is, itself, centered in a quiet, unlit neighborhood, you just need to know where you’re going if you want to visit the Wit’s End taproom.  In a weird way, this exemplifies the Coloradoan’s unbridled passion for beer.   A place like Wynkoop Brewing Company, for example, attracts a lot of customers—beer geek or not—because it is in a part of town where there is already a lot of foot traffic; it’s just a matter of luring these passersby through the front door (of course, the reason there’s foot traffic on that street is because Wynkoop set up shop there but that’s another story for another day).  Denver Beer, on ultra-hip Platte Street, and Renegade, right off of the Art District on Santa Fe, enjoy the same perks.  Wit’s End, however, cannot rely on impulse customers because there just isn’t anybody on the street to entice; every customer Wit’s End gets is there because they made a concerted effort to get there.   Like its brothers in isolation Uplsope Brewing Company, Strange Brewing Company, and Elk Mountain Brewing, Wit’s End must count on customer service, the support of rabid beer geeks, and quality of product to carry it through the day.  Fortunately, Wit’s End has all of these qualities in spades.   

We opened the door and walked into one of the smallest possible taprooms one could imagine.  Only Big Beaver Brewing Co. (before the expansion), Three Barrel Brewing Co. (though I heard they expanded, too), and Crystal Springs Brewing Co. can, I think, claim a more miniscule space for imbibing.  No matter, I enjoy a cozy space when I’m sipping my craft beer.  Aside from the overwhelming smallness, the décor of Wit’s End can best be described as minimalistic: a framed collection of drink coasters here, a wall of grain bags stapled there, and that’s pretty much what you get in the way of ambiance.  The feeling one gets when entering Wit’s End is that one is not in a commercial brewery but rather a rec room or a clubhouse where one can shuffle in wearing work clothes, have a laugh with close friends, and sling a few back.  Don’t try to get all fancy on me, Wit’s End; camaraderie amongst beer geeks flourishes in laid-back atmospheres such as the one you’ve created. 

And camaraderie does, indeed, flourish.  After drinking beer, my favorite brewery activity is shooting the breeze with other visitors.  Usually, Nicole and I can strike up five minute conversation here and there but hardly anything substantial.  At Wit’s End, you can’t help but be sociable.  We chatted with almost everybody in the room—brewmaster Scott Witsoe included—and, when we left, we felt as though we weren’t first-time customers but regulars that have been drinking there for years.  Even in other small breweries it is rare to get that experience.  I fully expect that, upon my next visit, the entire room will turn to me and say my name in Cheers-like fashion when I walk through the door. 

Ah, but I’ve yet to get to the most important part: the beer.  We ordered the sample platter (something every brewery needs to offer) which included Jean-Claude Van Blonde (6.5% ABV), Super FL i.p.a. (6.7% ABV), Kitchen Sink Porter (5.8% ABV), Ugly Sweater (forgot to write down ABV), and Green Man Ale (6.3% ABV).  The descriptions of these beers are a little skimpier than usual but that’s because we spent most of our time socializing rather than taking the usual meticulous notes.

Back row, left to right: Jean-Claude, Super FL i.p.a., & Kitchen Sink.  Front row, left to right: Ugly Sweater & Green Man  

Jean-Claude, besides having a goofy name, is straw colored and has strong aroma and taste of coriander.  It isn’t a hefeweizen but it would be hard to tell the difference if one were to drink it blindfolded.  It is crisp, clean, and the flavor loiters on the palate for some time.

Super FL i.p.a. is a hazy espresso-colored beer (dark brown core with light brown highlights) and smells and tastes of pine needles and cedar chips.  It is technically a black IPA but I think “brown IPA” is more appropriate. 

Kitchen Sink has a dark hazelnut color but, despite the darkness, it is still, when held to a light, a clear beer.  The aroma is similar to that of milk chocolate and the flavor is lightly roasted and nutty.

Ugly Sweater is hazy and brown-orange with little to no aroma.  The story behind this beer is that is basically an English brown ale with a bunch of random stuff thrown in and, of that random stuff, the roasted pumpkin seeds are the most noticeable—especially after a hearty belch.

Green Man was kicked moments after we got our taster and it’s a good thing we didn’t arrive any later because it turned out to be my favorite beer of the night.  Green Man is almost clear with a dash of opaqueness.  It is the color of polished brass.  Upon first whiff I couldn’t help but be taken back: what is that smell?  It was so unusual, so reminiscent of fruit.  But what fruit?  Even Nicole, with a nose like a bloodhound (in terms of ability, not appearance) couldn’t root it out right away but, after a few sips, we realized what it was: pineapple.  Now, Wit’s End makes no mention of using pineapple or pineapple juice in the creation of this beer so I have to assume that it is the hops that impart that tropical smell and taste.  A piney aftertaste follows the initial island-like flavor.

After a little more chatting and some additional short pints of Super FL i.p.a., we left what felt like a friend’s party.  I thank you, Wit’s End, for starting my New Year’s out right and I encourage my readers to have a pint or two in the tasting room.  Sure, big breweries like New Belgium Brewing, Odell Brewing Company, and Great Divide Brewing Co. may have established Colorado’s beer scene but it is the little guys like Wit’s End that keep our native beers funky and uniquely Coloradoan.

Prost!

Chris

The English major in me likes how Scott cleverly imbedded his surname in the logo.

The English major in me dislikes the misspelling of "your." Unless it is written in Mr. T dialect.  It would still be wrong, though, because Mr. T would never say "please."

Friday, we went to one of the newer breweries in Denver—Wit’s End—which opened a few months ago around the time of Great American Beer Festival. Chris always keeps up on the latest beer news in Denver including new brewery openings. Wit's End is tucked away in an industrial complex but easy enough to find if you have the address. When Chris said it was a small brewery I imagined a bar with just enough room for the brewmaster to serve his beer, five or six chairs, and the bartender's buddy. In reality, the brewery had a pretty large bar with seating for about 10 people, 5 or 6 small tables, and a fairly large crowd eager for a beer. We sat down at the bar and ordered a sampler so that we could try all of the beers they had to offer. We started chatting with the people next to us about breweries and some of our favorites in the state. A group of guys walked in and we talked to them for a while about beer and breweries. Then the brewmaster’s neighbors walked in so we talked to them, too. Then a guy that we met a few months ago at Hops & Pie walked in [I also saw him at GABF ~ Chris]. I felt like we were meeting up with friends, not total strangers.

We learned from the brewer that he is going to be in Vail for the Big Beers, Belgians, and Barleywines Festival. This is a festival that we have yet to attend. Since the festival is for Belgian beers and barleywines, he was taking the Jean-Claude Van Blonde which is brewed with Belgian yeast. Thinking about Vail reminds us that we still need to visit the breweries in the Vail/Avon/Eagle area. We can probably accomplish that this summer when we don't have to deal with Saturday morning ski traffic.

We walked into the brewery with the intention of trying new beer and adding another brewery to our list but I didn't realize that we were going to hanging out with a fun little beer community. This place is like Cheers. The brewmaster, Scott, chats with everyone there and is genuinely appreciative that they are there. The art work is framed coasters from other breweries and beers establishments from around the US and around the world. The coaster from Elysian Brewing Company reminded me that we did not visit them when we were in Seattle two years ago. We only heard about Elysian in the past year when our friend used their Jasmine beer as an inspiration for one of her homebrews. So, Chris and I have made plans to go to the new Husky Stadium when it opens for the football season and visit Elysian while we’re there. Hopefully, we will get to try some of the pumpkin beers that they don't sell here in Colorado.

Nicole