Strange Days are Here Again

The Colorado beer geek is the human equivalent of the mother grizzly bear.  One would likely find either milling about the mountains, minding their own respective businesses, enjoying the outdoors, frolicking in streams, eating berries, and crapping in the woods (Coloradoans do a lot of camping; they have to do it somewhere).  And, if you’ve seen the impressive, bushy beards hanging on many a taproom patron’s chin, you know neither is lacking in the fluff factor, either.  For the most part, the Colorado beer geek and the mother grizzly are just affable, shaggy lugs hanging out in the wilderness. 

Unless, of course, they feel threatened. 

If, for example, you feel it necessary to lob a bear cub around like a volleyball, you may find that loveable, huggable ball of fur bearing down on you in a frenzy of teeth, screams, and blood.  Beer geeks, while slightly less murderous, are nonetheless protective of the people and places they love and, in the absence of fangs and talons, use social media to tear their enemies asunder.  I allude, of course, to the public outcry in support of a beloved Denver brewery, Strange Brewing Company, who has been on the defensive end of a months-long legal tussle with a somewhat-similarly named homebrew shop in Massachusetts over trademark infringement.  Now, bitchin’ and moanin’ on Facebook is one way to combat the powers of evil but, to truly fight for justice, allies must assemble.  And assemble they did last Sunday at Rackhouse Pub for Strange Days, the legal fundraiser for our brewery under attack.

With the event slated for 3pm, Nicole and I arrived at the Rackhouse parking lot at 2:30 and, even then, the line for admittance was curling all the way around the lot and past the street.  I don’t care how made-of-stone you think you are, many a beer geek “had something in their eyes” when they saw the outpouring of support for their local suds-slingers.

While it is obvious that everybody in attendance was a fan of Strange, it’s not as if we were all straight-up donating to the cause; we were getting plenty in return like unlimited samples from 33 Colorado breweries, skull-rattling Celtic rock courtesy of Indigent Row, and the camaraderie of fellow Strange supporters.  Beer geeks got their fun, participating breweries got their advertising, and Strange got some money to help battle those relentless jerkwads in Massachusetts.  It was a win-win situation for all involved (except for those relentless jerkwads). 

Appropriately, of all the breweries in attendance, Strange was placed prominently at the end of the bar, closest to the entrance. It just wouldn’t be right not to start the event off with beer from the brewery of honor, now would it?  Nicole and I got our pours of Cherry Kriek and drifted off into the melee of brews, tunes, and merriment.

Tim from Strange pours Cherry Kriek

Of all the beers in attendance, I would place my top five as such: Hippity Hops from CAUTION: Brewing Co., The Logical Fallacy from Very Nice Brewing Company, Wilford from Wit’s End Brewing Company, Apre Shred Winter Ale from Big Choice Brewing, and Ten FIDY from Oskar Blues Brewery (a classic that cannot be denied).  Although I’m pretty sure Dry Dock Brewing Co.’s Seven Cease & Desist Double IPA is just their Double IPA re-renamed for the event, it’s still a great beer and the appellation is appropriate seeing as both Strange and Dry Dock have had similar experiences in the realm of trademark infringement.

Nicole was awfully fond of Snowy River Vanilla Porter from Pateros Creek Brewing Co., the same winter ale from Big Choice, Rumba from Boulder Beer, Pome Mel from Colorado Cider Company, and the latest Fade to Black from Left Hand Brewing Co.

We mingled with familiar faces such as Danny from CAUTION, John from Gravity Brewing, and our pals Travis and Angela with Travis’s dad in tow.  I feel I drank a decent amount of beer at Srange Days (I did, after all, unlock the “Take it Easy” badge on Untappd; 12 beers in one day) but Travis’s dad, on the other hand, was systematically marking every beer off the list—that’s at least 38 beers!  Granted, they were all sample sizes but we’re talking about two-to-three times the amount as a typical Great American Beer Festival pour and most of the beers in attendance were high in alcohol.  My hat is off to that fine gentleman.

Indigent Row

What a great event and what a great cause!  The last I heard, we raised $6,000 which is, eh, a bit lacking when considering how much lawyer fees can add up to but, you know what, it’s something and that’s a whole lot better than nothing.  Besides, the money is only a small part of the picture; the ardent support put forth by the local beer community is worth more than all the hops in Bohemia.  Should the worst happen, should the judge presiding over the case happen to be the uncle of those Massachusetts jerkwads, should evil prevail in the courtroom, Strange will survive (albeit under a different name) thanks to our undying support.  No matter what happens, it isn’t the end of the world (or of Strange’s business).

When it was time to leave, I gave Tim of Strange the awkward high five/fist bump hybrid, I hopped in the passenger seat of Nicole’s car, and I mused on all the fun I had just experienced.  Hey, other Denver breweries, I got a great idea; you, too, can get yourself into a legal dispute and we can have another great party like this one to help bail you out!  Look, it’s just something to think about.

Make sure to “Like” the Strange support group on Facebook.

Prost!

Chris      

Cannonball Creek Makes a Splash

The cool wind whizzing past your ears, a satisfying splash, a shore-soaking column of water, gleeful giggles, the refreshing and rapid transition from sweltering heat to invigorating chillness, and the cheers of approval elicited from witnesses of the dramatic event: as a kid, there’s hardly a better feeling than performing the perfectly-executed cannonball at the local swimming hole. 

One can “cannonball” in a more metaphorical sense, too.  Say, for example, we replace the body of water with Golden, Colorado (AKA Coors Country) and replace the flying, tuck-positioned child with Cannonball Creek Brewing Company, the latest—and only second—craft brewery to splashdown in the mega-brewery’s backyard.  That, too, can cause waves.

Named for Clear Creek’s original appellation, Cannonball Creek held its grand opening last Saturday, January 19^th, so Nicole and I, after working up a thirst hiking local landmark Castle Rock, thought it best to replenish ourselves with new, local craft beer.  Fortunately for Cannonball Creek but unfortunately for anybody trying to get a hassle-free beer, everybody else in town had the same idea.

Set to open at 3pm, Nicole and I arrived at Cannonball Creek at 2:45 and, by that time, the line of anticipating beer geeks curled around the corner.  What can one infer from this situation?  There’s no right answer to the question but I choose to see it as such: Golden locals are sick of their beer scene being exclusively linked to Coors.  They know that on a state-wide level their home is the craft beer capital but, on a municipal level, there is but a corporate Goliath and a single, miniscule David (i.e. Golden City Brewery).  Certainly, the locals can thank Coors for being a job creator and for bringing loads of tourist dollars into an otherwise sleepy, foothills burg but it must be frustrating to be in the midst of the craft beer revolution and yet have so few craft breweries to show for it.  This, I believe, is the reason for the fanfare surrounding Cannonball Creek. It is a show of appreciation; a “thank you” to a business with locals in mind—another David brewery for beer-savvy Goldenites to enjoy as out-of-staters and School of Mines undergrads horde Coors.

The doors opened and the taproom was rushed like water flowing through a burst dam.  Patrons snatched seats as if they were doomsday preppers stockpiling last minute canned goods.  Eventually, the smoke cleared and Nicole and I were able to eke out standing room by the windows for our imbibing pleasure.  Being situated by the windows, we noticed the line outside kept advancing yet never became shorter (more people came to refill it) and that nobody seemed to be leaving the taproom; I’m pretty sure there’s a black hole in Cannonball Creek—how else does one cram people into a room lacking available space?  I don’t know what the zoning laws say but there’s definitely an area in front big enough to fit a patio and I hope the brewery seriously considers installing such an outdoor space; if the massive support for this brewery lasts, they’ll need the extra seating.

Nicole wiggled her way to the bar and managed to procure a Parbuckle Pale Ale (4.5% ABV) and a Mindbender IPA (4.5% ABV).  Parbuckle is a hybrid American/English pale ale with a cloudy, pale yellow body and a cherry-like aroma.  The flavor is mildly hoppy and quite yeast-forward.  Mindbender is essentially the same color as Parbuckle but with more clarity.  It smells and tastes piney, woody; it’s a sensible American-style IPA—not too biting.

Left to right: Parbuckle & Mindbender

As we sipped the beers we fought so hard to acquire, we engaged in a bit of people-watching.  I noticed somebody in line wearing a shirt reading “The Cookie Brewer” and, having my memory sparked, I checked my Twitter followers.  Sure enough, there was The Cookie Brewer.  I started typing and the conversation went like so:

Me: @TheCookieBrewer is that you right outside Cannonball Creek right now?

TCB: @BeerInColorado Yep!!! Come say hi!

Me: @TheCookieBrewer look behind you

A bit creepy?  Yes, but the situation lent itself well to this mischievous exchange and, hopefully, the presence of my girlfriend tempered the creep-factor; it would have been a different story had I been alone.  At any rate, it’s always nice to meet cyber friends in the corporal world.  Give her a follow on Twitter while you’re thinking about it.

Nicole enjoys having her picture taken

We finished our beers, made our way through the jungle of limbs and pints, and finally found ourselves outside.  While the crowds will surely wane over time, I’m willing to bet Cannonball Creek will always be a popular destination for beer geeks and especially Golden beer geeks who are desperate for more craft options.  They won’t be desperate for long, though, as three more craft breweries will be opening in Golden this year! 

Soon, Golden will have five small breweries firing cannons at the citadels of Coors.  Those walls are steadfast and will never crumble but artillery strikes, nonetheless, will cause cracks and dents—cracks and dents just big enough for local beer geeks to take hold.  And that’s all the damage that needs to be done to allow craft beer culture to flourish in the shadow of the giant.

Follow Beer in Colorado on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook.

Prost!

Chris     

Golden from atop Castle Rock

Espying Coors from Castle Rock

This person (I assume a brewer at Echo Brewing Company) really likes double IPAs

Being the Proper English Gentleman at Denver Beer Co.'s New Barrel Room Annex

A misty moor, whale-oil lanterns flickering in a dim room, curls of ethereal smoke flowing from a Sherlock Holmes-esque pipe.  A boar’s head stuffed and mounted on a mahogany-clad wall, bookshelves lined with dusty, leather-bound tomes, and a regal portrait of a country gentleman accompanied by his faithful hound.  Despite a toxic River Thames, rampant disease, and the fact that people just threw their bodily waste out the window, the Victorian Era retains a great deal of romanticism for those who, like me, are easily suckered-in by nostalgia for a time before their birth.  We long for the “Good Old Days” conveniently ignoring the fact that only about 1% of the “Good Old Days” were actually good but that is the ingrained talent of the idealist.     

But where can the modern-day American indulge this nostalgia?  Where can the contemporary Denver beer geek fantasize about a hypothetical foxhunt, treat the palate to finely-crafted ales, and harrumph satisfyingly in an intimate, wood-paneled setting?  Bull & Bush Brewery certainly has the manor-on-the-moors décor down pat but that’s but one option and, for me, it’s a bit of a drive being on the opposite side of the metro area.  I suppose Pint’s Pub calls to mind Merry Old England, too, but, in my opinion, the space is too open and too well lit for patrons to experience an adequate-level of snugness.  Plus, with all the Old World tchotchkes nailed to the wall, the place looks like a British T.G.I. Friday’s (I guess across the pond it would more accurately be known as P.O.E.T. Saturday’s).  Woe is me!  Where can I enjoy the charms of the British Isles?  The new Denver Beer Co. Barrel Room annex, that’s where!

Adorned with antler chandeliers, exposed rock and brick walls, the eponymous barrels lining the walls, and reclaimed barn wood (which, I learned, needs to be baked before being screwed into the wall lest you wish it to be infested with bugs, mold, and cow dung) wafting a pleasing, rustic aroma into the space, the Barrel Room is the dark, intimate, and quiet Yin to the main taproom’s bright, open, and flamboyant Yang.  It’s a place to bring a date or host a small party.  A place to kick back, relax, and sip on “a unique beer menu…[of] limited edition IPAs, wood-aged beers and…sour beers.”  A place to enjoy your beer, close your eyes, and think of England. 

I was fortunate enough to attend the media soft opening which consisted only of the owners of Denver Beer Co., their friends and family, and a select few media representatives.  Four beers were available at the time of the event: Prelude, Saison Du Fou, Oak Aged Graham Cracker Porter, and Rwanda Abakundakawa Coffee Stout.

To the uninformed, Prelude, made with fresh-pressed apples, is hard apple cider.  It looks the part: clear, light yellow, and juice-like.  It smells the part: tart and apple-y.  And it tastes the part: dry, fruity, and with just a hint of something spicy in the aftertaste.  But Prelude is, in fact, brewed with the grain sorghum and is technically a gluten-free, hop-less beer.  Actually, I'm pretty hazy on the delineation between cider and beer.  Maybe it's a little bit of both.

Saison Du Fou is Denver Beer Co.’s foray into brett beers.  Aged in Chardonnay barrels for eight months, this saison is a cloudy orange color with a thick, creamy head.  The aroma is dominated by orange citrus wafts with a candy-like quality.  Likewise, the flavor is very orange-y but not quite like simply biting into an orange; it’s more like a complex, foreign-made orange-flavored candy.  You know those dehydrated orange chunks that shrivel and concentrate the flavor and sugar into a single bite?  That’s what this beer tastes like.

The Oak Aged Graham Cracker porter is just like Denver Beer Co.’s Great American Beer Festival-medaling Graham Cracker Porter but with the decadent addition of vanilla flavors imparted by the oak.  This one is dessert in a glass.

The coffee stout is very similar to others of the style but I would wager to say that, while roasted, it isn’t overly roasted; this beer features no black coffee bitterness, just a light and pleasant toasty quality.       

The new Barrel Room—once the gift shop next door—connects to the main taproom via the newly expanded (by 1,700 square feet) brew space.  Denver Beer Co. now boasts a 125% increase in capacity allowing for 3,500 barrels per year and the ability to fill more draft accounts around Denver.

For now, the Barrel Room will be reserved for special events, beer dinners, private parties, and general taproom overflow (the Barrel Room can handle an additional 55 people as well as 35 people on the new patio).  If you’d like to enjoy the ambiance of the Barrel Room, Denver Beer Co. is hosting a grand public opening on Friday, January 18^th at 7pm.  For $60 (plus tax and gratuity), beer geeks can enjoy a beer dinner catered by Mikes2Kitchen in the cozy, new setting.  Make your reservations at 303-433-2739.

The festive atmosphere beer creates will never go away and we, as beer drinkers, will always enjoy a boisterous good time but it’s also beneficial to the soul to escape the hurried world, let one’s body sink into a chair, and languidly sip a good brew.  Toast to Old World charm and quietly enjoy your beer in Denver Beer Co.’s new Barrel Room.

Prost!

Chris

P.S. Follow Beer in Colorado on Twitter and “Like” our Facebook page.         

       

Be "That Guy" with Craft Brewed Clothing Co.

“That Guy.”

You know “That Guy.”

He’s that guy at the concert wearing the t-shirt of the headlining band.  Oh, wow, that really helps distinguish you from the crowd!  I never would have known you liked Social Distortion had you been donned in some other apparel. Simply paying $40 to get crammed into a sweaty, overcrowded venue next to speakers so booming you can’t discern the current song just to worship your musical idols is for posers; true fans brandish their hero’s logo on the chest for all to see. 

For all those beer geeks out there nodding their heads in agreement, allow me to blow your mind: you are “That Guy” (or, perhaps, “That Chick”)!  You may know proper concert protocol but think back to the last beer festival you attended; I’m willing to bet you were emblazoned with images of your favorite beer, brewery, or beer-related organization.  Is that so different from “That Guy” at the concert?  We know you like beer because you’re here—no need to impress the fact upon us.

Here’s another bombshell: I, too, am “That Guy.”  As a matter of fact, I’m among the most prolific “That Guy” offender.  I can hardly help it—probably a solid half of my t-shirt selection is beer-related thus it’s a matter of statistics that the shirt I wear to a beer festival features something boozy.  Hell, so ingrained is “That Guy,” that if I only had three beer shirts it would be those three shirts I’d cycle through over and over again for each festival; I want people to know just how much a craft beer cheerleader I really am. 

You know something?  I’m okay with that.  I’m an ardent craft beer supporter and I don’t care if I go beyond the call of duty in spreading the gospel of beer.  If my shirt brings awareness of a brewery or beer organization to even one new person then I’m helping the industry as a whole because, in the craft beer community, success for one means success for all.  Of course, it’s a bummer if no new people see my shirt but I really buy beer shirts because I like them so who cares how well I’m advertising?  I’m still getting joy from it and that’s what matters most. 

Which brings me to my point: Craft Brewed Clothing Co., the company running the Craft Brewery T-shirt of the Month Club (which supports American craft brewers), has asked me to help get the word out on them so they can help get the word out on your favorite brewery.  You help Craft Brewed Clothing by joining the club, they help brewers get their name out there, brewers make great beer, and then you enjoy said beer while wearing a new shirt—it comes full circle!

Sign-up for three, six, or twelve month memberships and, each month, “receive a new, top quality T-shirt with a design or logo representing a favorite Craft Brewery, Brew Pub or Brewers Guild from around the country.”  Who knows what you’ll get?  It could be the neighborhood nanobrewery down the street or some far-flung brewers guild from the other side of the country!  The surprise is half the fun. 

Brewers and brewers guild representatives who would like to participate in the program and advertise their business on a nationwide scale can do so for free.  Actually, it’s better than free: “CraftBrewedClothing.com is not only FREE to all Craft Brewers, Breweries, Brew Pubs and Brewers’ Guilds but more importantly, it is a revenue source.”

Embrace your “That Guy”-ness!  Wear your beer shirts proudly be it at home or in public.  The misinformed among us may say these actions make you, like “That Guy” at a concert, a tool but, on the scale of all things toolish, wearing your beer shirt to a beer festival is pretty socially acceptable.  It’s not like you’re talking on a Bluetooth device while driving an H2 on your way to Beaver Creek to ski in jeans—now that’s being a tool.  Wearing your beer shirt is a simple action that makes a simple statement: I like and support craft beer.  So, if supporting small, homegrown, American businesses makes you a tool then consider me Ryan Seacrest.  

Visit CraftBrewedClothing.com or check them out on Facebook, Twitter, or at the next beer festival—they get around the festival circuit.

Prost!

Chris   

2012: The Year of the Beer

The closing of a year full of beer is near.  Let us reflect on the sudsy stories that defined the past 365 days. 

~ Nicole and I visited 19 new Colorado breweries in our quest to drink at each one: Amicas Pizza & Microbrewery, Big Choice Brewing, Blackshirt Brewing Co., Bootstrap Brewing, CAUTION: Brewing Company, Copper Kettle Brewing Company, Crazy Mountain Brewing Company, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, Del Norte Brewing Co. (just in time, too, as it ceased operations this year), Elevation Beer Co., Gore Range Brewery, Gravity Brewing, Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub, Our Mutual Friend Malt & Brew, Pikes Peak Brewing Company, Prost Brewing, River North Brewery, TRVE Brewing Company, and Wit’s End Brewing Company.

~We also visited eight out-of-state breweries: Asheville Brewing Company, Bier Brewery, Flat 12 Bierwerks, Fountain Square Brewing Co., Moerlein Lager House, Pisgah BrewingCompany, Tallgrass Brewing Co., and Wedge Brewing Company.

~In terms of beer festivals, we attended the following: Beer Bloggers Conference in Indianapolis (which included the Indiana Microbrewers Festival), Brew at the Zoo, Coffee Beer Fest, the inaugural Colorado Beer Tour at Bridgewater Grill, Cultivate Festival (with awesome pre-festival tours of participating breweries), Do at the Zoo, Great American Beer Festival (GABF), Parade of Darks, and Rails & Ales Brewfest.

~In legal news, the blood between Denver’s Strange Brewing Company and a somewhat-similarly named homebrew shop in Massachusetts went from bad to worse.  I urge you to “like” the Strange support group on Facebook and attend their fundraising event next month.

~I was fortunate enough to cover Mayor Michael B. Hancock’s brew day at Denver Beer Co. and Nicole and I both attended the tapping party for the beer he created.  I even got a picture taken with him.

~During GABF, Nicole and I’s Beer Geek-O-Meter stayed firmly in the red when we attended the media luncheon at the Grand Hyatt Denver.  There were lots of brewing celebrities in the room including Wynkoop Brewing Company co-founder/former Denver mayor/current Colorado governor John Hickenlooper.  I was unable to procure a photo-op with the Governor at that time but, coincidentally, I met him in a bar months later and took advantage of the situation.

The Governor and I

2012, you were good to me but I’ve found a new lover; I’m leaving you for 2013.  Raise a glass and toast to another boozy year.

Prost!

Chris

A tidbit of advice I picked up from the Beer Bloggers Conference was to create new ideas and keep readers interested. My goal, then, was to write weekly posts on using Colorado beer in cooking and baking but grad school and work consumed much of my time and I've yet to meet this goal. So, my 2013 resolution is to cook and bake with beer and write about it at least twice a month. 

Cheers!

Nicole

Gm1m2/r^2 Brewing

grav·i·ty 

Noun:             The force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth, or toward any other physical body having mass. Equation: Fg = Gm1m2/r^2 Wherein G = universal gravitational constant: 6.67 x 10^-11 m1, m2 =  two masses that attract each other Fg =  attractive force between the two masses r = distance between the two masses

grav.i.ty brew.ing 

Noun:

A brewery in Louisville, Colorado with hand-crafted suds that attract beer geeks toward the bar.

Equation: GT = H + MB + Y + W

Wherein

H = hops

MB = malted barley

Y = yeast

W = water

GT = good times

With ski season nigh, Nicole, my sister, and I made a quick trip to Boulder Ski Deals to stock up on new gear but, on the way back, we made a layover in Louisville, Colorado.  Despite Nicole constantly correcting me, telling me it’s pronounced exactly as it’s spelled (Loo-iss-ville), I’m a born Midwesterner, I have an aunt living just across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky, and I’m set in my ways; I doubt I’ll ever be able to say the name of this small, Colorado town without a French/Redneck phonation.  That, however, is a digression.  The reason we stopped in Louisville was to visit Gravity Brewing.

Located behind Mountain High Appliance and comprising half of the American Legion hall, Gravity—whose brewmaster is the son of the co-founder of Boulder Beer—isn’t in the most obvious place.  Those who seek it out, however, are rewarded.  With a large, open space diagonally bisected by a jagged-line bar top, Gravity, like Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, uses decidedly un-chic material and creates a hip environment: picnic tables made of particle board, floors sealed with Rust-Oleum EPOXY SHIELD Garage Floor Coating, and, in a polar opposite of the trash-to-treasure norm, a bar that appears to be constructed of old pallets but is actually composed of new wood.  Made with alternating dark and light boards complete with staples, a lot of time and effort went into creating the illusion that the bar top used to be warehouse skids.

Nicole and I ordered the sample platter: Coolship (4.7% ABV), Louisville Belgian Ale (6.5% ABV), Mendacious (8.1%), Newtonian (5.7% ABV), Regular (7.5% ABV), and Tsar Bomba (11% ABV).

Left to right: Coolship, Louisville, Mendacious, Newtonian, Regular, & Tsar Bomba

Coolship is a Belgian witbier that’s pale—nearly white—yellow with a flavor and aroma defined by bubblegum and coriander.  There’s a bit of wheat-y spice and a bready, yeasty character to the beer, too.  Coolship finishes dry.

Among the most decadent beers at Gravity, Louisville Belgian Ale is the color of rich caramel with red highlights.  The aroma suggests raisin, plum, and brown sugar and the flavor backs up that claim.  Warm alcohol cascades down the throat thus imparting a pleasant, glowing orb of heat in the body’s core.

The word “mendacious” refers to something that is false or lying and the beer that bears this appellation is, ironically, true to its word; this easy drinking, straw-colored Belgian blonde goes down so smooth with a clean, mineral-y, bready flavor that it’s impossible to realize it’s packing 8.1% ABV!  Be careful with the deceitful Mendacious—she’ll put you on your ass before you know what’s happening. 

Newtonian is an ESB that’s caramel-colored with a toffee, caramel, toasted aroma and flavor.  It is, essentially, a solid example of the ESB style—nothing more or less.

The hazy, orange Regular is a rye IPA with a crisp, grapefruit-like aroma which follows through into the taste.  The flavor also features a fresh, wood-like aftertaste not unlike what one might experience if biting down on a fresh pair of chopsticks. 

Louisville Belgian Ale may be decadent but it’s beggar’s gruel compared to the sheer opulence of Tsar Bomba, a Russian imperial stout.  Opaque black with red highlights, Tsar Bomba is like dessert and after-dinner coffee all at once—vanilla-y, roast-y, and smoky.  This intermingling of flavors will make any beer geek quake at the knees with palate pleasure.

Cool light fixture at Gravity

We hung out a little longer, drank a few full-pours, and chatted up the staff a bit.  Amazingly—and I kid you not—Nicole and I once again ran into ***** whom we met at Hops & Pie, River North Brewery, Wit’s End Brewing Company, and twice at Great American Beer Festival!  I don’t know how we always end up at the same place at the same time; beer just brings people together, I guess.   

If you find yourself in Louisville and don’t mind a short scavenger hunt, visit Gravity and enjoy a hand-crafted beer.  Since it’s so conveniently located in the American Legion, consider thanking a veteran with a round of beer, too (Beer for Heroes Day is October 17, just so you know).

Go to this place, I guarantee you’ll enjoy yourself.  That’s not a theory, that’s the law of Gravity.

Prost!

Chris

P.S. Follow Beer in Colorado on Twitter and like us on Facebook.             

Don't Be afraid of the Dark

To read about last year’s Parade of Darks, click here.

You’re aware of the internet meme First World Problems which heaps sarcasm upon those who enjoy plush lives in developed countries yet still find time to bitch and moan about their “unfair” circumstances.  “First World” is a bit broad, though, don’t you think?  I propose we narrow it down and substitute “First World” for the U.S. state whose residents enjoy the highest quality of life.  Behold, Colorado Problems.

Living at altitude is tough on the body.  It’s impossible to get fat.

I hate the snow.  It plunks too much money into our state economy.

I bought a Tebow jersey last season.  He doesn’t play for the Broncos anymore.

The weather’s too nice in Denver.  I wanted a cold, dark day to enjoy Wynkoop Brewing Company’s Parade of Darks but all I got was seventy degrees and sunny.

That last one is of particular importance.  Last Saturday, Nicole and I attended Wynkoop’s annual celebration of beer amber-colored and darker.  When attending a festival centered on stouts, porters, and barleywines, nippy weather is preferred; dark, heavy beers are apt to warm the core, it’s best to drink them when you’re a skosh chilly, not when you’re basking in summer-like temperatures.  Damn you, beautiful weather!  Sun, sun, go away and come again another day!

Despite this terribly crippling set-back, Parade of Darks—somehow—managed to once again host an exemplary beer event; with 33 breweries pouring their best and shadiest brews, I had a smile on my face each moment my mouth wasn’t preoccupied with tasty, (mostly) local beer.  Okay, I suppose I can overlook the less-than-perfect weather and simply enjoy my time.

One of my favorite beers of the event happened to be Fade to Black Vol. 4 from Left Hand Brewing Company which was appropriate as I was wearing a hat made of a Fade to Black Vol. 3 six-pack carrier.  While my hat once held bottles of black, peppery beer, Vol. 4 more emphasis on hops offering drinkers a piney, resin-y punch supported by a dark malt backbone. 

Fade to Black with my Fade to Black hat

Speaking of my hat, it was a real crowd-pleaser; everybody kept asking where they might procure their own.  Sorry, folks, unless you, like me, have the mad skill of constructing killer duct tape wallets and can trade them to a guy who makes six-pack hats you’re out of luck.  Consolation prize: you can enjoy a picture of it on Westword’s website.

Other beers I particularly liked include Punk Up The Yams from Bull & Bush Brewery which I liked both for its unique tuber taste and it’s punk rock appellation.  Oatimus Prime and Megatron, a duo of Imperial Stouts from Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery, embodied an interesting concept—two beers of the same style and same brewery but with vastly different flavors: Oatimus is smooth and velvety while, harkening to its name's evil roots, Megatron is harsh and bitter.  Although I didn’t have the opportunity to taste it (one can become easily distracted at Parade of Darks), I liked Upslope Brewing Company’s new Christmas Ale cans, too; very red, very bold.

The Vanilla Rum Porter from Strange Brewing Company was a superb brew—rich, vanilla-y, and warming.  While loitering about their booth, I mentioned (and I quote), “I hope you kick those Massachusetts guys’ asses!” in reference to the current legal debacle Strange finds itself in with a certain East Coast homebrew supply store (click here to support Strange Brewing in this, their time of need).  I’m quite certain they wanted to high five me, give me a chest bump, and, in an exaggerated deep voice, yell “hell yeah!” but their polite smile and gracious acknowledgment spoke loud enough.  No need for public displays of bromance.

But perhaps the best beers at the event came from the unlikeliest of locations: Coors or, more accurately, AC Golden Brewing Company which is Coors’ craft beer division.  I’ve said it ad nauseum and, by golly, I’ll say it till the day I die: AC Golden makes great beer but I hate—absolutely hate—that they pretend to be a “mom and pop” brewery when, really, they’re backed by one of the biggest brewing corporations in the world.  Put the word “Coors” on your packaging, AC Golden!  Quit trying to trick well-meaning, local business supporters into thinking you’re an independent brewer!  That said, the Blueberry Sour and Plum Sour are among the yummiest, tartest, most refreshing beers I had at Parade of Darks and, indeed, some of the best beers I had this year.  If the prospect presents itself, order yourself a glass of either; just, for the love of all things holy, know and realize that it isn’t a product of a small, start-up brewery.  That is all I ask. 

Plum Sour and Blueberry Sour

As it was in 2011, the ticket sales from Parade of Darks benefited Metro CareRing and, also like last year, the organizers set up a silent auction to accrue even more charitable donations.  I went home with three bombers of Dry Dock Brewing Co. last year but this year the prices were getting much too high for my liking; I went home empty-handed.  The bidding process was further complicated by another attendee, also named Chris, with a surname imperceptibly different than mine and who also shared the trait of having atrocious handwriting.  People wondered who this idiot was who kept outbidding himself so thanks, other Chris, for making me look like a dipwad (although, I suppose the reputational damage was mutual). 

I wasn't able to give money to charity but I was able to up the price making others gave more to charity

This was the second time Nicole and I attended the Parade and I can say unequivocally that this year was much better.  99.9% of the event was exactly the same as last year but this time around attendees went home with complimentary six-packs of B3K Black Lager!  Oh, Wynkoop, you got me just what I wanted.

A beautiful sight if I've ever seen one

With bellies full of frothy, black liquid, Nicole and I braved the tepid weather and headed home.  Wynkoop raised $14,000 for Metro CareRing, beer geeks got their dark beer fix, and everybody enjoyed an entertaining afternoon of savory suds.  It was a successful event no matter what angle you look at it. 

It’s true, I do love a parade.  However, I prefer parades that place a lot of emphasis on beer.

Prost!

Chris  

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