Craft Beer Week Saturday

How else can you describe the 2014 Colorado Craft Beer Week than unbelievable? We saw the first, but hopefully not the last Collaboration Festival, breweries go head to head, and more new beer releases that to try them all was a goal most of us fell short on. As we head into the last day, the events are just as good as the beginning of the week and it will only make us look forward to next year already. Here is what is going on Saturday.

-Even though they have been open for a little bit the Old Mine in Erie will officially be celebrating their grand opening. From 11-11 they will have all their great ciders available for guests to try as well as some great guest beers on tap. Some of the guest beers include Bligh’s Barleywine, Nightmare on Brett Street plus more. As soon as a keg is tapped another new one will hit the tap lines. A little off the beaten path, but this is one place worth checking out.

-From 1-4 in Denver Epic Brewing will be at it again, this time with Flights and Floats. In partnership with Little Man Ice Cream guests will have the opportunity to participate in a beer and ice cream pairing, or combine the two for a beer float. For non drinkers or designated drivers Rocky Mountain Soda will be on hand as well for standard floats.

-River North Brewery will be releasing a new limited release bottle. Their standard J Marie Saison has spent time in white wine barrels and is now ready for guests to take home. Quantities are very limited so guests can only purchase 2, $15 each.

-Along the Western Slope the 2^nd Annual Western Colorado Craft Beer Celebration will be happening from 2-6. This event features 10 of the Western Slope’s breweries, and for $10 guests are allowed samples of all their beers. Event is located at Edgewater Brewery in Grand Junction.

-Copper Kettle Brewing Company in Denver will have a new beer hitting the tap lines, Naja Imperial Red. This Imperial Red Ale comes in at 110 IBUs and will be hitting the tap lines for the first time. This beer will be hitting the tap lines first, and will soon be a part of their regular lineup and will soon be available in 22 ounce bombers around the state.

-Up in Longmont from 12-6 Lefthand will once again be hosting Hops and Handrails. This event features not only great craft beers, but also a 25 foot high ski ramp to entertain guests. Tickets are $30 for both beer and rail jam, and $10 to just watch the rail show.

-The Historian’s Ale House is partnering with Renegade Brewing for a special run for charity. $30 gets you brunch, a participation in the run, and a special beer from Renegade.

What a week it has been, raise your glass to it and know there are many great events on the horizon for years to come.

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Craft Beer Week Friday

We finally made it through the work week, and now we head into the final couple days of what has been a fantastic Colorado Craft Beer Week. As we head into the weekend the events are finishing the week off with a bang. Here is what to look forward to Friday night.

-Station 26 will be releasing their first single hop beer. The first offering will be a Mosaic Pale Ale. These are always great beers to try to learn the individual flavor profiles of hops, and Mosaic is a great one to start with.

-Grist Brewing will also be releasing a new IPA just in time for the weekend, a small batch New Zealand IPA.

-Also at the Historian’s Ale House two more breweries will be going head to head for bragging rights in what has become one of the most enjoyable events of the week. The featured breweries tonight are Diebolt in Denver against Gravity in Louisville. Both breweries are great, but which one will win?

-From 5-11 in Boulder Avery Brewing will be tapping a very special beer, Lilikoi Kepolo. This is a Belgian Style White Ale with Hawaiian Passion fruit added for a tart finish. This is one beer you will not want to miss.

-Also in Boulder at Twisted Pine a very unique event will be happening, a Beer and Bites Blind Pairing. Guests will be blind folded and receive 5 small bites along with 5 beers, but will not know what they are drinking until afterwards. This is a great chance to test how good your pallet is, and to see how good you are at guessing beers.

-From 6-8 at the World of Beer Belmar location the great beers at River North will be taking over the tap lines. This event will not only feature some more rare beers from River North available, but also a onetime only Single Hop Belgian Pale Ale with Williamette hops that River North brewed in collaboration with World of Beer for this event only!

-Epic Brewing in Denver will be putting on another great food and beer pairing from 4-8, this time beer and ribs which is perfect for the warmer weather. Epic has partnered with Tenderbelly for this event and has 3 ribs available for tasting a glazed, sauced, and rubbed rib to pair with all of Epic’s delicious brews.

-Up in Louisville at Lucky Pie Odell Brewing will be on hand for a special beer tasting featuring some of Odell’s more rare beers. From 7-9 guests will have a chance to try some of the cellar beers from Odell that include but are not limited to Tree Shaker, Myrcenary, and Friek.

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Craft Beer Week Thursday

Craft Beer week is slowly starting to wind itself down, but that does not mean it will not go out without a bang. Thursday will bring forward not only some new beer releases, but also one of the highlight events of every year, and a new brewery opening! Cheers to ending your week with a bang, and inching one day closer to the weekend.

-Thursday at noon a new brewery will open their doors to serve their beers to the masses. Freedom’s Edge Brewing in Fort Collins. Not only will they offer a diverse tap list, but this will be a great addition to the Colorado scene in Fort Collins. What better way to celebrate beer than with a brand new brewery, so stop bay say congratulations and enjoy their high quality offerings.

-Since Station 26 opened their doors late last year one of the beers that has gotten the greatest reviews had been their Cherrywood Smoked beers. Well Thursday he will be releasing 2 more Cherrywood Smoked Pins. What will the style be? Stop by and find out.

-From 6-10 Renegade Brewing will be ditching the cans and releasing their first bomber. Sunday Morning is their first bomber release in what will be known as their conviction series. This coffee infused American Strong Ale is always a popular one in the tap room and will make a great addition to anyone’s beer cellar.

-From 6:30-9:30 at Avenue Grill there will be another dinner pairing great food with great craft beer. This one features Odell Brewing. $55 will get you six courses with a great Odell beer at each course.

-From 8-11 down at the Lobby in LoDo comes one of the best events, and highlights of Colorado Craft Beer Week. The New Kids on the Block Party. This great events celebrates the great breweries that are under 2 years old. $25 will allow guests samples of great beers, samples of food, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Brewers Guild. This is an 80s theme party so where your best attire, and celebrate the newest breweries to an already great community.

-Down at the Historian’s Ale House two more breweries will be going head to head for bragging rights. Thursday will put Tivoli vs. Echo. First keg to run out wins, so have some great beer and cheer on your favorite.

-Up north at Kokopelli Beer Company they will be hosting a great event for people wanting to introduce themselves, and learn more about craft beer. Beer 101 will introduce to what makes each style unique, as well as allow guests to enjoy a flight of beer from Kokopelli to enjoy what might be your new favorite style.

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Craft Beer Week Wednesday

Colorado Craft Beer Week continues and as the week progresses the events continue to pile up. As we head into Wednesday we are blessed with great new beer releases, and more great events in Denver and around the state. With a calendar this full it will make getting through hump day that much easier.

-Station 26 will continue their week of new beer releases with a “Secret Pin” Firkin. To find out what’s on tap you will just have to visit the tap room, odds are it will be unique and refreshing.

-Copper Kettle Brewing Company will be finishing their “What the Firk” month with an Imperial Red Saison. Beer taps at 3 and is sure to go quick.

-Grist Brewing Company will be putting on the Brewer’s Challenge 1. This will put 2 beers against each other this time using breakfast cereal. The two beers going against each other are a Cinnamon Toast Crunch Trappist Ale vs. a Peanut Butter Crunch Porter.

-For Wayward Wednesday River North will be tapping their collaboration with TRVE Brewing. A Nelson hopped Barrel Fermented Belgian Single.

-Down in Poncha Springs Elevation Beer Company will be tapping another special firkin. Their Little Mo’ Porter aged in Deerhammer’s Oak Whiskey Barrels will be hitting the tap lines.

-Another day, another craft beer dinner. This time it will be located at the Ale House at Amatos and feature the breweries located within the Beermuda Triangle. For $50 guests will be treated a great meal and breweries from within this area that include Breckenridge, Strange, Renegade, Wit’s End, Black Sky, and TRVE. Tickets may still be available, for information cal (303) 433-9734.

From 6-11 at the Renegade Publik House in Denver there will be a tap takeover featuring the great beers from Odell and Renegade. This will feature more limited and rare beers from Odell including Mountain Standard, Myrcenary, Lugene, Tree Shaker, Wolf Picker, and Runoff Red IPA.

-Epic Brewing in Denver will be hosting a beer and finger painting party. From 5-8 guests can enjoy great Epic beer and enjoy doing great beer themed finger paintings. Paintings will then be auctioned off to benefit the Colorado Brewers Guild.

-The Historian’s Ale House will be hosting another head to head event between breweries. The participants this time are Elk Mountain out of Parker against Grimm Brothers in Loveland. First keg to run out wins so head down and cheer on your favorite.

Lots of events to choose from, just how many can you fit into one day? No matter which you choose it is sure to be a great time, with great company, and of course enjoying great beer.

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Craft Beer Week Tuesday

Even though it is only a couple days old this year’s Colorado Craft Beer Week is setting high expectations for ones to come. As the week progresses the events only get bigger and better as well. Here are some of the highlights for what to consider doing on Tuesday.

-After brewing a Wheat Wine for the Collaboration Festival with Former Future Brewing, Station 26 will be releasing a special Barrel Aged Hot Toddy Version. This beer now has hints of lemon, star anise, cloves, and cinnamon. Sounds delicious and like a beer you are going to want to try.

-Another unique barrel aged beer will be hitting the tap lines in very limited quantities today. From 6-10 Renegade will be releasing a very limited amount of Barrel Aged Hammer and Sickle Russian Imperial Stout. This is a rye bourbon aged beer and was originally done as a collaboration with Feisty Spirits in Fort Collins. This may be your only chance to try this beer so arrive early to guarantee a pour.

-Up north in Boulder at the Lee Hill location Upslope Brewing will be doing a variety of Barrel Aged Belgian Pale Ale fruit release. Their limited release Belgian Pale Ale has spent time in red wine barrels and will be released as a variety of fruit beers including cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blood oranges. This is already a great beer by Upslope so enhancing it in a barrel will only make it better.

-As always a celebration of craft beer would not be complete without a Colorado Craft Beer Dinner, and that will be going down at 6:00 at Lou’s on 38^th Avenue. For $55 guests will be treated to a five course meal featuring great beers from Lefthand, Avery, Prost, and Upslope. Dinner starts at 6, to see if there are still spots available contact Lou’s at (303) 458-0336.

-Beer for breakfast, but at dinner? Great Divide Brewing Company will be partnering with the great breakfast restaurant Snooze for a one of a kind PM Beer Brunch. For $50 guests will be treated to a four course meal featuring four of Snooze’s great dishes each paired with one of Great Divide’s excellent brews. Beers featured will include Colette Farmhouse Saison, Hoss Rye Marzen, Nomad Pilsner, Titan IPA or Claymore Scotch Ale, and Old Ruffian Barrel Aged Barleywine. Tickets may still be available at imbibedenver.com/snooze. This is sure to be a great event and could very well be one of the highlights from the whole week.

-Another head to head battle of breweries will be taking place at the Historian’s Ale House. Tuesday features Backcountry Brewery out of Frisco against Black Sky out of Denver. Cheer on your favorite to win, and the first keg to run out wins.  

No matter where you are at in the Denver area and surrounding towns this week there is plenty to do to keep your pint glasses full, but don’t have too much fun. There are still four more days of celebrating craft beer ahead of us, and a very busy Wednesday.

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Craft Beer Week Monday

The weekend and the first ever Collaboration Festival is behind us and now the week that s Colorado Craft Beer Week is in full swing. Each day throughout the week there will be special events and new beers hitting the tap lines in Denver and all around Colorado. Here are the events going on Monday.

-The Historian’s Ale House will be the host to one of the great events on Monday, March 24 as it puts two great breweries against each other. Caution Brewing in Denver/Lakewood will be putting their beers head to head against Grist Brewing from Highlands Ranch. Join these two great breweries and cheer on your favorite as the first keg to run out wins bragging rights, but of course the craft beer drinkers win by getting to try two great breweries at a great location.

-Down in Poncha Springs, Colorado Elevation Beer Company has a special firkin ready to tap. A Chocolate Orange Stout which is based on their Oil Man Imperial Stout with chocolate and oranges added.

-Kannah Creek Brewing in Grand Junction also has a special firkin ready for Monday night. They will be releasing a small batch of a Salted Caramel Stout.

-Down at the Stapleton Tap House in Denver they have a great event lined up with a special beer release to follow. The brewers from the Wynkoop Brewing Company will be on hand, and they will tap a their new Barrel Aged Barleywine.

-For women only the Denver’s Barley Angels are getting involved with a Salsa and Beer pairing at Epic Brewing Company. This event will feature 4 of Epic’s great beers along with Salsa. Tickets are available through the Barley’s Angels website.

-Up north just outside of Boulder in the suburb of Louisville at Lucky Pie there will be Colorado Beer themed trivia from 7-9. In addition there will be 7 Elevation Beers on tap for people to enjoy in the process.

So no matter where you are in the state, enjoy all that Colorado craft beer week has to offer but pace yourself as it is a long, event filled week ahead.

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Former Future

Beer is a beverage rich in history that dates back to the most ancient of days, and like with anything it has progressed overtime. Styles have evolved, new styles have become more mainstream, but once all is said and done those original recipes are the standard for what is still enjoyed today. In 2014 those traditional and old recipes were brought back to life by a husband and wife team looking to take classical beer recipes and put a modern twist on them. Fittingly located on Antique Row in the beer rich community of Denver the brewery is Former Future Brewing Company.

Walking into this long tap room guests are greeted with one of the most unique environments seen at a brewery where again the past meets the present. There is a long bar top to seat several guests as well as several tables to seat large groups. Off to the side of the bar lies the production where all the beer is made on site, as well as barrels where some great beers are aging. But the main feature of this tap room is all the décor, which primarily consists of second use and reclaimed products. Old barrels have been transformed into the light fixtures suspended from the ceilings, but the main highlight of second use equipment comes in the form of the bar top. That is made from reclaimed wings from an old airplane, and is on both sides of the bar creating a bright, metallic bar top. Everywhere guests look they can find decorations that are both modern, and slightly antiquated are spread throughout the tap room. With such a unique atmosphere to keep guests wanting to look around, a beer makes the experience that much more pleasurable, and there are some offerings just as unique as the environment.

The tap list is rotating so guests will get to try something different every time they go in, but there are always some beers that stand out and one can only hope they will hit the tap lines again. Like the very traditional but also very unique Oatmeal Saison. This beer came with a light, golden appearance and had all the great flavors one would expect. A light body, with a bright flavor bringing out a subtle hint of citrus is balanced out by a deep yeast flavor. The addition of oatmeal adds a rich mouth feel, and combine that with a clean aftertaste and this is a very well balanced Saison. Another beer to look for on the tap lines is their version of an English IPA. Based off a recipe from the 1800s this beer has been modernized and has a great balance between malt and hops. With a rich color the malts give this beer a hint of biscuit flavor, while the hops add a bright floral note. But through it all this is a very balanced beer where the hops are prominent, but do not overpower the beer. The finish is mostly clean, but the hint of bitterness in the finish makes another sip that more easy to enjoy.

Also available in the rotation has been a Session Black IPA, both a Porter and Salted Porter, and a Cream Ale but the main draw o Former Future will come in the form of their barrel program. A wide variety of barrel aged beers and sour ales will not only be hitting the tap lines but also will be bottled and sold on a regular, but limited basis. Once all is said and done this is a great new brewery with endless possibilities. Unique beer styles that people are still familiar with and a very original tap room make guests feel welcome. Combine that with a friendly staff and owners and it is no wonder guests continue to return on a regular basis. In the endless craft beer options that are available in Denver Former Future stands out as not only a great new brewery, but one that is worth the visit.

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Brews News 3-18

St. Patrick’s Day weekend is over, and we hope you enjoyed something other than green beer. As we head into a new week we see an abundance of new beer releases, some celebrations at breweries, and a unique festival to kick off Colorado Craft Beer Week. Here is what to look forward to in the week ahead.

Grand Opening Celebrations:
Even though the tap room has been opened for a few months now Hall Brewing Co. in Parker will officially celebrate the Tap Room on Friday, March 21. This event will feature all of Hall’s great beers plus they will release 2 new Barrel Aged beers for the event. In addition this event will have a fundraiser for the Fallen Firefighters Foundation, plus great barbecue. Event runs from 4:30 to 10:00 at the Hall Tap Room located right on Parker and Main.

Festivals:
After a lot of press and anticipation the first ever Denver Collaboration Festival will finally happen to kick off Colorado Craft Beer Week. Saturday, March 22 at the Curtis Hotel in Denver guests will get to sample one of a kind beers made by several breweries working together. Tickets and information on participating breweries can be found from our previous press release on this event at http://milehighbrewsintro.blogspot.com/2014/02/denver-collaboration-festival.html.

New Beer Releases:
-Tuesday, March 18 Crooked Stave will have a new beer hitting the tap lines, Surusion. This is a combination of their popular Surette Provisional Saison and a Golden Sour Ale. Beer will be available starting at 6:00 PM at The Source.
-Wednesday, March 19 Copper Kettle is continuing their month of March Madness Firkins. This week features a combination of IPA and Fruit Beer with the end result being a Blackberry IPA. Only 10 gallons available starting at 3:00 PM.
-Wednesday, March 19 River North is bringing back one of their most limited beers for Wayward Wednesday. J Marie Barrelled and Bretted will hit the tap lines at 3 so arrive early.
-Thursday, March 20 Station 26 has a Euro Pale Ale on tap for their Firkin Thursday. This beer will use all Belgian Grains, German Hops, and is dry hopped with Australian Galaxy Hops. Beer will be tapped at 4.
-Friday, March 21 Loveland Aleworks will continue their new Friday releases with the tapping of the Darkest Day Chocolate Coconut Porter.
-Friday, March 21 Station 26 will have a special Firkin tapping of an Animal Cracker Porter.
-If you can’t make it to the collaboration festival some of the beers will be hitting the tap lines at the tap room. That includes the Former Future/Station 26 Wheat Wine, and the Caution/Copper Kettle Mole Spice Dunkel Lager.
-Sunday, March 23 Odd 13 Brewing in Lafayette will have a bottle release for Episode 1. This Belgian style Blond Ale had been brewed with Brett, aged in red wine barrels, and blended using chardonnay grapes. Bottles will go on sale starting at 4 and there is a limit of 2 per customer.
-Sunday, March 23 Station 26 will be hosting a Bluegrass Brunch. From 11-1 guests can enjoy live bluegrass music by the Hayward Strangers, donuts from Glazed and Confused, and there will be a new Vanilla Coffee Porter on tap for guests to enjoy.

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St. Patrick's Day 2014

It’s that time of year again where the Irish in all of us comes out, the bagpipe becomes our favorite instrument, corned beef and cabbage is a food group, and the beers a plentiful. Now in Colorado the events are in abundance from the parade to all the festivities at breweries around the state. Now if green beer isn’t your flavor then here are some of the best places to spend St. Patrick’s Day in the craft beers scene.

Copper Kettle Brewing Company (Denver, CO): Friday, March 14 from 12 to 10 PM Copper Kettle will be getting the St. Patrick’s weekend started with what has become a great annual tradition. It all starts with the return of the popular Help Me Out Stout, a dry Irish stout made from roasted barley and English hops served on nitro for a great mouth feel and rich, bitter taste. This will be paired with Irish inspired food from Dogtown Concessions food truck and live music from 6-9 featuring Kevin Dooley and Eric Drobny. This will be a great event featuring some great beer, so wear your best green clothes and start the holiday early!

Boulder Beer Company (Boulder, CO): If avoiding the chaos of downtown Denver is part of your St. Patrick’s Day plans then head to Boulder and celebrate with Colorado’s first microbrewery on Saturday, March 15 from 12-8. The pub will feature great food specials featuring corned buffalo reubens, and potato soup, plus drink specials including a Neopoltian Porter, Obovoid Stout, Celtic Warriors and more. In addition starting at 3 there will be live Irish step dancers, and live music from DeLalla-Bartsch Duo starting at 4. Great beer, food, and entertainment all off the beaten path from Denver, sounds like a great way to spend St. Patrick’s Day!

Saint Patrick’s Brewing Company (Englewood, CO): It’s only fitting that on St. Patrick’s Day a brewery named after him would be hosting a great party for this Irish holiday, by releasing 6 new lagers for the weekend! Friday, March 14 the highlight release will be an Imperial Oak Oatmeal Stout coming in at a hefty 9.5%. In addition the new lagers available will be a Red Lager, Honey Helles Bock, Strawberry Fire, Pilsner Wit, Saison Apple Lager, and the popular Lana’I Dry Hop Lager is making its return. The festivities continue on Saturday with Irish Dancer joining the party. For those who have not visited this hidden gem of breweries this is a great time to make your first visit, and for those looking to drink some great lagers this is easily one of the best places to spend your St. Patrick’s Day.

In addition there will be several new beer releases around the state all with a great Irish theme.
-Strange Brewing in Denver is releasing Jack Stout their Dry Irish Stout, wear green and receive $1 off your pint.
-Epic Brewing in Denver will be partnering with Big Kiwi Eats on a Corned Beef and Cabbage plate along with a pint of Epic’s Imperial Red on Saturday.
-River North Brewery in Denver will be opening early for thirsty guests after the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Tap Room will open at 9:00 AM.
-Elk Mountain in Parker is releasing an Irish Red Ale aged in a 100 year old Rum Barrel. There will also be corned beef and hash to enjoy with your beer.
-Grist Brewing in Highlands Ranch will be releasing an Imperial Red on Monday, March 17 just in time for the holiday.
-Mountain Toad in Golden will be releasing a special Tadpole Beer, a Mint Chocolate Stout. Along with that Texorado BBQ Food Truck will be serving corned beef and cabbage to hungry guests.

No matter where you are in Colorado the options to let your inner Irish out will be plentiful, and even more important is none of the above come with a pint of green beer.

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Brews News 3-11

March is in full swing and despite some cold weather and snow early n the month the craft beers scene is as busy as ever.  We have festivals on the horizon, new breweries constantly in progress of opening, and of course new beer releases leading up to St. Patrick’s Day and of course filling out our brackets! Here is what to look forward to leading up to a busy weekend.

Events:
-Thursday, March 13 means it is the second Thursday of the month and that means Beer and Cheese pairing with Copper Kettle Brewing Company and the Truffle Cheese Shop. $20 for 4 beers, 4 cheeses, bread, fresh fruit, and evening of fun and education. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.eventbee.com/v/copperkettle/event?eid=972887272.
-For those looking to start the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations early Hall Brewing in Parker will be hosting a food and beer pairing in partnership with Al Dente Cooking. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased at http://www.aldentecolorado.com/event/saint-patricks-day-celebration-food-and-beer-pairing/. The menu will feature a Beer Shrimp Cocktail, Kale and Roasted Beets Salad, Irish Soda Bread, Herbed Meatballs with Beer Braised Cabbage, and Stout Pudding all featuring the great Farmhouse beers from Hall Brewing. This is sure to be a great event leading up to the celebration of the weekend.

New Beer Releases:
-Tuesday, March 11 Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery in Denver will release their fourth in a series of Small Batch Free Solo IPA. These beers are made using 4 different kinds of experimental hops, and with only 1 keg of each it is best to arrive early for a unique offering before is runs out.
-Copper Kettle Brewing Company in Denver is continuing their month long mix up of beers that will make guests ask “What the Firk?” These hybrid styles are very unique and this week they will be offering guests a Smoked California Common. This is a lager fermented at ale temperatures with the addition of smoked malts. Only 10 gallons available starting at 3 so arrive early for this unique one of a kind beer!
-Wednesday, March 12 River North Brewery will have the ever popular Whiskey Aged J Marie for Wayward Wednesday. Arrive early for this popular beer.
-Friday, March 14 Loveland Aleworks will continue their new release Friday for the month of March with the release of Double Birds Imperial IPA.
-Friday, March 14 Our Mutual Friend Malt and Brew will be releasing bottles of their popular Winter Warmer 2014. Bottles go on sale at the tap room starting at 2:00 PM and with a limit of 2 per person it is best to show up early.
-Friday, March 14 Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora has a great firkin to tap, a Toasted Pecan Albatross Nut Brown Ale. This beer is sure to go quickly so arrive in plenty of time to get a pint. Tapping is at 3:00.
-Friday, March 14 Yak and Yeti Brewpub in Arvada will be releasing the first in their HROC Home brewing collaboration, a Tequila/English porter using 6 pounds of agave and aged on oak. Beer releases at 4 and party goes until closing.

In other exciting news Grimm Brothers Brewing in Loveland will finally start canning in addition to their bombers. The first beer to hit the canning line will be the popular Red Cap Altbier. Six packs should be seen on store shelves beginning in April.
-Lone Tree Brewing also joined the canning game with the addition of their new canning line. Cans are still being printed but it looks like there should be a lot of great new beers on liquor store shelves soon.

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Opuntia

Avery Brewing in Boulder has been a major part of the Colorado beer scene for over 20 years now, from the early days through the craft beer boom. This is in part to high quality flagship ales like Out of Bounds Stout, New World Porter, White Rascal, as well as great seasonal offerings like Old Jubilation Ale. But in addition Avery also offers a great variety of limited release barrel aged beers where barrels of all types are utilized and the beers are carefully blended to create a harmonious final product. In February of 2014 Avery released their newest offering to their Barrel-Aged Series: Opuntia, a sour ale aged nine months in first use tequila barrels, with prickly pear added. After acquiring a couple of bottles here are the tasting notes for this beer.

Like with any sour beer we reached for a tulip glass to enjoy this beer in, and after a soft pour there was a bright white head sitting on top of a copper colored ale with a subtle ruby hue. This led to a very complex aroma that was strong but inviting to want to sip this beer. The aroma had a strong floral note from the prickly pear. The tequila barrel aging brought out subtle aroma notes of oak, and vanilla. Additionally the agave notes added a hint of sweetness. Through it all this beer had a very complex aroma that was only enhanced through the very unique Brett yeast and lactobacillus which only made this beer a true sour style, which followed through to the taste.

The aroma carried through to the flavor perfectly creating a beer full of complex flavors. It started with a light, effervescent body that took on the bold flavors this beer offered. The primary flavor is the cactus pear, which provided a balance of sweetness, tartness, an all around flavor hard to describe with a refreshing quality. The barrel aging adds complexities and a deep flavor profile to this beer that compliments the prickly pear. The subtle hints from the oak play a role in this beer adding a hint of tequila and agave flavor to balance out the strong fruit flavor. The Brett yeast adds an earthy flavor that balances everything out, and the lactobacillus adds the great mouth puckering flavor that one would expect in a sour. This beer had a lot going on, and after one sip the complexities are strong, but each flavor shines through on its own from the tequila, oak, and prickly pear.

As a sour this beer hit the mouth with a quick hit of sour and tartness that made the mouth pucker, but it faded away very quickly making another sip easier to enjoy. The aftertaste was fairly clean, with only a hint of the yeast flavor lingering in the mouth. As a whole this was a very complex beer full of great and unique flavors, but also one that was extremely balanced and full of great flavor. With so many great beers in there barrel aged series Avery exceeded expectations with Opuntia making it a great addition to this lineup of limited releases. As a sour, fruit beer, and barrel aged beer Opuntia will cater to fans of many styles, and possible make people rethink whether or not they are a fan of certain styles. One that will only get better with age, or to drink in the moment this was a great beer and one that is a must try. Overall this would easily be a 4 out of 5 and one worth raising a glass to.

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Brews News 3-4

February is officially over, and as we get into March we get into filling out our basketball brackets, and watching Spring Training baseball. What goes better with that than craft beer, and with celebrations, and new beer releases it is another full calendar in the week ahead.

Brewery Openings?
-After having to temporarily close due to running out of beer Former Future will once again be ready to open their doors to the masses waiting anxiously to drink there beer again. They will have the usual lineup on tap including the English IPA, Oatmeal Saison, and Wit plus rumor is there might be a Session Black IPA and a lemon wheat. They will be open again on March 7 with some new additions to the tap room as well.
-Even though they opened up back in November there was never an official grand opening party for Jagged Mountain, until this upcoming Saturday, March 8. There will be all the great beers available plus a limited Food and Beer pairing from 5-9 featuring great food from Mikes 2 Kitchen. Tickets for the event are $30. Also with every beer or merchandise purchase raffle tickets will be handed out awarding great prizes from tasters, glassware, merchandise, and the possibility to name a beer on their pilot system. Those that have been there already know how great the beer is, now it is just a reason to celebrate it.

New Beer Releases:
-City Star in Berthoud has added a new beer to their great tap lineup, the most recent is Vigilante Brown. A Belgian Rye Brown Ale.
-Tuesday, March 4 for Fat Tuesday Epic Brewing will be doing a Tap Takeover at Historian’s Ale House in Denver. They will have 8 beers on tap for the month of March including their Blue Ski Lager, Utah Sage Saison, Big Bad Baptist Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout to name a few, but Tuesday at 12 PM will feature a special firkin of their Sour Apple Saison with Rosebud. This will be a great way to start Mardi Gras and should not be missed.
-Tuesday, March 4 prior to their grand opening Jagged Mountain will be releasing the Barking Marmot Belgo-American Black IPA. This beer is sure to be complex and full of great flavors.
-Copper Kettle will begin a new month of firkins on Wednesday, March 5 consisting of March Madness, or 2 styles coming together to form 1 beer. The first one will be an Oatmeal Wit. Only 10 gallons available and beer will be tapped at 3.
-Wednesday, March 5 River North will be pouring a Trappist Style Hoppenberg Double IPA for their Wayward Wednesday starting at 3.
-Pumpkin Beer in March? That’s right, on Wednesday, March 5 Lone Tree Brewing will be bringing back Mr. Moo’s Pumpkin Brew at 12. Why a pumpkin beer in March, it is one of Lone Tree’s entries into the upcoming World Beer Cup so enjoy this special treat.
-Thursday, March 6 Station 26 has a great firkin lined up, a Tangerine Porter. Beer will be tapped at 4, you don’t want to miss this one.
-Thursday, March 6 Grist Brewing in Highlands Ranch will be tapping an Imperial Berliner. Raspberry and Woodruff syrups will be available on request to compliment this great sour. This beer is described as tasty, tart, and crisp so arrive at 4 to find out why.
-Every Friday in March Loveland Ale Works in Loveland will be releasing a new beer, the first comes March 7 with a Real Ale, a beer you will have to try to see what it really is.

-In other news starting Saturday, March 8 Lone Tree Brewing will be starting up their annual Beer-Acket. Last year the winning beer to hit the tap lines was a Triple IPA, so vote this year and hope your favorite beer gets brewed.
-This week all beers are due in Denver to be sorted for judging for the World Beer Cup, meaning we are getting closer to one of the best beer competitions around.

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