J Marie Barrelled and Bretted

Since River North Brewery in Denver opened their doors in 2012 they have prided themselves in serving great Belgian style ales. Whether it was a traditional saison, white ale, stout, or IPA a great Belgian influence went into each beer designed. Shortly after that quickly evolved into a brewery that featured their already great beers being aged into various style of barrels. From various styles aged in white wine barrels to whiskey barrels, and including a great barrel reserve beer that combines all their whiskey beers into one great offering. However in January 2014 this small brewery took their next step in their barrel aged program with a red wine barrel aged beer, fermented with Brett yeast. This could only be the J Marie Saison Barrel and Bretted.

Now of course for a beer so unique and limited proper glassware was a major necessity and for a beer like this we went with a traditional goblet style glass. The beer poured a rich dark golden color that showed all its effervescence, and this was capped off with a bright white head to top it off. A slightly heavy pour left a good inch of head on top this beer. The aroma was very unique combing the qualities of Belgian style ales and sours together into one beer. This beer brought a very complex aroma which has great qualities of yeast from the Brett, a subtle hint of citrus was visible in the nose, plus the red wine and oak were prominent from the barrel. With such a complex aroma how would this beer taste?

The body was very light and exactly what a saison/farmhouse ale should be. A light and effervescent body is the first thing you notice as the beer hits your tongue to awaken your pallet. A subtle malt flavor with low hop bitterness is the main base of this beer which creates a mellow flavor profile. Like with any farmhouse ale the yeast plays a prominent role in the flavor, and that is where this version of J Marie becomes bold, and unique. The reason behind such a bold flavor profile is that popular wild yeast strain Brett. This gave the beer a very unique and earthy flavor profile. This added a very subtle tartness to the beer but did not overpower the rest of the beer. Instead it worked in balance with the barrel aging this beer went through as well.

The barrel flavor came through strongly with a bold red wine flavor followed by a more subtle oak flavor. This added tartness to compliment the Brett yeast. To finish this beer had a slightly lingering aftertaste, but not one so powerful it makes you not want to drink it. It was just strong enough to make you intrigued to keep sipping, and the before you know it the bottle is gone.

Overall this was a great beer that was full flavored, and a great addition to an already great lineup of barrel aged beers that River North produces. Not only is the first use of red wine barrels but also the first beer they bottle conditioned, used a wild yeast train on, and a great version of one of their flagship ales. This simplistic ale was elevated with so many flavors, and yet the integrity of the saison was kept intact. With only 360 bottles produced not only could this be one of the best rare beers in Denver this year, but also one worth aging to see how this beer evolves and matures with time. Over all this beer is easily a 4 out of 5 and a great way to kick off a new year of craft beer.

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Brews News 1-14

The month is already half over and we have already seen new brewery openings faster than we can keep up with them. Also festival season has slowly begun, but as we head into a new week we take a break from new brewery openings. Instead we look at anniversaries and new beer releases to keep our pint glasses full. Here is what is going on in the upcoming week.

Grand Openings:
Even though they have already been open for a few weeks now Caution Brewing Company will be celebrating the grand opening of their new location Caution: West in Lakewood. Event is Saturday, January 18 from 12-10 and will feature some great beer specials, food trucks, and entertainment all day.

Anniversaries:
In the end of 2012 the small mountain town of Golden had only 1 microbrewery, now they have 4 and on Saturday, January 18 the second craft brewery in this town will be turning 1. Cannonball Creek will be celebrating their first anniversary with live music, great food, and of course great beer. 10 to be exact to celebrate 1 year in business that include a brand new Oatmeal brown n nitro, an anniversary ale, and a collaboration beer with the Colorado School of Mines home brew club. The party starts at noon so stop by, say congratulations, and enjoy some great beer in the process.

New Beer Releases/Events:
Some new beer releases around town this week, some new and some returning favorites.
-Tuesday, January 14 at the Source Crooked Stave will be selling Nightmare on Brett Street starting at 5:00. Bottles are $12 with a 6 bottle limit and this is a cash only event. Arrive early to get your spot in line as this popular beer is sure to go fast.
-Immediately following the sale of Nightmare on Brett Crooked Stave will be tapping their final keg of Hop Savant with Galaxy starting at 6. This great beer won’t last long.
-Wednesday, January 15 Copper Kettle is continuing their month long beers around New Years Resolutions. This week is “Be Kinder,” with a no bitterness ale. This mild ale was made with only finishing hops so there will be no bitterness. Tapping is at 3.
-Wednesday, January 15 Lone Tree Brewing will be bringing back their popular India Pale Lager (IPL). This is a rerelease of this beer and the first time it was extremely popular, so make sure t get a pint or growler early, it might not last long.
-Wednesday, January 15 for Wayward Wednesday River North Brewery in Denver will be bringing back a popular favorite, Abbey Style Unified Theory. Tapping will happen at 3.
-Yak and Yeti Brewpub in Arvada has been doing a porter series for the past few weeks and that continues Wednesday, January 15 with a Molasses Porter. These beers have been running out within a couple days so arrive early to try.
-Thursday, January 16 Station 26 will tap a new firkin. This week will feature the Red IPA with red and black chipotles and Cocoa Nibs. Sounds like a full flavored beer that should not be missed.
-Friday, January 17 at Grist Brewing in Highlands Ranch they will be releasing a new beer they call the Giant Rabbit Belgian Specialty Ale.
-Saturday, January 18 Copper Kettle Brewing Company in Denver is bringing back their Belgian Golden Strong. This beer is brought back on a limited basis and is always popular, tapping will be at 12 for this great beer.
-Saturday, January 18 at Epic Brewing in Denver they will be hosting the event Brewed, exploring how coffee and beer came together. This event is $15 and features 5 local coffee roasters, 5 local brewers, and will feature samples of both. Tickets are still available but are going fast.

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Stem Ciders

Within downtown Denver, in the River North neighborhood, the past year has seen a renaissance of sorts in this once run down area. First, the craft breweries came in and opened in masses. Shortly after, the Colorado wine scene expanded into this part of Denver with two wineries complete with tasting rooms. But in January 2014, a new business opened up in this booming part of Denver now making the options for refreshing beverages complete. Located right behind a small winery in a great warehouse, is one of Denver’s newest tasting rooms featuring none other than hard ciders, and the place is Stem Cider’s.

Walking up to this tasting room you know you’re there from the stenciled logo on a brick wall, a hanging metal sign, and a patio that will have picnic tables during warm weather. Walk inside and you are greeted with both a production facility and a comfortable tasting room. A small bar surrounded by growlers and glassware looks out on to the bar stools and long communal tables for guests to sit. Dividing the tasting room from the production is a wall of barrels all storing great cider waiting to be served. During their soft opening they offered a Farmhouse Cider, but once the doors open permanently there will be more offerings for the masses sure to come in.

The cider has a light golden color with a light carbonation with an aroma one would expect from a cider. But, it is in the flavor where you realize that this is a unique glass of cider with a talented brewer crafting each batch. While most ciders out on the market are very sweet, the ones at Stem are the total opposite and are dry. Not only does this add a great mouth feel but it also adds complexities that help to enhance the other flavors in this cider. To compliment the dryness of this cider there is a light body that makes this very crisp, and effervescent. But of course a cider wouldn’t be a cider without its most important ingredient, the apple. Grown locally in Colorado the pureness of the apples is very prominent adding a tartness and brightness that adds a refreshing quality. There is a subtle sweetness to this cider, but it does not overpower the drink. Instead, it creates balance and makes it well rounded with layers of flavor that keep evolving with each sip. The finish is extremely clean and pallet cleansing making it very refreshing, and easy to enjoy any time of year.

Once the grand opening happens the tap list is going to increase, and there will be a total of four ciders available; all of which are going to be unique in flavor profile and the way they were treated. The Malice will be dry fermented and stainless steel aged which should lead to create a different mouth feel. The Banjo has been aging in bourbon barrels which can only lead to a great blend of oak, vanilla notes, and a lot of complexities to compliment apples. The options of ciders are endless and what guests can look forward to are a wide variety of bold, full flavored ciders.

With a great selection of ciders, a relaxing and comfortable tasting room, and a group of very friendly owners, Stem Ciders has already created a great atmosphere to visit. As the tap list expands and the year goes on this will quickly become a place full of great regular customers, and newcomers looking to introduce themselves to cider. In an area of Denver that continues to grow at a rapid rate Stem Ciders is cemented right in the center of this growth with their unique take on a beverage not commonly seen on a craft market. So when in Denver and craving something refreshing to drink pass on the breweries and wineries, and make a trip to Stem Ciders to not only taste the quality, but to experience one of the great new businesses in RiNo for yourself.

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Brews News 1-7

We are already a week into the year, and what a week it has been. 2 weeks into the year the craft beer scene is already heating up for the year. Already we are celebrating anniversaries, festivals are starting up again, new breweries are opening up on almost a weekly basis, and the new beer releases around the state are being tapped in abundance. And that is all going down this week.

Anniversaries:
Friday, January 10 J Wells Brewing in Boulder will be turning 1! This small brewery quickly established themselves in the rich Boulder craft beer scene with their great English style ales, and Hop Haze Imperial IPA. The event runs from 4-9 PM and will feature 7 great beers on tap, so stop by, say congratulations, and enjoy some great craft beer.

New Brewery Openings:
This week we will have not 1, but 2 places opening for small batch beer and ciders.
-Thursday, January 9 Lafayette will welcome a great new brewery into this small suburb when The Post Brewing Company opens their doors. This chicken restaurant and brewery will be a welcome addition to the expanding beer scene in Lafayette. Dinner will be served at 4 along with their great craft beer offerings, and weekend brunch to follow that weekend.
-Friday, January 10 in RiNo Stem Cider’s will officially open their doors. This small building has had a couple soft openings offering one of their delicious ciders, and there should be 4 available for the grand opening. This is a great addition to the bursting RiNo scene so stop by, say hello to the friendly owners and enjoy some great dry cider.

Festivals:
It is already that time of year again for craft beer lovers head into the mountains for the 14^th Annual Vail Big Beers, Belgian’s and Barleywines. This annual event is one of the highlights of the festival year fro breweries and craft beer lovers alike. Event runs from Thursday, January 9 to Saturday, January 11 and is a must attend for those who have not.

New Beer Releases/Events:
There are a lot of great new beer releases this week, as well as craft beer events.
-Tuesday, January 7 Crooked Stave will be tapping the popular Nightmare on Brett Street aged in Leopold Whiskey Barrels. Tapping will be at 5 PM at where else but The Source.
-Wednesday, January 8 Copper Kettle will be starting a new month of firkins revolved around New Years Resolutions. The first beer is about reducing stress, and will be their India Pale Lager with Holy Basil added to it. Only 10 gallons that will be tapped at 3 PM will it’s gone.
-Wednesday, January 8 back at The Source Crooked Stave will continue their Happy Leaf release as collaboration with Happy Leaf Kombucha. This week will be the Vieille Saison with Cranberry lavender kombucha.
-Wednesday, January 8 Lone Tree will be bringing back their popular Bronco Belgian Pale Ale. This is a popular beer every year and with good reason.
-Thursday, January 9 Station 26 in Denver will continue their new firkin releases. This week’s small release will be a Coffee Red IPA.
-Thursday, January 9 is the second Thursday of the month and that can only mean one thing, the monthly beer and cheese pairing between Truffle Cheese Shop and Copper Kettle Brewing Company. $20 gets you four great cheeses, 4 great beers, and a night full of fun and information. Tickets go fast and can be purchased on the Copper Kettle website.
-Friday, January 10 Rockyard Brewing Company in Castle Rock will be releasing their Lightning Strike Oatmeal Stout aged in bourbon barrels. This beer has been available at the brewery, but look for bottles of this great beer to hit liquor store shelves. Buy them quick because their small batch beers go quick, and are always popular.
-In other news Black Shirt Brewing continues to can their beers. This week the Red Saison will be joining the lineup that already features the Red IPA and Red Porter. Look for these great beers to go at the tap room by the end of the week.

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Station 26

Within the Denver craft beer scene the number of breweries and parts of the city these breweries are in continue to expand. What used to be primarily in downtown has now expanded to the very limits of the Denver border. Most recently towards the end of 2013 a new part of Denver became part of the craft beer scene, the Stapleton area. What used to house Denver’s main airport has undergone a huge makeover the past few years and now has a microbrewery to call its own. Housed in an old historical fire station this new brewery has a name fitting to the building, Station 26 Brewing.

Located within the old Station 26 Firehouse in Denver this brewery has undergone a great conversion to become a brewery, but still kept the historical firehouse environment present. Walk inside the large red building inside the large red brick building is a spacious tap room. The large garage doors make this well lit along with all the industrial light fixtures hanging from the high ceilings. The bar top wraps around the building with tables and standing room all around. The old brick walls are still the same and the fireman’s poles separate the seating area from where the beer was made. This brewery has a great environment, and of course there is the beer and with some very unique styles being served they are all worth trying.

For fans of the hops there are two very distinct options and the first is a Belgian-American Pale Ale. This classic style pale ale has the subtle hop bitterness but is balanced out by a citrus and grapefruit note from the Belgian yeast strain. Very straightforward in flavor profile, but very balanced, refreshing, and easy to enjoy. For a bolder hop profile there is the IPA #1. Made with Apollo, Nelson, and Simcoe hops this IPA has the bitterness one would expect but with layers of complex flavors from the three unique hop varietals. Subtle aromas and flavors of citrus and pine balance out the hop notes. The aftertaste lingers but this is a very traditional IPA that will be enjoyed by the hop heads out there. For another bitter beer but not in the pale ale category is the New World Bitter, a version of an ESB. With three different hops this beer is well balanced, full flavored, and very sessionable. Refreshing, unique, and easy to drink this is a great beer easy to enjoy by craft beer drinkers of all styles.

Of course Station 26 also has some unique offerings as well, and none are more unique than the Cherrywood-Smoked Golden Ale. A very light bodied easy to drink ale that is full of complex flavor and aroma. This light bodied ale has a subtle smoke not to the aroma that follows through perfectly to the flavor with a subtle sweetness. The flavors were all balanced from the malts to hops all with a hint of smoke. Cap it off with a clean finish and this is a very unique, refreshing beer that is easy to drink and very enjoyable. For fans of the dark beers there is a stout available, but a session stout. This light 4.1% ABV beer has a lighter body for a stout, but is still packed full of stout flavor. All the great qualities of a stout are present from the rich dark color, tan head, roasted barley, coffee, and chocolate. But unlike a traditional stout the light 4.1% ABV makes this not only light bodied but very easy to drink. A very refreshing beer for one so dark with a clean finish and so flavorful it makes it that much easier to drink.

With not only a diverse tap list in which there is a beer for fans of all styles this brewery has so much more going for it. A very friendly staff who are welcoming and engaging, a talented brewer who makes great traditional and unique beers, and a great tap room that is not only comfortable but brings together the great environment of a historic firehouse and craft brewery. In a craft beer market as rich and diverse as Denver’s this was a welcome addition. While off the beaten path from most of Denver’s brewery this one is worth the visit. So next time you are in the north Denver area swing by Station 26 Brewing and enjoy many of the great offerings, and see if anything new has hit the tap lines yet.

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Brews News 12-31

As the year comes to an end and a new one begins it is time to gear up for another great 12 months in craft beer around Colorado. But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves and instead just take it one week at a time. There is a lot going on this week to welcome in 2014 with from New Year’s parties, to new brewery openings, to new beer releases to look forward to.

New Brewery Openings:
-After much anticipation and waiting Kokopelli Beer Company will finally open their doors in Westminster on Friday, January 3. Some people have already gotten to try their beers through various tastings and a recent collaboration beer they did with Caution in Denver but now the tap lines will be flowing to the thirsty masses. The brewpub will offer food options to guests as well as a variety of hand crafted ales on tap. They are located on 8931 Harlan St. in Westminster.

Events:
With New Years Eve there are a lot of events all around Denver this year, here are a few worth going to.
-Big Choice Brewing in Broomfield will be hosting a New Years Eve party with a decade theme where the best dressed can win free beer for a year. $55 gets you a catered dinner, automatic entry to the giveaways throughout the evening, unlimited beer, and a champagne toasts to ring in the new year.
-If you are in the mountains celebrating the New Year swing by the Dam Brewery in Dillon. $12 at the door gets you party favors, a champagne toast, and a concert from Something Underground. Of course while waiting for the clock to hit midnight enjoy many of the great award winning beers made on site.

New Beer Releases:
-Friday, January 3 Uplsope Brewing in Boulder will be tapping a firkin voted on by the fans. The beer of choice is a milk stout with vanilla beans, cocoa nibs, and cinnamon. Tapping is at 2 pm at the Lee Hill location, you’re not going to want to miss this one.
-Saturday, January 4 in what has become a New Year’s tradition Copper Kettle Brewing Company will be tapping their 3^rd annual mystery beer. In years past we have seen a Black Belgian Quad, and a Juniper Berry Belgian Golden Strong, so what could this year’s be? Tapping is at noon, arrive early and do your best guesswork to figure out this year’s special batch.
-Saturday, January 4 at 1pm River North Brewery in Denver will be releasing another new barrel aged beer. J Marie their flagship and signature saison has spent time in a red wine barrel and is ready to be served to the masses. Anyone who knows River North knows that their barrel aged beers are worth trying and this one will be no exception.
-It’s January and that can only mean one thing, Great Divide will be releasing Orabelle again. This Belgian Tripel made its debut last year and will be hitting tap lines and store shelves soon. Also Great Divide will be releasing a new year round beer! Lasso a session IPA that comes in right around 5% ABV joins a great lineup of IPAs that features Titan, Hercules, and Rumble and is sure to be popular.

Other News:
Starting this year Saint Patrick’s Brewing Company will start opening on Saturdays. This small batch brewery in Englewood known for both classic and experimental lagers is slowly becoming one of the hidden gems of the Colorado beer scene, and his expanded hours will only help to solidify that. Saint Patrick’s is located on 4750 S Santa Fe Cir in Englewood, so make the trip, say hi and taste some great lagers.

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The Year Ahead

2013 was a great year for craft beer with an abundance of new breweries opening their doors all over the state. Denver, Boulder, and other established towns continued their expansions with great new breweries like Jagged Mountain, J Wells, and Sanitas. Also 2013 saw small suburbia towns getting their first microbreweries. Lafayette was home to two, Westminster opened one with another one in the works. As the year wraps up and 2014 is right around the corner the number of breweries slated to open up continue to grow, and here are some to look forward to in the year ahead.

38 State Brewing Company: With all the breweries in Colorado there are some towns that still don’t have an expansive craft beer scene, one of which is the small suburb of Littleton. That will change early in 2014 with the opening of 38 State Brewing Company. Founded by Colorado natives this urban rustic brewery with a patio will be located on 8071 S Broadway in Littleton. This small batch brewery will start on a 1 BBL system from Ruby Street, and once opened they will feature six flagship beers. Those beers include a Chocolate Bourbon Stout, Golden Lemon Honey Wheat, Two Buttes Double IPA, Great Plains Scottish Ale, ColorAmber Ale, and a brown ale which they are still working on a name for. If all goes as planned look for their doors to open in late January. With a Colorado name, Colorado inspired beers, and a great location this brewery will be a great addition and definitely one to look forward to opening in 2014.

Factotum Brewhouse: Factotum will be a very unique addition to the ever expanding craft beer scene in Denver when they open. Why? Because this brewery will embrace and pay homage to the home brewers who have dreams of opening up their own brewery. Brother and sister owners Chris and Laura Bruns will brew two of the seven beers available on their 7 BBL System. The other five taps will be run by home brewers who not only want to learn brewing on professional equipment, but also want honest feedback on their recipes. This will be on a waitlist system so that the same style of beer does not dominate their tap list. While their first location fell through they are currently in the process of finding a new location, and with a successful kickstarter fundraiser they are ready to go and get open. Despite the few setbacks they have faced this will be a very unique brewery that is sure to be popular for all the varieties of beers for craft beer drinkers and home brewers alike.

Kokopelli Beer Company: After months of anticipation one of the breweries we are most looking forward to will also be one of the first to open in 2014, and in a town still growing in craft beer. That will come on January 3 when Kokopelli Beer Company opens their doors on January 3. Not only will this brewpub offer artisan pizzas and sandwiches to compliment their beer but they will also offer six flagship ales. These include an American Pale Ale, an English Pale Extra Special, a Belgian Wit, American Amber, IPA, and sweet Milk Stout. The flagship beers will be more on the traditional side, while their rotational and seasonal ales will be more experimental. While this brewery has been in the process to open for a while they have been staying busy brewing beer and getting their name out, most recently doing a collaboration beer with Caution Brewing out of Denver. Once this brewery opens they will join Westminster Brewing Company as the second microbrewery in this small suburb, making it one of the most to look forward to next year.

Blue Spruce Brewing: In another brewery that was supposed to open in 2013 but will open their doors in early 2014 comes out of the town of Centennial, Blue Spruce Brewing. Located at the corner of County Line and Colorado this brewpub will feature 8-12 beers on tap from brewer Rick Kane and will feature Mazatlan style Mexican food that pairs with the beers along with other food options. The 7 BBL system will brew plenty of beer to serve to the thirsty masses and include diverse lineup that features a golden strong ale, pecan pie brown, and IIPA which will be poured at the annual Vail Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywine festival, plus many more great offerings. Look for this brewery to officially open their doors sometime in January, and expect it to be a great addition to a neighborhood still establishing its craft beer scene.

So what other breweries are there to look forward to next year? Aurora will expand with 2 new microbreweries in Demon Spawn and Mu. Denver will continue to expand at a rapid rate with other breweries like Fiction and Zephyr. Also expect more suburb breweries to open up and small town breweries including a new one in Breckenridge, Manitou Springs, and more. No matter how you look at it and no matter where in Colorado the number of breweries opening up will be enough to keep all of our pint glasses full, and all of our thirst’s quenched. Cheers to the year ahead and what 2014 will bring.

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