Valentine's Day

That time of year is here again where heart shaped boxes of chocolates, and flowers fly off the stores shelves. Of course this is Valentine’s Day. But thankfully we live in Colorado where we have all the craft breweries that have taken notice of this holiday, and have put their own interpretation on it. Gone are the days of expensive dinners, and here are some of the most fun, and entertaining ways to spend Valentine’s Day with not only your loved one, but also some great craft beer around Colorado.

Beer and Chocolate Pairing- Denver Beer Co. (Denver, CO): After that fancy dinner out what better way to end a night than with some craft beer and artisanal chocolates? Well Denver Beer Co. will be hosting their annual Beer and Chocolate Pairing in the Barrel Room Friday night starting at 7:00 pm. For $30 you will receive 8 chocolates from The Chocolate Lab in Denver along with 4 great beers from Denver Beer Co. The pairings are an Apricot Belgian Ale with and Apricot Truffle and a Pecan Bacon Caramel Toffee. A Cocoa Crème Graham Crack Porter will be paired with a Dark Chocolate Truffle and a Chocolate Covered Marshmallow. A Chocolate Chile Stout will be paired with an Ancho Chile Truffle and Chocolate Covered Bacon. Last will be Hide the Rum paired with and Irish Stout Truffle and Candied Pecans. This will be a fun evening with craft beer and chocolate lovers, and a great way to end the evening.

Sweetheart Dinner- Kokopelli Beer Co. (Westminster, CO): One of the newest brew pubs in Colorado will be bringing their great beer and pizza to the table for a special dinner during Valentine’s Day Weekend. For $40 per couple guests will receive a drink, a heart shaped pizza, dessert to share, plus a chocolate rose and teddy bear to take home. If you already have plans for Friday night this is a two night event that will also be going on Saturday night as well. 24 hours notice is required for reservations. This is sure to be a great event with not only high quality craft beer, but great pizza, and great company making it a can’t miss craft beer event for Valentine’s day.

Valentine’s Day Pairing- Black Shirt Brewing Co. (Denver, CO): What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than with a wide variety of Red Ales? Friday, February 14 from 2-9 Black Shirt Brewing will be offering a special Valentine’s Day Pairing for $30. This will include a flight of 8 beers, a board of artisanal breads, cheeses, and for dessert two espresso marshmallows. This will be a great event with not only great beers, but a great way to celebrate the holiday with a friend or loved one. Tickets are available at valentinespairing.eventbrite.com 

Cider and Cheese Pairing-Stem Ciders (Denver, CO): Beer and cheese pairings are becoming more and more popular every month but on Valentine’s Day there is the opportunity to try something totally new. A cider and cheese pairing. Stem Ciders in Denver has teamed up with St. Kilians Cheese Shop in Denver to bring a great offering of craft cider and cheese. Friday night from 6-8 for $15 guests will receive a flight of 4 ciders and tasters of 4 cheeses. No reservations are required but guests are asked to RSVP so that there is enough food to go around. Most times fruits are on the side of cheese plates, now guests will have the opportunity to drink a great fruit beverage while enjoying. This is sure to be a great event that is not only fun, but also educational and delicious and sure to be a great way to spend Valentine’s.

Now of course there are smaller events and special Valentine’s themed beer releases this day as well.
-12 Degree Brewing in Louisville will be offering special beer and chocolate flights on Friday.
-Arvada Beer Co. in Arvada will be tapping a special release Golden Ale with strawberries on Friday.
-Bootstrap Brewing Co. in Niwot will be re-releasing their Cherry Ginger Gold Ale Friday for the holiday.
-Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora will be releasing a Chocolate Raspberry Porter for their Firkin Friday.

What do you want us to write about? Let us know at https://www.facebook.com/MileHighBrews

Brews News 2-11

February is moving right along and this week we find ourselves in the middle of watching the Olympics and hoping the weather will stay above 0 for this week. Let’s hope it does because this is a very busy week in craft beer full of new beer releases, events, and anniversaries. Here is what to look forward to in the week ahead.

New Brewery!
Tuesday, February 11 the newest brewery in Denver will open their doors, Lowdown Brewery and Kitchen. This new brewery located on the corner of 8^th and Lincoln brings together great craft beer from award winning brewers as well as great seasonal food offerings. For their opening they will have eight beers on tap: Porch Pounding Pilz a Pilsner, Lowdown White Ale a Belgian Wheat, Selfish a Pale Ale, Lowdown IPA, The Boxer a India Red Ale, Lonely Sheep a Scottish Style Export, Black Bessie a Milk Stout that will be available on nitro as well, and a Belgian Tripel. This is sure to be a great addition to the Denver beer scene so make sure to stop by at some point this week to say hi and taste their offerings.

Anniversaries:
This weekend from Friday, February 14 to Sunday, February 16 River North Brewery in Denver will be turning 2, and celebrating over 3 days. This is all highlighted by the release of their new Anniversary Ale which this year is a Nelson Dry Hopped Belgian Golden Strong Ale. That will be available on Friday along with their 1 Anniversary Ale, remember the great Russian Imperial Stout? Saturday they will be releasing a rotation of barrel aged kegs all day, but the highlight of this weekend will come Sunday. J Marie Barrelled and Bretted will be hitting the tap lines again, and in addition they will be having a cellar sale. Limited quantities of rare barrel aged bombers will be available, so stock up early because once these are gone they are gone!

New Beer Releases/Events:
-Station 26 Brewing in Denver added a new beer to their lineup with a Scottish Ale.
-Wednesday, February 12 Copper Kettle Brewing Company continues their cask month of Chocolate Decadence. This week will be a Chocolate Vanilla Cream Ale. This classic American style ale has both Tahitian Vanilla Beans, and Cocoa. Tapping is at 3 and this is sure to go fast.
-Wednesday, February 12 Lone Tree Brewing will be bringing back a favorite for this time of year, My Cherie Amour a Chocolate Cherry Stout. This was very popular last year, but this year’s batch is a much smaller batch and they aren’t expecting it to make it to Friday, so arrive early to ensure you get to try this beer.
-Wednesday, February 12 in anticipation of their anniversary party River North Brewery will be tapping a keg of Scotch Barrel J Marie for Wayward Wednesday.
-Thursday, February 13 it is the second Thursday of the month and that means it is Beer and Cheese time at Copper Kettle. This monthly event I partnership with the Truffle Cheese Shop in Denver brings 4 beers and 4 cheeses for $20. This event is always fun, and educational.
-Looking ahead a little further ahead than usual next Monday, February 17 Crooked Stave will be releasing the first in their Ferus Flexus Series. The Wild Belgian Pale Ale was a first in a collaboration series and this one was made with Upslope Brewing in Boulder. Bottles are $10 each and is cash only as usual with a 4 bottle limit starting at 6. At 6:30 the draft lines will be pouring this beer for guests wanting a sample as well.

Is there a brewery you want featured in Brews News? Let us know at https://www.facebook.com/MileHighBrews

Westminster Brewing Co.

East of Boulder and north of Denver lies the small suburb of Westminster, Colorado. Through the entire craft beer boom that has been going on in Colorado the past couple years this town was never part of it, only surrounded by new microbreweries. That all changed late in 2013 when the first production brewery opened their doors in this small suburb. With an emphasis on high quality ales and creating beers for both seasoned and new craft beer drinkers this brewery has quickly become a great addition to Westminster. Named after the town it resides in this is the Westminster Brewing Company.

Located of 108^th this brewery is easy to drive by, but pay attention for the banner hanging outside to see all the great things happening on the inside. Inside what seems like a small brewery is a large tasting lab as they refer to it is complete with private rooms for events. Just to the left of the bar surrounded by windows guests can get a glimpse of all the brewing equipment used to craft all their beer on site. The bar back is stainless steel as the tap handles are connected to the walk in fridge holding all the beer, but the most impressive feature of this tap room is the view. The large windows allow guests great views of the mountains to watch as they enjoy their beer, and with six flagship beers to choose from deciding which to enjoy first can be a challenge.

Serving mostly English styles ales there are a lot to choose from, but none are better to start with than the Shiva or English Pale Ale. This beer has a ruby color with a subtle malt flavor and light body. The hops dominate this ale with a brightness and great bitterness. The aftertaste does linger with hops, but it is a great refreshing session ale that is easy to drink. For something with a good bitter flavor but more balanced ask for the 1066 which is a traditional ESB. This beer has slightly more body but has a good balance between malt sweetness and hop bitterness. Bright, with a subtle citrus and floral hop flavor this beer finishes very clean making it easy to enjoy. Also available is an Irish Ale which is very traditional in its malt and hop profile. This creates an extremely balanced beer that is a great session ale making it perfect for any kind of day.

For non English style beers there are several offerings as well, and it starts with a light German style ale known as 12 Apostles. Similar to a pilsner this beer has a light, crisp body with a dry mouth feel and prominent hop profile. None of the hops overpower the flavor of this wheat colored ale, instead they balance each other out creating a great flavor profile with a clean finish. For something more bold with hops there is an American Pale Ale. Contrary to the Shiva this beer is much bolder in hops and has a great citrus flavor with a strong bitterness. The aftertaste lingers creating a beer full of flavor, but one to be sipped and savored so each hop varietal has a chance to come through. Now of course there needs to be a dark beer offered, and that is available in the Moses a chocolate porter. This porter has a rich, full body that brings out the best in the subtle coffee flavor, and full chocolate flavor. With a rich mouth feel and subtle bitter notes from the coffee and chocolate this beer is rich, finishes clean, and very enjoyable.

Soon the tap list will be expanding as well not only with new beers, but with the addition of cask conditioned ales served on a traditional hand pull system. That will bring the traditional English style ales and add a unique flavor profile to already existing beers, making horizontal pairings easily possible. Combine that with the great atmosphere, friendly staff, scenic views, and neighborhood feel and it is no wonder that Westminster Brewing has quickly established themselves as a great and unique brewery. In an area that is only to go expand its craft beer scene Westminster Brewing will forever be the first and the original which is fitting with their great ales. So when north of Denver and in search of a great beer stay in the suburbs and check out the tasting lab at Westminster Brewing, it will be worth the visit.

Is there a brewery you want us to visit? Let us know at https://www.facebook.com/MileHighBrews

Brews News 2-4

The Super Bowl is behind us and we are now officially into February. Even though the Denver was not successful on Sunday Denver still has better beer than Seattle. This week once again proves that with new brewery openings, and new beer releases. Here is what is happening in the week ahead.  

New Brewery Openings
After much anticipation and what has been a long time coming Former Future Brewing Company will finally be opening their doors to the masses. Friday, February 7 they will be celebrating their grand opening. Look for there to be 5 beers on tap including an English IPA, Belgian Wit, Robust Porter, Salted Caramel Porter, and a 100% Brett Fermented Farmhouse IPA. As the beers continue Former Future will also be releasing barrel aged beers in limited releases as well as bottles. This brewery is sure to be a great addition to Denver, and will be worth checking out for grand opening and many times after that. Former Future is located on 1290 S Broadway in Denver along antique row.

New Beer Releases
There are plenty of new beer releases this week sure to please fans of every style of beer.
-Wednesday, February 5 Copper Kettle Brewing Company will begin a month of chocolate decadence firkins. The first beer they will be offering is a Chocolate Cherry Milk Stout. Last year a similar version of this beer sold out in record time so arrive early for this beer.  Tapping is at 3:00.
-Wednesday, February 5 River North Brewery has a great beer for Wayward Wednesday, Whiskey Barrel Quandary. In a week like this there is nothing better than a barrel aged Belgian Quad to keep us warm. Tapping is at 3.
-Thursday, February 6 Station 26 in Denver has another unique offering for their weekly firkin. This week is a Lemongrass Ginger Kolsch. Tapping is at 4, and the regular Kolsch is also back on tap to compare side by side with.
-Saturday, February 8 Copper Kettle will be releasing another new barrel aged beer on their tap lines. This week is a Rum Barrel Aged Old Ale. Tapping will be at 12.
-Saturday, February 8 in Parker Elk Mountain will be releasing their first bottled beer. Ghost Town Brown will be available in the tap room starting at 2:00. Be one of the first to buy a bottle of this great beer before they become available in liquor stores.
-Sunday, February 9 Avery in Boulder will be releasing its third release of Uncle Jacob’s Stout. This is the second beer in Avery’s annual barrel aged series and comes in at a strong 14.8% Bottles are 12 ounces and are being sold in the tap room for $12 each with a maximum of 1 case starting at 11 am.

In other very exciting news Chain Reaction Brewing Company has signed a lease and officially has a location, but they won’t be announcing it until this Saturday, February 8 so as soon as we know you will know.

Is there a brewery you want us to feature in Brews News? Let us know at https://www.facebook.com/MileHighBrews

Kokopelli Beer Co

Along Highway 36 in between Denver and Boulder there is little to enjoy as far as craft beer is concerned. That all changed in January of 2014 when Christine Wares decided to leave the telecommunications industry after 28 years to open a restaurant and brewery. Alongside her are Todd and Rick who were avid home brewers taking their craft to the next level and serving it to thirsty guests who come into this small business. Named after the god for fertility this brewpub is the first in the small suburb of Westminster, Colorado serving up not only great craft beer, but great bar food as well. After much anticipation of opening Colorado craft beers drinkers were finally able to sample the offerings from Kokopelli Beer Company.

Located inside a strip mall off 88^th and Harlan walking inside this brewery transforms guests from the mountains of Colorado to the southwest. The spacious tap room is decorated with the Kokopelli god from wall art to the custom designed tap handles behind the bar. The dark red and light brown walls add great color and only add to the southwest environment that has been created. Divided by a wall lies all the brewing equipment used to serve the high quality ales, and with several flagship to choose from along with some rotating seasonal ales the options are endless of what to enjoy here.  

With several beers to choose from on their tap list Kokpelli has something for everybody, including multiple options for the hop heads out there, and it starts with the Pale Face Ale. This medium body malt forward beer has great color, and a surprisingly bright citrus note from the Amarillo hops. This beer has a great balance between malt and hops, finishes clean and lends itself to the more hop forward beers on the menu. For a lighter bodied IPA there is the Split Wit, and collaboration with Denver’s Caution. This beer brought together the great qualities of a White IPA with a saison yeast strain. This beer has a light body with a dry mouth feel and a balance between sweet and spicy. The hops are prominent but not overpowering making this a very unique IPA. For fans of dark ales but still like their hops there is the Night Thunder Black IPA.  This dark beer has all the great qualities of a porter and IPA combined. A rich body with strong coffee flavor is bitter on its own, but is enhanced by the hops. With a lingering aftertaste this IPA has a great bitterness any hop fan would love, and rounds out a great tap list of diverse IPAs.

For fans of more traditional styles of ales there are plenty to choose from at Kokopelli as well, and a great one to start with is the Red Moon Amber. This beer brings with it a medium body, amber color, and great layers of flavor. You are initially greeted with a sweetness of caramel and vanilla flavor from the malts used, but that is balanced out from a subtle hop flavor. The beer is balanced, and finishes clean making very refreshing and easy to enjoy. For drinkers of dark beers there is a stout available, the Cow Tipper Milk Stout. There is nothing fancy about this beer, instead it is a very straightforward style of a milk stout. A lighter body gives the drinker a rich flavor of coffee and chocolate that one would expect from a stout. The creamy mouth feel and prominent sweetness let it be known that this is a bold flavored milk stout. This beer does finish clean, and is a good interpretation of a milk stout, the light body make it easy to enjoy, and the flavors are well rounded making this a great beer. Also available will be small batch beers that rotate and at their grand opening that included a Dubbel, Altbier, and winter ale.

With a wide variety of hand crafted beers to choose from, a friendly and welcoming staff, a relaxing and spacious tap room, and food options right on site it is no wonder why there was so much anticipation for Kokopelli to open. Now that their doors have opened it is no surprise to see them packed regularly with people enjoying their pizza and beer. In a time where brewpubs are few and far between, and in an area where craft beer is still limited Kokopelli was a great addition to not only the Westminster area but to Colorado craft beer in general. So when north of Denver ignore the chains, and stop by this new brewpub sure to be full of regulars and first time customers for a long time to come, and worth the wait for their opening.

Is there a brewery you want us to visit? Let us know at https://www.facebook.com/MileHighBrews

Brews News 1-28

As we enter the last week of January and head into the first week of February we remember that the first month of the year was a busy one in the craft beer world. With five days to go until the Super Bowl at least the craft beer community has plenty of events to keep them busy as they eagerly await the big game with anniversaries, and new beer releases. Here is what is going on in the week ahead in craft beer.

Anniversaries:
One of the best new breweries from 2013 is finally turning 1 and are doing so with a four day party featuring 4 new beer releases. That small brewery tucked away in an alley in the Highlands neighborhood, De Steeg! The festivities will start on Thursday, January 30 and run through Sunday, February 2 featuring a new beer release the first three days and finishing off with a Super Bowl Party. The new beer releases will feature a Biere De Garde, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad. For those who have not been to this brewery yet this will be a great first time to visit and try some great beers, and enjoy a great time as they celebrate their first of many anniversaries.

New Beer Releases: New beers and firkins will be in abundance again this week, but which ones to try?
-Tuesday, January 28 Crooked Stave will be releasing their newest bottle, Batch 60. This beer was released last week for Tap it Tuesday and now the bottle release will be happening at The Source. This is an American Wild Ale that has been dry hopped with Amarillo and Citra hops. Bottles are $10 each and is a cash only event starting at 5 pm.
-Wednesday, January 29 Copper Kettle Brewing Company will be ending their New Year’s Resolution cask month with a gluten free beer made with rice. This beer will go on tap at 3 and should go quickly like they all have this month.
-Wednesday, January 29 for Wayward Wednesday River North has a great beer lined up for guests. Unified Theory with grapefruit fermented with wine yeast. Tapping is at 3.
-Thursday, January 30 Station 26 in Denver has a great firkin planned for the masses. Their Belgian-American Pale Ale will be the offering with blood oranges added to it. Although the firkin program here is new it has caught on quickly so arrive early for the 4 pm tapping.
-Saturday, February 1 Copper Kettle will be releasing a great beer perfect to welcome in February. They will be releasing their Chocolate Milk Stout. Tapping is at 12 and this is a beer that is a must try.
-Saturday, February 1 River North Brewery has another limited beer release for us. Scotch Barrel J Marie Saison. Only 110 cases of this beer were made and it will be available starting at 1 PM.
-Need a beer for the Super Bowl? Snapshot by New Belgium and Lugene by Odell are officially on the shelves around town so grab this while you can.

Is there a brewery you want featured in Brews News? Let us know at https://www.facebook.com/MileHighBrews

Hall Tap Room

It was early on in 2013 that the small town of Parker was welcomed with a new microbrewery, and one that everybody in the surrounding areas could enjoy just as easily. Hall Brewing started off small with three distinct farmhouse style beers: a red, IPA, and stout that were available in 22 ounce bombers in various liquor stores and on tap at select bars. Throughout the year they were at festivals, tasting events, and one questioned was always asked, “When are you going to open a tasting room?” Luckily for the craft beer community they listened and in December of 2013 the doors to the Hall Brewing Tap Room opened in the small town where it all started, Parker.

Located in the heart of downtown Parker right on the corner of Main Street the tap room is very spacious, but inviting and comfortable. Walking in there are barrels against the wall, and the place is decorated to match the brewery perfectly. Behind the bar is a very rustic look where the tap handles are bordered by aged, weathered looking wood. Just above the bar lies small pine trees that adds to the outdoor environment they created. A tap room as large as this one still has a small town feel with a very friendly staff that is very engaging with all customers that walk in, and of course all the great Hall beers are available to sample and enjoy a Mason jar pint.

With what started as three beers has quickly expanded into a full and diverse tap list that any craft beer fan would enjoy. The red, IPA, and stout are all available as well as a nitro tap, and the additional farmhouse saison is on tap. In addition shortly after they began distributing beer Hall expanded its production into making high quality craft lagers. Included in the lagers are farmhouse styles of a pilsner, helles, and a bock that are all very traditional to the style and full of great hop and malt flavor one would expect in lagers.

Lastly are the seasonal and small release batches that Hall has produced throughout its first year. These included a peach blonde ale perfect for the summertime with its light body and refreshing flavor. This was followed by a marzen during the fall, this great malty lager fit the profile of autumn and October perfectly, and for the winter months we were offered Deck the Hall Holiday Ale. This ale was the original recipe of owner Aubrey Hall’s grandfather that was brewed as it originally was and offered to the masses in a very enjoyable malt forward slightly spiced ale. Of course a tap room would not be complete without some exclusive small batch beers or firkins, and Hall has those which have included a Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine with vanilla beans, a pilsner with orange peel, plus many more to come in the near future.

Great ales, lagers, and seasonal ales Hall Brewing already had a great following of people who anxiously awaited their next release so we could get our hands on a bottle. But the addition of the tap room has now made it possible to enjoy many of their farmhouse offerings in one comfortable sitting. Whether it is some tasters or a mason jar pint, a flagship offering or seasonal small batch this farmhouse brewery opening a tap room was not only a great addition to Parker, but to the Colorado craft beer scene in general. A welcome part of the craft beer expansion this south suburb of Denver now has two great microbreweries to visit, and Hall is a must in the area.

Is there a brewery you want us to visit? Let us know at https://www.facebook.com/MileHighBrews