Brewpub Crawl In Colorado - Part 2

This is part two of a two part guest post by Brady Umfleet.

Stop #7 Eddyline Brewing

Author Brady Umfleet

This brewery is located in Buena Vista a town north of Salida. This is a difficult to find place. It is in a faux area of downtown, you know one of those that developers build to make it look like it is part of some other development. There is a main street in Buena Vista. But then there is South Main Street where the brewery is located. Walking in you get the out door sports vibe. A very small bar of about 4 stools is opposite the door. My wife and I tried the CPA (Colorado Pale Ale) and the Chili Porter. The bartender who was unaware I was sitting at the bar, even after she helped two guys next to me, and she didn’t know what Chilies were in the beer. None the less it was good. May be worth a stop if you are actually in Buena Vista, otherwise head town to the cool town of Salida.

Stop #8 Amicas Pizza and Microbrewery

Following a long soaking in the Salida Municipal Hot Springs we rolled into Amicas located in downtown Salida on a rainy Wednesday night. This place was very busy with tourists and locals. Walking in you must get a table then you can order food. However, there is a bar next to the register area that had 7 house brews on tap; Bomber Blonde Ale, Headwaters IPA, Big S Brown, Rex’s Amber Ale, Ute Trail Pale Ale, and a very interesting and good Black beard’s Delight German style Black Lager, and an interesting Honey Bourbon Brown 10 year Anniversary Ale. I have to say the black lager, IPA, and 10^th Anniversary Ale were very very good and were imbibed by several in our party. What was interesting is that we were able to order beers and then when we ordered our food we would tell the person how many we had, a real honor system. We really enjoyed this brewery.

Stop #9 Breckenridge BBQ Brewpub

Our first brewery visit in Denver was to BBB. This location is located in the south side of Denver, near the Santa Fe arts district. My wife and I had a large sampler that included; Lucky U IPA, Small Batch 471, 72 Imperial, Well Built (barrel aged) ESB (our favorite), and a few more that I can’t recall. The Well Built was a beer that memories are made of; unfortunately we couldn’t score a bottle or two to bring home with us. The atmosphere was laid back on a Thursday afternoon. A few beer geeks and I assume a few workers from other breweries were there since they all wore the same brewery gear. We had the Carolina BBQ and some kind of crazy good chicken and sausage sandwich.

Stop #10 Renegade Brewing

The Renegade brewing logo

The brewery is located in a small building with two rolling garage doors that are opened in nice weather. The atmosphere is slightly industrial and the clientele young professionals, you know the type-those who ride bikes to work and are likely in the tech industry, a pretty chill place. We had a sampler that included; Ryeteous (Rye IPA), Descendant (Pale Ale), Elevation (DIPA), and a few more including a Russian Imperial Stout. We really enjoyed the Elevation and the Russian Imperial Stout. The service was very good and though they didn’t have food there was a Cuban/Vietnamese sandwich truck parked outside. We could have lingered longer but we wanted to head to our hotel.

Stop #11 Great Divide Brewing

Great Divide beer line-up

This is a must visit when in Denver, but try to avoid Rockies game days and 4-5pm ish.

Located a short walk to Coors Field Great Divide was a brewery we were really looking forward to visiting. Walking in to the tap room you almost literally run into the bar. There were about 15 beers on tap and since it was firkin Friday there was another bonus beer. My wife and I tried; Hercules Double IPA, and an oaked version, Titan IPA, Claymore Scotch Ale, and Wolfgang Dopplebock. We would have liked to try samplers of several more, but because it was packed and we were going to the game we settled on the above brews. With the exception of the oaked Hercules, which my wife didn’t care for as much because of the strong oak flavor, we really enjoyed the beer. We didn’t buy any food from the pizza truck outside, but we did see the pies and they looked great.

The service was bad, yeah it was busy, but it was bad. For example, three bar tenders were working, but all three were helping the half a bar nearest to the door (which wasn’t even as busy as the other side). So if you were on the other side of the bar you might as well been in Colorado Springs. We would love to go back but during a less crushed time.

Stop # 12 Sandlot Brewing at Coors Field

Behind the scenes at Sandlot

OK, this is a first for us, a brewery in a baseball park. I will add this to the brewery in a casino in Connecticut I visited many years ago. This place as a steep cover charge and thankfully it does because you shouldn’t be tempted to visit otherwise. A large bar, seating area located at the north entrance to Coors Field. On tap were Coors, Coors light, Sandlot Red Ale, and a couple of the Blue Moon beers. So, having never drank a Coors in my life I ordered one of those and ordered the Red Ale (brewed on site). I somewhat enjoyed the Coors but the Red Ale was neither malty nor hoppy, and frankly it was watery and thin. My wife and I left half of each and departed. In the ball park we found a stand with CO beers such as Oskar Blues’ Dale’s Pale Ale, Left Hand, and Odells. We enjoyed a bottle of Odells IPA.

Stop #13 Strange Brewing



Gluten free beer must be 
served
in plastic cup, it's the law.

Our final beer stop in CO, and frankly even I was beered out by this time. Strange Brewing located in an industrial strip mall not far from the Mile High Stadium just west of downtown Denver. When we arrived we spotted the food vendor and the smell of something good. Walking into Strange the bar is located directly opposite of the bar. There is also a rail with stools near the bar. There were about 6-7 beers on tap, but to be honest we were tired and went for a Cherry Kriek, and a Gluten Free Lemon Pale Ale. I hereby swear to never drink another gluten free beer again. The Cherry Kriek was very good but it was $8 a pint. We liked this place and would have enjoyed it more if it weren’t the last stop on our beercation. Thursday nights are $1 ounce steak night-they (the food vendor) grill them on the patio to order.

Brewpub Crawl In Colorado

This is part one of a two part guest post by Brady Umfleet.

My wife and I planned a trip to Boulder and Denver in conjunction with our friend’s birthday celebration in Salida. Since we are craft beer lovers we decided to hit as many breweries as possible because we wanted to make sure my wife visited her 100^th brewery during our trip. We were also interested in exploring the happening craft beer scene is CO. We also love baseball and have always wanted to visit Coors Field for a ball game. We were two weeks or so too early to watch our Cardinals play at Coors Field however we did watch the Phillies and the Rockies. As a result of my pre trip research and our visit I believe the CO is the craft beer epicenter. Sorry San Diego, this is not only because of the constant opening of breweries, but also because of the extent of craft beer penetration in the state.

Brady enjoys a pint

Stop #1
Twisted Pine

TP is located off one of the main drags of Boulder. Walking in on a rainy Saturday night it was buzzing with a full crowd of locals. There were about 12 beers on tap and my wife and I tried the Hoppy Girl (released that night, Hoppy Boy with jasmine and hibiscus added), Hoppy Boy IPA, Ghost Face Killah (the Billy’s Chilies beer with Ghost Pepper added), Big Easy Off Beat Brown Ale (with wasabi, horseradish and honey), and a cream stout. The stand outs were the Hoppy Girl, Hoppy Boy, and the Big Easy. Overall the beer was solid and if we lived in Boulder this could be our local. The atmosphere is nice and basic and is mos’ def a locals place filled with bicyclists and townies.

Stop #2
Avery Brewing

Even though our GPS sent us on a long roundabout path to Avery Brewing it is actually located on a road that cuts through Boulder. Needless to say this beer destination was busy on a rainy Saturday night. My wife and I were able to score one of the few tables in the barrel room which was a wonderful, intimate, and sedate area of the brewery.
Our server was great and helped us to pick out a mega sampler. I recall we tasted the following brews; 19 Anniversary Ale (Belgian Triple), IPA, Buddha’s Hand (a stand out Belgian Pale Ale), Collaboration not Litigation Ale (Belgian String Dark, again a stand out), Ellie’s Brown Ale, Hog Heaven Barley Wine (a solid sedate BW), Maharaja (Double IPA, had another pint of this), Salvation, The Reverend, and a sour beer along the line of Rodenbach (of which we had the last glass, ever). Being able to sit among the barrels with my wife was a very good experience as we were able to carry on a great conversation away from the hustle and bustle of the main bar area. If you are in Boulder you really do need to make this a destination.

Stop # 3
Oskar Blues Brewery / Tasty Weasel Tap Room

This brewery is located about 12 miles north of Boulder on the Diagonal Highway in Longmont. About 10 years ago I visited the original location in Lyons and was looking forward to checking out another Oskar Blues location with my wife, especially since they began to can and widely distribute their beers. Frankly, I haven’t cared for their canned beer because they have often been flat, but I do recall enjoying their beers during my visit to Lyons. As you drive to this location, don’t be tempted to stop at the large free standing building with Oskar Blues logo plastered on giant faux grain silos this is, I am not kidding, two blocks from the actual brewery. This is their restaurant, pass this location and hang a left and you will find the production brewery and tap room. Walking up the steps you will find a large tap room with tables and long bar. We had a sampler paddle that included; Dale’s Pale Ale, Old Chub (Scottish Ale), G’Knight Imperial Red, Mama’s Little Yella Pils, Ten Fidy (Imperial Stout), Gubna (Imperial Red), Deviant Dales’ (IPA). The stand outs were the Dale’s Pale ale, Deviant Dales’, and the Ten Fidy. There were other additional seasonals and one offs but we had pints of the Deviant and the Dales’. I must say that the cans do not do this beer justice, as the freshness and drinkability of the beer was amazing. The vibe is laid back with dogs on the patio, cyclists hanging out, beer travelers, and locals. Thankfully I don’t live close to OB because it is an excellent place to hang out over a couple of pints and I might never leave.

Stop #4
 Upslope Brewing

The final stop on the Boulder/Longmont brewery tour was Upslope brewing which is located just outside downtown Boulder. Walking into the tap room the first thing you notice is that this is a small place. We ordered a sampler and grabbed a stool. The sampler included; Pale Ale, IPA, Craft Lager, Brown Ale, Maibock, Dopplebock, Belgian style Pale Ale, and one I can’t remember. The real treats here were the IPA, Craft Lager, and the Dopplebock. The tap room is very basic; a few tables, stools, and some games. There was nothing like having a beer and playing Connect Four. This is a good place to have a few brews, all of which were solid, and highly drinkable. This was a pleasant beer farewell to Boulder. Newsflash from the Fermentedly Challenged blog:
"Upslope will be building new brew house in Boulder to expand production. The new location will also have a tap room while the old location will be for experimental brews and they will keep the tasting room."

Stop #5
 Tommyknocker Brewing

Driving from Boulder to the Salida area my wife suggested a more scenic route than our GPS planned out. Thankfully, I also had my copy of Mountain Brew: A Guide to Colorado's Breweries by Ed Sealover and a map. We decided to hit up Tommyknocker in Idaho Springs. This brewpub is located in the old mining town of Idaho Springs. This is a quaint small mining town that is located off of Interstate 70. Tommyknocker is a term used by Cornish miners for small troll like beings that live in mines. The bar is a magnificent wooden work of art and the draft handles are mounted in an old mining car. On tap were 12 different brews and we had a sampler of all of them, but didn’t finish them as is our practice when confronted with a massive selection and a long drive ahead. The standouts were the Maple Nut Porter, Imperial Nut Brown Ale, and Black IPA. These were three excellent brews that we really enjoyed. We purchased 6 packs of the Maple Nut and the Black IPA to share with our friends. Interesting note for you brewers out there, when you visit the restrooms you will notice that the brewery is completely open-no glass, walls, nothing between the brewery and the rest of the pub/restaurant.

Stop #6
 Dillon Dam Brewing

As you head west on Interstate 70 you will eventually run into the ski areas such as Dillon, Frisco, etc. Located in Dillon not far off of I-70 is Dillon Dam Brewing. You can’t miss the extra large green grain silo that marks the brewpub. Let’s face it this is a ski town, though it doesn’t do much for me, the aesthetic is nice. We opted to sit on the patio. We didn’t try a sampler but did have a pint of the ESB and the Pils (German). We enjoyed both beers as we thought they were on style. If you do visit this brewery take the very short self-guided tour of the brewery. Walk up the stairs near the entrance and follow the signage. It is a nice change of pace to get an eagle eye view of a brewery.

Life With A Homebrewer (part 2)

This guest post is by  artist Susan Dorf of susandorf.com

Shortly after we moved into our apartment, the maintenance guy showed up to install some window screens. Entering the kitchen, his jaw dropped as he encountered the kegerator, filling up the spot that the manager had so fondly called 'the breakfast nook' when she gave us a tour of the place. It sits on an oil pan we found at a yard sale, it's classic tap handles from various breweries begging to be pulled to deliver a nice tall cool one. The entire front surface of the kegerator is plastered in bumper stickers from every brewpub, homebrew supplier and brew festival Mark has ever attended, and include slogans such as "I Brew, Therefore I Am," Brew Naked," and "Beer. It's not just for Breakfast anymore."

The maintenance guy lets out a low whistle. "Wow," He says. "My wife would NEVER let me have one of those in the kitchen." Really? I think. You mean, I have a choice? Because it never occurred to me that I could actually refuse. Is there a woman alive who can stand in the way of a man possessed by homebrewing beer? If so, I might like to meet her. I would like to shake her mighty hand.

Because we have moved several times in the past several years I have become familiar with the way his mind works. We find a house we like, and while I am pondering which way we should face the bed or where the bookshelf would fit, Mark is figuring out where the brew sculpture will live, and if the kitchen cabinets can possibly hold all of his beer glasses, or will he have to build more shelves to contain them? He figures the coat closet will be big enough to store his bottles and hoses in, and asks if he can he use the cheese compartment in the fridge to store his pellet hops and yeast.

He can see by the size of the deck that he will have room to brew, but will the chiller discharge hose reach all the way across the living room into the kitchen sink or will he have to get a longer one?

This is a dance we do, this vying for territory that is never quite large enough for our needs but is all we can afford, and any lines I try to draw may as well be drawn in the sand during a windstorm, as I soon find myself tripping over brewing paraphernalia and beer related ingredients begin to spill over from the cheese drawer and into the refrigerator door racks and half the freezer as well.

While I am constantly wishing for more space to create art and longing for the perfect studio, Mark seems to enjoy the challenge of making any place a viable brew space. He has brewed beer out of a tamale pot in a tiny concrete patio in Mexico, outside in the snow on Whidbey Island, in the driveway of a rented condo in Santa Cruz. Sometimes I wonder if he actually relishes the challenge of making it work in what to me seem like impossible circumstances, and I actually envy his drive and persistence.

But when exactly does a passion become obsession? When is enough enough? Is it the moment when he begins to mumble in his sleep about how he has to step up the yeast on his latest brew, or when the question becomes not IF he can use the bathtub to store a few extra kegs, but WHEN?

To see more of Susan's writing on this blog, go to  "Life With A Homebrewer" here.

Beer And Food Pairing Event

Guest writer and owner of 'El Burrito Bistro' Noren Caceres, writes about the upcoming event at her restaurant in San Miguel that matches homebrew with her specially designed menu.

Second Annual Artisan Ale and Food Pairing

Mark Taylor, Californian "Professor" of home-brew, is back with three San Miguel brewed ales to share with fellow beer lovers. His beer is not like what we pop open on a hot day or wash down with a spicy bite. His are flavors for thought, aromas that bear recollections, ales that develop and transform with each sip. This year Mark's brew is strong. Ales that taunt your palate between bitter and sweet, rich in hops, grains and spices, along with a high alcohol volume, creating a unique beer tasting experience.

Pairing these beers with food is a challenge. Each beer is so rich, complex and complete on its own. The Imperial IPA is a beer "all about the hops," describes Mark. And indeed it is. It reminded me of a store I worked at during college in Boston where they sold fresh hops. When you opened that refrigerator door filled with baggies of a wide variety of hops the smell surrounded you by damp, fresh moss of a deep, green forest, so lush that only flashes of sky and streaks of light could creep through. Sipping the Imperial takes you there.

But what about food? I'm looking for foods that allow you to play with the flavors. So you can ask yourself, for example "what does the Imperial taste like with the memory of mole on my tongue?" So, we will start with 3 mini sopes. One topped with chicken in a dark, sweet mole, one with creamy rajas and another with fresh cheese baked in smoky chipotle tomato sauce. We will follow with the Honey Red Ale, the lightest of the three, a traditional pale ale made with honey from the Tuesday market. Its mellow sweetness followed by a grapefruit bitter will be accompanied by a lamb, salmon or eggplant mixiote on a pillow of plantain tamal wrapped and steamed in a banana leaf and served with cilantro rice. And for dessert the Weizenbock. A German beer brewed equally with wheat and malted barley, spiced with clove, nutmeg and cinnamon with hints of vanilla and dried fruits. This beer will be served with a fried crepe filled with sweet citron requeson (a Mexican ricotta) topped with cajeta and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

If you are interested in joining us for our second annual Mark Taylor/Burrito Bistro Beer Pairing event seating times will be at 2:00, 4:30 and 7:00 pm on Sunday March 21 at El Burrito Bistro, Correo #45. The cost will be $250 pesos per person, there is only enough beer for 60, so this event will be by reservation only. You can reserve at 1548956 or email at elburritobistro@yahoo.com.mx

Suds On The Bay Beer Festival

Editors Note:This is guest post writer "Mom" who gives her review of the "Suds On The Bay". Ludington, Michigans first brew festival.

If you have never been to a beer festival now is the time to put it on your "to do" list. My friend Judy and I went Saturday night to "Suds by the Shore" in Ludington, Michigan. The crowd was a bit slim due to rain and cold weather. The ones of us brave enough to attend had such a great time. Spirits were high. Everyone was friendly and anxious to compare beers and discuss the making and adding flavor to the sudsy stuff.

Mom and Judy tasting beers

There were several bands (which were very good) adding joy to the occasion and there were even a few of us ventured to dance. There were 18 vendors. Each booth was decorated to attract our attention. Judy and I started with the light beers as Mark suggested.

Schmohz Brewing: "Pale Ale" (very good) and "Amber Teas" (somewhat bitter)

Kuhnhenn Brewing: "Lunie Kuhnie" (our favorite- light) and "Michigan Amber" (not too bad)

Magic Hat Brewing: "Light Wheat" (Yummy) and "Pale Ale" (close to yummy)

Goose Island Brewing: "Erbin Wheat" (very good and light)
and "Matilda Belgian Pale" (also very good)

Founders Brewing: Last tasting and we were starting to not be too sure of things. "Coffee-Chocolate" (at first not so good but it grew on me; Judy not so much) and "Spicey" (very very very good) and it had holapinia (jalapeno) peppers!

Best I can do with my notes having been written in the rain the pen didn't always print and I don't know how to spell those peppers, which I was not going to try cause I don't eat them cause they are too hot. But wanted to complete our tasting and was so glad I did . It was probably our favorite of all the beers we tasted. And I think we tasted them all. Hehehe.

We met people from Grand Haven, Spring Lake, and Grand Rapids as well as some locals. Ludington, Michigan city park was a perfect location. I am already looking forward to next years festival. Was it a success? Oh yeah! And best of all the proceeds went to United Way One of my personal charities.

Veronica A. Taylor

Life With A Homebrewer

This is a guest post by my wife on being married to a homebrewer and what that's like. You can read her blog at http://www.artpilgrim3.blogspot.com/

by Susan Dorf

When I first came home to what looked to be some one's dirty underwear soaking in my best cooking pot, I have to admit I was a little unsettled. Even after he explained to me that they were just used hop bags, they still looked disgusting. And what was that sticky stuff all over the stove? Yeast starter? What the hell is that? Ugh.

From a page in my art journal. ©Susan Dorf 2009

It had been several weeks since my husband had taken the one day Introduction to Brewing class at the local home brewing supply store and come home with a glazed look on his face and a starter kit to make his first batch of home brewed beer. Now he was moving from malt extract to all grain brewing and had acquired a mill and a few other bits of paraphernalia to make it possible. As long as it all fits under the sink, I said.
But really, I was glad to see that Mark had found a passion. After all, it's good for a man to have a hobby, right? And this one made a lot less noise than the wood shop idea, and was much less risky and stressful than the commodity-trading phase. At least he wasn't racing motorcycles or raising strange animals. Still, I wondered how long it would last.
After the equipment started taking over the kitchen cupboards and then the kitchen itself, we bought a plastic shed for the back deck for him to store the accumulating burners, pots, kegs, CO2 tanks, grains, etc. And when the beer glasses collected from the various breweries and pubs and beer festivals began to shove the other drinking glasses and dishes into unapproachable corners of the cupboards, I agreed that he could use a shelf in the laundry cupboard for the overflow. Soon there were two shelves of glasses, a bin of hop pellets that looked like rabbit food, along with various other devices and several books on home brewing. Laundry and cleaning supplies were stacked on top of the dryer and our storage space was reduced to a few square feet. Then one day the freezer arrived on the back of a friend's truck and with some pushing and shoving was wedged in next to the washing machine. A few adjustments and attachments later, and it was goodbye storage, hello kegerator.
He kept meticulous notes on every aspect of his brewing process. And while his dirty clothes may have been sprawled across the bedroom floor and his bathroom took on the appearance of a war zone, the beer area was always spotless and orderly. He became manic about sanitation and cleanliness, and though my kitchen knives would disappear into fermenting kegs to become weights for dry hop bags, or my pots and measuring cups would mysteriously relocate themselves to the beer shed, I was told that I must never, ever borrow a beer utensil for anything else. Some mornings he trots out to visit his fermenter the minute he wakes up, then comes back with a glass full of some cloudy yellow liquid as I'm trying to wake up, sitting down to a cup of coffee. ‘Taste this', he says. ‘Tell me if it's any good.' He is a man possessed.
Little by little, the world of beer began to infiltrate into our lives. Weekend outings gave way to brewing Sundays. Our vacations and road trips were punctuated by tours of micro-breweries, (which I found I could use as leverage to my advantage, countering with museum and gallery visits.) My usual healthy eating habits became compromised with countless brewpub menus while participating in numerous taste evaluations of beer samplers. I learned about hops and how they are used as a bittering agent, used to balance out the sweetness of the beer to give it a fuller and more complex flavor. Gee, I found myself thinking, it sounds just like a relationship.
He explains to me about the yeast. How it changed the course of history by turning nomadic wanderers into agrarian people because they needed to cultivate grain to make enough beer to keep them satisfied. One night I woke up to a strange rhythmic bubbling sound coming from the bedroom closet. When I opened the door I saw that his shoes had been shoved to one side to make room for the glass carboys wrapped in electric blankets like precious bundles. I pulled one of the blankets aside and stared at the foamy mixture inside. All of that yeast in there multiplying away in a feeding frenzy. Living organisms that through some strange intelligence knew just how much they needed to reproduce to consume the sugar provided by the malted grain. I knelt down to get a closer look at them. "What have you done to my husband?" I asked. And that's when I knew. This wasn't just a hobby anymore. This was his calling.

He joined a homebrew group where he and other brewers would gather together like mad scientists and taste each other's concoctions and talk endlessly about gravity and hop ratios and IBU's and clone recipes along with the latest must-have brewing gizmos. He was a man communing with his tribe. He would come home from beer festivals with a wild satisfied grin on his face, like a kid coming home from Disneyland. He would look like a walking advertisement for micro-breweries, laden with tee shirts and key chain bottle openers, bumper stickers, hats, glasses. Here was a man who wouldn't buy himself a pair of socks, who balked at the price of food and haircuts, and yet when it came to beer or beer related doodads, the money flowed from his wallet. There was no holding back. After the arrival of the beer sculpture, the ominous skeletal multi-tiered monstrosity that appeared one day after he had befriended a welder, I knew that our lives had turned a corner. It was time to move. We needed a garage.
One night I asked him the question a wife should never ask her homebrewer husband. "If you had to choose between beer making and me, what would it be?" I could see the wires crossing in his head, the almost visible sparks as he struggled to find the right answer. Finally, "What the hell kind of question is that?" He said, and went out to the garage to check his fermenter. I'm okay with it. Really I am. Because in my heart of hearts I know that when your true purpose and passion calls to you and makes you feel happy and whole, what choice do you have, really?

Read Susan's follow up post "life with a homebrewer (part II)" here!