Frontier Airlines ran a voting poll from April 4 through May 15 on facebook, asking passengers and fans to vote from among 4 Colorado craft beers for their favorite to be featured onboard each month as part of their rotating tap. The choices were between Dale's Pale Ale, Upslope Pale Ale, Colorado Native, or Crabtree Oatmeal Stout. Voting ended May 15 and the winning Colorado brew will be featured onboard starting June 1. The winner is Colorado Native lager, earning 44% of the votes.

Colorado Native is AC Golden Brewing Company's award-winning amber lager, brewed with 100% Colorado ingredients. The beer won silver at this month's Brewers Association World Beer Cup and also was awarded silver in the 2011 Great American Beer Festival. Both wins were in the American-style Amber Lager category. Congrats to Colorado Native!

The 2012 Great American Beer Festival, the Big 3-0, will take place on October 11, 12, and 13 in Denver at the Denver Convention Center. If you missed it last year, pay attention to this notice from the Brewer's Association:

The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) Members-Only ticket pre-sale begins on Tuesday, July 31 at 10:00 AM MDT (Noon EDT, 11:00 AM CDT, 9:00 AM PDT). The general public ticket sale opens on Thursday, August 2, also at 10:00 AM MDT (Noon EDT, 11:00 AM CDT, 9:00 AM PDT).

All tickets will be available via Ticketmaster.com.

Stay tuned for details about this year's festival; the GABF website will be updated for 2012 in the coming weeks.

Check out the 2011 Colorado Medal Winners here.

Tickets last year sold out in less than a week, so if you want to go this year you'll need to mark your calendar twice: once to buy your tickets, and a second time to plan your assault on over 2000 beers. We'll see you there!

This past week craft brewers from across the nation and around the world gathered in San Diego, CA for the 29th annual Craft Brewers Conference. At the close of the conference winners of the 2012 World Beer Cup were announced. The bi-annual competition is in it's ninth year and according to the Brewers Association, who puts on the Craft Brewers Conference, this year "boasted the strongest field of entrants on record, with 799 breweries from 54 countries and 45 U.S. states entering 3,921 beers in 95 beer style categories."

Colorado took home a very respectable 27 medals 13 of which were Gold. It trailed only behind California's 55 in number of medals won per state.

One of Colorado's newer breweries, Telluride Brewing Co., took home Gold in the American-Style Brown Ale category for their Face Down Brown.

Bull & Bush Brewery in Denver was the states biggest winner, taking home 4 medals.

And Rocky Mountain Brewery nearly swept the Fruit Beer Category, winning a Gold medal for Eat a Peach, and a Silver for Da Yoopers, their cherry pie beer which won Gold in 2010 in the same category.

Here are all the Colorado Winners from the 2012 World Beer Cup. Congratulations to everyone!

--------------------------------------

Category 3: Fruit Beer, 41 Entries
Gold: Eat A Peach, Rocky Mountain Brewery, Colorado Springs, CO
Silver: Da Yoopers, Rocky Mountain Brewery, Colorado Springs, CO

Category 4: Fruit Wheat Beer, 28 Entries
Silver: Blue Moon Vintage Blonde Ale, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 5: Field Beer or Pumpkin Beer, 19 Entries
Gold: Turnip the Beets, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO

Category 11: Specialty Honey Beer, 23 Entries
Silver: Menage a Trois Braggot, Crabtree Brewing Co., Greeley, CO

Category 13: Other Strong Beer, 35 Entries
Bronze: Double Pilsner, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO

Category 19: American-Style Brett Ale, 28 Entries
Silver: Peche, AC Golden Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: Wild Wild Brett Rouge, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, Fort Collins, CO

Category 24: Aged Beer, 20 Entries
Bronze: Release the Hounds Barley Wine Vintage 1999, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO

Category 29: Baltic-Style Porter, 28 Entries
Gold: Baltic Gnome Porter, Rock Bottom Denver, Denver, CO

Category 36: German-Style Marzen, 39 Entries
Gold: Florhosen, The SandLot, Denver, CO

Category 38: German-Style Schwarzbier, 40 Entries
Gold: Art of Science Schwarzbier, Dillon DAM Brewery, Dillon, CO

Category 42: American-Style Cream Ale or Lager, 23 Entries
Bronze: Milwaukee's Best, Miller Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 43: American-Style Lager or Light Lager, 39 Entries
Gold: Coors Light, Coors Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 44: American-Style Premium Lager or Specialty Lager, 37 Entries
Gold: Steel Reserve, Miller Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: Icehouse, Miller Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 45: American-Style Amber Lager, 40 Entries
Silver: Colorado Native, AC Golden Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 50: German-Style Sour Ale, 11 Entries
Gold: Berliner Weisse, Steamworks Brewing Co., Durango, CO

Category 68: English-Style India Pale Ale, 48 Entries
Gold: Man Beer, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO

Category 70: Extra Special Bitter, 49 Entries
Bronze: The Tower E.S.B., Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO

Category 71: Scottish-Style Ale, 26 Entries
Silver: Redhawk Ale, Rockyard Brewing Co., Castle Rock, CO

Category 73: English-Style Brown Ale, 30 Entries
Bronze: Sweet George's Brown, Dillon DAM Brewery, Dillon, CO

Category 76: Sweet Stout, 25 Entries
Gold: Steel Toe Stout, Ska Brewing Co., Durango, CO

Category 78: Scotch Ale, 51 Entries
Gold: Wee Heavy, Dry Dock Brewing Co., Aurora, CO

Category 87: American-Style Strong Pale Ale, 82 Entries
Silver: Odell IPA, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO

Category 91: Imperial Red Ale, 38 Entries
Gold: G'Knight Imperial Red Ale, Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont, CO

Category 92: American-Style Brown Ale, 47 Entries
Gold: Face Down Brown, Telluride Brewing Co., Telluride, CO

--------------------------------------

Here's a complete list of all the 2012 winners.

May 14-20 is American Craft Beer Week, a national celebration created by the Brewer's Association, recognizing American craft brewers, their beer, and the American craft beer culture. Simultaneously, Colorado Beer Week will be happening here in our state, celebrating all things associated with Colorado beer.

The mission of American Craft Beer Week (May 14-20, 2012) is to encourage beer lovers everywhere to celebrate the accomplishments of America's small and independent craft brewers. There is a Declaration of Beer Independence that craft brewers are encouraged to put up and get people to sign as an example of their support of craft beer.

Colorado Beer Week was founded by Scott Kerkman, professional brewer, beer judge, educator, and marketer. Colorado Beer Week is described as "a celebration of ales and lagers in the state that has been called "The Napa Valley of Beer". It is supported by the Colorado Brewers Guild and some Colorado craft breweries, among others. The second CBW now will be held in May 12-19 at restaurants, bars, hotels and other venues throughout Colorado. Click the link for Colorado Beer Week to find all the beer-related festivities near you.

In 1988, May 7th was announced before Congress as National Homebrew Day. The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) created AHA Big Brew as an annual event to celebrate National Homebrew Day around the world. AHA Big Brew is held each year on the first Saturday in May.

According to the American Homebrewer's Association, more than 1 million americans are homebrewers, and many will use this opportunity to get together with their fellow suds enthusiasts and brew up some beer. For 11 years, homebrewers worldwide have celebrated Big Brew. Last year's event saw more than 14,000 gallons of beer brewed at 308 different celebration sites, located in eight different countries. The local celebrations are tied together by shared recipes, chosen specifically for each year's celebration. This year, the AHA has selected 2 recipes to be brewed, both of them brown ales.

According to AHA director Gary Glass, "First and foremost, National Homebrew Day is a celebration, which is why Big Brew was devised to unite homebrewers around a common recipe. In fact, it's traditional for homebrewers worldwide to pause at noon CDT (USA) on Big Brew to participate in a simultaneous toast to homebrewing."

To find an event near you, click on the Big Brew link above. The 25 plus different homebrew shops in Colorado, listed on The Beer Drinker's Guide To Colorado, will also be holding events and will have more information.

The Brewer's Association, the not-for-profit trade group that tabulates production statistics for U.S. breweries, released its annul lists today of the top 50 craft and overall brewing companies in the U.S., based on 2011 beer sales volume. Of the top 50 overall brewing companies, 36 are small* and independent* craft brewing companies.

According to Paul Gatza, director of the Brewer's Association, "In the last 15 years, craft brewing has gone from one percent of the overall beer market to almost six percent in 2011. We attribute a large part of that growth to the many talented brewers who are providing beer lovers with more beer style and flavor choices than ever before."

In the list of the Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies, based on 2011 beer sales volume numbers, Colorado claimed 5 spots.
3) New Belgium Brewing
28) CraftWorks Breweries & Restaurants in both Chattanooga/Louisville
29) Oskar Blues Brewery
30) Odell Brewing Co.
41) Breckenridge Brewery
49) Left Hand Brewing Co.

In the list of Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies, the top 4 spots are held by the mega- brewers, with Colorado grabbing 4 spots:
1) Anheuser-Busch Inc, headquarteres in St. Louis, MO
2) MillerCoors based in Chicago, Il
3) Pabst Brewing Co in Woodbridge Il
4) D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc in Pottsville, PA
8) New Belgium
40) CraftWorks Breweries & Restaurants
41) Oskar Blues Brewery & Tasty Weasel Tap Room
42) Odell Brewing Co.

For more details on this report, click here

*The definition of a craft brewer as stated by the Brewers Association: An American craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional. Small: Annual production of beer less than 6 million barrels. Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for purposes of this definition. *Independent: Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer.

A new shuttle service starts Friday, April 12, to shuttle folks between Old Town and Fort Collins breweries on weekends. As reported in the Northern Colorado Business Report, the service, called Hops & Shops, will loop between Coopersmith's Pub & Brewing, Equinox Brewing, Black Bottle Brewery, Pateros Creek Brewing Co. and New Belgium Brewing, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins Brewery and Funkwerks. SuperShuttle will offer the service from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

This first weekend of operation, the shuttle is free. After that it will cost $10 for adults, and $5 for children under the age of 15. It will run from Town Pump at the top of hour and half past the hour, but won't be timed with breweries' tour schedules.

Starting May 4, the shuttle will add pickup and drop off at a few hotels.

Breckenridge Brewery's Todd Thiebault is featured in this video on the brewery's canning line. It's a great short piece by News Channel 4 in Denver, talking about the annual Breckenridge Spring Beer Festival up in Breckenridge this weekend. For more info on the beer festival, check out our Events Page.

Allow us to decipher that headline.

Colorado brewing legend New Belgium announced yesterday that it is expanding its beer operations by building a new brewery in Asheville, NC. Their second facility - and their first in another state - is planned to be partly online in 2015, and be at full capacity of 400,000 yearly barrels by 2020.

Kim Jordan, president and co-founder of the company, says Asheville is the perfect location for their second brewery. Located in Appalachian foothills, within 50 miles from at least six National Parks, Asheville sports a culture and demographic much like Ft. Collins, where New Belgium has built a comfy and productive home for itself over the past 21 years.

"After several years of searching, we are incredibly excited to have landed in Asheville," said Jordan. "From the deep sense of community to the rich natural environment and the opportunity to revitalize a brownfield site near a vibrant downtown, Asheville has everything we've been looking for in a location for our second brewery."

New Belgium sells beer in 28 states and DC. Like many other brewers, New Belgium has had to pull out of some markets to keep customers adequately supplied. The new Asheville facility, once finished, will increase combined overall output to well over a million barrels every year.

It must be the water...

Asheville, NC is attracting more than its share of beer attention. A magnet for hop heads, the city of 100,000 supports and encourages eight local craft brewers and dozens of beer-centric bars. New Belgium (#3 craft brewer nationwide) is not the first big fish to swim up the French Broad into town, either. California-based Sierra Nevada (#2) announced in January that it is building a second operation near Asheville, with plans to roll out 300,000 barrels annually.

"Today's announcement by New Belgium will enhance the craft brewery cluster that is growing in North Carolina," said a happy Gov. Bev Perdue. "The jobs and investment the company is committing will be a major boon for the region and for the state."

New Belgium may spend as much as $175 million on the new facility, to be located near downtown on the site of the former Western Carolina Livestock Market. That's a huge investment for any company, but NB is not just any company. It has established itself as a model employer, outstanding corporate citizen and charitable local business. Some micro-minded beer snobs may say the move is a grab for profits, and point to the new Shift Pale Lager as a clear sign that New Belgium is hunting for mass-market appeal in lieu of great beers.

However, the home folks in Asheville will be looking forward to kicking back a Fat at the new facility as soon as 2014, which will include tours of the facility and a tasting room. And eventually we'll all be digging more fat wherever the Ranger may roam.

Arvada Beer Company will be hosting a women's only homebrewing competition this June. All entries will need to follow BJCP guidelines. There will be five categories:

Category 1 Light Lagers
Category 2 Pilsners
Category 6 Light Hybrids
Category 8 English Pale
Category 9 Scottish Ale: Styles A-D ( No Strong Scottish Ales)

Drop off your entries between June 1st and June 15th. 2 bottles per entry. BJCP judges will judge the beers on June 24th or June 25th and then Kelly, Cary and Dennis will judge best of show finalists. Winner gets to brew a batch of their beer. They will announce the winner on June 30th at Colorado Craft Beer Show's live broadcast at noon. Have to design and brew the recipe yourself ladies.

Call the brewery for more details 303-467-2337

Colorado Craft Beer Radio

Arvada Beer Company

Opening day at Coors Field is only two weeks away. The brewers at AC Golden want to see some great pictures of you and your friends enjoying a Colorado Native Lager anywhere in the beautiful state of Colorado. The brewers will pick their favorites and award a pair of tickets for the game to each of the top 2 submissions! Email your pics to info@acgolden.com or post them on their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ColoradoNativeLager) by Monday, April 2 for your chance to win! Winners will be announced on April 3rd.

Dan Frosch of The New York Times highlighted some smaller Denver breweries in a Friday piece titled Craft Brewing Finds A Welcoming Atmosphere. Check it out. They feature Strange Brewing, Denver Beer Co., and Wit's End among others. And on the wall at Strange Brewing, a beautiful shot of our map, The Beer Drinker's Guide To Colorado. You know they wouldn't print it if it weren't true.

The 17th annual Rocky Mountain Microbrewing Symposium on Feb 17th, 2012, was bigger and better than ever. The symposium was started by Dr. Jim Mattoon, then director of the Center for Biotechnology & Bioinformatics at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Among other things, the center performs basic research in yeast genetics and fermentation science. Dr. Mattoon sadly passed away in 2010, but the conference continues to inform and bring together brewers from around the state and beyond, for a day of presentations on various aspects of brewing, shoulder rubbing and general beer swilling.

This year attendance was up, and the event was in a larger venue on campus than in previous years. The cool thing about this symposium is that it's all about experienced members of the brewing industry sharing information and discussing methods with each other. It's yet another example of how unique the brewing industry is when it comes to sharing information for the good of all. Here is a brief overview of the highlights:

Yeast Management by Jess Caudill of Wyeast. Jess shared his experiences as a brewer harvesting and managing yeast. His practices went from, as he says "slacker to pro". He talked about different strains of yeast, how to perform cell counts, determine viability, pitching rates, and harvesting.

Multiple Knockout Brewing was the subject of Eric Baumann from Oskar Blues. This comes into play for brewers as they expand their operations, using larger fermentation vessels that take several brews to fill. Knocking out multiple batches into the same fermenter presents its own issues to make sure the beer ferments properly and tastes the way it should.

Quality Assurance In Hopping was presented by Christian Holbrook from New Belgium Brewing. He talked about sourcing hops, what to look for and how drying, kilning, and pelletizing works. You could almost smell the hop resins coming through his slides. It just made me thirsty.

Lunch is always fun at the symposium, because large tables stocked with beer are opened up to the guests. Attending brewers are all encouraged to bring their beers to share, and you often find beer you won't find elsewhere. At this time Mike Bristol of Bristol Brewing Co. was honored with the (virtual) 1st Annual Mattoon Stein, presented by the Petritz Foundation and RMMS. The goal of the award is to recognize members of the brewing community for outstanding performance in community involvement, technical expertise, and all-around excellence in the industry. While we ate we watched the movie Beer Culture, presented by Tom Kolicko, the maker of the film. It's a feature length documentary about the hardworking men and women in the Colorado craft beer industry, and followed a few breweries through some trials and tribulations.


David Edgars from Mountain West Brewery Supply started off the afternoon session with a fun, interactive beer tasting, having all of us compare different glassware, and asking if the right glass enhances the enjoyment of beer. Most of us agreed that proper glassware does make a difference. We were even happier when we realized we got to take our pretty vessels home.

Steve Breezely from Avery Brewing was up next to ask the question, Could you ever afford a centrifuge? A centrifuge is a big very expensive piece of equipment that filters like nothing else, and helps squeeze more beer out of each brew. He used his own math to show how much money could be saved from reclaiming beer that would otherwise go down the drain, as well as getting more flavor out of the dry-hopping process. All this while sipping an Avery Maharaja Imperial IPA. Ahhh..., yes, centrifuges...

Lastly, was a panel discussion about customer loyalty programs for breweries. Hosts were Tony Simmons of Pagosa Brewing, Josh Goldberg from Left Hand Brewing, and Kevin Reed from Rock Bottom Brewing. They all discussed how important customer loyalty is, and the different programs they use, such as Mug Clubs. They stressed the value of knowing your customers, what they want, and that the word-of-mouth they spread is so much more valuable than advertising. The day ended with most people heading to Trinity Brewing for awesome food and beer, and some much anticipated hang time with brewin buds. A good day, to be sure.

Boston Mayor Thomas "Mumbles" Menino may be a nice guy for an Easterner and a politician, but he doesn't know squat about beer.

Boston Globe reporter Johanna Kaiser wrote yesterday that Hizzonner Tom and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock were considering possible wagers on Saturday's Broncos-Patriots game.

"He wants me to do the Tebow expression. I do that every Sunday in church," said Menino, referring to Bronco quarterback Tim Tebow's habit of taking to one knee to pray after big plays. Instead, Menino was thinking about offering a sample of local beer.
"We have the best. I mean, you know, Colorado beer? It hasn't even made it east yet. Sam Adams has made it to the west and Harpoon has made it out there, but Colorado Rocky beer? Uck," Menino said.

Uck to you, too.

See what we mean? Jeez, Mayor, that's not just wrong, that's stupid, and has riled up a lot more people than your Healthy Beverage Executive Order aimed at purging Boston city hall of sugar-loaded drinks. Mayor Hancock was quick to set the record straight, according to Jeremy Meyer and Jessica Fender of the Denver Post (be sure to check out the lively comments at the end of the story):

"First of all, we are the microbrew capital of the nation. Some of the best beer in the world is brewed here in Colorado," Hancock said. "The moment Sam Adams sells more beer than Coors, then he can come talk to me. Otherwise, he needs to stay in Boston and not talk about our beer."

Now, we wouldn't necessarily turn down a Sam Adams if somebody handed it to us for free, but I'd really like to know where to get this elusive Colorado Rocky beer. Maybe its only available in Massachusetts. Maybe the mayor knows more about beer than we give him credit for...

Naahh. No Ucking Way. The Post story continues, Gov. John Hickenlooper, a former brewery owner, said Menino may be one of the nation's best mayors, but "obviously he hasn't had enough time to learn about Colorado beer." Some of Colorado's brewers were less diplomatic.
Dave Chichura of Oskar Blues, which sells plenty of beer in Boston, talked a little trash of his own. "The (Boston mayor's) statement shows how little they know about beer out on the East Coast, given the fact they haven't really discovered hops yet," said Chichura, the head brewer.

The mayors eventually settled on a non-alcoholic wager. Menino pledged to feed Hancock a lobster dinner and to hang Tebow's #15 jersey around Paul Revere's statue after the New England defeat. Hancock promised Menino a steak dinner, and to wear a Patriots jersey to a public event in case the Broncos don't win over New England.

Update: Well guess who won? Hancock made good on his bet by wearing a Tom Brady jersey during halftime of a Jan. 16 Nuggets-Utah Jazz game in Denver. He also sent along 40 pounds of beef (beer not included) featuring Tebow Tenderloins cuts. That's a big steak dinner.

Oskar Blues Brewery has reported amazing growth for 2011, according to a press release sent out today. The brewery, well known for starting the Craft Beer-In-A-Can movement nearly 10 years ago continues to be a leader in the Craft Beer industry in a variety of ways.

In addition to their beery restaurant locations, in 2011 the brewery announced the opening of their sustainable Hops & Heifers Farm, began building their own bikes with REEB Cycles (www.REEBcycles.com), rolled out their own Bonewagon Food Truck and posted a 40% increase in national beer sales in 2011. The brewery grew from 42,000 barrels in 2010 to 59,000 barrels in 2011 - the 17,000 barrel increase represents nearly the equivalent of what the brewery produced in all of 2008.

That's a lot of beer. And its all been great fun, if you ask Dale Katechis, the soul-founder of Oskar Blues who was named a 2011 ColoradoBIZ magazine CEO of the year finalist. "The farm, the bikes, the music are all an extension of what this is all about; doing what you love. It's important to stay hands-on and passionate. We just hope everyone has as much fun with it as we do."

The explosive growth moved the brewery into the top 50 American Breweries list (36th Craft Brewery) according to the Brewers Association in 2010. "We've seen a lot of growth, the crew has done a great job learning how to effectively grow" says head brewer Dave Chichura who has been with the company for nearly seven years.

Oskar Blues is well into a more than $4M dollar improvement project to start the year. The project includes two new trench drains, fourteen 200 bbl. fermenters, two 400 bbl. bright beer tanks and a new can line (KHS Filler, Angelus Seamer) that will allow the brewery to double its canning speed and introduce 16oz cans to its line-up.

Deviant Dale's IPA will be the initial offering in 16 oz. cans in March of 2012. Deviant, a restaurant favorite, won a Silver Medal in the 2011 Great American Beer Festival American-Style IPA category, the most competitive category in the history of the event with 176 entries. The brewery also took home a Silver Medal for Mama's Little Yella PILS in the Bohemian Pilsener category and a Bronze Medal with Old Chub in the Scotch Ale category.

In case you haven't noticed, there's a lot of beer being made in Colorado, and it has a major economic impact - in jobs, product sales, taxes, payroll spending. A study released December 22 by the Regional Economics Institute at Colorado State University reports on the Economic Impacts of Breweries on Larimer County, and concludes: Beer is Big. Real Big.

With twelve brewing operations, from industry giant Anheuser Busch to small-batch brewer Big Beaver, Larimer County has a tremendous concentration of brewery workers - 38 times the national average and "an important part of the region's competitive economic base". The study was authored by Michael Marturana, Research Economist and Professor Martin Shields of the CSU Beverage Business Institute.

You can check out the whole study here, but the main takeaways:

- Local brewery employment grew by 22.1% from 2000 to 2010. Other Larimer County employment grew by only 6.3% during the same time.
- Larimer County breweries support $309.9 million in total output dollars and 2488 total direct and indirect jobs, adding $141.9 million to local payrolls.
- Economic effects are widespread: "From the local home brewers club - i.e., Liquid Poets - to the plethora of industrial breweries with national supply chains, many aspects of the Larimer County culture are tied to the brewing industry."

The CSU study included six operations - mega brewer A/B, startup Equinox Brewing, and locals Fort Collins Brewery, Funkwerks, New Belgium and Odell Brewing Co. - who collectively employed 938 people in 2010. Significantly eight others that didn't fit as "breweries" per US Census NAICS classification were left out of the calulations. Rock Bottom in Loveland, Estes Park Brewing and the other six brewing operations employ 80+ more employees. We'd suppose the data is a bit on the conservative side.

More importantly, since 2010 - the last year included in the study - brewers included in the report have all added significant capacity and increased sales. Funkwerks has more than doubled staff to keep up with demand. Beer is booming, and the numbers will grow when calculated anew for 2012. Larimer, Jefferson and Denver Counties are home to the top three beer economies in Colorado. Colorado Brewers Guild is working on a statewide economic study that's due out soon, and we'll pass on the news when it's fit to post. In the meantime, the CSU report says it loud and clear:

The beer industry is a major part of the economy, and Colorado beer lovers benefit by supporting and living in The Great Beer State.

The name Tim Tebow seems to bring up all kinds of emotions in people. Since the young quarterback was put in the starting position for the Denver Broncos, hardly a day goes by when you don't hear or see something reported about him - now on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

He has inspired folks to "Tebow"( A sort of genuflection, with elbow on bent knee, fist to forehead), and to make Bronco fans wonder with both delight and trepidation what to expect every time we watch them play.

Now Tim Tebow has inspired a beer brewed in his honor. Bonfire Brewing in Eagle has brewed up a barley wine and called it Tebrew: A Sunday Sipper. Not something that Tebow would necessarily endorse, not being a drinker himself, but we can raise one in his honor, now can't we? Besides, it might calm those 4th quarter Sunday nerves. However, you'll have to visit the brewery in Eagle for a taste, or wait to taste it at Vail's Big Beer, Belgians, and Barleywines festival in January.

As reported by Jeremy Meyer, in the Denver Post blog First Drafts, the beer was meant as a tribute to Tebow. "It was never intended to go into distribution," said Andy Jessen, who works at the brewery. "It's really more about the uniqueness of the year and the time of year to celebrate football. And we all love the Broncos up here." And since the story was reported, Jessen said his brewery has been fielding calls from as far away as Florida about the beer.

The people who have brought you the Colorado Springs Food Tours, those cool walking tours that lead you to different eateries in Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, and Old Colorado City, are now launching The Springs Brew Tour in Colorado Springs. They are starting with a holiday tour scheduled for Sunday, December 18th, and will drive you to 3 great breweries in Colorado Springs: Bristol Brewing, Trinity Brewing, and Colorado Mountain Brewing.

This tour will feature:
- Multiple, generous beer tastings from Bristol Brewing Company,
  Trinity Brewing Company, and Colorado Mountain Brewery.
- Food and beer pairing lessons from two destinations.
- Private, informative, behind-the-scenes tours of each brewery.
- The accompaniment of a knowledgeable tour guide.
- Safe and private transportation between destinations.

Not only will this tour introduce you to some of the best craft brews of our city, it will also get you behind the scenes where they're made. Hear straight from trained brewers, and experience tasty food and beer pairings.

Tickets are $79 per person, and include all beer, food, and transportation.
Click here to book your tour!

The Denver Bicycle Cafe opened today in the City Park West neighborhood of Denver. The cafe brings together local craft beer, locally roasted coffee, and bike service. Co-owners Peter Roper and Jessica Caouette hope to make it a place for cyclists and non-cyclists alike.

The beers they have on tap right now:

Hibernation Ale - Great Divide Brewing Co.
Bavarian Helles - Copper Kettle Brewing Company
Ryeteous IPA - Renegade Brewing Company
Coffee Stout - Denver Beer Co
Cherry Bomb Stout - Strange Brewing Company
Urca Vanilla Porter - Dry Dock Brewing Company

They are located at 1308 E. 17th Ave Denver, CO 80218
303-578-9506

Hours are Sun-Wed 6am-8pm and Thurs-Sat 6am-9pm.

Check out their website or their Facebook for updates and more information.

The 5th annual All Colorado Beer Festival was held this past weekend on Nov. 5th. 35 Colorado breweries poured beer at two sessions for about 2300 thirsty attendees. And according to festival director, Randy Dipner, this year saw record attendance.

The All Colorado Beer Festival benefits three great local organizations. Theatreworks, a local professional theatre located on the campus of the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. The Empty Stocking Fund, an annual holiday fundraising campaign. And Home Front Cares, a non-profit corporation that delivers assistance to military families impacted by deployment in harm's way.
Randy said they are hoping to donate about $25,000 to these three charities this year.

This year also saw a new venue for the festival, the brand new Freedom Financial Services Expo Center. The expo center is a larger space than the previous venue, allowing for more brewers, and a larger food area. This year the Buffalo Gals brought their tasty BBQ to satisfy hungry attendees.

This year also saw the addition of a VIP area. Festival goers could pay an extra $10 to escape the crowds for a bit, and try some beers that you couldn't find out on the main floor.

Overall the All Colorado Beer Festival is a fun event. Not only do you get to sip some great beers from all over the state, but you're also helping donate money to some great organizations doing great things for the community. As soon as next years event date is announced, we'll post it in our events calendar, so check back often!

All Colorado Beer Festival

Call to all homebrewers! Time to get busy brewing to enter the 2nd annual Holiday Cheer Christmas Beer competition hosted again by BierWerks Brewery in Woodland Park. This AHA sanctioned event will have only one category: Christmas/Winter Specialty Spiced Beer.

Submissions can be dropped off at Bierwerks Brewery or the Brewhut in Aurora or mailed between Dec. 10 to the 15th. Deadline for entries is Dec. 15th. Prizes will be awarded to brewers of the top 4 beers. For more information click here.

When you're in the mood to not only drink your beer but be cleansed with it too, check out the new suds-soaked spa treatments available at the Ritz-Carlton Spa in Denver. The Mile High Malt Scrub & Microbrew Massage are offered exclusively at the spa, and suffice to say that it sounds positively delicious, in more ways than one. You will be scrubbed, soaked in, and then given that beer to sip all the while. To top it all off, you will be given the same beers to take home. To find out more, call the Ritz-Carlton at 303-312-3230.

Hey, we can't make this stuff up.

Maybe they did over at www.thisisbath.co.uk, but their story is worth a look...

On this side of the pond its paper vs. plastic, but the war over plastic vs. glass has entered a new phase. CAMRA has pulled out of the 34th annual Bath Beer Festival because of a proposed ban on the use of glass at The Pavilion event facility.

According to the story,

"The Bath area branch of the pressure group the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) pulled out of the annual festival at the Pavilion after being told of plans to ban glasses at this year's event, with a suggestion that plastic beakers be used instead. Members said such a rule went against the whole ethos of the organisation, although yesterday the boss of the city centre venue insisted the group could have been exempted from its normal plastic-only rule.

Bath and Borders CAMRA branch pubs officer Dr Andrew Swift said: "It was felt that there would be a drop in attendance because some people would simply refuse to drink out of plastic glasses."

We urge you to read the whole story, as it seems to be a rather odd disagreement amongst many other others that Dr Swift said "was in fact the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back".

Hmm. It seems a bit silly to us - we drink from plastic cups at plenty of festivals, and nobody seems to mind much over here. But at the "pressure group" CAMRA, principles are principles, and if you're gonna draw a line in the sand at least it's glass sand.

A special thanks to everyone who took the time to enter our GABF Story and Photo Contest. We got some awesome entries! After much consideration, we have chosen our three winners:

First Place: Ricardo Ornelas for his story "What is my favorite Colorado Beer?!"

Second Place: Pam Leibfried for her untitled photo

Third Place: Noah Curry for his poem "The Ranger found me."

Congrats to all our winners!

All the winning entries, as well as some Honorable Mentions will be posted as a feature story early next week.

During the weekend of 9/23-9/25 Freshcraft in Denver will be featuring great beers from some of the up and coming brewers in CO. They will start tapping these beers at 7pm on Friday 9/23 and continue tapping fresh beers through Sunday night. Throughout the weekend they will be pouring beer from these great breweries:

* Asher Brewing Co (Boulder)
* Backcountry Brewery (Frisco)
* Copper Kettle Brewing Co. (Denver)
* Crabtree Brewing Co (Greeley)
* Crazy Mountain Brewery (Edwards)
* Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project (Ft. Collins)
* Denver Beer Co. (Denver)
* Dry Dock Brewing Co (Aurora)
* Funkwerks (Ft. Collins)
* Renegade Brewing Co. (Denver)
* Strange Brewing Co. (Denver)

Every one of these breweries is independently distributed. Stop in to try some great fresh beer and support our local brewers! What a great way to start Denver Beer Fest!

Beers Made by Walking is an event created by Colorado Springs artist and beer blogger, Eric Steen. He describes it as "a summer long program in which a homebrewer, naturalist, and a public audience go on a local hike and identify edible and medicinal plants along the way. The homebrewer creates a recipe, and a beer is then produced based on the plants from that trail." The homebrewers brew their beers at Rocky Mountain Brewery.
In photo from left: Opuntiae Deorum, Smoked Pinon Brown, Monk Choker, Lightning Strike.

On August 27th Brewer's Republic in Colorado Springs held a tasting of the first four beers created from the first four hikes. I was excited and a bit apprehensive about trying the first beers. I've attended a couple of the hikes, and while I had a blast learning about and tasting the different plants found along the trail, I was not sure how well they would translate into ingredients for beer. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised by all four beers.

Justin Carpenter was the homebrewer for the first hike held at Garden of the Gods on June 30th. Justin's beer, called Opuntiae Deorum, was an American-style wheat beer made with Prickly Pear. The first thing you notice about this beer is the color, a vibrant pink-red, similar to the color of Hawaiian Punch.

The nose had a slight grassy smell, with a bit of fruitiness. The first sip had nice fruit flavors, but not overly sweet, reminiscent of a citrus fruit, with some nice bitterness at the end. The more I drank though, the sweeter it seemed to get, and soon the taste reminded me of a Jolly Rancher. But it was still light and refreshing, with the right amount of carbonation to make me want to continue drinking it.

Although it was an American-Style Wheat the prickly pear seemed to overwhelm some of the most common flavor profiles of a wheat beer. I did not get any yeast or malt characteristics in the taste, although I did get some yeast in the mouthfeel.

Next beer up was the Smoked Pinon Brown by Grant Goodwiler. Grant created this beer following a hike in Red Rock Open Space, where they tasted pinon pine nuts. This smoked oatmeal nut brown had the pinon pine nuts added to the mash.

The nose has a strong, but not overwhelming smokiness to it. The first taste had a lot of astringency on the back of the palate, but lessened as I drank a few more sips. I also got a strong burnt malt flavor that seemed to increase as the beer warmed. Not sure if it was the Pinon Pine nuts that contributed to this, or the rauch malt Grant used. This beer would pair excellent with smoked meats and strong cheeses.

Isaac Grindeland's Monk Chocker was up next. A West-Coast style IPA fermented with Belgian yeast. The first thing I notice about this beer is it's cloudy unfiltered appearance, unfiltered to the point where I can see things floating in the beer. The Monk Chocker has a nice hoppy aroma, and the hops contribute to a strong astringency on the back of the palate. It takes a few sips for the chokecherry to show up, but when it does it lends itself to just a hint of sweetness at the front of the palate.

Finally there was Jason Miller's Lightning Strike. This to me was the most unique beer among the four, maybe because as Isaac put it "It tastes like a hiking trip." The beer, made with juniper, three leaf sumac, and Ponderosa Pine, does in fact taste like a hiking trip. You get strong characteristics of pine and juniper in both the nose and in the taste. The beer coats the tongue nicely, and at times I would get hints of nuttiness and bread. There was very little carbonation to this beer, and the more I drank it, the less balanced it seem to become, with the piney flavors overwhelming the other flavors in the beer.

There are still three hikes, which are free and open to the public, scheduled for September and October. There will also be another tasting of a new batch of beers on October 29th from 4-8pm at Brewer's Republic. Entry is $5 and you get unlimited five ounce pours of the beers. Definitely a unique experience worth checking out.

To sign up for a hike and to learn more about Beers Made by Walking check out Eric's blog

The Craft Lager and Small Batch Festival 2011 was held this past weekend in Manitou Springs. This was the 9th year for the Craft Lager Fest, held at a lovely park in Manitou Springs, with Pikes Peak looming nearby, and Fountain Creek rushing past. This year saw the addition of Colorado craft distilleries, and the name was changed to include them. It was a 2 day affair, Saturday August 13th and Sunday the 14th. The space was expanded this year too, incorporating the 7 Minute Spring park space across the street where the food vendors were located. In photo: Melissa Komadina-Scmaltz Brewing, Julian Heron-Festival Organizer, Joy Clauda-Elite Brands

Saturday brought a large crowd, with temperatures not too hot and a cool breeze blowing. Sunday's crowd was not as large, and endured a brief rain shower, which cooled things off and allowed people to get cozy under the tents. With over 30 breweries represented and at least 7 different distilleries, there were plenty of tastes to go around. Initially, we were concerned about throwing distilled spirits in the mix for this festival, given the summer heat and so much beer flowing already. The festival organizers pulled it off well, and there were no crazed festival goers that we saw. Overall it was a very pleasant festival, with live music that complemented the crowd.

The traditional offering of the Warning Sign brew was brought this year by Rock Bottom Brewery. Warning Sign is a collaborative brew that is made each year by a group of Colorado Brewers to benefit open space. Warning Sign has been described as an American Eis Bock, the strongest, most extreme style of lager in the world. This year head brewer Jason Leeman of Rock Bottom in Colorado Springs hosted the brewing group, and produced a delicious Warning Sign. If you didn't get to taste it at the festival, it's still on tap at Rock Bottom.

The Craft Lager Fest also holds a brewing competition each year. The results of the 2011 judging are:

Best Of Show
Coney Island Human Blockhead-Schmaltz Brewing Co.
Pilsner
1-German Style Pilsener-A.C. Golden
2-Rhino Chasers Pilsner-Lost Rhino Brewing Co.
3-Blue Paddle Pilsner-New Belgium Brewing Co.
Export Helles
1-No award given
2-Helles-BierWerks
3-No award given
Bock
1-Luminaria-Del Norte Brewing Co.
2-X Rock Bock-Carver Brewing Co.
3-Goat Toppler-Rock Bottom
Strong Lager
1-Coney Island Human Blockhead-Schmaltz Brewing Co.
2-Silver Mullet-Rock Bottom
3-Warning Sign-Rock Bottom
Oktoberfest/Vienna/Marzen
1-Sam Adams Light-Boston Brewing Co.
2-Manana-Del Norte Brewing Co.
3-Coney Island Lager-Schmaltz Brewing Co.
Other Specialty Lager
1-Colorado Native-A.C. Golden
2-Session Black-Full Sail Brewing Co.
3-Coney Island Sword Swallower-Schmaltz Brewing Co.
Gluten Free
1-Pale Ale-New Planet Brewing Co.
2-3R Raspberry Ale-New Planet Brewing Co.
3-Redbridge-Anheuser Busch/In-Bev

We now have more details on the Firestone Walker release party at Trinity Brewing:

The release will be on Tuesday August 16th from 6-8pm.
All the Firestone Walker beers will be on tap:
DBA
Pale 31
Union Jack
Double Jack
Solace
14th Anniversary

And if that's not enough to excite you, Firestone Walker co-owner David Walker will be on hand for a meet and greet.

Trinity Brewing
1466 Garden of the Gods Rd.
Colorado Springs, CO

The Brewer's Association, The Brewers Association, the trade association representing the majority of U.S. brewing companies, released mid-year numbers today showing huge growth in craft beer sales so far in 2011. Dollar sales were up 15 percent in the first half of 2011, excluding brewers who left the craft segment in 2010*. Volume of craft brewed beer sold grew 14 percent for the first six months in 2011, compared to 9 percent growth in the first half of 2010.

That's a big increase, especially in this economy. The Brewer's Association attributes it to innovation and a focus on the craft of brewing beer. Paul Gatza, director of the Brewer's Association, notes"Craft brewers continue to innovate and brew beers of excellent quality. America's beer drinkers are rapidly switching to craft because of the variety of flavors they are discovering. And they are connecting with small and independent craft brewers as companies they choose to support."

The amount of breweries in the U.S. has increased by 165 since 2010, according to the Brewer's Association. The amount of breweries in planning has almost doubled since this time last year, from 389 mid-year 2010 to 725 as of 6/30/11.

Here in Colorado, The Beer Drinker's Guide To Colorado added 19 new brewing operations to our new 5th edition map since last summer. (One of these is a Meadery.) We have at least a dozen new brewing operations in planning that we are currently tracking.

The craft brewing industry industry in the U.S. currently provides an estimated 100,000 jobs, contributing significantly to the U.S. economy.

It's nice to know that in this tough economy we can be a force for good and support a growing industry simply by sitting back and enjoying a delicious craft beer.

*Three former craft brewing companies left the segment in the second half of 2010 when transitions led them to no longer meet the Brewers Association's definition of independence.

Uptown Brothers Brewing Co. in Denver closed it's doors for good Sunday evening, 7/31/11. Paul Lumbye, owner of Uptown, claimed that he had to sing "The Party's Over" to get everyone to clear out on Sunday night. On one of their last postings on Facebook, Lumbye wrote "Thank you all for your support & patronage; we'll miss you. We came close to making it; we were at about 80% of our break-even number, but we have no more resources to get us over the last hump. So--thanks again, all. Uptown Brothers love you!"

As reported in Westword, Last February, Lumbye finally purchased the equipment he needed(to brew beer on site) but never got to use it. That equipment, along with the business itself is now for sale, and Lumbye says he believes someone else may be able to pick up where he left off -- and just in time for the Great American Beer Festival, which runs September 29 through October 1.

So farewell to another victim of this tough economy. Who knows, maybe someone else will pick up the torch and make a go of it in this location on Capitol Hill.

Governor John Hickenlooper will toast the 135th birthday of Colorado this evening at the Rockies game with Pete Coors and a Colorado Native beer.

Colorado Native Lager is a beer brewed by AC Golden, a small craft brewery located inside the large MillerCoors brewery. Colorado Native is made with 99% Colorado ingredients, and is only sold in Colorado. AC Golden does not mention its parent company, MillerCoors, on its website at all.

While the governor and Pete Coors will drink a beer to toast Colorado's birthday, we can remember that there are many great beers that represent what a Colorado beer can be. For further discussion on this, see Jonathan Shike's ideas about great Colorado-inspired beers. Happy Birthday Colorado!

Buddha Nuvo, the collaborative brew that stemmed from the masterminds Jim Stinson of Rockyard Brewing and Jason Yester of Trinity Brewing is being delivered to liquor stores today. It is a Belgian-style saison, that uses the bright yellow Buddha's Hand fruit, along with grains of paradise, 175 pounds of pumpkin and five strains of yeast. It was aged in French oak chardonnay barrels with brettanomyces yeast, and bottle fermented with Colorado honey. This beer was a huge collaborative process, brewed at Rockyard, and including many Colorado brewers, among them New Belgium, Ska, Funkwerks, Crooked Stave, AC Golden, Elk Mountain, Strange, Black Fox, Pumphouse Brewery and Rock Bottom. 25% of sales of this specialty brew will go to help support the Colorado Brewer's Guild, a trade organization that supports Colorado craft brewers. The bottles will sell for $40.
Find Buddha Nuvo at Rockyard, Trinity Brewing, Falling Rock, Argonaut, Mile High, Tony's Meat Market, Lukas Liquors, and Village Wines At Castle Pines.

Upslope Brewing Co. of Boulder participates in their 1st ever off-site beer pairing dinner at A Second Cup/Another Pint in north Colorado Springs on August 1st from 6:30pm-9:30pm. Each course will be prepared by Chef Anthony Hockemeyer. They will have live acoustical music by Rick Stahl and to top it off a representative from Upslope Brewing will be there to talk about the beers!

A bonus one-off brewer's special that was prepared for this dinner will be served only at this dinner and at the Upslope Tasting Room in Boulder! Upslope is an award-winning brewery based in Boulder. Don't miss this one! Click on the link above to register, or do so in person at A Second Cup.

Local Colorado Springs brewer Patrick Tuffield of Bristol Brewing Company was recently injured on the job. He was badly burned with a mixture of hot liquor and concentrated caustic soda. Now the brewing community is coming together to help Patrick, and his family during this rough time.

Phantom Canyon Brewing Company will hold a fundraiser on August 6th from 1-5PM. All proceeds will go to Patrick.

The Community of Brewers benefit for Patrick Tuffield will be on the second floor of Phantom Canyon. Nine Breweries have donated beer for the event:

Trinity Brewing Company
Black Fox Brewing Company - Don't Call Me Wit
Bristol Brewing Company
Colorado Mountain Brewery
Rocky Mountain Brewery
Shamrock Brewing Company
Rock Bottom Brewery
Kevin Baity Kraft Beer (KBKB) - Bella Lavender Lager
Phantom Canyon Brewing Company - Dry-hopped 2 Moons Pale Ale

$10 gets you in and gets you three tickets each redeemable for a beer donated by the community of brewers.

Phantom Canyon is located at 2 East Pikes Peak Ave. in Colorado Springs

More Info

After a slight delay, Firestone Walker Brewing Company is bringing it's beers to Colorado. They will be holding a series of release parties to celebrate. And it all starts tomorrow, July 21st!

Thursday, July 21st 5-7pm

Falling Rock Tap House, 1919 Blake Street, Denver
Special Guest David Walker

Friday July 22nd 7pm-9pm

Falling Rock Tap House, 1919 Blake Street, Denver
Tapping of DBA- Double Baarrel Ale

Uptown Brothers, 320 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Tapping of Solace - Summer Wheat

Cheeky Monk Belgian Cafe, 534 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Tapping of Double Jack-2IPA

Euclid Hall, 1317 14th Street, Denver
Tapping of Union Jack-IPA

Freshcraft, 1530 Blake Street, Denver
Tapping of Firestone Walker portfolio:DBA, Union Jack, Double Jack, Solace and releasing the 14th Anniversary Ale and Parabola Russian Imperial Stout

Saturday July 23rd 7-9pm

West End Tavern, 926 Pearl Street, Boulder
DBA, Union Jack, Double Jack and Summer Solace

Wednesday, July 27th 6-8pm

Choice City Butcher, 104 West Olive Street, Fort Collins
DBA, Pale 31, Union Jack, Double Jack and Summer Solace

Thursday, July 28th 6-8pm

Oskar Blues Liquids and Solids, 1555 S Hover Street, Longmont
Food pairings with DBA, Pale 31, Union Jack, Summer Solace and 14th Anniversary

There are two tentative events for Colorado Springs in August:

Monday, August 15th 6-8pm

Johnny's Navajo Hogan 2817 N. Nevada Ave.

Tuesday August 16th 6-8pm

Trinity Brewing Company 1466 Garden of the Gods Road

We'll keep you posted on the details of these two events.
And thanks to Focus on the Beer and Denver off the Wagon for dates and beer info.

Brewer's Republic in Colorado Springs has started a weekly cycling club. The ride leaves from Brewer's at 6:30 pm on Tuesdays, heads to Johnny Hogan's on N. Nevada, turns around and comes back.

After the ride cyclists can enjoy happy hour prices at Johnny Hogan and $2.50 pints of Bristol beers at Brewer's Republic.

Check their Facebook page for updates.

Brewer's Republic is located at 112 N Nevada Ave Colorado Springs, CO

What goes better than biking and brewing? According to the guys from Avery Brewing, Oskar Blues Brewery, Ska Brewing and Sierra Nevada, not much. Beginning on July 18 seventeen brewer-cyclists from the aforementioned breweries will embark on a five day, 470 mile journey known as the Tour of BoulDurango. The event, in it's third year, takes these 17 beer-lovers across six mountain passes from Boulder to Durango. Along the way they will stop at breweries and brewpubs "in an effort to bring together Colorado brewers, raise money for local charities, and encourage the spirt of collaboration and camaraderie that has taken hold in the craft beer industry."

The Oskar Blues blogspot has this to say about the event:

"The Tour of BoulDurango is the cycling incarnation of the attitude that these breweries have always taken towards the brewing business. 'Craft beer isn't about getting rich and cutthroat business practices; it's about following your passions and doing what you love, it's about being part of your local community and working with people who are just as psyched to be in the business as you are' said Adam Avery, President and Brewmaster of Avery Brewing Company. Dave Thibodeau of Ska Brewing added, 'We've had quite a few brewers from around the country express interest in this-- I think it has the potential to become huge, whether it remains a brewer's tour and another fun way to hang out with fellow brewers while trying to make a positive difference in our communities, or one day possibly opens to the public.'

Last year Oskar Blues joined Avery and Ska on the tour, sans Dale Katechis of Dale's Pale Ale fame, but this year he'll be along for the ride. Steve Grossman and others from Sierra Nevada Brewing will also be joining their Colorado brewing brethren, growing this event outside the borders of Colorado for the first time.

Each evening, after the day's riding is finished, the brewers are teaming up with other craft breweries along the course to hold fundraising parties, with profits from pint sales, raffles and auctions going to local charities. Participating breweries along the route include: Tommyknocker Brewing, Breckenridge Brewery, Eddyline Brewpub, The Brick Oven Restaurant, Ouray Brewing, Colorado Boy Brewery.

The ride concludes at 2PM on 7/23 at Ska Brewing in Durango with a Finish Line/Tapping Party for Wheelsucker Wheat Ale, a collaboration beer brewed by Ska and Avery to commemorate the ride. Proceeds will go to the La Plata County Safe Roads Coalition.
High Mountain Passes Climbed:
Loveland Pass - 11,992' ~ Hoosier Pass - 11,532' ~ Cottonwood Pass - 12,126'- Red Mountain Pass - 11,00' - Molas Pass - 10,910' - Coal Bank Pass - 10,640'"

Avery is kicking things off with a release party of the Wheel Sucker Wheat on July 17th at 2:30pm. $3 from each pint will go to benefit their local bike charity Community Cycles.

Avery Brewing is located at 5757 Arapahoe Ave., Unit B-1 Boulder, CO.
Ska Brewing is located at 225 Girard St. Durango, CO

Fort Collins is the location of one of the most beer-laden tap houses to open in Colorado. The Mayor of Old Town is a locally owned and operated tap house that strives to bring the Fort Collins brewing and beer drinking community together over a pint of beer - any one of 100 of the best and most loved beers, from small local breweries to classics from across the seas. That's right folks, we said 100 beers available on tap!.

The name of the bar, The Mayor of Old Town, was inspired by the nickname Kevin Bolin had acquired while working in the real estate business in Fort Collins. He was in downtown so frequently that friends and acquaintances began to refer to Bolin as "the Mayor". The Mayor's mission is to bring you great beer and delicious food from a passionate and knowledgeable beer-loving staff. They open today. What are you waiting for? Check their site for location and hours of operation.

The newly formed Colorado Hop Growers Association met last weekend at the Oskar Blues Brewery in Longmont. The Association was formed to both share knowledge about growing techniques and cultural practices to bring about better yields, and to encourage the relationship between craft brewers and hop farmers.

From the brewery:

Last weekend, Oskar Blues Brewery and the OB Hops and Heifers Farm (http://www.oskarblues.com/restaurant/ob-hops-heifers-farm ) hosted the first annual Colorado Hop Growers Association meeting. The inaugural event hosted 70 participants spanning five states. This group represented hop farmers managing 1/2 acre to over 1700 acres of production. The Association was designed to educate regional hop growers regarding specific cultural practices to improve plant health and yields through sustainable production techniques. The Association also aims to bridge the gap between local craft breweries and the local hop grower.

Presenters included some of the most experienced minds in hop production. Dr. Ron Godin (Agronomist) from Colorado State University Extension discussed,"Hops 202: Hop Yard Work from Spring Thaw to Fall Bedtime."
Ali Hamm (Hop Specialist) from Summit Plant labs, Fort Collins, Colorado presented, "Hops Quality, Good Enough for Brewers."
Dr. Fran Stonaker (Specialty Crops Coordinator), Assistant Professor Colorado State University, lectured on "Integrative Pest Management for Hops".
The key note speaker and special guest was Mr. Bruce Wolf (Owner/Grower), Willamette Valley Hops, St. Paul Oregon. He led a discussion regarding "Hop Farming in the Willamette Valley for a combined 7 generations".

The Tasty Weasel Tap Room at Oskar Blues Brewery was the lecture venue. The group later enjoyed brewery tours and a catered lunch from Oskar Blues Home Made Liquids and Solids Restaurant. For the afternoon session, the group traveled 6 miles to the new Oskar Blues Sustainable Hops and Heifers Farm. Here, the Association enjoyed craft beers from across Colorado while engaging in a question and answer session with Geoffrey Hess (OB farmer) within the OB Hops and Heifers hop yard and cattle barn.
To end a successful meeting, Chef Jason Rogers and his crew at Oskar Blues Home Made Liquid and Solids catered a dinner spread under the hop vines on the back patio of the restaurant. Colorado brews were served by participating breweries:Oskar Blues, Odell, New Belgium, Tommy Knocker, Palisade Brewing, Asher & Funkwerks.
The Colorado Hop Growers Association is grateful to all who attended and helped make this inaugural event such a success. Hop farming in Colorado is alive and well. Ali Hamm of Summit Plant Labs was quoted "It was a beautiful site to see the Colorado hop growers all under the Oskar Blues roof!"

Advanced brewing classes are now being offered through the Zymurgy Institute at Colorado State University-Pueblo. Gain refreshing hands-on experience in advanced brewing techniques with Colorado State University-Pueblo Continuing Education. Brew with some of the area's most successful production craft brewers on the Brew-Magic V350MS semi-automated recirculating infusion mash brewing system (RIMS) every other Saturday in the Colorado State University-Pueblo Chemistry Building, Lab 305, 2200 Bonforte Blvd, Pueblo, CO 81001. Tuition is $299 for each 2-month, 3-batch, 5-lab series. Space is limited so download a registration form and enroll today!

There are 2 classes planned. The first starts on August 13 and goes through Oct 8, meeting every other Saturday from 10am to 6pm. The second starts on October 8th and goes through Dec 3rd.

Since these classes are offered as advanced brewing techniques, some knowledge of brewing practices is important. It was offered as a follow-up course to the Intro to Brewing Zymurgy course held at Bristol Brewing the past 6 months. This is a very hands-on class, so get involved and start brewing!

Five years ago, you could think about going or not going to the Great American Beer Festival up until almost the last minute, and still have a shot at buying a session ticket.

Four years ago, you would have had to make up your mind about a week out, as all available tickets were snagged before they even started setting up the event at Denver Convention Center.

This year is a whole 'nother story. If you didn't act fast, you are officially SOL - 2011 GABF tickets are SOLD OUT, only 7 days after they first went on sale. Despite the increase in cost and selective availability of the Saturday afternoon sessions - available only to BA or AHA members - they sold out in two days!

This will be the 30th GABF, and the Brewers Association was predicting a quick sale, but this frenzy surpassed their giddiest expectations. Many breweries, too, are left out in the street:

"The brewery registrations filled up one day before the "if space is still available" deadline, and some breweries are on a waiting list in case anyone drops out. The lesson for brewers for future years is to get your registration in quickly. Once the beers arrive in the cooler/warehouse for sorting, the competition staff will ready 3,900 beers from 520 brewers for the judges."

Let the scalping begin.

Of course, it's not like there won't be anyplace else to get a beer come Sept. 29 - Denver Beer Week will just be getting good by then, and you won't need a reserved ticket for most of the events.

They're still getting their schedule together, but you can consult the Denver Beer Week website to make your plans:

http://www.denver.org/denverbeerfest

Saturday, July 9th was the 15th annual Colorado Brewer's Rendezvous, held in Salida. Festival goers were able to sample Colorado craft beer at it's finest, with over 50 Colorado craft breweries participating. The Colorado Brewer's Rendezvous is an annual event, hosted by the Colorado Brewer's Guild, a non-profit group established to promote the quality and diversity of the growing Colorado craft brewing industry. The Rendezvous is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the guild, not only providing an amazing selection of the best Colorado craft beer, but doing it in a wonderful atmosphere, alongside the rolling Arkansas river in Salida's Riverside Park.

Spirits were as high as the river's waters this year, with so much great beer to choose from. Weather threatened early on, but quickly mellowed out to provide cloud cover and slightly cooler temperatures. It was a beautiful day and a great time, a festival not to be missed.

The Brewer's Rendezvous is one of the Colorado festivals where the brewers make an effort to attend and pour their own beer, so not only do you get to taste their luscious suds, you can ask them what goes into it, and find out what makes your favorite beer so good.

So if you were able to attend, cheers to you, and if not, definitely put it on the calendar for next year, the 2nd Saturday in July.

Beer as art? Eric Steen, local beer blogger and Visual Art instructor at University of Colorado Colorado Springs thinks so, and thus with the sponsorship of the UCCS Gallery of Contemporary Art and Rocky Mountain Brewing, he has created Beers Made By Walking.

The project works like this:

There will be seven hikes though out the summer in the Pikes Peak Region. On each hike there will be a naturalist and a homebrewer on hand. The naturalist will point out edible and medicinal plants during the hikes, while the homebrewer takes notes. After the hike the naturalist and homebrewer will create a beer recipe,with some of the plants identified during the hike as ingredients. Then the homebrewer will brew the beer at Rocky Mountain Brewing. At the end of the summer Brewer's Republic will put the beers on tap for some tasting events.

June 30th marked the first of the seven hikes, which are open to the public. I attended excited to see more of what the project was all about. This first hike was held in Garden of the Gods. Kimberly, the naturalist, started us off by demonstrating how to test plants for allergic reactions, reminding us that even if we think we know what the plant is, that many plants look very similar to one another, and while one can be perfectly safe, others can cause problems. She taught us to take a leaf of the plant, crush it up a bit, then rub it on the inside of your wrist or elbow. After a few minutes, if you don't have any signs of a rash, you can put a bit in your mouth for a moment, then without swallowing, spit everything out, and wait a few minutes to make sure your mouth doesn't feel itchy. If no reaction, you should be good.

As we hiked through the glory that is Garden of the Gods, we stopped about a dozen times for Kimberly to point of different plants, and explain their various medicinal and edible qualities. The president of the Friends of Garden of the Gods, John, was also along for the hike to give us some brief history lessons on the park.

The highlight for me really was learning about the medicinal and edible qualities of the various plants in our very own back yard. Some where the one's we may have heard about, Yucca flowers making a tasty snack, prickly pears and golden currants being used to make delicious jams and jellies, and some were a bit of a surprise to me, such as the Ponderosa Pine's trunk having a very noticeable sent of vanilla and butterscotch, and chewing on their needles as a way to relieve heartburn.

The homebrewer, Justin Carpenter, was taking copious notes, and pictures, and said he already had some good ideas on the beer he is going to brew.

There will be a different homebrewer in attendance for each hike, so there will be seven different beers to sample. The ingredients WILL NOT be gathered from the parks, as picking any plants from the city and state parks is prohibited and unlawful. The ingredients will be garnered from a local herb shops and with the permission of private land owners.

To learn more about the project, or to sign up for the hikes visit: http://www.focusonthebeer.com/p/beers-made-by-walking.html

And as always stay tuned to The Beer Drinker's Guide to Colorado for all the latest news on the happenings of Colorado Craft Beer.

The Sisterhood American Pale Ale has arrived! June 28 was the official release of the beer that our women's beer drinking group, the Sisterhood of the Suds, brewed with Colorado Mountain Brewery head brewer, Andy Bradley. The weeks of anticipation had been building. Would it taste good? Would other people like it? Would we like it?

But when you're under the guidance of such a masterful brewer as Andy, there really wasn't much to worry about. The beer was delicious. Well balanced, with some notes of sweet fruit up front, apricots, pears, perhaps a bit of peach, and a slightly bitter finish, with the hops hitting the back of your palate. Andy had been dry hopping the beer for us with Simcoe and Centennial hops, throughout the last few weeks, giving the beer a slightly floral nose.

Andy has given the community a rare opportunity with his weekly Brewer's Whimsy. Not only is it an amazing opportunity for local home brewers to work with Andy on his 10 gallon pilot system, it's also a treat for patrons of the brewery to try a new brew every Tuesday. There's even a set of regulars, dedicated to attending almost every week in anticipation of trying a new beer.

Carol watched anxiously as one took a sip of our creation, relieved by his positive reaction. In fact, everyone seemed to have good things to say. Even Andy seemed pleased with the outcome. Personally, I thought the beer was quite tasty. At around 5% ABV, it was very drinkable as a session beer. I was a bit surprised by the sweetness at the front, something Andy attributed to the Simcoe hops, but thought the bitterness at the end balanced it out nicely. As for the rest of the Beer Drinker's Guide crew?

Mike:
"Nice head and color, with a little woodsy note on first sniff. Subtle malts and lots of carbonation that should get smoother. Develops nice nose hits of almond and apple after half a glass."

Rick:
"Smooth and easy to drink. A bit too under-hopped for an American Pale Ale, but nonetheless tasty. Golden body, lots of head, and a bit cloudy. A good summer-session beer."

Carol:
"The beer poured with a nice head and a decent amount of carbonation. I picked up a peachy essence with the first few sniffs. It has a pleasant mouth feel. I first detected some sweetness from the malt, then a mildly bitter quality towards the back of the throat. Overall very pleasant, medium-bodied Pale Ale, a good session beer."

The Sisterhood American Pale Ale will be on tap at Colorado Mountain Brewery until it's gone, so head on over and give it a try soon. And watch for new small batch beers every Tuesday from local home brewers.

The Colorado State Fair homebrew competition deadlines for entries are coming up in August. Entries for homebrews will begin being accepted at drop off locations from 8am August 8th - 5pm August 13th. The cost is $5.00 per entry.
The drop off locations are:
The Brew Hut in Aurora
Hops & Berries in Fort Collins
Old West Supply in Colorado Springs
Judging will occur Friday, August 26, 2011 at 10:00am in the Special Events Tent (east end of the Colorado Pavilion) and is open to the public. Medals will be awarded during the 2011 Foam Fest on August 27.
For more information, check the website.

Tuesday, 6/28/11, starting at 5pm, The Sisterhood American Pale Ale will be released at Colorado Mountain Brewery. Join the Sisterhood of the Suds as we tap and pour the beer that we brewed with Brewmaster Andy Bradley at Colorado Mountain Brewery. (See feature story above).

This American Pale Ale will be featured as Andy's Brewer's Whimsy beer that he releases on any given Tuesday. For the Brewer's Whimsy, Andy invites different groups to come out and brew with him on his pilot system. Then that 10 gallon batch is released on a Tuesday, and the brewer's get to come out and pour the beer.

So come on out to Colorado Mountain Brewery on Tuesday, 6/28, and let us pour you a beer!

Grand Lake Brewing Company will open their 2nd location in Grand Lake, the Grand Lake Brewing Taphouse, on Friday, June 3, from 4pm-9:30pm. This larger location will also feature a new expanded menu. The Grand lake Brewing Taphouse is located at 9921 US Highway 34 in Grand Lake. For more information, call 970-627-9404.

Ska-B-Q at Ska Brewing in Durango. $2 Mexican Lagers, and $2 Tacos all day. Live music starting at 5pm.
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Trinity Brewing in Colorado Springs releases Saison Grito, a special Mexi-Belgo beer brewed with lemon, lime, cumin, cilantro, and Big Jim peppers.
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Pagosa Brewing in Pagosa Springs has food specials, a Chili Verde brew, and specialty tequilas.
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Twisted Pine is releasing Ghost Face Killah-"the hottest beer this side of hell".
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Civic Center Park in Denver hosts a Cinco de Mayo party on Saturday and Sunday. Rumor has it that the Great Truck food Race on Food Network may crash this party. Great Divide Beer might be a part of this.

So get out, shake those maracas, and enjoy some beer!

Rockyard Brewing is celebrating it's 12th birthday with the release of Anniversary Ale, a Dusseldorf Altbier! Get on over to Rockyard in Castle Rock and try this crisp, copper ale.

The nine craft breweries in Fort Collins got together to participate in a collaborative brew this week, in honor of American Craft Beer Week, as reported by David Young in the Coloradoan.

The breweries are CB & Potts, Coopersmith's, Crooked Stave, Equinox, Fort Collins Brewery, Funkwerks, Odell, and New Belgium. The beer was brewed at both Coopersmith's and Equinox.

The beer will be served in all 9 taprooms beginning May 16th to coincide with the beginning of American Craft Beer Week.

After the two brews ferment, they will be combined at Coopersmith's. Apparently the beer has yet to be named, but will be a light pale ale.

Hey, ladies! Brew Betties: Mistresses of the Mash are meeting tonight at Asher Brewing. Tonight will be sampling and learning about sours. Click on the event link to learn more and join the Brew Betties; Mistresses of the Mash facebook group to be informed about future meetings and other cool beer stuff!

Copper Kettle Brewing Company announced plans for their Grand Opening Weekend, Friday April 22 through Sunday April 24. They are slated to be Colorados' newest brewery, though not for long. There are many new breweries dancing on their heels, trying to get their doors open.

Owners Jeremy Gobien and Kristen Kozik are just glad to see their dreams finally become reality. "It's great to see it all happen. We appreciate all the help that we've received", said Jeremy, who is owner and brewmaster.

He is brewing on a 3 barrel system, so plans for the taproom right now are mainly to keep the taps flowing. They have some great-sounding beers in their lineup, including Copper Mezzina Pale Ale (hoppy pale ale), a Dusseldorf Altbier (dry and fruity ale), Mexican Chocolate Stout (brewed with red chilis and chocolate nips), and Roggenbier (Rye ale brewed with Rye, instead of barley with a Belgian ale twist).

So get out and enjoy, and support Denver's newest brewery! For directions and hours of operation, click here.

TV's CBS4 Colorado Getaways featured a piece on Fort Collins Brewery on the April 9th program. At the end of the piece, producer Doug Whitehead mentioned the new 5th Edition Beer Drinker's Guide To Colorado, and showed how the map can guide you to find every brewery and brewpub in the state! Check it out here.

Colorado Craft Beer Radio, AM 760, Airs its 1st program Saturday, April 16th from 12pm-1pm. Tune in and listen to this program all about Colorado Craft Beer.

National Beer Day celebrates the end of prohibition, at least as it applied to beer. In 1933 during the prohibition era, the Cullen-Harrison Act was signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt on March 23rd. That law was enacted on April 7th allowing the brewing and sale of beer in the United States again as long as it was < 3.2% (4% ABV). Throngs gathered outside breweries and taverns, some waiting in line all night, in order to legally buy beer for the first time in over 13 years. As a result, April 7th is known as National Beer Day.

After several dry runs testing equipment, Caution:Brewing Co. brewed its' first beer on Sunday, April 3rd. They are brewing on Odell Brewings' original 5 barrel pilot system. Owners Betty Fey and Danny Wang are excited to finally get going.

Their emphasis will be to create beers that pair well with Asian food. Their 1st beer, Lao Wang Lager, is a light lager that will be served at Dannys' parents' restaurant, Lao Wang Noodle House in Denver.

Caution:Brewing Co. does not have a tap room at this time, but we will keep you posted on where you can try their beers.

If you're confused about the effects that proposed beer legislation will have on your beer, read this column by Bill Johnson from the Denver Post.

Sobering, and this isn't the usual spiel from the usual suspects. Bill's pretty straightforward about it:

"There is a considerable value and uniqueness small businesses bring to every community. Even when it is difficult and, maybe, doesn't even make sense, we have a duty to give them our support as a way to enrich the places where we live.

It seems incredible that government, in this case the legislature, hasn't figured this out yet."

After you're done reading that, surf over to the Colorado Brewer's Guild Advocacy page and get involved in keeping Colorado's beer culture alive and well. Local brewers and retailers need our help to keep them in business. Write a letter, and call your legislators. The beer you save could be your favorite.

Bristol Brewing Co. in Colorado Springs will host Save The Ales, an event designed to highlight the effects of State HB11-1284, and encouraging the local community to block its passage.

HB11-1284 is the bill introduced in the state legislature last week allowing full-strength beer sales in chain stores, specifically convenience stores. Bristol is hosting this gathering of local business and community leaders in an effort to explain how this bill will affect craft breweries, and in turn, the local community.

Craft breweries represent a collaborative community that benefits the local economy, in large part because - unlike other states - start-up breweries in Colorado have access to independent retailers and liquor store owners. These businesses work together to stock and promote locally-made beer. Loss of access to market will result in job loss, profits being sent out of state, and the endangerment of niche and specialty beers.

Wed., March 23, at 4:30pm, Bristol Brewing will host this event, with business and community leaders to craft beer advocates gathering in the Tasting Room for a letter-signing, asking local legislators to say "no to HB1284." For more information, go to Bristol Brewing's website.

The Brewer's Association, the trade association representing the majority of U.S. brewing companies, released information today on growth in the craft brewing industry for 2010. The year 2010 saw a volume increase for small and independent craft brewers of 11 percent, and their retail sales dollars increase 12 percent over 2009 figures.

This shows a growth of over 1 million barrels in one year, according to their figures.

"Beer lovers increased their appreciation for American craft brewers and their beers in 2010," said Paul Gatza, director, Brewers Association. "Craft brewers' stories resonate with Americans who are choosing small, independent companies making delicious beers in more than 100 different styles."

The number of breweries also increased in 2010, with the Brewer's Association reporting 1759 operating breweries. This puts the number of breweries in the U.S. at an all-time high in the history of this country, surpassing the number of breweries that existed before Prohibition.

"Prohibition caused a dramatic decline in the number of breweries in the United States, but the number of breweries is now at an all-time high," added Gatza. "With well over 100 new brewery openings in 2010, plus 618 breweries in planning stages, all signs point to continued growth for the industry."

Overall, U.S. beer sales were down approximately one percent, or 2 million barrels, in 2010 compared to being down 2.2 percent in 2009.

With over 600 new breweries in planning in the U.S., the industry seems to be steadily growing.

We are certainly seeing a dramatic increase in the number of Colorado breweries this year. You can see this for yourself when the 5th Edition of The Beer Drinker's Guide hits the racks later this Spring.

More breweries mean more opportunities for us to drink great beer. That's the kind of growth worth raising a glass to.

Saturday March 26th 2011 will mark the first bottled release from Grimm Brothers Brewhouse of Loveland. The beer, a first in its fabled series will mark a major milestone for the brewery that opened in July of 2010. Since its opening, Grimm Brothers has expanded to over 25 restaurant and bar locations in Northern Colorado. This first bottled release is titled Hare's Bride and is considered to be a German Hefewein. It will be available at select local liquor stores and in the taproom located at 547 N Denver Avenue in Loveland starting Saturday.

St. Patrick's Day gets us jazzed to tip an Irish Ale. Here is a sampling of what you can find at your local brewery around the state this St. Patrick's Day:

Blarney Rock Irish Ale at Rockyard Brewing in Castle Rock
Crossed Irons Irish Ale at Kannah Creek in Grand Junction
Odell's Red Ale in Fort Collins
Wee Banshee Irish Heather Ale at Trinity Brewing in Colorado Springs
There's an Irish Red and an Irish Porter at Shamrock Brewing in Pueblo
Roisin Dubh, an Irish Stout, brewed by Phantom Canyon in Colorado Springs
Dry Irish Stout, Oat Malt Stout at Dry Dock in Aurora
Fire-Stoned Irish Red Ale at Pagosa Brewing in Pagosa Springs

So no matter where you may reside, or find yourself this fine St. Patrick's Day, tip your hat to the Green. No, don't drink green beer, lads and lasses, but seek yourself out your local brewpub, and drink a fine Irish Ale.

Thursday, March 10, Rock Bottom in Colorado Springs taps Fire Chief Ale. It's a Dusseldorf style Altbier - medium body, malty flavor, 26 ibu's. Bagpipes will be playing for the tapping, and free beer from 6pm-6:30pm. Part of the proceeds benefit local firefighters.

Here's a cool twist on typical brewery tasting room events. Fort Collins Brewery offers Bugs, Buggers, and Brews, a fly-fishing fly-tying workshop in their tasting room every other Wednesday afternoon. Local pro fly fisherman Caleb VanWagner presides over the fly-tying. They have gotten as many as 20 people show up for this, bringing their fly-tying gear. They meet in their community room off the taproom.

So if you're a fly fisherman, or you want to learn, stop by FCB's taproom every other Wednesday, 4pm-6pm, and tie some flies. The next meeting is March 2. For more info, contact Kimberlee Ruben at Fort Collins Brewery.

The I Love Beer Mini Tour - a favorite of Old Chicago's guests - will run through Feb. 14, and is an eight-beer tour where guests craft the Mini Tour of their choice by selecting their own beers. The tour kicked off Wednesday, Jan. 26 at all of the Old Chicago's in the restaurant chain.

Guests who visit one of Old Chicago's 26 Colorado locations will have the opportunity to try an exclusive beer - Deviant Dale's IPA from Oskar Blues Brewery, a Colorado-based local favorite - as part of their I Love Beer Mini Tour. Deviant Dale's IPA is a version of the brewery's flagship beer, Dale's Pale Ale, which is brewed with four kinds of hops and then dry-hopped with a fifth. Deviant Dale's IPA will be available only at Colorado Old Chicagos while supplies last.

Old Chicago's 1.3 million World Beer Tour members who complete the Tour by choosing their own eight beers will receive the highly coveted Mini Tour T-shirt with the classic I Love Beer design on the front. More information can be found on the Old Chicago website.

The newest member of the Breckenridge Brewery family, Ale House at Amato's, should be opening mid-March 2011, according to Ron Piscitelli, Director of Restaurant Operations for Breckenridge Brewery. The location is the Amato of Denver building, a historic landmark in the "LoHi" (Lower Highlands) section of Denver. Amato of Denver, a family owned business established in 1947 that sells statuary and fountains, will move up the block.

The new Ale House will have two outside patios, one of them rooftop, to take advantage of the great skyline views of Denver and the surrounding mountains. Says Piscitelli" The food will be more upscale brewpub, lots of small plates. We plan to do a lot of cooking with beer, in our sauces and dishes. Much of the menu will change with the seasons."

That sounds great, but what about the beer, you ask? "We will have 40 taps, 5 of which will be breweries from out of state, the rest will be Colorado breweries. And, we want to focus on each breweries' unique beers. We don't want just a lot of IPA's on tap, for example".

They are also trying hard to work with residents in the area on issues such as parking, and looking for ways to encourage people to walk or bike to the Ale House. We'll keep you posted, and check their Facebook page for more details.

Eddyline Restaurant and Brewery in Buena Vista is expanding. "We can't keep up with demand" says Ryan McFadden, one of the managers at Eddyline. The plan is to move down the street into a bigger facility that will house the brewery, a tasting room, and a restaurant.

"We need to be able to brew more beer, so we will be going up to a 13bbl system," said Ryan. "We plan to can in 16 oz cans and distribute our beer in our area". Remodeling on the new location has begun.

They plan to keep the current location, and create a different restaurant experience there. We will keep you posted as details unfold. Check their facebook page for more details.

Shamrock Brewing Company in Pueblo has collaborated with their neighbors, Solar Roast Coffee to produce Third Street Stout, a bold stout beer brewed with Solar Roast's Organic Bolivia coffee. Both businesses are located just a few doors apart on W. Third St. in Pueblo.

Solar Roast Coffee is owned by brothers Michael and David Hartkop. "We built our first solar coffee roaster in our backyard from an old satellite dish, plastic mirrors, and a broccoli strainer", says roastmaster Michael Hartkop. They currently have 2 locations, the one on W. Third St., and another at the Pueblo Mall.

Shamrock Brewing Company is located at 108 W. Third in a renovated building that was the Irish Brewpub. According to Brewmaster Jason Buehler the Third Street Stout features locally grown and malted barley from Colorado Malting Company in Alamosa. The addition of crystal malt, oats, chocolate malt, and roasted barley adds rich chocolate and caramel flavors to the beer. Once the beer is fermented, coarse ground coffee beans are added and the flavor of the coffee is extracted and mixes with the beer. "The caramel and chocolate flavors of the stout complement the coffee flavors very well. Using the Bolivia dark Roast adds a subtle smokiness without adding additional bitterness to the beer", says Jason.

What better way to pass a cold winter afternoon or evening? Third Street Stout will be released on Thursday, January 20th at 4:00 pm at Shamrock Brewing Company.

Pagosa Brewing Company in Pagosa Springs is now selling their beer at Wolf Creek Ski Area. The selections currently offered are: Kayaker Cream Ale, Powder Day IPA, and Soaker's Stout. "Our beer has been really well received there", says Pagosa Brewing's owner and brewmmaster Tony Simmons. So now after a day on the slopes, you can settle back and enjoy a brew from Pagosa.

Every Tuesday from January through March, buy a pint of Laughing Lab in the tasting room of Bristol Brewing between 5pm and 9 pm and $1.00 will go straight to the Humane Society. Also, On January 25th bring in a picture of your "Party Animal" to the Bristol Brewing tasting room and you are automatically entered to win one of three Bristol Brewing Company party animal prizes.

Prizes include:
1st: Bristol Gift Pack
2nd: One free Bristol growler
3rd: Two free Bristol pints

The most photogenic party animals will also be featured in future advertisements for Buy a Lab & Help a Lab events. Go to the Humane Society website for more details.

So drink a Lab or two on Tuesdays - the cats and dogs of the Pikes Peak Region will be glad you did.

and yours is not.

Well, he's had a couple of other jobs since helping to startup Denver's Wynkoop Brewery in 1988. LoDo was a scary part of town back then, but that brewpub was part of a wave of development in Lower Downtown Denver that helped put Coors Field on Blake Street, that brought along more businesses, that helped bring more brewers, that helped all of us get better, tastier beer.

John Hickenlooper, former geologist, former brewer, former Mayor of Denver, is now Governor of Colorado.

And imagine this - he was elected, and people even knew about his sordid past as a brewer. Hey, if this ain't a Great Beer State, we don't know what is.

Maybe it was partly about the election, and the choices we voters had to make. Let's see: a former brewer-turned-mayor, a former Republican-turned-against-the-party, and a former wait-where-did-this-guy-come-from. Hmmm. Decisions, decisions. It used to be that bars and liquor stores were CLOSED on election day in Colorado. Thank God that's not the case anymore. In the 2010 elections, beer provided some of the only clarity to be found anywhere.

And one result of that clarity is our new Governor/Brewer, John Hickenlooper. His old brewpub worked up a new beer just for his inauguration, Inaugurale. Beer was served at the inaugural soires, and the Denver Post reports in very complete ways that a Good Time Was Had By All.

Our favorite part of his inaugural address may be your favorite part, too.

"Why Colorado more than any other place? We have one of the most highly-educated work forces in America. We have perhaps the highest percentage of any state, of people who came here not for a job or promotion, but for our quality of life. And they have kept coming even through this long, hard recession.

Plus, we have the best beer. Rest assured, we will be obsessive in spreading the word about the Colorado advantage."

So let's all raise a toast to Hick, and hope to heck he's up to task - the hard work of making this a better world.

We at The Beer Drinker's Guide To Colorado continue to track new breweries/brewpubs that are opening, as part of our goal to promote Colorado Craft Beer. It is also our job to report on those that close.

The Boulder Draft House/Colorado Brewing Company has closed its doors for business, according to Alicia Wallace of Boulder's Daily Camera. The Beer Drinker's Guide was unable to reach anyone at Boulder Draft House to comment. The Daily Camera reports that a sign was posted to the front door of 2027 13th St. indicating that the Colorado Brewing Co. LLC planned to close the Draft House on Jan. 1 for "renovation and re-invention" of the business.

However, Founder Jim Howser said the closure is final.

"We weren't able to live up to our financial obligations," he said, noting the Draft House did not make its rent payment in early December.

Colorado Boy Pub and Brewery is making pizzas now. Colorado Boy is located in Ridgway, owned and operated by Tom & Sandy Hennessy.

According to Tom "We have a new menu with artisan pizzas made from scratch. It was a squeeze, but we have done our remodel, fiddled with the oven over the holidays and are ready to make our pies everyday. Let us know what you think! "

We know that the Hennessys know pizza, or as Tom says "Beer is my hobby, but pizza is my life." For more information about Colorado Boy, check out their website or their Facebook page.

La Veta Bistro and Brewery opened their doors for business in October of 2010. When they opened, their license had not yet come through to allow them to sell their own beer.

In December that changed, and they are now selling their own beer on tap, as well as a selection of other bottled microbrews. Try out their Spanish Peaks Porter, Oak Street Amber, or Hit-the-Trail Pale Ale. The owner/operators are Carol Houk and Reed White. Right now their hours of operation are Friday through Monday, 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Check them out next time you are down that way. For more info, check out their Facebook page.