Hookup Site Bigbeers
We’ve Moved!!! Go To Brewtallyinsane.com And See What You’re Missing.
- Hookup Site Big Beers Pictures
- Hookup Site Big Beers Girls
- Hookup Site Big Beers Big
- Hookup Site Big Beers Free
Quick hook up dublin; fwb dating in little river; adult dating sites in perth; hook up minneapolis; bigbeers nv and dating site; chugur best hookup site; hookers near me in santa barbara; hook up heater core hoses; adult tinder delaware city; bang locals in metepec primero; sex meet in cuiyachapa; older hookups west jefferson. . President Trump Arrives at Summit Site, Kim Jong-un En Route; Trump Tweets That Larry Kudlow Has Suffered A Heart Attack. Aired on 8-9p ET Aired on 8-9p ET June 08, 2018. The latest tweets from @bigbeers. THE REAL McKENZIES are not just a band. They are an unstoppable touring machine. A road-hardened crew of traveling minstrels, entertainers and vagabonds on a never-ending quest for good times. For the past 20 years, this ferocious gang of miscreants has been captivating audiences around the globe with their addictive, uncompromising and undeniably heartfelt music. Featuring a diverse. Inside women can make new friends with fabulous ladies in a safe and friendly environment. If you are feeling lonely, Tucker Hook Up Site bored, or isolated, don't worry! You can meet friends inside in your local area or anywhere Tucker Hook Up Site around the world. We are the largest online female friendship site in the world.
If you’re reading this, then you’re on our “old” site. We’ve found a new home and relaunched our site. Please update your bookmarks and point your browsers over to our new site, http://brewtallyinsane.com Come on, what are you waiting for?
Cheers!
Beer Trippin’ in California. Part 6 – Mission Brewery
Our final stop during our San Diego brew adventure was at Mission Brewery. Mission has a long history of brewing in San Diego, dating all the way back to 1913. The brewery closed their doors in 1918, but the name was revived in 2007, when owner / founder Dan Selis launched a new line of Mission beers. In 2011, Selis moved his brewery from Chula Vista to its current location in a former Wonder Bread bakery in downtown San Diego.
The 14,000 square foot brick building dates back to 1834 and lends a beautiful setting for the brewhouse, tasting room and bottling line. Mission is conveniently located in downtown San Diego, next to Petco Park (home of the San Diego Padres) and only minutes from San Diego International Airport, making it the perfect beginning or end point for your brew trip.
Inside, local history gets a modern upgrade, as the 150+ year old building and its’ metal chandeliers, combine with the shiny stainless steel brewhouse and black leather barstools. It strikes a pleasant balance for beer lovers competing amongst one another on the shuffleboard table or while sitting at the bar watching the local sports teams on TV.
Mission makes 4 year-round beers in 12 oz. bottles: Amber, Hefeweizen, Blonde and an IPA, which took a Bronze medal at the 2007 GABF. Their big beer lineup consists of a 9.25% ABV West Coast Double IPA called Shipwrecked and a 10% ABV Russian Imperial Stout called Dark Seas, both of which are available in 12 oz. and 22 oz. bottles. In addition to Mission’s lineup of bottled brews, they also offer a variety of draft only and seasonals releases ranging from a Dunkelweizen to a Coconut Brown Ale to an Imperial Red Ale and more.
Last month, we spoke with Mission’s National Sales Manager, Martin Saylor, at Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines in Vail. He mentioned that Mission is looking to bring bottles to the Colorado market in the near future. Beer hunters, keep your eyes peeled, as our first shipment from Mission should be heading our way in about 4 weeks! Mrs. Insane and I can’t wait to have some Shipwrecked Double IPA in our fridge.
Mission Brewery is located at: 1441 L St, San Diego, CA 92101. 619-544-0555.
Cheers!
Beer Trippin’ in California. Part 5 – AleSmith Brewing Company
When I hear the term “Big Beer” in Colorado, I immediately think of Avery Brewing and Great Divide Brewing. Both have a vast selection of big beers ranging from 8%+ ABV Imperial Stouts, Double IPA’s, Barleywines and so on. When I hear the term “Big Beer” in reference to Southern California, I think of San Diego’s AleSmith Brewing. AleSmith has been serving up tasty brews since 1995 and over time, they’ve grown their line to include a variety of fantastic, high ABV beers.
AleSmith might be best known for their popular Speedway Stout, which is a 12% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with coffee. Speedway Stout is full of chocolate, coffee and roasted malt flavors. The thick, creamy mouthfeel lingers and leaves you wanting more. Speedway variations spring up from time-to-time in the tasting room. Past experiments have included batches brewed with dried sour cherries, mint chocolate and peanut butter & cacao nibs. Wow! Send some to Colorado. Please??
Old Numbskull Barleywine is an American-style Barleywine that weighs in at 11% ABV. If you’re not a fan of the big hop flavors found in fresh batches, tuck some away in the back of your cellar for a few years. The caramel and malt notes that come through once the hops fade after a year or more are divine. Fresh, aged, both, whatever, it’s a great take on the style.
Scotch Ale fans never seem to have very many options. That poor beer just doesn’t get enough respect in my opinion. Luckily, AleSmith gives the style its’ due with their Wee Heavy. The 10% ABV Wee Heavy is a sweet, smokey, lightly hopped traditional Scotch Ale.
The Grand Cru might be the most complex beer in their year-round big beer lineup. This one is a 10.5% ABV Belgian Strong Dark Ale that is brewed with dark Belgian candi sugar and fermented with authentic Belgian trappist yeast. The dark brown brew has flavors of dark fruit, vanilla, brown sugar and caramel.
Don’t forget the Grand Cru’s little brother, known as Horny Devil. This bad boy is an 11% ABV Belgian Strong Pale Ale. Like the Grand Cru, the Devil is also brewed with Belgian trappist yeast, but uses a lighter Belgian candi sugar and coriander seeds in the brewing process. The result is a beautiful golden beer with citrus, bread and spice notes.
AleSmith has a small barrel-aging project and many of the barrel-aged releases are only available on draft in the tasting room. They occasionally release 750mL bottles of their Barrel-Aged big beers like Speedway Stout and Old Numbskull, which are only available during release parties at the brewery. Take note beer traders, I highly recommend seeking these bad boys out.
While the big beers tend to take center stage, don’t ignore the smaller, more sessionable brews like their IPA, Anvil ESB and X Pale Ale or their great seasonals like YuleSmith, My Bloody Valentine or Decadence (their Anniversary beer which is a different style every year).
AleSmith reps at GABF said they’re looking at entering the CO market in the near future. Cross your fingers folks, because AleSmith would be a great addition to the CO beer scene.
Drop by the tasting room on your next trip out west to see what they’re all about and grab some bottles to bring back for your cellar. You’re gonna love ’em!
AleSmith Brewing is located at: 9368 Cabot Dr, San Diego, CA 92126. 858-549-9888
Cheers!
Beer Trippin’ in California. Part 4 – Pizza Port
No beer trippin’ report in San Diego would be complete without a visit to at least one of the Pizza Port locations. The original Pizza Port was founded in Solana Beach in 1987, by owners Vince and Gina Marsaglia. Vince began using the restaurant’s extra space to experiment with homebrewing. 5 years later in 1992, a 7 BBL brewhouse was installed and the brewery was born. In 1997, Tomme Arthur took the reigns in the brewhouse and the rest is history.
Since then, Pizza Port has grown to 4 locations (with 1 more on the way), opened a bottle shop in Carlsbad (offering 600+ of the best beers available in the San Diego area), named 2003 and 2004 Small Brewpub of the Year at GABF (Solana Beach) and 2009 Large Brewpub of the Year at GABF (Carlsbad) and opened a production facility in San Marcos, CA. The brewpubs have also taken home numerous GABF and World Beer Cup medals. Tomme Arthur has since moved on to become Director of Brewery Operations at Port Brewing and co-founded the The Lost Abbey line of Belgian influenced beers in 2006.
Each Pizza Port location offers a wide variety of beers brewed on-site, plus a lineup of guest taps from some of the world’s top craft breweries. The great selection of beers, ranging from west coast hop bombs to authentic Belgian ales, is sure to satisfy even the most hardcore beer nerd. If you can’t decide which location to visit, let the beer do the talking. The Pizza Port website has a webcam feed showing all of the beers pouring at each location.
The close proximity to the beach and the laid back vibe, combined with a tasty menu and a ton of great beers, makes Pizza Port one of our favorite places to visit in the San Diego area. Pizza Port shows no signs of slowing down, as they’re currently working on a new location in Bressi Ranch (near Carlsbad). I guess we’ll have to add it to the list for next time.
On this trip, we only had the time to visit Pizza Port Carlsbad, but we’ve visited the other locations in the past and encourage you to try them all. Here’s a handful of pictures from our recent visit.
Cheers!
The Inaugural San Diego Winter Brew Fest
The team behind the annual Winter and Summer Brew Fests in Denver, known as RightOn Productions, has decided to take their beer, food and fun fests on the road. Last weekend, they brought the Inaugural Winter Brew Fest to Broadway Pier in lovely San Diego, CA.
Lucky for us, we got invited to come out and cover the event. Trust me, we didn’t need much convincing. We LOVE a good brew fest and we love San Diego. Yep, count us in!
The event was held at the Port Pavilion at Broadway Pier, which is a modern, environmentally friendly Cruise ship terminal. Port Pavilion is easily accessible by car, bus and train and offers scenic views of the USS Midway and San Diego Bay.
The San Diego beer scene is on fire right now, with more than 63 breweries in operation and 32 more in various stages of planning. The San Diego beer scene is almost as exciting as the current Denver beer scene. The inaugural festival gave us the opportunity to try beers from some of the local up and coming breweries such as Iron Fist and Manzanita, but we were just as excited to revisit old favorites from our friends at Mission and Ballast Point.
The food trucks parked outside along the bay were no joke either. They had prepared beer-centric menus just for the brew-minded crowd. We couldn’t get enough from the guys at Underdogs, who were serving up some mean sausage creations. I went with the “Mac Daddy”, which was a Stone Porter Sausage, topped with macaroni and cheese and bacon. Oh delish. The cheese sauce on top was made with a Saison from Iron First Brewing.
Inside the pier, the crowd sipped on beer, nibbled on Cabot cheese and grooved to the sounds of local bands. All in all, a great time and another well run festival from the RightOn crew. No word yet on whether they plan to expand the event to include a San Diego Summer Brew Fest. We can only hope.
Until next time, check out some of the sights from the San Diego Winter Brew Fest.
To see more highlights from our San Diego adventure, visit the Beer Trippin’ portion of our site.
Cheers!
Beer Trippin’ in California. Part 3 – Green Flash Brewing
After two great stops at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens and Port / The Lost Abbey, it was time to start heading South towards San Diego. So for our last stop of the day, we decided to visit Green Flash Brewing. This place caught me completely off guard. From the outside, Green Flash looks like a place where they should be programming satellites or making sketches for the next hybrid car. Not your average looking brewery by any means.
While we were scratching our heads on the way in, we slipped through the glass door and made our way down a long hallway lined with beer posters. The hallway eventually led us to a tasting room surrounded by a large brewery, bottling line and pallets and pallets of beer. Oh glorious beer! It was clear we were in the right place.
We happened to hit Green Flash while they were pouring all 10 of their Anniversary Ales. The brewery releases a different style one-off each year to commemorate the special occasion. Past releases have included Barleywines, Strong Ales, Double IPA’s, Imperial Stouts and most recently a Flanders Red. The prices were stupid good at just $1 for a taster and $4 for a full pour.
In addition to their anniversary collection, there was also a variety of beers to sample from their year-round lineup, seasonals and special one-offs just for visitors to the tasting room. Palate Wrecker Double IPA is a favorite of mine and I rarely pass up the opportunity to try a splash of this west coast hop bomb. Luckily for me, a fresh keg was on tap.
The 9-year old Barleywine was tough to beat too. I don’t remember the last time I’ve had a beer that was nearly a decade old and this was my second one in under 4 hours. (Stone was also pouring beers going back to ’03!) I think I need to “beer trip” through CA more often.
Visitors can make a day of sampling the more than two dozen offerings in the tasting room. On brewing and bottling days, guests have the perfect vantage point to watch the Green Flash team go to work. The small beer garden on the side of the building is a nice little hangout and a great chance to try some of the local food trucks.
While Green Flash may look a little different on the outside, Mama always said it’s what’s on the inside that counts. And on the inside of Green Flash, is great beer. Seriously tasty, great beer and that’s what really matters.
Green Flash Brewing is located at: 6550 Mira Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121. 858-622-0085
Cheers!
Beer Trippin’ in California. Part 1 – Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens.
What can I say about Stone Brewing that hasn’t already been said? While I won’t bore you with facts and figures or the latest production numbers, I would like to strongly encourage every craft beer drinker out there, to at some point, make the pilgrimage to Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in Escondido, CA.
The 1-acre garden is full of streams, waterfalls, bridges, stone formations, canopies and pathways, and is easily the most picturesque beer garden I’ve ever laid eyes on. To step foot inside, is to be whisked away to beer nirvana. Combine the peacefulness of the gardens, with the deliciousness of the beer and one can easily lose a day just watching the world go by.
Greg Koch and his team at Stone have gone to great lengths to make Stone a “destination” and not just another place to stop for a brewery tour. And yet, just a short distance from the peace and quiet in the gardens, sits a modern brewhouse and bottling line that’s continually pumping out beer 24 hours / day.
The world-class bistro offers the best of both worlds, with tables overlooking the gardens, plus a panorama into the brewhouse. On warm days, guests can sit at one of the stone tables on the outside patio and order from the back bar.
A seat at either the indoor or outdoor bar, will reward you with a selection of more than 30 taps and an ever-changing selection of 100+ bottles from some of the best breweries in the world. The food menu is nothing short of fantastic and ranges from stinky cheese plates to pasta to sandwiches to bone-in steaks.
During our visit, it was the annual “Stone Winter Storm”, which features 100 unique Stone kegs and bottles. This year, Stone was pouring everything from 02.02.02 Vertical Epic Ale to Special Releases, Barrel-aged variants and more. I started my visit with a pour of 2004 Old Guardian Barleywine.
If you’re lucky enough to visit during one of the many events, you might even learn a thing or two. Stone offers classes through their “Beer U” tastings, “Master Pairings with Dr. Bill” and some of the best festivals on the West Coast, including the very popular Sour Fest and the upcoming Oakquinox (a celebration of Barrel-Aged beers).
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens is one of those places that needs to be on the “Bucket List” of every craft beer enthusiast. Whether you’re a fan of their beers or not, it’s just something that needs to be experienced to truly be appreciated. This wasn’t our first visit and I can assure you, it won’t be our last.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens is located at: 1999 Citracado Parkway, Escondido, CA 92029. 760-294-7866.
Where will you find us next? Stay tuned. More to come!
Cheers!
Going Big In Vail With Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines
I Love me a good beer fest and here in Colorado, there’s no shortage of good beer fests. We’ve got plenty to choose from throughout the year. But, it’s the Great Ones that keep me up at night. The Great Ones that get me excited like a kid on Christmas morning. The Great Ones that I’d jump on a flight to attend if I ever moved out-of-state. (Gasp!) The annual Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines in Vail is a Great Beer Fest.
Big Beers (or BBB or #Bigbeers for you twitterers / hash tag types), is a world-class event that educates beer lovers, brings us closer together with tastings and bottle shares and when all’s said and done, leaves us thirsting for more. How the hell have I not been back to this event for the past 6 years!?!? No clue, but I guarantee it won’t happen again.
On The Road Again
Our adventure began on Friday morning with a trip up old I-70. No trip through the mountains is complete without a stop at Backcountry Brewery in Frisco.
Within a few minutes of arriving, our group had secured spots at the bar and I had a glass of Old Beer Wagon Barleywine sitting in front of me, courtesy of Backcountry’s Head Brewer Alan Simons. The perfect beer to warm up with from the sub-freezing temperatures and blowing snow outside. We enjoyed lunch and I got my fill of Alan’s amazing Barleywine and hearty Breakfast Stout.
Just as we were preparing to press on to Vail, Alan re-appeared and offered us a tour and the chance to check out Backcountry’s recent expansion.
In addition to the new family of fermenters, Backcountry has a new bottling line that should be rolling out 6-packs down the mountain shortly. Alan was kind enough to share some special treats with us like his GABF award-winning Imperial Saison, Imperial Saison w/ Brett and Tart SaiZin, which was aged in Zinfandel barrels. Another great visit to Backcountry. Their great beers and hospitality can’t be beat. Be sure to pay Backcountry a visit on your next trip up that way.
Warming Up With A Bottle Share
We pressed on and in no time, found ourselves pulling into Vail. We hadn’t even checked into our condo yet, when I realized Gary V from American Craft Beer Radio was trying to catch up with us for a beer. With not much else planned for the day and bone chilling, sub-zero temperatures outside, we decided to coordinate a bottle share for the night.
We had a solid group of craft beer enthusiasts including Dave from Fermentedly Challenged, John from Backcountry Pizza, Lauren from Napa of Beer, plus several homebrewers and our host Gary from American Craft Beer Radio. It was a lot of fun just to sit around, taste and share a variety of beers from Cigar City to Jester King. Surly Five is such a tasty, barrel-aged Brett beer. Three Floyds Dark Lord seems to show up at every tasting we attend and I can’t get enough of the rich, inky stout. And Cantillon continues to be my favorite Belgian Brewery.
We talked and tasted into the wee hours. Thanks to everyone involved for a great time!
The Main Event
On Saturday, with no kids to wake me up at 5 AM, I managed to sleep in until all of 7 AM. A quick check on the phone revealed a lovely temperature of -15 F.
Yeah, -15 F is pretty special. No reason to fight it. We just got the gang together, got the fire going, started a pot of coffee and whipped up pancakes, sausage and eggs. Who forgot the bacon???
Before I knew it, we were off to the Commercial Tasting Session.
Starting things off right with some Rochefort and Orval.
Hair of the Dog! Love me some Adam!
Great to see Allagash back in Colorado!
Brian and Great Divide had plenty of big beers, plus a special keg of Peach Grand Cru and a variety of cheeses to pair with their beers.
Breckenridge Brewery brought out their big beers to share, including their Barrel-Aged Holidale.
Jim, Kjell and Melissa from Rockyard Brewing brought a bunch of small batch, big brews, along with their collaborative Buddha Nuvo to share.
Look for Strange Brewing to bottle their award-winning, Dr. Strangelove Barleywine in the coming weeks. This will only be available at the brewery in very limited quantities, so don’t miss out.
Danny from CAUTION: Brewing showing off his newest growler design. Emperor’s Royal Guard Red for those keeping score at home.
Crooked Stave brought pretty much everything, including the kitchen sink!
Awesome as always. Thanks guys!
I finally had the opportunity to sample the variety of sours from Colorado’s Three Barrel Brewing. They are hoping to get bombers into the Denver market later this year. I really enjoyed all of their beers and if you’re a sour fan, I’d definitely keep an eye on them.
Dry Dock Head Brewer Doug Hyndman was happy to share some Bligh’s Barleywine.
Sam Adams 10th Anniversary of Utopias was flowing during the fest. At nearly $200 / bottle, it was probably my last chance to try this big, rich and tasty beer.
Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione was almost as excited as we were when Bell’s “lost shipment of beer” showed up to the tasting.
Xandy from Elevation was pouring Apis IV, plus their next two beers, Oil Man and Señorita. You won’t want to miss these upcoming bottle releases.
Goose Island had plenty to choose from, including Bourbon County Brand Stout and Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout.
Keep an eye out for Roadhouse Brewing from Jackson Hole, WY. They won’t open until later this Spring, but already have a tasty IPA, Saison and Belgian Strong Ale.
Brewtally Best of Show
With so many amazing beers, covering a wide variety of styles, it was nearly impossible to narrow down a favorite. But here are three that stuck with me.
Hookup Site Big Beers Pictures
Big Beer: Bell’s Brewery – Raspberry Wild One. With the ridiculous amount of stellar beers pouring, I could easily list 10 as my “Favorite Big Beer”, but I’ve done my best and narrowed it down to this one. The Wild One. The tartness, mixed with the sweet fruit, was what made me enjoy this one so much. It’s got complexity and depth with the oak presence, acidity and sour notes. Raspberry Wild One was just a great beer that really stuck out in my mind from the weekend. Great job Bell’s!
Belgian: Brasserie d’Orval – Orval. This is the Trappist that goes against the grain. While the other Trappist monasteries brew some of the finest Dubbels and Quads around, Orval takes a different approach with their dry, slightly hoppy and funky Brettanomyces brewed beer. I could drink Orval all day. Drink it fresh for the hops, or age it for a little more Bretty funk. Orval is a delicious beer and the only one the brewery puts into bottles.
Barleywine: Strange Brewing – Dr. Strangelove. This is an American Barleywine with tons of sweet, caramel malt, balanced by a generous does of hops. Head Brewer Tim Myers, said he hopes to bottle Dr. Strangelove later this month and sell bottles at the brewery shortly thereafter. Job well done. Beer hunters, snag some if you can.
With 200+ beers pouring this past weekend, it’s downright unfair to pick just 3, so here are a few others that definitely deserve a mention: Wynkoop – The Chancellor Barleywine, AC Golden – Peach Sour, Mission Brewing – Double IPA, Hair of the Dog – Adam, Three Barrel – Penitente Chimayo, Surly – Abrasive, Rockyard – Buddha Nuvo, Trappistes Rochefort – 10, Renegade – Black Gold (Peanut Butter Cup Stout), Oskar Blues / Ska – OSKAr the G’Rauch, Goose Island – Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout, Elevation – Oil Man Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, Boston Beer Company – Utopias 10th Anniversary, Crooked Stave – L’Brett d’Or, Backcountry – Imperial Saison with Brett, Grimm Brothers – Wee Heavy Bourbon Barrel Brett and on and on and on. As you can see, the list was phenomenal!
Here’s some links to last week’s radio shows, both of which were live from Vail:
Vail Big Beers gives beer lovers a rare chance to sample some of the finest beers on the planet AND talk to the brewers that create them. Such a great weekend and a BIG Thank You to all involved. We can’t wait to go back next year.
Cheers!
Brewery Spotlight: Backcountry Brewery, Frisco, CO
A few months back, we did a little bit of “Beer Trippin'” up into the High Country and visited some great, great breweries along the I-70 corridor. Along the way, we stopped at Backcountry Brewery in Frisco, CO. Click HERE for the original post.
I had been itching to get back to Backcountry ever since and finally had the chance a few weeks ago. Before heading up, I got in touch with Backcountry’s Head Brewer, Alan Simons, who was kind enough to give us a behind the scenes tour, share some cellared treasures and let us look into Backcountry’s upcoming expansion.
When we arrived at the brewery, Alan was wrapping up from a long day of brewing. We grabbed a table at the bar and hunkered down for what I still think is the Best Happy Hour in the Breckenridge area. No doubt. 1/2 price appetizers and $2.50 beers. Repeat $2.50 beers! And just check out the view!
Alan had just finished brewing a batch of his delicious Breakfast Stout, which should be ready just in time for the Great American Beer Festival. Once Alan wrapped up the glamorous job of washing and polishing the brewhouse, he took us down to the lower level to walk through the brewhouse and check out his office.
Backcountry has really maximized their small space with floor to ceiling stainless steel.
Serving vessels, kegs and party pigs line the cooler walls.
There’s even a little space for some barrel-aging experimentation. We might even see some more barrels with the new space on the way!
The upcoming expansion will give Backcountry more room to play. It will also allow them to extend their range of distribution. Each circle on the floor represents space for a new fermentation tank.
I hope we see bombers of these bad boys in the Denver area sooner than later.
After the brewhouse tour, Alan pulled up a chair with us at the bar and shared some treats from the cellar.
On the left is a barrel-aged American Barleywine. This was a beautiful beer that was rich and complex. On the right is a Sour Saison. Both were awesome. Really awesome. We also tried the Weizenbock, Black IPA, IPA, Imperial Saison and Porter.
Alan’s certainly working hard to ensure Backcountry brings high quality, well crafted beers to little ol’ Frisco, CO. With a large tourist crowd coming through the brewery all year-long, he’s doing a great job of satisfying both novice beer drinkers, while still creating complex, upper-end beers that are sure to please the hard-core beer geeks.
I look forward to watching Backcountry’s upcoming growth and expansion. Take a trip up and see for yourself. In addition to a bar overlooking Dillon Reservoir, there’s also a full dining room and a lounge area, complete with big, comfy couches and a fireplace.
The Breakfast Stout alone is worthy of a drive up for a snifter. Winter’s right around the corner and those roasted coffee notes are sure to pair well with those chilly nights. Their Happy Hour is second to none and the knowledgable staff is happy to give you a personal recommendation or offer a beer pairing with your food.
Seriously, what are you waiting for? Backcountry Brewery is located at: 720 Main St, Frisco, CO 80443. 970-668-2337.
Cheers!
Beer Trippin’ in New York. Part 2 – Craft Beer Exchange.
I like Growlers. Here in Colorado, nearly every brewery offers them. Anything from big ol’ gallon sized, to the standard 64 oz. growler and many breweries have even started offering little 32 oz. growlers. These days, you can track down a huge variety of styles and material. Glass, canteen, genie bottle, metal, medicine bottle, plastic, swing-top and on and on and on…
But, the beauty of the growler isn’t what it looks like or what it’s made from, but rather what’s inside. Growlers make it possible to bring fresh beer home with you that might not normally make it to a bottle or can in your local liquor stores.
Laws vary from state-to-state. Here in Colorado, only breweries with a proper license can fill growlers. In other states, bars and restaurants are allowed to sell growlers. This is a great concept and one that I’d like to see adopted in Colorado. Imagine, being able to walk into The Falling Rock Tap House and leaving with a growler full of your favorite beer.
New York is a state that allows a business other than a brewery, to get a license, that will allow them to sell and fill growlers for off-site consumption. Some of these businesses include grocery stores, gas stations, bars and restaurants. It’s brilliant. On our recent trip, we came across a chain of stores across New York State called the Craft Beer Exchange (CBX).
The CBX has teamed up with Sunoco gas stations, to offer a solid selection of craft beer and a rotating selection of taps available for growler fills. I had the opportunity to visit several of these locations and every one of them offered 6-packs, 12-packs, mix-packs, singles, bombers and 750’s of craft brews. Everything from Pale Ales, Ambers and Browns, to Double IPA’s, Russian Imperial Stouts and Barrel-Aged Sours. It was pretty impressive to see hundreds of different beers on the shelves at a gas station.
As for the growler fills, each location has anywhere from 6 to 14 different beers available to choose from. There are plenty of local breweries available, including Saranac, Ithaca Brewing and Lake Placid Brewing, but they also offer options from out-of-state breweries, such as Stone, Founders and Dogfish Head.
The CBX is also attempting to educate consumers by offering information on each beer that’s available for purchase. The ABV, a description of the beer and other details are listed on cards, which are on display near the tap lines. Customers are free to take one after their purchase, in order to gain a greater appreciation of the beer.
In addition to the information cards, I noticed some locations offering free pint glasses and discounted fills during their “Growler Hour” specials throughout the week.
This is a great idea and cheers to New York for making this possible. How great would it be to fill your car and your growler in one-stop? The Craft Beer Exchange has more than 40 locations across New York state and more than a dozen in South Carolina. They run a website that lists all of their locations, plus up-to-date tap lists. The website also keeps readers in tune with local beer fests and happenings in the area.
Hookup Site Big Beers Girls
I can’t say whether or not Colorado will ever adopt a law that would allow for growler fills in locations other than a brewery, but it’s an interesting concept. While there are certainly arguments for both sides, I think it makes for a great opportunity to promote craft beer, convert macro drinkers to craft beer and help spread the word about local micro breweries. What are your thoughts?
Cheers!
Beer Trippin’ in New York. Part 1 – Brewery Ommegang
I’m from the East Coast. Don’t hate me because of it. We’re not ALL rude… Really, we’re not. My wife’s from out that way too and at least once a year, we sling our packs across the camels and head back east for a visit. You know, to do the whole family thing. It’s good. We like it, they like it (I think). It’s a win/win.
Anyway, it was that time of year again. Oh, and before I forget, HUGE shout-out to my in-laws, who recently celebrated their 50th Anniversary! That’s incredible! Cheers guys!
Time for a journey back to our roots. My wife’s turn this time, to see her family, go back home, get drenched in humidity, have some seafood, visit an east coast brewery or three and just get away for a little vacation.
We always manage to find a brewery along the way. Cheers to beer-lovin’ women! Time for a detour to Brewery Ommegang! Ommegang, Ommegang, how I adore thee. A little slice of Belgium right here in the U.S.
Ommegang holds a special place in my beer-pumping heart. Three Philosophers was a “Belgian gateway” beer for me. The cherry-quad turned me on to so many new, sweet, tasty Trappist and Trappist-style brews. It also reminds me of one of my early trips up to NY, in the dead of winter, when my nose hairs instantaneously froze together anytime they were exposed to the bitter cold outside. Good times.
Brewery Ommegang is located in Cooperstown, NY. Cooperstown probably rings a bell, as its’ the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Another amazing place that I highly recommend you visit. I could spend a week there, but I love baseball almost as much as I love beer!
Alright, here’s a 30 second recap. Ommegang was founded in 1997, by Don Feinberg. He liked loved Belgian beer and modeled his brewery after a traditional Belgian farmhouse. A 136-acre Belgian farmhouse to be exact… People like his beers. Expansion. People like his beers A LOT! He can’t keep up. Sold to Belgian brewery, Duvel Moortgat in 2003. Duvel, yeah they rule! You heard of it? I hope so. If not, look it up. Please, you need to look it up if you don’t know Duvel. Ommegang beers get brewed in both Belgium and Cooperstown, NY to keep up with demand. Expansion, growth, people sucking down Ommegang’s offerings, which brings you to… Today!
Amazing Belgian-style beers brewed right here in the U.S. They’ve got an extensive line of creations, including an Abbey, Saison, Witte, Kriek and more.
We had been here before, but it was long before the major brewery growth and cafe addition. It was back when they had local cheese infused with fresh hops and samples of Belgian chocolate on the tour. But the ongoing growth has been a good thing. They manage to conceal the bustling bottle line and production brewery behind the walls of a brick-built “Belgian farmhouse” in the rolling hills of New York. It’s a beautiful thing. This place sure is purr-dey.
The newly opened cafe was a welcomed sight as we were rolling in just as our stomachs were beginning to grumble.
I honestly don’t know when this section of the brewery opened, but I was informed I was the first person to use the men’s bathroom. Strange, but, hmm, ok. My son gave me a high-five and we headed back to our seats in the dining room.
We ordered the “FonDuvel”, which was a cheese fondue made from three different cheeses and of course Duvel beer. We had sausage, bread and apples to dip in the fondue pot. Oh delish! Add on an order of frites and a few Belgian beers and this is my idea of the perfect meal.
I ordered the Hennepin Saison, followed by a BPA (Belgian Pale Ale) to wash it down, while my wife ordered the Liefmans Cuvee Brut, which is an Oud Bruin blended with cherries. Our kids tore it up with a juice and root beer.
Click HERE to take a peek at the menu if you’re interested. In addition to moules y frites, a variety of cheeses, waffles and more, there’s also a great selection of Ommegang and authentic Belgian beer, both on draft and in bottles.
No tour for this visit. Any kids taking the tour have to be 5 or older and our monkeys don’t meet that criteria just yet. No worries. We were free to wander the grounds, smell the facility and watch the world go by.
Seriously, one of the prettiest breweries in the U.S.
They were in full swing, gearing up for their annual Belgium Comes To Cooperstown event. This is a weekend long event that combines a beer dinner, tasting session, live music and camping to make for an amazing time. I really need to plan a trip to attend this beer fest.
At any rate, Ommegang is a pretty special place. Amazing Belgian -style beers, a gift shopped filled with goodies to decorate and drink in your man cave and a recently opened restaurant to keep your tummy stuffed during your visit. I grabbed a few bottles for the road and we headed out.
If you’re ever in the area, this is a MUST! They’re located at: 656 County Highway 33, Cooperstown, NY 13326. 607-544-1800. Also be sure to stop by The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Cooperstown Brewing.
Ommegang can be found in more than 40 states, including Colorado. Give them a try if you haven’t already.
Cheers!
Beer Trippin’ in Wisconsin. Part 4 – Lakefront Brewery
If you missed any of the previous posts from our Wisconsin trip, click on the links and catch up: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
For our last stop, we made the short drive from Miller Valley over to downtown Milwaukee, for a visit to Lakefront Brewery. Lakefront Brewery is located in a large warehouse on the Milwaukee River.
Lakefront was founded in 1987 by Russ Klisch. In 1988, they produced 72 barrels and have managed to grow every year since. Last year, they produced nearly 25,000 barrels of beer!
For $7, you can jump on one of Lakefront’s daily tours. The tour comes with four – 6 oz. pours and a pint glass. Tours that start prior to 4 PM also come with a coupon for a free Lakefront pint at a number of bars and restaurants around Milwaukee.
I’ve been on a ton of brewery tours, from a self guided tour at Brasserie Cantillon in Brussels, Belgium, to basically watching a movie at Shipyard Brewing in Portland, Maine and everything in between. Lakefront Brewery takes a very fun approach by keeping visitors engaged with jokes, contests, hootin’, hollerin’ and plenty of beer throughout the tour. In fact, they start the tour in their Palm Garden, where you can grab your first, full glass of beer before heading out on the tour.
Too many breweries hold off to pour samples until after the tour. Well done Lakefront on starting your tour the best way possible, by serving fresh beer!
Our tour guide was knowledgeable and good-humored. She took us right onto the working floor and let us get up close with the brewhouse.
If you’ve never had any beers from Lakefront, I’d recommend giving them a shot. They distribute to quite a few states (including CO) and make a nice line of sessionable beers, including an IPA, Red, Coffee Stout, Pumpkin Ale (seasonal) and many more.
They also recently created a line of beers called “My Turn”, that will allow each employee to brew a favorite style. So far, they’ve created “Dan”, a Baltic Porter and during our visit, they were pouring “Stan”, a Scottish Ale.
A very cool idea and a great way to thank their team of hard-working employees.
Be sure to stop by and stay for the tour if you’re ever out that way. Lakefront Brewery is located at: 1872 N Commerce St, Milwaukee, WI 53212. 414-372-8800.
Cheers!
Beer Trippin’ in Wisconsin. Part 3 – Miller Brewery
During Day 1 on our visit to Wisconsin, we hit New Glarus Brewing, Tyranena Brewing and Romans’ Pub. Catch up on the previous entries by clicking HERE and HERE. After grabbing some much-needed sleep at our hotel (we got upgraded to the Penthouse Suite!!!), we headed out for another full day on the town.
For our first stop, we headed over to Miller Valley to visit, yep, you guessed it, Miller Brewery.
I know, I know… But who can argue with 150+ years of history and tradition. I just wanted to see it for myself.
I’m not going to bore you with stats about how many tens of thousands of cans they can fill in a second. Because honestly, who cares? They make a lot of beer and they pump it out quickly. Enough said.
It’s an impressive place and fun to see how it’s grown from a little wooden house into an entire “valley” of buildings in Milwaukee.
My favorite part of the tour was a visit to Miller Caves. The caves are 60 feet underground and were created in 1849 to keep beer cool. It might smell like old, funky cheese down there, but it’s a neat place to visit.
A visit to the caves is followed by a beer in the historic Miller Inn.
So yeah, the beer might taste like, well… nothing, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth the price of admission. Because, well, it’s free and comes with several samples on the house. It’s tough to beat and is an important piece of American Brewing history.
Miller Brewery is located at: 4251 W State St, Milwaukee, WI 53208. 414-931-BEER. Tours run nearly everyday, excluding holidays, every 30 minutes between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM. Tours generally last about an hour.
Cheers!
Beer Trippin’ in Wisconsin. Part 2 – Tyranena Brewing and Romans’ Pub
In Part 1 of our Wisconsin beer trek, we hit up New Glarus Brewing. Read all about it HERE. From there, we headed to Lake Mills, WI, to visit Tyranena (pronounced tie-rah-nee-nah) Brewing. I’ve gotten a few bottles to try over the years and had liked their beers quite a bit. Everything I had read, made it sound like they do quite a bit of barrel aging and experimentation. Two things I love.
As we walked up to the bar, I glanced over the beer menu and knew we were in for a treat. I don’t usually go for a sampler tray, but there were just too many new and interesting beers to try. The sampler was the only practical way to get them all in.
For $10, you can walk through the whole lineup: Three Beaches Honey Blonde, Headless Man Amber Alt, Stone Tepee Pale Ale, Bitter Woman IPA, Rocky’s Revenge Bourbon Aged Brown, Chief Blackhawk Porter, Cherry Barrel Aged Kinda Lambic, Scurvy IPA w/ Orange peel, Down ‘n’ Dirty Chocolate Oatmeal Stout and Dirty Old Man Imperial Rye Porter aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels. Some really, really, reeeaaaalllly nice beers. I hate to pick one, but my fav’s were the Scurvy IPA and Down ‘n’ Dirty Chocolate Oatmeal Stout.
Our bartender, Benji, was a former brewer for Tyranena, but these days, he’s a stay at home Dad. He occasionally helps out at the brewery in his spare time. Benji was very knowledgeable as we picked his brain and took his recommendations on places to visit during our trip.
We checked out the brew house, finished our sampler and took a stroll through the adjacent beer garden and hop garden around the corner.
Tyranena Brewing is located at: 1025 Owen St, Lake Mills, WI 53551. 920-648-8699.
After Tyranena’s it was time to make the trip back to Milwaukee, which would be home for the night. Before hitting the hotel, we had time for one last stop at Romans’ Pub. If you’re looking for trendy and cute, head to Rock Bottom. But, if you’re looking for good great beer, a knowledgeable bartender and proper glassware, hit up Romans’.
It’s a pretty simple place, with a dozen or so seats at the bar, a few tables and a beer garden out back. The walls are covered with posters and artwork from great breweries like Dogfish Head, Three Floyds and Goose Island.
ISO: Bourbon County Stout barrel / FT: Name your price.
We’ve all heard the saying “No Crap On Tap” and Romans’ lives up to it. Just look at the draft list.
A solid beer menu, that’s always changing. Fortunately for me, the menu is heavy on the hops right now. It was Double IPA time for me. First up, was Three Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf (on draft). A big ol’ 9% DIPA, that packs 100+ IBU’s and is loaded with citrus and tropical fruit notes. Amazing beer.
After that, it was time for…. Three Floyds (3F’s) Arctic Panzer Wolf. AGAIN! I don’t normally order the same beer twice when I’m at a beer bar, especially when I’m at an out-of-town beer bar, but the 3F’s Panzer Wolf was amazing. I tried samples of the Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster DIPA and Black Husky Pale Ale, but for me, Panzer Wolf took the crown.
Patti went for the Goose Island Imperial IPA.
It didn’t take us long to get a conversation going with our bartender, who turned out to be owner, Mike Romans. Once he figured out that we were true beer nerds, he opened up like a book. We swapped stories about breweries, GABF and he helped us plan out the rest of our trip in Wisconsin.
If you ever find yourself in Milwaukee, I highly recommend a visit to Romans’ Pub. Mike, who has been in the biz since 1978, is pretty much a 1-man show and he works his tail off to get his customers the best beer he can find. Mike, if you’re reading this, thanks again and there’s a couple of bombers heading your way soon.
Romans’ Pub is located at: 3475 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207. 414-481-3396.
Next up on our Beercation in Wisconsin is… sleep… and Miller! I know, I know, but you might be surprised. MillerCoors had a fun tour and lots of history. Come on back for the next entry. And if Miller’s left a foul taste in your mouth, have no fear, we ended our trip with a visit to a popular microbrewery in Milwaukee. More details, pics and reviews to come.
Cheers!
Beer Trippin’ in Wisconsin. Part 1 – New Glarus Brewing
Over the weekend, we had the opportunity to spend 36 hours in Wisconsin. Time for another round of Beer Trippin’.
We started our day with an early flight out of Denver International Airport, bound for Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I like to get a jump-start on things and before lunch time, we had already gotten a rental car and were headed off in search of good beer. Without hesitation, we set off towards the town of New Glarus, WI.
Only about a two-hour jaunt down the road from Milwaukee, New Glarus was founded by Swiss pioneers in 1845. The Swiss heritage is alive and well in New Glarus today. Many of the buildings around town were built with chalet-style architecture, while the restaurants serve traditional Swiss meals. It’s a beautiful town, surrounded by green rolling hills, farmlands and blue sky.
It’s also the home of New Glarus Brewing. Yep, the yummy brewery that makes the super popular Belgian Red and Raspberry Tart beers. The ones that create all the lines and buzz every year at the Great American Beer Festival. New Glarus has been on my short list of breweries to visit for years and they didn’t disappoint.
The original Riverside Brewery was built in 1993 and is still in operation today. Tours of the facility are offered once a week, on Friday’s at 1 PM.
The Hilltop Brewery opened in 2008 and is open 7 days a week from 10 AM – 4 PM. We rolled into the parking lot of the Hilltop Brewery just after lunch time and were blown away by the beauty of the place.
They’ve gone out of their way to bring the European experience to the little town of New Glarus.
It feels like a fairy tale. I couldn’t wait to step in and see the list of beers being poured.
Am I dreaming? Pinch me!
During our visit, they were pouring Totally Naked (Czech Lager), Spotted Cow (Farmhouse), Two Women (Lager), Moon Man (Pale Ale), Fat Squirrel (Nut Brown) and Belgian Red (Wisconsin Cherry Ale). For $3.50 you can get a sample of 3 beers and a taster glass to keep. For $6, you can get a full pint and a glass to keep. The popular fruit brews will run you $9.
Aaaah, Belgian Red… It’s so worth it.
There’s a self guided tour which is free and gives you access to the brew house, bottling line, fermentation tanks, quality control lab and more.
After exploring the brewery, we sat outside in the garden area to enjoy our beer and take in the views. Patti and I both agreed that this would be a great spot for a wedding reception.
Eventually, we made our way back inside to do a little shopping.
In addition to the tasting room / gift shop, they also have a Beer Depot dedicated to 4-packs, 6-packs and 750’s to go.
Seeing this room made me wish I had a bigger bag to bring more beer home. The beer is delish and unfortunately, isn’t distributed outside of WI. Like any good beer nerd, I remembered to bring a styrofoam shipper. We filled it up and set off for our next destination. New Glarus Brewing is located at: 2400 Hwy 69, New Glarus, WI 53574. 608-527-5850.
Coming up in Part 2 of our Beercation in Wisconsin, we head back towards Milwaukee, WI, with a detour to Lake Mills, WI and Tyranena Brewing. Check back soon for updates.
Cheers!
Road Trippin’ On I-70. Palisade and Grand Junction, CO
A few months back I did a little bloggin’ about some of the breweries west of Denver, along I-70. Between Denver and Breckenridge, we visited multiple breweries, each with their own unique atmosphere, serving up a variety of beers. I broke it up into several parts and if you missed it, you can find them here: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. In this blog entry, I’m going to cover another chunk of territory along I-70 by visiting the far outposts of Palisade and Grand Junction.
Palisade, CO is just under 4 hours west of Denver and takes you through a beautiful section of the state. 70 follows the Colorado River, weaving through canyons and between ancient mountains. My son kept his eyes on the railroad tracks along the way, as it’s a busy route for trains.
Pulling into Palisade, you’re immediately greeted by orchards and vineyards. There’s a nearly 20 mile loop that winds through the beautiful farms and wineries scattered across the valley. We set off in our car and discovered some great wines, delicious fruits and even got to meet a baby alpaca at one of the local farms.
Back in the downtown area, we came across Palisade Brewing Company.
We arrived just in time for lunch and a few pints. It didn’t take us long to meet Palisade’s Head Brewer, Danny Wilson, who was chatting with several customers at the bar. I introduced myself and he was quick to offer a tour of his brew house.
Danny runs Palisade Brewing on a 20 BBL brew system, with 40 BBL’s of fermentation tanks. He came over and sat with us while we sipped on Love Potion #2. This beer was brewed to celebrate Palisade’s recent 2nd Anniversary. Love Potion #2 is a Belgian Farmhouse ale that pours a cloudy, straw color. Aroma is bread, light fruit, yeast and a touch of funk, while the taste is refreshing and fruity, with pepper, spice, earth and yeast. A really well crafted beer. Very enjoyable and sessionable.
We followed up Love Potion #2 with a pint of Hopta Session IPA. Danny has been experimenting with different IPA recipes and this one is a hoppy, yet lighter ABV, sessionable variation.
Things seem to be going well for Palisade Brewing Company as they slowly convert the palates of the towns’ popular wine drinkers into equally appreciative craft beer drinkers. There’s talk about eventually getting into the canning business and out onto store shelves.
I really get excited to hear news like this and wish Danny and Palisade the best. He is very passionate about his craft and loves to talk to fellow beer geeks. Check them out next time you’re out that way or give them a try at GABF this year. You won’t regret it. Palisade Brewing Company is located at: 200 Peach Ave, Palisade, CO 81526. 970-464-1462.
Right out the back door and 1/2 a block down from Palisade Brewing Company is Peach Street Distillers. I know, I know, we’re all about beer on this blog, but the process is so similar, I’ve got to give credit to the distillers when I can. Peach Street makes a variety of liquors including straight and fruit vodkas, brandies, gins and a straight bourbon. I even saw a pear brandy that had a full size pear inside the bottle. They put the bottles around little pears and let the pears grow inside the bottle! Wild stuff.
Peach Street was named Distiller of the Year for 2012 and is making some really nice stuff. Like I said, it’s just across the street from Palisade Brewing Company and should be on your list if you’re out that way. Peach Street Distillers is located at: 144 S Kluge #2, Palisade, CO 81526. 970-464-1128.
Travel just another 10 minutes further west, down I-70 and you reach Grand Junction, CO. Going to Grand Junction is like taking a step back in time. Everyone we met was friendly and the pace seemed a little slower. It just had that small town feel about it.
We arrived into town in time to catch the first farmer’s market of the summer. This is a weekly event in downtown Grand Junction, where they close down Main Street to traffic and allow farmers, artisans and vendors to set up booths and sell their goods. The first booth we approached was selling a variety of cherries, plums and apricots.
Man, oh man, there’s some tasty fruit out there. Someone should really think about setting up a lambic or fruit based brewery out that way. I’m a huge fan of CO peaches and those should be showing up in grocery stores very shortly. We took our time exploring the market, listening to live, local music and even getting a horse-drawn carriage ride for the kids.
Eventually, we made our way to Rockslide Brewing Company for dinner and a few beers.
The Rockslide had more of a Rock Bottom, almost chain atmosphere to it, but the food and beers were still very good and the place was absolutely packed. For beers, we went with the seasonal Wimpy Dark Chocolate Pale Ale. It was essentially a Black IPA, which had roasted, chocolatey notes to it. Their other seasonal was called Vintage, which was an American Pilsner. A very clean, crisp beer, which paired well with the 95 degree heat outside.
Rockslide Brewing is located at: 401 Main St, Grand Junction, CO 81501. 970-245-2111.
We also made a quick stop at Kannah Creek for a growler fill. This place was packed and has the brewery on display behind the bar. I got my growler filled with the IPA for the journey home.
Kannah Creek is located at: 1960 North 12th St, Grand Junction, CO 81501. 970-263-0111.
Just down the street from Kannah Creek, is the Breckenridge Ale House , which is located at: 2531 North 12th St, Grand Junction 81501. 970-242-7253. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to stop in for a visit. There’s only so many hours in the day. But, it’s part of the Breckenridge Brewing family and I’m sure it’s worth a stop.
I also stumbled upon a great liquor store with a massive selection of bombers. They had everything from hard to find Dogfish Head 750’s, interesting Belgians and even vintage beers. Although, I may have picked up the last of the older World Wide Stouts they had back there. I’m still confident you’ll find something interesting for your cellar.
After wrapping up my first visit to Palisade and Grand Junction, I can definitely say that I’ll be making a trip back again in the future. Palisade hosts the Colorado Wine Festival every year in September, which looks like a ton of fun. It’s a beautiful area of Colorado, with plenty to see and do for both kids and adults.
I’ll wrap this up with some random shots from the weekend.
Cheers!
Road Trippin’ On I-70. Last Stops – Backcountry Brewery and Pug Ryan’s.
After a full lunch and some tasty beers at Tommyknocker Brewery in Idaho Springs, CO, it was time to move on to our final destination of Breckenridge, CO. Breck is only another 40 minutes west down I-70 and there are a few spots worth checking out if you’ve got the time.
First up is the town of Dillon, CO. Dillon is actually home to two breweries. Dillon Dam Brewery has been around since 1997 and offers a large selection of beers and a full menu. There’s only so many hours in a day, so we decided to pass up Dillon Dam on this trip and opted to hit Pug Ryan’s instead.
This was our first time visiting Pug Ryan’s and the parking lot was packed. We arrived just in time for happy hour and seems like the rest of the town had the same idea as us. $2.50 pints and 25% off appetizers is tough to beat. Pug’s has been brewing since 1997 and offers 4 year round beers: Morning Wood Wheat, Pallavicini Pilsner, Over the Rail Pale Ale and a Scottish Ale. They also keep a few rotating seasonals and on this trip it was the Gorilla Vanilla Oatmeal Stout. Patti snagged the Oatmeal Stout before I could get my order in, so I went with the Pale Ale. Both were solid. The Gorilla Stout is infused with Jim Beam, Frangelico, Meyers Rum and vanilla beans. Big, bold flavors and really enjoyable.
The place was hoppin’ and we somehow managed to snag the last two seats at the far end of the bar. The brewery is lined with glass windows overlooking the Dillon Reservoir. The brewhouse is just off the bar and from our seats, you could reach out and touch the fermentation tanks. Again, really surprised by the large crowd, especially considering it was the off-season. I guess that’s a good sign that the locals appreciate this place and business is good.
Pug Ryan’s has been serving food since 1975 and they have a huge menu. From chicken wings to crab cakes to filet mignon to prime rib. They really have it all. We were still stuffed from lunch, so I guess we’ll have to hit them up for food on our next visit.
They’re currently working on expanding and had a large area roped off outside for construction. All of their beers are available to-go in growlers, along with cans of their Pilsner and Wheat.
After Pug’s, we had time for one last stop, so we rolled down the highway to Frisco, CO. Frisco sits just outside of Breckenridge and is home to Backcountry Brewery. Backcountry opened in 1996 as an effort to bring great beer to Summit County.
The brewery is located on ground level, while the bar and restaurant are upstairs. We walked upstairs and found a large lounge area with a fireplace, couches and TV’s. Over at the bar we looked over the beer menu. Their standard lineup covered all the bases. Wheat, Pilsner, Amber, IPA and Robust Porter rounded out the year round options, but Backcountry really stood out with their seasonals. On our visit, they were pouring a Double IPA and a Breakfast Stout.
I love a good coffee beer, so decided on the Breakfast Stout. It was on nitro, which made it very, very smooth. The beer was pitch black, with tons of coffee flavor, roasted grains and chocolate. Tasted like a delicious iced coffee. Patti ordered the Double IPA, which poured a clear, orange color. Big citrus, grapefruit smell. Nice hoppy flavor, but nothing that might make your tongue go numb. Both were very enjoyable.
We caught the tail end of happy hour, which runs from 3-6 PM, mon-fri. All beers during happy hour are only $2.50! Kind of nuts to be get a 10% ABV Double IPA for only $2.50. Between the discounted beers and 1/2 price appetizers, Backcountry might have the best happy hour in Colorado.
The dining room has an area that allows customers to look down into the brewhouse on the lower level. In the bar, the windows look towards the mountains. We sat in the windows looking out on the snow-capped Rocky Mountains and really didn’t want to leave. Although we weren’t ordering food, they offer pizza, pasta, burgers and salads.
Backcountry offers bottles to-go and 2 gallon party pigs. We agreed that this was probably our favorite stop of the day. Good beers, great happy hour deals, knowledgable employees and a warm atmosphere make Backcountry a place we’ll be sure to visit again in the future.
So in the past few posts, I’ve mentioned several places that are well worth checking out. Make a day trip or get away for the weekend and pay them a visit. You won’t be disappointed. If you’ve got the time and want to keep chuggin’ west on I-70, there are plenty more that await your discovery. Seems like every little mountain town has their own brewery these days. Trust me, that’s not a bad thing. Get out, explore and enjoy.
Cheers!
Road Trippin’ On I-70. Part 2 – Tommyknocker Brewery, Idaho Springs, CO.
After finishing our beers and losing a few dollars in the slot machines at Dostal Alley, we headed back down the mountain towards I-70. Our next stop was at Idaho Springs, CO. From the Central City exit on I-70, Idaho Springs is a short 10 minute drive west. It’s a great little town, with mining tours, antique stores, the original Beau Jo’s pizza, a pinball parlour and yep, you guessed it, a brewery!
Tommyknocker brewery is located at the far west corner on Miner Street, which is the main strip through town. It’s a small town, surrounded by mountains on all sides. When Tommyknocker brews, most of the town can smell it. It’s glorious!
We arrived with an appetite and were pleasantly surprised by their enticing menu. With everything from burgers to mac & cheese, salads to enchiladas, it’s a pretty solid selection. We placed our orders and started chatting with the bartender.
They offer a wide variety of beers and brew several seasonals throughout the year. On our visit, they had 14 beers on tap, including a cask beer, which at the time was a Rye Porter. Some solid beers to choose from including a Golden Saison, Cocoa Porter and an Imperial Nut Brown that weighs in at 9.0% ABV. I went with the Hop Strike Black IPA and Patti got the Black Powder Oatmeal Stout.
Tommyknocker also does 3-4 small batch beers throughout the year that are bottle conditioned and only available at the brewery. If you’re looking for it, you have to visit the brewery and drink it AT the brewery. No take away sales, trust me, I tried.
Their latest creation in the series is called Black Mountain Belgian IPA. I didn’t get any IPA qualities, but would consider it more of a Belgian Dubbel. No matter the style, it was really, really good. It was a 50 gallon batch, aged with cherries and a Belgian yeast. On our visit, we were told they were down to their last 20 or so bottles. If you’d like to give it a try, you might want to plan a trip soon, before they run out!
Black Mountain Belgian IPA
The food was excellent. I had a big bowl of macaroni and cheese, made with brie, cheddar and gruyère cheeses and BACON! Nom, nom, nom! Patti got the Reuben. Good food, tasty beer and great service. Good atmosphere too. You can get a table and sit at eye level with the brewers. They were brewing during our visit and you could sit a few feet away and watch them work their magic. Good times for the beer geek in you.
Just a few of the fermentation tanks at Tommyknocker.
We first visited Tommyknocker 5+ years ago and at the time, weren’t real impressed by the place. Unfortunately, we had kind of avoided them since then. In the past year, Tommyknocker has changed their labels, modified their logo, expanded production and started adding more experimental beers to their lineup. Without a doubt, I’d have to say all the changes were for the better. Our decision to give them another shot has put them back on the map for us. I only wish we had paid them a visit sooner.
Idaho Springs is a great little town and Tommyknocker should be on your list. Even if you’re in a hurry to head up the mountain, stop by for a growler fill or grab some bottles to go. I’m still not entirely sure what a Tommyknocker is, (some sort of oompa-loompa meets the seven dwarves meets gollum???), but if they’ve got anything to do with making good beer, I’m a fan.
Road Trippin’ On I-70. Part 1 – Dostal Alley Brewpub.
It’s no secret that I love a good road trip. There’s something about leaving it all behind and setting out on the road for a few days. For me, it’s exciting to explore new towns and re-discover old favorites in search of a new adventure. Patti and I had a chance to do a little exploring over the weekend on our way up to the Breckenridge Beer Festival. We took full advantage of the opportunity.
Hookup Site Big Beers Big
I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but we like beer. Swill water and macro-breweries need not apply. We’re looking for the good stuff. Fortunately for us, Interstate 70 has plenty of great breweries to choose from, between Denver and Grand Junction, with more sprouting up each year.
We set off late Friday morning with nice weather ahead of us and a full tank of gas in the car. We hopped on I-70 and watched the rolling hills turn into the steep, snowy peaks of the Colorado Rockies. Our first stop was Central City, CO, in search of a little place called Dostal Alley Brewpub. Central City is a short, scenic side-trip off the interstate. It’s only 8 miles from the main drag and would make for a nice break during the busy ski weekends during the winter.
Central City is a tiny little town with several casinos and a handful of restaurants. It’s listed as a National Historic Site and the surrounding area is home to thousands of gold mines. It’s a pretty unique place that feels like you’ve stepped back into the wild, wild west.
Dostal Alley Brewpub has been brewing since 1998 and makes four year round beers. They brew a Mild, Pale Ale, ESB and Irish Stout. In addition, they offer a rotating selection of seasonals. On our visit, they had an American IPA called Gilpin Gold and a Smoker Porter called 1874. Patti ordered the IPA, while I went with the Smoked Porter. Both were well made and easy drinking.
Gambling is the name of the game in Central City. The main floor has a bar area, with a back room dedicated to slot machines and a side room that houses the tiny brewery. There’s another small bar downstairs, along with a restaurant and more slot machines. It’s not exactly Las Vegas, most of the machines are penny and nickel slot machines, but it’s perfect for Central City.