About- Andy Manshel
Festival Recap | Fort Love Brewer’s Jamboree 2016
May 24, 2016 | Andy ManshelIf you’re a fan of delicious craft beer, sunshine, and no lines to get a limitless supply of said delicious craft beer whilst you stand in the sunshine, then look no further than the Fort Love Brewer’s Jamboree. This was the second year for the Northern Colorado festival, and they delivered some of the area’s finest. There were 17 breweries from Fort Collins and Loveland represented, each bringing a little dose of liquid magic: sour, barrel aged, hop filled magic. Read More
Event Preview | 2016 Fort Love Brewer’s Jamboree
May 18, 2016 | Andy ManshelWhen: Saturday, May 21st 2016, 12:00-5:00p Where: Legacy Park, Fort Collins CO How: Tickets available now.
In 2015, the Fort Love Brewer’s Jamboree began its annual festival under humble beginnings. … Read More
Festival Recap | Colorado Brewer’s Festival 2014
July 7, 2014 | Andy ManshelThis year’s Colorado Brewer’s Festival was a special occasion… moreso than usual. This year marks it’s quarter-century anniversary. That’s right, for 25 years, breweries from all over this fine state have gathered to appease the thirsty masses by way of crafting delicious, cold beer, ranging the gamut of style and taste. With over 50 breweries showcasing over 100 Colorado-crafted beers, there was a pretty sure change to find something perfect to drink. Read More
Blood & Honey American Ale – Revolver Brewing
January 15, 2014 | Andy Manshel 1ABV: 7.0%
IBU: 20
Flown in the checked baggage compartment and somehow managing to not shatter into a million pieces, I was gifted a bottle of this gem from a friend deep in the heart of Texas. He knows I’m a fan of beers from far and wide, and thought to bring one of his hometown favorites to grace my taste buds. And let me be the first to tell you, it did not disappoint in the slightest.
Viru Pilsner – A. Le Coq Brewery, Estonia
November 12, 2013 | Andy ManshelABV: 5.0%
IBU: N/A
On a normal trip to my local liquor emporium, I stumbled upon a strange sight in one of the back coolers. Upon gazing, I see “Viru, beer from Estonia!”. My first thought was “where the hell is Estonia? Eastern block, maybe?” My next thought: “Well, I don’t think I’ve ever had a European beer from outside of Belgium, so let’s give it a whirl!”
Gnarly Barley Brew Festival 2013
August 8, 2013 | Andy Manshel 3Kicking off its fifth annual installment, The Gnarly Barley Brew Fest is a fun, family oriented event located at The Ranch (aka The Budweiser Event Center) in Loveland, CO. Coupled with a fair and carnival, it’s a good time for the whole family. That’s not to say there isn’t an abundance of delicious beer to be had.
Colorado Brewer’s Festival 2013
June 28, 2013 | Andy Manshel 1Every summer for the past 24 years, over 10,000 visitors have travelled up north to The Centennial State’s beer-loving haven: Fort Collins. The City and its Downtown Business Association, renowned for their love of craft beer, has put on one of the greatest gatherings of brewers in the country known as the Colorado Brewer’s Festival 2013. This weekend-long event showcases a plethora of some of Colorado’s finest, from the tiny nano-breweries like Boulder’s Asher or Loveland’s Verboten, up to the near-macros such as Fort Collins’ own New Belgium and Golden’s Blue Moon.
Ultimate 6er | Fantastic Fruit Beer
May 15, 2013 | Andy Manshel 2Many people shy away from fruit beers. They just don’t think the two should ever mix, never to dance the delicate art of brewing. But, not all great beers have to be pale and bitter, and a little sweet goes a long way. With summer just around the bend, folks are eager to get out and enjoy the warm cosmic rays. And, although all of these beers (save for one) come in 22oz or larger bottles, here is a phenomenal six pack that will make you second guess what great beer can be.
Iron Throne Blonde Ale – Ommegang Brewery
May 7, 2013 | Andy Manshel 2
ABV: 6.5%
IBU: N/A
I’m conflicted; after months of anticipation and searching high & low to find it, I paid the iron price for what was almost assuredly going to be one of my new favorite drinks. But after tracking for Ommegang’s Game of Thrones partnership Iron Throne Blonde Ale, I felt a little let down.
Petrus Aged Pale Ale – Bavik Brewery
March 18, 2013 | Andy ManshelIf there’s one thing I love about Belgium, it’s their ability to brew incredibly good beer. And of my favorites, Belgian or not, are sours. When you’re mouth uncontrollably puckers is about the point where I like my sour ales to be, and Petrus Aged Pale Ale from Belgium’s Bavik Brewery does a damn fine job of making your mouth implode (in a wonderfully pleasant way).
Odell Brewing Company – Deconstruction Ale
March 1, 2013 | Andy ManshelABV: 10.5%
IBU: 26
In the dead of winter, there is a kind of cold that seeps deep into your bones. It chills you and won’t let you go unless you combat it in a very special way. So what’s a freezing Porch Drinker to do? Why grab a barrel-aged Deconstruction Ale from Odell Brewing Co. This golden ale has a complex, unique flavor that is hard to compete against.
Lindsay’s Smore’s Porter Nitro – New Belgium Brewery
February 4, 2013 | Andy Manshel 1ABV: 8.5%
IBU: N/A
You know one of the worst things about cold, miserable weather? Lack of camping. Experiencing the great outdoors, taking in some fresh air and cooking makeshift delicacies over an open fire. Camping is really the only time I ever eat marshmallows by choice (Easter Peeps not withstanding). There aren’t many better things than being with friends, drinking a cold beer and whipping up a batch of warm, gooey s’mores. So when I discovered Lindsay’s Smore’s Porter Nitro on my latest visit to New Belgium Brewery, I was pretty excited.
Ultimate 6er – Winter Warmers
January 16, 2013 | Andy ManshelThe mercury isn’t just low in the chamber, it has actually frozen. It’s the middle of January, and it is bitter, bitter cold outside. So how in the world will you make it through the winter if you can’t hang out on your porch? By staying inside where there is heat and drinking some winter warmers, of course!
Mountain Standard Double Black IPA – Odell Brewing Company
January 3, 2013 | Andy ManshelABV: 9.5%
IBU: 60
If there’s one thing about my palette when it comes to beer, it’s that hops and I are not friends. And usually when given the choice between a Bud Light Lime or a hand-crafted India Pale Ale, I’m going with the former. And this is why Odell’s Mountain Standard is an oddity to me. Not only is it an IPA, but it’s a double (also known as ‘Imperial’), brewed with double the hops and malt. That means it’s going to pack a punch on both your tongue and liver, clocking it at just under 10% alcohol. So imagine my surprise when I drink this fearsome brew with the olfactory anticipation of licking a pinecone, only to discover than HOT DAMN THIS BEER IS AMAZING.
Equinox Brewing – Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Stout
December 7, 2012 | Andy Manshel 6ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 28
I don’t know about you, but I like delicious things. I also like beer. So, when I heard that Equinox Brewing was taking their already tasty Mr. Delicious Oatmeal Stout and turning it into a limited edition 10 gallon batch to create a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Stout, I freaked, and for good reason. I made it down to the brewery just in time (by the time I finished my one and only pint, it was gone).
Ultimate 6er | It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
November 14, 2012 | Andy ManshelThe latest, and as always, ridiculous It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia continues to a 12th season. And what better show to sit down with an Ultimate 6er for? Well, maybe not the entire six pack since some of these are strictly for the type of… gentlemen… that the series showcases. So here’s to everyone’s favorite show about everyone’s favorite alcoholics.
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New Belgium Brewery- Cocoa Mole Ale
November 5, 2012 | Andy ManshelABV: 9%
Mexican food is by far my favorite of the cuisine nationalities. You’ve got corn, beans, cheese, spices, chili peppers… oh god, the chili peppers. No meal is complete without some heat. Personally, I like my mouth to be in so much pain that I have to order more salsa just to try to cool it down. So to say that I’m a fan of chili beers is a bit of an understatement.
Peach Porch Lounger – New Belgium Brewery
September 28, 2012 | Andy ManshelABV: 9.4%
IBU: 0
It’s that time of year again, when Colorado (especially Palisade) peaches are ripe and ready to be turned into everything phenomenally peachy. And that’s exactly what New Belgium Brewery has done with its masterpiece of a beer Peach Porch Lounger.
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New Belgium Tour De Fat 2012 – Fort Collins
September 7, 2012 | Andy ManshelOn a sunny summer Saturday, it’s only 8am and the mercury is already over 80 degrees; today is going to be a hot one. I dug into the bowels of my closet to find whatever mismatch of clothing and/or flair I could get my hands on, grabbed a backpack full of water, sunscreen, and PBR and hopped on my bike. This, my friends, is the beginning ritual for thousands of beer enthused, fun lovers all around the country when New Belgium Brewery’s Tour De Fat rolls into town. Read More
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