#MountainRegion Archives – PorchDrinking.com
Colorado Breweries Win Big at 2024 World Beer Cup Awards
April 24, 2024 | Britt Antley
Colorado breweries once again showed up in a big way at the 2024 World Beer Cup. Often referred to as the Olympics of Beer Competitions, the World Beer Cup features breweries from across the world vying for medals. This year’s competition featured 9,300 entries from 2,060 breweries across 50 countries entered into 110 categories, and Colorado’s contingent showed out in a MAJOR way taking home 21 medals from 19 breweries including 9 Gold medals.
Amalgam Brewing | Present Time (Pilsner)
February 29, 2024 | Britt Antley
Making world-class lagers is no easy feat. The knowledge required to do so is not gained overnight, and no amount of luck can produce a clean and drinkable bottom-fermented beer without the requisite skill. A successful lager brewer must put in their time and learn from their mistakes on the way to creating something great. And it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a renowned mentor along the way.
New Image Brewing | Madera 2023 Horizontal Tasting
January 4, 2024 | Britt Antley
Every beer is a journey. From the ingredients used to the processes by which they’re combined and fermented to a finished product ready for enjoyment, beer tells a story of evolving time and ingredients. New Image Brewing has fully embraced the journey and evolution of beer with first their Estufa series and now various Madera releases.
Primitive Beer Moving Operations to New Image Brewing Wheat Ridge
November 2, 2023 | Britt Antley
After operating out of Longmont for the past six plus years, Primitive Beer is moving operations to an annex at New Image Brewing Wheat Ridge. While leaving Longmont is bittersweet, operating out of New Image will allow Lisa and Brandon Boldt, co-owners of Primitive, to focus entirely on brewing, blending and packaging their spontaneous fermentations. “Given that our entire family-run operation is just two people strong, we’ve reached the conclusion that our current professional juggling act which includes running a retail space, outside sales, marketing, brewing, blending and packaging isn’t sustainable,” says Lisa.
Cerebral Brewing | Triple Mash Pappy Van Winkle Here Be Monsters
September 1, 2023 | Britt Antley
There are certain spirits in the world of barrel aged beer that elicit perked up ears, and then there are those brands that generate whiplash causing sore necks and desperate trips to the chiropractor. Pappy Van Winkle (PVW) falls squarely in the latter category, a mythical wheated bourbon whose popularity and even legend has skyrocketed in the past decade causing bottles to sell on secondary markets for 20-30x their retail prices of $120-$300. Even the used barrels from these 15-23 year aged whiskeys sell for exorbitant prices as breweries clamor to get their hands on them. Cerebral Brewing was lucky enough to land two Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year barrels, and they chose to rest a triple mash version of their Here Be Monsters Imperial Stout in those barrels. This particular single barrel expression aged for 39 months, an incredibly long time yielding an incredible creation.
2023 Denver Rare Beer Tasting Pour List
August 1, 2023 | Britt Antley
Do you find yourself craving some exciting and rare beer? Do you struggle to find those specialties on your local dusty liquor store shelves? Have no fear because the Denver Rare Beer Tasting is (almost) here! The festival has announced its pour list, and there are many treats to entice you to attend.
Event Preview | 2023 Denver Rare Beer Tasting
June 16, 2023 | Britt Antley
The events of GABF week in Denver are starting to come into focus, and the Denver Rare Beer Tasting is set to celebrate its 14th anniversary on Friday, September 22 with an always impressive lineup of breweries. This year features 64 different breweries, 22 of which are pouring for the first time ever at DRBT.
Crystal Springs Brewing Celebrates Historic 13th Anniversary
May 12, 2023 | Britt Antley
The number 13 has appeared repeatedly throughout the history of Crystal Springs Brewing. Co-owner Tom Horst was born on the 13th. His son was born on the 13th. Multiple other family members were born on the 13th. The opening day for the brewery was May 13, 2010. When they were poised to open their first taproom, they closed on the property on the 13th, a date randomly set by the title company. That taproom — guess how far it was from their original brewery / home? 13 miles. With their approaching 13th anniversary, Crystal Springs has proved that 13 does not have to be an unlucky number and can in fact turn a garage homebrew operation into a successful commercial brewery.
WeldWerks Invitational Paused, Medianoche Market Introduced
April 21, 2023 | Britt Antley
Colorado craft beer fans will have one less major beer festival on the calendar for 2023. WeldWerks recently announced they are hitting pause on hosting the WeldWerks Invitational as they focus time and energy on their largest brewhouse expansion to date. “This is a good year to pause and reevaluate what the experience of the Invitational is and what we want it to be and how we want to keep progressing it,” says Kristin Popcheff, director of events & experience at WeldWerks.
Casey Brewing | BA Never Say Never Barleywine
March 13, 2023 | Britt Antley
Some breweries become known for a certain style of beer and then struggle to expand beyond that, trapped in the successes of their past. While it is never a bad thing to have notoriety for a particular style, it can leave a brewery in a difficult spot as they seek to diversify their lineup and adapt to the everchanging beer landscape. Casey Brewing is known for their incredible sour beer program, churning out highly sought-after Saisons and Wild Ales since 2013. Finding themselves with some extra tanks and a desire to open a new taproom, Casey made the decision to venture into non-sour beer, doing something brewery founder Troy Casey said would never happen. A prophetic cliché that morphed into an incredible barrel aged Barleywine, Casey BA Never Say Never Barleywine exemplifies the non-sour quality of the brewery’s side dabbles.
River North Brewery | Anniversary 11 Quadruple Barrel Aged Stout
February 17, 2023 | Britt Antley
River North Brewery has gained a reputation for pushing the envelope when it comes to ABV, and for their 11th anniversary they have turned the dial all the way to 11. Or perhaps that is all the way to 23, matching the monstrous alcohol percentage of Anniversary 11, a quadruple barrel aged Stout that pushes ABV boundaries. River North is ringing in Year 11 with an emphatic statement of a beer that deserves to be talked about.
New Image Brewing | Estufa (Barleywine)
January 19, 2023 | Britt Antley
In a hypercompetitive craft beer market that is ever trending towards (but not quite reaching) that mythical saturation point, breweries can find it difficult to differentiate themselves. Whether it be a new style (that’s probably a rebranded old style), new hop varieties, clever marketing or some combination of these and other “innovative” elements, breweries have to try to rise above the pack and distinguish their product from what the upstart down the street is doing. New Image Brewing is no stranger to innovation with their lineup of various Barrel Aged Beers, their heavy use of Phantasm powder and the impending opening of their own meadery brand Post Future. Estufa is perhaps their most ambitious project yet. Estufa is the first release and the genesis of New Image’s forthcoming macro-oxidized solera Barleywine program. That is a lot of beer related words not often (if ever) stringed together, so follow along as we explore what New Image is currently doing and where they are looking to take this program.
2022 Colorado New Year’s Eve Brewery Events
December 28, 2022 | Britt Antley
2022 is almost in the books, meaning it’s time to celebrate the year that was and look forward to what 2023 will bring us. While some may be content to spend New Year’s Eve huddled amongst freezing masses for hours on end or in a crowded club struggling to reach the bar, the discerning Coloradan will wisely seek out a local brewery for a more relaxed and enjoyable vibe. Many breweries throughout the state have events planned in the hours leading up to New Year’s, so we have assembled a list of those here. Whether you want to catch some live music, eat a multiple course beer dinner or try some special beers, there is something here for every beer lover. As always, be safe and responsible in your New Year’s Eve drinking activities – let’s end this year and start the next in a great way!
If we missed any Colorado NYE Brewery events be sure to shoot us a message and we would love to add your event to our round-up.
Our Mutual Friend | Boundary Beyond Imperial Coffee Stout
November 22, 2022 | Britt Antley
As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, a warming brew is often needed to stave off the crushing chill of both arctic gales and seasonal affective disorder. Why not combine two types of brew in a single, satisfying beverage to perk up the soul and power through the winter months? Beer and coffee are obvious companions for this invigorating task, and Our Mutual Friend Brewing (OMF) and Color Drop Coffee are the obvious collaborators to make a coffee beer in the Denver scene. Combining their beer and coffee brewing knowledge, OMF has released Boundary Beyond, a 13.5% Imperial Coffee Stout using Color Drop’s coffee.
Event Preview | Denver Rare Beer Tasting Announces Full Pour List
September 13, 2022 | Britt Antley
This year on the Friday of GABF week, Denver Rare Beer Tasting will celebrate its 13th anniversary with 60 breweries pouring some of their rarest and most sought-after beers. The event taking place, Friday, October 7 from 12-4pm once again benefits Pints for Prostates, a grassroots organization with the aim to raise awareness among men about prostate cancer and the importance of early detection in fighting the disease. This event “gives us the opportunity to reach men through the universal language of beer with an important health message,” said Rick Lyke, founder of Pints for Prostates. As always free men’s health screenings will be offered at the event, and all proceeds will be used to provide screenings for thousands of men, giving them important health data and early warnings about potential prostate cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other common male health issues.
First Look | FlyteCo Tower Lifts Off at Iconic Aviation Landmark
August 19, 2022 | Britt Antley
Today is National Aviation Day, and let us honor the spirit of Orville Wright by checking out the newly opened FlyteCo Tower, a brewery and location that both pay homage to aviation’s history. Located inside the former air traffic control tower of the shuttered Stapleton International Airport, FlyteCo Tower is a sprawling 25,000 sq ft facility consisting of a taproom with multiple bars and full liquor service, a 2.5 bbl pilot brewery, a full kitchen, 6 bowling lanes, an 18 hole mini golf course, a full arcade, and space to host rotating exhibits from the local Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum.
The Empourium Brewing Co. | Atari’s Lantern Jasmine Rice Lager
August 19, 2022 | Leanne Lomax
After earning a Bronze medal at this year’s World Beer Cup, Atari’s Lantern, a Jasmine Rice Lager, is back on tap at Denver’s The Empourium Brewing Co. First released in January 2022, The name Atari’s Lantern is a reference to Wes Anderson’s film, Isle Of Dogs. The name also serves as a nod to the taproom’s dog-friendly environment.
After 28 Years Tommyknocker Brewery Undergoes Complete Overhaul
August 11, 2022 | Britt Antley
After 28 years as a pioneer in the Colorado craft beer scene, Tommyknocker Brewery located in the mountain town of Idaho Springs, CO, is undergoing an extensive overhaul. With the introduction of a branding refresh, new core beer offerings and a $100,000 remodel of their brewpub, Tommyknocker is looking to reinvent itself in today’s competitive craft beer market.
Wild Blue Yonder | Cellar Reserve: Tropical Storm
August 5, 2022 | Britt Antley
When is a Pastry Stout not a Pastry Stout? At what point does a barrel-aged 11.2% beer become refreshing to drink? These were questions I pondered while drinking Wild Blue Yonder Cellar Reserve – Tropical Storm, a rum barrel aged Imperial Stout with bananas, toasted coconut and macadamia nut. Expectations were exceeded and stereotypes were broken with this unique concoction brewed in Castle Rock, Colorado.
Event Recap | Vail Craft Beer Classic 2022
June 24, 2022 | Britt Antley
A beer fest set in the middle of the Rocky Mountains is bound to be beautiful, and the Vail Craft Beer Classic did not disappoint in that regard. Along with the wondrous mountain scenery is a laid back mountain vibe enjoyed by patrons and vendors alike. No long lines, no crowded bottlenecks, and plenty of time and space to casually have a conversation with a brewery worker or a random attendee, the Vail Craft Beer Classic is ideally set up for enjoying a couple hours worth of various brews.
recent comments