River North Brewery, Denver

River North Brewery, visited on 3/10/12  (http://www.rivernorthbrewery.com/)

We had wanted to stop at River North Brewery a few weeks back when we hit up Strange and DBC, but that was their opening day and it was nuts to butts in there when we drove by. The location of River North Brewery is fantastic, and walkable to Great Divide and Breckenridge Brewery, as well as the Sandlot brewery attached to Coors Field. What I'm saying is that you can hit up 4-5 great places to pound dank beers within a 6-8 block radius downtown. If that doesn't cut it for you, Falling Rock Taphouse is right there too.

The little brewpub on Blake, aside from being a kick-ass location for this Saturday's St. Paddy's Day parade, is quaint and simple. If I lived across the street at Ballpark Lofts, I'd be here almost daily. The bar area is small with some tables spread about...enough room for 25-30 people comfortably. I was a little hazy at this point in our day, but it looks like the glass windows to the right of the bar display what appears to be a HUGE brewing space, with tanks and other production devices posted up in ample room and high ceilings. There is no food served here except bags of chips for .50 cents, but there was a little food vendor set up outside. I think they were serving burritos. Again, another great place to pre-game before Rox games. Here's what we got in to:

RNB samplers...yum.

Hypothesis Belgian Double IPA - 9.0%abv; 130ibus; after doing some very preliminary research, I knew this was the first and only pint I needed to order here...and yes, you read that right: 130 ibus!; I think this is the highest claimed amount of IBUs I've ever drank in a beer; some folks in our party say the beer has a distinct anise flavor...I say it smells like heaven; the color is bright and solid amber; no head and light non-consistent lacing; the nose is like a grapefruit slap in the face; amazingly, this beer doesn't taste as boozy as 9%abv; I'm a huge fan of this beer...kudos for aggressive experimentation.

We got the sampler (picture above), with the Hypothesis the one second from the back (not the light color #2, the opposite side in the row that is dark amber). My Hypothesis pint got finished before I would try anything else they made. The black IPA (foreground front) is almost everyone's favorite; the River North White is ok; Marie Saison is good with good alcohol content and a solid balance; the Belgian Style Red is also balanced and sessionable. Good beers that will certainly evolve over time. We dug the space and the beers were impressive given the brewery's short history. Good work River North! 

Great Divide, Denver

Great Divide Brewing, visited 3/10/12  (http://greatdivide.com/)

A first stop on another mini brewery tour for Holly's brother's birthday. I've been to Great Divide a few times in the past, the last time in the summer of 2010 for Kyle Hollingsworth's Brewfest. I love the brewery and I love the beer. The venue is in a great downtown location, and while no food was present or served, a tasty looking food truck was posted up out front serving up around 7 different kinds of gourmet-ish looking sliders. The entry bar room is a little tight, but the bigger beer room in the back has plenty of space and great seating. This room is also exposed to the huge windows through the brewery room itself. The sun was shining through on a gorgeous and warm Saturday afternoon. Here's what we tried:

Hercules Double IPA - 10%abv; unknown ibus; love this in a bottle and on draft; pre-conceived notions of flavor; light head; significant lacing; exceptional bitter citrus on the nose; light lemon grapefruit notes too; the beer is very hop-forward, but retains good beer balance; a little nutty malted flavor here; easy on the mouth; could drink this all day; one of the boozier beers that hides his ABV content extremely well.

Espresso Oak Aged Yeti - 9.5%abv; good head...1/4 inch of brown foam; dark chocolate in color; good cocoa, coffee and even vanilla hints in the nose; very well-balanced; love the espresso overtones; after trying the Belgian Yeti in a bottle the night before, this one kind of blows it away; oak and subtle hop flavors on the back of the tongue.

Wild Raspberry Ale - 5.6%abv; no lacing; little head; very red in color; very fruit forward on the nose; love that it's more flavorful than a wheat; great balance; good beer...really enjoyed the refreshing taste on a warm day; good solid light fruit offering in a crowd of 'big' beers.

Oak Aged Yeti - 9.5%abv; why not try my second full draft of Yeti for the day and the third different Yeti in a 24-hour period; good near half-inch head; solid lacing; powerful oak on the nose; very earthy; slightly sweet up front; light cocoa and bitter; surprisingly hoppy; well-balanced; some hints of roasted vanilla; ultimately my favorite Yeti; this beer could get me drunk; super clean finish; still get the oak taste at the back end.

Great Divide is a downtown institution. It was slamming the entire 2 hours we were there. We even toured the brewery for shits and giggles. We tried a few other beers in sample sizes like the Hoss Rye Lager and the Nomad Pilsner, but I didn't consume more than a few sips and therefore refuse to give either a review. If you're heading to the stadium for a Rockies game, or anywhere near downtown and want to try some of the best of what CO as a whole has to offer, go to Great Divide. You won't regret it.

Pikes Peak Brewing Co., Monument

Pikes Peak Brewing, visited on 3/2/12  (http://pikespeakbrewing.com/)

I pulled in to another non-descript commercial strip, but inside the feeling is anything but ordinary. As a now-steady snow flurry fell on a cloudy Friday afternoon, I half-expected the place to be dead, or at least a little slow. Instead, there wasn't a seat at the bar and most of the cozy spots near the fireplaces were taken by older men and younger gals. While a little tight, the joint is decidedly cozy, with a near full view of the brew tanks on display through the glass windows behind the bar. If I lived close, I'd live here.

Devil's Head Red - 7.1abv, 38 ibus; first of all, I love the name, after one of my favorite front range hiking spots, Devil's Head Firetower...about 5 miles from my front-door as a crow flies; there is a very minimal head; even less lacing; the beer is a dark red amber in color; it smells hoppy, with hints of chocolate and roasted malt on the nose; there's a crisp, almost dry hop flavor, although minimally bitter; the beer is well-balanced; it's similar to O'Dell's Red, although not as nuanced, and with a light malt aftertaste; mouthwise, this is pretty clean; I get more roasted malt the longer I keep the beer on my tongue.

Gold Rush Belgian Blonde - 7.4abv; 26ibus; half-inch head; nice golden color; head settles after first sip; great Belgian hop nose; very well balanced on the nose as well; totally Belgian forward; accessible; smooth flavor; again, balanced; overall light but fruit-flavored and well-hidden abv; almost Fruity Pebble cereal taste here; good beer.

There's a light menu of food; apps, cheese/meat plates; paninis; pulled pork; soup; enough of a menu you could hang here for hours. I love that it's in Monument as it requires no highway drive for me. Neat outdoor seating = summertime return. Good adult clientele and friendly barmaids. Overall, I was impressed with the inside atmosphere and the well-balanced and alcohol-serious beers! Great work Pikes Peak!

Fruity Pebbles in a glass? Pike's Gold Rush Belgian Blonde

Rockyard Brewing Company, Castle Rock

Rockyard Brewing Company, visited on 2/24/12  (http://www.rockyard.com/)

I've been to Rockyard copious amounts of times given that it's the closest brewery to my homestead. They've also got pretty good beer, and every Friday tend to tap a firkin or small-batch keg that in my experience has usually been quite good. The brewery is really a huge restaurant too...very family-friendly and usually pretty busy. I've been here in the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday and it was slow, but otherwise, it's usually hoppin...clear signs that a one-horse brewery in any town can do well.

While discussing plans for an upcoming BIG event, Holly and I enjoyed the following:

Jellyman's Deviation - 6.1abv; a 'Belgian Hopyard IPA', or so I'm told; Jellyman is Rockyard's head brewer I believe (Kjell Wygant); the beer has a light head; little lacing; almost a light ale in color; subtle Belgian style iteration IPA; light grapefruit and citrus flavor; hop on the front, Belgian bitter towards the end.

Nitro Strike Stout - 6.2abv; Holly ordered this as we've come to acknowledge that she's the dark beer drinker in the 'family'; good half-inch head; light lacing; good roasted chocolate nose; really creamy because of the nitro; good stout flavor; balanced.

Old BroAle - 8.5abv; English style old ale; from the Brew Bros of Pikes Peak (I believe a collaboration with Rockyard); almost no head; very minimal lacing; immediately taste some sugary sweetness; similarly lightly sweet on the nose; good balance; kind of raisin-y; lightly malty; very good beer I enjoyed above all others here.

Rockyard has a full menu, a huge restaurant space, and is one of the better places to grab a decent beer in all of Douglas County. The food is usually pretty good, but I've never had anything spectacular. You don't usually come to breweries for the food though, do you? Except you wouldn't know if they are trying to be a really good brewery or a really good restaurant. I'm just happy I can do some good drinking and good eating so close to home. The Rockyard Knots, two giant jalapeno-cheese stuffed pretzels, are fantastic and great companions to beer drinking.

Denver Beer Company, Denver

Denver Beer Company, visited on 2/18/12  (http://denverbeerco.com/)

After our long day of beer at various Denver-area locations, we ended our Saturday at Denver Beer Company. The location of this brewery is practically unbeatable for downtown: right on Platte by the river in a huge and spacious industrial-vibe warehouse-y building. Most of the front of the facility is lined with the summer-appealing glass garage doors which I'm sure also lends itself well to the sun shining through in the cooler months. We were here late on a Saturday in February, so none of these positive traits prevailed in our visit. However, a few negative ones did.

Here's what we drank:

Graham Cracker Porter - real dark in color; nice half-inch head; solid lacing; good coffee aroma; very minimally sweet; good light porter flavor; very drinkable, although I desire a bit more taste in a "graham cracker" beer.

Powder Day DIPA - no clue about hops, booze, or anything else; dim amber color; light lacing; good hoppy aroma; light grapefruit; tastes too light in IBUs for a double; easy drinking; expect more from anything calling itself a double IPA.

In general, there's a cool industrial vibe brew pub; I might be wrong however, but there may have been a straight-brimmed hat dooshbag convention here that night. It may have had something to do with being somewhere newish, downtown, on a Saturday during Mardi Gras, but the crowd was less than awesome. They sell $5 soft pretzels, but that's it for food. They are giant...and look great...but a little 'undone'. Chili Billy Quesadillas was here but we didn't indulge...their menu looks good. My last note on the clientele: how many people with double ear piercings can high five each other in a 60-minute period? DBC has the answer.

Despite my notes from the night-of, I want to go back. I have to believe that such a cool location/building so close to where I lived in LoDo has the redeeming qualities I think it has, or should. Despite all of it, I wasn't overly impressed with the beer. I'm hoping a return visit in the warmer months, maybe during the week, will shed a better light on the brewery. I think some of the beer kinks are reflective of 'not having been in the game' long enough. That said, there's definite potential for the beer, the brewery, and DBC as a whole...why hasn't anyone called themselves Denver Brewing until now?!

Strange Brewing Company, Denver

Strange Brewing Company, visited on 2/18/12  (http://www.strangebrewingco.com/)

Saturday was a decidedly Denver-day-drinking experience, and only after we spent two hours at Hops and Pie in the Highlands were we ready to hit a brewery. Our stop at Hops and Pie was planned, but we weren't aware until the night before the H&P was having a 'grand opening' to celebrate the expansion...and the celebration happened to include the tapping of some 12-14 Dogfish Head beers. Now, if you know anything about me, you know that I LOVE DFH. They are far and away my favorite brewery on the east coast. There's almost nothing that comes close until you cross the Mississippi. Our group of 7 ALL enjoyed DFH beers on tap, with Bitches Brew, Chickory Stout, Hellhound, Pangea, Midas Touch, Fort, Raison D'etre and 120 Minute ALL being enjoyed in luscious pints or snifters (except Fort...which was sampled...and loved by me). I indulged in the latter two beers, having only tried Raison on draft once or twice when I lived back in NoVA and having NEVER had 120 on draft. I was actually pleasantly surprised when they came out with 120 poured in a 10 ounce pint glass...I fully expected an 8-ounce pour in a snifter. YUM. 120 Minute is easily my greatest beer indulgence.

Following our stop at H&P, we headed to Strange Brewing, kind of hidden in a non-descript commercial stretch of older shops near Mile High Station. Strange was pretty busy for a Saturday afternoon, but I'm assuming that was kind of normal. It was easy to try some other beers when you go in a group...everyone can still order a pint and everyone can give it a taste or two. Below are my tasting notes for beers I enjoyed at Strange:

Gingerbread Man - 6.5abv; 30ibus; I believe, if I can recall, that this is a brown ale, at least in style; the color was dark brown; a full inch head was found here; smells nice and spicy; there are subtle hints of nutmeg on the nose too; this tastes real gingerbready, which I love; very good, not overly sweet beer; moderate sweetness overall; very easy to drink; really good balance of taste and complexity; NICE!

Cherry Bomb Stout - 5.2abv; 46ibus; dark; very small head; no to little lacing; lightly bitter on the nose; good cherry flavor; tastes like a very light stout; sessionable; good beer with a touch of sweet cherry flavor and not overly heavy.

Cherry Kriek - 4.7abv; 15ibus; light in color; moderate to little lacing; almost red 'lager' in color; very sweet, tastes A LOT like cherry pie, and sold as such; good beer, but might be a little hard on the belly over time; probably something to enjoy after a meal; almost lambic-y without the heavy sweet.

IPAphany IPA - 7.0abv; 66ibus; light in color, almost a medium amber; minimal lacing; good hop odor, light though...likely a reflection of the moderate ibu number; good simple IPA in flavor; nothing overly complex, but well-balanced; drinkable in doses. I enjoyed this after all the sweetness I drank here.

Strange is pretty small and tight, with two rooms serving as tasting rooms with picnic tables in one; there was a food vendor on-site that was 'attached' to the open-ended picnic table room; we tried some of their 'beer balls' which were basically baked dough with sausage and something else undiscernible in it...not bad, and good to soak up some booze with. Overall, Strange had a mellow vibe with some good experimental but accessible beers. Once again, we'll be back!

Elk Mountain Brewing, Parker - Part 2

Elk Mountain Brewery, visited again on 2/12/12  (http://www.elkmountainbrewing.com/)

Following my personal visit to Elk Mountain in January, Holly and I decided after a hike last Sunday at Castlewood Canyon that we'd return. I wanted to take her on one of my favorite local drives too...83 to Greenland Road across miles of plains dirt road.

Here are the updated beers we tried that I hadn't tried before:

Pump IPA - 6.5abv; 60ibus; nice color tones, amber color but slightly darker; bubbly head; little lacing; good hop flavor, light though; light citrus on the nose; good IPA taste, not overwhelmingly hoppy; good sessionable IPA.

Ghost Town Brown - 5.3abv; unusual light brown in color; very small head; minimal lacing; light cocoa nose; very easy brown ale in flavor; touch of cocoa powder in flavor as well; apparent silver medal winner at the Colorado State Fair; comparable to the recently-tasted Avery's Ellie's Brown without all the flavor; good accessible beer.

Rock Slider Amber, on nitro - 5.5abv; like most ntiros, seriously creamy head; good light amber color; real creamy take on an easy to drink amber ale; love having nitro as an option; creamy flavor all the way through; Holly says, "bright flavor!"

We once again pulled a growler of Vanilla Caramel Porter and I've decided this beer is one of the better sweet porters I've ever tried. We can't go back for a while though...I've got to get out an explore some of the un-visited breweries!