Retail Beer Releases (Week of 11/15)

Another solid new beer week in the Denver area with 4 seasonal beers hitting the market plus a new limited release from Odell.  I've already covered Left Hand's Fade to Black here and Odell's Woodcut No. 3 here and both are worthy purchases, but you won't want to miss out on Left Hand's other seasonal offering, Widershins Barleywine.  This is the latest release in the brewery's Big Mo' series of specialty beers, and if the others are any indication, it will not disappoint.  Left Hand has been aging a batch of the barleywine in Heaven Hill brandy barrels since April and then blended it with an un-aged batch to create the perfect balance.  It sounds fantastic.

From Left Hand Brewing:

Counter clockwise to the traditional American style barleywine, we designed this beer to be rounder & smoother than some less refined versions.  Full of caramel and malt flavors, yet balanced with a variety of different hop varieties all vying for your attention.  Oak aging and sparing use of speciality malt add complexity to this already deep beer.  Pairs with cerebal after-dinner conversation.

New beers available in the Denver area this week:

• Boulder Beer Never Summer Ale (Seasonal)
• Full Sail Wreck the Halls (Seasonal)
• Left Hand Fade to Black (Seasonal)
• Left Hand Widershins (Seasonal)
• Odell Woodcut No. 3 (Limited Release)

Upcoming Events (Week of 11/15)

This week there are several beer dinners, tastings, and release parties in the Denver area, but only one that you definitely won't want to miss as Avery Brewing celebrates 10 years of making their Belgian Quad, The Reverend, with the "beer dinner of the decade" this Friday, November 20th. Chris Blackwood, Executive Chef with the Big Red F Restaurant group, prepared a special Belgian-inspired five-course meal for the event and it will be served with a ten-year vertical tasting of The Reverend! Adam Avery will also be on hand, and in addition to the ten year vertical, he'll be presenting several other rarities from the Avery cellar.  They will also tap a firkin of Avery IPA, dry-hopped with a pound of centennial hops.  Only 60 tickets are available, so get them while you can.  Advance tickets are available at their web store.

Upcoming events in the Denver area:

• Great Divide Beer Dinner @ Argyll Gastro Pub - 11/16, 7:00pm ($45 per person, Call 720-382-1117 for reservations)
• Grimm Brothers Brewhouse Tasting @ The Pour House Bar & Grill - 11/17, 8:00pm - 9:30pm
• Oskar Blues One-of-A-Kind Keg Tapping @ Tasty Weasel - 11/17, 5:00pm
• Baker St. Pub & Grill Beer Dinner - 11/17 ($40 per person, Call 720-974-9490 for reservations)
• Homebrewers & Collectors Support Group @ Avery Tap Room - 11/18, 6:00pm - 8:00pm ($5 cover)
• Avery Beer Dinner @ Carellis - 11/18, 6:30pm ($40 per person, Call 303-938-9300 for reservations)
• Left Hand Beer Tasting @ Proto’s Denver - 11/19, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
• Hop Disciples Meeting @ Great Divide Tap Room - 11/19, 6:30pm
• Old #23 Barleywine Release Party @ Bristol Brewing - 11/20, 5:00pm
• Dry Dock Firkin Friday - 11/20, 3:00pm - 11:00pm
• Oskar Blues Firkin Friday @ Tasty Weasel - Cranberry Pilsner - 11/20, 5:00pm
• A Decade of Decadance: 10 Years of The Reverend Belgian Quadrupel @ Avery Tap Room - 11/20, 6:30pm - 9:30pm ($60 per person)
• Left Hand Beer Dinner @ The Empire Lounge - 11/21, 6:30pm - 8:30pm ($40 per person)

Upcoming Events (Week of 11/8)

After all the events this past Saturday, this week seems like a relatively tame one for beer drinkers.  The highlight looks to be Friday night's Fade to Black release party at the Left Hand tap room up in Longmont.  The first in a new series replacing their Snow Bound Spiced Ale, Fade to Black is a Export/Foreign Stout that weighs in at a hefty 8.5% abv.  Perfect for a cool winter night.  It's about a 40 minute drive from Denver, but it should be worth it to get an early taste of the brewery's latest offering.

Tasting Notes from Left Hand Brewing:

Pours black with licorice, espresso beans, mollassses, and black cardamom notes that give way to a feeling of self loathing, burnt opportunities, and smoked relationships.

Other beer events in the Denver area this week:

• Oskar Blues one-of-a-kind Keg Tapping @ Tasty Weasel - 11/10, 5:00pm
• Elysian Pumpkinfest @ Falling Rock Tap House -11/10, 5:00pm
• Dry Dock Firkin Friday - 11/13, 3:00pm -11:00pm
• Oskar Blues Firkin Friday @ Tasty Weasel - Dry Hopped Dale's Pale Ale - 11/13, 5:00pm
• Fade to Black Release Party @ Left Hand Brewing - 11/13, 5:00pm - 10:00pm
• Oskar Blues Beer Dinner @ Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House - 11/13 ($65, Call (303)796-0100 for reservations)
• Cask Ale @ Bristol Brewing - 11/14, 12:00pm - 9:00pm
• Colorado Cheese Festival @ Embassy Suites Denver Tech Center - 11/14, 10:00am - 6:00pm ($20 for General Admission, $79 for All Day Pass) - Featuring beer from Great Divide

Retail Beer Releases (Week of 10/25)

A small new release list this week, but it features some very rare beers that surely won't be on shelves for long. I've already covered Goose Island's fantastic Bourbon County Stout here, but their Christmas Ale is also one you'll want to pick up. Additionally, one-off releases from Widmer Brothers and Redhook have arrived in Denver and a favorite winter seasonal from New Belgium should be available again.

If you're looking for a place to find all these great beers, check out Lukas Liquor in Lone Tree (about 15-20 minutes south of Denver) as they're also having a special beer tasting today from 4:00pm to 7:00pm featuring brews from Left Hand Brewing.  This week they'll have Left Hand's Warrior IPA, Black Jack Porter, Sawtooth Ale, and amazing Milk Stout available for tasting.  Plus a representative from the brewery will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.

New beers available in the Denver area:

• Goose Island Bourbon County Stout (Seasonal)
• Goose Island Christmas Ale (Seasonal)
• Widmer Brothers Cherry Oak DoppelBock (Limited Release)
• Redhook Treblehook Barleywine (Limited Release)
• New Belgium Frambozen (Seasonal)

Upcoming Events (Week of 10/25)

This week is shaping up to be another great one for Denver beer drinkers with no less than 11 events in the area.  Things start off with Great Divide's monthly beer & cheese pairing on Tuesday, continue with several great Halloween parties, and wrap up with a new fall seasonal release from the Wynkoop Brewing Company.  Following this year's Denver Gorilla Run on Saturday, the Wynkoop will tap a cask of their new Riverside Pumpkin Ale (named for Denver's historic Riverside Cemetery).  The twist is that the "cask" is actually a real pumpkin! The beer was brewed with 75 pounds of toasted pumpkin, 30 pounds of pumpkin puree, traditional pumpkin pie spices, and they threw in some flaked pumpkin during the secondary fermentation.  Sounds perfect for a brisk late Fall day.


From Wynkoop:

The beer is a mahogany-colored ale of approx 6.5% ABV and sports a balanced blend of amber malt notes, layers of pumpkin flavors, and gentle spicing. It’ll be available through November while supplies last.

Beer events in the Denver area this week:

• Great Divide Monthly Beer & Cheese Pairing, 10/27, 5:00pm - 8:00pm (RSVP with patrick@greatdivide.com)
• Avery Society for the Pursuit of Hoppiness - Pearl St. Hop Tour, 10/27, 6:00pm
• New Belgium & St. Arnold Beer Event @ Trinity Brewing, 10/28 (Lips of Faith beers, games, and raffles)
• Dry Dock Firkin Friday, 10/30, 3:00pm - 11:00pm
• Oskar Blues Firkin Friday - Spiced Old Chub, 10/30, 5:00pm
• Great Divide Hoppy Halloween Party, 10/30, 6:00pm - 9:00pm ($15 per person) - Check out my write up here
• Left Hand Brewing Halloween Party, 10/30, All Day ($3 dark beers, costume contest)
• Wildnight for Wildlife @ Millennium Harvest House, 10/30, 5:30pm - 10:30pm ($65 per person, beer tasting from local breweries)
• Smoked Stout Release Party @ Twisted Pine, 10/30, 3:00pm - 9:00pm
• Black Fox "Samhain" Pumpkin Saison Release Party @ Bristol Brewing, 10/30, 5:00pm - 9:00pm
• Trinity Brewing Halloween Party, 10/31, All Day (Beer specials from 3:00pm - 7:00pm)
• Real Gourd Beer @ Wynkoop Brewing Company, 10/31, 2:00pm (Riverside Pumpkin Ale release)

Hoppy Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate than to dress up in a costume and drink craft beer!  You can do both next Friday, October 30th, as Great Divide hosts their first Halloween bash at their Arapahoe Street tap room.  The party will feature snacks, candy, and all the Great Divide beer you can drink.  Plus they're having a costume contest with awards going to the best beer related costume.  It will run from 6:00pm to 9:00pm and admission is $15 each.

Great Divide isn't the only area brewery hosting a Halloween party this year though.  Here are a couple of other options:

• Left Hand Brewing is also throwing a party on Friday, October 30th at their Longmont tap room.  They'll have a costume contest (1st, 2nd, & 3rd place get free beer!), candy, and $3 pints of any black beers (Milk Stout, Black Jack, & Imperial Stout). 
• Trinity Brewing Company in Colorado Springs is having an all day party on Saturday, October 31st. Things start off at 1:00pm with The Haunted Hunt, a scavenger hunt competition to benefit the local food bank. They'll also have a costume contest, beer specials from 3:00pm - 7:00pm, and live music at 8:30pm.

Upcoming Events (Week of 10/18)

This week is lining up to be another great one for beer events in the Denver area.  The biggest of these is Dry Dock Brewing's 4th anniversary party this Saturday (which I've already covered here), but there are also several other tastings and new beer releases in town.  One I'm definitely looking forward to is Avery's release party for the 2009 Czar Imperial Stout on Wednesday at their tap room in Boulder.  In addition to this year's version, they'll also have the 2007 and 2008 Czars on tap for a vertical tasting!  $15 will get you 5 tasters plus a slice of a cake prepared specifically for the event.

• October Beer & Wine Class @ The Kitchen, 10/20, 5:30pm ($60 plus gratuity)
• Homebrewers and Collectors Support Group @ Avery Tap Room, 10/21, 6:00pm - 8:00pm ($5 cover)
• Czar Imperial Stout Release Party & Vertical Tasting ('07, '08, '09 vintages) @ Avery Tap Room, 10/21, 5:00pm - 8:00pm ($15 for 5 tasters)
• Left Hand Beer Tasting @ Proto's in Broomfield, 10/22, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
• Pumpkin Smasher Tapping @ Rockbottom - Downtown, 10/22, All Day
• Left Hand Beer Dinner @ California Café, 10/23, 6:00pm (Call 303-649-1111 for more information)
• Oskar Blues Firkin Friday - Cask Conditioned Ten FIDY @ The Tasty Weasel, 10/23, 5:00pm
• Dry Dock Firkin Friday, 10/23, 3:00pm - 11:00pm
• Cask Ale Night @ Bristol Brewing, 10/24, 12:00pm - 9:00pm
• Mountain Sun "Funky Good Times" Benefit for KGNU Community Radio @ Boulder Theater, 10/24, 8:30pm - 1:30am ($25 at door or $22 at their 3 pub locations)
• 4th Anniversary Party @ Dry Dock Brewing, 10/24, 12:00pm - 11:00pm (See my write-up for more information)
• Left Hand American Homebrewers Association Rally, 10/24, 1:00pm - 4:00pm (Free for AHA members, RSVP here)
• The Rackhouse Pub is also set to open in Denver this week with 20 craft beer taps!

If you would like your event added e-mail me: denverbrew@gmail.com

2009 Colorado Fresh Hop Celebration Recap

The 3rd Annual Colorado Fresh Hop Celebration was held this Saturday at Falling Rock Tap House.  The bar teamed up with Deschutes Brewery to bring together 11 different fresh hopped beers from 10 different brewers (including a homebrewer).  As described in an earlier post, a fresh hopped ale is one brewed the same day that the hops were harvested.  That means all of these great beers are once-a-year treats.

All of the brews had fantastic aromas and were great examples of how fresh hops can enhance beer in a very different way than their dried counterparts.  My two favorites were the Fresh Hopped Gordon from Oskar Blues (also the People's Choice winner this year) and Tommyknocker's Bitter Brewer IPA (a true CO beer with the hops coming from Montrose). Another highlight was homebrewer Gordon Pencis' Falling Over Hops Pale Ale.  Deschutes was kind enough to overnight him the fresh Crystal hops he used and the end result was the equal of all the pros coming in second in the People's Choice voting.

As if all the great beer wasn't enough, Beer at Home (a homebrew supply store in Westminster) held a homebrewing demonstration at the event.  They continued the theme of the celebration by brewing a beer using fresh hops harvested from vines at Falling Rock.  It really smelled fantastic in the kettle and was the perfect addition to a great event.

Complete Beer List:

• Deschutes Hop Trip
• Full Sail Lupulin
• Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale
• Left Hand Warrior IPA
• Oskar Blues Fresh Hopped Gordon (People's Choice)
• Pizza Port High Tide IPA
• Ska Hoperation Ivy
• Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale
• Sierra Nevada Estate-Brewers Harvest Ale
• Tommyknocker Bitter Brewer
• Gordon Pencis Falling Over Hops Pale Ale (People's Choice Runner Up)

Retail Beer Releases (Week of 10/4)

This is a big new beer week in Denver with no less than 17 new or seasonal beers hitting area stores including the latest releases from Avery, Fort Collins, and Odell. Plus the return of fresh hopped beers from Great Divide and Left Hand, the introduction of Elysian into the Denver market, and Dogfish Head's innovative Pangaea arriving in town (brewed with ingredients from each continent).  However, the real prize for me is the 2009 release of Oskar Blues Ten FIDY Imperial Stout.  I've mentioned in the past that I was on hand for the brewing of this year's first batch, so it was kind of exciting to open my first can and taste the end product.  Lucky for you, my presence didn't throw things off too badly and it tasted every bit as good as last year's version!

Look for these new releases at a beer store near you:

• Avery duganA IPA (New)
• Breckenridge Lucky U IPA (New)
• Buffalo Bill's Blueberry Oatmeal Stout (New)
• Dogfish Head Pangaea (Seasonal)
• Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA (New)
• Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale (New)
• Elysian The Immortal IPA (New)
• Elysian Loser Pale Ale (New)
• Fort Collins Brewing Common Ground (New)
• Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale (Seasonal)
• Great Divide Hibernation Ale (Seasonal)
• He'brew Jewbelation (Seasonal)
• Left Hand Warrior IPA (Seasonal)
• Odell India Barleywine (New)
• Oskar Blues Ten FIDY (Seasonal)
• Sam Adams Coastal Wheat (New)
• The Bruery Autumn Maple (Seasonal)

3rd Annual Fresh Hop Celebration at Falling Rock

Next Saturday, October 17th, Falling Rock Tap House hosts their third annual Fresh Hop Celebration featuring fresh hopped ales from at least 7 different breweries.  A fresh hopped ale is one brewed the same day that the hops were harvested.  They go almost directly from the vine into the brew, in some cases barely hours after being picked. This imparts a different flavor and aroma into the beer than traditional dried hops.  It also requires using far more hops than usual, as drying them concentrates the bitterness and flavor.  Great Divide describes the process of creating their Fresh Hop Ale as the brewery's "biggest annual spectacle" leaving it "shamefully messy" due to the massive amount of whole, fresh hops used.  These are all seasonal beers brewed just once a year, as hops are only harvested in the fall, so this may be your only opportunity to try some of them.


The event will take place from 12:00pm to 5:00pm on Falling Rock's patio and in their parking lot and will feature live music, beer tastings, information on home brewing, People's Choice awards, and other activities. Tickets are $20 per person and include a commemorative glass and 4 tokens (each good for 1 beer).  You can order tickets in advance through Paypal.


Here's the beer list for the event:

• Deschutes Brewery - Hop Trip
• Ska Brewing - Hoperation Ivy
• Full Sail Brewing - Lupulin Fresh Hop
• Sierra Nevada - Harvest Ale & Estate Brewers Harvest Ale
• Left Hand Brewing - Warrior IPA
• Oskar Blues (Not sure what beer they're bringing, but probably a Wet-Hopped version of Dale's Pale Ale)
• Great Divide Brewing - Fresh Hop Pale Ale
• And also possibly something from Pizza Port and a homebrewer

Four beers to try this Autumn

With snow on it's way to Denver this weekend and ski areas already opening, Fall is officially upon on us.  Here are four great seasonal beers to help you stave off the cold and enjoy this autumn in style.

The Bruery Autumn Maple
This interesting beer from the much hyped upstart brewery in California is a different take on the pumpkin beer style so popular this time of year.  The Bruery continues their trend of using innovative ingredients in their beer by packing this one 17 pounds of yams per barrel!  Hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, molasses, and especially maple syrup come out as the beer warms and it's every bit as tasty as it sounds.  I'm definitely going to be making this part of my Thanksgiving dinner.

Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale
These guys are the kings of pumpkin beer (they make 9 different kinds!), and have recently started distributing to Denver.  Night Owl is the "regular" version of their big hit at the Great American Beer Festival this year, The Great Pumpkin, and is the closest a beer can come to tasting like fresh pumpkin pie.

From Elysian:

Ale brewed with pumpkin & pumpkin seeds & fermented with spices. Our original pumpkin ale is brewed with over 7 lbs. of pumpkin per barrel and spiced in conditioning with nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, ginger and allspice.

Deschutes Jubelale
2009 is the 21st anniversary for Deschutes' delicious winter warmer and they continue the trend of selecting a local artist to design the label.  This year Tracy Leagjeld has come up with a beautiful image of a Central Oregon winter, a perfect compliment to the award winning beer inside.  I don't think this one is available yet in Denver, but it's a October to December seasonal so it should be here soon.

From Deschutes:

Jubelale is classified as a "Strong Ale" or an "English Olde Ale," and has ties to the traditional Celebration Ales of England. Characterized by a very large malt body and pronounced bitterness, Jubelale contains five different varieties of hops and a healthy amount of caramel. The perfect ale for surviving the long, cold nights of winter.

Left Hand Warrior Fresh Hopped IPA
An IPA might not sound like your usual autumn seasonal, but Left Hand's latest release is unique in that it is uses fresh flower hops just picked during this year's harvest.  The 2009 version is a true Colorado creation with 100% of the hops used coming from this state (either from Rising Sun Farms in Paonia, CO or the brewery's own hop farm).  It was one of my favorite brews at last weekend's Colorado Craft Beer Expo, and should be considered a must try.

From Left Hand:

We use Warrior hops for bittering, and Goldings for dry hopping. True to our fundamental belief system, the strong hop character is balanced by a strong malt foundation, allowing for an approachable, drinkable IPA that finishes amazingly clean. The beer is full-bodied, bronze in color, and tips the scales at 6.6% alcohol by volume and 60 IBU's.

Colorado GABF 2009 Winners

The Great American Beer Festival announced the 2009 medal winners today and Colorado breweries performed very well, collecting no fewer than 39 medals. Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora led the way for craft brewers with 3 medals plus winning Small Brewing Company of the Year! If you haven't been to their new location yet I suggest going soon as it's a beautiful brewpub and they clearly make some of the best beers around. Another standout looks to be Trinity Brewing's Gold Medal winning TPS Report experimental beer, which I somehow missed while I was at the Festival. I've only heard great things about it and will be heading down to the Springs to get a taste shortly. I'd also like to point out that the newest brewery in Boulder, Upslope Brewing, managed to take home 2 medals despite just opening this year! Their beer only recently started getting distributed to Denver, so grab a can the next time you're in your local beer store. It's great to see our local breweries getting accolades they deserve.

Colorado GABF 2009 Medalists (Brewery, Style, Beer)

• AC Golden Brewing - Bronze European Style Dunkel - Dunkel
• Avery Brewing - Gold German Style Doppelbock or Eisbock - The Kaiser
• Avery Brewing - Bronze Experimental Beer - Brabant
• Backcountry Brewery - Silver Bock - May Bock
• Bristol Brewing - Silver American Style Brown Ale - Cheyenne Cañon Ale
• Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery - Silver Irish Style Red Ale - Colorado Boy Irish
• Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery - Bronze Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter - Colorado Boy IPA
• Colorado Brewing Company - Silver American Style Pale Ale - 44 Pale Ale
• Coors Brewing - Gold American Style Specialty Lager - Keystone Ice
• Coors Brewing - Gold American-Style Lager or Premium Lager - Coors Banquet
• Coors Brewing - Silver American Style Light Lager - Keystone Light
• Coors Brewing - Silver American Style Amber Lager - Killian's Red
• Coors Brewing - Silver American Style Specialty Lager - Pre-Pro
• Dry Dock Brewing - Gold German Style Altbier - Bismark Altbier
• Dry Dock Brewing - Silver South German Style Hefeweizen - U-Boat Hefeweizen
• Dry Dock Brewing - Silver German Style Märzen - Reines Marzen
• Durango Brewing - Gold American Style Amber Lager - Durango Colorfest
• Glenwood Canyon Brewing - Gold Other Strong Beer - Cardiff
• Glenwood Canyon Brewing - Bronze German Style Doppelbock or Eisbock - Carbonator
• Gordon Biersch Brewery - Silver Bohemian Style Pilsener - Gordon Biersch Pilsner
• Gordon Biersch Brewery - Silver European Style Dunkel - Gordon Biersch Alt Bier
• Gordon Biersch Brewery - Bronze Munich Style Helles - Gordon Biersch Golden Export
• Great Divide Brewing - Silver Imperial Stout - Yeti Imperial Stout
• Great Divide Brewing - Bronze Rye Beer - Hoss Rye Lager
• Great Divide Brewing - Bronze Barley Wine Style Ale - Old Ruffian Barley Wine
• Left Hand Brewing - Gold Smoked Beer - Smokejumper Porter
• Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery - Bronze American-Belgo-Style Ale - Temperance
• New Belgium Brewing - Silver German-Style Sour Ale - NBB Love
• Rockyard Brewing - Bronze American-Style Wheat Beer - Double Eagle Ale
• Ska Brewing - Silver English Style Brown Ale - Buster Nut Brown
• Ska Brewing - Bronze English-Style Summer Ale - True Blonde Ale
• Ska Brewing - Bronze Sweet Stout - Steel Toe Stout
• The SandLot - Gold Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest - Move Back
• The SandLot - Silver Munich Style Helles - Where the Helles Bill?
• The SandLot - Silver Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest - Greenside Up
• Trinity Brewing - Gold Experimental Beer - TPS Report
• Upslope Brewing - Bronze Pro-Am Competition - Time of the Season
• Upslope Brewing - Bronze German-Style Wheat Ale - Upslope Dunkel Weizen

Falling Rock GABF Kickoff Recap

Falling Rock Tap House hosted their 13th annual Great American Beer Festival tapping party on Monday and it was a great way to start the week and try some new brews. As THE beer bar in Denver you just knew the event was going to be special. Especially because they set aside a few kegs specifically for this party each year! Around 10 or so beers were tapped throughout the night featuring some of the best from Avery, Odell, Full Sail, Lost Abbey, Dry Dock, Port, Moylan's, Left Hand, and Great Divide and everything I tasted was fantastic. The two highlights for me were Great Divide's "Les" Claymore Sour Bourbon Barrel Scotch Ale (quite the name!) and Avery's The Beast from the Wood (at 15% abv this is no beer for lightweights). Odell also brought their fantastic new Bourbon Barrel Stout, which seems to be at every event I go to this week and tastes great every time. If you missed the event you can still get a taste of some of these beers at their respective breweries this week. Great Divide will have the Sour Bourbon Claymore available in their tap room and Avery lists both The Beast from the Wood '08 and The Beast From JW Lees’ Wood ’08 as beers they might appear up in Boulder this week.

A blurry picture of a great beer with a long name. Great Divide's "Les" Claymore Sour Bourbon Barrel Scotch Ale

Denver Beer Fest Events: Part 3 (9/24 - 9/27)

The Great American Beer Festival begins this Thursday and while it's THE big event in town, it's not the only one. So if you missed getting tickets this year, don't sweat it. The Denver Beer Fest continues this weekend and will provide you with all the beer drinking entertainment you need including a beer brunch at the Cheeky Monk on Saturday morning complete with beer mimosas! Plus the Falling Rock Tap House over on Blake Street will be serving up special brews throughout the weekend (I know I cannot wait to try New Belgium's La Folie on tap) and Flying Dog is hosting it's second annual free FBAG party on Friday just down the road in the warehouse that used to house their brewery. Cleary you don't need GABF tickets to have a good time this weekend, you'll just have more fun if you do!

Thursday, September 24th

• Avery Tap Room - Voltron & Hot For Sammy, 11:00am
• Great American Beer Festival, 5:30pm - 10:00pm
• Koningshoeven Tasting @ Cheeky Monk, 7:00pm
• Rhythm and Brews @ Paramount Cafe, 10:00pm - 2:00am
• Collaborate Evil Tasting @ GABF, 6:30pm - 7:00pm

Collaborate Evil is an effort between 9 brewers to take a common theme and put their own individual spin on it. This year the theme is a Belgian Strong Pale and all 9 brewers will be presenting their versions at Thursday's GABF session. The participants include Valley Brewing, Sacramento Brewing, Fatheads Brewery and Grill, Flossmoor Station, Oakshire Brewing, Silver Peak Brewing, Lucky Bucket Brewing Co., FiftyFifty Brewing, and Speakeasy Brewing Co.

• World Brewer's Forum @ Denver Marriot City Center, 8:00pm - 12:00am
• Boulder Beer Meet the Brewer @ Crown Plaza, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
• Boulder Beer Tapping Party @ Falling Rock, 3:00pm
• Ommegang Brewers @ Argonaut Liquor, 3:00pm - 7:00pm
• Stone Brewing Tapping @ Falling Rock Upstairs, 10:00pm
• Shelton Brother's Tasting @ Falling Rock Downstairs, 10:00pm ($20 per person)
• Jewbilation Bar-Mitzvah @ Falling Rock, 11:00pm

Friday, September 25th

• Avery Tap Room - Sour Cherry Mephistopheles Stout & Moloch, 11:00am
• Great American Beer Festival, 5:30pm - 10:00pm
• Stone Brewing Meet & Greet @ City O' City, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
• Beer Advocate Social @ Great Divide Tap Room, 11:00am - 1:00pm
• Denver Rare Beer Tasting @ Wynkoop Brewery, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
• Firkin Friday - Cask Conditioned Dale's Pale Ale @ Oskar Blues, 5:00pm
• Oktoberfest @ Larimer Square, 5:00pm - 1:00am
• Lay the Foundation Lunch @ TAG Restaurant, 12:30pm ($55 per person)
• Achouffe Brewery Meet the Brewer @ Cheeky Monk, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
• Odell Meet the Brewer Lunch @ Govnr's Tavern, 11:00am - 1:00pm ($5 per person)
• St. Feuillien Celebration @ Cheeky Monk, 7:00pm
• Blues, Brews, & BBQ @ Paramount Cafe, 10:00pm - 2:00am
• Three Course Beer Dinner @ WaterCourse Foods, All Day ($52.80 for two)
• Flying Dog Brats & Gonzo (FBAG) Party @ Flying Dog Warehouse, 3:00pm - 6:00pm

The 2nd Annual FBAG party include free beer samples, free brats, and free live music. Did I mention it was free? Flying Dog will also be tapping their 20th anniversary beer for the first time for free!

• Sierra Nevada Kill-A-Keg @ Falling Rock, 12:00pm
• Sierra Nevada Estate Tapping @ Falling Rock, 12:30pm
• Meet Chris Brouwaerts from La Chouffe @ Falling Rock, 1:0pm
• Left Hand/Terrapin Depth Charge Espresso Milk Stout Cask Tapping @ Falling Rock, 2:00pm
• Up Your Reinheitsgebot: An Evening of Impure & Illicit Beers @ Falling Rock, 10:00pm

Dogfish Head, Avery, Allagash, and New Belgium will be pouring exotic beers that plead the 5th on the German Purity Law of 1517.

Saturday, September 26th

• Avery Tap Room - Straight Outta Hell, 11:00am
• Great American Beer Festival - Early Session, 12:30pm - 4:30pm
• Great American Beer Festival - Late Session, 5:30pm - 10:00pm
• Oktoberfest @ Larimer Square, 11:00am - 1:00am
• Flying Dog Beer Dinner @ Brauns Bar & Grill, 6:30pm ($35.95 per person)
• GABF After-Party @ Govnr's Park, 10:00pm - 2:00am
• Breakfast with The Bruery @ Cheeky Monk, 9:30am - 11:30am
• Gastropub Tour of Denver, 1:00pm - 4:00pm ($99 per person)
• Annual GABF Tasting with Dr. Bill @ Falling Rock, 9:00pm ($20 per person)

From Dr. Bill:

For those of you who haven't attended my previous events we ask for a $20 contribution to help pay for the beers we will order from Chris and to tip out the service staff. Also feel free to bring beers you may want to share. That being said I will be pouring over 100 rare and exotic offerings. A few teasers would be; LA Duck Duck Gooze, Santa's Little Helper aged in Bourbon barrels, Angel's Share, Cuvee de Tomme, RR Temptation, Consecration, Deviation, Bottleworks 10th Anniversary, The Bruery Papier, Alesmith BA Speedway, etc., etc., etc..

• La Chouffe Brewers @ Argonaut Liquor, 3:00pm - 7:00pm
• Boulevard Smokestack Beers @ Falling Rock, 4:00pm
• New Belgium Rarities @ Falling Rock, 10:00pm

Falling Rock will be pouring some of New Beglium's harder to find beers including Love, La Folie, Transatlantic Kriek, La Fleur Misseur & Le Terroir

Sunday, September 27th

• Avery Tap Room - Holy Trinity Day, 11:00am

Avery has just the cure for your post-GABF blues. More beer! They'll have their entire line of Holy Trinity beers on tap (Hog Heaven, Salvation, The Reverend) plus oak barrel aged and Brettanomyces versions!

• Oktoberfest @ Larimer Square, 10:00am - 5:00pm
• Coors Brewmaster @ Bridgewater Grill
• Beer Festival Exchange Fair @ Cheeky Monk

Denver Beer Fest Events: Part 2 (9/21-9/23)

The Denver Beer Fest kicks off tomorrow with several great events, but things really start heating up on Monday when Falling Rock throws their 13th Annual GABF Tapping Party. They actually save kegs specifically for this event and bring out stuff you cannot find anywhere else. It's definitely a "can't-miss" party and is sure to be packed, so get there early. If you happen to miss out though a quick look at the list below should tell you that you won't have any trouble finding things to do and new beers to drink in Denver, but also be sure to check out the happenings up in Boulder. Avery will be tapping extremely rare beers everyday at 11:00am and The Kitchen is hosting what looks to be the coolest beer dinner all week. Also don't forget to check our calendar often as I will be updating it with new info frequently.

Monday, September 21st

• Society for the Pursuit of Hoppiness - GABF Preview @ Avery Tap Room, 6:00pm ($15 for lifetime membership)
• Avery Brewing - Tasting & Tassels @ Lannie's Downtown Clocktower, 7:00pm ($22)
• Avery Tap Room - Eagle Rare Reverend ‘08 Tapping, 11:00am
• Appaloosa Grill & Great Divide Beer Dinner, 6:30pm (Contact events@appaloosagrill.com to reserve a spot)

Appaloosa Grill & Great Divide Brewery have teamed up for Denver Beer week to celebrate local beer and local food for who else? The Locals. Space is limited for this one of a kind event. The evening will start at Appaloosa with a three course dinner followed by dessert at the brewery and a tour. All guests will then be transported back to Appaloosa for an evening of live music. To reserve your spot please contact Mindy Lorens (events@appaloosagrill.com)

• Belgian Pairing Special @ Cheeky Monk, All Day
• Brew with the Brewer @ Rock Bottom - Park Meadows, 5:00pm (Call (303) 792-9090 to RSVP)
• 13th Annual GABF Kickoff Tapping Party @ Falling Rock, 5:00pm

They will be tapping 10-12 kegs at 5:00pm of harder to find specialty beers from breweries from all over, some sent in just for this event. Some of the breweries: Avery, Russian River, Lost Abbey, Port Brewing.

• Free Great Divide Tasting @ WaterCourse Foods, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
• Four Course, Four Beer Dinner @ Vine St. Pub, 6:00pm ($55 per person)
• Meet the Oskar Blues Brewers @ Duo, 5:00pm - 7:00pm ($12 per person)
• Five Course Left Hand Beer Dinner @ Elways Downtown, 6:30pm ($70 per person)

Tuesday, September 22nd

• Avery Dinner @ Jax Denver, 7:30pm ($50 per person)
• Meet the Left Hand Brewers @ Duo, 5:00pm - 7:00pm ($12 per person)
• Avery Tap Room - Bad Sally ‘08 Tapping, 11:00am
• Best in Brews Tasting @ TAG Restaurant, 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Come enjoy some of the finest brews around without the crowds of the GABF. Meet the merry men who make it happen. Sample some tasty snacks to help "wash down" the suds. Featuring: Avery Brewing Co., Bull and Bush, Great Divide and Oskar Blues, to name a few.

• Boulder Beer Meet the Brewer @ Rialto Cafe, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
• Great Divide Dinner @ Osteria Marco, 6:30pm ($40 per person)
• Beer College @ Rock Bottom - Westminster, 5:00pm
• Cheeky Monk Anniversary Party, 8:00pm
• Battle of the Beers @ Paramount Cafe, vote for your favorites all day
• Meet the Flying Dog Brewer @ Paramount Cafe, 8:00pm
• Specialty Beer Showcase @ Rock Bottom - Downtown, All Day
• Herman Joseph's Beer Dinner @ Parallel Seventeen, 6:30pm ($50 per person)
• Odell Brewing Tasting @ Marlowe's, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
• Meet the Guys from Alaskan Brewing @ Govnr's Park, 7:00pm
• Meet and Greet with John Harris From Full Sail Brewing @ Govnr's Park, 4:00pm
• Skull 'n Bones Grand Cru Release Party @ Bristol Brewing, 5:00pm - 9:00pm
• Breckenridge Brewers @ Argonaut Liquor, 3:00pm - 7:00pm

Wednesday, September 23rd

• Beer vs. Wine Dinner @ TAG Restaurant, 7:00pm ($75 per person)
• Boulder Beer Pool Party @ Crown Plaza, 5:00pm
• Sui Generis Release Party @ Avery Tap Room, 3:00pm - 8:00pm (Limited number of bottles per person)

Sui Generis is a complex ale, aged and artfully blended from several types of oak barrels, and displays a delightful lactic sourness complimented by hints of brett, oak, and acetic. Intricate yet bold, deeply complex yet surprisingly refreshing. It is not on tap due to extremely limited quantities, but they will have small amounts of tiny-batch sour beers made with their House Sour Blend.

• Boulder Beer Meet the Brewer @ Old Chicago - Market Street, 5:00pm - 6:30pm
• Boulder County Brews Cruise, 8:00am - 4:00pm
• Deschutes Beer Dinner @ Baker St. Pub - DTC, 6:00pm ($50 per person)
• Free Avery Tasting @ WaterCourse Foods, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
• Beer and Cheese Pairing @ Paramount Cafe, All Day
• Beer Pairing Dinner @ Bistro Vendome, ($60 per person, Call 303-825-3232 for reservations)
• Automne Release Party @ Bristol Brewing, 5:00pm - 9:00pm
• Q & A with the Brewers from Gambrinus @ Govnr's Park, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
• Pints & Bites @ the Governor's Residence, 5:00pm - 7:30pm ($100 for 1, $150 for 2)
• Third Annual Gold Medal Dinner @ The Kitchen Upstairs, 6:30pm ($140 per person)

The Kitchen [Upstairs] welcomes five of the nation's most progressive breweries and their brewmasters. Guests will enjoy a special five-course meal created by The Kitchen's head chefs and each course will be paired with two beers from our five featured breweries. Brewmasters will be on hand to pour and discuss their favorite beers. Featuring Allagash, Avery, Dogfish Head, Russian River, & The Lost Abbey

• New Belgium Tasting @ Marlowe's, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
• Great Divide Meet the Brewer @ Duo, 5:00pm - 7:00pm ($12 per person)
• New Belgium Beer Dinner @ Simms Steakhouse, 7:00pm ($60 per person)
• Chef and Brewer's Dinner @ Rock Bottom - The Orchards, 7:30pm ($40 per person)
• Tommyknocker Brewers @ Argonaut Liquor, 3:00pm - 7:00pm
• Flying Dog 20th Anniversary Beer Tapping @ Falling Rock, 4:00pm
• Pyramid Snowcap Unveiling @ Falling Rock, 5:00pm
• Artisanal Imports Tasting @ Falling Rock, 9:00pm