Retail Beer Releases (Week of 12/6)

The seasonal beers are back in a big way this week and just in time for the Christmas holiday.  California heavyweights Stone, Lost Abbey, and Port have all sent new winter beers to Denver that you won't want to miss.  Lost Abbey's Gift of the Magi is a big Golden Ale inspired by the story of the Three Kings using the bark of Frankincense and a little bit of Myrrh.  Stone's Special Holiday Ale is a collaboration with Nøgne Ø and Jolly Pumpkin that was brewed with chestnuts, juniper berry, white sage, and caraway seed (Check out Chipper Dave's review of last year's version here). Port Brewing's Santa's Little Helper is one of my favorite imperial stouts and it is so flavorful that I have difficulty describing it.  That could be because it's brewed with “everything but the kitchen sink.”  This great beer was also on tap at Falling Rock last weekend, so head down there for a taste.

Additionally, Tommyknocker's The Legend Oaked Brown Ale (covered here) has started showing up on liquor store shelves in the area.  I believe only 1,500 bottles were produced, so get it while you can.

New retail beer releases in the Denver area:

• Anderson Valley Winter Solstice (Seasonal)
• Breckenridge Christmas Ale Hand Numbered 1 liter bottles (Limited Release)
• Del Norte Luminaria (Seasonal)
• Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi (Seasonal)
• Nøgne Ø/Stone/Jolly Pumpkin Special Holiday Ale (Seasonal)
• Port Santa's Little Helper (Seasonal)
• Tommyknocker The Legend (Limited Release)
• AC Golden Herman Joseph's Private Reserve (New)
• Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti (Seasonal)
• Great Divide Old Ruffian Barleywine (Seasonal)
• Boulevard Harvest Dancer Wheat Wine (Limited Release)

New Oaked Beer from Tommyknocker

Tommyknocker Brewery in Idaho Springs has just announced a new oaked beer for their 15th anniversary on December 12th.  The brewery has been developing The Legend for over a year and it will be an oaked nut brown ale (10% abv).  I'm assuming this is a new take on their already great Imperial Nut Brown Ale, so it should be delicious.  Brewmaster Steve Indrehus used toasted Hungarian Oak in this beer with Crystal, Munich, and Chocolate malts, a little pure maple syrup, and a blend of American hops.  In the press release, Indrehus says he "used oak in this brew as an ingredient rather than just an aging vessel. Utilizing this technique has really brought out notes of spiced vanilla as well as hints of smoky biscuit, harmonized with black pepper and coffee overtones."  I'm not sure when it will be hitting stores, but it will be available in 375ml wax dipped bottles so keep your eyes open.

Retail Beer Releases (Week of 11/1)

The holiday beer season is officially in full swing with no less than 12 seasonal beers hitting shelves in Denver liquor stores this week.  Additionally, Odell has released the newest beer in their Single Serve Series, Mountain Standard Reserve.  This deep mahogany ale was brewed with 400 lbs of locally grown, organic Cascade and Chinook hops from Rising Sun Farms in Paonia, CO.  Odell then double dry hopped the beer to create an even hoppier aroma that just sounds fantastic.  It's currently being sold in 750 mL corked bottles for about $15 and they are planning on brewing it once a year after the hop harvest.  I'm definitely looking forward to trying this one.

New beer releases this week:

• Breckenridge Christmas Ale (Seasonal)
• AC Golden Winterfest (Seasonal)
• Delirium Noel (Seasonal)
• Dupont Avec Les Bon Voeux (Seasonal)
• Gouden Carolous (Seasonal)
• Lagunitas Brown Shugga (Seasonal)
• Odell Mountain Standard Reserve (Limited Release)
• Rouge Santa's Private Reserve (Seasonal)
• Sam Adams Winter Lager (Seasonal)
• Samichlaus Classic (Seasonal)
• Shiner Holiday Cheer (Seasonal)
• Sierra Nevada Celebration (Seasonal)
• Tommyknocker Cocoa Porter (Seasonal)

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)

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