I’m not one to complain about free beer — not usually. And there was certainly nothing wrong with Rock Bottom Brewery’s delicious Blitzen ale, which the restaurant at 1001 16th Street tapped last night. But I do appreciate it when an establishment that lures me in with the promise of…
Sometimes the universe puts you right where you need to be, and if you’re lucky, that place has a killer happy hour, a menu you can slowly eat your way through and a staff that makes you feel like you’ve all been kickin’ it for years. The universe told me…
Sierra Nevada Celebration is back with a zesty, tongue- tingling bang in 2009, bringing the full host of hops that had been missing from a couple of its previous incarnations. This is the holiday beer that should be in everyone’s fridge; it’s one that takes advantage of all the powerful…
Donner may have been Rudolph’s dad in the 1964 TV special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but Blitzen will be responsible for giving you a red nose when downtown’s Rock Bottom Brewery taps its venerable holiday seasonal beer at 6 p.m. tonight. Even better: Pints are free between 6 and 6:30…
In December 1967, Denver’s Playboy Club opened at 1776 Grant Street. Today, the club is just a memory (one that leaves a smile on a certain generation of businessmen’s faces). The address now belongs to the Warwick Denver Hotel, which is celebrating the infamous former tenant with a special drink…
There are many more holiday beers on liquor store shelves this year, especially offerings from out-of-state brewers. Shiner Holiday Cheer was a nice surprise among them, not just because I hadn’t seen this beer in Colorado before, but because of its unusual pecan and spice flavors, which fill an important…
The Left Hand Brewing Company made me cry this year when VP of Operations Chris Lennert announced it would no longer make its Snow Bound spiced ale, which was been one of my favorite holiday beers over the past few years. I I like beers with hints of holiday flavors…
You can find Jared Boller behind a number of bars — at TAG, Root Down and Corridor 44. He says he loves working with the different styles and clientele at each location and that it makes him a better bartender. It certainly makes him a winning bartender: Last month, Boller…
Well, it’s official. You never have to leave your house again. You can get your groceries delivered. If you don’t feel like cooking, you can get your dinner delivered. You can shop online, and you can have your new couch delivered. And now, thanks to Instawine.com, you can get your…
It’s not often that a powerless little blogger can claim to have influenced a billion-dollar conglomerate like MillerCoors. After all, the big boys of beer spend ungodly sums of money on marketing teams and focus groups and executive vice presidents who are supposed to make the decisions that matter. So,…
Anyone who buys a DINR deck is a winner: For $50, you get 52 cards, each offering a $10 discount at a local, independent restaurant. You can buy the decks at any Tattered Cover location or at www.eatdenver.com — but you can also win one right here. Every Friday for…
I was sitting at the bar at Jax in LoDo on a snowy Sunday afternoon, enjoying the quiet while also enjoying Leo’s Manhattan ($10), made with New York Apple Whiskey, Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry, muddled apple and pumpkin pie spice. And I couldn’t have been happier. As the snow piled…
Erin Clark used to work in the advertising industry; today you’ll find him behind the bar at Jax, at 1539 17th Street in Lodo. And although he hasn’t won any bartending awards, “my family really, really likes me,” he says. “I think.” Now serving: Erin Clark…
The Drink, the first of the three spots that Paul Piciocchi, owner of Tryst, is putting into the former home of Alto at 1320 15th Street, will hold its grand opening tonight, with free Coors Light from 6 to 7 p.m., and other deals through the weekend, including a free…
People always ask me: “What’s your neighborhood bar? Where do they know your name and pour your first drink before you even sit down?” Nowhere, I answer with a sigh. Ever since I left my Capitol Hill apartment in early 2007, I haven’t had a solid joint to walk to…
Jimmy Zanon grew up in Oregon, and in 1998 moved to Colorado for college. He fell in love with both his future wife and the restaurant business here and decided to stay in Denver, where you can currently find him behind the bar at Lola. Now serving: Jimmy Zanon…
Last night Domaine de Canton and brand ambassador Bryan Dayton of Frasca hosted the semifinalist round of the Domaine de Canton bartender competition at TAG. Beyond bragging rights, the winner of the competition won a trip to St. Maartin to compete not only for top honors, but $10,000 in prize…
The patio at this classic dive is filling up fast — with both people taking advantage of what could be the last warm weather for some times, and their pooches. But remember: No dogs inside. Can you guess where I’m drinking?…
Both readers and restaurateurs had a lot of suggestions for what to do with the former home of Mojitos — which isn’t surprising, considering that this spot at 1120 East Sixth Avenue is a good location just begging for a good operator to go into it. And while I’ve already…
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to praise the cocktails of Randy Layman, the bartender at Avenue Grill. I already know that Randy is one of Denver’s up-and-coming superstar bartenders, but I had no idea that he’s such a romantic. But when he serves me a Dearly Beloved ($10),…
Randy Layman began working at Avenue Grill seven years ago and convinced his twin, Ryan, to join him there four years ago. The identical (except for Ryan’s longer beard) bartenders poured kick-ass cocktails together, doubling your fun, until November 1 — when Ryan moved across the street to work with…
It’s not too late to make a reservation for tonight’s food and wine dinner at Frasca, the Boulder food shrine to all things brilliant. Tonight’s dinner, hosted by Kevin Pike of Terry Theise Estate Selections, is all about grower champagnes, often referred to as “farmer fizz,” according to Bobby Stuckey,…
