It’s only 38 miles from Vail to Breckenridge, but it was a huge leap for the Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival, which moved to Summit County this year after sixteen years in Vail. The change came with complications — finding new sponsors, a new venue and new partners —…
Still hurting from a bruising dispute last year that nearly split the organization in half, the Colorado Brewers Guild, which advocates for and represents more than two thirds of the state’s craft breweries, will enter the 2017 legislative session this week without an executive director. John Carlson, who led the…
The Best House Margarita became even better when Adelitas Cocina y Cantina, a three-time champ,switched the house tequila from Cimarron. But that’s not the only innovation at Adelitas: Founder Brian Rossi also came up with a winning formula for his back room, which is now Palenque Mezcaleria. After Adelitas hosted Guillermo Erickson Sauza at a special dinner last week, we checked in with Rossi for more tequila talk.
After thirty years, Sage Hospitality and its restaurant group finally has control of the Cruise Room.
Colfax Avenue may be the longest, wickedest street in America, but it’s not long enough — or oriented in the right way — to make it to Centennial. That doesn’t mean the owners of Lost Highway Brewing can’t relocate to the southern suburb, though. James and Tina Pachorek, who opened Lost…
As the 2017 Big Beers Fest gets under way in Breckenridge — for the first time after more than a decade in Vail — unofficial hosts Broken Compass and Breckenridge Brewery embody the changes in the craft brewery industry.
When I go to the Hornet, it usually involves one of two things: Either I am there on a Tinder date, or I run into one of my friends who lives in the neighborhood. Or actually, three things, if I include summertime visits for a show during the concert festival…
Breweries nearly replaced local bars as community gathering places and watering holes in many towns and neighborhoods across Colorado in 2016 — a trend that isn’t likely to slow down any time soon. But what is even more stunning than the number of breweries that currently operate in the state…
Two Colorado breweries closed their doors in December, which wouldn’t seem that unusual aside from the fact that almost no breweries have shuttered over the past five years. One of them, 1933 Brewing in Fort Collins, will reopen under new ownership and with a new concept in a few months…
Like a stressed-out dad who ignores the fact that his kids smell of pot whenever they come home from school, the Brewers Association has been dodging the issue of marijuana for a while. Although the Boulder-based organization, which represents the craft-beer industry nationwide, is located in the first state to…
Donald Trump will grab Lady Liberty by the pussy on January 20 when he becomes the 45th President of the United States, and Inauguration Day will be marked in many ways. Nearly half of the country will celebrate, while the rest will stand by with a mixture of anger, fear…
I love the Thin Man. It was one of the coolest places around when I moved to Denver in 2005; it was hipster before hipster was a thing. The strings of red lighting, the artfully displayed infused-vodka collection, and the copious amount of religious imagery hanging everywhere combined to suggest…
In the old days — back when a phone call cost 25 cents and we had to walk ten miles through the snow just to get a replacement ribbon for our typewriters — the new year meant heading to the office-supply store to buy a new planner for the upcoming…
The craft brewing world felt a squeeze at the top this year as the number of breweries across the country soared past 4,000, and the number of bottled and canned offering grew by the thousands. In Colorado, where there are approximately 360 brewing licenses, competition was as fierce as ever…
The Bull & Bush Pub and Brewery, affectionately called “The Bull” by regulars, has definitely attained status as a Denver institution. The English-style pub has been a bar far longer than a brewery, but even the beer-making setup has been turning out suds since 1997, before nearly everyone and their…
Maybe you thought Denver couldn’t possibly hold another craft brewery. Or maybe you thought the boom was slowing down. I know I did. If so, then we were both wrong. Denver’s thirst for new breweries continued unabated in 2016 as eight new taprooms with Denver addresses (Brewability Lab, Bruz Beers,…
Oskar Blues never stops. Just when you think the company will rest and take a break, it launches a new concept, location, passion project or major initiative. The latest is the announcement of plans for a new restaurant and beer bar in downtown Colorado Springs. Located in the historic DeGraff…
Palenque Mezcaleria became Denver’s first bar specializing specifically in mezcal, tequila’s smoky sibling, when it opened in April. After a few months of experimenting with mezcal drink recipes, bar manager Chris Wingate has released Palenque’s first cocktail menu, which offers a small collection of his staff’s creations. While Wingate and…
Though the primary function of Scissors & Scotch (7600 Landmark Way, Greenwood Village) is to provide hair care for men, a peek into the Greenwood Village shop reveals a setup that looks more like a sleek saloon than a salon. In fact, on a recent visit the bar was half full…
We may be on the brink of a revolution when it comes to mixed drinks: the cider cocktail. While they’re far from a staple at local bars and taprooms, cider cocktails have consistently been a top seller at places like the Rackhouse Pub, where the bar always has at least…
What makes a great bar? Neighborhood appeal is always important, along with friendly, professional staff and a well-rounded drinks list. Mostly, though, it’s that indefinable feeling when you set yourself on a bar stool, feel instantly at home — and then never want to leave. Whether you call for a…
Right under my nose, in my own neighborhood, the Mozart Lounge and its old-school neon sign had been hiding, disguised as the Aqua Lounge at 1417 Krameria Street. For the past eight years, and since I have lived in Mayfair in East Denver, the location has been known by the…
