The word “coda” is used to signify a passage that brings a song or a piece of music to an end, but according to Luke Smith, it can have other meanings — like the end of a long brewing process or having a beer at the end of the day…
Dry Dock Brewing is one of the first — if not the first — brewery to obtain special permission from the federal government to put the United States flag on a beer label. The beer itself, Colorado Freedom Memorial Blonde, was brewed to honor Aurora’s Colorado Freedom Memorial, in Springhill…
Trademark disputes — some of them nasty — have become commonplace in the craft-brewing industry in recent years, but most of the ones involving Colorado beer makers have been with out-of-state companies, preserving a congenial in-state camaraderie. But the newest dispute pits two popular local breweries against one another. On…
Mark Manger, the creator of the GrOpener one-handed bottle opener (and a former Westword photographer) is back with a new twist on his invention — and has already raised enough with his second indiegogo campaign to move things along. The Grab-K is a thinner keychain version of the original. Although…
Blue Spruce Brewing, serving Mexican food, pub fare and beer made on the premises, opened for business on Saturday at 4151 East County Line Road, in Centennial. Owned by former biology teacher Rick Kane, Blue Spruce opened with eight of its own brews (although some have already kicked), including honey…
“The question ‘what is Wuerzburger’ has been answered. It is the freshest, foamiest, liveliest, pleasantest beer seen in Boulder,” read an August 12, 1905, article in the Boulder Daily Camera. “Wuerzbuger (pronounce the z as if it were a t) would be called ‘hot stuff’ were it not that it…
Last night, in Los Angeles, Jason Patz and Allison Widdecombe, both of whom are behind the stick at Williams & Graham, emerged as finalists in World Class 2014, the esteemed United States Bartending Guild cocktail competition that’s sponsored by Diageo, the world’s largest producer of spirits, including Johnnie Walker, Baileys…
Denver’s newest brewery will open this weekend in a neighborhood in the southeastern part of town that is thirsting for craft-beer options; Comrade Brewing, which has a large taproom, two bar areas and six beers on tap, makes its official debut on Saturday. But at least four other breweries in…
What was your first cocktail? I recently found myself at Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace, the place where I had my first-ever drink. Er, first legal drink, that is. With a tasty mezcal cocktail in front of me, and a light crowd of happy-hour Banana Republic professionals around me,…
Scott Witsoe makes 31.5 gallons of beer at a time. That’s such a tiny amount compared to the output at other breweries — even other small breweries — that is doesn’t seem possible that Wit’s End Brewing would be able to stay in business, let alone thrive. But that’s exactly…
The 27-year-old Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant chain is known for its potent margaritas (limit of three, please), but the Colorado-based company has decided to get in on the craft-beer revolution as well by collaborating with several local beer-makers. Each of the Rio Grande’s six restaurants — in Fort Collins, Greeley,…
The buzz from the recent Craft Beer Conference annual trade show, which took place in Denver for the first time, is fading — but Colorado’s breweries are still making news. Here are a few tidbits from beer makers around the state. Beginning in May, Aurora’s Dry Dock Brewing will begin…
With a head brewer named Marks, a red and yellow logo, and a flagship beer called DEFCON Red, it’s not hard to figure out the theme at Comrade Brewing. But owner David Lin says the references to Communism at the brewery, which will open on Saturday, April 26, at 7667…
When they showed up to register at the Craft Brewers Conference trade show in Denver earlier this month, the 8,000 or so brewing-industry attendees from across the country were treated to a 19.2-ounce can of beer made with all-Colorado ingredients. Brewed at Oskar Blues in Longmont, Centennial Pale Ale included…
The Craft Brewers Conference, a national trade show that brought more than 8,000 brewing-industry pros to town, wrapped up last week in Denver with the presentation of awards in the World Beer Cup, a prestigious biennial competition. There were 4,754 entries from 1,403 breweries in 58 countries this year, but…
Some say beer is food. Others say it is art. In the case of Kurt’s Mile High Malt, the Wynkoop Brewing Company is hoping to put wisdom and prose into a can. The beer, which is being packaged for the first time, is a coffee-infused lager that is based on…
Colorado has been the king of canned craft beers since Oskar Blues began packaging its brews in aluminum more than a decade ago. And although the Longmont beer maker continues to change the game, other breweries are getting in on the act as well. This week, Boulder’s Sanitas Brewing, which…
No matter how much fun you have at a bar in Denver, there’s always the melancholy time when the lights go up and everyone has to pay the tab and head home. If you’re unlucky, the bouncer will shove you out. If you’re especially unfortunate, the DJ will play Semisonic’s…
Colorado’s breweries are growing fast — expanding, adding employees and ordering new equipment. Some of that equipment is on display at the industry-only Craft Brewers Conference, a trade show in Denver for the first time this week. For some of the breweries, like Durango’s Ska Brewing and Denver Beer Co,…
The Craft Brewers Conference begins in earnest today with speakers, seminars and a trade show for the 8,000 or so craft-beer industry professional who are in town for the annual event — which takes place in Denver this year for the first time. But just because the event is closed…
The first award was thrilling — and a big relief. The second was a welcome surprise. The third and fourth, well, those were just icing on the cake. Two years ago, the crew from the Bull & Bush went to San Diego and came back with four medals from the…
You’ve probably heard of Bud Light Lime. And Miller Chill. Now get ready for Dry Dock Cool — a tongue-in-cheek takeoff on mass-produced lime-infused beers. Aurora’s Dry Dock Brewing is making the beer — a 5.2 percent ABV Mexican-style lager — specially for Old Chicago’s 25 Colorado locations as part…
