Maybe you went to the Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival two weeks ago in Vail. Or maybe you’ve checked out the Great American Beer Festival, the biggest beer fest of all. If you have, then you know how big “big” can be. Now, it’s time to check out how…
Happy Place: Duo, 2413 West 32nd Avenue, 303-477-4141 The Hours: Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. The Deals: $2 beers; $3 well cocktails; $5 select wines by the glass; $5 appetizers. Were we happy? Flip the page to find out…
Oskar Blues will change the name of one of its four year-round beers after the Tennessee-based Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group threatened to sue the Colorado company for trademark infringement, says Oskar Blues spokesman Chad Melis. Gordon, the Oskar Blues beer, is named for Gordon Knight, a fire-fighting helicopter pilot…
It’s a bitter drink to swallow, but Colorado’s not exactly famous for making outstanding wines. Instead, an invitation to sample Colorado wines is typically met with anything from incredulity to utter scorn. That’s not to say that all Colorado-bred wines suck. It’s just that there aren’t more than a handful…
While the party was just getting started at the Fillmore Auditorium, Governor John Hickenlooper arrived in the gritty parking lot of a Blockbuster store about a block away to begin the ride of a lifetime. Or at least the ride of the night. The Wynkoop Brewing Company, which Hickenlooper co-founded…
Great Divide Brewing Co. released two beers and debuted a third at its Arapahoe Street headquarters last week. Photographer Kate Levy was there and brought back photos from the party for this slide show: Great Divide Brewing’s Beer Party. Below are a few highlights…
Like its name, the Denver Beer Company will be simple and straightforward. “That’s what we are all about,” says Charlie Berger, who plans to open a brewery and taproom with business partner Patrick Crawford in June. “We are not reinventing the wheel. Our goal is to make great beer in…
Silverton Brewing has hired the Fort Collins Brewing Company to contract-brew and bottle two of its beers so that they can be distributed throughout Colorado. Six-packs of Big Ass Brown and Ice Pick Ale should be available locally in February. The little brewery, which was founded in 2004 by Joel…
Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource Program. You can…
Last weekend I booked a table at a new restaurant and got there early so that I could check out the bar. I asked for the cocktail menu and ordered a Rusty Nail from the bartender. He happily took my order, then took another woman’s order and got her beer…
Highlands Cork & Coffee in Highlands Square can now serve liquor, in addition to beer and wine. The spot was victorious at a liquor-license hearing last month, says owner Shawn Manzanares, and will begin serving drinks such as martinis, specialty coffee drinks and mojitos in the next month or so…
Tuesday’s inauguration party for John Hickenlooper will be soaked in Colorado, whether it’s the semi-formal Western wear, a homegrown band or kegs full of local beer. And that barbecue sauce served with dinner will be soaked in Colorado as well. Caterer Occasions by Sandy will use 28 bottles of Stranahan’s…
California’s Mad River Brewing is the latest out-of-state beer maker to try and crack the crowded Colorado market, where taps and liquor store shelf space are at a premium. But Mad River, located in the town of Blue Lake, may have an edge. It got a lot of buzz at…
Happy Place: Zocalo Restaurant and Bar, 12 East Eleventh Avenue, 720-382-1940 The Hours: Every day from 4 to 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The Deals: 2 for 1 drafts, well drinks, and wines by the glass; $5 shots of Don Julio Silver; $2.50 margaritas; half-price appetizers Were…
Hops & Pie, one of several beer-focused eateries that have opened in recent months, is upping the ante when it comes to attracting beer geeks. The pizza joint has begun a series of Firkin First Friday events, which take place in conjuction with the Tennyson Street art district’s monthly First…
Not only is the Wynkoop Brewing Company making a special beer to commemorate brewery co-founder John Hickenlooper’s gubernatorial inauguration party on Tuesday, it will deliver that beer, Hickelooper’s Inaugurale, via horse and carriage. The party, which is being held at the Fillmore auditorium, will feature beers from the Wynkoop and…
Not much is going to change at Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey now that the distillery has been purchased by New Jersey’s Proximo Spirits — at least not for a while. “What is interesting is that Stranahan’s is selling so well in Colorado that we are going to focus 99 percent of…
Brad Page, a real-estate agent and co-founder of Coopersmith’s Pub & Brewing in Fort Collins, plans to start Denver’s first hard cidery this spring. Cider, which is more popular in England and Ireland than in the United States, is made from fermented apples. Page will buy his apples for now,…
2011 isn’t just a new year. You may not be ready to face this just yet, but you’re now on day four of an entirely new decade. Why aim low by setting a beginner’s resolution to drink more wine, when you can truly step up your game for the Twenty…
If you’re like me, you make your New Year’s resolutions easy. For 2011, I vowed to watch both the new and old versions of True Grit. Done and done, and don’t I feel good! But if you want something that takes a little longer, try upgrading your beer-drinking program. Give…
Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource Program. You can…
Happy Place: Gaetano’s, 3760 Tejon Street, 303-477-6096 The Hours: Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. The Deals: $1 off Wynkoop draft beers; $3 cocktails, including homemade limoncello; $3 truffle fries; $2 mini paninis and mini caprese salads Were we happy? Flip the page to find out…
