Thirst -- January-February, 2023

Keep Colorado Wild

As Coloradans, we live life outside — and with that comes the responsibility for all of us to care for Colorado and keep it wild.

Starting in 2023, Colorado residents will see a $29 Keep Colorado Wild Pass added to their annual vehicle registration through the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This new annual pass gives all Coloradans access to state parks and the added benefit of supporting our great outdoors and wildlife in a meaningful way.

Colorado is home to world-class state parks, more than 960 species of wildlife and 23 million acres of public lands, ranging from wetlands to forests, canyon landscapes to mountain lakes. So it is no surprise that Coloradans cherish an outdoor lifestyle and want to protect the wild spaces and wildlife they treasure.

Quick Facts:

• Save 60% over the traditional annual state parks pass.

• You can only buy the pass during your vehicle registration process.

• The $29 pass fee is included in your vehicle registration price total unless you choose to opt out.

• When you buy the pass, a Colorado Parks and Wildlife logo is printed on your registration card and gives your vehicle entry into Colorado state parks.

• The pass is not transferable between vehicles and is linked to your license plate and registration card.

• Keep your registration card/pass in your car when you enter a state park. The pass can also be linked on the myColorado or My CPW apps.

• You can opt out of the pass when you register your vehicle with the DMV online, through a kiosk, by mail or with a customer service representative.

• All regularly priced Colorado state park passes are still available.

The new Keep Colorado Wild Pass saves you more than 60% in comparison to the traditional state parks pass. Plus, it’s way more than park entry, the money raised from pass sales supports your local:

• State park systems

• Search and rescue teams

• Avalanche safety programs

• Wildlife conservation efforts

• Outdoor accessibility and educational opportunities

All of Colorado wins when you stay opted in! Join us in keeping Colorado, Colorado.

Read more about the Keep Colorado Wild Pass and how it benefits Colorado at: cpw.info/keepcoloradowildpass and cpw.info/keepcoloradowildpassspanish.

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Staunton State Park

LIBATIONS BEYOND &

It’s a new year and there’s so much to look forward to

There’s so much Colorado energy flowing throughout the region – even in the dead of winter – and you’ve picked up the right magazine to learn about the plethora of options in your backyard.

It’s a new year and a new you. Maybe you’re new to the scene. We have your back.

As imagined, some of our greatest ski destinations also provide fantastic bars for midmountain fun. We’ve featured a few and listed several others that will lube your joints during a day of bombing down the hill. However, in “The Book of Poisonous Quotes,” an anonymous source reminds us: “Alcohol is a liquid that can put the wreck into recreation.” So, keep that in mind when you’re storming the slopes this winter

Wah Gwaan Brewing Co. brought a refreshing cultural experience to the Lincoln Park neighborhood last year. Offering Jamaican-style beer, a relaxed-atmosphere and beautiful murals and other paintings from local artists, the experience is worth checking out. If you haven’t been, we have a teaser for you inside.

And don’t forget to checkout our billiards tour. People have shot pool for more than seven centuries, and the beloved game is played at a high level up and down the Front Range. We’ll tell you where.

And while the Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines festival retools for January of 2024, we’ve chosen to remind people of killer options on the big beers front throughout the state. The “big beers” concept can take on different meanings but in short, higher alcohol beers fall into the category, and they include a variety of styles. We’ve written about a few favorites, and please don’t hesitate to share yours with us!

And I’ll close with a quote since the recent holiday season had us hitting a few parties. “Beer is not a good cocktail party drink, especially in a home where you don’t know where the bathroom is.” Those words came from Billy Carter, brother of former President Jimmy Carter.

Keep your energy flowing in the right direction and be kind while you explore our great state.

Enjoy!

Joe Ross Associate Publisher and Editor

Publisher

Paul Johnson paul@thirstcolorado.com

Associate Publisher & Editor

Joe Ross joe@thirstcolorado.com

Sales

Tod Cavey Rebel Hunter Christine Werner Claire Carter

Design & Layout Sandy Birkey Stacey Krull

President & Founder Emeritus Wilbur E. Flachman

Digital & Marketing Manager Steve Graham

Contributors

Kristian DePue, Dustin Doskocil, Kyle Kirves, Kristen Kuchar, Jay McKinney

Intern Melissa Voss

For advertising and editorial information, please contact Joe Ross at 303.428.9529 or email joe@thirstcolorado.com

Proud member of the Colorado Brewers Guild

Thirst Colorado is produced by The Publishing House, a division of Colorado Word Works, Inc. The Publishing House also produces Colorado’s Performing Arts Publications, serving arts venues along the Front Range. 7380 Lowell Blvd., Westminster, Colorado 80030 303.428.9529

Drink up life in large amounts, but restrict your alcohol consumption. We do not endorse or support excessive drinking.

Thirst Colorado is published six times a year by The Publishing House, 7380 Lowell Blvd., Westminster, CO 80030. © The Publishing House, 2023. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

Except where noted, the content of Thirst Colorado is the property of the magazine and should only be reprinted with permission. Thirst Colorado is not responsible for false or misleading claims made in advertising or editorial materials published herein. Thirst Colorado Magazine is distributed in part by DJM Distribution, Inc., and Community Racks Distribution, LLC.

CONTRIBUTORS

DUSTIN DOSKOCIL

Doskocil is a Colorado-based photographer who started his business 16 years ago while obtaining a degree in advertising and fashion photography in Austin, Texas. After graduating, he moved to Dallas, where he spent seven years building his portfolio while assisting some of the best photographers from around the world. From there he moved to Colorado in order to delve deeper into the mountains and adventure scene. This has led to more editorial and commercial assignments with large and small businesses, capturing and sharing moments of people doing what they love to do. Focusing on people’s passions encourages curiosity and spreads more passion throughout the community and beyond.

KRISTEN KUCHAR

Kuchar has written about travel and the beverage industry for 15 years in a variety of national and local publications. For Thirst, she covers food, wine, cider, beer and other beverages. She has contributed to VinePair, Zymurgy, The Beer Connoisseur, Craftbeer.com, Beer Advocate, Brew Your Own, All About Beer, DRAFT, and dozens more. Currently, she is a Certified Cicerone Beer Server and has a Level 1 Wine Certification with the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, and she continues to pursue further wine and beverage education.

MELISSA VOSS

Voss is a South Dakota native who recently moved to Colorado to find her next adventure. She is currently a student at the University of Colorado Denver, following her passion for literature and writing in hopes of going into higher education. In her free time, she’s hiking with her dog, writing poetry with her cat on her lap, or adding to her growing collection of Colorado-based coffee and brews.

KRISTIAN DEPUE

Born and raised in northern Indiana, DePue spent the last four years working as a contributing writer for various publications throughout Colorado. In addition to writing, he enjoys acting, watching films, and listening to both music and stand-up comedy. He loves summer and fall, and Halloween is his favorite holiday. When not storytelling, he can often be found in a speakeasy, distillery or craft cocktail lounge. And he never gets tired of the unique view when the sunlight shines on Pikes Peak and the Front Range every day.

Photo by Kaitlyn Huff

Cheyenne’s Craft Beverage Trail

Sip your way through the unique flavors of Cheyenne’s craft beverage scene with the Daddy of The Malt mobile pass. You’ll discover the modern-day “thirst parlors” of Cheyenne while enjoying BOGO deals on drinks at every stop. Once you redeem them all, stop at the Visit Cheyenne Visitor’s Center in the Cheyenne Depot Lobby to receive a free Daddy of the Malt stainless steel commemorative pint glass. Get your pass today.

PINTS BY THE PEAK On-Mountain Ski Bars to Check Out This Season

By Melissa Voss

Resorts are ready to offer skiers and boarders a great time on and off the boards — and convenient spots to relax those hamstrings, no matter where you are on their properties.

To that end, many resorts have taken to the slopes for on-mountain pit-stops. Breckenridge, Crested Butte, Aspen Snowmass and Steamboat Springs have standout bars and dives that invite skiers to take it easy and enjoy the mountain views.

Cruisin’ Down to Crested Butte Mountain Resort

New to the ski-bar scene? Crested Butte has you covered with two on-the-mountain bars: Paradise Warming House and Butte 66.

Bring your snow-fanatic friends down to the Paradise Warming House, located at the bottom of the Paradise Bowl. The Warming House is easily accessible to skiers of all levels, and offers a large variety of centralized food and beverage options, such as their signature chili and soups to keep you warm. The fun keeps going on the patio, where live music

Butte 66 (Photo courtesy of Crested Butte Mountain Resort)

and entertainment are always in full swing.

Looking for a spot to relax after a long ski day and just enjoy the view of Crested Butte? Just off the Red Lady Express and new to Crested Butte is Butte 66, a cozy bar with a view for anyone looking to warm up inside or spend their sipping time out on the mountain patio.

Giddy Up Down to Steamboat

Ready to embrace the aprés? Steamboat Springs offers up local favorites to visitors and locals alike at the Four Points Lodge and T Bar.

At almost two miles above sea level, Four Points lodge nestles itself perfectly in line with Storm Peak. The lodge embraces cowboy culture, honoring a vast array of historic cowboys and cowgirls. Kenzie Gard, the communications coordinator at Steamboat, explains that the lodge itself is a walking museum.

“The bar is a timeline of famous cowboys and cowgirls, and instead of pictures of the cowboys themselves, they are represented by the brushed steel replicas of their personal cowboy hats set into the bar top. So every bar stool is set in front of a historic cowboy hat. You’ll see hats ranging from Annie Oakley from the 1880s to Steamboat’s own cowboy, Billy Kidd.” Not sure what to get for a sip on the slope? Try out the famous bloody mary, crafted with their own house-made bloody mary mix.

T Bar celebrates 13 years at Steamboat this year, bringing the laid-back environment to skiers looking to relax at a local dive on the mountain, or grab a cold beer or cocktail and get back to the slopes. This local favorite offers both an inside and outside bar to fit any weather northwest Colorado experiences.

Photo courtesy of Four Points Lodge

Lynn Britt Cabin, (Photo courtesy of Aspen Snowmass)

Fun All Year Round at Aspen Snowmass

Aspen Snowmass has you covered all year with two on-themountain bar experiences.

Right up the Elk Camp Gondola is the Elk Camp restaurant on Snowmass Mountain, your one-stop shop during summer and winter. Kids can enjoy cornhole or basketball in the kid’s room or join the whole family on the “Breathtaker” Alpine Coaster that passes through a mile of Snowmass’ mid-mountain treescape. But there is more fun inside with the main bar located next to their market-style restaurant, which is convenient for grab-and-go drinks or other items if you plan to stay on the mountain a bit longer.

Looking for a cozy cabin experience with s’mores, wine and more? Look no further than the local favorite, Lynn Britt Cabin –located next to the terrain park and Spider Sabitch Race arena on Snowmass. The Lynn Britt Cabin hosts DJs on the weekends and is open longer than other restaurants up the mountain, guaranteeing a good time and a breathtaking view for your weekend ski trip. The cabin also provides private igloos that can be booked for a day, including full menu service, a bottle of champagne, and a selection of cheeses and charcuterie.

Skier’s Day Out at Breckenridge Ski Resort

The Maggie and The TBar offer unique experiences for anyone making their way down Breckenridge’s Peaks 8 and 9.

The Maggie, off of Peak 9, offers a classic beer-hall atmosphere. It takes care of skiers from dawn to dusk, with breakfast at The Waffle Shop and appetizers at the full bar.

Shining high from Peak 8, the TBar holds a more “life of the party” atmosphere for skiers. It is a popular location for classic crafts, small bites and good company.

Communications manager Julie Block notes that the location of both The Maggie and The TBar are great hangouts for those who want a pit stop before taking the party into Breckenridge. “The cool and unique thing about Breck is that you can literally ski right into town from the mountain via Peak 8 or Peak 9, so you can begin your après celebrations on the mountain and take that straight into town.”

AND A FEW OTHERS THAT ROCK

A bevy of beverage and food hotspots await skiers and boarders.

• Telluride Ski Resort - Gorrono Ranch under the Village Express Lift 4

• Vail Ski Resort - Bistro Fourteen at the Eagle’s Nest.

• Arapahoe Basin - Black Mountain Lodge at the top of the Black Mountain Express Lift

• Eldora Mountain Resort - The Lookout at the top of the Corona Lift.

• Winter Park MountainSunspot Lodge .

• Copper Mountain - T-Rex Grill at the base of the Timberline Express Lift.

Melissa Voss is a South Dakota native who recently moved to Colorado. She is currently a student at the University of Colorado Denver, following her passion for literature and writing in hopes of going into higher education.

Photo courtesy of Breckenridge Ski Resort

DRINK IN THE ART

Libations Locations with an Artistic Edge

By Jay McKinney

Making great beer is a part science, part art. But the creativity on the craft beer scene doesn’t end in the pint glasses, or even the sometimes ornate tap handles.

Many Colorado breweries also are part of the local visual arts scene. They have become galleries, wall spaces and even sales venues for artists of all kinds.

Here are the artists and ideas behind some of our favorite murals, sculptures and showcases on the craft beer scene. We hope we also inspire you to look up from the cascading bubbles in your nitro pub ale to appreciate the artistry around you as well.

WAH GWAAN BREWING COMPANY

If a brewery is going to be in the Denver Art District on Santa Fe, it’s only fitting to have it decorated with vibrant art. Those who have visited Wah Gwaan Brewing Company can easily fall in love with the amazing beer and the colorful artwork decorating the interior and exterior of the building.

The brewery was founded in 2020 by the husband-and-wife team of Jesse Brown and Harsha Maragh. Before opening the brewery, they considered themselves avid craft beer enthusiasts

Chelsea Lewinsky’s murals color the walls of Wah Gwaan Brewing in Denver.

and homebrewers as well. When COVID-19 threw a wrench in their career paths, they decided to open Colorado’s first Jamaicanthemed brewery in the heart of Denver’s thriving Art District.

The brewery didn’t officially open to the public until June of 2021, but from the beginning, the couple felt the need to make it an inviting atmosphere with conversation-starting artwork. Not knowing exactly where to start, they went on Instagram and started contacting talented artists to see if they would be interested in decorating their new business.

The artist they hired to paint the interior of the taproom was Chelsea Lewinski, who was recommended to them by their close friends at Lady Justice Brewing, where Lewinski had also done some mural art.

In the taproom, guests will feel transported to Jamaica as they sit among the vibrant portraits of popular reggae artists painted by Lewinski. The three Reggae artists painted are Koffee, an up-andcoming female musician, Damian Marley, son of reggae legend Bob Marley and a talented musician in his own right, and the everpopular Shaggy.

For the brewery’s exterior, there were four different artists who

collaborated to contribute mural art. Maragh and Brown originally reached out to Austin Zucchini-Fowler, who has done many works of art across Denver. The couple liked his style. After sharing their vision, he suggested that they include some other artists as well, and he put them in contact with Lindz and Lamb, a husband-andwife artist duo who also have ties to Jamaica. Lindz and Lamb then reached out to their friend Jake Klone, an artist from England, and he painted a crocodile on one side of the building bordering the alley.

When passing by, it’s a building that catches your eye in a neighborhood where there are more murals than blank walls. Aside from the artwork, the brewery is a great addition to the Art District on Santa Fe as they incorporate Jamaican culture through the different beers, partnerships, educational events and pop-ups in the taproom.

IRONTON DISTILLERY & CRAFTHOUSE

Denver’s RiNo neighborhood has gone through quite the transformation in the last decade, thanks to an influx of new businesses and stunning artwork lining almost every street. Nearly

Alexandrea Rangburn works on a mural outside Ironton Distillery. (Photo by Kelsey Bigelow)

five years after opening, it’s safe to say that Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse fits right in. The distillery embodies the Colorado lifestyle and has embraced the nature of the RiNo Arts District. From the interior art gallery featuring rotating artists’ work to the colorful murals decorating the exterior, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail and some artwork. Patrick Kane McGregor is the artist behind arguably the most prominent of the murals, a vibrant painting on the side of the tasting room showing Ludo, one of the distillery’s friendly dogs. The other two murals that line the property were painted by Alex Pangburn and DB Ink.

AZURA CELLARS AND GALLERY

Located in the gorgeous Paonia Valley on the Western Slope, Azura Cellars and Gallery offers guests amazing wine, unbeatable views and an impressive gallery of art. The founders, Ty and Helen Gillespie, have a fascinating story and an extensive background in art. They found their way to Colorado in 1996 when they opened an art and design studio in Minturn, which they operated for nearly 10 years. By 2006, the couple felt they had outgrown their modest studio space in Minturn and came across an abandoned miniature-burro farm in Paonia. They purchased the property overlooking the North Fork Valley and began constructing their dream studio/gallery. After meeting one of the original winemakers in the valley, Steve Rhodes, one thing led to another, and the property evolved into a winery as well. Rhodes helped immensely by sharing his knowledge and winemaking equipment and in 2007, Azura Cellars and Gallery opened to the public. Almost 15 years later, the winery/art gallery is still one of the valley’s most attractive destinations to enjoy wine, great views and a love for art.

Azura Cellars and Gallery is open daily from May through October. Bret Neal took over from Ty Gillespie as head winemaker in 2016. He has been named Colorado Winemaker of the Year, and the winery produces 10 varietals, including malbec, pinot noir, syrah, pinot gris and riesling.

Jay McKinney grew up in Sedalia and graduated from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. During his free time, he enjoys playing golf, shooting pool and hiking throughout Colorado and neighboring Utah.

Azura Cellars in Paonia is filled and surrounded with art by the winery’s owners and other regional artists.

Photo: Angie Wright

THE ZEN OF THE ICE

Photographer Dustin Doskocil captures the beauty of Colorado’s mountain lakes, and the peacefulness of ice fishing in the dead of winter. Like any angling adventure, hardwater fishing doesn’t require excessive gear, although one can certainly up their game with electric augers, shelters, heaters, fish finders and more. Before dropping a line, always drill test holes for depth, and carry safety equipment. For specific needs, visit the Colorado Parks & Wildlife site, www.cpw.state.co.us. Check out more of Doskocil’s work at doskophoto.com.

Photo: Sierra Voss

Trio brings edgy, wall-busting sounds to the stage

By Kyle Kirves

Think Colorado music is all faded jeans and dusty felt hats? Think again. The Boulder-based Velveteers bring the black leather, shiny metal, fishnets and, well, velvet to stages along the Front Range. Their edgy/fuzzy sound makes them stronger inheritors of the CBGB legacy than candidates for the next headlining gig at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. And that’s just fine.

Comprised of Boulderites Demi Demitro (vocals, guitar) and Baby Pottersmith (drums and occasionally guitar and/or keys), and now joined by Jonny Fig (drums – often the second set), the Velveteers have compiled an impressive collection that wanders from the old smoky motel hallways of straight-up rock and roll to darkened noir dancehalls on the moon – each song somewhat more enigmatic than the next.

“I kinda like keeping us mysterious,” Demitro says cryptically about the Velveteers and what fans should know about them. Odd then, that their latest release is called “See Me,” a song Demitro counts among her current favorites from their catalog. It’s a song that’s moody, ethereal, a little spooky, perhaps confessional, and certainly more restrained at the outset than a lot of other Velveteers tracks. It starts simply, progressively adding more sonic layers before capping with Demitro’s voice imploring you to see the storyteller (whomever that may be) as they really are.

While “See Me” is a current favorite, Demitro is quick to point out that her favorites change all the time – sometimes daily. “Yeah, it absolutely always changes. That’s kind of the fun thing is I have a different song that’s my favorite, like, every week – and some of those are unreleased songs.” Even that answer, baited as it is with the notion that there are unreleased tracks out there for fans to look forward to, is a bit mysterious.

What isn’t a secret is the Velveteers songwriting process, one driven by daily discipline and ritual. “I kinda like The Beatles idea of bankers hours with songwriting,” Demitro says. “I really like to make it like an everyday thing that I do. I sit down every single day and force myself to write songs. Songwriting is the one thing in my life that if I don’t do it, I feel depressed. And for me that’s just the best way for me to be creative because I’m always kind of making something and then putting my time into that.”

From there, the compositions come to the band for fleshing out and bringing it to a more realized state. “They are constantly changing. That’s the fun thing about writing an album is I’ll start out with this idea or this song and then by the time you record the album it can be completely different,” Demitro explains, “That’s just a matter of collaborating and just sometimes we’ll take the song in a completely different direction than I originally intended for it to go. It’s kind of just a spur of the moment thing.

“Sometimes the song just takes us where it needs for it to go,” she says, describing songwriting like an out-of-body experience.

When asked about favorite venues to play, Demitro hews closely to the indie aesthetic that seems woven into the very fabric of the Velveteers both musically and visually.

“I started performing out when I was 15, and my favorite or most memorable shows that I’ve played have been at DIY venues,” Demitro says. “The special thing I think about is that these places don’t always stay around forever. It’s kind of lightning in a bottle. You know sometimes they end up getting shut down. But some of the best shows and the most intimate shows I’ve had have always been at DIY venues or house shows.”

Despite those indie creds, the Velveteers are a local radio fixture, perhaps most readily recognized as the band behind “The Charmer and the Snake.” It’s the lead track on Nightmare Daydream (the 2021 album worth seeking out), produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach.

“Charmer” is an appropriately slithering and seductive song full of witchy bravado Demitro seems to relish crooning. Public opinion of the song seems to skew towards comparisons to Led Zeppelin or White Stripes, but this listener hears a bit more T. Rex in there. Still, the Velveteers are fully a 21st century act full of modern sound, imagery, lyricism, and artistry that is all their own. Comparisons miss the point.

This year promises to be big for the Velveteers, though Demitro, ever mysterious, won’t give anything away. “I’m not gonna make any promises, but we’re working on new music right now. And then in January we’re headlining the Bluebird and the Fox Theater.”

On paper, the band is one vocalist on guitar and two drummers, but the trio is more than capable of room-filling, wall-busting, sound. How they do it is just another Velveteers mystery you’ll have to try to solve for yourself.

Find the Velveteers at their official website thevelveteers. com (including tour and ticketing info), check out their videos on YouTube, or find their music online wherever you get your streaming music. Vinyl fans rejoice that their album Nightmare Daydream is available on wax from their website.

Kyle Kirves drinks beer, plays guitar, runs trails, and manages projects – all with varying degrees of success. While not a craftsman himself, he is quite content writing about the Colorado artisans who create such wonderful things and memorable experiences.

DARK STAR ORCHESTRA FEBRUARY 9-11

After celebrating its 25th anniversary, Dark Star Orchestra brings its acclaimed Grateful Dead tribute show back to Denver’s Mission

JANUARY

EMANCIPATOR, Belly Up, Aspen, Jan 1

NEAL FRANCIS, Belly Up, Aspen, Jan 2

FLUME, Belly Up, Aspen, Jan 4

THE LONE BELLOW, Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge, Feb 4

AVALON CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION: ARTRAGEOUS EXPERIENCE, Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Jan 5

FRANK RAY, Grizzly Rose, Denver, Jan 6

SPAFFORD, Public House, Crested Butte, Jan 6-7

THE FAB FOUR, Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Jan 6

TROUBLE NO MORE, Boulder Theater, Jan 6

“HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE” IN CONCERT, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Jan 6-8

MARCUS KING BAND, Belly Up, Aspen, Jan 6-8

“LITTLE WOMEN,” Lakewood Cultural Center, Jan 6-22

CASEY DONAHEW, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Jan 7

NED LEDOUX, Grizzly Rose, Denver, Jan 7

ROLLING HARVEST, Keystone, Jan 7

THE FAB FOUR, Paramount Theatre, Denver, Jan 7

THE MUSICFEST, Steamboat Springs, Jan 7-12

NATIONAL WESTERN STOCK SHOW, Denver, Jan 7-22

THE FAB FOUR, Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Jan 8

TAKÁCS QUARTET, Grusin Music Hall, Boulder, Jan 8-9

BERTHOUD SNOWFEST, Downtown Berthoud, Jan 9-15

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. TRIBUTE, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Jan 10

OLD DOMINION, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Avon, Jan 10

THE STEEL WOODS, Belly Up, Aspen, Jan 11

THEO VON, Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Jan 11-12

WINTERSKÖL, Aspen, Jan 12-15

LAURA BENANTI, Lone Tree Arts Center, Jan 13

BAROQUE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA OF COLORADO, Center for Musical Arts, Lafayette, Jan 13

Ballroom on Saturday, Feb. 11. The jam band is also playing the Belly Up in Aspen on Thursday, Feb. 9, and the 10 Mile Music Hall in Frisco on Friday, Feb. 10. darkstarorchestra.net

DIRTWIRE, Ogden Theatre, Denver, Jan 13

JOE PERA, Paramount Theatre, Denver, Jan 13

KITCHEN DWELLERS, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Jan 13

LETTUCE, Washington’s, Fort Collins, Jan 13

MY BLUE SKY, 10 Mile Music Hall, Frisco, Jan 13

THE STEEL WOODS, Moxi Theatre, Greeley, Jan 13

THEO VON, Pueblo Memorial Hall, Jan 13

YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Jan 13

CHICAGO, Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Jan 13-14

RAVEL’S “DAPHNIS ET CHLOÉ,” Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Jan 13-15

BASS PHYSICS, Bluebird Theater, Denver, Jan 14

CHRIS LORENZO, Ogden Theatre, Denver, Jan 14

GRAND JUNCTION SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PLAYS JOHN WILLIAMS, Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Jan 14

KITCHEN DWELLERS, Surf Hotel, Buena Vista, Jan 14

LETTUCE, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Jan 14

THEO VON, Paramount Theatre, Denver, Jan 14

JAZZ IS DEAD, Paramount Theatre, Denver, Jan 15

KITCHEN DWELLERS, Public House, Crested Butte, Jan 15

YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND, 10 Mile Music Hall, Frisco, Jan 15

LETTUCE, Belly Up, Aspen, Jan 15-16

GAY SKI WEEK, Aspen, Jan 15-22

COWBOY DOWNHILL, Aspen, Jan 16

R.E.S.P.E.C.T., Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Jan 17

SUKI WATERHOUSE, Bluebird Theater, Denver, Jan 18

SHEN YUN, Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Jan 18-19

CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE: LET IT BE, Lone Tree Arts Center, Jan 19

COLTER WALL, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Jan 19-20 OURAY ICE FESTIVAL, Jan 19-22

DRUNKEN HEARTS, Fox Theatre, Boulder, Jan 20

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE, Lone Tree Arts Center, Jan 20

SAMANTHA FISH, Boulder Theater, Jan 20

THE BOY BAND PROJECT, Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Jan 20

VELVETEERS, Bluebird Theater, Denver, Jan 20

“H.M.S. PINAFORE,” Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Jan 20-21

CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE: “LET IT BE,” Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Jan 21

COLORADO JAZZ REPERTORY ORCHESTRA’S “BIG BAND ROYALTY,” Arvada Center, Jan 21

DIRT MONKEY, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Jan 21

HAIRBALL, Paramount Theatre, Denver, Jan 21

HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN AND TYLER HILTON: CELEBRATING ELVIS PRESLEY’S RECORDS FROM SUN STUDIOS, Lone Tree Arts Center, Jan 21

SAMANTHA FISH, Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Jan 21

VELVETEERS, Fox Theatre, Boulder, Jan 21

SKIS AND SADDLES SKIJORING, Pagosa Springs, Jan 21-22

DRUMS OF THE WORLD, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Jan 22

“TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD,” Buell Theatre, Denver, Jan 24-Feb 5

“CHARLOTTE’S WEB,” Arvada Center, Jan 24-Mar 3

“THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY,” Pueblo Memorial Hall, Jan 25

OUR SONG, OUR STORY: THE NEW GENERATION OF BLACK VOICES WITH MUSICAL DIRECTION BY DAMIEN SNEED, Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Jan 25

MARVEL YEARS, Fox Theatre, Boulder, Jan 26

LARKIN POE, Ogden Theatre, Denver, Jan 26

CHRIS JANSON, Pueblo Memorial Hall, Jan 27

GIBNEY DANCE, Lone Tree Arts Center, Jan 27

KODO

FEB 18-19 DENVER

Having performed in more than 50 countries, Japan’s Kodo bring their “visual sound” and taiko

Photo courtesy of The Newman Center

Photo courtesy of Dark Star Orchestra

INZO, Ogden Theatre, Denver, Jan 27

BIG RICHARD, Animas City Theatre, Durango, Jan 27

WHY BONNIE AND SUN JUNE, Washington’s, Fort Collins, Jan 27

SNOWSTALK, 10 Mile Music Hall, Frisco, Jan 27-28

3 LAKES ICE FISHING CONTEST, Granby, Jan 27-29

MOZART & NOW WITH PETER OUNDJIAN, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Jan 27-29

RIO FRIO ICE FESTIVAL, Alamosa, Jan 27-29

ULLRGRASS, Parfet Park, Golden, Jan 27-29

INTERNATIONAL SNOW SCULPTURE CHAMPIONSHIPS, Breckenridge, Jan 27-Feb 1

“LAUGHS IN SPANISH,” Singleton Theatre, Denver, Jan 27-Mar 12

ADAM MELCHOR, Gothic Theatre, Englewood, Jan 28

DESERT FURS, Fox Theatre, Boulder, Jan 28

DON QUIXOTE, Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Jan 28

DREAMERS: BROOKLYN RIDER WITH MAGOS HERRERA, Lone Tree Arts Center, Jan 28

MORGAN JAMES, Two Rivers Winery & Chateau, Grand Junction, Jan 28

“THE FROG PRINCE,” Lakewood Cultural Center, Jan 28

ZEPP IS FUNK, 10 Mile Music Hall, Frisco, Jan 28-29

SNOWDOWN, Durango, Jan 29 - Feb 1

WILL SHEFF, Bluebird Theater, Denver, Jan 31

FEBRUARY

BALKAN BUMP, Animas City Theatre, Durango, Feb 1

“TOOTSIE,” Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Feb 1

WILL SHEFF, Washington’s, Fort Collins, Feb 1

“THE SECRET COMEDY OF WOMEN — GIRLS ONLY,” Garner Galleria Theatre, Denver, Feb 1-26

BÉLA FLECK AND ABIGAIL WASHBURN SONG CYCLE, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Avon, Feb 2

drums to the Newman Center for two “must feel” performances. The impressive taiko drums are a sight to see and hear. newmancenterpresents.com

U.S. REVOLUTION TOUR

JAN 23-27 COPPER MOUNTAIN

Above, Chloe Kim leaps off the halfpipe at Copper Mountain in 2021. Pro snowboarders return to Copper in late January for the U.S. Revolution tour. The event is part of a winter full of ski and snowboard competitions for pros and amateurs alike all over Colorado. Catch one of these events:

U.S. Freestyle Moguls Selection, Winter Park, Jan 6-12 Pagosa Nordic Season Opener Race, Pagosa Springs, Jan 7

U.S. Revolution Tour, Copper Mountain, Jan 23-27

Freeride World Qualifier, Steamboat Springs, Jan 26 X Games, Buttermilk, Aspen, Jan 27-29

Freeride World Qualifier, Copper Mountain, Feb 6 U.S. Revolution Tour, Buttermilk, Aspen, Feb 8-12 Gold Rush Nordic Races, Frisco, Feb 11

BILLY STRINGS, 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, Feb 2-4

AL DI MEOLA, Boulder Theater, Feb 3

SODOWN, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Feb 3

THE LONE BELLOW, Ogden Theatre, Denver, Feb 3

BÉLA FLECK AND ABIGAIL WASHBURN SONG CYCLE, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Feb 3-4

CATAPULT DANCE CONCERT, Charlotte York Irey Theatre, Boulder, Feb 3-5

COLORADO BALLET’S “LADY OF THE CAMELIAS,” Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver, Feb 3-12

CHICAGO TAP THEATRE, Lone Tree Arts Center, Feb 4

FORT COLLINS SYMPHONY, Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, Feb 4

FUTUREBIRDS, Ogden Theatre, Denver, Feb 4

LAKE CITY ICE CLIMBS FESTIVAL, Feb 4

LAKEWOOD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Lakewood Cultural Center, Feb 4

OLD MAN WINTER RALLY, Lyons, Feb 5

Email your upcoming event listings to joe@thirstcolorado.com. And check venue and event websites for updates.

Butch Cassidy Ski Chase, Telluride, Feb 11

Freeride World Qualifier, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Feb 15-16

Pine Needle Langlauf, Durango Nordic Center, Feb 18 Gothic Mountain Tour, Crested Butte, Feb 19

Power of Four Ski Mountaineering, Aspen, Feb 25

Freeride World Qualifier, Feb 28 - Mar 1

Aspen World Cup Skiing, Mar 3-5

EDEN, Ogden Theatre, Denver, Feb 7

THE PEKING ACROBATS FEATURING THE SHANGHAI CIRCUS, Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Feb 7

JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER’S “SONGS WE LOVE,” Lone Tree Arts Center, Feb 8

JUDY COLLINS, Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Feb 8

WINTER CARNIVAL, Steamboat Springs, Feb 8-12

BRETT DENNEN & JOHN CRAIGIE, The Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge, Feb 10

MAGIC CITY HIPPIES, Ogden Theatre, Denver, Feb 10

J.I.D. & SMINO, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Feb 10

PEKING ACROBATS FEATURING THE SHANGHAI CIRCUS, Lone Tree Arts Center, Feb 10

DENVER WOMEN’S CHORUS “P.S. I LOVE YOU,” Wellshire Presbyterian Church, Denver, Feb. 10-11

SOME ENCHANTED EVENING, Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Feb 10-11

BEETHOVEN’S SYMPHONY NO. 8, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Feb 10-12

“HOTTER THAN EGYPT,” Denver, Feb 10-March 12

BRANFORD MARSALIS QUARTET, Macky Auditorium, Boulder, Feb 11

BRETT

DAN CUMMINS, Paramount Theatre, Denver, Feb 11

INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT, Lone Tree Arts Center, Feb 11

MAGIC CITY HIPPIES, 10 Mile Music Hall, Frisco, Feb 11

THE 502S, Bluebird Theater, Denver, Feb 11

AURORA SYMPHONY’S FREE YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONCERT, Armory Performing Arts Center, Brighton, Feb 11-12

GRAND JUNCTION SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PERFORMS

“RE:AWAKENING,” Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Feb 11-12

DENVER WOMEN’S CHORUS “P.S. I LOVE YOU,” Broomfield Auditorium, Feb 12

INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT, Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Feb 12

THE GILMOUR PROJECT, Paramount Theatre, Denver, Feb 14

MOUNTAINTOP MATRIMONY, Loveland Ski Area, Feb 14

BYU INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCERS, Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Feb 14

INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT, Community Concert Hall, Durango, Feb 14

JEFFREY SIEGEL, Arvada Center, Feb 15

JERRY HARRISON & ADRIAN BELEW, Ogden Theatre, Denver, Feb 16

EXTASIS: TANGO TRIO, Center for Musical Arts, Lafayette, Feb 17

JERRY HARRISON & ADRIAN BELEW, Boulder Theater, Feb 17

LEFTOVER SALMON, Center for the Arts Crested Butte, Feb 17

SALT DANCE, Community Concert Hall, Durango, Feb 17

SKEGGS, Bluebird Theater, Denver, Feb 17

THE DOO WOP PROJECT, Lone Tree Arts Center, Feb 17

“A BALLET THROUGH MUD” WITH RZA AND THE COLORADO SYMPHONY, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Feb 17-18

BRUCE COCKBURN, Washington’s, Fort Collins, Feb 17-18

NOAH KAHAN, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Feb 17-18

HUNTER BURNETTE AND HEAVY DIAMOND RING, Copper Mountain, Feb 18

JOE PUG, Globe Hall, Denver, Feb 18

MARTIN SEXTON, Boulder Theater, Feb 18

WOLFORD ICE FISHING TOURNAMENT, Kremmling, Feb 18

BOULDER OPERA’S “MANON” BY MASSANET, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder, Feb 18-19

ICE FESTIVAL, Bennett Avenue, Cripple Creek, Feb 18-26

BRUCE COCKBURN, Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Feb 19

INTERGALACTIC SYMPHONY SPECTACULAR, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Feb 19

INTERNATIONAL ANIME MUSIC FESTIVAL, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Feb 19

JOE PUG, Washington’s, Fort Collins, Feb 19

YOTTO, Ogden Theatre, Denver, Feb 19

TOVE LO, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Feb 20

OUR PLANET: LIVE IN CONCERT, Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Feb 21

ASPEN LAUGH FESTIVAL, Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Feb 21-25

“STOMP,” Buell Theatre, Denver, Feb 21-26

BRIAN REGAN, Community Concert Hall, Durango, Feb 22

OUR PLANET: LIVE IN CONCERT, Paramount Theatre, Denver, Feb 22

“THE THREE MUSKETEERS,” Lakewood Cultural Center, Feb 22

“ROMEO & JULIET,” Lakewood Cultural Center, Feb. 23

BRIAN REGAN, Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Feb 23

YURIDIA, Paramount Theatre, Denver, Feb 23

AUGUSTUS, Sherbino Theatre, Ridgway, Feb 24

THE HAMMERSTEINS: A MUSICAL FAMILY, Lone Tree Arts Center, Feb 24

WOODWIND TRIO CONCERT, Two Rivers Winery & Chateau, Grand Junction, Feb 24

COLORADO NEW PLAY SUMMIT, Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex, Denver, Feb 24-25

BEETHOVEN’S EMPEROR CONCERTO, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Feb 24-26

“ANTIGONE,” Old Main Chapel, Boulder, Feb 24-26

“OUR TOWN,” Arvada Center, Feb 24 - May 21

THE MOVEMENT, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Feb 25

SAN JUAN SYMPHONY, Community Concert Hall, Durango, Feb 25

STYX, Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Feb 25

KORNIGOLD’S “DIE TOTE STADT,” Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Feb 25 - Mar 5

STYX, Paramount Theatre, Denver, Feb 26

THE MUSIC OF NAT KING COLE WITH ROBERT JOHNSON, Lakewood Cultural Center, Feb 26

10TH MOUNTAIN DAY, Ski Cooper, Feb 28

JANUARY

UllrGrass Music & Beer Festival, Golden, Jan 27-29

Denver Winter Brew Fest, Denver, Jan 28

Denver Winter Whiskey Tasting, Denver, Jan 28

FEBRUARY

Wine and Chocolate Festival, Estes Park, Feb 4

Winter Craft Beer Festival, Boulder, Feb 25

WinterWonderGrass Festival, Steamboat Springs, Feb 25

MARCH

Mile High Beer Festival, Denver, Mar 10

Collaboration Fest, Denver, Mar 25

Aprés Ski Cocktail Classic, Aspen, Mar 30 - Apr 2

APRIL

Colorado Pint Day, TBA

Wine Festival of Colorado Springs, TBA

MAY

Chalk Lines & Vines, Aurora, May 13

Denver Bacon and Beer Classic, Denver, May 20

JUNE

Highlands Ranch Beer Festival, Jun 3

Manitou Springs Wine Festival, Jun 3

Belgian Brew Fest, Bruz Beers, Denver, Jun 3

Food & Wine Classic, Aspen, Jun 16-18

Beers Made by Walking, Colorado Springs, TBA

Lake Dillon Beer Festival, TBA

Big Queer Beer Fest, Denver, TBA

Weldwerks Invitational, TBA Wellington Brewfest, TBA

Vail Craft Beer Classic, TBA

Reds, Whites and Brews in the Boat, Steamboat Springs, TBA Telluride Wine Festival, TBA

JULY

Crested Butte Wine & Food Festival, Jul 20-23

Colorado Brewers Rendezvous, Salida, Leftapalooza, Longmont, TBA

Denver Summer Brew Fest, TBA Jul-IPA, Boulder, TBA

Breckenridge Summer Beer Festival, TBA Keystone Wine & Jazz Festival, TBA Castle Rock Winefest, TBA

AUGUST

Estes Park Wine Festival, Aug 12-13

Front Range Wine Festival, Windsor, Aug 19

NoCo Brew Fest, Greeley, TBA

San Juan BrewFest, Durango, TBA

SEPTEMBER

Lafayette Brew Fest, Sep 9

Colorado Mountain Winefest, Palisade, Sep 16

All Colorado Beer Festival, Monument, TBA

Great American Beer Festival, Denver, Sep 21-23

Steers & Beers, Colorado Springs, TBA

Oktoberfest events, everywhere, all month

Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, TBA

NOVEMBER

Colorado Craft Brewers Summit

DECEMBER

Decibel Metal and Beer Festival, Denver, TBA

DENNEN & JOHN CRAIGIE, Surf Hotel, Buena Vista, Feb 11

COLORADO BEERS THAT ARE A BIG

DEAL

By Kristen Kuchar

Acraft beer generally ranges from 4 percent to 7 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), which is the percentage of alcohol in it. While the average is 5 percent ABV, many breweries produce strong, high-alcohol beers at more than 10 percent ABV. Barleywines, Belgian dark strong ales, imperial stouts and Belgian golden strong ales are a few examples of styles that typically weigh in at double-digit alcohol content. Generally meant to be sipped and savored slowly (it’s double or more the alcohol of the average beer after all), there are certainly differences to these big brews.

Charlie Gottenkieny, co-founder of Bruz Beers, says for the most part, high-gravity beers use the same ingredients as lower-alcohol beers, just more of them. “The more malted barley and brewing sugar you use, the stronger your beer will ultimately be,” he says. They appeal to many consumers because high-alcohol beers tend to be rich, interesting and drinkable, he says. “So, many like strong beers for their complex flavors, and their ability to develop over time in the bottle or can.”

Photo courtesy of WeldWerks Brewing Co.

He adds that most big beers, especially Belgians, are considerably more complex than lighter beers, with a broader range of spicy phenols (think clove or pepper) and fruity esters (think peaches, bananas, cherries). “The high alcohol also adds a bitterness that reduces the need for bittering hops.”

“Higher alcohol beers are more full-bodied than lighter beers, which can be especially nice during the cooler months,” he says.

Laura Worley, managing director and co-owner of Burns Family Artisan Ales, says that because many strong beers can be aged, it creates a new and fun interactive experience with beer, in much the same way that people enjoy cellaring wine.

“The popularity of higher alcohol beers, we hope, is because people have great experiences sipping on them,” she says, adding that despite the higher price point of bigger beers, many people feel that it’s a great value because of the intense flavor, depth and the potential of a great conversation to be had over a glass with friends.

Here are some examples of high-alcohol beers in Colorado:

Barrel-Aged Yeti | Great Divide Brewing Company

12.5 percent

ABV

Great Divide Brewing Company marketing manager Matt Sandy explains that for a higher ABV beer like Barrel Aged Yeti Imperial Stout, the recipe employs higher volumes of the ingredients used for the regular Yeti Imperial Stout (which already hits at 9.5 percent ABV). “More specialty grains equate to more fermentable sugars, which in turn leads to a beer that is higher in alcohol content,” Sandy says. “Then we age it in whiskey barrels which increases the ABV even more.”

Snowed In Coconut Stout | Copper Kettle Brewing Co.

12.5 percent

ABV

Snowed In Coconut Stout is barrel aged for a minimum of six months, the coconut is toasted in-house, and the brewer works with a local roaster for the coffee for mocha. “All in all, this is one of the most hands-on beers I’ve personally ever made,” says head brewer Greg Moore. “The result is a huge beer that is velvety smooth and bursting with flavor.”

Photo courtesy of Great Divide Brewing Co.

Photo courtesy of Copper Kettle Brewing Co.

Quadrupel | Bruz Beers

10 percent ABV

Bruz Beers produces artisanal Belgian-style ales and other Belgianinspired brews. The Quadrupel is a dark Abbey-style ale with flavors of figs, dates and caramel.

Turning The Beets | Bull & Bush Brewery

10 percent ABV

Turning The Beets is a Belgian-Style Tripel brewed with turnips and beets. The brew is aged in used Oloroso Sherry barrels from Spain.

Honey Orange Tripel | New Belgium Brewing

10 percent ABV

from 10-15 percent ABV. There were over 30 Medianoches made last year, mostly for taproom releases but also for events. Little Man Salted Oreo Medianoche, Coconut Medianoche, Medianoche Antique and Birthday Medianoche are just a handful of the past variations.

Cherry

Chocolate Imperial Stout | Dry Dock

13 percent ABV

Dry Dock’s Cherry Chocolate Imperial Stout has a base malt of Maris Otter 2-row malt that is imported from the UK, and specialty grains in the beer are also imported from England. “The barrel aging mellows the beer and rounds off its edges and adds the notes of vanilla and wood we want in the beer,” says owner Kevin DeLange.

Company.

For the Honey Orange Tripel, New Belgium sourced wild honey from the African Bronze Honey Company. Fort Collins business Old Town Spice Shop helps grind fresh Seville orange peels for the brew as well, resulting in a citrusy

Belgian-style beer.

Medianoche | WeldWerks

Brewing

10-15 percent ABV

The highly sought-

Medianoche series from WeldWerks Brewing has become a highly soughtafter Imperial Stout, each batch ranging

Zero Over Zero | Burns Family Artisan Ale

15.9 percent ABV

For Zero Over Zero, Burns Family Artisan Ales teamed up with River North Brewery. This imperial stout is aged in oak barrels from Leopold Brothers bourbon barrels. The end result is roast, oak, vanilla and caramel.

George T. Stagg Here Be Monsters | Cerebral Brewing

13.8 percent ABV

While Cerebral Brewing’s Here Be Monsters is typically aged in a blend of barrels, this particular one is kept in George T. Stagg barrels, a bold, high-rye bourbon in Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection. The Imperial Stout is aged for 27 months and has notes of vanilla caviar, cherry cordial and campfire marshmallow.

Kristen Kuchar is a freelance writer covering food, libations, music and other Colorado gatherings.

Photo: Gina Ribando, In Full Detail Photography

Photo courtesy of Dry Dock Brewing Co.

BREWERS’ FAVORITES

WHERE INSIDERS SHARE OPINIONS ON FAVORITE LIBATIONS

1Bury Me in Eldorado, 6.6% 4 Noses Brewing Company

I’m currently really liking the Bury Me in Eldorado from 4 Noses Brewing Company. I love the sweet and green fruit flavors the Eldorado hop brings through to a beer. At Sanitas, we have an ‘Experimental Hop Series’ where we create double IPAs that feature a single hop, so it’s really cool to see our friends at other breweries playing with making single-hop beers too. It gives brewers a chance to really learn the ins and outs of individual hops and the opportunity to play with new hop varieties. A great, easy-sipping IPA.

Jordan Harris, marketing director, Sanitas Brewing Company

As a Northeast boy, I love the Hazy IPAs that leave a tingle in the back of your throat. As a brewery owner I know that those are not for everyone to consume, especially in Colorado. This is one of many of Outer Range’s staples as a hazy, bitter, IPA. Combined with their mountain surrounding atmosphere, it is a full sensory experience for me that reminds me to slow down and enjoy.

Matt Miller, brewer, Sunroom Brewing

3

Shirtless Putin is a favorite beer of mine right now. With the weather turning cooler, the Dark Czech Lager hits all the roasty and dark malt flavors that I want, but the beer remains super crushable and crisp.

Sam Nicholson, owner and head brewer, Old 121 Brewhouse

6

Right now the beer I am most stoked on, despite my lack of access to it, is Cohesion’s 10° (with a foam shot of Tmave on the side). As a huge fan of traditional styles and techniques, Cohesion is now among my favorites as they execute Czech lager from grain to glass so perfectly. Luckily, I don’t live in Denver because between Cohesion, Bierstadt, and Hogshead I would have too many places to spend too much money on beautifully made beer.

Andy Astor, keg orator, Elevation Beer Co.

This was one of the beers that developed my love and passion for Belgian-style ales. Being an imperial saison, this beer is well balanced with hop aromas of passion fruit and mango that blends so well with the traditional pepper and ginger notes of the saison style. I could drink this beer anytime of the year whether it’s cold and dark, or hot and sunny outside.

Pat Donahue, brewer, Carbondale Beer Works

In a world of hazy dry hops and crispy yellow liquid, one of my favorite Colorado beers is - get this - a brown ale. Telluride Brewing Company’s Face Down Brown is definitely a fridge fixture for me, and has to be one of the best readily available offerings in the state. Face Down has a rich malt profile, while still being balanced by Noble and American hop character, and is dry enough to have you reaching for a second glass.

Riley O’Connor, lead brewer, Zuni Street Brewing Company

5Tropic King Saison, 8% ABV Funkwerks

Shirtless Putin Catchin’ Rays, 5.3% Call to Arms Brewing Company

4Cohesion 10º, 3.9% ABV Cohesion Brewing Co.

2In the Steep, 6.7% Outer Range Brewing Company

Face Down Brown, 5.7% ABV Telluride Brewing Co.

Gerard’s Pool Hall in Denver.

RACK ‘EM UP 8 Pool Halls to Hit

Storiy and Photos By Jay McKinney

The game of pool requires concentration and the ability to see your next shot as you duel an opponent. From pool sharks looking to make some cash to casual bar patrons, everyone can find enjoyment in a victorious pool game. Here are eight pool halls to rack ‘em up.

TARANTULA (DENVER)

With a prominent downtown location on the corner of Stout and 15th Streets, Tarantula Billiards is a popular attraction for players of all skill levels. It has an abundance of pool tables and a vibrant atmosphere with the art decorated walls and flags strung from the ceiling. Tarantula and its sister location, Zanzibar, take credit for being the first pool halls to offer free pool in the Denver area, while growing the game in doing so. With a purchase of food or drink, patrons can play for free daily. However, Tarantula does charge $10/hour per table on Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.

ZANZIBAR (DENVER)

Across downtown, Zanzibar is located just a couple of blocks from Coors Field in the Ballpark District on Larimer Street. It delivers the same welcoming atmosphere and free pool with the purchase of food or drink that Tarantula does, including 11 Gold Crown tables. In addition to the pool, patrons can enjoy shuffleboard, foosball, air hockey and arcade games while sipping one of the 20 beers offered on tap.

FELT (ENGLEWOOD)

Felt is a premier pool hall located in the heart of Englewood. The expansive location boasts an amazing restaurant menu, over 20 tournament quality tables, and a variety of other games including skeeball, arcade basketball, foosball and more. Felt also has a great bar, with 10 beers on tap and some of the best prices in the neighborhood. There are a variety of tournament options throughout the week on both seven-foot and nine-foot tables.

MATCHUPS POOL HALL (FORT COLLINS)

For pool sharks in northern Colorado, Matchups Pool Hall in Fort Collins has everything one could ask for. The pool hall is proud of its quality tables with ample lighting and some of the best public cues. Matchups also hosts leagues MondayFriday along with weekly 8-ball and 9-ball tournaments. For the serious billiard locals, they offer lockers to rent out for $25/year so that they can store their custom cues and other playing necessities. Aside from the great pool, Matchups also has darts, a substantial restaurant menu and an amazing crew of talented bartenders.

GERARD’S (DENVER)

Gerard’s Pool Hall may be Denver’s best kept secret. This elegant hall is in an unlikely location in the alley between Walnut and Larimer Streets. Inside, seven Brunswick tables and the Victorian-inspired bar provide a classy setting to meet with friends and play a game of pool. The walls are decorated with historic billiard related photographs that pay homage to the sport’s rich history that the late co-owner Gerard Encinas wished to preserve through this location. Encinas unfortunately passed away in 2021 but his love for pool was undeniable and his legacy will carry on through this incredible pool hall.

MILE HIGH BILLIARDS (ARVADA)

Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Mile High Billiards is the neighborhood billiard hub that everyone wishes they had. There are four 9-foot regulation size Diamond pool tables, twelve 3.5x7-foot Diamond Bar tables, one 6x12-foot. Brunswick Snooker Table and, last but not least, the only two 3-cushion billiard tables in the metro area. A variety of tables to play on, paired with an extensive daily happy hour (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.) will erase any thoughts of going home.

RAC’M (COLORADO SPRINGS)

Rac’m is the pool hall for serious players and occupies the former location of Sticks Billiards in northeastern Colorado Springs. Rac’m was opened in October of 2021, by Christina Hubler and her pool-shooting family, Rick, Angie and Monique. Using each of their first

initials and seeking a pool themed name, they came up with the name RAC’M. Christina is an avid player who fell in love with the game – and her husband –nearly 15 years ago after meeting at a pool hall. Rick has been playing for almost 30 years and the couple has competed in tournaments together and passed their love of the game on to their two daughters. Rac’m has 16 tables, 4 dart boards, a full bar and its kitchen specialty is panini sandwiches.

ZOOSTER’S PUB AND POOL HALL (BROOMFIELD)

Established in 1998 by two sisters with a love for billiards, Zooster’s Pub and Pool Hall has been a popular spot for shooters in the metro area for more than 20 years. The bar had a shift in ownership when the Garcia family bought it in 2013, but the reputation for being an inviting pool hall did not change. Zooster’s prides itself on its 11 well-maintained Diamond pool tables and a friendly staff that keeps people coming back. Ten big screen televisions line the walls with sports always being shown. During Zooster’s happy hour that runs Monday-Friday from 3-6 pm, players enjoy half price on the hourly table rental and a dollar off domestic pints.

Jay McKinney grew up in Sedalia and graduated from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. During his free time, he enjoys playing golf, shooting pool and hiking throughout Colorado and neighboring Utah.

Tarantula Billiards in Denver.

Felt pool hall in Englewood.

BEERS WITHOUT THE BUZZ

Colorado’s Non-Alcoholic

Beer Scene is Growing

By Kristen Kuchar

The non-alcoholic (NA) beer scene in the U.S. has soared in recent years and isn’t slowing down. In fact, the market is projected to reach more than $23 billion in 2025. A desire for healthier drink options and less alcohol consumption is certainly a part of the surge, but another possible reason for this popularity is the improved quality and taste of NA brews.

Keith Villa, founder of Arvada-based Ceria Brewing, saw a lot of potential in the alcohol-free space with a growing number of people wanting to reduce or eliminate alcohol. Villa created the

popular Blue Moon back in 1995 while at Coors Brewing Company, now known as MolsonCoors. He retired from Blue Moon in 2017 and created the brewery dedicated solely to making alcohol-free beers.

The goal was creating an alcohol-free beer that still maintained a good body, taste and smell, similar to alcoholic beer. With his Blue Moon background, kicking off with a Belgian-style white ale, known as Grainwave, was a no-brainer, he says. The alcoholfree beer has an aroma of coriander and orange peel and a taste

of slightly sweet maltiness followed up by citrus, coriander and bitterness. It’s a really nice feeling on the palate, he adds, and it tastes great served with a sliced orange.

The popularity of IPAs led to his second beer, Indiewave, which is dry-hopped with Citra and Amarillo hops. “You get this initial very hoppy aroma,” Villa says. His beers are pasteurized to protect the beer against bacteria or wild yeast, and the process also prevents the chance of cans starting to bulge or explode.

By the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau’s (TTB) definition of non-alcoholic beer, it can have up to 0.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). But Ceria’s brews are completely alcohol free, making it a go-to option for those who don’t want a trace of alcohol for medical, religious or other personal reasons. It provides options, Villa says, for someone who wants to spend a week completely sober.

“You don’t absolutely need alcohol to have fun,” Villa says. He adds people can enjoy these beers and socialize while still being alcohol-free, or grab a beer at lunch and go back to work. For Villa, who studied beer making in Belgium, producing non-alcoholic beers is also a platform to produce cannabis beers, which are sold in dispensaries.

For Steve Indrehus, president of Tommyknocker Brewery, the concept for producing non-alcoholic beer actually started while shipping concentrated beer to Finland, at the same time the idea of “better-for-you” beverages exploded.

He opted to create a non-alcoholic Blood Orange IPA since the Idaho Springs brewery’s full-strength version is its number one beer. With less than 0.5 percent ABV, the NA beer is brewed with Citra, Summit, Mandarina Bavaria, Mosaic and Chinook hops as well as blood orange peels. The beer has received a lot of positive feedback from consumers.

“The whole non-alcoholic category is still surging,” Indrehus says, adding that the technology for NA beers is getting better and better. These non-alcoholic beers aren’t necessarily only for those not consuming any alcohol, he points out. For example, a beer drinker is out to dinner and wants to have a full-strength IPA, he says. If they’re done with alcohol after that one, but still want something that packs flavor and complements the meal, a NA beer could be a good option. “It gives a consumer more control over their beverage choices,” he says.

Another time that NA beer is a go-to for Indrehus is for a beverage after endurance sports. Finishing a 10-mile run bright

and early in the morning, it feels better for him to opt for a nonalcoholic option.

Entrepreneur Anika Sawni says the inspiration for starting Grüvi came from something many have experienced at some point — situations in which you don’t feel like drinking for one reason or another. The co-founder and director of marketing wanted more interesting options when she didn’t want alcohol.

“We quickly realized the category was lacking innovation and a whole lot of love, and saw this amazing opportunity to create something new,” she says. In addition to NA beers, Grüvi also produces red wine, bubbly rose, sangria and dry secco.

Non-alcoholic beers include Juicy IPA, Golden Lager, Mocha Nitro Stout and Weekday Wit.

Golden Lager is a top seller and was selected as the Best Non-Alcoholic Beer, winning the Gold Medal at the World Beer Cup. Grüvi was also the first NA craft beer company to develop a nitrogen-dosed non-alcoholic beer Mocha Nitro Stout.

Sawni says that customer feedback is a huge part of how recipes are perfected. For example, after the first batch of the Juicy IPA, people said they wanted the tropical flavors and pineapple notes to shine through. So, for the second batch, that was taken into consideration.

Oskar Blues Brewery also recently released Hardly, available at the Longmont taproom. The non-alcoholic pilsner has a mild hop presence and a distinct floral hop aroma. “We have been exploring the possibility of making an NA beer for years in order to give OB beer drinkers more options,” says Aaron Baker, senior marketing manager at Oskar Blues. “We’re stoked to continue working on this project in order to get it exactly right.”

Kristen Kuchar is a freelance writer covering food, libations, music and other Colorado gatherings.

Keith Villa (photo courtesy of Ceria Brewing)

GREAT TASTING BEVERAGES WITH FEWER CALORIES AND LESS ALCOHOL

By Kristen Kuchar

In the last several years, the “better-for-you” drink category has exploded with consumers looking for a variety of healthier alternatives to traditional beverages. Options include less sugar, fewer calories and low or no alcohol, to name a few. The words low calorie and craft beer are seldom used in the same sentence, but these Colorado-made brews are showing that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor for a healthconscious drink.

Low Light Lager –

Elevation Beer Co.

Elevation Beer Co.’s Low Light Lager has the least alcohol in this group at only 3.8 percent ABV. The beer is described as everything you’d anticipate and want from a lowcalorie and low-carb beer at 101 calories and 5.3 grams of carbs. The Poncha Springs brewery utilizes North American barley, corn, and German Tettnanger hops for this drinkable brew.

Good Behavior Crushable IPA – Odell Brewing

At just 4 percent ABV and 110 calories, Odell Brewing’s Crushable IPA is a lower-calorie option that still has a light and creamy body and crisp finish. For this year-round brew, Odell set out to make an IPA that has bright hop flavor but is also sessionable. The Fort Collins brewery also offers suggestions on healthy food pairings to accompany it, including a citrus and fennel salad and spicy Thai food.

Dayboard Lager –Dry Dock Brewing

Dry Dock Brewing’s Dayboard Lager is made with two-row malt and Munich malt, the latter to provide a delicate toasty note. It’s hopped with Ekuanot hops that provide notes of citrus and pine. Brewers use an enzyme in the making of the lager that reduces the carbs down to just 3 carbs and gets the beer under 110 calories, while greatly reducing the gluten. The 4.5 percent ABV brew is available on draft and in cans year-round.

Stem Cider

Stem Cider has not one but three options for a 100-calorie cider. Real Light is the cidery’s take on its classic Real Dry Cider, but with less calories and only 4.6 percent ABV versus the original 6.8 percent. As part of the Botanical cider series, Carrot Ginger Turmeric and Leaves, a blend of fresh pressed apples, lemongrass, lemon verbena botanicals and fresh brewed oolong and black teas, both come in at 4.2 percent ABV with no added sugar and 2 grams of carbs.

Mile High Cider — Colorado Cider Company

Colorado Cider Company produces a wide variety of ciders, from heirloom blends to rum- and whiskeybarrel aged ones. But for a lower calorie option, the Mile High Cider has just 105 calories, 2 grams of carbs and 5.28 percent ABV. The gluten-free drink is made of freshly pressed apple juice, Colorado beet sugar and yeast.

Thin Air IPA — Pikes Peak Brewing

Thin Air IPA is the lowest-calorie beer on the list, with just 95 and less than 2 grams of carbs. It’s dry-hopped with Mosaic, Cascade and Citra hops for a nice citrus flavor. The Session IPA comes in at 4 percent ABV but is described as a full-flavored IPA. It’s available all year and served on tap at the Monument brewery.

Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer — Tivoli Brewing Company

You can trace Tivoli Brewing Company’s history back to 1859, but that doesn’t mean the brewery isn’t keeping up with current industry trends. The Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer is described as a modernized light lager with tasting notes of crisp, light and smooth. The beer weighs in at only 105 calories with 5 carbs and is 4.2 percent ABV per 12-ounce serving.

Little Rascal — Avery Brewing Company

Little Rascal is inspired by Avery Brewing’s popular White Rascal. Except this Belgianstyle White Ale has less alcohol at 4.5 percent ABV and fewer calories with only 100 per can. It gets a citrus kick being brewed with Citron Limon, Meyer lemon and Lemondrop hops. This session ale is available in 6-pack cans.

BREWERIES

DENVER

BAKER/SOUTH BROADWAY

Baere Brewing Co

Banded Oak Brewing Co

Dos Luces Brewery

Grandma’s House

Lowdown Brewery + Kitchen ●

Novel Strand Brewing Co

Platt Park Brewing Co ● Public Offering Brewing ●

Ratio Beerworks ●

So Many Roads Museum and Brewery ●

The Post Chicken and Beer ●

TRVE Brewing Co

CAPITOL HILL/E COLFAX/ PARK HILL

Bruz Off Fax

Cerebral Brewing ● ●

Counter Culture Brewery & Grille ●

Fiction Beer Co ●

Long Table Brewhouse ●

Pints Pub ●

Reverence Brewing Co

Station 26 Brewing Co ●

Vine Street Pub & Brewery ●

DENVER INT’L AIRPORT

Boulder Beer Tap House ● Breckenridge Brewery ●

Denver Chophouse and Brewery ●

Great Divide Brewhouse and KItchen ●

New Belgium Brewing ● SweetWater Mountain Taphouse ● Tivoli Taphouse ●

FIVE POINTS

MobCraft Dee Tacko ● Spangalang Brewery ● Woods Boss Brewing ●

LODO

AC Golden Brewing Co

Cervecería Colorado

Denver Beer Co ●

Denver Chophouse & Brewery ●

Great Divide Brewing Co ● ●

Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery ●

Rock Bottom Denver ● Sandlot Brewery

Smash Face Brewing ● Wynkoop Brewing Co ●

MILE HI/AURARIA

Briar Common Brewery + Eatery ●

Burns Family Artisan Ales

Little Machine Beer ●

Odell Brewing Sloan’s Lake ●

Raices Brewing Co

Seedstock Brewery ● ●

Strange Craft Beer Co ● ● Tivoli Brewing ● Zuni St. Brewing Co ● ●

NORTHEAST DENVER

Danico Brewing ● FlyteCo Tower ●

J. Moe’s Italian Bistro and Brewery ●

River North Wash. St. Taproom ●

NORTHWEST DENVER

Amalgam Brewing

Berkeley Alley Beer Co.

Bruz Beers ●

Call to Arms Brewing Co ● Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project

Denver Beer Co Canworks ● Diebolt Brewing Co ● ●

The Empourium Brewing Co

FlyteCo Brewing ● Goldspot Brewing Co ● ●

Grateful Gnome Sandwich Shoppe + Brewery ● Hogshead Brewery ● Oasis Brewing Co ● ●

Prost Brewing Co. & Biergarten●

RINO

14er Brewing

Altitude Brewing & Supply Bierstadt Lagerhaus ●

Black Shirt Brewing Co ● ● Blue Moon Brewing Co ● ●

Cohesion Brewing Co ●

Great Divide Brewing Co ● ●

Left Hand Brewing Co ●

Mockery Brewing ●

New Belgium - The Woods at the Source

Odell Brewing Co

Our Mutual Friend

Ratio Beerworks ● River North Brewery

SOUTHEAST DENVER

Bull and Bush Brewery ● ●

Comrade Brewing ● comradebrewing.com 720.748.0700

7677 E Iliff Ave Denver

Copper Kettle Brewing Co ● Denver Beer Co ●

SOUTHWEST DENVER

Black Sky Brewery ● Chain Reaction Brewing Co ●

Renegade Brewing Co Wah Gwaan Brewing Co.

DENVER SUBURBS

ARVADA

Denver Beer Co

Elevated Seltzer ● ● LUKI Brewery

New Image Brewing ● Odyssey Beerwerks ● ● Resolute Brewing Tap & Cellar ●

Someplace Else Brewery Spice Trade Brewing at Yak & Yeti ●

AURORA

A Bit Twisted Brewpub ● Bent Barley Brewing Co BJ’s ●

Cheluna Brewing Co Dry Dock Brewing Co North Dock ● Dry Dock Brewing Co South Dock ●

Jade Mountain Brewing Co

Lady Justice Brewing

Launch Pad Brewery

Second Dawn Brewing Six Capital Brewing & BBQ ● Ursula Brewing Co

BRIGHTON

Big Choice Brewing Flood Stage Ale Works ● Something Brewery

BROOMFIELD

4 Noses Brewing Co ● Gordon Biersch ● Rails End Beer Co ● ● Wonderland Brewing Co ● ●

CASTLE ROCK

105 West Brewing Co ● Burly Brewing ● ●

The Elizabeth Brewing Co Great Divide Brewery & Roadhouse

Iron Mule Brewery

Rockyard Brewing Co ● Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co ●

CENTENNIAL/GREENWOOD

VILLAGE/HIGHLANDS

Rock Bottom Highlands Ranch ● Spice Trade Brewing Co

Two22 Brew ●

EDGEWATER/WHEAT RIDGE

Barquentine Brewing Co Brewery Rickoli ●

Colorado Plus Brew Pub ● ● Joyride Brewing Co ●

ENGLEWOOD AREA

Brewability Lab ● ●

Dead Hippie Brewing ● Peak View Brewing Co

Sunroom Brewing

FREDERICK

Mirror Image Brewing Co Mountain Cowboy Brewing Co

GOLDEN

Barrels and Bottles Brewery ● Cannonball Creek Brewing Co ● Coda Brewing Coors Brewing Co Golden City Brewery ●

Holidaily Brewing Co

Holidailybrewing.com 303.278.BEER 801 Brickyard Cir., Golden

Mountain Toad Brewing ● New Terrain Brewing ● ● Ohm Brewing

Over Yonder Brewing

LAKEWOOD

6 and 40 Brewery

Great Frontier Brewing Co

Green Mountain Beer Co Landlocked Ales Old 121 Brewhouse Westfax Brewing Co

LITTLETON AREA

Blue Spruce Brewing Co Breckenridge Brewery ● Coal Mine Ave. Brewing Co

Comet Brews ●

Jackass Hill Brewery ●

Welcome Home Brewery

WESTMINSTER

BJ’s ●

Frolic Brewing Co ●

Kokopelli Beer Co ● ● Westminster Brewing Co Windfall Brewing Co

BOULDER COUNTY

Busey Brews - Nederland

Echo Brewing Co - Erie ●

Fritz Family Brewers - Niwot

Howlin Wind Brewing and Blending - Rollinsville

Industrial Revolution Brewing - Erie Knotted Root Brewing Co - Nederland

MainStage Brewing - Lyons ●

Oskar Blues Grill & Brew - Lyons

Very Nice Brewing - Nederland ●

BOULDER

Asher Brewing Co

Avery Brewing ●

Beyond the Mountain Brewing Co

BJ’s ● Boulder Social ●

Finkel & Garf Brewing Co

Kettle and Spoke Brewery

Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery ● Oskar Blues Taproom ● ● Sanitas Brewing Co ● ● Southern Sun ● Stein Brewing Co

The Post Chicken and Beer ● Twisted Pine Brewing ● ● Unnamed Beer Co Uhl’s Brewing Co

Upslope Brewing Co ● ● Vision Quest Brewing Co Wild Provisions Beer Project

LAFAYETTE

Cellar West Artisan Ales ●

Front Range Brewing ● ● Liquid Mechanics ● ● Odd 13 Brewing Inc ● ●

The Post Brewing Co ● ●

Westbound and Down Brewing Co

RANCH

3 Freaks Brewery ● Blue Spruce Brewing Co ● ● Grist Brewing Co ●

Halfpenny Brewing Co ● ●

Holidaily Brewing Taproom

Little Dry Creek Brewery ● Lone Tree Brewing Co

Los Dos Potrillos Mexican Restaurant y Cerveceria ● Prost Brewing Co & Biergarten

Resolute Brewing Co

Rock Bottom Centennial ●

Lariat Lodge Brewing

Living the Dream Brewing Co

Locavore Beer Works

Los Dos Potrillos Mexican Restaurant y Cerveceria ●

NORTHGLENN/THORNTON

Mother Tucker Brewery ● ● Satire Brewing Co ● ●

PARKER

Barnett and Son Brewing Co ● ●

Downhill Brewing Co ●

Los Dos Potrillos Mexican Restaurant y Cerveceria ●

LONGMONT

300 Suns Brewing ●

Bootstrap Brewing ● ● Collision Brewing Co ●

Grossen Bart Brewery ● ● Knuckle Puck Brewing Left Hand Brewing Co ●

Oskar Blues Brewing ● Outworld Brewing Primitive Beer Pumphouse Brewery ●

LIBATIONS LISTINGS

Shoes and Brews

The Post Chicken and Beer

Wibby Brewing ● ●

LOUISVILLE

12Degree Brewing ●

Crystal Springs Brewing Co

Gravity Brewing ● ●

Mother Tucker Brewery ●

Redgarden Restaurant & Brewery ●

S. FRONT RANGE

BierWerks Brewery - Woodland Park ● ●

Crafty Canary Brewery - Walsenburg

Florence Brewing - Florence

Funky Town Brewing - Florissant

Manitou Brewing - Manitou Springs ●

Paradox Beer Co - Divide ●

Paradox Beer Co., Trinidad Outpost

World’s End Brewing Co - Cañon City

COLORADO SPRINGS

Atrevida Beer Co ●

Batch Slapped Brewery / Cidery

Battle Mountain Brewing ●

Bell Brothers Brewing

Black Forest Brewing Co ●

Brass Brewing Co ●

Bristol Brewing ● Cerberus Brewing Co ●

Cogstone Brewing Co ● ●

Colorado Mountain Brewery ●

Dueces Wild Brewery ●

Father & Sons Brewery ●

FH Beerworks ●

Fossil Craft Beer Co ●

Goat Patch Brewing Co ●

JAKs Brewing Co ●

Local Relic ●

Lost Friend Brewing ●

Mash Mechanix Brewing

Metric Brewing ● Nano 108 ●

OCC Brewing

Peaks N Pines Brewing Co ●

Phantom Canyon ● ●

Pikes Peak Brewing Co ● ●

Red Leg Brewing ●

Red Swing Brewhouse

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ●

Rocky Mountain Brewery ●

Smiling Toad Brewery ●

Storybook Brewing ●

Trinity Brewing ●

Wackadoo Brewing

Whistle Pig Brewing Co ● ●

PUEBLO

Brues Alehouse Brewing Co ● ●

Reservoir Brewing Co

Shamrock Brewing ●

Walter’s Brewery & Taproom

N. FRONT RANGE

High Hops Brewery - Windsor ●

Peculier Ales - Windsor ● ●

Sheaf & Kettle Brewery - Eaton

Timnath Beerwerks - Timnath

ESTES PARK

Avant Garde Aleworks

Estes Park Brewery ●

Lumpy Ridge Brewing Co

The Post Chicken and Beer ● Rock Cut Brewing Co

FORT COLLINS

Anheuser-Busch

BJ’s ●

Black Bottle Brewery ●

Coopersmith’s Pub & Brewing ●

Crooked Stave Brewing

DC Oakes Brewhouse & Eatery ●

Envy Brewing

Equinox Brewing ● Funkwerks

Gilded Goat Brewing Co

Hello Brew Co

Horse & Dragon Brewing Co

Intersect Brewing

Jessup Farm Barrel House ●

The Marmot Fort Collins

Maxline Brewing

Mythmaker Brewing

New Belgium Brewing Co ● ●

Odell Brewing Co ● ●

Peculier Ales

Pitchers Brewery ●

The Post Chicken and Beer ●

Prost Brewing Co

Purpose Brewing

Rally King Brewing

Ramskeller Brewery ●

Snowbank Brewing

Stodgy Brewing Co ●

SweetWater Brewery

Zwei Brewing Co ● ●

GREELEY

Crabtree Brewing ● ●

Green Earth Brewing

Rule 105 Brewing Co ●

Tightknit Brewing Co ● ●

WeldWerks Brewing Co

Wiley Roots Brewing Co ●

Yetters Brewing

LOVELAND/BERTHOUD

Berthoud Brewing Co

Big Beaver Brewing Co ●

Big Thompson Brewery

City Star Brewing ● Crow Hop Brewing

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse Loveland Aleworks

Rock Bottom ●

Rock Coast Brewery

Sky Bear Brewery and Pub Verboten Brewing Co

CENTRAL COLORADO

Browns Canyon Brewing - Buena Vista

Eddyline Brewery - Buena Vista ●

Elevation Beer Co - Poncha Springs ● Mad Jack’s Mtn Brewery - Bailey ● ●

South Park Brewing Co - Fairplay ● Two Mile Brewing Co - Leadville ●

SALIDA

Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub ● Soulcraft Brewing Tres Litros Beer Co

SOUTHWEST

Avalanche Brewing Co - Silverton ● Bottom Shelf Brewery - Bayfield ●

Colorado Boy Brewery - Montrose, Ridgway ●

Dolores River Brewery - Dolores ● ● Golden Block Brewery - Silverton ● Horsefly Brewing Co - Montrose ● ●

Lake City Brewing - Lake City Mancos Brewing Co - Mancos ● San Juan Brews - Montrose

Smuggler’s Brewpub - Telluride ● Square Peg Brewerks - Creede Stoik Beer Co - Delta Stronghouse Brew Pub - Telluride Telluride Brewing Co - Telluride Three Barrel Brewing Co - Del Norte ●

CORTEZ

J. Fargo’s Family Dining & Micro Brewery ● Main Street Brewery & Restaurant ● WildEdge Brewing Collective

DURANGO

Anarchy Brewing

Animas Brewing Co ● Carver Brewing Co ● Durango Beer and Ice Co Ska Brewing Co ● ● Steamworks Brewing Co ●

GUNNISON/CRESTED BUTTE

The Eldo Brewpub & Venue ● ● High Alpine Brewing Co ● Irwin Brewing Co

OURAY

Colorado Boy Southwest Pub ●

Ouray Brewery ●

Ourayle House Brewery

Red Mountain Brewing ●

PAGOSA SPRINGS

The Break Room Brewing Co Pagosa Brewing Co ● Riff Raff Brewing ● ●

ALAMOSA

The Colorado Farm Brewery

San Luis Valley Brewing ● Square Peg Brewerks

PAONIA

Chrysalis Barrel Aged Beer Paonia United Brewing Co

NORTHEAST

Parts & Labor Brewing Co - Sterling

Tumbleweed Brewing & Wine - Yuma

NORTHWEST

Camber Brewing Co - Fraser

Fraser River Beer Co - Fraser

Grand Adventure Brewing - Kremmling

Never Summer Brewing Co - Granby Smoking River Brewing Co - Meeker

Vicious Cycle Brewing - Fraser World’s End Brewpub - Grand Lake Yampa Valley Taproom - Craig

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS

Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill ● Mountain Tap Brewery ● Storm Peak Brewing Co Yampa Valley Brewing Co

WINTER PARK

Big Trout Brewing Co

Hideaway Park Brewery

The Peak Bistro & Brewery ●

I-70 CORRIDOR

EAGLE COUNTY

7 Hermits Brewing Co - Vail ●

Vail Brewing Co - Vail ● ●

ASPEN/CARBONDALE/ GLENWOOD SPRINGS

Aspen Brewing Co ●

Ball Brewing

Capitol Creek Brewery ●

Carbondale Beer Works ●

Casey Brewing and Blending

Glenwood Canyon Brew Pub ●

Roaring Fork Beer Co ●

GRAND JUNCTION

Base Camp Beer Works

Edgewater Brewery ●

Foam & Folly Brewing

Gemini Beer Co

Kannah Creek Brewing Co ●

Ramblebine Brewing Co ●

The Rockslide Restaurant and Brewery ●

GRAND MESA AREA

Base Camp Provisions - Fruita ●

Copper Club Brewing Co - Fruita ●

Dented Face Brewing Co - Delta

Mad Russian Brewing Co - Olathe Palisade Brewing Co ● ●

Suds Brothers Brewery - Fruita ● ●

CENTRAL

CITY/GEORGETOWN/ IDAHO SPRINGS

Cabin Creek Brewing - Georgetown ● Dostal Alley Saloon & Gambling Emporium - Central City ●

Guanella Pass Brewing - Georgetown Tommyknocker Brewery & PubIdaho Springs ●

Westbound & Down Brewing Co - Idaho Springs ●

EVERGREEN

El Rancho Brewing Co ● Evergreen Brewery ● Lariat Lodge Brewing ● ●

SUMMIT COUNTY

Angry James Brewing - Silverthorne

The Baker’s Brewery - Silverthorne ●

Breckenridge Brewery & Pub ●

Broken Compass Brewing - Breck.

Dillon Dam Brewery - Dillon ● ●

HighSide Brewing - Frisco ● ●

Outer Range Brewing Co - Frisco ●

Pug Ryan’s Brewery - Dillon ●

Steep Brewing & Coffee - Keystone ● Syndicate Brewing Co - Silverthorne

DISTRIBUTION ONLY

Ceria Brewing

Dive Bar Brewing Co

Donovan Brewing Co

Idylwilde Brewing

New Planet Beer

Saint Patrick’s Brewing

Sleeping Giant Brewing

DISTILLERIES

DENVER/BOULDER

52Eighty Distilling - Littleton

Abbott & Wallace - Longmont

Anders’ Vodka - Parker

Archetype Distillery - Denver

Arta Tequila - Englewood atöst Lounge - Golden

Ballmer Peak Distillery - Lakewood Bear Creek Distillery - Denver

The Block Distilling Co - Denver

Boulder Spirits by Vapor Distillery - Boulder

Branch & Barrel DistillingCentennial

Conflagration Distilling - Wheat Ridge

Copper Sky Distillery - Longmont

Deki Distillery - Lafayette

Denver Distillery - Denver

DV8 Distillery - Boulder

Deviation Distilling - Denver

Devil’s Head Distillery - Englewood

Downslope Distilling - Centennial Dry Land Distillers - Longmont

The Family Jones Spirit HouseDenver ●

Gold Dirt Distillery - Rollinsville

Golden Moon Distillery - Golden Hogback Distillery - Wheat Ridge

J & L Distilling Co - Boulder

Ironton Distillery - Denver

Laws Whiskey House - Denver Leopold Bros - Northeast Denver

Longtucky Spirits - Longmont

Mad Rabbit Distillery - Westminster Mile High Spirits - Lodo

Molly Brown Spirits - Denver Mythology Distillery - Denver ●

Rising Sun Distillery - Denver

Rocker Spirits - Littleton Spirit Hound Distillers - Lyons State 38 Distilling - Golden Stranahan’s - South Denver

Strongwater Spirits & Botanicals - Denver

Talnua Distillery - Arvada

Tighe Brothers Distillery - Denver Tingala - Denver

Vanjak Vodka - Golden Whistling Hare DistilleryWestminster ●

NORTHERN COLORADO

477 Distilling - Greeley

Blue Valley Spirits - Kremmling

Coyote Gold Margaritas - Fort Collins

Coppermuse Distillery - Fort Collins

Elevation 5003 Distillery - Fort Collins

Elkins Distilling Co - Estes Park

Feisty Spirits - Fort Collins

The Heart Distillery - Windsor

Mobb Mountain Distillers - Fort Collins

NOCO Distillery - Fort Collins

Old Elk Distillery - Fort Collins

Old Town Distilling - Fort Collins

Spring 44 Distilling - Loveland

Steamboat Whiskey Co - Steamboat Spring ●

Syntax Spirits - Greeley

Tower 56 Distilling - Greeley

SOUTHERN COLORADO

3 Hundred Days of Shine - Monument

1350 Distilling - Colo. Springs

Art of the Spirits Colorado WhiskeyWoodland Park Axe and the Oak - Colo. Springs

Black Bear Distillery - Green Mountain Falls

Blackhat Distillery - Colo. Springs

Deerhammer Distilling Co - Buena Vista

Distillery 291 - Colo. Springs

Lee Spirits - Colo. Springs

Meridiem Spirits - Elizabeth

Mystic Mountain Distillery - Larkspur

Sand Creek Distillery - Hugo Sangre Distilleries - Westcliffe Spirits of the Rockies - Pueblo

The Gypsy Room - Colo. Springs

Woods High Mountain Distillery woodsdistillery.com 719.207.4315 144 W 1st Salida

WESTERN SLOPE

10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co - Vail

39 North Spirits - Eagle

808 Distillery - Eagle

Durango Craft Spirits - Durango Fraser Valley Distilling fraservalleydistilling.com 970.363.7792 410 Zerex St Fraser

Highlands Distillery - Grand Junction

Honey House Distillery - Durango

Idlewild Spirits Distillery- Winter Park

KJ Wood Distillers - Ouray

Marble Distilling Co - Carbondale ●

Montanya Distillers - Crested Butte

Peach Street Distillers - Palisade

Peak Spirits - Hotchkiss

Rising Run Taproom - Frisco

Stoneyard Distillery - Dotsero

Storm King Distilling - Montrose

Telluride Distilling Co - Telluride

Woody Creek Distillers - Basalt

WINERIES

GRAND JUNCTION AREA

Avant Vineyards - Palisade

BookCliff Vineyards - Palisade

Carboy Winery - Palisade

Carlson Vineyards - Palisade

Carlson Tasting Room - Grand Junction

Centennial Cellars - Palisade

Colorado Cellars Winery - Palisade

Colterris Winery - Palisade

DeBeque Canyon Winery - Palisade

Evolve Wines - Clifton

Grande River Vineyards - Palisade

Graystone Winery - Clifton

Gubbini Winery - Palisade

Hermosa Vineyards - Palisade

Maison la Belle Vie Winery & Amy’s Courtyard - Palisade

Mesa Park Vineyards - Palisade

Peachfork Orchards and Vineyards - Palisade

Plum Creek Cellars - Palisade

Red Fox Cellars - Palisade

Restoration Vineyards - Palisade

Sauvage Spectrum - Palisade

Shiras Winery - Grand Junction

St. Kathryn Cellars Winery & Gift Shop - Palisade

Talon Winery - Palisade

The Ordinary Fellow- Palisade

Two Rivers Winery - Grand Junction

Two Swedes Glögg - Grand Junction

TWP Winery & Farmhouse - Clifton

Varaison Vineyards and WineryPalisade

Vines 79 Wine Barn - Palisade

Whitewater Hill Vineyards - Grand Junction

CENTRAL WEST AREA

5680' Vineyard - Paonia

Alfred Eames Cellars at Puesta del Sol Vineyards - Paonia

Aquila Cellars- Paonia

Azura Cellars - Paonia

Berkeley Estate Cellars - Paonia

Black Bridge Winery - Paonia

Chill Switch Wine - Cedaredge

Cottonwood Cellars / The Olathe Winery - Olathe

Jack Rabbit Hill - Hotchkiss

Lanoue DuBois Winery - Montrose

Leroux Creek Vineyards - Hotchkiss

Mesa Winds Farm and WineryHotchkiss

Mountain View Winery - Olathe

Qutori Wines - Paonia

Stone Cottage Cellars - Paonia

Stoney Mesa Winery - Cedaredge

Storm Cellar Winery - Hotchkiss

Williams Cellars - Cedaredge

SOUTH FRONT RANGE

Barn & Barrel - Florence

Brush Hollow Winery - Penrose

D’Vine Wine - Manitou Springs

Evergood Elixirs - Palmer Lake

Legatum Cellars - Canon City

Monte Cervino - Colorado Springs

Mountain Spirit Winery - Salida

Pop’s Vineyard - Penrose

The Winery at Holy Cross AbbeyCanon City

Vino Colorado Winery - Colorado Springs

Vino Salida Wine Cellars - Poncha Springs

Western Skies Winery - Penrose

CENTRAL FRONT RANGE

Aspen Peak Cellars - Bailey

Attimo Wine - Denver

Avanti Winery - Littleton

Balistreri Vineyards - Denver

Bigsby’s Folly - Denver

Black Arts Cellars - Littleton

Blanchard Family Wines - Denver

Bonacquisti Wine Company - Denver

Carboy Winery - Denver, Littleton

Colorado Sake Co. - Denver

Creekside Cellars - Evergreen

Deep Roots Winery & Bistro - Denver

Gaijin 24886 Sake - Denver

The Infinite Monkey TheoremDenver

InVINtions, A Creative WineryGreenwood Village

Kingman Estates Winery - Denver

Ladrón Cellars - Englewood

Leap of Faith Winery - Wheat Ridge

Monart Winery - Centennial

Purgatory Cellars Winery - Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Parker

Silver Vines Winery - Arvada Spero Winery - Denver Water 2 Wine - Centennial

The Wine Barrel - Parker

NORTHERN FRONT RANGE

Augustina’s Winery - Nederland

Bad Bitch Cellars - Eaton

Blue Mountain Vineyards - Berthoud

BookCliff Vineyards - Boulder

Hillside Vineyard - Fort Collins

Infinite Monkey Theorem Tasting Room – Fort Collins

OBC Wine Project - Fort Collins

Settembre Cellars - Boulder

Snowy Peaks Winery - Estes Park

Sweet Heart Winery - Loveland

Ten Bears Winery - Laporte

Turquoise Mesa Winery - Broomfield

Vinnie Fera - Boulder

CENTRAL MOUNTAIN

Buckel Family Wine - Crested Butte

Carboy Winery - Breckenridge

Continental Divide WineryBreckenridge, Fairplay

Monkshood Cellars - Minturn

Vines at Vail Winery - Wolcott

Steamboat Winery - Steamboat Springs

PLAINS

Claremont Inn & Winery - Stratton

Country Road Vines and Wines - Fort Morgan

Mummy Hill Winery - Holyoke

Reds Wine Boutique - Sterling

FOUR CORNERS

Flying T Wine - Cortez

Four Leaves Winery - Durango

Fox Fire Farms - Ignacio

Sutcliffe Vineyards - Cortez

Yellow Car Country Wines - Cortez

CIDERIES

Apple Valley Cider Co

Big B’s Juices and Hard CiderHotchkiss

Boco Cider - Boulder

Boxing Brothers Cider - Colorado Springs

Branch Out Cider - Fort Collins

Brush Hollow Winery - Penrose

C Squared Ciders - Penrose ●

Clear Fork Cider - Denver

Climb Hard Cider Co - Loveland

Colorado Cider Co - Denver

Colorado +49 Cidery & Pub- Golden

Fenceline Cider - Mancos

Haykin Family Cider - Aurora

Locust Cider & Brewing Co- Boulder

Old Mine Cidery & Brewpub - Erie

Red Fox Cellars - Palisade

Scrumpy’s Hard Cider - Fort Collins

Snow Capped Cider - Cedaredge

St. Vrain Cidery - Longmont

Stem Ciders - Denver ● ●

Stem Ciders Acreage- Lafayette ● ●

Summit Hard Cider - Fort Collins

Talbott’s Cider Co - Palisade

Teal Cider - Dolores

Waldschänke Ciders - Denver

Wild Cider - Firestone

MEADERIES

Antelope Ridge Mead - Colorado Springs

Black Forest Meadery - Colorado Springs

Brush Hollow Winery - Penrose

Dragon Meadery - Aurora

Drekar Meadery - Colorado Springs

Honnibrook MeaderyCastle Rock ● ●

Hunters Moon Meadery - Severance

Meadery of the Rockies - Palisade

Medovina - Niwot

Miracle Stag Meadery - Loveland

Queen Bee Brews - Denver

Redstone Meadery - Boulder

Slaymaker Cellars - Idaho Springs

Zanamiel Meadery - Centennial