Learning to Ski Colorado
It’s all downhill from here
Mosca distillery rooted in Denver history Artist draws on culture to open minds Band is proud of its Colorado ‘mysterious noise’
Connection. Cuisine.
Quality time.
Is there a better way to welcome the holidays?
Savor every moment with a night out at one of five unique dining options.
Like mouthwatering southwest fusion flavors at Bistro Mariposa. Or, classic steakhouse favorites with a modern flair at The Chophouse. All here for you to gather together over an experience worth celebrating .
Make your reservation at MonarchBlackHawk.com
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GLAMP IT UP
Book your next outdoor excursion in luxurious style at five top-shelf glamping spots across Colorado. Photo courtesy of Ramble
ANTIQUE ROAD GO
BOATBUILDING IN THE BLOOD
Meet the Longmont craftsman who continued his family legacy of shaping beautiful, durable watercraft.
Photo courtesy of Core Boards
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Publisher Paul Johnson paul@thirstcolorado.com
Associate Publisher & Editor Joe Ross joe@thirstcolorado.com
Vice President, Sales Scott Kaplan scott@thirstcolorado.com
Sales
Linda Battle, Rebel Becker, Mila Gaytan-Campos, Nina Gunther, Alexandra Smith, Christine Werner
Design & Layout
Sandy Birkey Stacey Krull
President & Founder Emeritus Wilbur E. Flachman
Digital & Marketing Manager Steve Graham
Editorial Interns Brianna Corrine, Adair Teuton
Contributors
John Garvey, Kristen Kuchar, Malena Larsen, Natasha Lovato, Jay McKinney, Eric Peterson
Thirst Colorado
Drink up life in large amounts, but restrict your alcohol consumption. We do not endorse or support excessive drinking.
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Learning
Kristina Maldonado-Bad
Prime Pairing
Denver
Crooked Rugs
Fort
Laugh
Roxey
Slope
BUNNY HILLS TO BLACK DIAMONDS
Learning to ski as an adult in Colorado
Photo by Ty Erhard
By Malena Larsen
Before moving to Colorado, I had never downhill skied despite being cautiously interested in it. Being a non-skier here felt like being an uncool fish out of very cool waters. The move was the final nudge I needed to take on this new hobby in my late twenties.
First up: acquiring all the necessary gear. It was overwhelming, but luckily, Colorado has plenty of helpful resources, like Powder7, a ski shop in Golden.
“We spend a lot of time training all of the staff,” explains Alex Stettner, Powder7 content coordinator. “You meet customers where they’re at. What are their goals? Are they trying to progress quickly to keep up with expert skiers? Or are they simply trying to have a good time? The answers to these questions change the conversation about what skis you need.”
GETTING THE GEAR
I wanted something affordable and I was not determined to keep up with the experts. In fact, I told the Powder7 employee that I was a wimp and that speed was far from a priority for me.
I ended up with a pair of 2022 K2 Reckoner 92 Alliance demo skis, size 159cm, with Look NX 12 Konect GW demo bindings. Demo gear is previously rented equipment often sold at a discount.
WHAT I SPENT TO SKI MY FIRST SEASON
• Skis and Bindings: $349.99
• Boots: $50 (hand-me-down)
• Komperdell Rider Ski Poles: $54.95
• Smith Maze MIPS Snow Helmet: $115.93
• Ikon Base Pass: $829
• Goggles: Free (hand-me-down) TOTAL: $1,399.87
At around 5-foot 7-inches, 159 cm skis are on the shorter side, which can be ideal for beginners because they’re more forgiving and easier to control. I expect these skis will carry me through my first couple of seasons.
ROUGH START ON ‘NO BEGINNER TERRAIN’
My first day “on the slopes” was early in the season at Eldora Ski Resort. Next to the chairlift was a sign that read “No Beginner Terrain.” After attempting to french-fry and pizza at the base, I naively thought I could handle it. Spoiler: I couldn’t. I ended up pizzaing 10 feet down a blue run, falling in a panic, crying, and walking the rest of the way down.
It was not only embarrassing but also unsafe for me and others. Whether you’re 3 or 30, it’s okay to wait until later in the season when the bunny hill or some greens are open.
BACK TO BASICS
Needing help, I turned to my fiancé, Ty Erhard. After switching from snowboarding to skiing a few years prior, he was tackling runs like the East Wall at Arapahoe Basin and spending weekends backcountry skiing at Jones Pass and Berthoud Pass.
He took me to the bunny hill at Copper Mountain, where I was surrounded by young ski school students and tots on leashes. After learning to stop and turn, I graduated to the Pitchfork lift.
I spent all day on the glorified bunny hill, riding it repeatedly with no lift lines. I’d recommend this run to anyone starting out.
Meanwhile, Ty and our friends tackled the blues and blacks. I was determined to improve by the end of the season so I could join them.
by Ty Erhard
(BLACK) DIAMONDS ARE A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND
Three months after my rocky start, I conquered my first black diamond run, Challenge, at Eldora. Despite falling on a few moguls at the top, I managed to get the hang of it by the bottom.
At this point, I was comfortably skiing greens and most blues. My speed had increased, I was less anxious, and I was actually having fun. For those of you in the midst of learning, it does get fun, I promise!
The key was consistency. I skied most weekends, trying new challenges each time—whether a more difficult run, different terrain, or a faster speed. Breaks were also crucial. They helped me clear my head and release the expectations I’d placed on myself.
“It was awesome to see you improve,” admits Ty. “It was personally rewarding because it meant you got to ski the things I wanted to ski and it was also fun to see you do the things that you originally felt were impossible.”
Ty’s patience and skill accelerated my learning. He felt like my ski security blanket.
“I remembered how stressful it was to learn,” he says. “Trying to keep a calm atmosphere was important because as soon as you get flustered, you forget all the things you’ve been taught. It was important to find a balance between offering tips and letting you learn on your own.”
Learning wasn’t linear. I was embarrassed pretty consistently for three months as tweens yelled “go faster” or toddlers zoomed by on tiny skis. Learning to let go of embarrassment was essential in getting better.
“It’s okay to be nervous,” Powder7’s Stettner affirms. “There are loads of people in the same position. It’s an overwhelming thing when you show up to the mountain and people are skiing fast and in cool gear. Just remember, you’re not the only person learning.”
Photo
TIPS FOR BEGINNER SKIERS FROM A BEGINNER SKIER
• Get a ski pass
• Wear a helmet
• Go often as possible
• Learn the basics and start on the easy stuff
• Pay attention to the signs (literally)
• Ask for help
• Do your best to let go of embarrassment
• Don’t compare yourself to others
• Take breaks when you’re feeling frustrated
• Set goals and keep challenging yourself
IT’S (NOT) ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE
In February, I went on my first multi-day ski trip with Ty and two friends at Steamboat Ski Resort. I was so excited to finally ski with the group.
On the second day, we were lapping the blues under the Sunshine Express lift. During our 9th lap, Ty zoomed past me with his usual speed, in his element, a smile spread across his face. He veered into the trees and hit an unmarked ravine at about 40 miles per hour.
“My leg!” he screamed. He had broken his tibia just above the ski boot. Ski patrol was by his side in four minutes.
Ty, my coach, partner, and ski security blanket, spent seven days in the hospital. I slept next to him every night, replaying the accident in my mind and questioning the sport and myself.
Seeing his injury made me wonder: if it could happen to him, what’s to stop it from happening to me? Unfortunately the answer is nothing and that’s a harsh reality of skiing. While you can take precautions, staying injury-free isn’t guaranteed.
SAFETY ON THE SLOPES
“Don’t let your guard down, even on easy runs,” advises Ty. “I’d ridden that run multiple times and considered myself a competent skier. I took more chances than I should have, given the flat lighting,
assuming I was safe. Statistically, injuries often happen on easier runs for that reason.”
“Ski cautiously and have your wits about you,” Stettner says. “Especially during spring and winter break, the slopes can get chaotic. Wear a helmet, obviously. Goggles, too. If the weather is bad you can get vertigo or frostbite. Goggles help protect you.”
After three surgeries, compartment syndrome, an external fixator, a rod, and three screws, Ty’s season was over. Seeing his injury was disturbing, and I initially decided to end my season too. But he encouraged me to get back out there.
“I knew that watching something like that would leave a scar on your psyche,” he says. “The longer you let that scar callus over, the harder it would be to get you back out there. It was important for you to see that you could still do what you learned that year.”
With his support, I returned to skiing. By the end of the season, I had not only worked hard to overcome my fear but I had also improved significantly.
By the end of the season, I had completed 18 ski days, progressed from bunny hills to blues and blacks, increased my speed from 10-15 mph to 20-30 mph, and skied at five different Colorado resorts: Arapahoe Basin, Winter Park, Eldora, Copper Mountain and Steamboat.
POINT ‘EM STRAIGHT
“My main goal is to ski a full season,” Ty shares, his left leg now lined with scars. “Sure, I have goals for specific lines I’d like to ski, but for now, staying healthy is my top priority.”
As for me, I’m excited to hit the slopes with Ty again. Plus, I have new goals, including skiing 30 resort days, trying backcountry skiing for the first time, and tackling The Cirque at Winter Park.
To the adults learning to ski: have fun, be safe, prepare for horrendous traffic on I-70, and don’t expect a completely seamless journey. Skiing is a great way to set and achieve goals, see new places, make new friends, overcome hardships, and challenge yourself both mentally and physically. Cheers to a great season!
Malena Larsen is a writer and Minnesota-to-Colorado transplant. Her favorite subjects to write about are craft beer, outdoor adventures, and any topic where she gets to learn something new. In her free time, she enjoys trail running, taking photos of mountain goats, and checking out breweries with her pals.
Photo courtesy of Steamboat Ski Resort
Photo by Malena Larsen
COMICS, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY A glimpse into Kristina Maldonado-Bad Hand’s artistic impact
By Malena Larsen
Kristina Maldonado-Bad Hand, a Sicangu Lakota and Cherokee artist, fell in love with art the moment she was able to hold a pencil. What started as a hobby with her siblings and in the classroom evolved into a passion, a career and a powerful form of storytelling.
“I originally got into comics,” Maldonado-Bad Hand shares. “I was dyslexic, and comics actually helped me learn how to read.”
Of her three siblings, Maldonado-Bad Hand was the only one born outside of Colorado (Taos, New Mexico). However, she came to Denver to attend the Art Institute of Colorado. Because of her family ties to the area, involvement in the Native community, and deep love for the city, she never looked back. She has been in Colorado for over a decade.
The experiences and memories she has created in Denver served as inspiration for a project she did with other local artists for the Denver Art Museum (DAM). The “Map of Denver” was an interactive mural in DAM’s Storytelling Studio.
Visitors were invited to write down their personal memories tied to specific locations on the map and pin them to those spots. Maldonado-Bad Hand intentionally included places like parks and museums instead of typical tourist destinations. She wanted to focus on locations where meaningful memories are often made.
Although Maldonado-Bad Hand primarily focuses on digital art, she explores a variety of mediums. She particularly enjoys blending traditional and digital techniques.
“I like to scan textures, like watercolors or sidewalks,” she says. “It gives my paintings a traditional feel.”
A form of art that Maldonado-Bad Hand is particularly drawn to is Ledger art—a type of narrative art typically practiced by Plains Indians or Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains. It emerged in the late 19th century as Native Americans adapted to forced relocation to reservations.
Ledger art often illustrates historical events, personal experiences, and cultural stories. Maldonado-Bad Hand likes to scan in ledger paper and use it as a base for her digital art.
Maldonado-Bad Hand has a diverse portfolio. Her website features detailed and colorful mushrooms on ledger paper, portraits of celebrities like Prince and Betty White, Native American-inspired comics, and much more. Regardless of the subject or medium, she finds purpose in every project she takes on.
“With the graphic design that I do, for example, I like to do a lot of research with each logo,” she explains. “What is the logo trying to say? Is it for a school or a tribal program? You have to think about the meaning and impact. If you don’t understand the meaning of what you’re doing, the impact won’t have the same value.”
She believes that gaining a deep understanding of her clients is crucial. For instance, when creating a logo for a tribal community that holds specific cultural beliefs, such as an aversion to owls, she ensures those elements are respected and excluded from the design.
“Same thing with color theory,” she adds. “Depending on the tribe, different colors can mean different things.”
She recalls an experience she had creating a Polynesian comic; she learned the importance of thorough research firsthand.
“I was fresh out of college and thought it was a cool idea, but it was under-researched,” she admits.
She is now revisiting this project, Kaui, a Polynesian version of Beauty and the Beast, with more comprehensive research as well as collaboration with a Hawaiian artist.
Maldonado-Bad Hand’s involvement in the art scene goes beyond personal projects and client work. She is a teaching artist with Think360 and Denver Parks and Recreation. Additionally, she and her husband, Rafael Maldonado-Bad Hand, co-founded áyA Con, which is “a comic and arts festival celebrating nerd culture and cultural heritage.”
Although áyA Con primarily focuses on uplifting Native American artists, the turnout is extremely diverse. With over 150 vendors, an eclectic selection of musical and dance performances, film screens, panels, and more, there’s something for every artist.
According to Maldonado-Bad Hand, festivals like áyA Con are excellent platforms for emerging artists to enter the scene.
“Participate in festivals, take part in áyA, make connections, and build your network. It’s all about who you know—unfortunately, that’s the reality. Find people who can lift you up. An artist’s community is so important.”
Whether it’s planning an upcoming festival or the creation of a traditional-meets-digital piece, Maldonado Bad Hand’s work reflects her commitment to cultural respect and storytelling.
Malena Larsen is a writer and Minnesota transplant. In addition to writing, she spends her time running in the mountains, visiting local craft breweries, and avoiding aggressive geese.
Keep Calm Dance On – Tumbler design, graphic design digital illustration on computer.
RUNNING TO, NOT FROM, MENTAL HEALTH SOLUTIONS
Drew Petersen’s rugged path to peace and purpose
Running trails can be therapeutic, but in no way, shape, or form should they be a substitute for real therapy..
— Drew Petersen
By Malena Larsen
Running 100 miles teaches more than just which bandages work best on blisters. It reveals that darkness, isolation, pride, graciousness, and determination are all temporary, but embracing life’s constant ups and downs is both possible and worthwhile. This is a lesson Drew Petersen, an ultra runner and skier from Silverthorne, shares through his own experiences with mental health struggles.
Petersen first experienced skiing when he was just a year and a half old. His passion for the boards and natural inclination to take risks eventually led him to a career as a professional skier—a role he describes as being an “ambassador of the sport, whether it’s through telling stories or meeting people on a chairlift.”
His platform goes beyond the chairlift. He has made a name for himself as a public speaker, writer and filmmaker. His latest film, “Feel It All,” encapsulates his mission to foster open conversations around mental health. Although the film took two years to complete and faced its share of roadblocks, Petersen believes the challenges were worth it due to the film’s deeply rooted intention.
“I had a stubborn belief that [the film] was going to help people,” shares Petersen. “I’m really proud of the people I made this with, it is not just my film. My co-director, Jesse Lavine, and Tyler Boyd, the editor — I take a lot of pride that this is a film made by emotionally intelligent men.”
“Feel It All” blends Petersen’s skiing adventures with his first experience running the iconic Leadville 100.
“Leadville is home,” Petersen explains, sharing why he felt a strong drive to run the race. “It’s where the motivation is the purest for me.”
Throughout the film, vulnerable stories about suicidal thoughts and mental health are woven into the breathtaking shots of Colorado’s landscape.
“I was standing there on the summit and I looked over the edge of the cliff,” Petersen says in the film. “And I just had the thought go through my head, ‘I should jump.’”
He grappled with suicidal thoughts consistently for two decades. “A massive portion of people have struggled their whole lives,” Petersen says. “The lifelong struggle is not talked about, and that’s a huge driver in people feeling terminally unique.”
In the outdoor community, running is often viewed as a form of therapy. “Running trails can be therapeutic,” Petersen says, “but in no way, shape, or form should they be a substitute for real therapy.”
Recovery isn’t linear, and depression is often a lifelong battle. However, for Petersen, getting sober, using medication, and engaging in therapy were all essential to rediscovering his purpose and peace.
Endurance sports have a remarkable ability to reveal new aspects of who we are. Petersen’s journey is one of many that demonstrates how pushing physical limits can uncover mental fortitude.
Looking ahead, Petersen wants to continue his mission of changing the way we talk about mental health, particularly in the outdoor community. He’s considering starting a podcast, writing a book, and pursuing some major running goals. And, of course: “I’m going to ski a lot of powder this winter,” he adds with a laugh.
Malena Larsen is a writer and Minnesota-to-Colorado transplant. Her favorite subjects to write about are craft beer, outdoor adventures, and any topic where she gets to learn something new. In her free time, she enjoys trail running, taking photos of mountain goats, and checking out breweries with her pals.
All photos courtesy of Drew Petersen
DUNE VALLEY DISTILLERY ROOTED
IN NORTH DENVER HISTORY
By Eric Peterson
Dune Valley Distillery opened in Mosca in 2023, but the seed was planted in Denver more than a century earlier. And it came from a California grape.
An immigrant from Italy, Anthony Carbone was on his way to the California vineyards back in 1903 when he got a bit sidetracked. “Back in the day to get to California, you had to travel to Denver,” said Nicholas Chambers, Carbone’s great-grandson and the founder of Dune Valley Distillery. “So he stopped over and realized it was a good market out here in the West.”
It follows that his Carbone & Company made wine until pausing for Prohibition, then resumed winemaking in 1933. “That was when Carbone wine really took off,” Chambers said. “They were bringing in fresh grapes and grape must from California vineyards because, of course, the Colorado wine scene hadn’t started yet.”
The Denver winery shuttered in the 1950s with the sale of Carbone & Company, but it wasn’t the bitter end for the label. After more than 60 years of hibernation, Chambers resurrected the Carbone brand in 2019 with the help of his late mother, Claudia Carbone, and Palisade winemakers Talbott Farms and Sauvage Spectrum. “We’ve got a chardonnay and a rosé with Talbott’s, and a red blend with Sauvage Spectrum,” Chambers said.
The wines are now under the umbrella of Dune Valley Distillery, which makes vodka and other spirits in Mosca, which is in the heart of the San Luis Valley. The distillery emerged following Chambers’ long career in local food. As the founding general manager of Valley Roots Food Hub in Mosca, he saw an opportunity right next door: a 1930s-era gymnasium long abandoned by the Sangre de Cristo School District.
The vision coalesced about five years ago. “The food hub operates out of a potato plant, out back is North America’s capital of quinoa, and next door was the old gym that was abandoned and boarded up,” Chambers said. “And it was just like, ‘Man, wouldn’t it be cool to reinvigorate that building?’”
Once the plan for a distillery was cemented, toasts from a bottle of French quinoa vodka soon helped seal the deal with Mosca’s White Mountain Farm, the country’s first large-scale quinoa grower, as a supplier. The gymnasium-turned-distillery is now part of a campus that also encompasses Valley Roots and its Root Cellar Market.
It’s (quinoa vodka) been really popular. I cannot keep it on the shelf. People have been likening it to tequila. It’s got this earthy, smoky flavor. I’m not smoking it or doing anything special.
– Nicholas Chambers
Dune Valley Distillery’s quinoa vodka has emerged as a favorite because of its distinctive flavor, Chambers said. “It’s been really popular. I cannot keep it on the shelf. People have been likening it to tequila. It’s got this earthy, smoky flavor. I’m not smoking it or doing anything special,” he continued. “We’re in the era of vodkas with a terroir. It’s not a neutral spirit by any means. Our potato vodka is full of vanilla and butterscotch.”
The distillery also makes rakia – a brandy that originated in the Balkans – with surplus fruit from the Western Slope. “We have tremendous fruit production up on the Western Slope … and we’re frequently in oversupply,” he said. “It was kind of a traditional thing to be able to store the harvest when the fruit is dropping off the trees in a perishable form, and you really need to capture and put it into something that’s non-perishable.”
Dune Valley Distillery hosts a number of dinners and special events that showcase the San Luis Valley’s prodigious agricultural output. “We have a really amazing community of local farmers and ranchers,” Chambers said. “Speaking to agriculture is really how it’s all rooted.”
Eric Peterson is a freelance writer who covers travel, business, and real estate, as well as Colorado’s craft beverage industry. Eric lives in Denver with his wife, Jamie, and their faithful mutts, Aoife and Ogma.
Dune Valley Distillery (dunevalleydistillery.com) is open Thursday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The wine, vodka, and rakia are available exclusively at the distillery.
WINTER EVENTS GUIDE
NOVEMBER
“AVAAZ,” Singleton Theatre, Denver, through Nov 17
“THE MOUNTAINTOP,” Cherry Creek Theatre, through Nov 17
“HAMILTON,” Buell Theatre, Denver, through Nov 24
ELEPHANT & PIGGIE’S “WE ARE IN A PLAY!,” Randy Weeks Conservatory Theatre, Denver, through Dec 22
MONOPOLY LIFESIZED: TRAVEL EDITION, DCPA Off-Center at Broadway Park, Denver, through Jan 5
COLORADO SYMPHONY: FINAL FANTASY VI REBIRTH ORCHESTRA WORLD TOUR, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Nov 1-2
CJRO SMALL BAND WITH MARION POWERS, Aurora Fox Arts Center, Nov 2
SONGWRITER CITY, Lone Tree Arts Center, Nov 2
SPIRITS & GRASS CRAFT SPIRITS FESTIVAL, Estes Park Events Complex, Nov 2
“REEFER MADNESS: THE MUSICAL,” Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, Nov 2-30
“GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL!,” Garner Galleria Theatre, Denver, Nov 2-May 4
CJRO SMALL BAND WITH MARION POWERS, Lakewood Cultural Center, Nov 3
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE: WILD WOLVES OF YELLOWSTONE, Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, Nov 3
BRAD WILLIAMS, Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Nov 3
BLOODY MARY FESTIVAL, ReelWorks Denver, Nov 3
QUARTET INTEGRA, Grusin Music Hall, Boulder, Nov 3-11
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE: LIFE ON THIN ICE, Lone Tree Arts Center, Nov 7
ROOMFUL OF TEETH, Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, Nov 7
CARSIE BLANTON, Community Concert Hall, Durango, Nov 7
GABRIEL KAHANE & ROOMFUL OF TEETH, Newman Center, Denver, Nov 8
MICHAEL W. SMITH, Union Colony Civic Center, Greeley, Nov 8
JOE GATTO’S “LET’S GET INTO IT,” Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Nov 8
GREELEY PHILHARMONIC, Union Colony Civic Center, Greeley, Nov 8-9
ROCKY MOUNTAIN STOCKING STUFFERS, Lakewood Cultural Center, Nov 8-9
COLORADO SYMPHONY: RACHMANINOFF PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Nov 8-10
“ANTIGONE,” Roe Green Theatre, Boulder, Nov 8-17
PABLO SÁINZ VILLEGAS, Macky Auditorium, Boulder, Nov 9
ZIKR DANCE ENSEMBLE, Ute Theater, Rifle, Nov 9
CLOUD GATE DANCE THEATRE
The Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan brings its colorful “Thirteen Tongues” production to the
GABRIEL KAHANE & CAROLINE SHAW, Newman Center, Denver, Nov 9
MUMMENSCHANZ, Lone Tree Arts Center, Nov 9-10
“DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT,” Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver, Nov 9-17
BOULDER PHILHARMONIC, Macky Auditorium, Boulder, Nov 10
STRAIGHT NO CHASER, Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Nov 10
ZIKR DANCE ENSEMBLE, Rialto Theater, Loveland, Nov 10
BOULDER JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL, Dairy Arts Center, Nov 10-17
CHALLENGER AND HUBBLE: PREVENTABLE FAILURES, Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, Nov 11
SCOTT BRADLEE’S POSTMODERN JUKEBOX, Union Colony Civic Center, Greeley, Nov 12
LAKEWOOD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Lakewood Cultural Center, Nov 14
ZIKR DANCE ENSEMBLE, Southridge Rec Center, Highlands Ranch, Nov 14
“HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL,” Music Theatre, Boulder, Nov 14-17
JEFF ARCURI, Paramount Theater, Denver, Nov 15
ZIKR DANCE ENSEMBLE, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder, Nov 15
HIGH LONESOME, Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, Nov 15
BRUBECK BROTHERS QUARTET, Lone Tree Arts Center, Nov 15
Photo courtesy of the Newman Center
Newman Center in Denver. The show incorporates meditation and martial arts into contemporary dance. NewmanCenterPresents.com
“THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL,” Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, Nov 15-17
SAN JUAN SYMPHONY: TIM FAIN AND THE BEETHOVEN FIVE, Community Concert Hall, Durango, Nov 16
ZIKR DANCE ENSEMBLE, Wright Opera House, Ouray, Nov 16
COLORADO SYMPHONY WITH BÉLA FLECK Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Nov 16-17
BALLET MELANGE’S “THE NUTCRACKER,” Lakewood Cultural Center, Nov 16-17
THE DOVER QUARTET, Newman Center, Denver, Nov 17
ZIKR DANCE ENSEMBLE, Montrose Pavilion, Nov 17
AFTER MIDNIGHT, Lone Tree Arts Center, Nov 20
“THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE,” Lakewood Cultural Center, Nov 22-24
“A CHRISTMAS CAROL,” Wolf Theatre, Denver, Nov 22-Dec 29
CLOUD GATE DANCE THEATRE OF TAIWAN, Newman Center, Denver, Nov 24
GROOVE WITH THE BOULDER PHILHARMONIC, Dickens Opera House, Longmont, Nov 25
ROCKY MOUNTAIN UKULELE ORCHESTRA, Lakewood Cultural Center, Nov 26
NUTCRACKER MAGICAL CHRISTMAS BALLET, Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Nov 26-27
COLORADO SYMPHONY: “HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS” IN CONCERT, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Nov 29-30
WINTER EVENTS GUIDE
ICE CASTLES
Cripple Creek will host Ice Castles again starting in December, with ice slides, sculptures, tunnels, caverns and
“RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER: THE MUSICAL,” Buell Theatre, Denver, Nov 29-Dec 1
RODNEY CARRINGTON, Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Nov 30
ESTES PARK HOLIDAY WINE FEST, Estes Park Events Complex, Nov 30
BOULDER PHILHARMONIC AND BOULDER BALLET, “THE NUTCRACKER,” Macky Auditorium, Boulder, Nov 30-Dec 1
“THE CHILDREN’S NUTCRACKER,” Lakewood Cultural Center, Nov 30-Dec 1
COLORADO BALLET PRESENTS “THE NUTCRACKER,” Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver, Nov 30-Dec 29
DECEMBER
COLORADO SYMPHONY: DRUMS OF THE WORLD, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Dec 1
CIRQUE MUSICA HOLIDAY, Avalon Theatre, Grand Junction, Dec 1
THE DOO WOP CHRISTMAS PROJECT, Lone Tree Arts Center, Dec 1-2
FRIENDS OF CHAMBER MUSIC PRESENTS AWADAGIN PRATT, Newman Center, Denver, Dec 4
“THE NUTCRACKER,” Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, Dec 4-8
Visit ThirstColorado.com for more calendar listings. Email your upcoming event listings to joe@thirstcolorado.com.
arches. The historic southern Colorado town also has an ice festival coming in February. visitcripplecreek.com
COLORADO SYMPHONY WITH CELTIC WOMAN, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Dec 5
MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER CHRISTMAS, Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Dec 5
“LITTLE WOMEN,” Dairy Arts Center, Boulder, Dec 5-29
HOLIDAY FESTIVAL 2024, Macky Auditorium, Boulder, Dec 6-8
“WHITE CHRISTMAS,” Lakewood Cultural Center, Dec 6-22
LESLIE ODOM, JR. WITH THE COLORADO SYMPHONY, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Dec 7
BOULDER PHILHARMONIC AND BOULDER BALLET, “THE NUTCRACKER,” Vance Brand Auditorium, Longmont, Dec 7-8
LONE TREE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS “A VERY CHERRY CHRISTMAS,” Lone Tree Arts Center, Dec 7-8
GRANNY DANCES TO A HOLIDAY DRUM, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre, Dec 7-22
GLOW IN THE PARK FROSTY BEER FEST, Bond Park, Estes Park, Dec 9
MEOW MEOW, Newman Center, Denver, Dec 10
TAKE 6 CHRISTMAS, Lone Tree Arts Center, Dec 11
“FUNNY GIRL,” Buell Theatre, Denver, Dec 10-22
RIDERS IN THE SKY CHRISTMAS, Lone Tree Arts Center, Dec 13
STORIES ON STAGE: MAKING MERRY, Arvada Center, Dec 13
COLORADO CHORALE AND THE DENVER PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA: HOLIDAY CHEER, Central Presbyterian Church, Denver, Dec. 13
CHERRY CREEK CHORALE: JOY AROUND THE WORLD, Bethany Lutheran Church, Denver, Dec. 13-14
COLORADO SYMPHONY: “A COLORADO CHRISTMAS,” Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Dec 13-15
“THE NUTCRACKER,” FEATURING THE SAN JUAN SYMPHONY, Community Concert Hall, Durango, Dec 13-15
“TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,” Union Colony Civic Center, Greeley, Dec 13-22
AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS, Lone Tree Arts Center, Dec 14
BOSTON BRASS, Macky Auditorium, Boulder, Dec 14
COLORADO CHORALE AND THE DENVER PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, Mapleton Arts Center, Denver, Dec. 14
A JOHN DENVER CHRISTMAS, Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, Dec 17
WUJA YANG WITH THE COLORADO SYMPHONY, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Dec 18
BAR-D WRANGLERS CHRISTMAS JUBILEE, Community Concert Hall, Durango, Dec 18
HOLIDAY BRASS WITH THE COLORADO SYMPHONY, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Dec 19
A CLASSIC CHRISTMAS WITH FRISSON, Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, Dec 19
COLORADO BACH ENSEMBLE, St. Andrew United Methodist Church, Highlands Ranch, Dec 20
EVA NOBLEZADA HOLIDAY, Lone Tree Arts Center, Dec 20
“AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS,” Central Presbyterian Church, Denver, Dec 20-22
CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE, Bellco Theatre, Denver, Dec 20-24
LEAHY CHRISTMAS, Lone Tree Arts Center, Dec 21
COLORADO BACH ENSEMBLE: CHRISTMAS ORATORIO, First United Methodist Church, Fort Collins, Dec 21
COLORADO SYMPHONY: TOO HOT TO HANDEL, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Dec 21-22
CHRISTMAS SYMPHONY, Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Dec 21-22
SECOND CITY, Lone Tree Arts Center, Dec 22
COLORADO BACH ENSEMBLE, Parsons Theatre, Northglenn, Dec 22
ARIES SPEARS, Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Dec 27
COLORADO SYMPHONY: A NIGHT IN VIENNA, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, Dec 31
Photo courtesy of Cripple Creek
LESS COMMON LOCAL SPIRITS
Try out these tasty sippers
By Jay McKinney
Whether it’s whiskey, vodka, gin, tequila or rum, every distillery offers its own take on the classic spirits that have been around for centuries. A basic bourbon may be the flagship spirit that a distillery will hone in on and define its identity around. However, Colorado distillers are also innovative, and experimental (or at least outside-the-box) spirits can often become best sellers in a distillery’s lineup. The inspiration behind unusual spirits can be varied but they all have a sense of originality that a flagship bourbon lacks.
When Boulder Spirits first made its popular Ginskey, it was done mostly out of spite, according to the distillery’s head blender and marketing guru, Ryan Negley. “The original founder and distiller was only into making gin and he had no desire to make whiskey,” Negley says. “Back in the day, everybody was just making vodka and gin while they were waiting for whiskey to age, but in this case, we
were just making gin. Kind of out of spite of that, the distiller put all this gin into a freshly charred oak cask and decided to age it the exact way you’d make a whiskey.”
The spirit turned out favorable and to this day remains a staple of Boulder Spirits’ collection even after the distillery started producing whiskey with the retirement of its original distiller. When Boulder Spirits purchased the trademark name Ginskey, it was officially here to stay.
Negley says it has clear whiskey characteristics in regard to its palate and mouthfeel but once it opens up, the botanical characteristics of gin become more prominent. Since the spirit is aged in freshly charred oak barrels as opposed to used barrels, there is a dominant oak flavor that lends caramel and butterscotch notes.
“It’s as if all of the botanicals, each one is kind of candied,” Negley says. “It’s almost like an Eastern European candy kind of thing and then a long whiskey-style finish.”
In Colorado Springs, Axe and the Oak Distillery took the opposite approach to making its Citra Gin. The owners and distillers had an affinity for brown spirits like bourbon and rye, and steered clear of producing gin with its intense botanical flavors that people seem to either love or hate. Co-owner and CEO Casey Ross likens the juniper-heavy flavors of traditional gin to chewing on a pine tree and says he’s had some that are over-the-top with botanicals. However, the bartenders at the distillery’s whiskey house were eager for more spirits to play around with, and that prompted the creation of Citra Gin.
“It is just smooth, it’s clean and just a super bright gin that’s not going to overwhelm the palate with that juniper,” Ross says. “It goes great in cocktails whether it’s a regular gin and tonic, a negroni, or a gin old fashioned, they’re fantastic.”
Axe and the Oak also makes a spirit called Dream Stream in which the Citra Gin is barrel aged in new American white oak. The result is an orange creamsicle-esque flavor that is incredible and led the spirit to multiple awards. Ross likes to sip both the Citra Gin and Dream Stream neat, but he says it’s especially amazing in a negroni or the gin old fashioned.
While Boulder Spirits’ Ginskey and Axe and the Oak’s Citra Gin are creations that the distilleries came up with alone, other unusual spirits are often born out of collaboration. For example, Talbott’s Cider Co. (Talbott Farms) and Breckenridge Distillery teamed up to create a Pommeau, which is a fortified cider that is barrel aged and originated in France. In addition to the apple flavors, the collaboration Pommeau has bourbon characteristics with the subtle flavors of caramel and vanilla that come from the American oak. It’s an incredible spirit that challenges the notion of what a hard cider can be.
“Pommeau is a traditional cider product that for us captivates what more hard cider can expand into and really offers something that I think expands the category,” says co-owner of Talbott Farms, Charles Talbott. With its higher alcohol content and additional flavors
of oak aging, Talbott believes Pommeau is a product that spiritfocused drinkers can fall in love with.
Another notable collaboration occurred in August when Montanya Distillers partnered with Buckel Family Wine to produce a Grappa. The spirit is of Italian origin and utilizes the grape pomace, which is the leftover matter in winemaking after grapes have been pressed for their juice.
“Montanya is always looking for ways to collaborate with other businesses in the alcohol industry,” says head distiller and co-owner, Megan Campbell. “We were stoked when Buckel Family Wine approached us about doing something fun together. Buckel fermented the grape pomace, and Montanya distilled the juice into what’s known as Grappa. We distilled this in our custom copper pot still and let it rest in a stainless-steel tank for a month, before proofing it down with pure mountain spring water to 47 percent ABV before bottling.”
The first batch was an extremely limited spirit with only 100 bottles produced and available only at the distillery’s Crested Butte tasting room. However, the distillery is hopeful that they can continue this partnership with Buckel Family Wine in future years. Producing a spirit using the leftover grape pomace aligns with the distillery’s sustainability values.
These collaboration spirits have introduced consumers to lesserknown spirits from abroad and showcase the creative freedom that Colorado’s craft distillers wield. From staples to collaboration oneoffs, there are unusual spirits being made by Colorado distillers that are worth stocking a home bar with.
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.
STOCKING UP
Here are a few others to add to the holiday wish list:
• Leopold Bros - Cherry Liqueur
• Dry Land Distillers - Honey Spirit
• Talnua Distillery - Eggnog
• Marble Distilling - Gingercello
• Deviation Distilling - Americano Whiskey
• Peach Street Distillers - Pear Brandy
• Spirit Hound - Peppermint Cafe
Colorado
• Wood’s High Mountain DistilleryFleur de Sureau Elderflower Liqueur
• Stoneyard Distillery - Hazelnut
Coffee Cream Liqueur
Prime Pairings
Denver Beer Co. Rocky Mountain Lager fajita tacos
By Kristen Kuchar
Denver Beer Co. boasts a seasonally-inspired menu, and these fajita tacos were a great addition to the summertime lineup even though they are great year-round. The steak is marinated overnight with a mix of ingredients, including the brewery’s Rocky Mountain Lager. The classic American lager is the ideal pairing for the tacos, especially since it’s part of the cooking process. The tacos are topped with pickled radishes and whatever fajita garnish fits your taste.
Ingredients
2 lbs skirt steak
1 each medium white onion, bell pepper and poblano pepper
2 cloves garlic (minced)
3 limes (2 juiced and 1 for wedges)
2 cans Rocky Mountain Lager (1 for marinade, 1 for drinking while cooking)
1 tbsp kosher salt
11⁄2 tsp black pepper
1 bunch cilantro
16-20 mini corn or flour tortillas
For pickled radishes:
5 small red radishes
1 lime (juiced)
11⁄2 tsp salt
Directions
Julienne onions and peppers and mix with garlic and lime juice.
Remove excess fat and silverskin from skirt steak and pat dry. In a large mixing bowl or deep dish, combine steak, vegetables and one can of Rocky Mountain Lager. Mix ingredients and be sure to fully cover meat with marinade. Refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the grill. Cook steak on high heat each side for 3-5 minutes for medium finish. Rest meat for 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.
Heat mini corn or flour tortillas. Place one and a half ounces (give or take) of steak on each tortilla, garnish with pickled radishes, cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Add desired condiments, such as salsa and guacamole, and enjoy!
For pickled radishes: Trim ends of radishes and thinly slice as evenly as possible. Place in a small container, add lime juice and salt, and mix well. Let sit for at least 2 hours (overnight is even better).
Vodka
Financial
Convenient
Michael
Osaic Institutions, Inc. jparks.bcufinancial@bellco.org
THE COLORADO
Ross Reels
Reel: $375; Spool: $281
Gift Guide
SKI SLIPPERS
Pondoz
$84.99
The Montrose-based fishing reel company has long provided quality gear for enthusiasts who expect the best. The Colorado reel is both highly functional and a piece of art. It’s designed to take on big rivers and small mountain streams that attract anglers of every skill level. With a classic sound and feel, the frame is durable and lightweight. The handle is easy to grip, even when wet. The large arbor allows one to land a lunker quickly and it helps reduce line memory. Available sizes include 2/3 and 4/5. rossreels.com
TASTE OF THE ROCKIES TEA BOX
Ku Cha House of Tea
$45
The goal of Pondoz is to protect your ski equipment and make traveling with your gear easier than ever. The Ski Slippers protect the tips and edges of your skis with durable materials to keep your gear safe in a truck bed, car box or ski bag. Once you’re at the slopes, Pondoz’s padded, detachable shoulder strap makes carrying it all a breeze! pondoz.com
Boulder’s original Ku Cha House of Tea celebrates its 20th anniversary next year, and has expanded into Fort Collins, Denver Pavilions and Park Meadows Mall. But the store retains its core mission of blending and crafting fine teas, and makes a line of beautiful and delicious “Colorful Colorado” teas. Our favorite gift idea, though, is the Taste of the Rockies box with samples of five Rocky Mountain-themed teas, along with local honey and a tea ball.
kuchatea.com
ANIMAL ADOPTIONS
The Wild Animal Sanctuary
$20-$40 per month
retains
Give someone the gift of a lion, tiger or bear without actually foisting a dangerous (and illegal) new pet on them. The Wild Animal Sanctuary operates three animal rescue and rehabilitation facilities across Colorado. The organization cares for more than 950 animals, and relies on donations and memberships. The non-profit has books, clothes, calendars, plushies and more for sale on its website, and also offers a range of animal adoptions that include a frameable photograph and adoption certificate. wildanimalsanctuary.org
CUSTOM GUITAR
Born Guitars
$1,000 deposit
VERSE HOODED COWL
Akinz
$54.95
Every Born Guitar is individually crafted in Colorado, and designed to last a lifetime. The guitars are made with rare, sustainably harvested woods in a zero carbon emission workshop. Each instrument is customized to fit the customer’s hands and style. For a custom-made gift, invest $1,000 toward a new guitar, or shop Born Guitars’ custom amp stands, guitar straps and other accessories. bornguitars.com
FATTY HANDLEBAR BAG
Green Guru Gear
$60
www.greengurugear
These beanies are designed, knitted and finished in the Akinz Fort Collins workshop. The beanies are super soft and cozy with a style for everyone, from fitted to slouch beanies, pompom or plain, to knit hooded cowls. Whether you are looking for something warm for winter or lightweight for spring and summer, you’ll be able to find the perfect beanie in a variety of fibers from wool to acrylic! akinz.com
PERFORMING ARTS GIFT CERTIFICATES
Colorado Symphony and many more Any amount
Colorado boasts an amazing performing arts scene. The Denver Performing Arts Complex hosts plays, ballets, opera and symphony performances and more. And dozens of other theaters, music ensembles and dance troupes enrich every city in the state. Consider giving experiences this holiday season. Most performing arts groups offer gift cards for any budget. You can’t go wrong with any organization, but the Colorado Symphony in particular offers something for everyone with its variety of music all year long. coloradosymphony.org
Green Guru Gear is a B-Corp certified company that crafts backpacks, bike accessories and other rugged outdoor gear in Colorado using upcycled materials, including the fabrics and bike tubes in these handlebar bags. The bag should fit any handlebar, and is big enough for lunch, tools, spare tubes or other necessities. It comes in “wild” neons and “earthtone” greens.
THE CROOKED RUGS
FoCo band refuses to take themselves too seriously while pursuing their art
by
Photo
Jacqui Hazel
By Brianna Corrine
After meeting as students at Colorado State University several years ago and living, jamming and playing lacrosse together, the Crooked Rugs have become one of Fort Collins’ hottest bands.
Heralding the tagline “mysterious noise from Fort Collins, Colorado,” they are rising stars of the state music scene.
The band is a modest group of five, including a pair of brothers: Rex Stowers on guitar and Finn Stowers on bass. Jayce Haley takes on the role of frontman and guitarist; Nolan Brumbach plays drums; and Jay LeCavalier is on keys. Each member radiates charisma and a genuine joy for art. While many projects fall through or break apart, The Crooked Rugs seem to be here to stay.
SIBLING BONDS
Band dynamics are tricky, and even more so when siblings are involved. However, Rex and Finn share a unique bond that surpasses many sibling relationships, Haley says, adding, “They are a pretty crazy working dynamic, but they definitely play together really well.”
Speaking about the band as a whole, Brumbach adds that they are comfortable working with one another and sharing spaces. Between playing in different bands and being roommates, they know one another well. And while they still face challenges, the music keeps them together.
“There have been a lot of dynamic changes. There have been moments where I think we’ve all been frustrated with people individually, but we just keep together,” Brumbach says.
“You know it’s really good to communicate and talk about your problems,” he continues with a laugh, while LeCavalier jumps in with “The Crooked Rugs are my family.”
Grinning, Brumbach agrees, “As cheesy and corny as it sounds, it’s true.”
He adds, “I think it’s just about communication and goal setting. We do take it seriously, but at the same time we try not to take it too seriously.”
In tune with their jovial attitude about working together, the band is excited to play music in northern Colorado.
“It’s a pretty happening music scene, honestly,” Haley says. “We’ve toured other places and gone to a lot of other thriving scenes and Fort Collins has essences of all of them, but it stands on its own. It’s pretty cool, there will probably be a lot of bands from this area that stick around for a while.”
Continuing Haley’s thought, LeCavalier adds, “It’s pretty popping here, and I’d say one of the biggest challenges of being here at this stage that we’re at is that geographically Colorado is in a difficult place to launch a tour from.”
While there’s an outstanding local scene across the Front Range, the rest of the country and world are relatively far away, LeCavalier says.
Brumbach adds, “There’s nothing like coming back and playing at home.”
PLAYING EVERY GENRE
There is something in The Crooked Rugs catalog for any listener. The band has four albums under their belt and a fifth on the way. They aim for each album to have a distinct but cohesive sound.
“We tend to write more thematic albums,” Haley says. LeCavalier says their “Tales of a Great Western Sky” album had more of a “country, midwestern vibe to it and there was a long time where we were writing music like that and we just kept putting it on the back burner.”
Eventually, they compiled enough songs for the LP.
The blend of genres comes down to two things in the words of Brumbach, “One, we all just love music, and two, we all like a lot of different kinds of music.”
From pop-punk to country-blues to singer-songwriter, “There’s influence of all these different kinds of music, so it kind of keeps us in a headspace where it’s easier to create,” Brumbach says.
Haley adds, “We also experiment quite a bit.” Whether it’s a cheeky disco album, electronica, or a completely post-punk album, you can be sure that The Rugs had a blast while making it and were as authentic to themselves as a band can be. “We play whatever excites us at the time,” notes Brumbach.
Where have The Crooked Rugs learned their free-flowing behavior? Primarily from artists who don’t take themselves too seriously but continue to be prolific. LeCavalier mentions how, “We all have our own tastes individually,” even as they connect over common touchstones such as The Beatles.
INSPIRED BY BECK
It’s an ever-evolving relationship that keeps them excited to create. In discussing the specifics of their inspirations, they point to their CD collection. “We have a ton of CDs in our van,” Brumbach says, adding that there is a foot-high stack of varying artists and a similar stack that is just Beck.
Revealing his undying love and obsession with Beck, a veteran singer-songwriter and producer also known for ignoring genre boundaries, LeCavalier said, “He also has a wide variety of sound and has still managed to stay relevant, by kind of going with the flow instead of sticking with one thing.”
Putting it simply, “I think we all are inspired by artists who are …” Brumbach starts, “... prolific and just put things out,” Haley finishes.
As for new music, The Crooked Rugs planned a release party on Nov. 14 at the HQ Denver on South Broadway for their new 1970s-themed album. “It’s probably our best album yet,” LeCavalier crowed.
“I hope people are just inspired,” Brumbach says. “I think the best thing is when I go see a show and then immediately want to come home and play music.”
With pride in what he and his mates have built, Brumbach says, “I didn’t think we’d be doing it at this level, but we are and I love it.”
Humble, charismatic, and genuine with an edge of satire, The Crooked Rugs are creating music that sparks an infectious joy. Their dreams are vast – from a Red Rocks date to a European tour – and they are ready to pursue them.
Brianna Corrine is a part-time poet and full-time audiophile. She is a writer with a penchant for critiquing music and delving headfirst into various art and literary-focused spheres as she contributes regularly to a variety of publications.
Photo by Natasha Lovato
ROXEY GRANT BRINGS DIVERSITY TO THE FOREFRONT OF THE COLORADO COMEDY SCENE
By Natasha Lovato
Denver-based comedian Roxey Grant is working to shake up the comedy scene as a non-binary, fem and Black person. As Denver continues to grow, so do the artistic expressions, and Grant utilizes their experiences to relate to the Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) community.
“I feel like people would like to see themselves onstage and enjoy content they can relate to,” Grant said. Grant stated that their comedy is mostly about life. Race, sex, religion, pets, and their interracial relationship.
“When I go to a comedy show, I want to laugh and try to not take life too seriously so that’s what I try to bring to my comedy shows. We can laugh about things that are serious,” Grant said.
Grant started comedy just before the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown in 2020, but since then their career skyrocketed and Grant is excited to be in a position to help share the space with other comedians.
During the summer, Grant performed comedy throughout Pride Month, at the Speak Cheesy Lounge in Fort Collins, at BlueStocking Burlesque, the Denver Queer Comedy and Arts Festival, the Boulder Comedy Festival and more. Grant has also previously performed at Comedy Works, Denver Improv and RISE Comedy.
Among the most notable shows for Grant was the Juneteenth comedy show that Grant produced at the Museum for Black Girls, located inside the Denver Pavilions on the 16th Street Mall.
“We ran out of chairs and it was my first time producing,” Grant said. “It was a really cool opportunity.”
The show was so successful, Grant will now produce a show at the Museum for Black Girls quarterly.
Grant’s show is called, “The Culture,” and it features various local BIPOC comics.
“There’s a lot of talented people in Colorado that just don’t get the stage time so that’s what I’m trying to do
because that’s what I struggled with when I first started out too,” Grant said.
started out too,” Grant said.
Grant said that producing has been incredible to build a network of BIPOC comedians.
“Even if I can’t put someone in the next show, I’ll put them in the one after that. So I’m making an archive of talent and if someone asks me if I know any comics, I can pass them along and help share the talent,” Grant said. “I feel like it can get catty in the creative space but it’s not a limited resource. There’s always pieces of the pie and everyone can have some. It’s all about networking, of course, you actually have to be funny too.”
“Even if I can’t put someone in the next show, the creative space but it’s not a limited
Grant is excited to keep the momentum in their comedy career going and although Grant said they don’t want to leave Colorado, the next goal would be to get a comedy feature on TV or travel and do shows out of state.
Grant is excited to keep the career going and although don’t leave Colorado, the next goal
For more information on upcoming shows and to reserve tickets, email poproxxcomedy@gmail.com.
Natasha Lovato is a Colorado native with a love for her cats, writing and a cold Holidaily Blonde Ale.
Photos courtesy of Roxey Grant
WILL CANNABIS BE PART OF YOUR FAMILY HOLIDAY SURVIVAL GUIDE?
Humor by John Garvey
Considering whether to imbibe with cannabis before any given family event is a complex and tricky choice. Just kidding. It is actually possible that the reason God created cannabis is family holiday dynamics. Now that we’ve settled the question of whether it’s okay to get surreptitiously high before spending all that time in close quarters with your family, you want to know how to do it right.
BASICS
Since it has just dawned on me that I’m an advice columnist, I suggest you first consider “The Quarter Gummy Solution.”
The most accessible and reliable approach to microdosing, “The Quarter Gummy Solution” goes like this: Take a standard 10mg weed gummy, cut it neatly into quarters, and take one 45 minutes before walking in the door. That’s too small a dose to impair most people, but enough to give conversations, music, and … um, writing … a pleasant and subtle flow.
The extent to which you can prudently use marijuana in any kind of family context has to do a lot with your family culture, and your personal relationship with weed, so I won’t walk you through every caveat. I’ll just suggest you wait until Thanksgiving dinner is over before lighting up in your cousin’s ‘89 Bronco so you don’t hog the pumpkin pie.
SUPPLY
junkie has just cracked open his third beer. Or maybe a sibling has brought up an embarrassing stage you went through in high school. They know how to get their hooks into you; they know they know, they know you know, they know you know they know.
But you are about to thwart their efforts. You excuse yourself with a euphemism that might imply you need to poop, grab a tampon, etc. There is always some reasonable pretense to hit pause on a conversation.
In the bathroom, you stand on top of the toilet to get close to the ventilation fan in the ceiling, fish a doob and lighter out of your pocket, and take a hit. You then realize that you forgot to actually turn the ventilation fan on — which was the whole point of standing precariously on the toilet — and as you exhale it is like a reenactment of Vesuvius blowing its top.
Fortunately, there is some Febreeze under the sink. You turn on the fan, wash your hands and return to the dinner table gauntlet that awaits you. You smell heavily of Febreeze and weed, but you nonetheless feel much more comfortable.
When the conversation resumes, you deflect every jab. You masterfully resist the bait when one of your politically entrenched dinner companions asks what you think of the conspiracy of the week. A Fruition song is stuck in your head and it gives you the sense that you’re floating gently down a river with a light breeze through your hair.
Now, this whole discussion is moot if you don’t have a supply. Are you traveling to a state with restrictive cannabis laws? Don’t worry; it’s a particularly contentious election year and they’re likely too busy hoarding canned food, ammunition and Hostess Cupcakes to enforce their laws. … Unless, of course, you have the wrong bumper sticker. So that brings up a good point:
If you’re operating in a legal gray area, keep your politics low-key and stock up on Febreeze. You’ll be okay. Probably. But if you take some inspiration from this article that ends up getting you in trouble, remember that my name is Josh Granvey. J-O-S-H
G-R-A-N-V-E-Y
If you can’t get weed in your hometown, I don’t know what to tell you. It would be uncouth to suggest that you break the law. But I have, and Santa still delivered on my wishes at the usual 50 percent rate. I am neither your lawyer nor your moral compass.
THE BIG DAY
Now you are at the Thanksgiving (or pick your occasion) dinner table and the token family political
One or two relatives gaze at you sternly, but otherwise pretend not to notice your bloodshot eyes or your odor. An uncle you always thought was a square gives you a big, goofy smile and a knowing wink.
By the end of the meal, your relatives are none the wiser about your views on various hot-button topics: politics, critical race theory, “Elon,” your cousin Frankie’s sharp-tongued fiancé, and a few other things people seem to have conspired in advance to disagree with you on. The tactics you’ve employed may include: A. agreeing with political assertions in a subtly sarcastic manner, B. feigning deafness, and C. generally conveying that you give zero craps.
The day draws to a close. You and your family part ways peacefully. And that’s a good thing, because you do, after all, love each other.
You have survived the holiday with your family. Congratulations. And you’re welcome.
John Garvey is a storyteller, freelance writer, illustrator, and nerd. You can see more of his creative ventures at clippings.me/ johngarvey and CreativeFollies.com.
COLORADO CRAFT
BREWERIES
DENVER
BAKER/SOUTH BROADWAY
Baere Brewing Co ●
Banded Oak Brewing Co ●
Burns Family Artisan Ales
Denver Beer Co ●
Incantation Brewing ●
Monolith Brewing ●
Novel Strand Brewing Co ●
Platt Park Brewing Co ●
The Post Chicken and Beer ●
Public Offering Brewing ●
Ratio Beerworks ●
TRVE Brewing Co
CAPITOL HILL/E COLFAX/ PARK HILL
4 Noses Brewing Co ● Bruz Off Fax ● ●
Cerebral Brewing ● ●
Crazy Mountain Brewery
Fiction Beer Co ●
Long Table Brewhouse ●
Pints Pub ●
Renegade Brewing Co ●
Reverence Brewing Co
Station 26 Brewing Co ● ●
Vine Street Pub & Brewery ●
DENVER INT’L AIRPORT
Boulder Beer Tap House ●
Denver Chophouse & Brewery ●
Great Divide Brewhouse and Kitchen ●
New Belgium Brewing ●
SweetWater Mountain Taphouse ● Tivoli Taphouse ●
FIVE POINTS
Spangalang Brewery ●
Woods Boss Brewing ● ●
LODO / BALLPARK
AC Golden Brewing Co
Cervecería Colorado
Denver Beer Co ●
Denver Chophouse & Brewery ●
Great Divide Brewing Co ● ●
Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery ●
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ● Sandlot Brewery
Westbound & Down Brewing Co
Wynkoop Brewing Co ●
LOHI / AURARIA
Briar Common Brewery + Eatery ● Burns Family Artisan Ales
Degree Brewbup (at MSU) ● 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 ● River North Wash. St. Taproom ● Wanderment Brewing
NORTHWEST DENVER
Amalgam Brewing
Berkeley Alley Beer Co.
Bruz Beers ● ● Call to Arms Brewing Co ●
Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project Diebolt Brewing Co ● ●
The Empourium Brewing Co
FlyteCo Brewing ● Goldspot Brewing Co
The Grateful Gnome ● ● Hogshead Brewery ● Prost Brewing Co. & Biergarten●
RINO
14er Brewing
Altitude Brewing & Supply
Bierstadt Lagerhaus ●
Black Shirt Brewing Co ● ●
Blue Moon Brewing Co ● ●
Brew Dog Denver ● Cohesion Brewing Co ● Dewey Beer Co
Great Divide Brewing Co ● ●
Left Hand Brewing Co ●
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 ●
DENVER SUBURBS
ARVADA
Denver Beer Co
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 ●
Cerebral Brewing ● ●
Cheluna Brewing Co
Dry Dock Brewing Co ●
Incantation Brewing Co
Launch Pad Brewery ●
Mileau Fermentation
Second Dawn Brewing
Six Capital Brewing & BBQ ●
BRIGHTON
Big Choice Brewing
Floodstage 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
Bent Barley Brewing Co
Blue Spruce Brewing Co ● ●
Halfpenny Brewing Co ● ●
Los Dos Potrillos Cerveceria ●
Resolute Brewing Co
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ●
Two22 Brew ●
EDGEWATER/WHEAT RIDGE
Barquentine Brewing Co
Brewery Rickoli ●
Joyride Brewing Co ●
Mestizo Brew Cantina ●
New Image Brewing
ENGLEWOOD AREA
Breckenridge Brewery Ale & Games ●
Brewability Lab ● ●
Downhill Brewing ● ●
Lady Justice Brewing
Sanitas Brewing II ●
FREDERICK
Mirror Image Brewing Co ●
GOLDEN
Barrels and Bottles Brewery ●
Cannonball Creek Brewing Co ●
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 ●
GREENWOOD VILLAGE
Cherry Creek Brewery ●
Holidaily Brewing Taproom
Spice Trade Brewing Co
HIGHLANDS RANCH
3 Freaks Brewery ●
Living the Dream Brewing Co ● Los Dos Potrillos Cerveceria ●
Prost Brewing Co & Biergarten
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ● LAKEWOOD
6 and 40 Brewery
BJ’s
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 ● Denver Beer Co ● Lariat Lodge Brewing ● Locavore Beer Works
Los Dos Potrillos Cerveceria ● Zymos Brewing
LONE TREE
Great Divide Brewery & Roadhouse ● Lone Tree Brewing Co ●
NORTHGLENN/THORNTON
Mother Tucker Brewery ● ● Prost Brewing Satire Brewing Co ● ● PARKER
Downhill Brewing Co ● Fiction Beer Co Chapter Two
Lone Tree Brewing ● ● Los Dos Potrillos Cerveceria ● WESTMINSTER
BJ’s ● Frolic Brewing Co ● Kokopelli Beer Co ● ● Westminster Brewing Co ● Windfall Brewing Co
BOULDER COUNTY
Bambei Brewing - Superior ●
Echo Brewing Co - Erie ●
Fritz Family Brewers - Niwot
Howlin Wind Brewing and BlendingRollinsville
BOULDER
Asher Brewing Co
Avery Brewing ●
Beyond the Mountain Brewing Co
BJ’s ●
Boulder Social ●
Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery ● The Post Chicken and Beer ●
Rocks & Hops Brewing
Sanitas Brewing Co ● ●
Southern Sun ● ●
Twisted Pine Brewing ● ●
Upslope Brewing Co ● ●
Vision Quest Brewing Co ●
Wild Provisions Beer Project
LAFAYETTE
Cellar West Artisan Ales ●
Liquid Mechanics ● ● Mono Mono Brewery ● Odd 13 Brewing Inc ● ●
The Post Brewing Co ● ● Sanitas Brewing Co ● ●
Westbound and Down Brewing Co
LONGMONT
300 Suns Brewing ●
Bearded Brewer Artisan Ales ● Bootstrap Brewing ● ●
Collision Brewing Co ●
Großen Bart Brewery ● ● Knuckle Puck Brewing
Left Hand Brewing Co ●
Longs Peak Pub & Taphouse ● Oskar Blues Brewing ●
Outworld Brewing ● ●
The Post Chicken and Beer
Pumphouse Brewery ● Shoes and Brews
Wibby Brewing ●
LOUISVILLE
12Degree Brewing ● Crystal Springs Brewing Co
Gravity Brewing ● ● ●
Mother Tucker Brewery ●
LYONS
MainStage Brewing - Lyons ●
Oskar Blues Grill & Brew - Lyons
NEDERLAND
Busey Brews ● ●
Knotted Root Brewing Co
Very Nice Brewing ●
Coda Brewing
LIBATIONS LISTINGS
S. FRONT RANGE
BierWerks Brewery - Woodland Park ● ●
Black Forest Brewing Co - Black Forest ●
Black Forest Brewing Co East - Peyton ●
Crafty Canary Brewery - Walsenburg
Florence Brewing - Florence
Funky Town Brewing - Florissant ●
Manitou Brewing - Manitou Springs ●
Mountain Merman Brewing - La Veta ●
Paradox Beer Co - Divide ●
World’s End Brewing Co - Cañon City
COLORADO SPRINGS
Atrevida Beer Co ●
Battle Mountain Brewing ●
BJ’s ●
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 Artisan Ales ●
Lost Friend Brewing ●
Mash Mechanix Brewing ●
Metric Brewing ●
Nano 108 Brewing Co ●
OCC Brewing
Peaks N Pines Brewing Co ●
Phantom Canyon ● ●
Pikes Peak Brewing Co ● ●
Red Leg Brewing ● Red Swing Brewhouse
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ●
Storybook Brewing ●
Trinity Brewing ●
Urban Animal Beer Co
Voodoo Brewing Co ●
Wackadoo Brewing
Westfax Srpings
Whistle Pig Brewing Co ● ●
PUEBLO
Brues Alehouse Brewing Co ● ● Reservoir Brewing Co ●
Shamrock Brewing ●
Walter’s Brewery & Taproom ●
N. FRONT RANGE
Bulzomi Brewing - Eaton
Timnath Beerwerks - Timnath ●
BERTHOUD
Berthoud Brewing Co
City Star Brewing ●
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 ● Breckenridge Brewery
Coopersmith’s Pub & Brewing ● DC Oakes Brewhouse & Eatery ● Equinox Brewing ● Funkwerks
Gilded Goat Brewing Co ●
Hello Brewing Co
Horse & Dragon Brewing Co
Intersect Brewing ● ●
Jessup Farm Barrel House ●
Konstruct Brewing ●
Maxline Brewing ● ●
Mythmaker Brewing ●
New Belgium Brewing Co ● ●
Obstacle Brewing and Grill ●
Odell Brewing Co ● ●
Peculier Ales
Pitchers Brewery ● Prost Brewing Co
Purpose Brewing Rally King Brewing
Ramskeller Brewery ● Salt Road Brewing
Stodgy Brewing Co ● ●
Timnath Beerwerks Fort Collins
Verboten Brewing Co
Zwei Brewing Co ● ●
GREELEY
Crabtree Brewing ● ●
Northern Colorado Brewhouse (at UNC)
Rule 105 Brewing Co ●
Tightknit Brewing Co ● ●
WeldWerks Brewing Co ●
Wiley Roots Brewing Co ●
Yetters Brewing
LOVELAND
Berthoud Brewing Co
Big Beaver Brewing Co ●
Big Thompson Brewery
Crooked Beech Brewing Co
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse
Loveland Aleworks ●
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ●
Rock Coast Brewery ●
Sky Bear Brewery and Pub ●
Verboten Brewing Co
WELLINGTON
Old Colorado Brewing ●
Sparge Brewing
WINDSOR
High Hops Brewery ●
Mash Lab Brewing ●
Mighty River Brewing ● ●
Peculier Ales ● ●
CENTRAL COLORADO
Craft Mountain Brewing Co - Bailey
Elevation Beer Co - Poncha Springs ●
T-Road Brewing Company - Crestone
Two Mile Brewing Co - Leadville ●
BUENA VISTA
Browns Canyon Brewing
Eddyline Brewery ●
FAIRPLAY
HighSide Brewing
South Park Brewing Co ●
SALIDA
Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub ●
Salida Brewing Co
Soulcraft Brewing ●
Tres Litros Beer Co ●
SOUTHWEST
Bottom Shelf Brewery - Bayfield ●
Dolores River Brewery - Dolores ● ●
Lake City Brewing Co - Lake City ●
Mancos Brewing Co - Mancos ●
Spare Keg Brewers - Creede
Three Barrel Brewing Co - Del Norte ●
ALAMOSA
The Colorado Farm Brewery
San Luis Valley Brewing ●
Spare Keg Brewers
CORTEZ
J. Fargo’s Dining & Microbrewery ●
Main Street Brewery & Restaurant ●
WildEdge Brewing Collective ●
DURANGO
Anarchy Brewing
Animas Brewing Co ●
Carver Brewing Co ●
Durango Beer and Ice Company ● ●
Ska Brewing Co ● ●
Steamworks Brewing Co ●
GUNNISON/CRESTED BUTTE
The Eldo Brewpub & Venue ● ●
High Alpine Brewing Co ●
Irwin Brewing Co
MONTROSE
Colorado Boy Pizzeria & Brewery
Horsefly Brewing Co ● ●
Pomona Brewing Co ●
Shelter Distilling & Brewing
Silver Basin Brewing
OURAY
Colorado Boy Southwest Pub ●
Ouray Brewery ●
PAGOSA SPRINGS
The Break Room Brewing Co
Riff Raff Brewing ● ●
PAONIA
Chrysalis Barrel Aged Beer
Paonia United Brewing Co ●
RIDGWAY
Colorado Boy Brewery
Floating Lotus Brewery
SILVERTON
Avalanche Brewing Co ●
Golden Block Brewery ●
TELLURIDE
Smuggler’s Union Brewpub ● Stronghouse Brew Pub
Telluride Brewing Co ●
NORTHEAST
The Horse and Frog - Holyoke ●
Parts & Labor Brewing Co - Sterling ●
Tumbleweed Brewing & Wine - Yuma ●
NORTHWEST
Grand Adventure Brewing - Kremmling
Never Summer Brewing Co - Granby
Smoking River Brewing Co - Meeker
World’s End Brewpub - Grand Lake
Yampa Valley Brewing Co - Hayden
Yampa Valley Taproom - Craig
FRASER
Camber Brewing Co
Fraser River Beer Co
Vicious Cycle Brewing ●
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
Mountain Tap Brewery ●
Storm Peak Brewing Co
Yampa Valley Taproom
WINTER PARK
Big Trout Brewing ● ● bigtroutbrewing.com
970.363.7362
50 Vasquez Rd Winter Park
Hideaway Park Brewery
The Noble Buck ●
I-70 CORRIDOR
ASPEN AREA
Aspen Brewing Co - Aspen ●
Carbondale Beer Works - Aspen ● Capitol Creek Brewery - Basalt ● Mountain Heart Taproom - Basalt
Mountain Heart Brewing - Carbondale
Westy's Tap & Tavern - Aspen ●
BRECKENRIDGE
Breckenridge Brewery & Pub ●
Broken Compass Brewing
HighSide Brewing
CENTRAL CITY AREA
Dostal Alley Saloon & Gambling
Emporium - Central City ●
Very Nice Brewing Co - Black Hawk ●
EAGLE COUNTY
Craftsman Brew Co- Edwards ●
Eagle River Brewing Co - Gypsum ●
Vail Brewing Co - Vail ● ●
EVERGREEN
El Rancho Brewery ● ●
Evergreen Brewery ●
Lariat Lodge Brewing ● ●
FRUITA
Base Camp Provisions ●
Copper Club Brewing Co ●
Suds Brothers Brewery ● ●
GEORGETOWN AREA
Cabin Creek Brewing - Georgetown ● Guanella Pass Brewing - Georgetown, Empire
GLENWOOD SPRINGS AREA
Brewzone Rifle ●
Casey Brewing and Blending
Down Valley Brewing - New Castle
Glenwood Canyon Brew Pub ●
GRAND JUNCTION
Base Camp Beer Works
Edgewater Brewery ●
Gemini Beer Co
Kannah Creek Brewing Co ●
Mama Ree’s Pizza and Brewhouse ● ●
Ramblebine Brewing Co ●
The Rockslide Restaurant and Brewery ●
Trail Life Brewing
IDAHO SPRINGS
Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub ●
Westbound & Down Brewing Co ●
PALISADE
Palisade Brewing Co ● ●
SILVERTHORNE AREA
Angry James Brewing - Silverthorne
Dillon Dam Brewery - Dillon ● ●
HighSide Brewing - Breckenridge, Frisco ● ●
Outer Range Brewing Co - Frisco ●
Pug Ryan’s Brewery - Dillon ●
Steep Brewing & Coffee - Keystone ●
Syndicate Brewing Co - Silverthorne
DISTRIBUTION ONLY
Backacre Beermakers
Ceria Brewing
Dive Bar Brewing Co
Finkel & Garf Brewing Co
Mad Russian Brewing Co
New Planet Beer
Primitive Beer
Sleeping Giant Brewing
Soul Squared Brewing
DISTILLERIES
DENVER/BOULDER
52Eighty Distilling - Littleton
Abbott & Wallace - Longmont ●
Ballmer Peak Distillery - Lakewood ●
Bear Creek Distillery - Denver ●
The Block Distilling Co - Denver ●
Boulder Spirits by Vapor DistilleryBoulder
Branch & Barrel Distilling - Centennial
Copper Sky Distillery - Longmont
Deki Spirits - Lafayette
Denver Distillery - Denver
Deviation Distilling - Denver
Downslope Distilling - Centennial
Dry Land Distillers - Longmont
DV8 Distillery - Boulder ●
The Family Jones Spirit House - Denver ●
Gold Dirt Distillery - Rollinsville ●
Hogback Distillery - Boulder, Estes Park
J & L Distilling Co - Boulder
Ironton Distillery - Denver ●
Laws Whiskey House - Denver
Leopold Bros - Denver
Mad Rabbit Distillery - Westminster
Mile High Spirits - Denver ●
Molly Brown Spirits - Denver
Mystic Mountain Distillery - Thornton
Rising Sun Distillery - Denver
Rocker Spirits - Littleton
Spirit Hound Distillers - Denver, Lyons ●
State 38 Distilling - Golden
Stranahan’s - Denver
Talnua Distillery - Arvada
Tighe Brothers Distillery - Denver
Turnbuckle Distilling - Westminster
NORTHERN COLORADO
477 Distilling - Greeley ●
Coppermuse Distillery - Fort Collins ●
Elevation 5003 Distillery - Fort Collins
Elkins Distilling Co - Estes Park
Feisty Spirits - Fort Collins
Gnebriated Gnome Distillery - Fort Collins
The Heart Distillery - Windsor ●
Mobb Mountain Distillers - Fort Collins
Mythology Distillery - Steamboat Springs
NOCO Distillery - Fort Collins
Old Elk Distillery - Fort Collins ●
Overland Trail Distillery - Sterling
Seed & Spirit Distilling - Fort Collins
Spring 44 Distilling - Loveland
Syntax Distillery - Greeley ●
SOUTHERN COLORADO
1350 Distilling - Colo. Springs ●
1874 Distilling - Del Norte ● ●
3 Hundred Days of Shine - Monument ●
Art of the Spirits - Colorado Springs
Axe and the Oak - Colo. Springs
Black Bear Distillery - Green Mtn Falls
Blackhat Distillery - Colo. Springs
Deerhammer Distilling - Buena Vista ● Distillery 291 - Colo. Springs
Dune Valley Distillery - Mosca
Meridiem Spirits - Elizabeth
Snitching Lady Distillery - Fairplay ● Spirits of the Rockies - Pueblo
Woods High Mountain Distillery woodsdistillery.com
719.207.4315
144 W 1st Salida
WESTERN SLOPE
10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits - Vail ●
Archetype Distillery - Vail, Gypsum
Breckenridge Distillery - Breckenridge●●
Clarke & Co’s Distilling - Palisade ● Durango Craft Spirits - Durango
Eagle River Whisky - Minturn
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
Pullman Distillery - Frisco ●
Stoneyard Distillery - Dotsero, Glenwood Springs
Storm King Distilling - Montrose
Stranahan’s Whiskey Lodge - Aspen
Telluride Distilling Co - Telluride
Woody Creek Distillers - Basalt
DISTRIBUTION ONLY
American Woman Spirit Co.
Anders’ Vodka
Arta Tequila
Conflagration Distilling
Coyote Gold Margaritas
Dirty Dill
felene Vodka
Kure’s Craft Beverage Co.
Lasso Whiskey
Locke & Co Distilling
Red Rocks Spirits
Tincup Whiskey
Tingala Spirits
Uncle Tim’s Cocktails
Vanjak Vodka
Western Medicine Spirits
WINERIES
GRAND JUNCTION AREA
Avant Vineyards - Palisade
The Blue Beryl Winery - Palisade
BookCliff Vineyards - Palisade ●
Carboy Winery - Palisade ●
Carlson Vineyards - Palisade
Carlson Tasting Room - Grand Junction
Centennial Cellars - Palisade
Colorado Cellars Winery - Palisade ●
Colorado Vintners - Palisade
Colterris Winery - Palisade ●
Deroco Cellars - Palisade ● ●
Evolve Wines - Clifton ● ●
Grande River Vineyards - Palisade ●
Graystone Winery - Clifton
Gubbini Winery - Palisade
Hermosa Vineyards - Palisade
Mafia Princess Winery - Grand Junction ●
Maison la Belle Vie Winery - Palisade ●
The Ordinary Fellow- Palisade
The Painted Vineyard - Palisade ●
Peachfork Vineyards - Palisade
Red Fox Cellars - Palisade
Restoration Vineyards - Palisade ● ●
Sauvage Spectrum - Palisade ● ●
Shiras Winery - Grand Junction ●
Talon Winery - 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
WESTERN SLOPE
5680' Vineyard - Paonia
Alfred Eames Cellars - Paonia ●
Azura Cellars - Paonia ●
Berkeley Estate Cellars - Olathe
Black Bridge Winery - Paonia ●
Chill Switch Wines - Cedaredge
Cottonwood Cellars - Olathe
Jack Rabbit Hill - Hotchkiss
Lanoue DuBois Winery - Montrose
Mesa Winds Farm & Winery - Hotchkiss ●
Mountain View Winery - Olathe
Peony Lane Wine - Paonia
Qutori Wines - Paonia ●
Stone Cottage Cellars - Paonia ●
Stoney Mesa Winery - Cedaredge ●
The Storm Cellar Winery - Hotchkiss ●
Williams Cellars - Cedaredge
FOUR CORNERS AREA
Durango Winery - Durango ● ●
Flying T Wine - Cortez
Four Leaves Winery - Durango ● ●
Fox Fire Farms - Ignacio ●
Sauvage Spectrum - Ouray ●
Sutcliffe Vineyards - Cortez ●
Yellow Car Country Wines - Cortez
CENTRAL MOUNTAINS
Aquila Cellars - Carbondale ●
Buckel Family Wine - Crested Butte
Carboy Winery - Breckenridge ●
Continental Divide WineryBreckenridge, Fairplay ● IndoVINO - Crested Butte
Mountain Spirit Winery - Salida
Steamboat Winery - Steamboat Springs
Vines at Vail Winery - Wolcott
Vino Salida Cellars - Poncha Springs ● Winter Park Winery - Fraser
SOUTHERN FRONT RANGE
Brush Hollow Winery - Penrose
Bugling Elk Vineyards - Penrose ● Carbone Winery - Mosca ●
Evergood Adventure Wines - Palmer Lake
Fountain Creek Winery - Fountain ● Latigo Winery - Black Forest
Legatum Cellars - Canon City
Manitou Winery - Manitou Springs ● Pop’s Vineyard - Penrose ●
The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey - Canon City ●
CENTRAL FRONT RANGE
Allis Ranch Winery - Sedalia
Aquila Cellars - Denver
Aspen Peak Winery & Bistro - Bailey ● ●
Attimo Wine - Denver
Augustina’s Winery - Nederland
Balistreri Vineyards - Denver ● Bigsby’s Folly - Denver ●
Blanchard Family Wines - Denver, Golden
Bonacquisti Wine Company - Denver ● BookCliff Vineyards - Boulder ● ● Carboy Winery - Denver, Littleton ●
Colorado Sake Co. - Denver ● ● Creekside Cellars - Evergreen ● Deep Roots Winery & Bistro - Denver ●●
The Infinite Monkey Theorem - Denver ● InVINtions - Greenwood Village
Kingman Estates Winery - Denver ● Ladrón Cellars - Englewood
Purgatory Cellars Winery - Parker
Silver Vines Winery - Arvada, Boulder ● ●
Spero Winery - Denver
Taboche Winery - Broomfield
Turquoise Mesa Winery - Broomfield
Vinnie Fera - Boulder
Water 2 Wine - Littleton ●
The Wine Barrel - Parker ●
NORTHERN FRONT RA NGE
Alluvial Farm & Vineyards - Fort Collins
Bad Bitch Cellars - Eaton
Blanchard Family Wines - Fort Collins ●
Blendings Winery - Fort Collins
The OBC Wine Project - Fort Collins ●
Snowy Peaks Winery - Estes Park ● ●
Sweet Heart Winery - Loveland ●
Tamburi Wine - Fort Collins
Ten Bears Winery - Laporte ●
PLAINS
Claremont Inn & Winery - Stratton ●
Country Road Vines and Wines - Fort Morgan ● ●
Mummy Hill Winery - Holyoke
Reds Wine Boutique - Sterling
Tumbleweed Brewing and Wine Company - Yuma ●
DISTRIBUTION ONLY
Bluejays Winery
Fallen Mountain Wines
Settembre Cellars
Wild Mountain Cellars
CIDERIES
13° Brix Cider Bistro -Palisade ● Apple Valley Cider Co - Penrose
Big B’s Fruit Co - Hotchkiss ● ●
Boco Cider - Boulder ●
Brush Hollow Winery - Penrose
Clear Fork Cider - Paonia
Climb Hard Cider Co - Loveland
Colorado Cider Co - Fort Collins, Lakewood ●
EsoTerra Cider - Durango, Delores ● ●
Fenceline Cider - Mancos ● ●
Happy Hollow Hard Cider - Cedaredge
Haykin Family Cider - Aurora
Locust Cider - Fort Collins, Lakewood ● Old Mine Cider Co - Erie ●
Red Fox Cellars - Palisade ●
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 ● ●
Waldschänke Ciders - Denver ● Wild Cider - Firestone ●
MEADERIES
Alpenglow at the Granary - Hayden ● Antelope Ridge Mead - Colorado Springs
Brush Hollow Winery - Penrose
Cloud City Modern Mead - Leadville
Colorado Cellars Winery - Palisade ● Dragon Meadery - Aurora
Drekar Meadery - Colorado Springs
Honnibrook Meadery - Castle Rock ● Hunters Moon Meadery - Severance
Laughing Leprechaun MeaderyDistribution Only
Legends: A Meadery - Berthoud ● Meadery of the Rockies - Palisade
Meadkrieger - Loveland ● ●
Miracle Stag Meadery - Distribution Only
Queen Bee Brews - Denver
Redstone Meadery - Boulder
Slaymaker Cellars - Idaho Springs
Yellow Car Country Wines - Cortez ●
