Thirst Magazine January-February 2021

SERVING UP THE COLORADO EXPERIENCE

Vol. 6, No. 2 January-February 2021

CROSS COUNTRY

SKIING THAT PROVIDES ROOM TO BREATHE

GREAT TAPROOMS PURVEYORS OF THE FINEST LIBATIONS

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COLORADO WINTER WHISKEY SIPPERS

16,000 BEERS, WINES & SPIRITS

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&

LIBATIONS BEYOND

Here’s to big beers, meals and adventures in the new year It’s that time when the Big Beers festival normally blasts open the new year with a weekend celebration in Breckenridge. Brewers gather to share their most creative, and oftentimes strongest, beers with each other and the public.

But without the chance to throw a party like that in pandemic times, it’s up to us to take the lemons and make lemonade. Many of the big beers that would have been served in Breck can be found in liquor stores, breweries and taprooms. So, let’s not dwell on what could have been but on what’s in front of us. Look at the abundance of possibilities for getting out and exploring our state and all it has to offer in the way of entertainment, food and drinks.

That’s exactly what we’ve done in this issue and here’s a tease on what you’ll find.

Access to some of our favorite things to do around Colorado has been limited but credit most of our arts institutions with getting creative and finding ways to feed our senses.

Sometimes referred to as the amusement parks of our minds, museums and galleries offer people a way to escape the day-to-day challenges.

And with more people exploring the backcountry, what better way than to strap on the cross-county skis and social distance one’s self into a wilderness with only the sounds generated by you and yours. With a little practice, your own breath might be all that is heard.

Or, if a day of downhill is more to your liking, we have some ideas on where to go and what kind of food you’ll find to keep your crew fueled and ready to power through the day.

Here’s some more food for thought. Never have we had more time to practice our cooking prowess. With a little trial and error, most people will find they have the skills needed to please the appetites of friends or family. We have a few ideas in our Prime Pairings feature.

Don’t forget to pair great beverages with great food. Remember, there is only one-way to screw up a pairing and that’s by being timid. Taste is on the tongue of the beholder. Try something new. Mix and match.

And what about great libations? Colorado’s ever-expanding list of beers, spirits and wines is mind boggling. Our crafty community offers up a new choice nearly every day of the year. And though we don’t have access to every freshly crafted beverage – unless you can motor around the state endlessly – many of the products, such as incredibly smooth whiskey, can be found on the shelves at liquor stores big and small.

So, here’s to big beers, big meals and big adventures in the new year. Explore safely and do as the late Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter suggested: Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world.

Joe Ross Associate Publisher and Editor

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January-February 2021

Publisher Paul Johnson paul@thirstcolorado.com Associate Publisher & Editor Joe Ross joe@thirstcolorado.com Sales Tod Cavey Jane Howard Rebel Hunter Design & Layout Sandy Birkey President & Founder Emeritus Wilbur E. Flachman Marketing & Distribution Neill Pieper Contributors Steve Graham, Kyle Kirves, Dennis Mangers, Elsa Russell, Monica Parpal Stockbridge

For advertising and editorial information, please contact Joe Ross at 303.428.9529 Ext. 227 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, 2021. 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.

EXPERIENCE

the ultimate resort

escape

Step into the ultimate resort, only 45 minutes from Denver.

Savor all-new flavors at Monarch Chophouse, enjoy burgers, brews and more around the clock at Twenty Four 7. Spread out and feel the thrill of the action on our spaciously expanded gaming floor.

Then, retreat to your own luxury guest room to relax, rejuvenate, and prepare to do it all over again. We’re ready. Are you?

Gambling problem? Call 1.800.GAMBLER

THIRST COLORADO | January-February 2021

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INTERSECTIONS

22 Local Melody

Miguel Espinoza’s band combines flamenco guitar and worldly tunes

26 Untapped

Virtual events, socially-distant gatherings & more

28 Prime Pairings

Food and libations curated to satisfy your winter cravings

34

Elevated Liquid

12 8

22

Colorado sipping whiskeys to warm up your palate

40 Tales from the Lying Log A cowboy rides into the sunset, forever leaving his mark

On the cover: Meat and cheese boards and excellent sour beers are all the rage at Goed Zuur in the Five Points neighborhood.

Photo by Neill Pieper

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44 Brewery, Distillery, Winery, Cidery and Meadery Guide Find great craft beverages wherever you end up in Colorado

ADVENTURES

8 On Tap

The state of craft beer gets a boost from its taprooms

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January-February 2021

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XC Skiing

16

Visual Arts

Ample exercise and wide open terrain make this winter activity a great option

Expand your horizons with eye candy for the imagination

30 Great Ski Resort Eats Navigating great food at a few of your favorite ski resort

38 Brewery Spotlight

Outer Range is not-so-quietly making a name for itself in Summit County

WHAT’S ON

AP?

Broaden your horizons with these taprooms and brewpubs By

By Elsa Elsa Russell Russell and and Joe Joe Ross Ross

T

here’s a taproom, brewpub or bar to everyone’s liking. The good ones check all the boxes for great selection or unusual eats, atmosphere, and most importantly, the people.

Who wants to hang out in a place with obnoxious patrons or inattentive staff? A great taproom will reflect the community character and attract a diverse crowd.

We’ve compiled a list of establishments with attitude, charm and reputations for consistent experiences that keep people coming back. Some cater to the downtown crowd perfectly. Beer geeks? Business lunches? After-work gatherings? Saturday night blowout? Sunday morning brunch?

Yes, the Denver area packs a punch when it comes to relaxing and celebrating life.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, please check websites before visiting.

Photos: Neill Pieper

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T AP

FOURTEEN

T AP

& BURGER

BULL & BUSH

Tap Fourteen offers a rooftop bar and beer garden serving up 70 Colorado craft beers and over 50 Colorado whiskeys.

Enjoy your drinks with a meal and an incredible view of the Denver skyline.

Tap & Burger serves up food and drink curated with attention to quality at each of their three Denver locations. They are well known for award-winning, locally sourced burgers.

 RINO

BEER GARDEN*

In addition to house wine, cocktails and 60 taps of carefully selected craft beers, RiNo Beer Garden boasts a large patio complete with fire pits, pergolas and 65inch TVs. This pub style restaurant also serves brunch.

L OWRY

BEER GARDEN

Lowry Beer Garden is a giant outdoor beer garden serving up German Oktoberfest vibes right here in Denver. In non-corona virus times, up to 500 guests can enjoy both draft and bottled beer with casual food such as brats and pretzels.

F ALLING

ROCK TAP HOUSE

With about 90 beers on tap and more than 120 bottled options, Falling Rock Tap House has a drink for every beer lover. They are conveniently located only a short walk from Coors Field, Union Station and the Pepsi Center.

S TAR

BAR

This LoDo dive bar is complete with Skee-Ball and an outdoor bar and lounge. Star Bar also hosts events such as Thursday night karaoke.

P EAK

TO PEAK TAP & BREW

In addition to rotating taps, bottles and cans, this Aurora brewery serves 10 beers of their own. They also host a dogfriendly patio and events such as trivia night.

S TANLEY

BEER HALL

Stanley Beer Hall is located in what used to be Stanley Aviation in Aurora. Much of the original building was reused to create a cool and unique aviation-themed continued on next page

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ith a claim on the nation’s first sports bar, Glendale’s Bull & Bush Brewery holds landmark status in Colorado. This taphouse was modeled after the Bull & Bush British pub, and features artifacts from the original pub itself. Bull & Bush added its award-winning brewery in 1997 next to the restaurant. The same family has run the establishment for about 50 years. “Old School” Jimmy, pictured above, has been behind the bar, keeping folks happy for the past 15 years. He points out that he’s still green behind the ears compared to at least three other tenders who have held court for much longer.

With 41 beer taps, 185 bourbons and more than 170 scotches, Bull & Bush has kept the neighborhood and visitors from across the globe happy for generations. As the beer scene picked up in Colorado, the brewers embraced barrel-aging, pushing out a variety of brews, including the Brainless series that beer geeks will travel to find.

The magic of satellite TV broadcasting live sporting events thrust the venerable brewpub into another league. Bull & Bush started its unofficial Fantasy Football league in the early 1970s. Major sports figures, media and faithful patrons have rolled in to draft their teams over the years, including some guy named John Elway, post playing days.

And when you have a good thing going, spinoffs such as the Bull & Bush mug club can quickly become a victim of its own success. Topped off at 400 members, rarely is there an opening for newbies, “unless you want to sign up for your grandkids,” Old School Jimmy point out.

Not to be fooled by the old-pub feel, the food has long been popular for neighboring residents and longtime Denver families seeking out the perfect weekend brunch that might include libations.

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THE SCHOOL HOUSE KITCHEN & LIBATIONS

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he former Olde Town Arvada school has only been open for six years but solid food, an extensive whiskey list and comfortable dining areas have generated a reputation that attracts all ages and tastes. General Manager Jason Stuckey, who has cut his teeth at various downtown Denver bars and restaurants, including the uber-popular Euclid Hall that COVID-19 claimed this past spring, says the space and location have made it easier to operate, even during the pandemic. Once inside for a few minutes, one discovers the school-themed nuances throughout the space. “Pretty much everything in here is either school themed or whiskey themed,” Stuckey said.

A former middle school in west Arvada was disassembled and much of the gym floor and the adjacent bleachers were

space to enjoy their rotating selection of Colorado craft beers.

F IRST

DRAFT TAPROOM & KITCHEN

RiNo’s First Draft Taproom & Kitchen is unusual in that you pour your own drinks, allowing you to decide how much you would like and giving you the opportunity to sample a wider variety. In addition to craft beer, they also offer a selection of cocktails, wine, kombucha, cider and coffee.

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 HOPS

repurposed and used for improvements in the School House.

The bar is backed by 15-feet high shelving that holds books, booze and memorabilia from schools of old. The bar is known as the Library; the main dining room is the Home Room; and the upstairs dining area is the Teachers’ Lounge. The old-school feel is buttressed by volumes of encyclopedias, such as The American Reference Library, Encyclopedic, The New Book of Knowledge, and other books, nooks and crannies that would remind folks of elementary school adventures.

To acknowledge the historical significance, Stuckey said they recently decided to cap the ever-growing number of whiskeys available at 1,882, the year the old School House was originally built.

& PIE

Denver’s Hops & Pie strives to curate uniquely flavored artisan pizzas and dishes made entirely from scratch, to be enjoyed with a constantly rotating selection of drafts from around the country. Berkeley Donuts recently opened inside of the taproom as well.

 FINN’S

MANOR

Located in the heart of RiNo, Finn’s Manor provides the full experience, with delicious food trucks, events and live music. In addition to rotating taps, they also serve up an impressive list of over 800 spirits.

*

F RESHCRAFT

LoDo’s Freshcraft prides itself on being a comfortable and welcoming environment to enjoy a drink and a snack or meal.

They offer 26 taps and over 100 canned and bottled beers. Freshcraft also serves brunch. The space closed temporarily in December in order to wait out COVID-19 restrictions on in-house service.

A LE

HOUSE

Ale House is located in what used to be Amato of Denver statuary outlet.

This history is reflected in the sculpted glasses used to serve handcrafted ales.

Some of Amato’s most artistic statues remain at the tap house as decoration.

R ECESS

BEER GARDEN

Goed Zuur

LoHi’s Recess Beer Garden gives you just that. With an open air bar, yard games and a multi-level patio, this tap house is an excellent place to have fun and relax while enjoying a drink and a meal from their extensive menu.

R OMERO’S

K9 CLUB & TAP HOUSE

This Lafayette tap house is the perfect place for both people and their canine pals to socialize. Leashed dogs are welcome in the outdoor patio space, and registered dogs can play off-leash in the biergarten.

C ONGRESS

PARK TAPROOM

In addition to rotating taps and live sports, Congress Park Taproom in Denver has an open food policy, meaning you can have food delivered directly to the taproom.

They also host regular events, all of which can be found on their events calendar.

B ACKCOUNTRY

PIZZA & TAP HOUSE

Backcountry Pizza & Tap House boasts Boulder’s largest selection of draft microbrews, offering more than 60 drafts and over 300 bottles. Keep an eye out for events, bottomless mimosa brunches and student deals as well.

M AX

TAPS

From the exellent beer list to the dogfriendly environment, Max Taps brings Littleton the best of Colorado. This tap house hosts a plethora of food trucks and live bands and assures customers that “variety is always on tap.”

2

PENGUINS TAP & GRILL

Centennial’s 2 Penguins pairs beer and spirits with an extensive food menu, featuring everything from poutine to pizza to Thai chicken salad. The patio and beer garden are complete with yard games such as Cornhole and Giant Jenga and is available for everything from a casual lunch to a wedding reception.

* Closed temporarily because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Elsa Russell is studying English and Global Studies at Colby College in Maine. She also enjoys writing and spending time in the mountains and in the kitchen.

G

oed Zuur is a Denver sour beer and cheese restaurant offering a unique taproom experience. Customers have the option to order specialty beers and unusual dishes or sit at the Chef’s Counter and enjoy drinks carefully paired with custom cheeses and charcuterie boards.

General Manager Rachel Smith said the Five Points location that opened in spring 2017 is popular among foodies and beer geeks alike. With a business plan that intentionally narrowed down the choices to suit Denver’s burgeoning tastebuds, Goed Zuur’s dishes and boards offer savory meats and cheeses from around the world. For those hesitant about sour beers being the only choice to pair with the food, fear not.

Sour and wild ales come in so many flavors and intensities these days that every palate can be touched with the extensive list on tap and in bottles. From truly tart to somewhat sweet, the brews are wide ranging.

The standout beer and food menu has given owner John Fayman the opportunity to expand on his hospitality offerings in a fun way. Prior to launching Goed Zuur, Fayman opened Backcountry Pizza & Tap House in Boulder.

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ThirstColorado.com 11

ROOM TO BREATHE CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING IS THIS WINTER’S SAVIOR

By Neill Pieper

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January-February 2021

Despite COVID-19 putting a hitch in many of our recreational activities, one often-overlooked activity is bucking the trend.

E

xercise and recreation will be a little tougher to access this winter with COVID-19 throwing a wrench into the plans of most workout facilities.

Crowded ski resorts are also experiencing restrictions with reservation systems and distancing measures. But as is common with Coloradans, people are getting creative and finding new ways to elevate the heart rate.

It might be time to #FreeYourHeel and explore winter’s often-overlooked pastime.

Cross-country skiing has often played second fiddle to the behemoth downhill skiing industry, yet cross-country skiing has been making its presence known in mountain towns.

Enter Frisco Nordic Center, which is a brief drive from the Front Range and in the

heart of ski country. Run by the Town of Frisco, the Nordic Center offers crosscountry skiing, snowshoeing, tubing and a free sledding hill. While there is something for everyone, the cross-country skiing really stands out. Exercise, killer views and social distancing are all part of the equation.

Pete Swenson, Nordic Manager in Frisco, sums up the experience nicely.

“Frisco has the best views in the state.

Really! Also, the diversity of terrain is unmatched for a 30 kilometer Nordic Center,” he says. “We have pancake flat beginner terrain from the lodge as well as expert terrain in hills as challenging as anything in the state.”

Vanessa Agee, Communications Director for the Town of Frisco, agrees that

Frisco Nordic Center photos: Todd Powell January-February 2021

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GET YOUR X-COUNTRY ON, WHEREVER YOU END UP ASHCROFT TOURING

Nestled in the Elk Mountains close to Aspen, Ashcroft Touring offers miles of cross-country skiing. What’s even better than the touring? Heading to the legendary Pine Creek Cookhouse for a gourmet lunch or dinner. Earn that champagne!

Location: Aspen pinecreekcookhouse.com/winter/

there’s something for every interest level and there’s some practical implications as well. “It's not all tough, but, boy, skate skiing three times a week can whittle away at a beer belly!”

Swenson agrees. “Cross country skiing can provide hours of peaceful, low heart rate, low-impact exercise,” he says. “Conversely, for people looking for a true full-body workout or cardio exercise, there’s no better workout than intense cross-country skiing.”

And social distancing? While crowds have increased, the Nordic Center believes they are well equipped for an expected uptick in usage this season. “Cross-country skiing certainly solves the social distancing problem for exercise,” Swenson says The Center has implemented COVID-19 procedures to help protect users this season.

No indoor seating or warming will be allowed in the lodge, so guests should plan to turn their cars into their basecamp. All guests will need to be prepared for outdoor winter conditions because trail-pass sales, lessons, tour bookings and rentals will be scheduled outdoors.

So, there’s no excuse to let that pandemic body carry on any longer. Get up, get out and get some exercise while also enjoying Colorado’s beautiful winter wonderland.

Whether you check out Frisco’s Nordic Center or one of the nearly 30 other Nordic ski areas, there is truly something for everyone.

GRAND LAKE NORDIC CENTER

While skating 35 kilometers of trails, you can enjoy views of Arapaho National Forest and Rocky Mountain National Park at the Grand Lake Nordic Center.

The trail system also offers terrain for snowshoers and a dog-friendly area.

Location: Grand Lake grandlakerecreation.com/ nordiccenter/

ABOUT FRISCO NORDIC CENTER

Hours: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., 7 days a week 616 Recreation Way in Frisco Phone: 970-668-2570 Website: FriscoNordic.com

ELDORA NORDIC CENTER

Known for its downhill skiing, Eldora also features a Nordic ski experience tucked away from the alpine ski area. Ski past “old-growth forests, meander across expansive alpine meadows, and showcase dramatic mountain backdrops” and maybe bring your downhill skis for some afternoon turns.

Location: Nederland eldora.com/things-to-do/nordiccenter/nordic-center-at-eldora

CRESTED BUTTE NORDIC

Ski right out of bed and onto the trails! Crested Butte Nordic maintains a whopping 50 kilometers of trails that start right in town. Other features and amenities include fine dining at a trail-side yurt, fat biking trails and ice skating.

Location: Crested Butte cbnordic.org

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Participants enjoy themselves during the Frisco BrewSki, a beer festival on Nordic skis featuring a costume contest.

AMUSEMENT PARKS FOR THE MIND Museum visits open doors to the past, present and future

By Kyle Kirves Photo by James Dewhirst, courtesy of Clyfford Still Museum

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M

useums are perhaps the most egalitarian of our institutions. They welcome us in to share in adventures, discoveries, explorations, and creations of the mind’s eye brought to paper, canvas, or sculpture -- often for less than the price of a rent-at-home movie.

Museums treat us to things we would otherwise not be able to see or find, yet are on vivid display often only inches away. Museums fuel imagination about the remote past and possible future.

According to some observers, museums are amusement parks for the mind.

Fortunately for all of us, Denver has no shortage of marvel-filled museums full of national treasures as well as those that cater to specialty interests. Maybe you are a local history buff and want to learn about Colorado railroads. Maybe your kids’ favorite Colorado Rockies player is, well, Dinger, and they want to see, first-hand, just how big a triceratops really was. Or you have a need for speed – cars, yes, but also the kind of velocity that propels us into outer space. No matter what your particular want-to-know-more-about subject, the Denver area has wonderfully engaging museums that will make for memorable visual and tangible explorations for you and the entire family. Read on to learn about a few of our favorites.

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Ansel Adams, Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1944. Photo courtesy of Denver Art Museum

SHELBY AMERICAN COLLECTION Gearheads rejoice! If you loved the movie Ford v Ferrari and want to see a few cars from the era, the Shelby American Collection museum in Boulder is well worth the drive. (Please, though, stick to the speed limit!) Showcasing some of the rarest and most important cars in American racing history, the museum is dedicated to preserving the legacy of revolutionary car designer Carroll Shelby and racer Ken Miles (Matt Damon and Christian Bale’s characters, respectively, in the aforementioned movie) and their racing team. Yes, the cars are there in all their glory, but the museum is home to memorabilia and media from America’s golden age of racing and much more.

Shelby American Collection 5020 Chaparral Court, Boulder shelbyamericancollection.com

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MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART DENVER Engaging. Challenging. Innovative. And always, always changing – that’s Denver’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA).

Founded in 1996, and in its permanent home on Delgany Street since 2007, MCA Denver is home to a series of rotating exhibits of global, national and regional artists. MCA also hosts events and speakers on a wide variety of current topics – from things you’ve read in headlines, to a world you may have only guessed at. Music, too, has a home at MCA, including virtual concerts during the pandemic.

Be sure to check in (or out) with MCA’s Octopus Initiative – you could be selected to host a piece of modern art in your home, created by a local Denver-based artist, for 10 months!

Leave your preconceptions of what art

is at the door and be prepared for art and ideas and stories that reset expectations of what art can and should be -- a dialogue -- as art that doesn’t just speak to you, it talks with you.

Museum of Contemporary Art 1485 Delany, Denver mcadenver.org.

DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE A little bit Indiana Jones, a little bit Jacques Cousteau, and a little bit Sally Ride, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science has something to fire the imagination of the whole family. With various permanent collections, dioramas, and rotating exhibitions, the museum is a kind of experiential encyclopedia for everything from “Ancient Egypt” to “Space Odysseys” to “Zoology.” Kids will thrill to the dinosaur

Photo courtesy of Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum

collections (including complete skeletal reconstructions of Denver dinos that show how big the lizards in our backyard really were), as well as the current exhibit “The Art of the Brick,” artist Nathan Sawaya’s expressive use of LEGOs. The museum is home, also, to the Phipps IMAX theater and its continuing rotation of natural, historical, and feature films presented on the grandest of scales.

Denver Museum of Nature and Science 2001 Colorado Blvd, Denver dmns.org.

WINGS OVER THE ROCKIES AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM

José Inez Herrera, Death Cart, 1890-1910. Photo courtesy of Denver Art Museum

Are you ready for lift off? Dedicated to “educating and inspiring people of all ages about aviation and space endeavors of the past, present and future,” the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum showcases some of the most recognizable and formidable aircraft in history. The museum is located in an aircraft hangar (what else?) on the former Lowry Air Force Base in east Denver. The aircraft themselves are the stars of the show – a B-52 Stratofortress, an F-4 Phantom, an HL20 Dream Chaser spacecraft, even a replica X-Wing from Star Wars – but there

is much more to the story. Educational programs and featured events bring the people, history, and world of aviation and space exploration alive. Be sure to check out the flight simulators to see how you’d do in the cockpit!

Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum 7711 East Academy Boulevard, Denver wingsmuseum.org

DENVER ART MUSEUM Located in central Denver right off Cheesman Park, the Denver Art Museum is the grande DAM (ahem) of art venues in Denver. Permanent collections of Asian, African and Western art in all media share space with rotating touring national artwork.

The permanent Petrie collection of art of the Western United States is one of the best and most comprehensive of its type anywhere.

Featured exhibitions include a travelling catalog of the work of Frieda Kahlo (running through January 2021). Ticket prices vary by exhibition, but general admission is always free for kids, with youth ticket pricing starting at $5 for special exhibits.

Denver Art Museum 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy, Denver denverartmusuem.org

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BOULDER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART If Boulder Creek is the main artery of Boulder, then the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) is its heart.

Located in a historic warehouse that gives BMoCA its urban face, the museum hosts global and national, and local art and artists, events, and educational outreach in a warm and welcoming venue to over 100,000 visitors annually. The calendar is changing all the time and should make BMoCA a stop every time you’re in town – or go before or after a visit to Dushanbe Tea House and make a day of it. Check the website for their

event calendar. With admission only $2, it may be the best art deal in town!

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art 1750 13th Street, Boulder bmoca.org

COLORADO HISTORY CENTER At the intersection of the storied past and the evolving future, the Colorado History Center in Denver’s Golden Triangle creative district tells the story of the Centennial State through exhibits, stories, artifacts, and more. The four story, fifteen exhibit center is dedicated to “capturing the pioneering individualistic spirit of Colorado.” The

Center’s mission and vision give voice to the unique stories of all Coloradans – native inhabitants, immigrants, pioneers, and women all blend into the medley that is Colorado’s history. And it’s a great place to start your deeper dive into the state as one of the flagship museums of the Colorado History initiative.

Colorado History Center 1200 N Broadway, Denver historycolorado.org 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.

CLYFFORD STILL MUSEUM When the dynamics of American painting shifted after World War II from the representational or realistic to the abstract, expressionistic, and symbolic, Clyfford Still was in the vanguard.

A truly visionary figure in the art world, Still’s career spanned from the late 1930s through the 1970s. His legacy is a catalog of paintings in all sizes that use colors, surfaces, textures, and scale in pioneering ways, eschewing realism in favor of contrasts and moodiness – and the Clyfford Still Museum in downtown Denver is the permanent home to nearly all his work.

“When Clifford Still died, he stipulated in his will that all of his work be showcased in a single gallery in a single American city,” says Sanya Andersen-Vie, director of marketing and communications at the Clifford Still Museum. “In 2004, thenMayor John Hickenlooper petitioned Still’s widow to get the collection. She was impressed, and Denver won.”

By Denver, she means all of us – the landmark museum in downtown Denver is not just a gallery and exhibition space, but a marvel of architectural achievement as well. Designed by architect Brad Cloepfil, the museum space is spacious yet intimate, and the concrete walls provide a great contrast to Still’s work. The lighting changes the mood and complexion of each piece at different times of day. And with 95 percent of Still’s work in one space, it is possible to really get a read on the artist’s catalog in its virtual entirety – even if showing all his pieces is a logistical impossibility given the sheer size and volume of Still’s output.

“We change out the exhibits two or three times a year,” Andersen-Vie says, “but our free virtual tours and online catalog contain almost all of Still’s art.” Nearly 2,500 pieces are available for viewing online through the museum.

The museum is home to Still’s work, and only Still’s work, but that doesn’t mean the art community as a whole and the public itself don’t have a presence there. “Denver artists aid with the curation and presentation of the art,” Andersen-Vie continues.

“We are also currently working with our youngest audience – some children as young as 6 months old – to aid with selection for a curated exhibit in September 2021.”

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Photo by James Dewhirst courtesy of Clyfford Still Museum

Children, Andersen-Vie says, respond very well to the familyfriendly venue. “This is the kind of art that children themselves are creating when they first start out drawing or coloring,” she says. “And we had one 10-year-old boy who was so moved by the museum and the art that he did a classroom project on Still, and eventually hosted an evening at the museum where he was the guide. He’s our superfan!”

The museum also hosts a collection of Still’s journals, notebooks, and sketches that provide insight into the artist’s life, technique and inspirations. Beyond showcasing Still and his enormous contribution to American art, the museum also hosts concerts, courses and classes, and meditation in the museum.

As the museum nears its 10th year, there may be no better time to visit and open your mind to what art is … and what it can be.

Clyfford Still Museum 1250 Bannock St, Denver clyffordstillmuseum.org

HUNGRY AT HOME? WE GOT YOU COVERED.

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January-February 2021

ThirstColorado.com 21

GLOBAL FUSION

Miguel Espinoza blends flamenco guitar with world sound

By Steve Graham

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January-February 2021

Miguel Espinoza, second from right, heads up the Flameco Fusion band. Photos: Courtesy of Miguel Espinoza

M

iguel Espinoza’s family has lived in the San Luis Valley since the 1500s, planting deep personal roots in Colorado. But his musical roots are distinctly global.

Espinoza left Colorado to study flamenco guitar in Spain and New Mexico, soak up jazz in New York and revel in the rhythms of northern India. These art forms and other international styles all influence his current band, Miguel Espinoza Flamenco Fusion.

The Denver-based sextet has released two albums and played its unique and uplifting world music all over Colorado.

Although Espinoza is the marquee name, he said the group is collaborative.

“Everybody in the group is highly creative,” Espinoza said. “We all throw in the pot together. We all go in as equal partners in all the music.”

THE ‘BOILING BATH’

He said he retains and respects the flamenco style, while mixing in other sounds.

“I have this boiling bath of tradition,” he said. “We are walking the fine line of tradition and innovation. A lot of flamencos really dig what we’re doing.”

After high school, Espinoza moved to Spain and honed the traditional forms in dance studios.

“Because I was accompanying dance for a living, my hands and my rhythm became so strong,” he said.

He was eventually drawn back stateside to travel for several seasons with the acclaimed dancer Maria Benitez.

While in New York, he sat in for a jazz club performance and realized he could do more with the guitar than the fast finger work and steady rhythms of flamenco.

“It kicked my butt,” he admitted, laughing.

“I didn’t know anything about how to modulate or change keys.”

He brought those new jazz influences together with his flamenco guitar and Indian Tabla rhythms to create a group January-February 2021

ThirstColorado.com 23

are walking the fine line of tradition “andWeinnovation.

A lot of flamencos really dig what we’re doing. ”

— Miguel Espinoza

called Curandero. The duo recorded with Béla Fleck, and Kai Eckhardt of the John McLaughlin Trio.

“I had always had this love for music from India,” said Espinoza, who recalls being enraptured at a young age by a Ravi Shankar performance.

Espinoza also released solo albums before finding several new bandmates, including cellist Dianne Betkowski, and creating the Flamenco Fusion group.

A NEW SOUND

Betkowski also had a passion for music at a young age, having found a guitar in an alley as a child and teaching herself chords.

“I was always trying to make music one way or another,” Betkowski said.

Betkowski eventually found her calling on larger strings.

“I like the tone of the cello. It’s really like a part of my body,” she said.

And Betkowski found her musical home in Espinoza’s band.

“The things I am really good at I wasn’t good at until I met Miguel,” she said.

Betkowski keeps a busy schedule.

In between private music lessons and substitute gigs with the Colorado Symphony, she founded Denver Eclectic Concerts, a continuing live music series that combines classical and non-classical performances.

When she approached Espinoza to perform in another new concert series, she ended up helping him create a new band.

“He had a couple of pieces he was working on, and we got right to work playing,” Betkowski said.

Espinoza said he had long been looking for the right cellist to bring a counterpoint to his zippy flamenco guitar. He describes Betkwoski as a natural percussionist and flamenco player.

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January-February 2021

“It’s like she was born and raised with it,” Espinoza said.

ROUNDING OUT THE BAND

Saxophonist and University of Denver jazz professor Lynn Baker was another founding member of the group. Andy Skellenger builds and plays the Cajon, a traditional Peruvian box drum. He also plays Tablas and brings south Asian influences.

Randy Hoepker plays bass in the group.

He is also conductor of the Colorado Brass, and teaches jazz improvisation and arrangement.

The newest member of the group is a second drummer, Mario Moreno, who plays conga and timbales. The paired drumming brings a multicultural mix of rhythms.

“There are just really different colors of sounds,” Betkowski said. “I think it’s really a kind of music that people feel really strongly on an emotional level.”

Espinoza agreed, noting that many

listeners also connect spiritually.

“A lot of people say they really feel like they went to church,” he said.

While they wait for a chance to provide those musical services in a live setting again, Espinoza and Betkowski continue providing private music lessons, and hope to relaunch their inclusive Urban Arts Music camp for kids in 2021. When they can provide camps and concerts again, they look forward to sharing plenty of new sounds.

“Music just pours out of Miguel like breathing,” said Betkowski. “By the time we can get together again, we will have a lot of pent-up musical energy to disperse.”

Steve Graham is a freelance writer and former newspaper editor who takes his two boys biking, hiking and brewery-hopping in northern Colorado.

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Editor’s Note: Prior to attending any events this winter, be sure to check websites and social media to make sure it’s game-on.

JANUARY ALL-OUT POLAR PROWL HALF MARATHON JANUARY 9

Jefferson County Join the seventh annual running along the Ralston Creek Trail in Arvada. The half marathon is the first in a series of nine half marathons, 10Ks and 5K races that run throughout the Denver area each year. halfmarathons.net/colorado-polar-prowl

WINTERSKÖL JANUARY 14-17

Aspen Aspen’s annual “toast to winter” dates to 1951 when locals decided to celebrate Aspen’s unique Nordic lifestyle with an eclectic weekend of festivities. Today, the four-day celebration features on-mountain activities, concerts, a canine fashion show, and a torchlight descent down Aspen Mountain followed by a bonfire and fireworks. aspenchamber.org/events/winterskol

WINTERFEST JANUARY 22-24

Pagosa Springs The Pagosa Springs Area Chamber of Commerce brings forth the activity-packed weekend for the whole family. Look for sled races, cross country ski clinic, fat bike race, BB gun biathlon and much more. pagosachamber.com/winterfest

X GAMES ASPEN JANUARY 28-31

Aspen The X Games return to Buttermilk in Aspen for the world’s best action sports, music and festival experience — on snow! Sport competitions are not open to the public, but live coverage of the event will air on ESPN and ABC. aspensnowmass.com

FEBRUARY OTEIL BURBRIDGE TRIO FEBRUARY 4

Beaver Creek Bassist Oteil Burbridge will team up with guests to jam at the Vilar Performing Arts Center.

Burbridge has played with Dead & Company, The Allman Brothers Band, Tedeschi Trucks Band and many others during his career. vilarpac.org

STEAMBOAT WINTER CARNIVAL FEBRUARY 3-7 STEAMBOAT SPRINGS

Hosted by the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, the carnival is a communitywide celebration of athleticism and winter. For over

OLD MAN WINTER FEBRUARY 13-14

Lyons With a few modifications, participants can expect a 10K run on Saturday and bike events on Sunday. Expect a few surprises, prizes and libations in line with some stay-safe guidelines. oldmanwinterrally.com/team-omw

January-February 2021

ICE FEST JANUARY 21-24 OURAY

Organizers are hoping to pull off the annual event because ice climbing naturally results in social distancing. Watch some of the world’s best climbers take on the ice walls in beautiful Ouray. ourayicepark.com/ouray-ice-festival

MARCH SKI JORING & CRYSTAL CARNIVAL IN LEADVILLE MARCH 5–7

Leadville Watch skiers navigate an obstacle course connected by tow rope to a horse and rider galloping at top speed. The winter carnival and the rest of the action takes place in the middle of town. leadvilletwinlakes.com

Do you have an event happening this spring?

Let us know at joe@thirstcolorado.com - Compiled by Dennis Mangers

26 ThirstColorado.com

a century, the Winter Carnival has been a celebration that builds community and highlights Steamboat’s western and ski heritage. sswsc.org/events/winter-carnival

Photo: Huck Adventures

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ThirstColorado.com 27

Prime Pairings Braised Beef Short Ribs in Red Wine Whether you are entertaining on a cold winter night or just need a hearty meal to satisfy your palate, the following recipe will hit the spot.

Beef short ribs simmered in a reduced red wine sauce lays the foundation for this seasonally appropriate dish. Served over truffled mashed potatoes, the entire family will get into this savory meal.

Photos: Neill Pieper

Short Ribs Ingredients 5 pounds (bone-in) short ribs 2 tsp salt

1 package pearl onions, peeled

pepper to taste

4 carrots cut in strips

3 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp flour

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

3 celery stalks, diced

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp mustard powder

1 tsp rosemary 1 bottle cabernet sauvignon 2 cups beef broth 6 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 yellow onion, diced

Directions Season ribs with salt and pepper, covering all sides of the meat.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and sear the ribs on all sides for about one minute. Transfer ribs to a plate. SautĂŠ celery, onions, carrots, and pearl onions in the Dutch oven until soft. Add in salt, tomato paste, garlic, mustard powder and red pepper flakes while stirring consistently. Add the flour and stir until all of it is absorbed into the mixture. Add the wine and continue to stir/scrape residue from bottom of the Dutch oven. Put ribs back in the simmering sauce and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add the herbs, beef stock and cover the pan. Place in oven and bake for 3 hours.

Remove from the oven. Beef should be tender and falling off the bone.

Serve over truffled mashed potatoes. (See recipe on the following page.)

Serves 4

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January-February 2021

Mashed Potato Ingredients

© Svetlana Kolpakova / Adobe Stock

Truffled Mashed Potatoes Pair with

2 lbs potatoes, peeled & quartered

1 cup milk

4 tbsp butter

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsp truffle oil

Directions Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and add salt. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Drain potatoes in a colander. While boiling the potatoes, warm milk in a saucepan, stirring consistently. Using a ricer, place softened potatoes in device and rice potatoes into a large bowl. When all potatoes have been riced, add the butter and stir gently with a spoon. Add the milk for creamy consistency. Last, add the truffle oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Chill Switch Wine Super Colorado Red Rich, bold and complex, this wine is up to the task of matching the substantial flavor profile of the adjoined short ribs. Utilizing all Colorado fruits, this 14 percent ABV red wine is robust and provides a great layered finish.

Winter Citrus Salad Meet your new year’s resolution with a healthy, flavorful salad. Creamy dressing, citrus fruits and zesty arugula make for an excellent side dish. Or, serve it as a standalone meal.

Ingredients 1 orange

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 blood orange

4 oz Gorgonzola cheese

1 grapefruit

poppyseed dressing

arugula

lemon, sliced

Directions Slice orange, blood orange and grapefruit. Cut rind off outside of fruit slices. Arrange arugula on a platter with the citrus slices on top. Add red onion, gorgonzola cheese and drizzle with poppyseed dressing of choice. Garnish with lemon slices.

Pair with Bruz Beers Abbey Series Dubbel Sometimes an unlikely pairing makes for a pleasant surprise. This delicate winter salad calls for a hearty marriage with Belgian origins. Dark and malty with notes of toffee, toast and dried fruit, this Belgian Dubbel is a great brew for winter. At 6.2% ABV, it’s a perfect way to round out your meal.

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ThirstColorado.com 29

RESORTS PIVOT TO KEEP GUESTS FUELED UP AND ROCKING

No surprise – plenty of food and libations await

By The Thirst Team

Photo: Courtesy of Monarch Mountain

30 ThirstColorado.com

January-February 2021

Photo: Courtesy of The Divvy, Crested Butte

Photo: Courtesy of Sidewinder Saloon, Monarch Mountain

W

hile COVID-19 hasn’t stymied people’s desire for skiing, it has changed the way culinary offerings are found at your favorite resort this season. In particular, return visitors might find a few moguls that have changed the landscape at their go-to eateries because of seating restrictions and menu alterations.

You showed up for the skiing, but let’s be real, grabbing a warming beverage and a savory bite is half the fun.

Following are a few resorts’ dining options for this particularly crazy season on the slopes.

MONARCH MOUNTAIN

Jacob Pahlke, food and beverage manager with Monarch Mountain, said one of the most exciting changes this year is the new Flyby Burritos, a food trailer on the main deck that will safely put smiles on the faces of guests. “The menu is small, but delicious and it should allow us to feed hundreds of guests each day without them ever having to step foot in the lodge,” he said. “We will also be serving beer, wine, and batched cocktails out of Flyby.”

Expect changes at Monarch’s existing venues, such as the Sidewinder Saloon, which is considered its flagship. Rather than throngs of guests wandering around

ordering, eating and drinking, Pahlke said the Sidewinder will feature booth seating, which will allow the venue to place a barrier between groups as well as the hostess stand.

“In contrast to past seasons, we will be encouraging guests to order to-go food utilizing a new buzzer system,” he said.

“While we may not have chosen to make these changes in the past, I am very excited about the new layout of the venue and I believe the experience will be better than ever for our guests.”

Early risers can always grab breakfast (or lunch) in the Java Stop starting at 7:30 a.m.

The Gunbarrel Cafeteria also offers pizza, January-February 2021

ThirstColorado.com 31

hamburgers and sandwiches and “guests will be able to get in and out in just a few minutes,” Pahlke said.

“My biggest priority going into this season is getting our guests the food and drinks they want while preventing crowds and bottlenecks,” he added.

And sometimes, despite one’s best efforts, old favorites are just hard to beat.

“No matter how many times we add exciting new menu items, people always come back for our nachos, jalapeño poppers, and fried chicken sandwich in the Sidewinder,” Pahlke said. “Employees, season pass holders, and out of state guests have consistently shown that those three items are their favorites.”

Pahlke noted that their Bloody Mary is the chart-topper for cocktails. Try the Carnivore, which features steak, pepperoni, au jus and a jalapeno popper. To enhance the Colorado craft beer list, Monarch has struck up a relationship with Soulcraft Brewing in Salida. Add that to the existing beverages from Elevation Beer Co., Bristol

Photo: Courtesy of Talons Restaurant, Beaver Creek

32 ThirstColorado.com

January-February 2021

Brewing Co. and Eddyline Brewery and you have a truly respectable lineup.

Finally, if you’re heading to Monarch, make sure to inquire about their new happy hours.

CRESTED BUTTE

The Town of Mount Crested Butte is considered by some to be in the middle of nowhere when it comes to Colorado. But that hasn’t stopped the town’s foodie craze from pulling off the perfect kicker.

If you’re slope-side, a trip into town isn’t necessary with The Avalanche Bar and Grill within skating distance. Dining in or taking out is available with a few new tricks to safely acknowledge the pandemic restrictions. The mostly American menu has been simplified but plenty of great eats are available. And if it’s time to store the skis and kick back, order an Avalanche Warning, suggests Katy Mooney, marketing manager at Crested Butte. The signature cocktail is wildly popular and it will help remind you to tell friends and family about the amazing turns (360s, double

backflips, etc.) you pulled off when carving up the mountain earlier in the day.

The Crested Butte Burger Company is quick and easy for grab-and-go meals, and The Store offers snacks, drinks and sandwiches made to order, Mooney said.

For breakfast, the Brown Lab Pub and Bakery will provide doughnuts, breakfast sandwiches and other quick snacks. When you get thirsty, check on drink specials that pop up from time to time.

And showing just how fun skiing Colorado can be, grab your favorite sushi rolls and plates when you get down the mountain at The Divvy. Throw in a Sapporo Premium Beer and you have another great choice for the downhillers on the go. A good selection of craft beer and craft cocktails await and always look for drink specials from 2-4 p.m. Expect dishes such as Duck Confit and Gnocchi, or Grilled Korean Pesto Shrimp for dinner. The menu is constantly updated.

BEAVER CREEK

Beaver Creek Communications Manager Jessie Vandenhouten said although things are configured differently, the resort is working to make sure everyone can fuel up for a great experience. “Our food and beverage options look a little different this season due to COVID-19 safety protocols, but guests can still enjoy the same chili and burgers that they previously have,” she said.

The best surprise is no surprise this year, Vandenhouten said. The resort has all its dining information on its Winter Experience page on the website: beavercreek.com.

“For those looking to indulge in an après cocktail, we will only be serving prepackaged beer and wine at our outlets,” she said.

For a quick breakfast, “Vail Mountain Coffee and Tea just opened in Beaver Creek Village and offers a variety of coffees, pastries, and even heartier items like empanadas and individual quiches,” Vandenhouten said.

Restaurants such as Spruce Saddle and Talons can be booked in advance using the Time to Dine feature on the EpicMix app.

Mamie’s will be open in Bachelor Gulch for grab ‘n go sandwiches and snacks, and Broken Arrow will also feature a limited menu in Arrowhead.

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WHILING AWAY WINTER WITH WELL-APPOINTED WHISKEY

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January-February 2021

When the short days grow cold in the deep Colorado winter …

‘Whisky is liquid sunshine’

By The Thirst Team

T

he Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw gets credit for the “liquid sunshine” quote, which seems wholly appropriate for this time of year in Colorado when the sun makes its short daily visit in the southern sky. As the brisk, highcountry winds drive most to seek refuge indoors, it’s a great time to sip some of the finest whiskeys the craftspeople in our state have to offer.

DISTILLERY 291 Small Batch Colorado Bourbon Whiskey Opening a fine bottle of whiskey is always a treat, yet opening a bottle of 291’s bourbon is one of the more satisfying things you can do on a cold winter’s night. After undoing the oldfashioned clasp and pulling out the cork, you’ll find a unique and comforting whiskey. Barrel aged one year and finished with charred aspen staves in the Colorado Springs distillery, this bourbon rolls onto the tongue like smooth molasses and finishes with a hint of honey.

100 Proof

MYTHOLOGY DISTILLERY Hell Bear American Whiskey Outside the snow might be layering up like blankets, but inside the fire is warm and the mood more docile. Enter the Hell Bear.

Mythology’s whiskey is a blend of straight rye whiskey and four year-old bourbons. Spicy rye and fruit flavors up front are subdued by soft caramel, vanilla and cinnamon spice on the finish. As the Denver distillery puts it, “Inspired by the spirit of Hell Bear, we crafted a blend of straight rye whiskey and straight bourbon that’s sharp enough to bite through your favorite cocktail but smooth enough to be enjoyed neat.”

90 Proof

LAWS WHISKEY HOUSE

Photos: Neill Pieper

Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey Gather up your favorite blanket, grab a book and pour yourself a dram. Laws Whiskey House in Denver uses local heirloom varietals of wheat, barley and rye from two Colorado farms to bring a complex whiskey to your glass. Rich and dry, the flavors January-February 2021

ThirstColorado.com 35

that come to the palate consist of orange, sweet tobacco and spice. This particular whiskey rests for three years in charred oak barrels.

95 Proof

SPIRIT HOUND DISTILLERS Straight-Malt Whisky A storm is blowing in, carrying moisture from far off lands, conjuring images of Scottish cliffs being battered by the sea. If that’s not too dramatic, it’s time for a little Spirit Hound in your cup. Spirit Hound Distillers in Lyons added a Scottish twist to their whisky by adding a peated malt. After distillation, it ages in barrels for at least two years, until deemed ready. Then it’s bottled barrel by barrel, rendering each batch to its flavor profile, no two alike.

90 Proof

BRECKENRIDGE DISTILLERY

Breckenridge Whiskey Rum Cask Finish The blended bourbon whiskey offers a spin that will pleasantly surprise even the purists.

Finishing Breck’s high-rye whiskey in a rum cask elevates this hooch well beyond the distillery’s 9,300 feet. With the addition of a combination of spices, herbs, fruit peels and other ingredients (plus years of tinkering), the result has been wildly popular and super easy to sip neat.

90 Proof

WOODS HIGH MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY Sawatch American Malt Whiskey When the Arkansas River freezes and the snow on the Sawatch Range gets deep, it’s time to hunker down and sip this fine, limited edition malt whiskey. Batch 3 was matured more than four years in charred new American Oak with a blend of malted grains and two-row barley. Released late last year, it can be found at its birthplace in Salida or at select liquor stores.

98 Proof

OLD ELK DISTILLERY Straight Wheat Whiskey This bright and refreshing wheat whiskey will remind you that warm spring days are just around the corner. With hints of honey, vanilla and stone fruits, the whiskey is smooth and palate pleasing. Crafted with 95 percent winter wheat and 5 percent malted barley, this layered treat comes out of Fort Collins, but not before it’s been aged for a minimum of five years.

100 proof

36 ThirstColorado.com

January-February 2021

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October-December 2020

ThirstColorado.com 37

THE INNER WORKINGS OF OUTER RANGE The Frisco-based brewery reaches new limits with a brewery expansion

By Monica Parpal Stockbridge

A

fter four years, Outer Range Brewing Co. in Frisco has completed a brewery expansion that includes an expanded taproom, larger production area, coffee shop, restaurant, outdoor patio and rooftop. Even though 2020 has been fraught with challenges, owners Lee and Emily Cleghorn are finding plenty of silver linings.

THE EXPANSION When they opened Outer Range in 2016, the Cleghorns envisioned it as a familyfriendly place. Before too long, however, the brewery’s fan base outgrew its 2,200 squarefoot space. “We love the high energy but it was just too crowded,” Emily says. When she stopped bringing her daughter to the brewery because it was so packed, she knew something had to change.

“We feel so fortunate that we expanded when we did,” says Lee, adding that, with this year’s COVID-19 restrictions, the brewery may have gone out of business in their original taproom. Now, the brewery has a 60seat patio area ideal for outdoor dining and drinking, and until recently, had been able to accommodate more people indoors due to the increased square footage.

38 ThirstColorado.com

January-February 2021

The expansion seemed fated. “It kind of fell in our lap that the restaurant in that space wanted to leave and we had the opportunity to quadruple our space,” Lee says. “We essentially applied all that extra space to the taproom experience.”

While the owners originally planned to open on Friday, March 13, 2020, the new space was only open for one day before having to close again due to COVID-19 restrictions. Lee anticipated an aluminum shortage and stocked up on cans before amping up their canning production to five days a week. They gave their staff more hours, which became a win-win to keep staff employed and get beer out the door.

A BEER LOVERS’ PARADISE Lee and Emily saw the renovation as an opportunity to build an entirely new bar — and along with it, a new bar experience. The 40-seat, 360-degree bar is designed with beer lovers in mind. “All of our bartenders are Cicerone Level 1 certified,” Emily says. “We wanted to get as many people around the bar so that they could get that kind of, you know, educational experience.” She hopes that in 2021, they can achieve that vision.

The duo was particularly inspired by Washington, D.C., craft beer bar, ChurchKey, where beers are served from the tap at their ideal temperatures. “It just blew my mind,” Lee says. “I was like, oh my god, this is exactly how we should be drinking beer.” So when they had the opportunity to build a new bar, he built a similar system. Pilsners are served at 37 degrees, IPAs at 45 degrees and darker beers at 54 degrees. As far as they know, Outer Range is the only bar or brewery in Colorado with such a system.

Another aspect of the rebuild involved installing a CO2 recovery system. Adapting a specialty system from Earthly Labs out of Texas, Outer Range can now recover the CO2 that is expelled during fermentation and use it to carbonate beers. “The amount of CO2 a brewery produces really isn’t a big point of conversation now,” Lee says, “but it might be in the future.”

He goes on to explain that the CO2 used to carbonate beer is typically a byproduct of fossil fuel production, which comes with a risk of leaching trace amounts of impurities and oils into the beer. In fact, Outer Range plans to brew side-by-side versions of its In The Steep IPA: one traditional and one with the recaptured CO2, so guests can taste the difference.

STAY FOR THE FOOD As part of the expansion, Outer Range opened a restaurant, Bird Craft, run by Chef Chris Schmidt. Schmidt is co-owner and chef at Craftsman, a gourmet sandwich spot in Edwards. “He knows a lot about beer,”

“I was like, oh my god, this is exactly how we should be drinking beer.”

– Lee Cleghorn Photos: Neill Pieper

Emily adds. The restaurant serves “Thai-ish fried chicken” poke tots, papaya salad and honey Sriracha wings, to name a few. Online orders have been pouring in.

Mountain Dweller is a separate business that rents space from Outer Range to offer coffee and pastries from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily — ideal for early morning guests and non-beer drinkers.

PIVOTING IN A PANDEMIC Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Outer Range didn’t distribute beer at all in Colorado (other than a specialty brew they made once for Whole Foods). But once the pandemic hit, they began selling beer out of liquor stores to tap a new revenue stream.

“Then we realized, too, that people were really discovering us for the first time at these liquor stores,” Emily says, especially since Outer Range is 70 miles from Denver.

After reopening the taproom in July, they decided to continue local distribution — a credit to those liquor stores that helped keep them afloat and a chance to keep those channels open in a still-uncertain environment. Still, with the newly added foodservice components and bigger, better space, Outer Range seems geared up to increase their fan base in the new year.

“This whole COVID thing,” Emily says, “the silver lining with it, it got us to think about it differently, and try to go to customers where they are.”

Monica Parpal Stockbridge writes about food, travel and technology in Colorado and beyond. Read more of her work at monicastockbridge.com.

January-February 2021

ThirstColorado.com 39

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January-February 2021

RIDING WITH CLAPSADDLE’S POSSE WAS AN ADVENTURE

By Joe Ross

L

ongtime readers of Thirst Colorado Magazine will recall the “True Tales from the Lying Log” column that was written by Bufford T. Clapsaddle, officially known as Wilbur Flachman.

Wilbur, a lifelong creator, collector and dispenser of memorable stories, died Sept. 16, after 83 amazing years of life.

He and his wife, Marilyn, moved from Iowa to Colorado in 1961, and he quickly adopted and embodied the Western lifestyle and spirit. A friend took him camping in the Colorado high country via horseback. Wilbur fell in love with the experience and would eventually have his own stable of pack horses that would provide mostly good (and a few scary) memories for hundreds of people over five decades.

Deep in the state’s wilderness, with the horses hobbled and the fire blazing, friends sharing a bottle of Yukon Jack bestowed the Clapsaddle moniker on their favorite cowboy. He proudly wore it like a well-broken-in Stetson.

Wilbur and his backcountry guests overcame electrical storms, snowstorms, bears, mountain lions, injured horses and a few crazed humans. He estimated that he rode 10,000-plus trail miles through the West. However, over the last two years of his life, he battled like a bear with pancreatic cancer, showing up at the office to move projects forward and cracking wise with his staff. He hadn’t wasted a minute of his life as a storyteller and publisher who had the brains and the drive to create wins in business and the arts.

To be a part of Wilbur’s posse – even for just three nights in the backcountry – was to be assured of an experience not soon forgotten.

That adventure-seeking posse consisted of the average Janes and Joes, clergy, educators, family and a host of successful thoughtleaders who helped shape the Denver metro area into an attractive, culturally relevant place to live.

For retired educator Duane Anderson, Wilbur was a boss, trail boss, mentor and good friend. From his teen years, Anderson worked at Wilbur’s publishing firm. He was asked to join the backcountry adventures, which he continued to be a part of for nearly 30 years. “I was one of his wranglers,” Anderson said. “I was the muscle.”

January-February 2021

ThirstColorado.com 41

Anderson would earn an education degree at Adams State College (now University) in Alamosa, marry and have three children. All the while, he remained close to Wilbur. “He was like a second dad to me,” Anderson added. “He had a lot of influence on my life.”

Anderson would eventually get to saddle up a horse for his own son and two daughters, carrying the tradition into another generation.

In addition to escorting people on horseback into the Rawah Range in north-central Colorado, or the Flat Tops Wilderness Area about half way between Steamboat Springs and Glenwood Springs, Wilbur was fine tuning his journalism chops.

He published papers in Adams County and Eagle County. His staff collected awards and as a member of the Colorado Press Association, he was named the group’s 100th president. He also launched a printing business from his Westminster offices, as well as The Publishing House, which currently produces Colorado’s Performing Arts Publications and Thirst Colorado.

Wilbur’s daughter Angie and son-in-law Paul have taken the reins over the past few decades and are moving the small family business forward.

The community where he lived and worked was important, and at some point in those early days, Wilbur decided the arts scene needed to become a bigger part of his community’s foundation. The 53-year Rotarian (motto: service above self) made it happen.

He was elected the first chairperson of the Adams County Cultural Council, which resulted in dozens of the sculptures and other commissioned pieces being placed around Adams County. At the same time, Wilbur was meeting with other arts enthusiasts to figure out how to broaden the region’s cultural depth. It was the late 1980s and civic funding was strained when the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District was born from voter approval. With a penny from every $10 purchase throughout the metro area, the SCFD became a key funding mechanism for hundreds of arts groups in the seven-county metro area. Last year, about $60 million was distributed to 300 arts groups.

“People like Wilbur built the SCFD and have continued to support it over the many decades the district has operated,” Executive Director Deborah Jordy said in an SCFD report. “It’s really a testament both to

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January-February 2021

who he was, and that he believed deeply in the district.”

Expanding from the newspaper business, Wilbur struck a relationship with the Denver Symphony Orchestra (now Colorado Symphony) in the early 1980s. With the mind of an engineer and the passion of an artist, Wilbur worked with symphony leaders to produce a gorgeous program full of performance information and advertising that was handed to patrons at each show. The publishing maestro later provided similar magazines to the Denver Center for Performing Arts, which produces theatre and Broadway touring shows, the Colorado Ballet, Opera Colorado and a half-dozen other performing arts entities.

Wilbur’s legacy will forever bring arts and culture to the region. From school children to opera buffs, his touch will be felt. And as his posse can attest to, he did it all under the motto: Ride hard and shoot straight!

January-February 2021

ThirstColorado.com 43

COLORADO BREWERY, DIS ● – Serves Food ● – Food Truck ● – Live Music

BREWERIES ARVADA Denver Beer Co Elevated Seltzer ● ● LUKI Brewery New Image Brewing ● Odyssey Beerwerks ● ● Resolute Brewing Tap & Cellar ● Someplace Else Brewery Spice Trade Brewing Co ● AURORA Bent Barley Brewing Co BJ’s ● Cheluna Brewing Co Dry Dock Brewing Co North Dock ● Dry Dock Brewing Co South Dock ● Launch Pad Brewery Peak to Peak Tap & Brew ● Two22 Brew ● Ursula Brewing Co BAILEY Mad Jack’s Mountain Brewery ● ● ● BOULDER AREA 12Degree Brewing ● Asher Brewing Co Avery Brewing ● Beyond the Mountain Brewing Co BJ’s ● Busey Brews Cellar West Artisan Ales ● Crystal Springs Brewing Co Echo Brewing Co ● Finkel & Garf Brewing Co Front Range Brewing Co ● ● Gravity Brewing ● ● Gunbarrel Brewing Co Industrial Revolution Brewing Co Kettle and Spoke Brewery Knotted Root Brewing Co Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co ● ● Mossdeep Brewing Co Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery ● Odd 13 Brewing Inc ● ● Oskar Blues Brewery ● ● The Post Brewing Co ● ● Redgarden Restaurant & Brewery ● Sanitas Brewing Co ● ● Ska Street Brewstillery Southern Sun ● Stein Brewing Co Twisted Pine Brewing ● ● Unnamed Beer Co Uhl’s Brewing Co Upslope Brewing Co ● ● Very Nice Brewing ● Vision Quest Brewing Co

44 ThirstColorado.com

West Flanders Brewing Co ● ●

Peaks N Pines Brewing Co ●

Wild Provisions Beer Project

Phantom Canyon ● ●

BRIGHTON/FREDERICK/ERIE Big Choice Brewing Flood Stage Ale Works ● Mirror Image Brewing Co Mountain Cowboy Brewing Co Something Brewery BROOMFIELD/WESTMINSTER 4 Noses Brewing Co ● BJ’s ● Frolic Brewing Co ● Gordon Biersch ● Kokopelli Beer Co ● ● Rails End Beer Co ● ● Westminster Brewing Co Wonderland Brewing Co ● ● CAÑON CITY AREA Florence Brewing World’s End Brewing Co CASTLE ROCK AREA 105 West Brewing Co ● Burly Brewing ● ● The Elizabeth Brewing Co Great Divide Brewing & Roadhouse Iron Mule Brewery Rockyard Brewing Co ● Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co ● CENTENNIAL/LONE TREE/ HIGHLANDS RANCH 3 Freaks Brewery ● Blue Spruce Brewing Co ● ● C.B. & Potts Highlands Ranch ● Grist Brewing Co ● Halfpenny Brewing Co ● ● Lone Tree Brewing Co Resolute Brewing Co Rock Bottom Centennial ● Rock Bottom Highlands Ranch ● Spice Trade Brewing Co COLORADO SPRINGS AREA Atrevida Beer Co ● Battle Mountain Brewing ● BierWerks Brewery ● ● Black Forest Brewing Co ● Brass Brewing Co ● Bristol Brewing ● Cerberus Brewing Co ● Cogstone Brewing Co ● ● Colorado Mountain Brewery ● Dueces Wild Brewery ● FH Beerworks ● Fossil Craft Beer Co ● Funky Town Brewing Goat Patch Brewing Co ● JAKs Brewing Co ● Local Relic ● Lost Friend Brewing ● Manitou Brewing Co ● Metric Brewing ● Nano 108 ● Paradox Beer Co ●

January-February 2021

Red Leg Brewing ● Red Swing Brewhouse Rock Bottom Colorado Springs ● Rocky Mountain Brewery ● Smiling Toad Brewery ● Storybook Brewing ● Trinity Brewing ● Whistle Pig Brewing Co ● ●

DENVER BAKER/SOUTH BROADWAY Baere Brewing Co Banded Oak Brewing Co Black Project Spontaneous & Wild Ales Dos Luces Grandma’s House Lowdown Brewery + Kitchen ● Novel Strand Brewing Co Platt Park Brewing Co ● TRVE Brewing Co CAPITOL HILL/E COLFAX/ PARK HILL Alpine Dog Brewing Co Bruz Off Fax Cerebral Brewing ● ● Counter Culture Brewery & Grille ● Fiction Beer Co ● Lady Justice Brewing Long Table Brewhouse ● Pints Pub ● Station 26 Brewing Co ● Vine Street Pub & Brewery ● DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Tom’s Urban Diner and Tivoli Brewing ● FIVE POINTS Spangalang Brewery Woods Boss Brewing LODO Denver Chophouse ● Great Divide Brewing Co ● ● Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery ● Rock Bottom Denver ● Sandlot Brewery Wynkoop Brewing Co ● MILE HI/AURARIA Briar Common Brewery + Eatery ● Burns Family Artisan Ales Cervecería Colorado ● ● Denver Beer Co ● ● Little Machine Beer ● Raices Brewing Co Seedstock Brewery ● ● Strange Craft Beer Co ● ● Tivoli Brewing ● Zuni St. Brewing Co ● NORTHEAST DENVER Blue Tile Brewing J. Moe’s Brew Pub ●

NORTHWEST DENVER Amalgam Brewing Bruz Beers ● Call to Arms Brewing Co ● De Steeg Brewing Diebolt Brewing Co ● ● The Empourium Brewing Co Factotum Brewhouse FlyteCo Brewing Goldspot Brewing Co ● ● Grateful Gnome Sandwich Shoppe + Brewery ● Hogshead Brewery ● Oasis Brewing Co ● ● Prost Brewing Co ●

DURANGO AREA Animas Brewing Co ● Bottom Shelf Brewery ● Carver Brewing Co ● Dolores River Brewery ● ● Durango Beer and Ice Co J. Fargo’s Family Dining & Micro Brewery ● Main Street Brewery & Restaurant ● Mancos Brewing Co ● Ska Brewing Co ● ● Steamworks Brewing Co ● WildEdge Brewing Collective EAGLE COUNTY 7 Hermits Brewing Co ● Bonfire Brewing ● Gore Range Brewery ● Vail Brewing Co ● ●

RINO

10 Barrel Brewing Co ● ● 10barrel.com 720.573.8992

ENGLEWOOD AREA Brewability Lab ● ● Peak View Brewing Co

2620 Walnut St Denver

14er Brewing Altitude Brewing & Supply Bierstadt Lagerhaus ● Black Shirt Brewing Co ● ● Blue Moon Brewing Co ● ● Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project

FAIRPLAY South Park Brewing Co ●

Epic Brewing Co ● Great Divide 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 ●

SOUTHWEST DENVER Chain Reaction Brewing Co ● Crazy Mountain Brewing Co ● ● Renegade Brewing Co WHEAT RIDGE/EDGEWATER/ LAKEWOOD 6 and 40 Brewery Barquentine Brewing Co Brewery Rickoli ● Colorado Plus Brew Pub ● ● Great Frontier Brewing Co Green Mountain Beer Co Joyride Brewing Co ● Landlocked Ales Old 121 Brewhouse Westfax Brewing Co

ESTES PARK Avant Garde Aleworks Estes Park Brewery ● Lumpy Ridge Brewing Co Rock Cut Brewing Co

®

FORT COLLINS AREA 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 Horse & Dragon Brewing Co Intersect Brewing Jessup Farm Barrel House ● The Marmot Fort Collins Mash Lab Brewing Maxline Brewing McClellan’s Brewing Co ● ● New Belgium Brewing Co ● ● Odell Brewing Co ● ● Old Colorado Brewing Co Pitchers Brewery ● Prost Brewing Co Purpose Brewing Rally King Brewing Ramskeller Brewery ● Red Truck Beer ● Snowbank Brewing Soul Squared Brewing Co ● Sparge Brewing Timnath Beerwerks Zwei Brewing Co ● ●

TILLERY & CIDERY LINEUP FRUITA Copper Club Brewing Co ● Suds Brothers Brewery ● ● GLENWOOD SPRINGS/ CARBONDALE/ASPEN Aspen Brewing Co ● Capitol Creek Brewery ● Carbondale Beer Works ● Casey Brewing and Blending Glenwood Canyon Brew Pub ● Roaring Fork Beer 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

GRAND JUNCTION AREA Dented Face Brewing Co Edgewater Brewery ● Kannah Creek Brewing Co ● Mad Russian Brewing Co Monumental Beer Works Palisade Brewing Co ● ● The Rockslide Restaurant and Brewery ● GREELEY AREA Brix Taphouse and Brewery ● ● Broken Plow Brewery Crabtree Brewing ● ● G5 Brew Pub ● Green Earth Brewing High Hops Brewery ● ● Lonesome Buck Brewing Co ● Mighty River Brewing Co Sheaf & Kettle Brewery WeldWerks Brewing Co Wiley Roots Brewing Co ● GUNNISON/CRESTED BUTTE The Eldo Brewpub & Venue ● ● High Alpine Brewing Co ● Irwin Brewing Co IDAHO SPRINGS/EVERGREEN/ CENTRAL CITY/GEORGETOWN Cabin Creek Brewing ● Dostal Alley Saloon & Gambling Emporium ● El Rancho Brewing Co ● Evergreen Taphouse ● Guanella Pass Brewing Co Lariat Lodge Brewing Co ● ● Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub ● Westbound & Down Brewing Co ●

KREMMLING Grand Adventure Brewing Co

Restaurant y Cerveceria ●

Ceria Brewing

Welcome Home Brewery

Dive Bar Brewing Co

LAKE CITY Lake City Brewing

PUEBLO AREA Brues Alehouse Brewing Co ● ● Reservoir Brewing Co Shamrock Brewing ● Walter Brewery & Taproom

Donovan Brewing Co

LITTLETON AREA Blue Spruce Brewing Co Breckenridge Brewery ● Coal Mine Ave. Brewing Co Jackass Hill Brewery ● Lariat Lodge Brewing Living the Dream Brewing Co Locavore Beer Works LONGMONT 300 Suns Brewing ● Bootstrap Brewing ● ● Collision Brewing Co ● Grossen Bart Brewery ● ● Left Hand Brewing Co ● Oskar Blues Brewing ● Outworld Brewing Primitive Beer Pumphouse Brewery ● Shoes and Brews Wibby Brewing ● ● LOVELAND/BERTHOUD 5030 Local ● Berthoud Brewing Co Big Beaver Brewing Co ● Big Thompson Brewery City Star Brewing ● Crow Hop Brewing Drätz Brewing Co Grimm Brothers Brewhouse Loveland Aleworks Rock Bottom ● Rock Coast Brewery Verboten Brewing Co MONUMENT Pikes Peak Brewing Co ● ● NORTHEAST COLORADO Parts & Labor Brewing Co Tumbleweed Brewing & Wine Co NORTHGLENN/THORNTON Mother Tucker Brewery ● ● Satire Brewing Co ● ● PAGOSA SPRINGS/ DEL NORTE/ALAMOSA The Break Room Brewing Co The Colorado Farm Brewery Pagosa Brewing Co ● Riff Raff Brewing ● ● San Luis Valley Brewing ● Square Peg Brewerks Three Barrel Brewing Co ● PAONIA Chrysalis Barrel Aged Beer Paonia United Brewing Co PARKER Barnett and Son Brewing Co ● ● Downhill Brewing Co ● Los Dos Potrillos Mexican

SALIDA/BUENA VISTA/ CRESTONE/LEADVILLE Crestone Brewing Co ● Eddyline Restaurant and Brewing Co ● Elevation Beer Co ● Moonlight Pizza and Brewpub ● Soulcraft Brewing Tres Litros Beer Co Two Mile Brewing Co ● SOUTHWEST COLORADO Avalanche Brewing Co ● Colorado Boy Brewery - Montrose, Ouray, Ridgeway ● Golden Block Brewery ● Horsefly Brewing Co ● ● Ouray Brewery ● Ourayle House Brewery Red Mountain Brewing ● Smuggler’s Brewpub ● Stoik Beer Co Telluride Brewing Co Two Rascals Brewing Co STEAMBOAT SPRINGS AREA Butcherknife Brewing Co Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill ● Mountain Tap Brewery ● Storm Peak Brewing Co Yampa Valley Brewing Co SUMMIT COUNTY Angry James Brewing Co The Baker’s Brewery ● Breckenridge Brewery & Pub ● Broken Compass Brewing Dillon Dam Brewery ● ● HighSide Brewing ● ● Outer Range Brewing Co ● Pug Ryan’s Brewery ● WALSENBURG Crafty Canary Brewery WINTER PARK AREA Big Trout Brewing Co Camber Brewing Co Fraser River Beer Co Hideaway Park Brewery Never Summer Brewing Co The Peak Bistro & Brewery ● DISTRIBUTION ONLY 1623 Brewing AC Golden Brewing Co Acidulous Brewing Co Amalgam Brewing Beer by Design Black Sheep Brewery Centennial Beer Co

Durango Brewing Co Gemini Beer Co Idylwilde Brewing The Larimer Beer Co New Planet Beer Open Door Brewing Co Rustica Sleeping Giant Brewing Social Order Brewing Swole Beer Syndicate Brewing Co Uhl’s Brewing Co

DISTILLERIES DENVER/BOULDER 12 Point Distillery - Lafayette 52Eighty Distilling - Littleton Anders’ Vodka - Parker Archetype Distillery - Denver Arta Tequila - Englewood Art of the Spirits Colorado Whiskey - Denver Ballmer Peak Distillery - Lakewood Bear Creek Distillery - Denver The Block Distilling Co - Denver Boulder Spirits by Vapor Distillery - Boulder Broken Arrow Spirits - Centennial Denver Distillery - Denver Deviant Spirits - Boulder Deviation Distilling - Denver Downslope Distilling - Englewood The Family Jones Spirit House Denver ● Golden Moon Distillery - Golden Hogback Distillery - Wheat Ridge J & L Distilling Co - Boulder Ironton Distillery - Denver Laws Whiskey House - Denver Leopold Bros - Northeast Denver Local Distilling - Golden Mad Rabbit Distillery - Westminster Mile High Spirits - Lodo Mythology Distillery - Denver ● Rising Sun Distillery - Denver Rocker Spirits - Littleton Santa Fe 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 Weaver’s Spirits - Parker Whistling Hare DistilleryWestminster ●

NORTHERN COLORADO Big Fat Pastor - Loveland Bouck Brothers Whiskey - Idaho Springs Coyote Gold Margaritas - Fort Collins Coppermuse Distillery - Fort Collins Dry Land Distillers - Longmont Elevation 5003 Distillery - Fort Collins Elkins Distilling Co - Estes Park Feisty Spirits - Fort Collins The Heart Distillery - Windsor Longtucky Spirits - Longmont Mobb Mountain Distillers - Fort Collins NOCO Distillery - Fort Collins Old Elk Distillery - Fort Collins Old Town Distilling - Fort Collins Still Cellars - Longmont 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 Axe and the Oak - Colo. Springs Black Bear Distillery - Green Mountain Falls Blackhat Distillery - Colo. Springs Cockpit Craft Distillery - Colo.

Springs Colorado Gold Distillery - Colorado 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

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

Breckenridge Distillery ● breckenridgedistillery.com 970.547.9759 1925 Airport Rd Breckenridge

Coal Creek Distillery - Crested Butte Durango Craft Spirits - Durango

January-February 2021

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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 Stoneyard Distillery - Dotsero Storm King Distilling - Montrose Telluride Distilling Co - Telluride Woody Creek Distillers - Basalt

WINERIES GRAND JUNCTION AREA Avant Vineyards - Palisade Carlson Vineyards - Palisade Colorado Cellars Winery - Palisade Colterris Winery - Palisade DeBeque Canyon Winery - Palisade Desert Sun Vineyards - Grand Junction Garfield Estates Vineyard & Winery - Palisade 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 Ptarmigan Vineyards - Grand Junction Ram’s Point Winery - Grand Junction Red Fox Cellars - Palisade Restoration Vineyards - Palisade Shiras Winery - Grand Junction St. Kathryn Cellars Winery & Gift Shop - Palisade Summit Cellars - Palisade Talon Winery - Palisade Two Rivers Winery - Grand Junction Two Swedes Glögg - Grand Junction Varaison Vineyards and Winery Palisade Whitewater Hill Vineyards - Grand Junction CENTRAL WEST AREA 5680' Vineyard - Paonia Alfred Eames Cellars at Puesta del Sol Vineyards - Paonia Azura Cellars - Paonia Black Bridge Winery - Paonia Endless Endeavor Winery - Paonia Evening Grace Vineyards - Hotchkiss Jack Rabbit Hill - Hotchkiss Leroux Creek Vineyards - Hotchkiss Mesa Winds Farm and Winery Hotchkiss

46 ThirstColorado.com

Qutori Wines - Paonia

Settembre Cellars - Boulder

Sutcliffe Vineyards - Cortez

Summit Hard Cider - Fort Collins

Stone Cottage Cellars - Paonia

Snowy Peaks Winery - Estes Park

Yellow Car Country Wines - Cortez

Talbott’s Cider Co - Palisade

DELTA & MONTROSE COUNTIES Chill Switch Wines - Cedaredge Cottonwood Cellars/The Olathe Winery - Olathe Garrett Estates Cellars - Olathe Mountain View Winery - Olathe Stoney Mesa Winery - Cedaredge Winery at Cedars Farm - Cedaredge

Stonebridge Farm Winery - Longmont

SOUTH FRONT RANGE Byers Cellars - Cripple Creek D’Vine Wine - Manitou Springs Evergood Elixirs - Palmer Lake Legatum Cellars - Canon City Mountain Spirit Winery, Ltd. - Salida Sette Dolori - Black Forest Songbird Cellars - Beulah The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey Canon City The Winery at Pikes Peak - Cascade Vino Colorado Winery - Colorado Springs Vino Salida Wine Cellars - Poncha Springs CENTRAL FRONT RANGE Allis Ranch Winery - Sedalia Aspen Peak Cellars - Bailey Balistreri Vineyards - Denver Bigsby’s Folly - Denver Black Arts Cellars - Littleton Blanchard Family Wines - Denver Bonacquisti Wine Company - Denver Carboy Winery - Littleton Colorado Sake Co. - Denver Creekside Cellars - Evergreen Deep Roots Winery & Bistro - Denver Gaijin 24886 Sake - Denver Golden City Winery - Golden Golden Valley Winery - Denver The Infinite Monkey Theorem Denver InVINtions, A Creative Winery Greenwood Village Kingman Estates Winery - Denver Ladrón Cellars - Englewood Leap of Faith Winery - Wheat Ridge Point Blank Winery - Centennial Purgatory Cellars Winery - Parker Silver Vines Winery - Arvada Spero Winery - Denver Vino Passarelli - Lakewood Water 2 Wine - Centennial Waters Edge Winery - Centennial Wild Women Winery - Denver The Wine Barrel - Parker NORTHERN FRONT RANGE Augustina’s Winery - Nederland Bad Bitch Cellars - Eaton Blendings at the Preserve - Fort Collins Blue Mountain Vineyards - Berthoud BookCliff Vineyards - Boulder Decadent Saint - Boulder River Garden Winery - Fort Lupton

January-February 2021

Sweet Heart Winery - Loveland

CIDERIES

Teal Cider - Dolores Waldschänke Ciders - Denver

Ten Bears Winery - Laporte

Apple Valley Cider Co

Wild Cider - Firestone

Turquoise Mesa Winery - Broomfield

Artisan Craft Cellars - Westminster

Zanamiel - Centennial

Viewpoint Wines - Boulder

Big B’s Juices and Hard Cider Hotchkiss

Vinnie Fera - Boulder

Boco Cider - Boulder

CENTRAL MOUNTAIN Buckel Family Wine - Crested Butte Continental Divide Winery Breckenridge Monkshood Cellars - Minturn Vines at Vail Winery - Wolcott Winter Park Winery - Fraser Steamboat Winery - Steamboat Springs

Boxing Brothers Cider - Colorado Springs

PLAINS Claremont Inn & Winery - Stratton Mummy Hill Winery - Holyoke Reds Wine Boutique - Sterling FOUR CORNERS Flying T Wine - Cortez Four Leaves Winery - Durango Fox Fire Farms - Ignacio Guy Drew Vineyards - Cortez Pleasant View Vineyards - Pleasant View

Branch Out Cider - Fort Collins

MEADERIES Annapurna Mead - Colorado Springs Black Forest Meadery - Colorado Springs

C Squared Ciders - Penrose ●

Colorado Honey Wine - Distribution Only

Clear Fork Cider - Denver

Dragon Meadery - Aurora

Climb Hard Cider Co - Loveland

Golden City Winery - Golden

Colorado Cider Co - Denver

Honnibrook Meadery - Castle Rock

Colorado +49 Cidery & Pub- Golden

Hunters Moon Meadery - Severance

Fenceline Cider - Mancos

Meadery of the Rockies - Palisade

Golden City Winery - Golden

Mechalore Meadworks - Loveland

Haykin Family Cider - Aurora

Medovina - Niwot

The Ice Cave Cider House Monument

Miracle Stag Meadery - Loveland

Locust Cider & Brewing Co- Boulder Old Mine Cidery & Brewpub - Erie Scrumpy’s Hard Cider - Fort Collins Snow Capped Cider - Cedaredge St. Vrain Cidery - Longmont Stem Ciders - Denver ● ● Stem Ciders Acreage- Lafayette ● ●

Queen Bee Brews - Denver Waddle Buzz Meadery - Golden Redstone Meadery - Boulder

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1505 W. 1ST AVE., SUITE A BROOMFIELD CO 80020 WWW.MONKTONGUITARS.COM

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7667 E. ILIFF AVE. (2 Miles East of 1-25 & Evans) 720.748.0700 • COMRADEBREWING.COM January-February 2021

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A charming mountain town. With its own tubing hill, beginner ski-ride hill, Nordic center & sleigh rides.

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Main Street Of The Rockies