Thirst Magazine July-September 2020 by The Publishing House

SERVING UP THE COLORADO EXPERIENCE

Vol. 5, No. 4 July-September 2020

CHILL OUT

Q&A WITH CHILL SWITCH WINERY

BIKES, BREWS & PINBALL ENDO PROVIDES A WINNING TRIO

STAYCATIONS FOR YOUR SUMMER WANDERLUST

Sunset

IS A MAGICAL TIME TO VISIT!

As summer days grow longer and the mid-day temperatures climb, our animals begin taking advantage of cool summer nights. Come see the Arccc Wolves and African Lions as they wake from their daily slumber to celebrate the seeng sun. Experience bone-shaking roars and spine-chilling howls as they echo across the plains of Coloradoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Front Range.

OPEN DAILY

e Largest Carnivore Sanctuary In eWorld, Designed And Built Like No Other In Existence

A Sanctuary

for more than 500 Lions, Tigers, Bears, Wolves and other RESCUED animals

WildAnimalSanctuary.org

LIBATIONS BEYOND

Summer! Appreciate it and take it for a ride

ADVISORY BOARD Jean Ditslear Owner, 300 Suns Brewing

Sean Smiley Owner, State 38 Distilling

Bess Dougherty Head Brewer, Grateful Gnome Sandwich Shoppe and Brewery

Alan Laws Owner, Laws Whiskey House Charlie Sturdavant Owner, Golden City Brewery

Publisher Paul Johnson paul@thirstcolorado.com Associate Publisher & Editor Joe Ross joe@thirstcolorado.com Vice President of Sales Tod Cavey tod@thirstcolorado.com

Three to six months of staying close to home is as comfortable for a Coloradan as a bighorn sheep in a playpen – it’s hard to maintain.

Account Executives Jane Howard & Rebel Hunter

So, in the midst of a global pandemic, we have to look for positives. When you switch off the news, grab a dusty road map out of your vehicle and get to planning your next adventure, it’s easier to daydream about floating a river or topping a 14er. Adventure awaits, and now more than ever, local rules the scene.

President & Founder Wilbur E. Flachman

With safety in mind, we are delivering our summer magazine with a hyper-local thought process that spreads us across the state. It’s time to rediscover our local favorites, in addition to exploring that campsite you just haven’t had time to visit in the past. Find yourself in one of our 41 state parks, staring at the stars. Or hit the national forest with a tent and hike or bike your way toward exhaustion. In addition to our four national parks, there are eight national monuments and two national recreation areas that await your arrival. Inside this issue, you’ll find a handful of staycation ideas, thoughts from local libations experts and additional content curated for summer adventure. It’s more important than ever to follow the rules in order to have a great experience and stay healthy. Check with the city, county or state websites where you plan to travel and follow the basic guidelines. Then, have the time of your life. We’ve chosen to call Colorado home in part because of the open space found throughout our 103,000 square miles of land. Let’s get out there and enjoy it! Remember, live your passion and thirst responsibly this summer.

Paul Johnson Publisher & Tasting Guru

facebook.com/thirstcolorado twitter.com/thirstcolorado @thirstcolorado

4 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

Design & Layout Michele Garner

Marketing & Distribution Neill Pieper Editorial Assistant Natasha Lovato Editorial Intern Liam Easley Contributors Steve Graham, Kyle Kirves, Terri Ross, 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 Brewers Association and 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, 2020. 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.

creativity. not canceled. Our days look a little different right now, but there are still many beautiful things happening right in our own homes. If new floors would make you happier at home, we’re here to help. Call us today to chat about your next project.

playtime. not canceled.

milestones. not canceled.

McDONALD

THIRST COLORADO | July-September 2020

INTERSECTIONS

16 Strange Brew

Fire it up with a spicy brew at Broken Plow

24 Mountain Music

The Crested Butte Music Festival funs July 26 through October 3

25 Untapped

Virtual and socially distant happenings for your summer to-do list

30 26

26 Q&A

Grab a glass of white wine and read up on local grapes

34 Tales from the Lying Log A trusty steed is hard to find, but worth every penny

On the cover: Garden of the Gods, near Colorado Springs. Photo: © John Hoffman / AdobeStock

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

ADVENTURES

8 Exploring the Springs A dive into Colorado Springs’ many offerings

6 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

Floating along in Salida

Bikes & Brews

Dude, where’s my ride?

Adventure abounds in this growing mountain community

An obvious pairing found in a great atmosphere in Endo Brewing

Hop on a horse, gather around the campfire, it’s dude ranch time

Hazelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Everyday Low Prices

C O L O R A D O S TAYC AT I O N

Stock Photos.com

PIKES PEAK REGION

8 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

DIGGING A LITTLE DEEPER IN DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS By Steve Graham

he city part of Colorado’s second largest city is sometimes overlooked. Visitors to Colorado Springs might barely stop for gas or lunch in town before heading up to Garden of the Gods, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo or Cave of the Winds. We love all those landmarks, too, but we also want to highlight some other local attractions. Several downtown spots new and old are certainly worth a staycation. Check with websites of each destination to be informed about Covid-19 restrictions.

FINDING YOUR ENTERAINMENT

Exit Interstate 25 at West Bijou Street to see the charming downtown area, with restaurants, brewpubs and high-end hotels. The greater

central area is bounded by the Old North End and a recently revitalized New South End. The north end is just past Colorado College, alongside the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail. At the other edge, you’ll know you’re in the south end from the striking sculptures in America the Beautiful Park and the gleaming new U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. The 60,000-square-foot museum, dedicated to the athletes and events of both the winter and summer games, is slated to open later this year. It will include a mock parade of nations, a real Olympic torch and the scoreboard from the 1980 Miracle on Ice hockey game. The centerpieces of America the Beautiful Park (recall that the patriotic tune was originally titled “Pikes Peak” and was inspired by a trip to Colorado Springs) are the Continuum sculpture in Julie Penrose

U.S. OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC MUSEUM

Fountain and the fantasy playground, with its “Quirks.” These interactive artworks include hammocks, spinner bowls and turntables, which were all created with the help of nearly 100 students at area elementary schools. While in the neighborhood, get a preview of the new downtown stadium. The future home of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks Football Club is slated to open in 2021. But it’s not all about the future. Learn about the past at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. Housed in a stunning old courthouse, it honors both Native Americans and early regional settlers. If you need a fun and easy way to get between all these landmarks, try a PikeRide shared e-bike rental.

Looking to relive The Miracle on Ice? Or, do you want to see an Olympic torch up close and personal? Well, soon you will be able to. Colorado Springs is the proud home of the brand new United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum. Slated to open later this year, the state-of-the-art-facility spans 60,000 square feet and contains artifacts, media and technology commemorating U.S. athletes from past and present. “Colorado Springs is a wonderful community that rallies around Team USA,” Museum CEO Christopher Liedel said. “We can’t wait to open our doors and tell the amazing stories of our Olympians and Paralympians.” Upon opening, the museum plans to be open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Entry will be $24.95 for adults and $14.95 for children. You can find more information at the museum’s website, usopm.org.

Photo: Courtesy of United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum

July-September July-September 2020 2020

ThirstColorado.com 9

Photo: Courtesy of Fossil Craft

OPTIONS FOR NESTING

FOSSIL CRAFT While you’re poking around Colorado Springs, you wouldn’t want to miss out on one of its finer watering holes. Drive, walk or ride (nearby mountain biking is top-notch) to Fossil Craft Beer Co. for a cold pint. Fossil Craft opened in 2014 with a small tap room and brewery space on the west side of town. Since its opening, Fossil Craft has expanded its taproom and made cult favorite brews along the way. Head Brewer and Co-Owner Josh Mater had a plethora of home-brewing experience in Colorado Springs and his native Houston before turning the hobby into a business.

“We thought we could make as good or better beer than what was offered,” Mater said. Taproom staples include their Megalodon Blonde and Mammoth IPA. But, if you hop in at the right time, you might get to try a local-favorite, the Oreo Stout, which contains 6-7 pounds of Oreos per half barrel of beer! If you’re looking for outdoor activity followed by a cold libation, jump on the Red Rock trail system for miles of mountain biking fun and swing by Fossil Craft after the ride. Find out more at fossilcraftbeer.com.

PIONEERS MUSEUM

Later this year, Kinship Landing is scheduled to open just south of the Pioneers Museum. The 40 spaces in this boutique hotel will include shared bunk rooms, queen rooms and suites. The hotel also will host events and a café. West of downtown is the legendary Broadmoor. Experience the stellar service that makes it the only triple five-star resort in Colorado. Forbes has given the hotel its top rating since 1960, and now the spa and Penrose Room restaurant each have ratings to match.

WHERE TO FUEL UP

Start the day with artisanal toast and java from house-roasted beans at Loyal Coffee, across the street from the new Kinship Landing. Just around the corner is Coquette’s, a hip woman-run restaurant that is also the only 100-percent gluten-free bakery in Colorado Springs. On the next block is the Trolley Market, a full block of restaurants and breweries around a common dining area with games and fire pits. Options include the Denver Biscuit Company, Dos Santos street tacos and Fat Sully’s pizza.

Photo: Courtesy of Visit Colorado Springs

WHERE TO ENJOY LIBATIONS

The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum is much more than just a gorgeous building. Visitors will learn about Native Americans and other early settlers.

10 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

While checking out the Trolley Market, enjoy a Black Walnut Old Fashioned in a plush velvet high-back chair at Cork & Cask whiskey and wine bar. Or get a cocktail or craft beer at the Atomic Cowboy. Soon, Pikes Peak Brewing Co. in Monument will open its second taproom as a new anchor for the Trolley Market. The brewery is known for some of the region’s best IPAs, as well as the Tava Raza, a wild American kettle sour made with raspberry puree and named for the Ute Indian term for Pikes Peak. Steve Graham is a freelance writer and former newspaper editor who likes taking his two young boys biking, hiking and brewery-hopping in northern Colorado.

We have missed you and can’t wait to enjoy the Colorado summer sun with you! 719-375-8298 fossilcraftbeer.com

Protect Colorado’s Environment, Economy and Your Engine “Look for the Blue Hose”

2845 Ore Mill Road, Suite 1, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Great Breweries Know the Value of Quality Floor Surfaces. With Over a Million Square Feet in 260+ Breweries Installed to Date, Cascade Floors is the Industry Leader in Durable, Long-Lasting Floor Coatings AUSTIN BEERWORKS

Full Cascade Floors Install and Self-Install Options Available Call Chris Klein for a custom quote today at

DESCHUTES

FIND GAS

(541) 510-1080 or visit cascadefloors.com EPOXY

POLYESTER

URETHANES

SERVING THE BEER, WINE & FOOD

www.LookForTheBlueHose.com/1015

INDUSTRIES SINCE 1971 July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 11

SPRING-ING AROUND THE REGION Interesting small towns surround Colorado Springs, making for some great day trips. And it’s Colorado, so there is great craft beer at every stop.

MANITOU SPRINGS Keep heading west on Highway 24 and you’ll reach the resort town of Manitou Springs. At the base of Pikes Peak, the burg is known for its namesake mineral springs and the ancient Manitou Cliff Dwellings. Also check out Miramont Castle, an eclectic Victorian chateau and tearoom that dates to 1895. For a more unusual buzz, check out the Maté Factor Café, which specializes in Yerba Maté, a traditional South American tea full of both antioxidants and caffeine. Kids will enjoy the penny arcade and the abundance of candy and ice cream shops. Grownups will enjoy the history and the hops at Manitou Brewing Co., a five-barrel brewpub housed in the old Burro Line building, where visitors would rent a burro for the ride to the top of Pikes Peak. The brewers expect to tap some new barrel-aged varieties after adding a wood cellar two years ago. CAÑON CITY About one hour southwest of Colorado Springs is Cañon City, gateway to Royal Gorge. Surrounding the Royal Gorge Route Railroad Station is the quaint and historic downtown. Segway tours of the town are available, and highlights include the fossil-rich history museum, an arts center and the charming Arkansas Riverwalk Trail. World’s End Brewing Company is also right in the heart of downtown. The recent addition to the area serves classic beer styles and a sizable menu of sandwiches and other traditional pub fare.

12 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

OLD COLORADO CITY Start where the first settlers started. Old Colorado City, just west of Colorado Springs on U.S. Highway 24, was the first capital of territorial Colorado. Today, it’s full of shops and diverse restaurants, including Greek, Thai and Ethiopian restaurants, in addition to the classic pasta dishes at the beloved Paravicini’s Italian Bistro. After walking the strip on Colorado Avenue, quench your thirst at Fossil Craft Beer Co. It’s a little bit hidden across the highway, but worth the hunt for the reliable flagship mainstays and creative seasonals, including a peach cream ale and a prickly pear sour. With a recent expansion, there’s plenty of room to enjoy some of the area’s best craft offerings.

Biking trails are found throughout the Pikes Peak area. Check with Visit Colordo Springs for popular trails. visitcos.com

OLYMPIC-GRADE WORKOUTS Not everyone can train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, but anyone can take inspiration from the athletes in Olympic City USA, and try some of the epic workout challenges in the Pikes Peak region. RUN THE MANITOU INCLINE Some masochist saw an abandoned rail car route running straight up a mountain and said, “I’m going to run that.” It has since become a rite of passage for Colorado fitness buffs. Hike or run more than 2,000 feet straight up on a one-mile trail. To avoid congestion on the Incline, there is no turning back. The only way back down is on the 2.5-mile Barr Trail.

CYCLE THE PIKES PEAK HIGHWAY For a few years, the Pikes Peak Highway has been open year-round to the hardiest road bikers in the region. The road is fully paved, and climbs more than 4,800 vertical feet over 150 turns on the way to the 14,115-foot summit. It is a 12.5-mile trek each way, and be warned that the temperature is likely to drop 3 degrees for every 1,000 feet in elevation. HIKE THE PANCAKE ROCKS TRAIL This 5-mile out-and-back trail opened for the season in May. It is found off Highway 67 near Woodland Park. The trail has great views of aspens, Sentinel Rock and the namesake flat-top rock formations.

YOU CAN’T KEEP A GOOD BREW DOWN They’ve always been there for you. Now, it’s time to show up for them.

Get the FREE Crafts & Drafts Passport & support your favorite Colorado Springs craft beverage locations.

Available 7/15/2020 at

Crafts.VisitCOS.com

ISOLATION I O LIBAT N 2020 NOW OPEN FOR DINE-IN, TAKEOUT, AND CURBSIDE 1840 DOMINION WAY, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80918 (719) 598-1339 July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 13

Move the party outside â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

Create your own outdoor tap room! At Phase One Landscapes, we integrate your unique lifestyle with the landscape â&#x20AC;&#x201C; respecting design proportions and the ambience of your home. Contact us to schedule your free Initial Consultation Appointment

303.750.6060

PhaseOneLandscapes.com email@phaseonelandscapes.com

US 36 & McCaslin

Superior, CO 80027

303 499 6600

Buy Local. Support Local

STRANGE BREW

FROM THE FARMERS’ MARKET TO THE GLASS Classic Colorado summer scent inspired Broken Plow’s chili wheat beer By Steve Graham

reduced beer, so Waddle experimented with the enzyme. The good doctor was pleased with the result. “He used to be able to drink a taster glass or two,” Waddle said. “Now he’ll have two or three of my (20-ounce) pours.” The beer essentially has no gluten, but he can’t label it gluten-free. “Everything we have had tested comes in below 10 parts per million, and the FDA says anything 20 parts per million or less is gluten-free,” Waddle said. “But the TTB, that regulates alcohol, says that if you make it with a product that contains gluten, you can call it gluten-reduced but you can’t call it gluten-free.” The flavor is not reduced, however. In fact, Waddle believes it’s an improvement. “It’s made my beer brighter and crisper,” he said.

Photo: Terri Ross

efore opening Broken Plow Brewery, Randy Waddle spent 25 years selling his homegrown organic produce at the venerable Boulder Farmers Market. So it’s not really surprising that the signature Colorado market smell of roasting chiles inspired one of Broken Plow’s flagship beers. “When chili season would come around, I would think, ‘I need to make a chili beer,’” Waddle said. He had been home brewing a chili wheat beer, and perfected the recipe long before opening Broken Plow. “My wife used to make a lot of Mexican food at home, and I just wanted a beer that wasn’t over-the-top hot, something that you could enjoy two or three pints of, and an enjoyable beer that would complement the spice of the Mexican food,” Waddle said. Every fall, he buys a year’s worth of fire-roasted Anaheim chiles. He freezes them, then thaws individual batches, which he peels and mixes into the brew during fermentation. Like all Broken Plow beers, the Signature Chili Wheat is nearly gluten-free. Waddle adds an enzyme during fermentation that breaks down the naturally occurring gluten proteins in the wheat, barley and rye in his beer. Waddle said his family doctor, who has celiac disease, asked him for a gluten-

16 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

Nor has the gluten reduction diminished the popularity of the Signature Chili Wheat, one of the brewery’s best sellers. “We’ve got one lady, we call her Chili Kim, she comes in and fills one or two growlers a week,” Waddle said. Broken Plow opened in 2014. Waddle’s parents own the commercial strip off Business Route 34 in west Greeley, so he got a good deal on rent, and recently expanded the space to include a kitchen that serves up pizza, sandwiches and chicken tenders. He also got a good deal on beer ingredients when he first opened, relying on some homegrown hops and homepropagated yeast from his fellow home brewers. While farming south of Greeley, Waddle was also home brewing alongside friends in a Greeley home-brewing club. He watched many of his friends move on to jobs at Weldwerks, Boulder Beer and other major regional breweries, then decided to hang up the hoes. “I actually had a lot more experience than any of them,” Waddle said. “It’s been a passion of mine and something that I wanted to do. We were kind of fed up with what we were doing.” The agriculturally inspired brewery name comes from a song overheard while homebrewing in his barn. “I was over tapping a beer and I turned the radio up, and Bob Dylan’s song called ‘Everything is Broken’ came on. One of the lyrics in that song is ‘broken hands on broken plows,’ and I said ‘that’s it, Broken Plow,’” Waddle said. “We named the brewery long before we had the place.” Steve Graham is a freelance writer and former newspaper editor who likes taking his two young boys biking, hiking and brewery-hopping in northern Colorado.

BREWERS’ FAVORITES WHERE INSIDERS SHARE OPINIONS ON FAVORITE LIBATIONS

Mother May I? American IPA, 7.6% ABV, Brix Brewery and Taphouse

My favorite Colorado beer is from Brix in Greeley. Although I love all their beers, I always gravitate to their Mother May I, which is a Mango IPA. Tommy and the crew at Brix do an amazing job and are all that is right in the craft beer industry. Warren Wood, founder and brewer, Elevated Seltzer

Shibbleshabble Lambic Gueuze, 5.2% ABV, Primitive Beer

I think my favorite Colorado beer at the moment is Shibbleshabble from Primitive Beer in Longmont. It’s the closest thing brewed in Colorado that I’ve had resembling lambic and it’s incredibly delicious. Just the right amount of funk and not overly dry. They know what they are doing and I can’t wait to see what they do in the future. Brandon Proff, managing partner, Our Mutual Friend Brewing

Myrcenary Double IPA, 9.3% ABV, Odell Brewing Co.

Anything from Odell Brewing Company. If I had to pick one beer from their lineup, it would be the Myrcenary Double IPA. It is always so consistent and balanced between the hops, malt and alcohol. It is always a go-to and we usually have that or something from Odell in our fridges at home. Christian Newendorp, co-owner and brewer, Avant Garde Aleworks

Schwarzy Schwarzbier, 5% ABV, Joyride Brewing Co.

I’ve been lucky enough to make it by Joyride Brewing a couple of times to enjoy Schwarzy. It’s an authentic Schwarzbier with light roast, some malt complexity and medium to light body. A good winter drinker, but not so heavy like many other winter beers. Tasty and crisp enough to leave you wanting a second pint. Alan Simons, managing brewer, Dry Dock Brewing Co.

July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 17

C O L O R A D O S TAYC AT I O N

SALIDA

COME FOR THE WATER, RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS DRAW IN-STATE

Photo: Elk Raven Photography/elkravenphotography.com

alida’s boosters invite you to visit the town for the river and the mountains, but they think you will stay for the friendly folks and small town charm. “Our town is so incredibly friendly,” said Executive Director Lori Roberts of the Salida Chamber of Commerce. “They return

18 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

because of the people. We care so much about each other.” Chamber Office Coordinator Taylor Sumners said the size and convenience of town was another draw when she moved here last year. “Everything is located within a couple

of blocks, I fell in love with the ease of the access of the town,” she said. Salida is about three hours from the Denver and Colorado Springs areas, so pack an overnight bag and a fishing pole. Here’s what to do in and around this central Colorado playground.

STAY FOR THE PEOPLE VACATIONERS TO THE ARKANSAS HEADWATERS

By Steve Graham

Photo: Scott Peterson with Colorful Colorado

WHAT TO DO

Any list of Salida suggestions must start with the river. The upper Arkansas River is the most popular commercial rafting waterway in the nation, and plenty of safe, fun and professional outfitters ply the waters in the area. Some companies offer zip lines,

adventure parks, rock climbing and plenty of other activities. After the snowmelt tapers off, late summer is the perfect time for a calm and familyfriendly trip down the river. We still suggest hiring an outfitter unless you are a skilled rafter. This year, rafting companies have been maintaining social distancing, sanitation and limited capacities, so check with your outfitter for the latest restrictions and requirements. Likewise, plenty of flyfishing outfitters in the Salida area can help you relax on the river and snag some trout in the miles of gold medal waters. But you’re not an otter. You can’t spend all day playing on the river. After you have hiked in the Collegiates and rafted on the river, head back to town for Salida’s art and history scene. Steve Chapman and his team run walking tours of Salida for visitors of all ages, including a ghost tour, a Wild West history tour and our favorite, the History on Tap tour, a three-hour deep dive into Salida history with two stops for beer. One highlight of any Salida tour is the burgeoning creative district. Downtown Salida has been a registered National Historic

District since 1984, and in 2012, it became one of the state’s first two certified creative districts. Today, the district includes 30 artistowned or artist-run galleries, including several spaces that showcase “the cradle-tograve process of creating their paintings and whatever their artwork is,” Sumners said. There are also plenty of creative sculptures and other public art near the riverfront and around downtown Salida. The district also includes a film production studio and 25 locally owned restaurants and bars.

WHERE TO EAT

Speaking of restaurants, Salida has plenty of options. Call the Salida Chamber or specific restaurants for updated hours and services. You might expect burgers and tacos on a prime riverfront patio, but how about Asian delicacies such as hot Pho soup and cold Bun noodle salads? Little Cambodia is one of Salida’s top-rated restaurants, with a deck that abuts the beach on the Arkansas. For margaritas and those tacos, check out the Boathouse Cantina, also on the water and across the street from Riverside Continued on page 22

July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 19

Visit Salida Design | Wine Make your oWn jeWelry stuDio

7400 W. Hwy. 50 Salida CO

719-539-8500

We missed you and look forward to seeing you. Ski Independent. Drink Independent.

Mention “Time to Getaway” for 20% off your next visit.

We are Salida Strong.

Guided Fly Fishing Trips and Full Service Shop in downtown Salida.

40 self-serve taps

129 West 1st Street, Salida, CO 81201

Beer, Wine, Cider, Gluten Free

719.530.3024 thenexteddy.com

146 W 1st St, Salida, CO 81201

(719) 207-4595

Family fun & adventure class rafting in Colorado!

SALIDA’S PREMIER HISTORIC HOTEL

Located alongside the banks of the Arkansas River www.arkansasrivertours.com (800) 321-4352

20 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

121 North F Street | 719.530.3032 @RivetingExperience RivetingExperienceJewelry.com

204 NORTH F STREET, SALIDA, CO 81201

719-207- 4175

Nature, Wildlife & Landscape Imagery from the Heart of the Rockies Visit Us at 120 West 1st St, Salida, CO or online at:

www.elkravenphotography.com

248 W. Rainbow Blvd, Salida, CO

719.539.5428 soulcraftbeer.com

www.integritytattoo.rocks Bodhicitta Tea Lounge and Wellness Space â&#x20AC;&#x153;awakened heart and mindâ&#x20AC;? Featuring Salida Sunshine Botanicals

211 F Street Historic downtown Salida, CO 81201

719-539-6963 July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 21

Elevation Beer Co. is welcoming guests in Poncha Springs. Photo: Taylor Sumners

Park. Another local favorite is Fritz, a tapas-heavy American gastropub also facing the park and around the corner from the Boathouse Cantina. Perhaps the most famous restaurants in Salida are Currents, a steak and seafood joint with rotating local beer taps, and Amicas, a beloved thin-crust pizzeria that spawned a brewery.

WHERE TO DRINK

Mike LaCroix was head brewer at Amicas for 14 years when he left to launch his own brewery in a former supermarket on U.S. Highway 50. Soulcraft quickly became a Salida staple with a large patio and a larger following. And there are no hard feelings at Amicas because he still brews all his old recipes and fills the restaurant’s taplines. Another pizzeria still has an in-house brewery. Moonlight Pizza and Brewpub offers the standard sandwiches, calzones and pies alongside nine beers from the 7-barrel brewing system. While it’s a relatively small system, the brewers regularly get even more micro. If you’re lucky, you’ll be there for the tapping (and quick depletion) of a singlekeg batch of mango IPA or cinnamon raisin stout. Try to visit Moonlight on a Monday, when 10 percent of proceeds go to a local Salida non-profit. The newest brewery in town is the Tres Litros Beer Co., which met the challenge of opening this summer during the pandemic. It is named for the ancient tradition of paying

22 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

laborers with three liters of beer for a day’s work. Salida is also home to Mountain Spirit Winery and Wood’s High Mountain Distillery. In 2012, avid river-runner (and whiskey aficionado) P.T. Wood opened the distillery and started crafting whiskey, gin and liqueur. On the way out of town, stop in the tiny town of Poncha Springs, home of the awardwinning Elevation Beer Co. If you have ever bought a six-pack of the stellar 6-Second Kolsch or the appropriately flyfisherfestooned First Cast IPA, you probably didn’t even know it was brewed in a tiny burg at the junction of U.S. Highways 285 and 50. Finally, if you don’t have time for several brewery tours, satisfy the whole party in one stop at 146 Taphouse. The 1st Street mainstay has 40 taps pouring beer, wine, cider and sake.

WHERE TO STAY

If you sample one too many of those taps, the Manhattan Hotel is only about a block away. Nestled above the Boathouse Cantina on the banks of the river, this selfservice boutique hotel was ready for social distancing with its contactless virtual front desk. Another unique lodging option is the Amigo Motor Lodge, which was recently renovated but dates back 60 years. In addition to the main building, several wellappointed classic Airstream trailers are available.

There are also some retro-style campers — and llamas — at the Mountain Goat Lodge. This bed and breakfast is eight miles west of Salida and boasts a 20-acre farm as well as classes on making cheese and raising chickens and goats. If you need a good soak after a challenging 14er, the Salida area also has several hot springs resorts. Be sure to check for current social distancing restrictions, particularly for the pools. Of course there is also plenty of camping in the area. One favorite, lesser-known option is the Angel of Shavano campground off U.S. Highway 50 at the base of picturesque Mount Shavano. It only has 20 sites, but there are plenty of other options in the area. In fact, Roberts estimates that Salida is surrounded by 80 percent public land, with “a ton of dispersed camping available.” She invites travelers to call the chamber of commerce for the latest updates on regulations, openings and availability for all lodging and restaurant options. And be sure to pack out all trash, following leave-no-trace principles. “We want everybody to be respectful of our mountains,” Roberts said. Steve Graham is a freelance writer and former newspaper editor who likes taking his two young boys biking, hiking and brewery-hopping in northern Colorado.

Spirit of Adventure

Cocktails 2018 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL® BRONZE MEDAL DEFCON RED IRISH STYLE RED ALE

Bottle Sales Tours

2019 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL® GOLD MEDAL SUPERPOWER IPA AMERICAN-STYLE STRONG PALE ALE

Wood’s High Mountain Distillery

2019 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL® GOLD MEDAL MORE DODGE LESS RAM, AMERICAN-STYLE INDIA PALE ALE

144 W 1st St. Salida, CO Tasting Room Open Daily woodsdistillery.com

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

July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 23

Photo: Courtesy of Crested Butte Music Festival

CRESTED BUTTE MUSIC FESTIVAL

IS A GO 24 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

ith a little creativity, the Crested Butte Music Festival organizers plan to bring music to the mountains beginning in July. The CBMF theme, “Not Just Beethoven,” will feature programming across the Gunnison Valley from July 26 through Oct. 3. Visitors can expect classical, Gypsy Jazz, dance, opera, bluegrass and more. The newly constructed, $20 million Crested Butte Center for the Arts will be one of the venues used to celebrate Beethoven’s 250th birthday. With coronavirus driving safety concerns, pulling off the festival was a challenge, but the music festival organizers decided to take it on. “When it became clear the pandemic would be with us for a while, and other music festivals began canceling their entire seasons, we just focused on how to safely enjoy live music in the mountains this summer,” said Erica Vernon, the CBMF Executive Director. “Creativity is the essence of music after all.” Among the highlights, the Ariel Quartet will perform the “Beethoven and Beer” concert in which craft beers are paired with quartets.

Also, look for the Grammy-nominated indie rockers DeVotchKa, classical pianist Christopher O’Riley and composer, singersongwriter Gabriel Kahane. Co-Artistic Director Dr. Emily OndracekPeterson said, “We’re thrilled to bring to Crested Butte a unique approach to the celebration of one of history’s greatest individuals, offering a broad and insightful perspective into Beethoven’s brand.” In addition to other world-class artists, educational programming is also scheduled. Learning opportunities include Bluegrass and Beyond, a week-long camp taught by a group of eclectic musicians named Taarka. The Colorado Gypsy Jazz Camp, featured on PBS, will also be available for those who want to dig a little deeper into Gypsy Jazz. A five-part, free lecture series on Beethoven will be taught by CBMF Artistic Director Dr. Erik Christian Peterson. “We are excited to expand our programming by providing greater access to the power of music education,” according to CBMF Executive Director Erica Vernon Check out crestedbuttemusicfestival.org for schedules, ticketing and additional details.

Editor’s Note: Because of Covid-19, please check websites for each event to make sure they are still scheduled.

JULY

CASTLE ROCK WINEFEST JULY 18 Castle Rock

The 17th annual Castle Rock WineFest includes over a dozen wineries bringing the finest variations of Colorado wine with tastings, live music, artisan vendors and entertainment for everyone. castlerock.org

CRESTED BUTTE MUSIC FEST JULY 26 – OCT. 3

Crested Butte This year’s festival theme is “Not Just Beethoven.” Musical performances and educational opportunities are scheduled throughout the Gunnison Valley. Listen for local favorites DeVotchKa and many more. crestedbuttemusicfestival.org

TAILS, TUNES & TASTES JULY 30 & SEPT. 24

Colorado Springs Dance and dine the night away at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 21-and-up event. Enjoy an evening under the stars and above the city lights, with indoor and outdoor stages of live music, an

SIP AT THE SUMMIT AUG. 14-15 VAIL

Take the gondola to the top of Vail Mountain and sample a range of craft beers, ciders, and seltzers with members of the Colorado Brewers Guild.

vailcraftbeerclassic.com

Photo: Courtesy of Blues & BBQ

BLUES & BBQ FOR BETTER HOUSING JULY 18-19 DENVER

The 23rd annual festival benefiting Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver is set at The Venue. Rock to tribute bands highlighting the music

bluesnbbq.com

open bar and international cuisine by Taste, the Zoo’s onsite caterer. cmzoo.org

Learn about Western traditions, agriculture and livestock while having a lot of fun. coloradostatefair.com

AUGUST

OCTOBER

Glenwood Springs The day begins on the rapids and ends as a relaxing afternoon of beer tasting. While there, enjoy Glenwood’s beautiful canyons, great food, libations and shops. epicexperience.org

Boulder This delicious event will have everything you could want in a taco fest, including craft cerveza and lucha libre wrestling matches. bouldertacofest.com

RAFTOBER FEST AUG. 8

PALISADE PEACH FESTIVAL AUG. 13-15

Palisade The festival, organized by the Palisade Chamber of Commerce, honors the true heritage of the area with food and drink events that feature Palisade peaches. palisadepeachfest.com

COLORADO STATE FAIR AUG. 28 – SEPT. 7

Pueblo The “reimagined” state fair will be held this year, albeit with some restrictions and modifications. Photo: Vail Craft Beer Classic

of The Who, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bonnie Raitt and The Rolling Stones.

- Compiled by Natasha Lovato

BOULDER TACO FEST OCT. 3

PALISADE BREWS & CRUISE OCT. 9-10

Palisade The annual festival will feature live music, street dancing, beer and wine tasting and more, all in downtown Palisade. palisadebrewscruise.com

GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL OCT. 16-17

Nationwide The festival promises “an immersive online experience” for 2020 as beer drinkers participate in a bevy of events while staying safe. greatamericanbeerfestival.com July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 25

QA and

HIT THE CHILL SWITCH

Talking wine with Dave Aschwanden of Chill Switch Wines By Monica Parpal Stockbridge

inemaker Dave Aschwanden descends from Swiss winemakers who have been in the wine business for years. Yet, it wasn’t until later in life that he became curious — and as he says, possessed — by wine. Aschwanden grew up in Colorado and lived in Europe for a time with his wife, Christie. They eventually made their home on Colorado’s Western Slope, where they have a wild orchard, berry patch and a handful of animals. Aschwanden opened Chill Switch Wines in Cedaredge in 2012, where he produces 1,000 cases a year of natural wine made completely from Colorado grapes. He’s also on the board of the Colorado Association for Viticulture and Enology (CAVE), the organization that puts on the Colorado Mountain Winefest in Palisade every September. We had the chance to speak with Aschwanden about his winery and how he encourages people to hit the chill switch.

26 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

Q A

How did you get started in the wine industry?

When we were in Europe, I got exposed to wine and got excited about it. When we moved out here, the way it all started was I had this excess of fruit, mostly apricots. I made jam, I dried the apricots, I froze the apricots, and I still had a thousand pounds left. What do I do? So, I decided to make some wine. And it turned out fairly awful, of course. Not long after that, I got a job in a winery. That’s where I learned most of what I do now, which is natural winemaking. There’s virtually no additives. It’s all kind of old-school and low-handling, for lack of a better word. You may not know that the wine industry is exempt from telling you what’s in your wine. There’s never an ingredient list on any label. There are many colors, flavors, additives, clarifiers, stabilizers, you name it. The list goes on and

on. And they don’t have to disclose any of that. It’s a little appalling for them to get away with such a thing.

Q A

How did you learn to make wine without all the additives?

When I first started, I got a book, I got on the internet, and I followed recipes which said to add all these additives. I don’t even think about it because I thought it was all necessary. Then I went to work for a guy who didn’t do any of that. It opened my eyes to the possibilities. It made me more aware that, if I’m just a little more careful and diligent in certain areas of my winemaking, I can get away with not doing 98 percent of this, you know, and just be really careful and patient. A lot of the additives are to hurry certain processes along. If you give it enough time and distance, these things happen all by themselves.

Q A

Tell us about that name, Chill Switch!

Well, when I first opened my winery, the name was Crag Crest, which is a trail on top of Grand Mesa near where I live in Cedaredge. It’s an amazing place because you can see 360 degrees, from the La Salle Mountains to the San Juans to the West Elks. It’s one of my favorite places. The problem was, the name was a tongue twister. I started thinking about the image I wanted to portray with my wine. I wanted to get at your emotions, and I wanted it to reflect how it could make you feel. These days, you come home after a hard day, and what are you looking for? You’re looking for the “chill switch.” I’m hoping this wine gets you there.

Q A

What does a tasting experience look like at Chill Switch Wines?

It’s by appointment only. I’m very proud of what I do, so I take you right into the winery. I show you the barrels, and I show you what I do. There’s no strawberry flavoring or any other freaky stuff that I add to the wine. You taste the wines right there on the top of the barrel, and we have a conversation about what we like about wine and what we think wine should be.

Q A

What is your perception of the Colorado wine scene as a whole?

Right now, we’re really excited. There’s a lot of people doing really good work. That hasn’t always been the case. Fifteen years ago when I first started tasting Colorado wine, most of it, frankly, wasn’t that good. Now, I’d say the

absolute reverse is true. I’m excited about Colorado wine. I do think we’re doing great work. For all the people out there who may have had a bad experience, I’d say, please give it another shot. It will surprise you. And there’s good reason to support our local wineries in this state and bolster this growing industry. We don’t have to import grapes from California or Washington to make good wine. We have some really cool stuff, and we can grow the grapes right here. This summer, keep an eye out for some exciting new small-batch Chill Switch wines, including the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2016 Petit Verdot, 2016 Super Colorado Red Blend and 2016 Black Muscat Sparkling Wine, as well as debut 2017 wines including a Malbec, Syrah and Zinfandel. Learn more and set up a tasting at chillswitchwines.com. Monica Parpal Stockbridge writes about food, travel and technology in Colorado and beyond. Read more of her work at monicastockbridge.com.

Photos: Courtesy of Chill Switch Wines

July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 27

LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?

COMMERCIAL

ARGONAUT HAS IT! AND WE DELIVER. LARGEST COLD BEER SELECTION IN DENVER

760 E. Colfax Ave. 303.831.7788 Argonautliquor.com

we put the FUN in FUNCTIONAL, the ECO in COMMUTE, & the COOL in your LIFESTYLE.

sponsor

Take a Ride on the Wildsyde™ www.WILDSYDE.com Avon • Colorado 970.949.3261

28 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

Kyle Insurance Group, LLC Affordable American Insurance

The Right Insurance At The Right Price

Auto, Home, Life & Business Insurance www.kyleinsuranceagency.com

303-465-9500

12995 Sheridan Blvd., Suite 204 Broomfield, CO 80020

Day training and life skills for your puppy! Reward-based playing and learning to help your puppy grow into a happy dog.

3-day packages and single-day sessions available now! VISIT

boulderhumane.org/puppyclub

July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 29

THE THR EE B’s OF

Photos: Courtesy of Endo Brewing Co.

any mountain bikers are all too familiar with an endo, or an “endover-end” crash. Others are likely curious about the funny-sounding term. “People either know what it is and they can relate, and it leads to a funny story,” said Bob Lichens, co-owner of Endo Brewing Co. “Or they don’t have any idea what it is and it strikes an interest.” The name welcomes all comers, just like the brewery, which also has a bike repair shop and a pinball arcade. Some folks just want a beer and a snack. Others have a couple of pints while they get their bikes tuned up. Still others come for the regular pinball tournaments, and down a brew to loosen up the flipper fingers. The other Endo co-owner, Kevin Van Winkle, had been home-brewing since about 2000 and working at IBM. When he got laid off, he approached co-worker and mountain biking partner Bob Lichens about launching a business. “I had been watching the brewery scene for a while from the sidelines, thinking maybe I could do it,” Van Winkle said.

Lichens had also been considering leaving IBM and opening a bike shop. Add up the two plans, throw in some pinball and they had Endo Brewing Co. Lichens said beer had always been a part of their group mountain biking outings anyway. “Some of us only showed up for the ride because we knew there was beer at the end of it, so it was kind of a natural progression to combine the two,” he said. They quickly found their ideal location in a Lafayette strip mall. They met at a coffee shop across the street and started eyeing the space, which was built as a muffler shop but housed a Crossfit gym at the time. The garage doors still remain, letting in plenty of sunlight and adding to the relaxed, blue-collar atmosphere. The first thing you see coming through the front doors at Endo is a wall of bike tools and a basic repair stand. Endo doesn’t sell bikes, and focuses on simple tune-ups and fast fixes. “We really wanted to focus on quick turnarounds,” Lichens said. However, both owners think of Endo as a brewery first.

Bob Lichens

30 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

By Steve Graham

Kevin Van Winkle

®©Double Brian / Adobe Stock

Lafayette brewery is all about the BIKES, BEER and (pin)BALL

BIKES AND BEER The following are three other businesses around Colorado that combine our love of beer and our love of bikes.

Full Cycle / The Tune Up

Need a pre-ride caffeine boost and tune-up, plus lunch and a couple of beers after riding up and down Flagstaff Mountain? Full Cycle has you covered. A large corner spot on east Pearl Street in Boulder hosts a full-service bike shop, espresso bar and taproom. The bar has 16 taps pouring local craft beer, cider, and kombucha. There is also a menu of burgers, snacks, burritos and tacos. Fullcyclebikes.com

Road 34

Pinball, bikes and beer are the attractions at Endo Brewing Co.

If you’re looking for a mountain biking partner in Fort Collins, sidle up to the bar at Road 34, a bar with an attached bike store. You’re likely to find a fellow fat tire fan under the hanging bikes and wheels playing pool, drinking from one of the 30 crafty taps or eating a hearty sandwich. The bike store offers parts, quality service and a small selection of mountain bikes and fat bikes. Road34.com

Cyclhops Bike Cantina “We’ve got a pretty loyal following on the cycling side of things, but the bike shop was always going to be second fiddle to the brewery,” Lichens said. They gave more attention to the bike side starting in the past year, organizing group rides and hosting bike-to-work-day events. A third, less obvious aspect of the business is the pinball arcade tucked into a side room. “These are all limited-edition and special edition games,” Lichens said. “Some of these, there are only two in the state.” A pinball dealer services and rotates the machines, and the brewery has hosted some nationally ranked pinball players itching to play the silver balls on some rare machines.

Endo’s biggest-selling beers — most of the names reflect the bike obsession — are the Hop Cadence IPA, the Post-Ride Ultra Kolsch and the CPR Irish Red, made with Irish yeasts and malts. “We want to be super-inclusive of everyone,” Van Winkle said. “I try to do a wide variety of styles. I also do the very best due diligence on every style and try to do it very authentically.” Endo also tapped a hard seltzer this year, expanding its mission of welcoming everyone. “It’s all about inclusivity,” Van Winkle said.

Part of the Oskar Blues empire in Longmont is this Mexican restaurant with 20 beer taps, 43 premium tequilas and the retail and service home of REEB Cycles (read the name backwards). The bikes are hand-built in Lyons in the same 100-year-old barn where Dale’s Pale Ale was first crafted. In fact, Dale started the company after his bike was stolen and he decided to start building his own. facebook.com/CYCLHOPSBikeCANtina

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

July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 31

Duette® Honeycomb Shades

Before

Call Us or Stop By Our Inviting Showroom Today for More Details!

303-973-1235

10027 West Remington Avenue, Unit 200A, Littleton, CO 80127 Next to Big 5 Sporting Goods, near Kipling and C470

TheBlindSpot.biz M-F 10-6 • Sat 10-4 • Sunday Closed

› Wide Drive Aisles

Call Glenn, (303) 518-2353 garagecondos.com www.GarageCondos.com

› Durable Doors

› Castle Rock – NOW OPEN

› Water & Wash-Down Areas

A, B & C Buildings Open & Move in Ready!

› Site Lighting

› Centennial – COMING 2020

› Air/Vac Station › RV Dump

1931 Liggett Road

6507 Racine Circle

›

Highlands Ranch 2 – COMING 2020 Santa Fe and Town Center Drive

› Low Maintenance Finishes

› Highlands Ranch 1, Ken Caryl & Grant Way

› Common Area Restrooms

- Call for potential resale availability

› Owner’s Private Clubhouse

32 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

SOLD OUT

S O M E T I M E S, THE THING YOU GIVE TO THE NEXT G E N E R AT I O N ISN’T A THING AT A L L.

G R E E N O U G H, M O N T A N A

Out here, you’ll find a place where “first time ever ” meets “unforge able.” It’s authentic cattle drives, breathtaking ATV tours and timeless fly-fishing outings. It’s staying in a tent fit for the most finicky of glampers, while having butler service and a dining experience that’s unmatched. But perhaps the greatest reward of all is seeing the wonder, the awe, the unbridled joy on the faces of your loved ones. This is not something to be wrapped in pretty paper. This is something to be held close to the heart, for years to come. After all, the best gifts are the ones that you share.

WWW.PAWSUP.COM

877-893-3552

TRUE TALES FROM THE LYING LOG By Bufford T. Clapsaddle

Utilized as the lead (of 3) packhorses on this outing into the Flat Tops Wilderness, Ranger never begrudged his load, first-time riders or camping tents. Photo by Mark Samuelson.

ripped tight in the jaws of Covid-19 and the pandemic’s overt avoidance of reality, ol’ Clapsaddle figured it may now fit well to chronicle the true tales of Ranger. Ranger was a golden palamino gelding who was perfectly content to hold his position of dead last in the Clapsaddle trail horse pecking order for more than 20 years. Not tired! Not lazy! Didn’t lack athleticism! Unlike Barney, he never worshipped the Sheriff’’s badge. “Just give me a hand(s) full of oats, I’ll always be there when you need me. Put a 4-year-old or an 80-year-old on me, I’ll get ‘em into camp. Or, cinch up a packsaddle and you will not have any broken eggs when you cook breakfast tomorrow.” Yes, Clapsaddle purchased Ranger with the same M.O. as the majority of his pack string in

34 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

the 1980s. A high school grad had completed his first year of college. Ranger was ridden once September-June. Parents placed the classified in The Denver Post in July. The ad didn’t say he was blind in his right eye.

Lucky or unlucky, trail boss, bring on some more Flat Tops or Saguache Park miles. – Ranger

Clapsaddle appreciated his left eye. Dad said Ranger stood quietly for the farrier. Mom said he was “trustworthy.” And, Clapsaddle would say he was pretty

damned lucky. Or unlucky, which then allowed him to be “lucky” later. Certainly, it was easy to ascertain that Ranger was a “loner” in the horse herd. So, there was only limited anxiety when Clapsaddle fed and counted trail equine that early September evening in the 1980s. The 15 animals were pastured on a portion of a retired dairy farm on the west side of U.S. 36. Clapsaddle’s mother and father-in-law were visiting from Illinois. Dinner and a theater production claimed the evening’s itinerary. But, driving home pre-midnight nudged our curiosity. Father-in-law Bill and myself were soon in the pickup, with lights shining bright. The third pass caught some bright eyes attempting to move in the deep grass. It took the veterinarian more than an hour and one-half to tug on his Levis and locate the gate for entering the pasture.

We had already deduced that a bullet from a high-powered hunting rifle entered his rib cage near the cinch connection. Highway engineers had the foresight to elevate U.S. 36 about 25 feet above the pasture level, so the bullet had a grade efficiency to pass through Ranger’s gut and drop on to the ground. Loss of considerable amounts of blood kept Dr. Dave occupied for the next couple of hours. Then arrived another Yogi Berra fork-inthe-road conundrum... Do we (a) attempt to get the rascal in a big trailer and hauled to the Colorado State University vet hospital for urgent care, or (b) will pasture suturing be the best plan? Augmented with truck headlights and morning sunshine not too far in the distance, we chose the latter. It worked! Doc sedated our four-legged friend into a deep sleep and we constructed a “horsepital” in the cranium of a previously utilized milk cow loafing shed. By the time the sun commenced winking behind Arapahoe Peak that night, Ranger was declared on the mend. Fortunately, trajectory of the bullet caused the drain tube to perform perfectly. Blood pressure returned to normal. “Lucky or unlucky, trail boss, bring on some more Flat Tops or Saguache Park miles.” Yes, Ranger collected a plethora of bumps, bruises, nail punctures, etc., during the following dozen years but the next “close encounter” made its appearance later in the 1980s.

Clapsaddle arranged a two-day, onenight butt-pounding ride into Rainbow Bridge National Monument on Lake Powell with eight Rotarians accompanied by a Navajo guide. At the world’s largest natural bridge they would hookup with fellow Rotarian Tom Green who would be angling for striped bass. After two days the passenger list would swap with the boaters moving to saddles en route back to the Navajo Trading Post and the riders pursuing the fish. This epic adventure, stunning scenery and enriching Western history can be digested through the May-June, 2019 “True Tales from the Lying Log” in Thirst magazine. Call editor Joe Ross, joe@thirstcolorado.com, for a free copy of the magazine. For the most part, the Saturday sojourn to Powell and return was marked with an abundance of oohs and ahs. However, at the conclusion of the ride, Ranger’s second eyeball-to-eyeball with eternity made an appearance. Approximately six miles north of the Trading Post, the Navajo tribe/village had drilled a community well, the only underground source of water for some distance. The Navajo guide suggested we stop at the well and water the animals in preparation for the long return to Denver. It was not until we started unloading horses in Westminster that we discovered the Rotarian designated to make certain the trail ponies consumed H20 at the Navajo community well also flunked his duties at the county fairgrounds where we overnighted.

Back at the barn, the same vet who earlier removed the bullet answered Clapsaddle’s call promptly. Ranger was down in the trailer. Total dehydration! Kidney failure! There might be an opportunity to resurrect him. (a) Keep him on his feet. (b) Intravenous feed him all night with fluids. My daughter Angie and next door neighbor Tracey quickly accepted the challenge. Clapsaddle visited them twice during the long night, laden with supplies, more medicine and pills, additional pills and medicine, popsicles and candy bars. By the following day, the Golden Guy was still on his feet with his head down munching grass. He raised his head, but had little (or no) time for Clapsaddle. When Dr. Dave, completing medical “rounds,” pulled up to the barn at afternoon’s end, the aged gelding made an unlikely saunter over to his pickup. Following a suspected thank you, came the question... “Doc, do I get the third chance at being lucky... Or is this it?” Bufford T. Clapsaddle (aka Wilbur Flachman) is a retired newspaper and magazine publisher who has guided hundreds of horse pack trips into the Rocky Mountains for family, friends and business associates during the past 45 years. (Logging more than 10,000 miles in the saddle). Majority of his tales are revealed only at timberline.

Ranger lets photos assist in telling his story.

July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 35

Empowering purpose-filled lives. Guy Holman, CFPÂŽ Advisor and Shareholder

TCI Wealth Advisors, Inc. is an independent, fee-only wealth advisory firm with an uncompromising commitment to helping clients balance wealth and well-being. tciwealth.com (303) 296-2196

11625 Reed Ct Unit B BroomďŹ eld, CO 80020

303.353.8121

36 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

Phamaly’s BIG NIGHT!

“The Show Must Go On!” Webathon October 18, 2020

For more information, go to www.phamaly.org

A variety show of music, comedy, and wacky antics showcasing disabled artistry streamed live on YouTube!

July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 37

C O L O R A D O S TAYC AT I O N

HOME (AWAY FROM HOME) ON THE RANGE

n the dude ranch business, the more things change, the more they stay the same. The dude ranch business started in Colorado before 1900, when cattle ranchers started inviting “dudes” from back east out to experience the Old West and have a relaxed vacation away from the stresses of the city. More than a century later, dude ranches may have added climbing walls,

38 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

disc golf courses and indoor plumbing, but the traditions and basic spirit of family togetherness haven’t changed. “I think that people need to disconnect from their social media and electronics and they need to reconnect with each other,” said Dan Morin, co-owner of the Sundance Trail Guest Ranch. “There’s something very magical about sitting around a campfire and roasting marshmallows with your family.

Magic like that is getting kind of rare. For people to reconnect with each other is a very powerful experience.” Courtney Frazier is executive director of the Colorado Dude and Guest Ranch Association, which was created in 1934. She said the dude ranch is more than just a place to sleep away from home. “We’re not a hotel with horses,” she said. “A dude ranch vacation is much more

Dude ranches deliver a century of unplugged family togetherness By Steve Graham

Photos: Courtesy of Colorado Dude and Guest Ranch Association

immersive, and that’s something that has not changed over time.” Frazier turned some of her favorite childhood memories into a job. “I grew up vacationing at guest ranches as a teen,” she said. “It’s truly the only vacation we leave teary-eyed because we want it to go longer.” Morin said the dude ranch experience is particularly magical for busy families.

“I love watching families play together. Modern life really splits families up,” Morin said. “When our kids were in high school, we struggled to even have one meal together. We really had to work at just having time to be together. When I see families reconnecting, it’s very cool.” Sundance Trail is in Red Feather Lakes, a mountain community northwest of Fort Collins. It is one of at least 22 guest ranches

scattered throughout the Colorado foothills and mountains, which includes the historic Lost Valley Ranch near Sedalia. Bar Lazy J, located in a valley southwest of Rocky Mountain National Park, is thought to be the oldest continuously operating guest ranch in Colorado. By the late 1800s, working ranchers in Colorado started inviting friends from back east (before teens and surfers changed July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 39

the term, dude simply referred to anyone from east of the Mississippi) for an exciting Western adventure. In turn, the dudes would bring books and magazines for some much needed news and entertainment, and they could help with chores around the ranch while enjoying some new scenery and a total change of pace. The business took off with the spread of railroads and then cars. Like everything, the dude ranch business also changed after World War I. “In the early teens, Europe lost its shine as a favorite vacation place,” Morin said. “People were looking for an alternative. More and more people started heading west.” Since that time, most guests have spent at least seven days on a dude ranch. “Staying somewhere for a week is a lot different than trying to pack everything into a long weekend or something,” said Frazier. Like most of the dude ranch industry, Morin has done little to change the core business in the last couple of decades, aside from adding new activities. “We found that although some members of the family may love horseback riding, not all the members of a family want to spend their entire vacation on a horse,” Morin said. Sundance Trail now has an archery range, a

40 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

climbing wall and a disc golf course “classified as bitchin’,” he said. The ranch, like most dude ranches, draws a wide variety of guests. Families tend to make it an annual vacation, and dude ranches are a hot spot for “gramping,” or grandparents vacationing with children. Groups such as Wounded Warriors also regularly host retreats at dude ranches. “They talk to the horses,” Morin said. “(The horses) are very good therapists and very good listeners.” Frazier said most Colorado dude ranches fall into one of three categories. Working ranches might have a minimum age requirement, and cater toward adults who want to really work with cattle and maybe learn to mend a fence or pitch some hay. “You’re becoming a cowboy for a week, but they’re still feeding you three meals a day,” she said. A traditional dude ranch caters to families, with more activities for teens and children, as well as amenities such as pools or ziplines. Finally, several luxury dude ranches are scattered throughout the state, offering more formal meals, onsite spas and other pampering. No matter the style, Frazier warns that guests are likely to get hooked on the dude

ranch experience, and said many ranches have a 60- to 80-percent guest return ratio. “You might know Colorado, but you don’t know a dude ranch,” she said. Steve Graham is a freelance writer and former newspaper editor who likes taking his two young boys biking, hiking and brewery-hopping in northern Colorado.

4731 W. 10th St. GREELEY, CO 970-301-4575 OPEN EVERDAY 2PM

River Point & Hampden 3535 South Platte River Dr. Unit L Sheridan, CO 80110

TRY AND BUY EUREKA!

AWARD WINNING BEERS GREAT TAPROOM AND PATIO

720-940-0338 Hours: Monday - Friday Open at 4pm Saturday - Noon Sunday - 2pm

20% Discount

LIVE MUSIC 4 NIGHTS A WEEK

GREAT FOOD!

on your first beer with pic of this ad

HUGE SELECTION OF CRAFT STYLES

PALISADE GRAND VALLEY BANK BREWS & CRUISE OCTOBER 9TH & 10TH, 2020 Friday Night Street Dance 6PM-9:30PM Saturday in Memorial Park

No matter your unique taste, we have a delicious beer youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll enjoy. 6382 Fairgrounds Ave. Windsor, CO 80538

(970) 966-7955 mightyriverbrewing.com

Noon-5PM, Beer, Hard Cider & Wine Sampling, Live Music, Vendors, complimentary mugs. Non-drinking tickets available. FCI VIP Tent, lawn games. Grand Valley Half Marathon registration grandvalleymarathon.com. Tickets at 970tix.com or call (970) 464-7458 July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 41

AWARD-WINNING

GLUTEN-FREE BEER COLORADO'S DEDICATED GLUTEN-FREE BREWERY Music is personal, let us help you find the right instrument -Fine Vintage Gear including Jazz Guitars -Electric & Acoustic Gear -Amplifiers -Accessories -Lessons (Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, And Violin) -Repair Services

OPEN TUE - SAT 10AM TO 6PM

303.484.1271

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

801 BRICKYARD CIRCLE, GOLDEN, CO

WWW.MONKTONGUITARS.COM

HOLIDAILYBREWING.COM

MAKE IT A

Double

We’ve got you covered, Colorado! IN STORE · CURBSIDE PICKUP · DELIVERY

MOLLYSSPIRITS.COM

@mollysspirits

42 ThirstColorado.com

July-September 2020

Summertime, and the livin’s uneasy.

There’s no way to overstate the financial uncertainty facing people today. With that in mind, we know your insurance is likely the last thing you are thinking about, but we’re here to help if you’d like a second opinion on the best way to insure your home or business. Chris Hardin 303.534.2133

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

BREWERIES

Ska Street Brewstillery

Cerberus Brewing Co ●

Southern Sun ●

Cogstone Brewing Co ● ●

Stein Brewing Co

Colorado Mountain Brewery ●

Twisted Pine Brewing ● ●

Dueces Wild Brewery ●

Unnamed Beer Co

FH Beerworks ●

Uhl’s Brewing Co

ARVADA

Upslope Brewing Co ● ●

Denver Beer Co

Very Nice Brewing ● Vision Quest Brewing Co

Elevated Seltzer ● ● elvtdat5280.com 720.723.2179

West Flanders Brewing Co ● ● Wild Provisions Beer Project

5610 Yukon St Arvada

Fossil Craft Beer Co ● fossilcraftbeer.com 719.375.8928 2845 Ore Mill Road Ste 1 Colorado Springs

Funky Town Brewing Goat Patch Brewing Co ●

DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

New Belgium - The Woods at the Source

Tom’s Urban Diner and Tivoli Brewing ●

Odell Brewing Co Our Mutual Friend

FIVE POINTS

Ratio Beerworks ● ●

Spangalang Brewery

River North Brewery

Woods Boss Brewing

SOUTHEAST DENVER

LODO

Bull and Bush Brewery ● ●

Denver Chophouse ● Great Divide Brewing Co ● ● Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery ● Rock Bottom Denver ●

Gold Camp Brewing Co ●

LUKI Brewery

BRIGHTON/FREDERICK/ERIE/ FORT LUPTON

New Image Brewing ●

Big Choice Brewing

Local Relic ●

Odyssey Beerwerks ● ●

Floodstage Ale Works ●

Lost Friend Brewing ●

MILE HI/AURARIA

Resolute Brewing Tap & Cellar ●

Mirror Image Brewing Co

Manitou Brewing Co ●

Briar Common Brewery + Eatery ●

Someplace Else Brewery

Mountain Cowboy Brewing Co

Metric Brewing ●

Burns Family Artisan Ales

Spice Trade Brewing Co ●

Something Brewery

Nano 108 ●

Cervecería Colorado ● ●

AURORA

BROOMFIELD/WESTMINSTER

Paradox Beer Co ●

Denver Beer Co ● ●

Bent Barley Brewing Co

4 Noses Brewing Co ●

Peaks N Pines Brewing Co ●

Little Machine Beer ●

BJ’s ●

Phantom Canyon ● ●

Raices Brewing Co

Cheluna Brewing Co

C.B. & Potts Westminster ●

Red Leg Brewing ●

Seedstock Brewery ● ●

Dry Dock Brewing Co North Dock ●

Frolic Brewing Co ●

Rock Bottom Colorado Springs ●

Strange Craft Beer Co ● ●

Dry Dock Brewing Co South Dock ●

Gordon Biersch ●

Rocky Mountain Brewery ●

Tivoli Brewing ●

Launch Pad Brewery

Kokopelli Beer Co ● ●

Smiling Toad Brewery ●

Wit’s End Brewing Co

Peak to Peak Tap & Brew ●

Rails End Beer Co ● ●

Storybook Brewing ●

Zuni St. Brewing Co ●

Two22 Brew ●

Rock Bottom Orchard Town Center ●

Trinity Brewing ●

Ursula Brewing Co

Rock Bottom Westminster Promenade ●

BAILEY

Westminster Brewing Co

Mad Jack’s Mountain Brewery ● ● ●

Wonderland Brewing Co ● ●

BOULDER AREA

CAÑON CITY AREA

12Degree Brewing ●

Florence Brewing

Adamant Brewing & Blending

World’s End Brewing Co

Asher Brewing Co Avery Brewing ● Beyond the Mountain Brewing Co BJ’s ● Busey Brewing

Echo Brewing Co ●

BAKER/SOUTH BROADWAY

Chain Reaction Brewing Co ● Crazy Mountain Brewing Co ● ● Renegade Brewing Co

WHEAT RIDGE/EDGEWATER/ LAKEWOOD 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

Blue Tile Brewing

Westfax Brewing Co

DURANGO AREA

NORTHWEST DENVER

Animas Brewing Co ●

Amalgam Brewing

Bottom Shelf Brewery ●

Bruz Beers ● bruzbeers.com 303.650.2337 1675 W 67th Ave Denver

Carver Brewing Co ● Chainless Brewing Dolores River Brewery ● ●

Baere Brewing Co

Burly Brewing ● ●

Banded Oak Brewing Co

Call to Arms Brewing Co ●

Main Street Brewery & Restaurant ●

The Elizabeth Brewing Co

Black Project Spontaneous & Wild Ales

De Steeg Brewing

Mancos Brewing Co ●

Diebolt Brewing Co ● ●

Ska Brewing Co ● ●

Dos Luces

The Empourium Brewing Co

Steamworks Brewing Co ●

Grandma’s House

Factotum Brewhouse

WildEdge Brewing Collective

Lowdown Brewery + Kitchen ●

FlyteCo Brewing

Novel Strand Brewing Co

EAGLE COUNTY

Goldspot Brewing Co ● ●

Platt Park Brewing Co ●

7 Hermits Brewing Co ●

Grateful Gnome Sandwich Shoppe + Brewery ●

Bonfire Brewing ●

Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co ●

Crystal Springs Brewing Co

DENVER

SOUTHWEST DENVER

105 West Brewing Co ●

Rockyard Brewing Co ●

Cellar-West Artisan Ales ●

1840 Dominion Way Colorado Springs

Copper Kettle Brewing Co ●

NORTHEAST DENVER J. Moe’s Brew Pub ●

Endo Brewing Co

CENTENNIAL/LONE TREE/ HIGHLANDS RANCH

Finkel & Garf Brewing Co

3 Freaks Brewery ●

Front Range Brewing Co ● ●

Blue Spruce Brewing Co ● ●

Gravity Brewing ● ●

C.B. & Potts Highlands Ranch ●

Gunbarrel Brewing Co

Grist Brewing Co ●

Industrial Revolution Brewing Co

TRVE Brewing Co

CAPITOL HILL/E COLFAX/ PARK HILL

Hogshead Brewery ●

J. Fargo’s Family Dining & Micro Brewery ●

Gore Range Brewery ●

Oasis Brewing Co ● ●

Vail Brewing Co ● ●

Alpine Dog Brewing Co

Prost Brewing Co ●

ENGLEWOOD AREA

Bruz Off Fax

Halfpenny Brewing Co

RINO

Cerebral Brewing ● ●

James Peak Brewery & Smokehouse ●

Lone Tree Brewing Co

10 Barrel Brewing ● ●

Counter Culture Brewery & Grille ●

Resolute Brewing Co

14er Brewing

Kettle and Spoke Brewery

Fiction Beer Co ●

Rock Bottom Park Meadows ●

Altitude Brewing & Supply

Knotted Root Brewing Co

Lady Justice Brewing

Spice Trade Brewing Co

Bierstadt Lagerhaus ●

Long Table Brewhouse ●

Black Shirt Brewing Co ● ●

COLORADO SPRINGS AREA

Pints Pub ●

Blue Moon Brewing Co ● ●

Atrevida Brewing ●

Station 26 Brewing Co ●

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project

BierWerks Brewery ● ●

Thirsty Monk ● ●

Epic Brewing Co ●

ESTES PARK

Black Forest Brewing ●

Vine Street Pub & Brewery ●

Great Divide Brewing Co ● ●

Avant Garde Aleworks

Mockery Brewing ●

Estes Park Brewery ●

Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co ● ● Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery ● Odd 13 Brewing Inc ● ● Oskar Blues Brewery ● ● The Post Brewing Co ● ● Redgarden Restaurant & Brewery ● Sanitas Brewing Co ● ●

44 ThirstColorado.com

Alternation Brewing

Iron Mule Brewery

BRU Handbuilt Ales ●

Whistle Pig Brewing Co ● ● facebook.com/whistlepigbrewing 719.598-1339

Wynkoop Brewing Co ●

7677 E Iliff Ave Denver

CASTLE ROCK AREA

Great Divide Brewing & Roadhouse

Bootstrap Brewing ● ●

JAKs Brewing Co ●

Sandlot Brewery

Comrade Brewing ● comradebrewing.com 720.748.0700

Brass Brewing Co ● Bristol Brewing ●

July-September 2020

Boggy Draw Brewery boggydraw.com 720.940.0338 3535 S Platte River Dr, Unit L Englewood

Brewability Lab ● ● Dead Hippie Brewing Peak View Brewing Co

TILLERY & CIDERY LINEUP Lumpy Ridge Brewing Co

New Terrain Brewing ● ●

LONGMONT

Ohm Brewing

300 Suns Brewing ●

SALIDA/BUENA VISTA/ CRESTONE/LEADVILLE

Donovan Brewing Co

Rock Cut Brewing Co

Over Yonder Brewing

Bootstrap Brewing

Crestone Brewing Co ●

Gemini Beer Co

GRAND JUNCTION AREA

Collision Brewing Co ●

Eddyline Restaurant and Brewing Co ●

Good River Beer

FAIRPLAY South Park 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

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 ●

Grossen Bart Brewery ● ● Left Hand Brewing Co ● Oskar Blues Brewing ● Outworld Brewing Primitive Beer Pumphouse Brewery ● Shoes and Brews Wibby Brewing ● ●

Moonlight Pizza and Brewpub ● Periodic Brewing

Idylwilde Brewing The Larimer Beer Co New Planet Beer Open Door Brewing Co

Soulcraft Brewing

Rustica

Tres Litros Beer Co Two Mile Brewing Co ●

Sleeping Giant Brewing Social Order Brewing

SOUTHWEST COLORADO

Swole Beer

Avalanche Brewing Co ●

Syndicate Brewing Co Uhl’s Brewing Co

GREELEY AREA

LOVELAND/BERTHOUD

Brix Taphouse and Brewery ● ●

5030 Local ●

Colorado Boy Brewery - Montrose, Ouray, Ridgeway ●

Berthoud Brewing Co

Golden Block Brewery ●

Big Beaver Brewing Co ●

Horsefly Brewing Co ● ●

Big Thompson Brewery

Ouray Brewery ●

DENVER/BOULDER

City Star Brewing ●

Ourayle House Brewery

12 Point Distillery - Lafayette

Crow Hop Brewing

Red Mountain Brewing ●

52Eighty Distilling - Littleton

Crabtree Brewing ● ●

Drätz Brewing Co

Smuggler’s Brewpub ●

Anders’ Vodka - Parker

G5 Brew Pub ●

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse

Stoik Beer Co

Archetype Distillery - Denver

Green Earth Brewing

Loveland Aleworks

Telluride Brewing Co

Arta Tequila - Englewood

High Hops Brewery ● ●

Rock Bottom ●

Two Rascals Brewing Co

Lonesome Buck Brewing Co ●

Rock Coast Brewery

Art of the Spirits Colorado Whiskey - Denver

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS AREA

Verboten Brewing Co

Ballmer Peak Distillery - Lakewood

Mighty River Brewing Co mightyriverbrewing.com 970-966-7955

Butcherknife Brewing Co

Bear Creek Distillery - Denver

MONUMENT

Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill ●

The Block Distilling Co - Denver

Pikes Peak Brewing Co ● ●

Mountain Tap Brewery ● Storm Peak Brewing Co

Boulder Spirits by Vapor Distillery - Boulder

Yampa Valley Brewing Co

Broken Arrow Spirits - Centennial

Broken Plow Brewery brokenplowbrewery.com 970.301.4575 4731 West 10th St. Greeley

6383 N Fairgrounds Ave Windsor

NORTHEAST COLORADO Sheaf & Kettle Brewery

Parts & Labor Brewing Co

WeldWerks Brewing Co

Tumbleweed Brewing & Wine Co

Wiley Roots Brewing Co ●

NORTHGLENN/THORNTON

Soul Squared Brewing Co ●

GUNNISON/CRESTED BUTTE

Mother Tucker Brewery ● ●

Sparge Brewing

The Eldo Brewpub & Venue ● ●

Periodic Brewing ●

Timnath Beerwerks

High Alpine Brewing Co ●

Satire Brewing Co ● ●

Zwei Brewing Co ● ●

Irwin Brewing Co

FRUITA Copper Club Brewing Co ●

IDAHO SPRINGS/EVERGREEN/ CENTRAL CITY/GEORGETOWN

Suds Brothers Brewery ● ●

GLENWOOD SPRINGS/ CARBONDALE/ASPEN

Elevation Beer Co ●

Durango Brewing Co

DISTILLERIES

Denver Distillery - Denver

SUMMIT COUNTY Angry James Brewing Co The Baker’s Brewery ● Breckenridge Brewery & Pub ●

Deviant Spirits - Boulder Deviation Distilling - Denver Downslope Distilling - Englewood

Broken Compass Brewing

The Family Jones Spirit House Denver ●

Dillon Dam Brewery ● ●

Golden Moon Distillery - Golden

PAGOSA SPRINGS/ DEL NORTE/ALAMOSA

HighSide Brewing ● ●

Hogback Distillery - Wheat Ridge

Outer Range Brewing Co ●

J & L Distilling Co - Boulder

The Break Room Brewing Co

Pug Ryan’s Brewery ●

Ironton Distillery - Denver

Cabin Creek Brewing ●

The Colorado Farm Brewery

Dostal Alley Saloon & Gambling Emporium ●

Pagosa Brewing Co ●

WALSENBURG

El Rancho Brewing Co ●

Riff Raff Brewing ● ●

Laws Whiskey House - Denver Leopold Bros - Northeast Denver

Crafty Canary Brewery

Local Distilling - Golden

San Luis Valley Brewing ●

WINTER PARK AREA

Mad Rabbit Distillery - Westminster

Square Peg Brewerks

Big Trout Brewing Co

Mile High Spirits - Lodo

Three Barrel Brewing Co ●

Camber Brewing Co

Mythology Distillery - Denver ●

Fraser River Beer Co

Rising Sun Distillery - Denver

Hideaway Park Brewery

Rocker Spirits - Littleton

Aspen Brewing Co ●

Evergreen Taphouse ●

Capitol Creek Brewery ●

Guanella Pass Brewing Co

Carbondale Beer Works ●

Lariat Lodge Brewing Co ● ●

Casey Brewing and Blending

Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub ●

PAONIA

Glenwood Canyon Brew Pub ●

Westbound & Down Brewing Co ●

Chrysalis Barrel Aged Beer

Never Summer Brewing Co

Paonia United Brewing Co

Santa Fe Spirits - Littleton

The Peak Bistro & Brewery ●

Spirit Hound Distillers - Lyons

PARKER

DISTRIBUTION ONLY

State 38 Distilling - Golden

Barnett and Son Brewing Co ● ●

1623 Brewing

Roaring Fork Beer Co ●

GOLDEN Barrels and Bottles Brewery ●

KREMMLING Grand Adventure Brewing Co

Cannonball Creek Brewing Co ●

LAKE CITY

Downhill Brewing Co ●

Coda Brewing

Lake City Brewing

AC Golden Brewing Co

Coors Brewing Co

Acidulous Brewing Co

LITTLETON AREA

Los Dos Potrillos Mexican Restaurant y Cerveceria ●

Golden City Brewery ●

Holidaily Brewing Co Holidailybrewing.com 303.278.BEER 801 Brickyard Cir., Golden

Mountain Toad Brewing ●

Blue Spruce Brewing Co

Welcome Home Brewery

Amalgam Brewing Atom Brewing Co

Stranahan’s - South Denver Strongwater Spirits & Botanicals - Denver Talnua Distillery - Arvada Tighe Brothers Distillery - Denver Tingala - Denver

Breckenridge Brewery ●

PUEBLO AREA

Barrel Dog Brewing

Coal Mine Ave. Brewing Co

Brues Alehouse Brewing Co ● ●

Beer by Design

Jackass Hill Brewery ●

Reservoir Brewing Co

Black Sheep Brewery

Whistling Hare DistilleryWestminster ●

Lariat Lodge Brewing

Shamrock Brewing ●

Centennial Beer Co

Living the Dream Brewing Co

Walter Brewery & Taproom

Ceria Brewing

NORTHERN COLORADO

Locavore Beer Works

Dive Bar Brewing Co

Weaver’s Spirits - Parker

Big Fat Pastor - Loveland

July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 45

WINERIES

Bouck Brothers Whiskey - Idaho Springs Coyote Gold Margaritas - Fort Collins

GRAND JUNCTION AREA

Coppermuse Distillery - Fort Collins

Avant Vineyards - Palisade

Dry Land Distillers - Longmont

Carlson Vineyards - Palisade

Elevation 5003 Distillery - Fort Collins

Colorado Cellars Winery - Palisade

Elkins Distilling Co - Estes Park Feisty Spirits - Fort Collins Longtucky Spirits - Longmont

NOCO Distillery - Fort Collins

Blendings at the Preserve - Fort Collins

Songbird Cellars - Beulah The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey Canon City The Winery at Pikes Peak - Cascade

Blue Mountain Vineyards - Berthoud BookCliff Vineyards - Boulder Decadent Saint - Boulder

Vino Colorado Winery - Colorado Springs

DeBeque Canyon Winery - Palisade

Vino Salida Wine Cellars - Poncha Springs

Settembre Cellars - Boulder

CENTRAL FRONT RANGE

Stonebridge Farm Winery - Longmont

Allis Ranch Winery - Sedalia

Sweet Heart Winery - Loveland

Grande River Vineyards - Palisade

Aspen Peak Cellars - Bailey

Ten Bears Winery - Laporte Turquoise Mesa Winery - Broomfield

Garfield Estates Vineyard & Winery - Palisade

Mobb Mountain Distillers - Fort Collins

Bad Bitch Cellars - Eaton

Sette Dolori - Black Forest

Colterris Winery - Palisade Desert Sun Vineyards - Grand Junction

The Heart Distillery - Windsor

Mountain Spirit Winery, Ltd. - Salida

River Garden Winery - Fort Lupton Snowy Peaks Winery - Estes Park

Graystone Winery - Clifton

Balistreri Vineyards - Denver

Old Elk Distillery - Fort Collins

Gubbini Winery - Palisade

Bigsby’s Folly - Denver

Viewpoint Wines - Boulder

Old Town Distilling - Fort Collins

Hermosa Vineyards - Palisade

Black Arts Cellars - Littleton

Vinnie Fera - Boulder

Still Cellars - Longmont

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

Blanchard Family Wines - Denver

CENTRAL MOUNTAIN

Bonacquisti Wine Company - Denver

Mesa Park Vineyards - Palisade

Buckel Family Wine - Crested Butte

Carboy Winery - Littleton

Peachfork Orchards and Vineyards - Palisade

Colorado Sake Co. - Denver

Continental Divide Winery Breckenridge

Syntax Spirits - Greeley

Plum Creek Cellars - Palisade

Creekside Cellars - Evergreen

Monkshood Cellars - Minturn

Tower 56 Distilling - Greeley

Deep Roots Winery & Bistro - Denver

Vines at Vail Winery - Wolcott

Gaijin 24886 Sake - Denver

Winter Park Winery - Fraser

Golden City Winery - Golden

Steamboat Winery - Steamboat Springs

Spring 44 Distilling - Loveland Steamboat Whiskey Co - Steamboat Spring ●

Ptarmigan Vineyards - Grand Junction

SOUTHERN COLORADO 3 Hundred Days of Shine - Monument 1350 Distilling - Colo. Springs

Ram’s Point Winery - Grand Junction Red Fox Cellars - Palisade Restoration Vineyards - Palisade

Axe and the Oak - Colo. Springs Black Bear Distillery - Green Mountain Falls Blackhat Distillery - Colo. Springs

Golden Valley Winery - Denver

Shiras Winery - Grand Junction

The Infinite Monkey Theorem Denver

PLAINS

St. Kathryn Cellars Winery & Gift Shop - Palisade

InVINtions, A Creative Winery Greenwood Village

Mummy Hill Winery - Holyoke

Claremont Inn & Winery - Stratton

Boco Cider - Boulder Boxing Brothers Cider - Colorado Springs Branch Out Cider - Fort Collins C Squared Ciders - Penrose ● Clear Fork Cider - Denver Climb Hard Cider Co - Loveland Colorado Cider Co - Denver Colorado +49 Cidery & Pub- Golden Fenceline Cider - Mancos Golden City Winery - Golden Haykin Family Cider - Aurora The Ice Cave Cider House Monument 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 ● ● Summit Hard Cider - Fort Collins Talbott’s Cider Co - Palisade Teal Cider - Dolores Waldschänke Ciders - Denver Wild Cider - Firestone Zanamiel - Centennial

MEADERIES

Reds Wine Boutique - Sterling

Annapurna Mead - Colorado Springs

Ladrón Cellars - Englewood

FOUR CORNERS

Two Rivers Winery - Grand Junction

Black Forest Meadery - Colorado Springs

Leap of Faith Winery - Wheat Ridge

Flying T Wine - Cortez

Two Swedes Glögg - Grand Junction

Four Leaves Winery - Durango

Colorado Honey Wine - Distribution Only

Deerhammer Distilling Co - Buena Vista

Point Blank Winery - Centennial

Varaison Vineyards and Winery Palisade

Purgatory Cellars Winery - Parker

Fox Fire Farms - Ignacio

Distillery 291 - Colo. Springs

Whitewater Hill Vineyards - Grand Junction

Silver Vines Winery - Arvada

Guy Drew Vineyards - Cortez

Spero Winery - Denver

Pleasant View Vineyards - Pleasant View

Summit Cellars - Palisade

Kingman Estates Winery - Denver

Talon Winery - Palisade

Colorado Gold Distillery - Colorado Springs

Cockpit Craft Distillery - Colo. Springs

Lee Spirits - Colo. Springs Meridiem Spirits - Elizabeth

CENTRAL WEST AREA

Mystic Mountain Distillery - Larkspur

5680' Vineyard - Paonia

Sand Creek Distillery - Hugo Sangre Distilleries - Westcliffe

Alfred Eames Cellars at Puesta del Sol Vineyards - Paonia

Spirits of the Rockies - Pueblo

Azura Cellars - Paonia

Wood’s High Mountain Distillery - Salida

Black Bridge Winery - Paonia

WESTERN SLOPE

Evening Grace Vineyards - Hotchkiss

10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co - Vail

Jack Rabbit Hill - Hotchkiss

39 North Spirits - Eagle 808 Distillery - Eagle

Mesa Winds Farm and Winery Hotchkiss

Coal Creek Distillery - Crested Butte

Qutori Wines - Paonia

Durango Craft Spirits - Durango

Stone Cottage Cellars - Paonia

Highlands Distillery - Grand Junction

DELTA & MONTROSE COUNTIES

Honey House Distillery - Durango

Chill Switch Wine - Cedaredge

Endless Endeavor Winery - Paonia

Water 2 Wine - Centennial Waters Edge Winery - Centennial Wild Women Winery - Denver

Augustina’s Winery - Nederland

Cottonwood Cellars/The Olathe Winery - Olathe

Marble Distilling Co - Carbondale ●

Garrett Estates Cellars - Olathe

Montanya Distillers - Crested Butte

Mountain View Winery - Olathe

Peach Street Distillers - Palisade

Stoney Mesa Winery - Cedaredge

Peak Spirits - Hotchkiss

Winery at Cedars Farm - Cedaredge

Stoneyard Distillery - Dotsero

SOUTH FRONT RANGE

Storm King Distilling - Montrose

Byers Cellars - Cripple Creek

Telluride Distilling Co - Telluride

D’Vine Wine - Manitou Springs

Woody Creek Distillers - Basalt

Evergood Elixirs - Palmer Lake Legatum Cellars - Canon City

July-September 2020

Honnibrook Meadery - Castle Rock Hunters Moon Meadery - Severance

Sutcliffe Vineyards - Cortez

Meadery of the Rockies - Palisade

Yellow Car Country Wines - Cortez

Mechalore Meadworks - Loveland Medovina - Niwot Miracle Stag Meadery - Loveland

Apple Valley Cider Co Artisan Craft Cellars - Westminster Big B’s Juices and Hard Cider Hotchkiss

NORTHERN FRONT RANGE

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

Serving Up The Colorado Experience

Vol. 2,

KJ Wood Distillers - Ouray

Golden City Winery - Golden

CIDERIES

The Wine Barrel - Parker

Leroux Creek Vineyards - Hotchkiss

Idlewild Spirits Distillery- Winter Park

46 ThirstColorado.com

Vino Passarelli - Lakewood

Dragon Meadery - Aurora

No. 1

Fall 2016

Visit

STYLE

DO LIFE

COLORA UP THE SERVING

thirstcolorado.com/subscription

D UP STAN FALL FOR RF THE

Y SU ENER LET’S RADO SC COLO

T STAD BIER RHAUS Y LAGE EWERT O BR

RIN ING OU GERS PUMP HIP LA FLAGS

RBY ER DE EED ROLL ING SPRK IN WHO WO RD GAME N HA

TAILS COCK N IN GROWRADO COLO

to sign up.

WO & PLAY HARD

Your source for ... • Craft Libations • Outdoor Lifestyle • Local Music & More!

issues. Countless stories. Delivered. Craft on! $19.99

16,000 BEERS, WINES & SPIRITS

IN 60 MINUTES OR LESS

& SAME DAY PICKUP

July-September 2020

ThirstColorado.com 47

safe summer fun is closer than you think Our new cleaning technology, hospital grade disinfectants, attendants dedicated to sanitizing frequently throughout the day, and hundreds of enhanced cleaning protocols are all designed to keep you safe while having summer fun.

Book now at GaylordRockies.com