SERVING UP THE COLORADO EXPERIENCE
Vol. 5, No. 1 November-December 2019
POWDER SEEKERS
PERFECT SNOWMOBILE DESTINATIONS
SILENT NIGHTS
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK WITHOUT THE CROWDS
9
WINTER WARMERS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
WINNING IS YOUR Own Parking Spot
Find more ways to win at Saratoga Casino! With a new self-park garage coming soon, you can focus on the fun, food, and excitement. www.saratogacasinobh.com Gambling problem? Call 1-800-522-4700.
THE WORLD’S LARGEST
CARNIVORE SANCTUARY IS HERE IN COLORADO
Please
HELP WILDANIMALSANCTUARY.ORG
&
LIBATIONS BEYOND
Happy Holiday Season!
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
As the weather changes and we get closer and closer to the most wonderful time of the year, it’s fun to recall memories of holidays gone by.
Vice President of Sales Tod Cavey tod@thirstcolorado.com
We’ve all had joyous occasions. Maybe it’s a new branch on your family tree, or camaraderie in a house full of loved ones who have gathered for the holidays.
Design & Layout Michele Garner
And we’ve all had a few awkward memories, too. Who hasn’t faced an airport nightmare? And there was that post-Thanksgiving episode when the little angels had a food fight with the leftovers while the adults slept on the couch? Or, when you had a few holiday cocktails and debated the finer points of political philosophy with your in-laws. Be it good, bad, or somewhere between, holiday memories shape our experiences for years to come. We’re interested in hearing your fond, funny, or maybe even crazy holiday stories! We will compile our favorites during the next month or so and we will publish them on thirstcolorado.com. Please keep your stories PG-13 so we don’t have to edit them too heavily. Send your favorites to joe@thirstcolorado.com and look for them to be posted midDecember when the snow is flying and the Hanukkah and Christmas plans are stressing everyone out. Remember, live your passion and thirst responsibly this holiday season.
Paul Johnson Publisher & Tasting Guru
President & Founder Wilbur E. Flachman Marketing & Distribution Neill Pieper Editorial Assistant Natasha Lovato Editorial Intern Katie Lee Contributors Will Coonradt, Steve Graham, Kyle Kirves, Lisa McIntyre, Emily Moyer, Kristin Owens, Dionne Roberts, Angie Wright 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, 2019. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
facebook.com/thirstcolorado twitter.com/thirstcolorado @thirstcolorado
4 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
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.
For the Love of
Beer! Support the beer community - Every card gives back!
Every Colorado Brewers Guild® and Pink Boots Society® card design selected helps give back to the community.
CraftING BUSINESS Solutions FOR YOU! CALL TODAY!
303.279.6414 • 800.770.6414 www.OnTapCU.org
Golden Branch
LOW, FIXED RATES • NO BALANCE TRANSFER FEES* NO CASH ADVANCE FEES * • NO ANNUAL FEES* *Fees may apply for Business Credit Cards
Supporting brewery employees for over 64 years Member Owned • Colorado Proud
816 Washington Ave Golden, CO 80401
Arvada Branch 5675 Olde Wadsworth Blvd Arvada, CO 80002 Federally Insured by NCUA. © 2019 On Tap Credit Union SD190339.10.19
THIRST COLORADO | November-December 2019
34
INTERSECTIONS
32 Untapped
Festivals, food and other fun for your early winter schedule
38 Holiday Gift Guide
Perfect gifts that any adventurous Coloradan would enjoy
42 Art of Brewing
18
Paddle into Eddyline’s colorful outdoor universe
48 Prime Pairings
Savory recipes to try at home during the winter months
30
8
52 Strange Brew
Taste a transitional brew from a transitioning brewery
56 Tales from the Lying Log A spirited affair unfolds in the Colorado backcountry
60 Brewery, Distillery, Winery, Cidery and Meadery Guide Find great craft beverages wherever you end up in Colorado
On the cover: Snowmobiling gets you deep into some backcountry fun.
ADVENTURES
Photo: ©02irina /Adobe Stock
42
6 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
8 Sled It!
Thousands of acres of powder are just waiting to be carved up this winter
24
All Aboard
The Winter Park Express conductor invites everyone to board the train
12
Warming Up
30
Mile High Music
18
Winter Wonderland
34
Caffeinated Perfection
22
Serious Whisky
46
Good Eats
Get warm from the inside out with these seasonal brews
Rocky Mountain National Park offers great winter recreation
Spirit Hound Distillery doesn’t take their craft lightly
Blue collar rockers pump out Springsteen-esque sound
Try one of these Front Range roasters for high-quality joe
Expect the unexpected at this Colorado Springs eatery
Hazel’s for the Holidays Gifts Cards Available In-store and Online
RIDE YOUR WAY DEEP INTO THE BACKCOUNTRY By The Thirst Colorado Team
Photo: Neill Pieper
8 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
W
hether you plan to sled through the powder on your own or let a guide show you the way, snowmobiling is a great way to access the backcountry with relative ease. A snowmobile allows nearly anyone to enjoy the deep woods in Colorado without getting in shape or honing their skills. Just jump on board and enjoy the ride. Here are a few destinations for the sled owner who plans to gather up the gang and hit the powder at their leisure. Additionally, beginners will find a few outlets with friendly guides to show you the ropes and direct you toward the Continental Divide or other locations that are tough to reach in the dead of winter. Or rent a machine and head out without a guide. Just make sure you return the sled in one piece. In the early winter months, watch for landmines that can interrupt a fantastic day with costly repairs.
GRAND TIMES AT GRAND LAKE
Grand Lake’s nickname is the “Snowmobile Capital of Colorado,” with good reason. Featuring more than 1,000 miles of trails, simply jump on the Grand Lake Town Trail and rev your way into the hills for some excitement. “If you’ve never snowmobiled before or you’re a beginning snowmobiler, we definitely recommend starting out with a guide,” according to the local tourism board. “Then once you’re up to speed, keep exploring Grand Lake or any of Grand County’s snowmobiling hotspots.” In Grand Lake, it’s common for the avid snowmobiler to ride downtown for dinner or lunch in the dead of winter. Many people who stay in the area or have homes between Grand Lake and Granby ride in and out of town for refreshments and food.
SILVERTON FOR GOLD-MEDAL FUN
Photo: © LUGOSTOCK / Adobe Stock
Sending a novice sledder into the white gold found in the Silverton-area mountains would be like dropping a first-time skier onto Bella Coola in British Columbia. They might be in over their heads — literally. Left: Winding your way around southwest Colorado is a great way to escape the winter slope crowds. Right: Great backcountry riding is available all over the state. November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 9
Photo: © hollandog / Adobe Stock
Blasting through the snow toward the area’s 14,000-foot peaks may be more suited for experts, yet there is something for everyone in the San Juan Mountains. The area near Molas Pass sports great views of the surrounding peaks and has everything from groomed trails to tree-filled steeps. The last thing you want to do is bury a machine many miles from any possible assistance, so you’d better know what you’re doing or hire a local guide.
STEAMBOAT IS UPLIFTING
Around Steamboat Springs, numerous companies can help you find your way up to the Continental Divide, where the snow is deep all winter long. The iconic rabbit ears atop the pass of the same name have become a destination for experienced riders and newbies alike. This area, located in Routt National Forest, has wide open meadows, extensive tree-filled paths and views that stretch for miles.
10 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
Area tour companies also offer guided trips on private land if you’re looking for a secluded experience. Or check out the popular Buffalo Pass area, known for its dry, deep and champagne-like snow. It’s some of the best in the region, according to the Steamboat Snowmobiles staff.
VAIL PASS WINTER RECREATION AREA
One of the most popular areas to ride, the Vail Pass Recreational Area, is a powder haven for recreationalists of all sorts. Groomed paths are designated as motorizedonly, shared use, or non-motorized. Because of its ease of access along Interstate 70, this area tends to see a whole lot of usage, but if you’re looking for a quick trip into the backcountry, this is the spot for you. Trails are rated similar to ski runs (green through black) and the U.S. Forest Service provides maps on their website of the 50 miles of groomed trails and 67 miles of motorized trails.
As with all snowmobiling adventures, make sure you are up to date on avalanche awareness and check local weather reports if you go out without a guide.
WINTER PARK WONDERLAND
Winter Park is considered the gateway to Colorado’s snowmobiling. Grand Adventures provides guides for all ages and skill levels. When families gather for the holidays, one or more people might not be up for skiing or boarding, but they can still enjoy the powder. Saddle up for a quick trip up to the Continental Divide with the help of a 180-horsepower engine that does all the work for you. When the snow gets deep, reservations become more important, especially if you have a large group that wants to enjoy a morning of brisk thrills.
A NEIGHBORHOOD ABOVE IT ALL
A NEIGHBORHOOD ABOVE IT ALL
A NEIGHBORHOOD ABOVE IT ALL
A NEIGHBORHOOD ABOVE IT ALL
A
A
Winter Seasonals to Warm the Cockles of Your Heart Make Your Holiday Season Merrier By Kristin Owens
‘T
© vladorlov / Adobe Stock
is the season for extended family, parties and chillier temps. Lucky for us, Colorado has plenty of winter warmers with higher alcohol percentages, bold flavors and dark hues – perfect for mitigating holiday stresses. Available now (but with limited production), these seasonals will kick fall’s pumpkin spice to the curb ... just as some of you fantasize doing that to your in-laws. C’mon, embrace the urge to eat, drink and be merry. It’s the holidays!
12 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
Coffee Baltic Porter
Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, Fort Collins & Denver As the desiccated turkey carcass lies in its final repose and Black Friday ads cover napping family members on the couch, consider a little something special just for you. This smooth porter uses locally sourced Method Roasters coffee beans to help keep hosting responsibilities humming. Give thanks for this well-balanced beer with chocolate, cocoa and dark fruit notes. If you can’t escape to either of their two tap rooms, pick up a 6-pack at the local liquor store. Plus, it’s perfect with pie.
Hibernation
Great Divide Brewing, Denver No one likes to hang holiday lights balanced precariously on a frozen ladder – at least not without a reward. Afterwards settle by the cozy fireplace with a snuggly blanket and this English-style old ale. A rich maltiness combined with chocolate, gingerbread, toast and sweet coffee will swaddle you in comfort and warm the chill from your bones. Finally, a complex beer for a complex task. Thank goodness it comes in both cans and kegs.
Mountain Man
Verboten Brewing & Barrel Project, Loveland A seasonal favorite, this Strong Scottish Ale makes its annual appearance in December, just in time to cushion stressful family visits. It’s aged in wood from local distilleries Axe and the Oak, and Feisty Spirits, giving it a big ol’ Colorado hug. At a whopping 12 percent ABV, and tasting like vanilla, molasses and bourbon, it’ll be all smiles around the politically charged dining table. Bring a few bottles as gifts and elevate your status to “the favorite.”
Oil Man
Elevation Beer Co., Poncha Springs Black as coal and your uncle’s holiday soul, this imperial stout has a robust flavor profile. The chocolate head is a give-away; expect lovely layers of bourbon enhancing the malt-forward mouthfeel. This popular brew is part of Elevation’s barrel-aged series, but with a limited run of 140 cases in 750 milliliter bottles, sharing is extremely optional. It’s guaranteed to soften the holiday blues – or your ego while wearing grandma’s handknitted sweater.
November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 13
Wake Up Dead Nitro
Left Hand Brewing, Longmont Too many parties? Feeling a little spent? Relax. Lounge in your PJs and binge watch that series hibernating in “saved” for the past year. This canned imperial stout has dark, dried fruits and licorice with grounding coffee notes. The added nitro gives it a velvety mouthfeel for a super smooth finish. It’s aged for months, which is roughly how long it’ll take to pay off your holiday credit card debt. But at 10.2 percent ABV, you won’t care.
Sweater Party
Avery Brewing, Boulder It’s time for the ugly-sweater party your friends are insisting you host. So, you deserve some liquid compensation. At a balmy 8 percent ABV, Avery’s Sweater Party is the perfect brew to turn that frown upside down. It’s packed with specialty malts and mulling spices, including zesty holiday favorites such as cinnamon, orange peel, allspice, clove, and ginger. On the upside, your now rosy cheeks complement that flamboyant red sweater.
Isolation Ale
Odell Brewing, Fort Collins For you Grinch types, sometimes the best thing for Christmas is to be isolated. Save your family the grumbles and coal, and embrace your inner Scrooge, all while pounding a few Isolation Ales. The sweet-caramel malt of this ale is balanced by a subtle crisp hop finish, perfect for bringing a little cheer to your heart, albeit two sizes two small.
Euphoria Pale Ale
Contributor Kristin Owens passed the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Introductory Examination and travels the world looking for a good $10 bottle of wine. She’s a full-time writer based in Fort Collins.
14 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
© vladorlov / Adobe Stock
Ska Brewing, Durango Euphoria! You know, that feeling you experience when you return to your childhood home for the holidays. All is good in the world, a Charlie Brown Christmas is a ringin’, the fireplace is ablaze and good tidings are abuzz. Open the fully stocked fridge and grasp your local craft favorite, in this case, a Euphoria Pale Ale. A huge malt profile with ample caramel notes, gives this winter seasonal brew a plentiful 6.2 percent ABV backbone.
“Our” headquarters are where we are from! (Keepin’ it Colorado since 1999!)
US 36 & McCaslin
Superior, CO 80027
303 499 6600
Buy Local. Support Local
There’s no place like home. HARDWOOD • CARPET • LUXURY VINYL • TILE • LAMINATE & MORE!
6367 Arapahoe Arapahoe Rd., Rd., Boulder, Boulder, CO CO 80301 80301 || 303.449.0011 303.449.0011 || McDonaldCarpetOneBoulder.com McDonaldCarpetOneBoulder.com 6367 Photosfor forillustrative illustrativepurposes purposesonly. only.©2017 ©2017Carpet CarpetOne OneFloor Floor&&Home. Home.All AllRights RightsReserved Reserved Photos
Photos for illustrative purposes only. ©2017 Carpet One Floor & Home. All Rights Reserved
LIBERTYSKIS.COM
evolv 90
Vertical Metal Technology
Evolv’d.
evolv 100
ENJOYING WINTER IN
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK By Emily Moyer
A
s heavy snow descends from the dark night sky and dusts the tops of trees, the only sounds are the howling winter winds and crunching snow under your boots. Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) sees about three million visitors during the peak season between July and September. While visitors enjoy driving the long winding roads up to the Continental Divide in the warm, summer months, winter is full of the solitude, adventure and enchantment that people long for when they come to explore the mysterious Rocky Mountains. Here is a sampling of the off-season activities available in Colorado’s most famous national park.
18 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
Night-Sky Photography
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most sought-after destinations in the state for night-sky photography, although many lack the adventurous spirit to get into the park during the winter months. Gary Kochel is a Colorado photographer who shoots the Milky Way from the park. Kochel suggests that aspiring winter shutterbugs invest in a good pair of gloves, pack an extra layer or two and strap on spikes or wear snowshoes. “The park at night provides a different understanding of the size of nature,” Kochel says. “At night, the Milky Way makes the Rockies look small in comparison to the vast
size of our galaxy. It’s a valuable, therapeutic reminder that minor life problems are insignificant in the larger scheme of things.” Clouds permitting, mid-February and March are the best times to frame up the Milky Way. The sky is darker because the axis of the earth is tilting away from the sun, which creates a visual arch over the horizon. Kochel says it’s a great time to create interesting compositions with mountains and lakes. The Milky Way will be best viewed just before twilight. “I plan my shoots between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.,” Kochel says. “A positive of night photography is my photo shoots end with a gorgeous sunrise.”
Photo: © vetal1983 / Adobe Stock
at dusk. A quality camera will help preserve the scene. Or, grab binoculars for a more detailed view of an elk exhaling steamy breaths into the cool air. Also, remember to respect wildlife in the park by keeping a safe distance of at least 75 feet. And never feed the animals, which teaches them to become dependent on humans as a food source. The night sky comes alive in the winter months in Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo: Gary Kochel Photography
Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is among the most underrated winter activities. It is a great source of fun and exercise because most anyone can participate. You don’t necessarily have to be athletic or coordinated, fit or young. And the crisp views are stunning. If you thought Dream Lake was your favorite hike in the summer, just wait until you see it in winter with powder-dusted peaks around it. With a fraction of the summer crowd, you are much more likely to spot wildlife along your hike. Pack a picnic and trek into the park to capture the child-like wonder of the chilled, wintery landscape.
Wildlife Viewing
Wildlife viewing is one of the biggest attractions in RMNP, summer or winter. Although there is no guarantee, winter can be the best time to view elk, turkeys, coyotes, moose and deer. Winter birdwatching is most ideal when the vibrant blues of the mountain bluebird or bright yellows of the goldfinch stand out against the white snow. Many larger animals can be seen in and around the park. They wander through adjacent towns such as Grand Lake and Estes Park because of the cold and icy conditions at higher altitudes. Animals are most active just after the break of dawn, and just before the sun sets
Igloo Camping
When you think of cold, winter nights, camping might be the last thing that comes to mind. However, winter camping is not just for extremists anymore because technology is providing new ways to keep warm and pack lightly. Although tents and campers are options, building a structure is preferable for igloo enthusiast Ed Huessers, or “Igloo Ed” as he is known by the locals. He has created snow and ice structures since the late 1990s but began experimenting with winter camping in snow caves in 1977 in his childhood home of North Dakota. “Snow caves were a lot of work and didn’t last long enough for them to be worth the effort other than having an epic winter campout,” Huessers says. “The igloos last much longer and they are a lot less strenuous to build than snow caves.” November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 19
Photo: © Coy St. Clair / Adobe Stock
“I love winter with the clean layer of snow on everything making it so fresh,” Huessers says. “Even the air smells clean. The dead quiet is almost overwhelming but I love it.” Waking up to 360-degree views atop the summit of a winter wonderland is how Huessers likes to relax each winter. The beauty of the park remains hidden to all but a few with the spirited heart to seek adventure in the vast, white wonderland. Emily Moyer enjoys skiing, photography and all things outdoors. She will soon graduate from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a degree in convergent journalism with a focus in mass communications.
Photo: © kamolcha / Adobe Stock
An igloo provides warmth and shelter on cold winter nights in the park. Photos: Ed Huessers
He says the adventurous types should always consult with park officials for permits, regulations and weather forecasts before venturing into the backcountry. In 1998 Huessers invented the Icebox Tool, an igloo-building contraption that forms blocks. Ever since, Igloo Ed has spent every possible moment camping in the backcountry of Colorado. His source of warmth on cold nights is an iso-butane lantern, or sometimes candles. That is all Huessers needs to stay warm because the igloo’s ice is a great insulator for the heat and it keeps out the wind on cold stormy nights.
20 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
TWO LOCATIONS ALWAYS ONE LOW PRICE WESTMINSTER HWY36 & SHERIDAN (303) 426-4800
EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK TO DRINK!
Gifts starting at just $9.99!
THORNTON I25 & 104TH (303) 280-3800
DIY Cocktail Kits, Wine Gift Baskets, and beyond! Find the perfect gift for everyone on your list!
Shop in store, online at totalbev.com, and in the app!
&
Order online for same day delivery and in store pickup.
Beep! Beep! We deliver! Visit us at totalbev.com!
WHISKY IS SERIOUS BUSINESS AT SPIRIT HOUND Yes, there are rules to creating great whisky By Kyle Kirves
I
Craig Englehorn
22 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
t was World Whisky Day on Planet Earth. I was standing in the workshop of Spirit Hound Distillers in Lyons holding a glass the shape of an antique oil lamp and listening to head distiller Craig Englehorn walk through the steps that go into conjuring the elixir inside. It’s a little like hearing an alchemist tell you how he turns pig iron into platinum. Part teacher of the distilling art, part preacher of the whisky faith, Englehorn is Spirit Hound’s resident evangelist in all things, uh, spiritual. A self-described traditionalist, he looks to the tried-and-true methods of old world distillers when crafting his spirits. “There is
a reason for the wood to whisky ratio in this barrel,” Englehorn says, tapping a brand new, charred oak whisky barrel. “Use anything smaller, it will be over-oaked,” or have a charred, campfire-esque taste. Anything bigger and you lessen the character of the wood in the whisky. “I won’t say there’s nothing new under the sun in distilling. But if it could have been done another way, it probably has by somebody, somewhere, sometime. The methods work out there,” he says, meaning the world of Big Whisky, “and if they work there, they work here.” Industry methods and best practices are
one thing. Results, though, absolutely vary. If you’re looking for the burn you might get from drinking what your (ahem) old grandad might have tippled, you’ve come to the wrong place. “Our whisky has a more delicate character to it,” Englehorn says, “with a warm finish that isn’t over oaked. There’s a lot going on in there, flavor-wise.” I take a sip of some of Spirit Hound’s stillin-process rye while Englehorn continues the lesson. And another. Hell, I’m getting smarter by the minute. At this rate, I’ll be a bona fide genius by the end of the tutorial. And what a lecture hall it is. Yes, Spirit Hound consciously cultivates a rum-runner vibe with its rustic tasting room and lean,
“
I won’t say there’s nothing new under the sun in distilling. But if it could have been done another way, it probably has by somebody, somewhere, sometime. - Craig Englehorn, head distiller
”
catlike bootlegger ride parked outside, but don’t let the weathered wood, antiques, and tin-tacker signs fool you. This place takes its spirits seriously – and if you do, too, it can become quite the classroom. While we’re talking, a tourist in an outback hat wanders into the distilling room, holding a rocks glass wrapped in a cocktail napkin. He drawls in an accent I can’t quite place and says that the bartender told him to come back and “check out your shit.” Englehorn smiles and invites him into the conversation with a wave. World Whisky Day is, after all, more about the consumers than the distillers. When he mentions the net end result of all of the work that goes into the distilling process, the visitor halts him with an upturned palm. “What does that mean, bottle and bonded?” “Bottled and bonded,” Englehorn says, “has a very specific meaning. It means produced entirely in one place, bottled by us in a single season, and then that’s aged for at
least four years.” That, he explains, is what the term means, industry-wide. But that’s just one glossed term in the whisky lexicon. I’m not saying Englehorn should host courses in whisky appreciation – but he definitely could. Another term you might want to know? Finishing. “Finishing,” he says, “is when you take a whisky that’s been aged in its original, new barrel and transfer it late in the process to a new barrel that may have served another purpose.” Like, for instance, the way Spirit Hound is currently working with Bee Squared apiary in a collaborative back-and-forth that is creating whisky-accented honey (putting a little more “old fashioned” on that Thomas’ old fashioned muffin) and honeyed barrels for finishing whisky. “What we do is, we give Bee Squared our whisky barrels and they age or condition their honey in the barrel,” says Englehorn. That, though, is only half of it. “They take that honey out, give us back the barrel, and then we finish a barrel of our whisky in that honeyed barrel.” But make no mistake: this is 100 percent whisky with a honey finish -- not the forty-proof “honey liqueur” you might find next to the bottles of the ol’ Kentucky labels. “What we want,” he says of the honey collaboration “is innovation while appreciating and celebrating traditions in our own way. We are not,” he says, “focusing on the mass-produced.” When I ask what else might be in store for Spirit Hound or what’s next on the horizon, the teacher smiles and says, “A drink.” Here, I take it, endeth the lesson. Or maybe it’s just beginning.
IF YOU GO
Spirit Hound Distillers 4196 Ute Hwy. (U.S. 36) Lyons, CO 80540 spirithounds.com 303-823-5696 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.
Photos: Angie Wright
November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 23
FORWARD-THINKING SKI TRAIN CONDUCTOR OFFERS From Bible running to rail running, Brad Swartzwelter is all in By Lisa McIntyre
24 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
T
The Winter Park Express arrives with excited passengers who are ready to hit the slopes. Photo courtesy of Winter Park Resort Inset: Conductor Brad Swartzwelter Photo: Lisa McIntyre
he conductor’s cap sits nobly atop his head as he sounds the train whistle while departing Denver’s Union Station. Brad Swartzwelter, a 25year train veteran, pilots Amtrak’s California Zephyr and its Winter Park Express passenger train over the lofty Rocky Mountains. Swartzwelter, 55, dreamed of being a train conductor from the time he set up the model train that wound around his bedroom floor as a child. “Now I operate a 1:1 scale model train that runs 400 miles,” he says, sporting a childlike grin. As a youngster, while fishing with his father from the banks of the Colorado River west of Fraser, he remembers anticipating the passing of Amtrak’s California Zephyr making its run from Chicago to San Francisco. It was that same train that first brought him to Colorado in 1964 when, at two-weeks-old, he and his family moved west from Iowa to join his father who had been transferred to Lowry Air Force Base. He recalls his mom’s story of needing to return to Iowa for his great-grandfather’s funeral during a snowstorm in 1966. She loaded her three children, all under the age five, onto the California Zephyr. The conductor and staff, recognizing her situation, moved them to a first-class car for the nightlong trip. The seeds of rail travel were planted and the story remains with him as he creates the passenger experience today. “When my mother tells me the story, it reminds me of what’s important in my job,” he says. “Throwing switches and keeping the train over the tracks is all good … but the important stuff is taking care of the people who need it the most.” Traveling onboard one of his trains is like sitting front row at a Red Rocks Amphitheatre show — you just can’t get enough. Swartzwelter first positions himself at the instrument panel where he can view the world 20-feet above the tracks. He completes safety checks with the crew and eventually turns everything over to the train’s engineer. Now it’s time to work his magic. He walks the chair-lined aisles of each train car greeting passengers with a handshake and a smile, as if you’ve just sat down on his living room sofa. Along the route, he shares historical facts that bring life to the mountains, tunnels, and structures that are passing by. His infectious energy helps passengers connect to the verbal history lesson. November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 25
Below: Passengers board the California Zephyr at Union Station in Denver. Right: Winter excitement is just beginning as skiers and boarders arrive in Winter Park. Photos: Lisa McIntyre
Early Wheels of Determination
As a young man, he ignored the tug of railroading to attend an Upward Bound program that combined Bible studies with mountaineering in the Austrian Alps. While in Europe, he found a wanderlust in which he could serve a greater purpose: Bible running. The Eastern Bloc countries were under communist rule and he knew the kids needed Bibles. He and a colleague printed children’s Bibles in Vienna, then distributed them to the other side of the Iron Curtain for several months in his old Zastava Yugo junker. That’s when he met Barbara, a girl from a small village outside of Vienna. He was 20, she 15. Their families met and supported their relationship. He then courted her until she graduated from high school. Soon after, they married in Austria. He and Barbara headed for Colorado to start their family. Once here, he continued to pursue life with a commitment to matters greater than himself. “Who’s ever accomplished anything great by being half-in?” he says, when discussing his steadfast approach. Swartzwelter also has an entrepreneurial current that pulses through him with fervor and grit. He eventually earned his Travel Administration and Tourism degree from Metropolitan State University in 1994. In addition, he launched Denver’s first pedalcab business. With the opening of Coors Field and the new Colorado Convention
26 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
Center, the timing was right. He and his business partner worked closely with the city’s leaders, Mayor Federico Peña and John Hickenlooper, then executive director for the Downtown Denver Partnership, to establish regulations that paved the way for today’s successful pedal-cab businesses. After he sold his share of the business, he took an internship with Amtrak and the Winter Park Ski Train, finally starting his career in rail. Transportation has continued to drive him toward the future. In 2003 Swartzwelter published a book, “Faster Than Jets,” which addressed highspeed underground rail travel using magnetics and vacuum propulsion. His book tackled the idea of tube transportation, or hyperloop, long before Elon Musk pushed the idea to the fore. Swartzwelter is still involved in keeping new transportation technology in the minds of developers, media and the government.
Renewed Success for the Express
Swartzwelter’s tenure as conductor was, of course, preceded by nearly 70 years of ski train history. From 1940 to 2009, sightseers and skiers rode the rails from Denver to Winter Park long before the interstate highway system was completed and before Berthoud Pass was improved. The ski train stopped running when plans were launched to remodel Union Station. His passion to get passengers back on the ski train drove the return of the nostalgic Winter Park Ski Train in 2015, now known as
Amtrak’s Winter Park Express. An article published in 2014 by the Colorado Rail Passenger Association (ColoRail), a nonprofit passenger-rail advocacy group, mentioned the notion of bringing the ski train back and having Amtrak pay for it. It piqued Swartzwelter’s interest, and he thought, “Hey, I work at Amtrak! That’s a great idea!” With the help of ColoRail, Swartzwelter orchestrated a tour of the newly designed Denver Union Station for Amtrak executives and the leaders of Winter Park Resort. He put together a business plan that gained the support and approval from all parties: Amtrak, Union Pacific Railway, Colorado Department of Transportation, City of Denver and the trade unions. “Brad’s a real forward-thinking kind of guy,” attests Craig Meis, a former Winter Park Ski Train conductor, and the person that first brought Swartzwelter onboard as an Amtrak intern. On March 17, 2015, Winter Park Express officials took a test run to gauge interest and see if they could manage the logistics of sharing the track with coal trains over the 56mile route. Among the trip’s passengers was Swartzwelter’s father, who was fortunate to experience the fulfillment of his son’s dream just before he died. The logistics worked out and the everpopular Winter Park Express was back on track. It’s scheduled to run again in the 20192020 season with plans for expanded food and beverage services. Should you choose to take the day-long journey, you might get a glimpse of that childlike grin and hear a tale or two about the state’s storied past. Lisa McIntyre is a recent graduate of Metropolitan State University of Denver with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and Social Documentary. She seeks to illuminate the human experience through oral, written and photographic storytelling.
November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 27
THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING BREWING A new addition to the dining scene, Former Saint Craft Kitchen and Taps tempts with an adventuresome Colorado-inspired menu. Perfectly complemented with local craft beers and cocktails. Enjoy Life in the Spirit. For more information, visit FormerSaintDenver.com.
Mention this ad and receive a free appetizer with the purchase of two dinner entrees. Offer valid through 6/30/20.
Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center 650 15th Street, Denver, CO • 303 486 4434
28 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
STRANGE ANTHEMS
Strange Americans play music for average Americans By Steve Graham
T
hey may call themselves Strange Americans, but this Denver band plays music for decidedly average, working-class Americans. They are known for anthemic rock songs played at long and energetic live shows. “It’s blue-collar rock and roll that most people can relate to,” said singer Matt Hoffman. It’s probably no accident it all sounds a little Springsteen-esque. Hoffman’s everyman rasp sounds a little like Bruce, and the first Strange Americans album cover even looks kind of like a cross between the covers for “Magic” and “Devils & Dust,” a pair of Springsteen albums released about a decade before the Strange Americans debut. While they haven’t been around quite as long as The Boss, they have outlasted many other local bar bands. Strange Americans
30 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
celebrated their 10th anniversary as a band this fall. Their first show was in September 2009 at the Bulldog Bar on East Colfax. They have since spent a lot of time playing beloved live shows together. And when two core members were asked if they expect to play together for another decade, they quickly and succinctly just said “yeah.” “We all live and breathe music, and we try to get that percentage of our lives to overlap as much as we can,” said Hoffman. Surprisingly for a band so closely identified with guitars and roots rock, Strange Americans started on a synthesizer. Hoffman has been in bands since middle school, like the other members of Strange Americans, and studied music theory and composition in college. By early 2009, he was writing new songs
on a synth and itching to get back into a band. So he posted a Craigslist ad looking for a guitarist. Trent Nelson responded, which got the Strange Americans ball rolling. “When I met Trent, it kind of clicked and it started there,” Hoffman said. Nelson brought in his friend Murry Mercier on keyboards, and they found bassist Trevor Sinnard and drummer Michael John McKee through more Craigslist ads. Hoffman said his original compositions were “more pop-rock,” but the band evolved into a rootsy Americana soundscape. “There are elements of roots rock and classic rock, with some curveballs here and there sonically,” Nelson said, adding that his songwriting is inspired by creative genrebusting bands such as Wilco, My Morning Jacket and Radiohead. Other alt-country influences such as
“We were attempting to name our band and we watched ‘Jeremiah Johnson’ and drank a bunch of whiskey and decided we would find out what our band name is.” - Matt Hoffman process “starts with us bouncing ideas off each other” through voice memos and a Dropbox folder. Then Hoffman and Nelson try to get together on Fridays to talk about music, play music and turn those ideas into basic songs, which are fleshed out and finalized with the full band — especially on stage. “We’ve always been a live band,” Hoffman said. “We like to get into the music and be energetic with our performance.” They have seen their audiences gradually grow over the decade, and they are moving up into the festival circuit. “We put it all out there when we play. We try to show up and do our best job,” Nelson said. Learn more about the band and upcoming gigs at strangeamericansmusic.com.
Photos courtesy of Strange Americans
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.
Centro-Matic, Slobberbone and even early Lucero are more evident on the band’s three studio albums. Hoffman blames another piece of Americana for the band name. “We were attempting to name our band and we watched ‘Jeremiah Johnson’ and drank a bunch of whiskey and decided we would find out what our band name is,” he said. After a long night of bourbon and a Robert Redford western, they decided on a temporary name from their long list of candidates. “We said ‘we will call ourselves the Strange Americans for now,’ and it just stuck,” he said, laughing. “It was that or The Bearded Trees.” Hoffman writes most of the songs with Nelson, who said the November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 31
MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR NOV 16 Grand Junction
Expect to see adventure packed documentary films that are sure to inspire. Pre-show live music and a silent auction are planned as well. ticketmaster.com
SWITCH ON THE HOLIDAYS NOV 24 Boulder
Get ready for the holiday season as downtown is illuminated in this community event. Santa Claus will lead the countdown to the light display. boulderdowntown.com
YMCA TURKEY TROT 5K NOV 28 Colorado Springs
Photo: Left Hand Brewing Foundation
NITRO FEST NOV 9 LONGMONT
Get transported into an out-of-this-world evening of fun with special brews and music. Be a
NOVEMBER
ALL ABILITIES CARNIVAL AND 5K NOV 2 Colorado Springs
This carnival is open to all ages and abilities and includes games, prizes, food trucks and more. The carnival partnered with Colorado Springs Early Colleges to provide this fun, family-friendly event and 3.1-mile run. autismvisionco.org
WHISKEY & WHISKERS NOV 7 Golden
Come have a drink and food at the Foothills Animal Shelter and maybe adopt a new pet while you’re at it. There will be local distilleries, food trucks, live music by the TAARKA duo and sneak peeks of some of the cutest adoptable pets. All proceeds from this fundraiser will go to help the animals in need at Foothills Animal Shelter. foothillsanimalshelter.org
ROCKY MOUNTAIN CON NOV 9 Denver
Enjoy comics, games, anime and more during this convention that will benefit the victims of the Aurora Theater shooting. rockymountaincon.com
32 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
part of the only festival where all the beers are nitrogenated. Cosmic formal masquerade attire is highly recommended.
Ihbfoundation.org/nitro-fest
COLORADO SPRINGS RECORD SHOW NOV 10 Colorado Springs
Are you ready to face the music? There will be multiple vendors selling new and used vinyl. Be sure to look for the dollar bins that might have those hidden gems you’ve been searching for. facebook.com/coloradospringsrecordshow
THE DENVER PANCAKES & BOOZE ART SHOW NOV 14 Denver
Come join one of the largest pop-up underground art events to hit North America. Experience local artists while enjoying free pancakes, which gives this art show a sizzling twist. pancakesandbooze.com
STRATER HOTEL MURDER MYSTERY NOV 15 Durango
Bring your friends and family along for a one-of-akind weekend of mischief and mystery. Be a part of an unforgettable journey in one of the state’s historic gems. murdermystery.com/weekends
Everyone is invited to make their steps meaningful, even your furry friends. All proceeds will help the YMCA provide scholarships to families. runsignup.com
THE STRING CHEESE INCIDENT NOV 29-30 Denver
This band is expected to be in rare form when they hit the Mission Ballroom during the Thanksgiving weekend. stringcheeseincident.com
PARADE OF LIGHTS NOV 30-DEC 1 DENVER
This parade is sure to bring light into your night. The spectacular evening includes two miles of floats,
THE NUTCRACKER NOV 29-DEC 2 Boulder
Don’t miss your chance to see the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra team up with Boulder Ballet to present the timely classic at Macky Auditorium. boulderphil.org
DECEMBER
WARREN MILLER’S ‘TIMELESS’ DEC 4-5 Aspen
Kickoff the season with the latest ski movie that follows new and veteran athletes through renowned mountain locations. warrenmiller.com
NO MAN’S LAND FILM FESTIVAL DEC 5 Colorado Springs
The festival features an all-female group that travels while filming their adventures in the outdoors. Join them as they share their passion for nature. nomanslandfilmfestival.org
Photo courtesy of DCPA
JIMMY BUFFETT’S ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE DEC 23-JAN 5 DENVER
Immerse yourself in a heartwarming and hilarious
marching bands and an appearance by Major Waddles the penguin, as well as Jolly Old Saint Nick.
downtowndenver.com/9news-parade-of-lights
MADRIGAL BANQUET DEC 5-22 Colorado Springs
Do you love dinner and a theatrical show? With 30 years of history, this banquet is becoming a Colorado classic. Get your tickets and be a part of this 16th-century-style evening at the Glen Eyrie Castle. gleneyrie.org
WINTER WONDERLAND HOLIDAY MARKET DEC 7 Colorado Springs
Bring the family for a European-style outdoor shopping experience. Support local small businesses that provide unusual gifts, including woodwork, pottery, baked goods, body care, glass-working and more. visitcos.com
VAIL SNOW DAYS DEC 12-15 Vail
The four-day festival includes free concerts, lively expos and nightly parties. Ring in the last days of 2019 with a bang. vail.com
Photo: Downtown Denver
- Compiled by Katie Lee
musical that features songs written by one of music’s greatest storytellers. It will be like eating a little slice of paradise.
denvercenter.org
12 BARS OF CHARITY DEC 14 Denver
This night of bar hopping will benefit your favorite charity. Participants will receive a t-shirt. 12barsofcharity.com
A VERY ELECTRIC HOLIDAY WITH LIGHTWIRE THEATER DEC 21 Steamboat Springs
The talented group originally placed in the semifinals on America’s Got Talent and now bring their act on the road. The holiday show combines puppetry, music and theater. lightwiretheater.com
JANUARY
BIG BEERS, BELGIANS & BARLEYWINES FESTIVAL JAN 9-11 Breckenridge
What does your ideal post-New Year getaway look like? If it includes crazy beers, exclusive seminars and activities with innovative brewers in the Rocky Mountains, this event is for you. bigbeersfestival.com
November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 33
YOUR JOLT
Photos courtesy of Ozo Coffee
GE T
! ! ! ! ! N O
8 standout coffee shops to keep you buzzing all over the Front Range By Natasha Lovato
Photo courtesy of The Stone Cup
S
enses explode. Immediately, you’re hit with the scent of brewing beans and the acoustic serenade of steaming milk and casual conversations. You’re enticed through the doors as if led by the Pied Piper himself. No matter where you find yourself along the Front Range, there surely sits a coffee shop with the sight, smell, sounds and tastes your senses crave. We’ve compiled a list to get you started.
Ozo Coffee - Boulder
Ozo can create almost any coffee concoction you can imagine, from a flavored latte to a single-origin pour-over. Wholesale director Alexandra LittleJohn highlights the importance of partnerships with other Colorado companies such as Sherpa Chai, Copper Mountain, Eldora and Sweet Cow Ice Creamery. Visit the Ozo location in Boulder, take the roasts home to enjoy, or use the new instant coffee line for an après coffee buzz on any adventure. ozocoffee.com
Speedtrap Bistro - Palmer Lake
Enjoy French-inspired cuisine alongside coffee, beer, wine cocktails and live music at the Speedtrap Bistro. Speedtrap owner Spencer Boyles takes pride in his restaurant’s from-scratch menu. “I’d say our fresh-made baked goods are one of our specialties,” Boyles said. As far as coffee goes, Boyles recommends the old-fashioned caramel latte or, his personal favorite, a dirty chai with a little bit of raspberry. speedtrapbistro.com Photos courtesy of Speedtrap Bistro
34 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
Photos courtesy of Dirt Coffee Bar
Pablo’s Coffee - Denver
Dirt Coffee Bar - Littleton
Dirt Coffee Bar is a non-profit coffee shop in downtown Littleton with a mission to train and employ individuals with autism. Dirt’s passion alters the stigma for how people view those on the autism spectrum in an open environment for all walks of life looking to enjoy good coffee. “Beyond our mission, our most popular beverage is our iced lavender oat milk latte,” Dirt Founder and CEO Lauren Burgess said. Burgess also recommends the matcha latte with a pump of house-made hibiscus syrup. dirtcoffee.org
Novo Coffee - Denver
Photo: Neill Pieper
Novo Coffee is primarily a wholesale roaster in Denver focusing on sourcing high-quality coffee through relationships with farmers and producers around the world. Novo doesn’t just provide award-winning coffee, like the Nitro Cold Brew, but also offers an educational experience as well. “At our roasting facility, we have a full training lab where our staff, wholesale accounts and public attendees can take classes on numerous topics of coffee knowledge and preparation,” Novo Retail Director Melissa Raef said. Any of the four Denver locations strive to serve quality products in the coffee supply chain, as well as local craft beer and wine. novocoffee.com
Pablo’s Coffee prioritizes sourcing the most ethically obtained coffees they can find. “Massive factory farms producing commodity-grade coffee simply cannot enter into the equation,” the folks at Pablo’s said. Many of their coffees carry Rainforest Alliance, Smithsonian Bird Friendly or Socially Conscious certifications and are sourced from single-family farm cooperatives that are part of a legal association. Pablo’s also focuses on the local community with event sponsorships for hundreds of groups over the last two decades including music festivals, silent auctions, medical research and homeless shelters. Pablo’s yearns for transparency in the goodness of coffee and the goodness of giving that back to the community. pabloscoffee.org
Pangea Coffee Roasters - Golden
The Pangea Coffee Roasters history starts with a love story. Matt Kurgan and Amanda Krenn met in the coffee industry and decided to take things to the next level — starting their own coffee business. What started as a small farmers market coffee truck transformed into an official establishment providing worldly coffee or tea selections, specialty drinks and even a few stories. “I always order their Cafe au Lait,” customer Jacob Morris said. “I actually had a dream one night I worked there. It was a realistic dream I guess because my girlfriend woke me up. Only I wasn’t in bed, I was in the kitchen. I was sleep walking trying to brew Café au Lait.” pangeacoffeeroasters.com
Loyal Coffee - Colorado Springs
Rather than focusing on the light or dark coffee beans when they roast, Loyal Coffee takes an approach that focuses on developing the sugars in the beans, giving customers a specialty coffee enjoyable for novice coffee drinkers and connoisseurs alike. Tyler Hill, Loyal Coffee director of guest experience, recommends guests try the Loyal version of their favorite drink. “People experience coffee in so many different ways,” Hill said. The baristas want you to enjoy your favorite drinks, with the Loyal coffee-roasted twist. loyalcoffee.co November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 35
The Stone Cup - Lyons
Owners Mindy and Sam Tallent run their coffee shop with a focus on environmental impact. You can enjoy organic and free trade coffee, tea and espresso along with fresh baked goods, grab-and-go’s and smoothies knowing your landfill waste level will be at zero. The Stone Cup to-go containers are fully compostable, with cups, straws, lids, forks, spoons and knives made from a corn-based synthetic plastic, and plates made from sugar cane. “We worked with a local environmental consultant and found some pretty cool ways to reduce our impact on the environment,” Mindy said. “We offset our energy use with renewable, non-polluting wind energy. We have a comprehensive recycling and composting program. From eggshells to cups and plates, we keep as much as we can out of the landfills.” thestonecup.com Native Natasha Lovato celebrates the Colorado lifestyle through hiking, biking or playing bingo while enjoying a sour ale or two.
Photo courtesy of The Stone Cup
36 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING INSTALLATION & SERVICE
720-590-2554 | agilehvac.com Secure, affordable, convenient parking for DIA! YOUR LOCAL CHOICE SINCE 1998!
Located on Tower Road just North of Pe~ na Boulevard
30% OFF
GOOD FOR UNCOVERED PARKING ONLY (Not valid for Valet or Covered Parking).
Valid with or without Frequent Parker Card. Rates and offer are subject to change. One discount per visit. Not valid with monthly or yearly prepaid rates. Airport access payment apply.
Expires 1/1/2020
$2 OFF 00
VALID FOR ALL PARKING (Valet, Covered and Uncovered)
Valid with or without Frequent Parker Card. Rates and offer are subject to change. One discount per visit. Not valid with monthly or yearly prepaid rates. Airport access payment apply.
Expires 1/1/2020
1-866-PARKING
303-371-7575
USAirportparking.com
18000 E. 81st Ave., Commerce City, CO 80022
November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 37
UKEG NITRO COLD BREW COFFEE MAKER $199 (before the discount)
GROWLERWERKS.COM The uKeg by GrowlerWerks will be serving fresh, delicious beverages this holiday season. From the new uKeg Nitro to the original uKeg carbonated growler for beer and cocktails, there’s something for craft lovers of all stripes. Guaranteed to be the freshest gift on wishlists this holiday. Use promo code THIRST20 for $20 off your order of $100 or more @ growlerwerks.com.
SPORTUBE HEATED BAG $249.95
SPORTUBE.COM Say goodbye to cold toes and stiff boots. Sportube heated boot bag takes the chill off your boots and gear before you leave in the morning and the 12v adapter lets you keep them warm on the drive to the mountain. Warm boots are easy to put on and will keep you toasty throughout for a few runs longer!
HYDRATE IV BAR Price varies
HYDRATEIVBAR.COM Hydrate IV Bar is a place for you to relax, recharge and refresh your routine! Try IV nutrient therapy with our professional nurses in a restorative, spa-like atmosphere. A gift card to Hydrate IV Bar gives you an afternoon to enjoy comfortable leather chairs, soothing music and a menu of services for illness, wellness, recovery, and beauty. Learn more at hydrateivbar.com.
WILDSYDE BIKE $1,995.95
WILDSYDE.COM The coolest of cool electric cruiser bikes. Ditch the car and turn heads while turning the pedals. Powered by a 500w, 36v, 13ah motor and battery to get you going and powerful hydraulic brakes to slow you down, the Wildsyde Beast is the perfect bar bike. Take a ride on the Wildsyde!
38 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
Y A LID e
d i O u H ft G Gi
Special Holiday Advertising Section
COLORADO MAGNET $39.00
HOMEMAGNETICS.COM Magnetic pins mark the 14,000 foot peaks you have conquered. We creatively and artistically list all 54 14k peaks in Colorado and let you visually represent your accomplishments by placing a magnetic pin on each of the hikes you have conquered. Decorative frame is constructed of Colorado blue pine (forested beetle kill pine).
COLORADO MAGNET $49.00
HOMEMAGNETICS.COM Magnetic pins mark the Colorado breweries you have conquered. We creatively and artistically list 302 of Colorado’s best craft breweries. Our list is recently updated and includes almost all current Colorado craft breweries. Art was created exclusively by Home Magnetics. We alphabetically list Colorado’s best craft breweries.
Y BE READY FOR THE PARTY WITH OUR GRAB & GO WINE SELECTIONS! $25 for 2 pre-selected wines 1 red and 1 white OR $50 for 2 pre-selected wines 1 red and 1 white
SUPERIORLIQUOR.COM Pre-selected wines are food friendly, conversation ready and really delightful any way you choose to imbibe! Grab & Go wine packs are available now until Dec. 31, 2019.
WEAR YOUR BEER WITHOUT WEARING YOUR BEER Price varies
SUPERIORLIQUOR.COM Not sure what to get that Craft Beer loving person in your life? Shop our selection of hats, shirts, hoodies and other craft beer memorabilia. Let them wear the beers they love to drink, without smelling like the beers they love to drink. November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 39
Special Holiday Advertising Section
KEG CAP™ ACCESSORY KIT $44.95
DRINKTANKS.COM Order the optional Keg Cap™ and turn your DrinkTanks Growler into a personal keg. This growler keg tap is designed specifically for DrinkTanks growlers and will keep your beer fresh to the last drop. The Keg Cap Kit comes with a cap, CO2 injector, and two threaded 16 gram CO2 cartridges. This interchangeable cap can be used on our Classic 64 oz Growler and our Juggernaut 128 oz Growler. Your mini keg will provide you with an effortless pour everywhere, every time.
AKINZ
Price varies
DRIFTER 20
AKINZ.COM We take pride in adding handcrafted elements to everything we make. Our shirts are designed and hand printed right in our flagship store in Fort Collins. We aim to inspire those around us to live an active lifestyle and to “find their wings” because after all, life’s too short to settle for the ordinary. Citra Hop Performance Socks - $16.95. Blend of merino wool & polypropylene, Made in USA. Beer Makes Me Hoppy T-shirt. Variety of colors available. Hand printed in Fort Collins. Regular tee $24, Bottle Opener Tee - $28. Drop it Like it’s Hops Sweatshirt - Super soft eco-fleece with hand-printed hops design - $48.
$129.99
GRIZZLYCOOLERS.COM With its easy-zip flip-top lid, your Drifter 20 is ready for wherever you may roam. Make it your go-to cooler for boating, off-roading, or just kicking back. With its multiple pockets, soft shoulder strap and carrying handle, the Drifter 20 has you covered for everything you need to pack inside. The removable waterproof liner and EVA foam insulation locks in the cold, so you can relax and enjoy your lifestyle.
40 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
DRIFTER 12+ $99.99
GRIZZLYCOOLERS.COM Designed for the One Plus One type of adventures. The Grizzly Drifter 12+ is the quintessential quick day trip cooler. Designed with our Drifter Series easy-zip flip-top lid and two Grip Cup Pockets on each side, you have room for a full days worth. Fully waterproof lined and EVA Foam for ultimate cold insulation locking in your goods as if they were in a freezer. Enjoy it by yourself for the day, but remember there is room for your +1.
LET’S LET’S MAKE LET’S MAKE MAKE THIS THIS THIS EASY EASY
2018 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL® BRONZE MEDAL DEFCON RED IRISH STYLE RED ALE
EASY
2019 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL® GOLD MEDAL SUPERPOWER IPA AMERICAN-STYLE STRONG PALE ALE
2019 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL® GOLD MEDAL MORE DODGE LESS RAM, AMERICAN-STYLE INDIA PALE ALE
Dent Removal • hail damage •
Dent Removal • hail damage • Clear Bra• door dings• Clear Bra• door dings• Dent Removal • hail damage • Detailing• window Detailing• window tint•tint• Clear Bra• door dings•coatings• Ceramic Ceramic coatings• Detailing• window tint• Rim/wheel repair Rim/wheel repair • • Ceramic coatings• Rim/wheel repair •
® CALL: (720)951-3891
Multiple Locations +
Multiple Locations +Locations + C CIANALFLLOL::@ (F( 77 20N0)T)9R95A15N Service -13G-8E39D81 E9N1T S . C O M MultipleMobile R2O Mobile Service FOOW @.FFR ED NE T Available I NIWNFW @ RROO ANGNGEGD ENSNT.STC.SOC.MOCMO M Mobile Service ONNTTTRRRAAN EED AvailableAvailable W .. FF R N GN EGDEE D NE T SN. TC SO .MC O M WWWWW R OONNTTR RA A DENVER: 720-951-3891 PARKER: 720-236-4722 ENGLEWOOD: 720-328-1323
7667 E. ILIFF AVE. (2 Miles East of 1-25 & Evans) 720.748.0700 • COMRADEBREWING.COM
Downtown Art Gallery and Axe Room
Corporate Outings Birthday Parties Date Night Bachelor/ette Parties Drop-in Axe Throwing 2000 Lawrence Street
|
720-389-8699
Local Art 30+ Local and Craft Beers Wines, Ciders, Hard Seltzers
Book Your Reservation Today! |
Downtownaxeroom.com November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 41
ART OF BREWING
EDDYLINE TAPS GOLDEN ARTIST FOR ADVENTURE ON A CAN By Kyle Kirves
! !
A
sk folks who spend much of their life on the water, and they’ll tell you the eddy line is the place where the slower, easier flow merges with the faster and deeper current. It’s the cusp or threshold where the calm water fades and challenges emerge. Where the risks become greater and the rewards sweeter. The term is also an apt choice for the namesake of Buena Vista’s premier creator of craft beer, Eddyline Brewery. “We make beer for any adventure,” says Brian England, one of the original founders and now sole proprietor of Eddyline, quoting the brewery tagline. A solid enough marketing plan from a brewery headquartered in one of Colorado’s premier playgrounds, catering to bikers, skiers, hikers, kayakers, whitewater rafters, climbers -- you know, adventurers. The unofficial motto, though, might be “Beers that go big.” “Talls,” England says, citing the common parlance for 16-ounce cans, “are all we do. And as near as I can tell, and what our research suggests to us, is that we were the
42 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
first craft brewer to do so in the state. We beat out some others by a couple of weeks.” Bigness makes Eddyline’s presence on the shelf consistently hard to ignore – a veritable wall of hand-and-a-half cans in splashy, dynamic wraps that are as epic as a Monarch ski run or a hold-on-tight trip down the Arkansas, all with adventure-centered images and motifs. Jesse Crock, a Golden-based artist and the creative force behind the images that grace the cans, has a long history with Eddyline. Prior to becoming their primary artist, Crock was an exhibitor of large-format art on the walls at the brewery. It made him an easy choice when Eddyline was looking to refresh their branding. “It’s a great back-andforth collaboration coming up with the art for the beer,” Crock says. One of the more recent creative conversations involved a collaboration beer with the Pink Boots Society, which supports women in the brewing industry. “Brian came to me and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to have a biker wearing pink boots on
the trails?’” Crock remembers. “That was the start and we took a few quick sketches over a beer and we went from there. I did a painting. From there it just took off.” It’s a great image that stands equally for Eddyline’s outdoor ethos as well as the Pink Boots Society. Eddyline’s branding uses all 64 crayons in the box, so to speak. The cyclist-centered flagship Crank Yanker IPA and its chain ring and hop theme glow light up the can sleeve. Epic Day Double IPA’s perspective on peak
!
!
! !
!
climbers and kayakers in burgundy and Colorado-sky blue is a snapshot of the mural that graces Eddyline’s brewery wall. And the hues of the Raspberry American Wheat’s mountain meadow and river scene are vibrant and inviting. Although Eddyline isn’t shy about experimenting with different recipes such as the raspberry wheat, they remain known primarily for their variations on the pale ale theme. It’s something England doesn’t shy away from. “In 2009, we were trying to figure out our identity, and the clientele helped,” England says laughing. “When every single mountain biker and white water rider who walks through your door is ordering an IPA, that is a strong indicator of which direction you should be going. Sales were really driving that demand for us.” England cites the prevailing scuttlebutt in the industry – how hop-forward beers are old news, that fruited IPAs are passé – as something his brewery takes joy in disproving. “Because we brew at altitude and we have a lower boiling point, the hop flavor in our beers is a little more subtle,” he says. “They shine through in a more floral, less bitter, more restrained way than some of the hop bombs out there. My belief – and we hear this often – is that we have the most approachable and drinkable IPAs on the market.”
Still, when you’re brewing beers for every adventure, you have to take chances. England mentions new offerings coming online every season, including single-malt/ single-hop creations, kettle sours and efforts to expand their established Trail Builder series. Collaborations with other local brewers are also in the works. Eddyline wants to be known as a true high-country craft beer maker, not just a brewery who wraps mountain imagery around their cans. “We’re authentic. We are the
mountain brewery,” England says with more than just a hint of pride. “When you escape to the mountains, we’re here. You want to come play and find great beers when you get here? That’s us. We make beer,” he repeats, “for any adventure.” So, with apologies to John Muir, the mountains – and the beer – are calling and you should go. Eddyline will be waiting for you when you get there – going as big as you do. 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
November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 43
ÂŽ
44 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
ÂŽ
THE PODIUM!
Deck Daze Wheat, 5.6% ABV, Vail Brewing Company
Pete’s Stash Pale Ale, 6% ABV, Vail Brewing Company
A previous gold medal winner at North American Beer Awards. Deck Daze is an allAmerican wheat ale infused with a white tea blend of wildflowers, passionfruit, and mango. The perfect excuse to kick up your feet and enjoy these sunny mountain days on your favorite deck or mountaintop.
This 2018 World Beer Cup winner now adds a GABF medal to its list. This crushable, clean, and crisp pale ale starts off with 2-Row malt, red wheat, and a touch of Crystal 15 to lend a golden hue. Flaconer’s flight, Simcoe, and Mosaic hops offer notes of citrus, grapefruit, and pine resin.
Special Advertising Section
Boombastic Hazy IPA, 6.7% ABV, Holidaily Holidaily Brewing Company won Gold in the gluten-free beer category at GABF for its Boombastic Hazy IPA. Like all of our beers, this beer is 100% gluten-free, brewed with millet and buckwheat. It is a hop-forward and juicy IPA, low on bitterness and brewed with a combination of citrus hops, including Mosaic.
November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 45
NEW AND IMPROVED IS PART OF THE PLAN AT COLORADO CRAFT By Dionne Roberts
C
olorado Craft Tejon Street Social in downtown Colorado Springs delivers an ardent commitment to local sourcing in a casual and modern setting. Since opening in January 2018, coowner and executive chef Mario Vasquez has been adapting and fine tuning his thoughtful cuisine to encourage a community that values sustainability. “In my mind we’re trying to bring the best of what’s around us but it has had to evolve a lot,” says Vasquez. “We want to bring everyone into one building and serve some really nice ingredients that are locally driven but very approachable.” The menu at Colorado Craft includes an array of social sharables with stacked nachos, some of the best wings in town and mac and
46 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
cheese variations that include Vasquez’s prestigious pork green chili. Lunch centers around soups, colorful salads, sandwiches and cheeseburgers before transitioning into a greater focus on entrees during dinner service. “I’ve been trying to create really fun sandwiches and salads that I can execute fast, but I still try to put a little twist on my dishes,” says Vasquez. “For our Nashville hot chicken sandwich, we try to grind our own peppers and make our own spice blend so it’s native to Colorado and born here.” Vasquez says he hopes to “define what we do in our region,” and consciously uses nearby farms and ranches whenever possible, sourcing mixed greens from One Town Farms in Larkspur, and proteins from Corner Post
Meats in Black Forest and Sangres Best Beef in Westcliffe. “We’re trying to promote as much local stuff as we can but I want to give it to people in an interesting way,” says Vasquez. “Our approach to food is about being patient and establishing as many relationships as we can so that everyone starts using more local purveyors in their restaurants.” Vasquez’s “farm to table” feelings are genuine, coming off a prior stint on Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch in St. Helena, California. While there, he was able to “learn a lot about organic, and raising cattle the proper way.” On a very practical level, he understands that without local farmers and ranchers he wouldn’t be able to find quality ingredients to present to his patrons.
Mario Vasquez values sustainability at his Colorado Springs restaurant. Photos courtesy of Colorado Craft
“We don’t connect with our food anymore, we think it just shows up,” says Vasquez. “These are actual people that do this every day to give you their beef and their produce at the peak of the season. Without them we don’t have food, that’s why I’m so adamant. If there’s no food for me to cook, I don’t have a job so it’s really important for us to be knowledgeable about where it comes from.” His signature items continue to integrate local ingredients, including an Asian short rib braised with a Stone Age Stout from Fossil Craft Beer Company; a pork bolognese with house-made gnocchi that Vasquez debuted at a recent A Grazing Life farm dinner; and a Corner Post lamb burger topped with rosemary-tomato jam, an olive tapenade, feta and arugula, served on a Kaiser roll.
“My goal was to create a couple dishes that will be staples, and these represent what we’re doing really well,” says Vasquez. “I’m trying not to add so many components, just showcase the ingredients at their best.” Beyond the plates, Colorado Craft also prides itself on its solid selection of allColorado beer, with 30 cans and 20 taps derived primarily from Colorado Springs. The brews are also beginning to find their way into the craft cocktail program, with consulting courtesy of Dylan Currier, owner of The Archives, a watering hole directly below the restaurant that features classic libations. “We’re trying to go a little bit more beer-driven as it is a big feature for us,” says Vasquez. “Cheeseburgers and craft beer are our thing now.”
Although it may seem as if the menu reflects typical, relaxed American offerings, rest assured there is nothing basic about Colorado Craft. Vasquez’s background in fine dining lends itself to an overall ambiance that’s comfortable but with “a little flair here and there” that feeds directly, and quite distinctly, into some exclusively Front Range kind of fare. “I really hope that they are experiencing friendly faces, knowledgeable people telling stories in our restaurant,” says Vasquez of his patrons. “That’s where our passion is. When they eat and drink with us, they leave with a little bit of Colorado.” Dionne Roberts is the editor of the Rocky Mountain Food Report, rockymountainfoodreport.com
November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 47
Prime Pairings Pork Belly BBQ Hand Pie The Thirsty Monk Pork Belly BBQ Hand Pie is the perfect partner for a Monk Shake IPA. This hand pie is easy to eat and easy to make. Blackberries add a fruitiness and tart notes to an otherwise sweet BBQ sauce. Pickled onions lend balance to the pork belly.
Ingredients Roasted Pork Belly
Blackberry BBQ Sauce
2 lb skin-off pork belly
½ cup minced yellow onion
1 pinch salt and pepper
½ minced garlic clove
1 cup water Pickled Red Onions
½ fresh seeded and minced jalapeño
2 medium julienned red onions
¼ cup cider vinegar
½ tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp molasses
½ tsp salt
¼ cup blackberries
1 pinch white pepper
2 tsp whole grain mustard
/3 cup sugar
½ cup ketchup
/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbsp brown sugar
/3 cup water
2 tsp salt
1 1 1
2 tsp olive oil
Directions Roasted Pork Belly
Pair with Monk Shake IPA Thirsty Monk takes on the popular milkshake IPA and puts a slight spin on it. Norwegian Kveik yeast adds flavors of creamy apricot, guava and peach, while large amounts of hops and lactose sugar impart the juicy milkshake flavors you’ve come to expect from the style. This American IPA weighs in at 6.7 percent ABV.
Season the pork belly on all sides with salt and pepper. Lay the fat side down and roast covered at 400 degrees for two hours. Add water and roast another hour covered. Allow the meat to cool, dice it into 1/2-inch pieces and set it aside.
Handpie Dough
Pickled Red Onions
Bringing Ingredients Together
Combine all the ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Then allow it to then cool.
Combine the sauce, pickled onion and diced pork belly. Roll out three to four ounces of pizza dough to one-eighth of an inch. Add about one-half cup of filling to the center of the dough. Brush the top half of the dough with the slurry and fold to make a half moon shape. Bake at 400° for 12 to 15 minutes until the dough has a golden-brown color and filling is hot.
Blackberry BBQ Sauce Briefly sauté the onion, garlic and jalapeños in olive oil. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer while stirring often for 20 minutes. Allow the sauce to cool and then mix with a blender or food processor. Strain the sauce through a sieve discarding the solids. Sealing Slurry Combine two tablespoons of flour, three tablespoons of water and mix thoroughly.
48 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
Any raw, store-bought pizza dough will work.
Chef Clint Betts has been in the culinary field for over 30 years. Gifted with the passion for pairing food with beer, wine and spirits he has worked with breweries and wineries alike, elevating already great beverages to new heights with his simple but delicious food pairings.
Italian Sausage Calzone My love of cooking with dough has grown significantly during the past few years. It started with dumplings and pot stickers and has since turned to Italian cuisine: pizza, pasta and now, calzones. Working with dough is therapeutic but requires a considerable amount of technique and patience. You might find this dish a bit difficult at first but that is what home cooking is for, to challenge and excite.
Ingredients Dough 3 ½ cups flour 1 packet yeast 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ cups hot water Filling 6 vine ripe tomatoes 1 onion diced 6 cloves garlic diced 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 6 oz mozzarella grated 6 oz Colby Jack grated 1 lb ground Italian sausage 5 slices bacon cut into large chunks 4 tbsp melted butter
Pair with Elevation Pilsner Elevation Brewing’s pilsner is a delicious beverage to wash down a savory calzone. This pils has just the right amount of hop character and floral aroma to be flavorful, yet just dry and crisp enough to cleanse the palate before your next bite. Better yet, at a modest 5% ABV, you won’t feel too guilty for enjoying a second one with your meal.
Maldon sea salt Italian seasoning
Directions Begin with the dough. In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix. Next, mix in the wet ingredients. Now it’s time get down and dirty. With clean hands, knead the dough until it is a consistent mass. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Heat two skillets to medium heat. In the first, pour in a tablespoon of cooking oil and add the diced onions. Cook for a few minutes and add the garlic. Cook a few more minutes and then add the tomatoes and allow them to meld and breakdown. Once the tomato juice has evaporated and the pan looks like it is beginning to dry out, mix in the red wine vinegar and turn off the heat. In the other skillet, toss in the sausage and bacon, stirring occasionally while both cook. Combine the contents of the two skillets.
Recipe by Will Coonradt
Separate the dough into four equal parts. Cover a flat surface (large cutting board or countertop) with a thin layer of flour and work the pieces of dough into roughly 10-inch circles on top of the flour. Place one quarter of the filling on half of the circle of dough, leaving a half inch of space along the outside. Combine the cheese and add small amounts to the top of the filling. Grab the filling-free side of the calzone and fold it over the filled side. Using a fork or your fingers, crimp or roll the edges together, sealing the filling and cheese inside. Repeat these steps for all four calzones. Place each on an oiled baking sheet, brush the melted butter over the top and make three cuts across the top of each calzone. Sprinkle salt and Italian seasoning across the tops. Bake for 10-15 minutes. The crust should be crispy soft and have a few spots that are beginning to brown. When they are done, brush the top with butter and finish with Maldon sea salt.
November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 49
THE PERFECT GIFT FOR THE BEER LOVER IN YOUR LIFE
ARD TC
GIF
Purchase Gift Cards at 5280AleTrail.com The downloadable app that gets you buy one get one free beers at 34 local breweries and distilleries and gives back to your community at the same time. SUPPORTING PROJECTS OF
DONATE $30... SAVE OVER $200...
IMPROVE LIVES SPONSORED BY
Max S
O
L
U
T
I
O
N
S
Located in Olde Town Arvada
Colorado’s First Hard Seltzery Full Food Menu, Hard Seltzer, Beer and Craft Cocktails
LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? ARGONAUT HAS IT! AND WE DELIVER. LARGEST COLD BEER SELECTION IN DENVER
Elevated Seltzer 5610 Yukon St, Arvada | 720-723-2179 | Elvtdat5280.com
760 E. Colfax Ave. 303.831.7788 Argonautliquor.com
November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 51
STRANGE BREW
TASTEBUD-TINGLING DAMASCUS GOSE TAPPED From Intrepid Sojourner to Next Stop Brewing, international flavors are still targeted By Steve Graham
E
very trip to Intrepid Sojourner Brewing Co. is an educational experience, and not just a vocabulary lesson with the five-dollar words found in the brewery name. For example, you can enjoy a gose while picking up some botany and geography facts. Andrew Moore, head of brewery operations, recently tapped his first gose with a tastebud-tingling mix of plums, spearmint, rosemary, anise, coriander, Hawaiian red gold sea salt, alderwoodsmoked sea salt and lavender. “We’re interested in creating culinary beers that have unique and interesting flavors,” Moore said. He said he wanted to make a winterstyle gose to upend the light, summery stereotype of the German style. To that end, he wanted to evoke the flavor of smoked plums without actually smoking the plums, so he added smoked salt, as well as the Hawaiian salt. He also wanted something herbal to pair with the smoked plum flavor. “A lot of our recipes start in the culinary world, and one plant that kept coming up in our research was hyssop,” he said. The aromatic shrub is used in cooking and herbal medicine, but even his well-sourced connections at the Savory Spice Company couldn’t get him hyssop in brewing quantities, so they came up with a blend of spearmint, anise and lavender to mimic the hyssop essence. He sours the beer with acidulated malt, then leaves it twice as long in the mash stage. “It’s not nearly as tart as some of the beers, it has a nice subtle acidity,” Moore said.
52 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
He also included plums in several steps. “We add the fruit in at different points in time,” Moore said. “Layering the fruit in different points in the process gives it a deeper, more complex flavor.” The gose is called the Damascus, after the damascene plum variety in the beer. Most Intrepid Sojourner beers have a specific geographic tie, and the taproom is full of travel books and travelers, even if only in their minds. But plan to visit soon. The Damascus gose could be one of the last beers brewed for the taproom and sold under the Intrepid Sojourner name. The brewery plans to sell its brewing equipment and change its name to Next Stop
Brewing. The owners will no longer lease the space at 925 W. 8th Ave., where they’ve brewed for two years. Once a buyer is found for the seven-barrel turnkey operation, they plan to focus on production and canning. They recently emerged on liquor store shelves and on tap handles as Next Stop Brewing. The new branding kicked off with
cans of Next Stop Bangkok, a lemongrass and ginger kolsch. Moore tentatively plans to follow up with the ever-popular Istanbul coffee stout. Moore said the new name is simpler and more memorable than Intrepid Sojourner, but still conveys the creative and international idea behind his brewery. “We could create a package at Next Stop that would get all that across more efficiently,” Moore said. The brewery opened in May 2017, and Moore said the goal was always to spread the Intrepid beers far beyond the 8th Avenue taproom in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe. “We always wanted to distribute, that was always our goal,” he said. “It slowly became apparent that it was taking too many resources to get the taproom where it needed to be.” He said the focus will be on production for a while, but he hopes to open a Next Stop taproom. “We will be doing events, we will be out there in the community,” Moore said. “The goal is to get back to the place where we can be doing both.” He said he appreciates the immediate feedback from customers in a taproom, but also looks forward to wider distribution. “It gives us a chance to get feedback from a broader market,” Moore said. “Colorado is wonderful but I feel like we tend to get some beer blinders on in Colorado.”
MERIDIEM SPIRITS COMPANY ELIZABETH COLORADO 80107 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Protecting your:
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.
With:
The best companies in the business. Since:
1882 (Not a typo.)
Photo: Neill Pieper
350 Indiana St., Suite 750, Golden, CO 80401 (303) 534-2133 • (800) 234-4478 • www.isuinsurance.com November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 53
a e m beco
n i r e beliEv
S L A E D K
N I R D E E
FR
SCAN ME WITH YOUR PHONE CAMERA!
Yep, you read that right. It’s 100% FREE. As in, it’s on the house. Complimentary. $ free.99. Gratis. No tricks, no catch, no gimmicks. Just FREE drink deals instantly on your phone.
get the FREE DIGITAL PASSPORT at crafts.visitcos.com *deals & discounts valid through 12/31/19
garagecondos.com Call Glenn, (303) 518-2353
› Wide Drive Aisles › Durable Doors › Water & Wash-Down Areas › Site Lighting › Air/Vac Station › RV Dump › Low Maintenance Finishes › Common Area Restrooms › Owner’s Private Clubhouse › Camera / Security System
Centennial – COMING 2020 - 6507 Racine Circle Highlands Ranch 2 – COMING 2020 - Santa Fe and Town Center Drive
Castle Rock – NOW OPEN – 1931 Liggett Road 1st building nearly SOLD-OUT, 2nd building NOW OPEN
Highlands Ranch 1 & Ken Caryl – SOLD OUT - Call for potential resale availability
&
Gift
“Retail Therapy” at its finest...
Jewelry • Gifts • Home Decor and So Much More...
Come visit our New 6000 sq. ft. Building! 9890 W 44th Ave., Wheat Ridge | 303.424.7421
M-F 9-6 | SAT 9:30-4:30 SwissFlowerandGift.com November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 55
TRUE TALES FROM THE LYING LOG By Bufford T. Clapsaddle
I
t certainly was evident that our intruders were “thirsty” when they rode into our backcountry camp. This salacious trio consisted of a timewarn gent with milk-white hair and full-on exquisite beard, escorting two overloaded pack horses. His cohorts were 30-something dudes, with reins in one hand and a capless partial fifth of Jim Beam in the other. Each holstered a loaded revolver. The senior citizen quickly expressed disgust that Clapsaddle’s contingent had “encroached” on a campsite that he previously enjoyed. He tied up at the edge of camp to adjust the weight on his two pack animals. His two junior cowboys (most likely wannabees) manifested their interest in the three female members of our secluded (we thought) high altitude horseback staff retreat. Their intoxication level in all probability was at least a full point above Colorado’s 1.8 RUI (riding under influence) threshold. It required substantive coaxing, followed by authoritative threats from the bearded pathfinder, for them to exit our campsite. Where was the Greeley State Trooper who was a member of Clapsaddle posses for a couple of previous pack-ins? “You can bet they’ll be back,” opined an elder statesman in our pack party, as we prepared lunch. During lunch, we formulated a counter scheme. Accompanied by his reading material, the most persuasive in the retreat assembly would locate a tree stump along the trail a quarter mile from camp. There he would intercept the boozed boys and attempt to induce them to return to their new campsite.
56 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
Should they ignore the unwelcome, his practiced wolf howl would alert the gals to disappear into the black timber, and the camp fellows would insist they were picking choke cherries for the evening dinner (even though we were 2,500 feet in elevation above choke cherry altitude). The mediation in plan A turned out to be a labor in vain, because choke cherry picking brought a no-&#!@ response from the inebriates.
“Their intoxication level in all probability was at least a full point above Colorado’s 1.8 RUI (riding under influence) level.”
Garbled voices kept proclaiming “The girls want us to take them to the Bullarama in Steamboat tonight.” They waited. We sat tight! A retreat member had another approach. “I overheard one of the gals tell another this morning that she would like to go to the far side of the lake and sunbathe because she sought a full body tan.” The dudes were on their mounts in seconds headed around the big lake, of
course in the opposite direction, following our counterfeit instructions. The gals had just returned from the woods, and were greeted with approaching gunshots so they headed back to their sanctuary. At full gallop the rowdies mutilated our campsite, knocking over tables, ravaging food panniers and coolers, all the while shouting “Bullarama, Bullarama, Bullarama,” interspersed with totally vulgar chants. One kept firing round after round in the air from his six-shooter. (The other was missing his weapon.) Not once did the shooter aim at anything but sky … nonetheless his atrocities would not have been accepted by any law enforcement people, nor the NRA for that matter. (And the other crapulent was sans his whiskey bottle, which perhaps plays a curtaindropping role in this drama.) After about 20 minutes, the beyond obnoxious dipsomaniacs finally spurred their tired mounts out of camp. A short time later we heard loud, obscene voices emanating from the trail a short distance away. More than curious, three of us went to check out the commotion. On the ground in the middle of a small meadow was the stewed pair, fist fighting over the remnants of the second (or third or fourth or fifth) Jim Beam bottle. We could only speculate. Neither of the soused combatants seemed to be able to land a fist with a hurtful blow, so one of us held their horses and the other two loaded the outlaws into the saddles. We whacked the two equine on the rumps and sent them off in the correct direction, hoping the animals would return to be with the horses of the older fella.
Photo: ©Surachai / AdobeStock
Great Breweries Know the Value of Quality Floor Surfaces. With Over a Million Square Feet in 230+ Breweries Installed to Date, Cascade Floors is the Industry Leader in Durable, Long-Lasting Floor Coatings
And there in the tall grass 15 feet away from the fisticuffs activity rested the skyshooter’s pistol. Randy picked it up and heaved it as far as he could into the small lake. His action required no federal or state gun control legislation. Slash! Kerplunk! Done!
Full Cascade Floors Install and Self-Install Options Available AUSTIN BEERWORKS
DESCHUTES
P.S. We never heard from or saw the dueling duo for the next three days. 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.
Call Chris Klein for a custom quote today at
(541) 510-1080
or visit cascadefloors.com EPOXY POLYESTER URETHANES SERVING THE BEER, WINE & FOOD
INDUSTRIES SINCE 1971 November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 57
Marketplace
BARISTA OWNED AND OPERATED
Colorado’s Dedicated Gluten-Free Brewery Holidaily Brewing Co Holidailybrewing.com 303.278.BEER
Dedicated to building community by way of coffee. WWW.LOYALCOFFEE.CO LOYALCOFFEE
801 Brickyard Cir., Golden
70 COLORADO BEERS ON DRAFT
1609 E 58th Ave Unit G Denver, CO 80216 Hours: Sunday-Thursday 3-8PM Friday & Saturday 3-9PM
(720) 242-8384
UPTOWN
BALLPARK
Would you like to advertise in the Marketplace? Call Tod Cavey at 303.428.9529 Ext. 205 tod@thirstcolorado.com AXE THROWING AND LOCAL BEER IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN DENVER. 2000 Lawrence Street, Denver, CO
720.389.8699 downtownaxeroom.com
58 ThirstColorado.com
November-December 2019
1675 W. 67th Avenue #100, Denver, Colorado 80221 (At the intersection of 67th Avenue & Pecos Street)
303-650-2337(BEER) HOURS: Mon - Fri 3:00—10:00pm Saturday Noon—10:00pm Sunday Noon —8:00pm
ThirstColorado.com
COMMERCIAL
COLORADO BREWERY, DIS ● – Serves Food ● – Food Truck ● – Live Music
BREWERIES
Kettle and Spoke Brewery
COLORADO SPRINGS AREA
Knotted Root Brewing Co
Atrevida Brewing ●
Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co ● ●
BierWerks Brewery ● ●
Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery ●
Black Forest Brewing
Odd 13 Brewing Inc ● ●
Brass Brewing Co
Thirsty Monk ● ● monkpub.com 828.254.5450 1604 E 17th Ave Denver
RINO
10 Barrel Brewing ● ● 10barrel.com/pub/denver 720.573.8992 2620 Walnut St Denver
Oskar Blues Brewery ● ●
Bristol Brewing ●
Vine Street Pub & Brewery ●
ARVADA
The Post Brewing Co ● ●
Cerberus Brewing Co
Redgarden Restaurant & Brewery ●
Cogstone Brewing Co ●
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
14er Brewing
Denver Beer Co
Tom’s Urban Diner and Tivoli Brewing ●
Black Shirt Brewing Co ● ● Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project
Elevated Seltzer ● ● elvtdat5280.com 720.723.2179 5610 Yukon St Arvada
Sanitas Brewing Co ● ●
Colorado Mountain Brewery ●
Southern Sun ●
Dueces Wild Brewery ●
Bierstadt Lagerhaus ● Blue Moon Brewing Co ● ●
Stein Brewing Co
FH Beerworks ●
FIVE POINTS
Twisted Pine Brewing ● ●
Fossil Craft Beer Co ●
Liberati Osteria and Oenobeers ●
Epic Brewing Co ●
Funky Town Brewing
Spangalang Brewery
Great Divide Brewing Co ● ● Mockery Brewing ●
Unnamed Beer Co New Image Brewing ●
Upslope Brewing Co ● ●
Odyssey Beerwerks ● ●
Goat Patch Brewing Co
Woods Boss Brewing
Very Nice Brewing ●
Gold Camp Brewing Co
LODO
Iron Bird Brewery ●
New Belgium - The Woods at the Source
Vision Quest Brewing Co
Denver Chophouse ●
JAKs Brewing Co
Odell Brewing Co
West Flanders Brewing Co ● ●
Great Divide Brewing Co ● ●
Local Relic
Our Mutual Friend
Wild Woods Brewery
Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery ●
Lost Friend Brewing
Ratio Beerworks ● ●
Rock Bottom Denver ●
Manitou Brewing Co ●
River North Brewery
Sandlot Brewery
Metric Brewing
Wynkoop Brewing Co ●
Resolute Brewing Tap & Cellar Someplace Else Brewery Spice Trade Brewing Co ●
AURORA
BRIGHTON/FREDERICK/ERIE/ FORT LUPTON
Bent Barley Brewing Co BJ’s ●
Big Choice Brewing
Cheluna Brewing Co
Floodstage Ale Works ●
Dad and Dudes Breweria ● Dry Dock Brewing Co North Dock ● Dry Dock Brewing Co South Dock ● Launch Pad Brewery
Gorilla Alchemy Brewing Mirror Image Brewing Co Mountain Cowboy Brewing Co Something Brewery
Peak to Peak Tap & Brew ●
Nano 108 Paradox Beer Co ●
MILE HI/AURARIA
Peaks N Pines Brewing Co
Briar Common Brewery + Eatery ●
Phantom Canyon ● ●
Burns Family Artisan Ales
Red Leg Brewing
Cervecería Colorado ● ●
Rock Bottom Colorado Springs ●
Denver Beer Co ● ●
Pilothouse Brewing Co
BROOMFIELD/WESTMINSTER
Rocky Mountain Brewery
Little Machine Beer ●
Two22 Brew ●
4 Noses Brewing Co ●
Smiling Toad Brewery
Seedstock Brewery ● ●
Ursula Brewing Co
BJ’s ●
Storybook Brewing
Strange Craft Beer Co ● ●
C.B. & Potts Westminster ●
Trinity Brewing ●
Tivoli Brewing ●
Frolic Brewing Co ●
Whistle Pig Brewing Co
Wit’s End Brewing Co
Gordon Biersch ●
DENVER
Zuni St. Brewing Co ●
BAKER/SOUTH BROADWAY
NORTHEAST DENVER
BAILEY Mad Jack’s Mountain Brewery ● ● ●
BOULDER AREA
Kokopelli Beer Co ● ●
12Degree Brewing ●
Rails End Beer Co
Adamant Brewing Co
Rock Bottom Orchard Town Center ●
Asher Brewing Co
Rock Bottom Westminster Promenade ●
Avery Brewing ● Beyond the Mountain Brewing Co
BJ’s ● bjsrestaurants.com 303.440.5200 1690 28th St Boulder
Bootstrap Brewing ● ●
Boulder Beer ● ● boulderbeer.com 303.444.8448 2880 Wilderness Pl Boulder
BRU Handbuilt Ales ● Cellar-West Artisan Ales ● Crystal Springs Brewing Co Echo Brewing Co Endo Brewing Co Finkel & Garf Brewing Co Front Range Brewing Co ● ● Gravity Brewing ● ● Gunbarrel Brewing Co Industrial Revolution Brewing Co James Peak Brewery & Smokehouse ●
60 ThirstColorado.com
Westminster Brewing Co Wonderland Brewing Co ● ●
CAÑON CITY AREA Florence Brewing
Alternation Brewing Baere Brewing Co Banded Oak Brewing Co Black Project Spontaneous & Wild Ales Declaration Brewing Co ● ● Dos Luces Grandma’s House
World’s End Brewing Co
Lowdown Brewery + Kitchen ●
CASTLE ROCK AREA
Novel Strand Brewing Co
105 West Brewing Co ●
Platt Park Brewing Co ●
Burly Brewing ● ●
TRVE Brewing Co
The Elizabeth Brewing Co
CAPITOL HILL/E COLFAX/ PARK HILL
Iron Mule Brewery Rockyard Brewing Co ●
Alpine Dog Brewery
Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co ●
Cerebral Brewing ● ●
CENTENNIAL/LONE TREE/ HIGHLANDS RANCH
Counter Culture Brewery & Grille ●
3 Freaks Brewery ●
Long Table Brewhouse
Blue Spruce Brewing Co ● ●
Pints Pub ●
C.B. & Potts Highlands Ranch ●
Station 26 Brewing Co ●
CO-Brew Fiction Beer Co ●
Blue Tile Brewing bluetilebrewing.com 720.242.8384
1609 E 58th Ave Unit G Denver
J. Moe’s Brew Pub ●
SOUTHEAST DENVER Bull and Bush Brewery ● ●
Comrade Brewing ● comradebrewing.com 720.748.0700 7677 E Iliff Ave Denver
Copper Kettle Brewing Co ●
SOUTHWEST DENVER Black Sky Brewery ● ● Chain Reaction Brewing Co ● Crazy Mountain Brewing Co ● ● Next Stop Brew Co ● Renegade Brewing Co
WHEAT RIDGE/EDGEWATER/ LAKEWOOD Brewery Rickoli ● Colorado Plus Brew Pub ● ● Great Frontier Brewing Co Green Mountain Beer Co Joyride Brewing Co ●
NORTHWEST DENVER
Landlocked Ales
Amalgam Brewing
Old 121 Brewhouse
Bruz Beers ● bruzbeers.com 303.650.2337 1675 W 67th Ave Denver
Call to Arms Brewing Co ● De Steeg Brewing Diebolt Brewing Co ● ● The Empourium Brewing Co
Westfax Brewing Co
DURANGO AREA Animas Brewing Co ● Bottom Shelf Brewery ● Carver Brewing Co ● Chainless Brewing Dolores River Brewery ● ●
Factotum Brewhouse
J. Fargo’s Family Dining & Micro Brewery ●
FlyteCo Brewing
Main Street Brewery & Restaurant ●
Goldspot Brewing Co ● ●
Mancos Brewing Co ●
Grateful Gnome Sandwich Shoppe + Brewery ●
Ska Brewing Co ● ● Steamworks Brewing Co ●
Grist Brewing Co ●
Hogshead Brewery ●
Halfpenny Brewing Co
Lady Justice Brewing
Lone Tree Brewing Co
Oasis Brewing Co
EAGLE COUNTY
Resolute Brewing Co
Prost Brewing Co ●
7 Hermits Brewing Co ●
Rock Bottom Park Meadows ●
November-December 2019
®
WildEdge Brewing Collective
Bonfire Brewing ●
TILLERY & CIDERY LINEUP Gore Range Brewery ●
Vail Brewing Co ● ● vailbrewinco.com 970.470.4351
41290 US Hwy 6 Unit B2-3 Eagle/Vail
ENGLEWOOD AREA
Boggy Draw Brewery boggydraw.com 720.940.0338 3535 S Platte River Dr, Unit L Englewood
Brewability on Broadway ● ● C.B. & Potts Denver Tech ● Dead Hippie Brewing Peak View Brewing Co
ESTES PARK
GLENWOOD SPRINGS/ CARBONDALE/ASPEN Aspen Brewing Co ● Capitol Creek Brewery ● Carbondale Beer Works ●
Blue Spruce Brewing Co
GOLDEN Barrels and Bottles Brewery ● Cannonball Creek Brewing Co ● Coda Brewing Coors Brewing Co Golden City Brewery ●
Holidaily Brewing Co Holidailybrewing.com 303.278.BEER 801 Brickyard Cir., Golden
Ohm Brewing
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 ● ●
Over Yonder Brewing
GRAND JUNCTION AREA Dented Face Brewing Co Edgewater Brewery ● Kannah Creek Brewing Co ● Mad Russian Brewing Co
Suds Brothers Brewery ● ●
Three Barrel Brewing Co ●
WINTER PARK AREA Camber Brewing Co
PAONIA
Fraser River Beer Co
Chrysalis Barrel Aged Beer
Hideaway Park Brewery
Paonia United Brewing Co
Never Summer Brewing Co The Peak Bistro & Brewery ●
Breckenridge Brewery ● Coal Mine Ave. Brewing Co
Barnett and Son Brewing Co ● ●
DISTRIBUTION ONLY
Jackass Hill Brewery ●
Downhill Brewing Co ●
AC Golden Brewing Co
Lariat Lodge Brewing
Los Dos Potrillos Mexican Restaurant y Cerveceria ●
Acidulous Brewing Co
Living the Dream Brewing Co Locavore Beer Works
LONGMONT 300 Suns Brewing ● Bootstrap Brewing Collision Brewing ● Left Hand Brewing Co ●
Mirror Image Brewing ● ● mirrorimagebrewco.com 720.445.5969 5969 Iris Pkwy, Unit C Longmont
Welcome Home Brewing
Atom Brewing Co
PUEBLO AREA
Barrel Dog Brewing
Brues Alehouse Brewing Co ● ●
Beer by Design
Reservoir Brewing Co
Black Sheep Brewery
Shamrock Brewing ●
Centennial Beer Co
Walter Brewery & Taproom
SALIDA/BUENA VISTA/ CRESTONE/LEADVILLE
Ceria Brewing ceriabrewing.com Denver
hello@ceriabrewing.com
Crestone Brewing Co ● Eddyline Restaurant and Brewing Co ● Elevation Beer Co ●
Oskar Blues Brewing ●
Moonlight Pizza and Brewpub ●
Primitive Beer
Periodic Brewing
Pumphouse Brewery ●
Soulcraft Brewing
Shoes and Brews
Amalgam Brewing
Divebar Brewing Co Donovan Brewing Co Durango Brewing Co Gemini Beer Co Good River Beer Idylwilde Brewing
GUNNISON/CRESTED BUTTE
The Larimer Beer Co
Elk Ave Brewing Co ● ●
New Planet Beer
LOVELAND/BERTHOUD
High Alpine Brewing Co ●
Open Door Brewing Co
GREELEY AREA
5030 Local ●
Irwin Brewing Co
Rustica
Brix Taphouse and Brewery ● ●
Berthoud Brewing Co
Sixteen Twenty Three Brewing
Broken Plow Brewery ●
Big Beaver Brewing Co ●
SOUTHWEST COLORADO
Sleeping Giant Brewing
Big Thompson Brewery
Avalanche Brewing Co ●
Crabtree Brewing ● ●
Social Order Brewing
G5 Brew Pub ●
Buckhorn Brewers
Colorado Boy Brewery - Montrose, Ouray, Ridgeway ●
Green Earth Brewing
City Star Brewing ●
Golden Block Brewery ●
Syndicate Brewing Co
High Hops Brewery ● ●
Crow Hop Brewing
Horsefly Brewing Co ● ●
Uhl’s Brewing Co
Lonesome Buck Brewing Co
Drätz Brewing Co
Ouray Brewery ●
Mighty River Brewing Co
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse
Ourayle House Brewery
Rocky Mountain Taphouse ●
Loveland Aleworks
Red Mountain Brewing ●
WeldWerks Brewing Co
Rock Bottom ●
Smuggler’s Brewpub ●
Rock Coast Brewery
Telluride Brewing Co
Verboten Brewing Co
Two Rascals Brewing Co
Veteran Brothers Brewing Co ●
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
MONUMENT
Butcherknife Brewing Co
Arta Tequila - Englewood
Pikes Peak Brewing Co ● ●
Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill ● Mountain Tap Brewery ●
Art of the Spirits Colorado Whiskey - Denver
NORTHEAST COLORADO
Storm Peak Brewing Co
Ballmar Peak Distillery - Lakewood
Parts & Labor Brewing Co
Yampa Valley Brewing Co
Bear Creek Distillery - Denver
Tumbleweed Brewing & Wine Co
SUMMIT COUNTY
NORTHGLENN/THORNTON
Angry James Brewing Co
Mother Tucker Brewery ● ●
The Baker’s Brewery ●
Periodic Brewing ●
Breckenridge Brewery & Pub ●
Satire Brewing Co ●
Broken Compass Brewing
PAGOSA SPRINGS/ DEL NORTE/ALAMOSA
HighSide Brewing ● ●
KREMMLING
The Colorado Farm Brewery
Grand Adventure Brewing Co
Pug Ryan’s Brewery ●
Pagosa Brewing Co ●
Palisade Brewing Co ● ● The Rockslide Restaurant and Brewery ●
Wiley Roots Brewing Co ●
IDAHO SPRINGS/EVERGREEN/ CENTRAL CITY/GEORGETOWN Dostal Alley Saloon & Gambling Emporium ● El Rancho Brewing Co ● Evergreen Taphouse & Brewery ● Guanella Pass Brewing Co Lariat Lodge Brewing Co ● ● Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub ●
Westbound & Down Brewing Co ● westboundanddown.com 720.502.3121 1617 Miner St. Idaho Springs
FRUITA Copper Club Brewing Co ●
Square Peg Brewerks
PARKER
Grossen Bart Brewery ● ●
Rock Cut Brewing Co
Black Bottle Brewery ●
Lake City Brewing
Roaring Fork Beer Co ●
New Terrain Brewing ● ●
BJ’s ●
LAKE CITY
Blind Faith Brewing
Lumpy Ridge Brewing Co
Anheuser-Busch
Crafty Canary Brewery
Glenwood Canyon Brew Pub ●
Mountain Toad Brewing ●
FORT COLLINS AREA
WALSENBURG
San Luis Valley Brewing ●
LITTLETON AREA
Estes Park Brewery ●
South Park Brewing Co ●
Riff Raff Brewing ● ●
Dean & Co Brewing
Casey Brewing and Blending
Avant Garde Aleworks
FAIRPLAY
LA JUNTA
Wibby Brewing ● ●
Dillon Dam Brewery ● ● Outer Range Brewing Co ●
Swole Beer
DISTILLERIES DENVER/BOULDER 12 Point Distillery - Lafayette Altitude Spirits, Inc. - Boulder Anders’ Vodka - Parker Archetype Distillery - Denver
The Block Distilling Co - Denver Broken Arrow Spirits - Centennial Denver Distillery - Denver Deviant Spirits - Boulder Deviation Distilling - Denver Devil’s Head Distillery - Englewood Downslope Distilling - Englewood Elwood Distilling - Boulder The Family Jones Spirit House Denver ● Geek Spirits - Boulder
November-December 2019
ThirstColorado.com 61
Golden Moon Distillery - Golden
Blackhat Distillery - Colo. Springs
Plum Creek Cellars - Palisade
Gaijin 24886 Sake - Denver
FOUR CORNERS
Hogback Distillery - Wheat Ridge
Cockpit Craft Distillery - Colo. Springs
Ptarmigan Vineyards - Grand Junction
Golden City Winery - Golden
Flying T Wine - Cortez
Ram’s Point Winery - Grand Junction
Golden Valley Winery - Denver
Four Leaves Winery - Durango
Red Fox Cellars - Palisade
InVINtions, A Creative Winery Greenwood Village
Fox Fire Farms - Ignacio
J & L Distilling Co - Boulder
Colorado Gold - Colorado Springs
Ironton Distillery - Denver Laws Whiskey House - Denver
Deerhammer Distilling Co - Buena Vista
Leopold Bros - Northeast Denver
Distillery 291 - Colo. Springs
Local Distilling - Golden
Lee Spirits - Colo. Springs
Mad Rabbit Distillery - Westminster Mile High Spirits - Lodo Mythology Distillery - Denver ● Rising Sun Distillery - Denver
Meridiem Spirits facebook.com\ meridiemspiritsco 720.998.7435 372 N Banner St Elizabeth
Rocker Spirits - Littleton
Reeder Mesa Vineyards - Whitewater St. Kathryn Cellars Winery & Gift Shop - Palisade
Kingman Estates Winery - Denver Ladrón Cellars - Englewood
Pleasant View Vineyards - Pleasant View
Summit Cellars - Palisade
Leap of Faith Winery - Wheat Ridge
Sutcliffe Vineyards - Cortez
Talon Winery - Palisade
Point Blank Winery - Centennial
Two Rivers Winery - Grand Junction
Purgatory Cellars Winery - Parker
Two Swedes Glögg - Grand Junction
Ryker’s Cellars - Denver
Varaison Vineyards and Winery Palisade
Silver Vines Winery - Arvada Spero Winery - Denver
Santa Fe Spirits - Littleton
Mystic Mountain Distillery - Larkspur
Ski Bum Rum Distillery - Golden
Sand Creek Distillery - Hugo
Whitewater Hill Vineyards - Grand Junction
Spirit Hound Distillers - Lyons
Sangre Distilleries - Westcliffe Spirits of the Rockies - Pueblo
CENTRAL WEST AREA
The Wine Barrel - Parker
State 38 Distilling - Golden
Vino Passarelli - Lakewood
Stranahan’s - South Denver Strongwater Spirits & Botanicals - Denver
Wood’s High Mountain Distillery - Salida
5680′ - Paonia Alfred Eames Cellars at Puesta del Sol Vineyards - Paonia
Water 2 Wine - Centennial
Talnua Distillery - Arvada Tighe Brothers Distillery - Denver
Tingala tingalaspirits.com info@tingalaspirts.com
WESTERN SLOPE
Azura Cellars - Paonia
10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co - Vail
Black Bridge Winery - Paonia
39 North Spirits - Eagle
Leroux Creek Vineyards - Hotchkiss
808 Distillery - Eagle
Evening Grace Vineyards - Hotchkiss
The Infinite Monkey Theorem Denver
Waters Edge Winery - Centennial What We Love, The Winery - Boulder Wild Women Winery - Denver Wine & Whey - Denver
Mesa Winds Farm and Winery Hotchkiss
NORTHERN FRONT RANGE
Coal Creek Distillery - Crested Butte Durango Craft Spirits - Durango
Stone Cottage Cellars - Paonia
Bad Bitch Cellars - Eaton
Highlands Distillery - Grand Junction
DELTA & MONTROSE COUNTIES
Blue Mountain Vineyards - Berthoud
Chill Switch Wine - Cedaredge
Blue Skies Winery - Fort Collins
Cottonwood Cellars/The Olathe Winery - Olathe
BookCliff Vineyards - Boulder
KJ Wood Distillers - Ouray
NORTHERN COLORADO
Marble Distilling Co - Carbondale ●
Garrett Estates Cellars - Olathe
Anvil Distillery - Longmont
River Garden Winery - Fort Lupton
Montanya Distillers - Crested Butte
Jack Rabbit Hill - Hotchkiss
Big Fat Pastor - Loveland
Settembre Cellars - Boulder
Peach Street Distillers - Palisade
Mountain View Winery - Olathe
Black Canyon Distillery - Longmont
Snowy Peaks Winery - Estes Park
Peak Spirits - Hotchkiss
Stoney Mesa Winery - Cedaredge
Bouck Brothers Whiskey - Idaho Springs
Stonebridge Farm Winery - Longmont
Stoneyard Distillery - Dotsero
Winery at Cedars Farm - Cedaredge
Sweet Heart Winery - Loveland
Storm King Distilling - Montrose
SOUTH FRONT RANGE
Ten Bears Winery - Laporte
Byers Cellars - Cripple Creek
Turquoise Mesa Winery - Broomfield
D’Vine Wine - Manitou Springs
Viewpoint Wines - Boulder
Evergood Elixirs - Palmer Lake
Vintage Handcrafted Wines - Fort Collins
Denver
Vapor Distillery - Boulder
Honey House Distillery - Durango
Weaver’s Spirits - Parker
Idlewild Spirits - Winter Park
Whistling Hare - Westminster ●
Coyote Gold Margaritas - Fort Collins Coppermuse Distillery - Fort Collins Dry Land Distillers - Longmont
Telluride Distilling Co - Telluride Woodshed Distilling - Pagosa Springs Woody Creek Distillers - Basalt
Elevation 5003 Distillery - Fort Collins Elkins Distilling Co - Estes Park
WINERIES
Feisty Spirits - Fort Collins The Heart Distillery - Windsor
GRAND JUNCTION AREA
Longtucky Spirits - Longmont
Avant Vineyards - Palisade
Mobb Mountain Distillers - Fort Collins
Carlson Vineyards - Palisade
NOCO Distillery - Fort Collins Old Elk Distillery - Fort Collins Old Town Distilling - Fort Collins Spring 44 Distilling - Loveland Steamboat Whiskey Co - Steamboat Spring ●
Le Fuselier Winery at Spring Creek Vineyards - Canon City Mountain Spirit Winery, Ltd. - Salida
Continental Divide Winery Breckenridge
Sette Dolori - Black Forest
Colorado Honey Wine - Distribution Only Dragon Meadery - Aurora Honnibrook Meadery - Castle Rock
Monkshood Cellars - Minturn
Colterris Winery - Palisade
The Winery at Pikes Peak - Cascade
DeBeque Canyon Winery - Palisade
Vino Colorado Winery - Colorado Springs
PLAINS
Queen Bee Brews - Denver
Vino Salida Wine Cellars - Poncha Springs
Claremont Inn & Winery - Stratton
Redstone Meadery - Boulder
Mummy Hill Winery - Holyoke
Garfield Estates Vineyard & Winery - Palisade
CENTRAL FRONT RANGE Allis Ranch Winery - Sedalia
Tower 56 Distillery - Greeley
Aspen Peak Cellars - Bailey
Gubbini Winery - Palisade
Balistreri Vineyards - Denver
SOUTHERN COLORADO
Hermosa Vineyards - Palisade
Bigsby’s Folly - Denver
3 Hundred Days of Shine - Monument
Maison la Belle Vie Winery & Amy’s Courtyard - Palisade
Black Arts Cellars - Littleton
62 ThirstColorado.com
MEADERIES Black Forest Meadery - Colorado Springs
Colorado Cellars Winery - Palisade
Graystone Winery - Clifton
Mesa Park Vineyards - Palisade
Black Bear Distillery - Green Mountain Falls
CENTRAL MOUNTAIN Buckel Family Wine - Crested Butte
Syntax Spirits - Greeley
Axe and the Oak - Colo. Springs
Decadent Saint - Boulder
Legatum Cellars - Canon City
Grande River Vineyards - Palisade
1350 Distilling - Colo. Springs
Augustina’s Winery - Nederland
CIDERIES Apple Valley Cider Co Artisan Craft Cellars - Westminster Big B’s Juices and Hard Cider Hotchkiss Boco Cider - Boulder Branch Out Cider - Fort Collins C Squared Ciders - Denver ● Clear Fork Cider - Denver Climb Hard Cider Co - Loveland Colorado Cider Co - Denver Colorado Common Cider - Colo. Springs Colorado Plus Cidery - Golden Golden City Winery - Golden Haykin Family Cider - Aurora The Ice Cave Cider House Monument Locust Cider - 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
Songbird Cellars - Beulah The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey Canon City
Desert Sun Vineyards - Grand Junction
Still Cellars - Longmont
Guy Drew Vineyards - Cortez
Peachfork Orchards and Vineyards - Palisade
November-December 2019
Meadery of the Rockies - Palisade
Vines at Vail Winery - Wolcott
Medovina - Niwot
Winter Park Winery - Fraser
Miracle Stag Meadery - Loveland
Reds Wine Boutique - Sterling
Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram and our website where we are serving up more of the Colorado experience. 303.428.9529
Bonacquisti Wine Company - Denver Carboy Winery - Littleton
facebook.com/thirstcolorado
Creekside Cellars - Evergreen
@thirstcolorado
twitter.com/thirstcolorado www
thirstcolorado.com
YOU BUY A CASE, WE PLANT A TREE
©️ 2019 Patagonia®️ Cerveza, Patagonia®️ Cerveza Pilsner, Fairfield, CA. Brewed in USA