Your complete guide to Weed, Bites & Wine in the Yampa Valley
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Publishers Eugene Buchanan Julia Hebard Editor Eugene Buchanan
Contents Departments
On The Cover
Shades of Summer: Revelers tossing back a few coldies at Storm Peak (gotta’ love the heart specs). Photo by Danielle Zimmerer.
5 | Boat Bites
Pg. 10
All Aboard: Inside Eagle Creek; a medley of aspen
eugeneb@swillinandchillin.com
tree art; Rainbow Gathering arcs toward North Park;
Art Director Julia Hebard
hasta luego Outlaw Coaster, a new chairlift record;
juliah@swillinandchillin.com
and more.
Sales Executive Debbie Wilson
11 | Munchies
debbiew@swillinandchillin.com
Restaurant scuttlebutt; town’s top wings; zany pizzas;
Contributors Rebecca Bonebrake Audrew Dwyer Emma Wilson
Rex’s chef Vicki Connacher; and the new Yampa Valley
Swillin’ & Chillin’ is published twice per year in summer and winter by WZ Publishing and is distributed free throughout the Yampa Valley. For advertising information, contact Julia Hebard, (970) 846-2021, juliah@swillinandchillin.com. Email letters to the editor to eugeneb@swillinandchillin.com.
“What other two words go together like Swillin’ and Chillin’?”
Pg. 17 Pg. 14
Icehouse and Steamboat Commons.
21 | Bevvies Barkeep Michael Ruby of Gondola Pub and Grill; Storm
Pg. 32
Peak goes up; Coffee Town USA; beyond the floor grime at Sunpies; Yampa Valley Brewing Co. comes to town; and more.
28 | The Straight Dope Billo growmaster Dave Kulberg; dispensary roundup; how
Pg. 34
to blow smoke rings and roll a joint; Tumbleweed budtender Chris Franges; the Presto Pipe; plus mucho mas.
Eugene
35 | Off The Couch
“Boatin’ and Gloatin’”
Summer event calendar; town’s top swimming holes; bluegrass boating on the Colorado; a place to race
Julia
remote-control cars (for free!); and more.
“Beers and Cheers!”
39 | Party Time Debbie
“Wheelin’ and Dealin’”
Pg. 38
Top rooftop bars; putting your photo on a cocktail; summer concert lineup; cranking tunes at The Press; Happy Hour hoedown; and more
44 | Tunes
Emma
“Drinkin’ and Clinkin’”
Catching up with the Brian Smith Band; and Buffalo Commons’ new record.
46 | Last Call
Random Dirtbag “Climbin’ and Vibin’”
Pg. 44
Swillin’s unequivocal Are You a Local? Quiz; and an Ode to the Mustache Ride! SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 3
Swillin’ & Chillin’…catch the wave!
r
Letter from theShEditor It struck me while kayak surfing the first glassy wave of the season—when your mind is flowing, Zen-like, with the water, and you’re in enough control to be cognizant of your surroundings: These Are the Things I See When I Surf. Whether you’re on the ocean or river, SUP, surfboard, kayak or tube, surfing evokes a magic, a sort of flow state feeling we search for our whole lives. And in a kayak, sitting instead of standing, you have time to take it all in. Hence, the following roundup of things I’ve seen while surfing our beloved Yampa: Tiny bubbles. Not in the wine, but in the water, floating straight at me from upstream; I bob and weave around them, as if playing a giant game of Space Invaders. Leaves, like tiny ships, blowing off bankside willows from a freak gale (we had a lot of those this spring) and landing just upstream before whisking past my bow, ships passing in the night. Splashes off my bow, funneling plumes of water off both sides in an parabolic array of patterns. A sudden rainstorm, kerplunking down a barrage of tiny puddles. I arc turns around them, instant gates on a slalom course. Boulders on the river bottom, as the runoff hasn’t muddied the water yet. Polished smooth and providing structure for fish, they’re mesmerizing in their stillness. Revelers throwing back Sol beers at Sunpies, raising them in salutation as I surf. And the new building next door and its rooftop bar, soon to be home to the Yampa Valley Icehouse. People chatting on the Liar’s Bench outside Backdoor Sports, and customers walking inside for river gear. Onlookers at the Ambulance Barn bridge, whenever I can steal a glance their way past the paddleboarders waiting in line. My sprayskirt toggle and Immersion Research logo, which is where my eyes naturally settle as I fight to stay on the wave, leaning forward and aft as if doing stomach crunchers in Pilates (not that I’ve ever taken a class). My life. Get on a good, effortless wave and your mind wanders, from your job and relationship to picking eggs up from Natural Grocers. There’s no better way to contemplate your existence…or insignificance. And, of course, the promise of Swillin’ & Chillin’. I haven’t seen people actually reading it yet on a bar deck while surfing, but that’s the same feeling we’re trying to evoke with each issue—that happiness with life, gratitude for friends, family and fun, and celebrating the good things in this town we call home. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have another, ahem, wave to catch…
4 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
BOAT BITES Steamboat News Round Up They’re baaaacchhk! No, we’re not referring to the aliens made famous in The Poltergeist. But the Hula Hooping, tie-dye-wearing Rainbow Gathering, which, according to rumors, is coming to “near the Walden area” of Grand County to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its first gathering, which took place at Strawberry Lake. “We’ve been made aware by the U.S. Forest Service that the 2022 Rainbow Family Gathering could occur in Grand County,” the Grand County Board of County Commissioners said in a statement. In 2006, the Rainbow Family held their gathering in Routt The Rainbow Family of Living Light County near Big Red Park, drawing an returns to Colorado this year for their estimated 15,000 revelers celebrating annual festival. nature and their alternative lifestyle. The only real ramification afterward was that the local dog population swelled due to strays left behind. “Kind of the consensus unofficially is that they’re coming and we can do the best we can to prepare,” District 2 Commissioner Merrit Linke told Grand County’s Sky-Hi News. “They’re a very unstructured group with no legal status or organized structure…and they don’t have any true leadership, so preparing in advance would be hard to do.”
Reds, Whites and Brew Fest: June 25 Forget Swillin’s tagline of Weed, Bites & Wine. The Reds, Whites and Brews festival is just as snappy, and returns to Steamboat on Saturday, June 25, on Yampa Street. After last year’s hiatus, this year marks the festival’s fifth year in Steamboat. “We’re super excited to be back,” says Krista Benedetti of Radiate Live Events. “I think people are looking forward to having a fun day outside along the river.” The event will feature over 30 wineries and breweries, from local favorites to other Colorado and out-of-state breweries. “We’re happy that it’s landed back on the calendar this summer,” says Mountain Tap co-owner Wendy Tucciarone, who’ll be pouring their summer favorite Passionate Pedal passionfruit/wheat ale. “It’s practically out our front door and will be a great way to kick off the summer.” The event will also feature live music from Nashville artists Kristen Kelly and Hailey Steele, as well as West Virginia’s The Company Stores. Unlimited tasting tickets run $35, which include a collector’s cup, with an after-party at Otto Pint, where you can show your ticket for a $12 specialty pizza and draft beer.
Movin’ Dirt Resort Base Booming Don’t head to the base of the mountain expecting peace and quiet this summer. Steamboat Resort is full bore into the second phase of its Full Steam Ahead project, a multi-year, $200 million improvement plan that will make it the second largest ski resort in Colorado. Backed by parent Alterra, this year’s project adds $100 million in improvements, including a second gondola, new beginner’s area and base amenities such as the new Skeeter’s Ice Rink, as well as the new Range Food and Drink Hall, including four new eateries — Twister Tacos, Why Not Sweet Spot, Sunshine Bowl Ramen and Pioneer Pie — with a full bar on each floor and massive, outdoor deck. Lift-wise, the lower terminal of Christie will be moved
south to make room for the lower terminal of the new Wild Blue Gondola, which will lead to the new Greenhorn Ranch beginner’s zone at Bashor Basin. In phase three, this zone will become the mid-station for riding to the top of Sunshine Peak, making it the longest, 10-person gondola in North America, spanning 3 miles and 3,371 vertical feet all in a 13-minute ride time.
A Town with Heart Drew’s Crew Courtesy of Storm Peak
Photo by Steven Weeks on Unsplash
Rainbow Gathering Coming
Cue the Grateful Dead’s “Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart…” (from Shakedown Street, of course). Because that’s what it displayed in spades this spring after the death of beloved local Drew Hyde, 49, in an avalanche on March 19. Friends and Strom Peak brewed up a special label brew in honor of beloved community member Drew Hyde. family came together in force in fireside vigils (using his beloved Solo Stove), a massive group skin to hang prayer flags in his honor at Prayer Flag Meadow (even though he hates them), group flipping-the-bird photos, and at a life-celebrating send-off to end all send-offs at Howelsen Hill. There, even local businesses hopped on the Hyde bandwagon, with Ski Haus Liquor donating wine (thanks, Scotty), Aurum whipping up vittles (thanks, Phil), and Storm Peak Brewing rolling out a special label “DH Powdah Hound Pilsner” in his honor, complete with photos of DH and his sidekick Griff, schralping pow. Swillin’s condolences also go out to friends and loved ones of Adam Mayo, Arlo “JR” Lott Jr., and Mary Kelley, who also passed away before their time this spring.
Lake Howelsen? Happen to ride by Howelsen Hill this spring during melt-off? You might have noticed a new amenity to the uberawesome, city-run park: Lake Howelsen! Not that the venerable Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club is adding water skiing and sailing to its offerings, but the body of water sure turned some heads—especially those of visiting mergansers who dropped by for a drink and, possibly, fish. “I half expected to see sailboats and windsurfers on it,” said Lake Howelsen, Steamboat’s newest city-run amenity. one passerby.
Wave Pool Fun! Kids driving you crazy, swinging your cat around by the tail? Take them to the… Wave Pool in Craig, America! Yes, you heard right. Craig actually has a wave pool, whose undulations will transport you from its concrete straight to Cabo. While it might not be quite sophisticated enough to lure the likes of Kelly Slater to town, it’s fine for the rest of us (“The pond would be good for you”) and another way to beat the heat come summertime. Bonus: tube rentals are only two bucks. SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 5
Steamboat News Round Up Courtesy of Steamboat Gravel.
Photo by Patrick Robert Doyle on Unsplash
BOAT BITES
The only problem with drafting draft horses? Manure stripes up the back of your bike jersey.
Liftie Rides Every Chair in Country Now here’s a quirky record: Peter Landsman, 32, a lift supervisor at Jackson Hole, has finished his quest of riding every single ski lift in the U.S. Yep, that’s right. It took him 22 years, but, as reported by The Colorado Sun, Landsman visited, photographed and documented 2,381 chairlifts at about 480 resorts in the U.S.— every single chairlift, gondola, tram, poma and T-bar in the country. His quest took him to easy ones like our chairlift at Howelsen and more obscure ones, like Cordova, Alaska’s Mount Eyak, which required six different airplanes to ride its one, single chairlift. His quest ended with this winter’s Hickory ski area in New York and the new T-bar at Maine’s Saddleback Mountain. “Twenty-two years—I can’t quite believe I’m finished,” he told the Sun, adding that he pays for it with advertising revenue from his website, Liftblog.com, where he documents each of the country’s lifts and news.
A Lot of Rubber
Draft horses
SBT GRVL Gallop
Let’s go ahead and call it a sufferfest. How else would you describe racing 142 miles, 100 of them on gravel, with 9,400 feet of climbing? But some people like pain and with its 3,000 spots selling out in minutes, August’s SBT GRVL race, presented by Wahoo, is one the largest cycling events in the country, drawing grind-it-out gravel riders this year from 14 countries, duking it out for nearly seven straight hours. But what got us grinnin’ at Swillin’ from last year’s event was the chaos created by some of the equine “crowd.” Near Fetcher Ranch in north Routt County, a few horses apparently broke loose and began pacing the riders. “Some of them got out and ran alongside them,” says one onlooker. “It was quite the peloton.” No word on if the riders were able to us them as, ahem, draft horses.
Tube Town USA!
Hasta Luego, Outlaw Coaster In 2021, 14,321 tubers made their way past the Ambulance Barn.
Guess the number of tubers in a month on the Yampa! Thanks to a camera installed by the city last summer at the Ambulance Barn on Yampa Street, that process just got a whole lot easier, giving city officials the tally on how many tubers pass by on a tube, SUP or kayak (sorry, squirt boaters don’t register). Many are tubers who use one of town’s three commercial operators, and the others are private floaters. And the survey says: Last year, whose river season in town lasted only from June 10 to July 8 due to low water, 14,321 tubers passed by the camera. Of those, 6,912 were commercial and 7,409 were private. The busiest days were July 3 and July 4, with about 1,750 tubers each day. 6 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
Yes, as part of the resort’s improvements, the Outlaw Mountain Coaster is no more. Demolition of the “country’s longest mountain coaster” began in April, bidding adieu to the track that descended 400 vertical feet on more than 6,280 feet of track down to the bottom of the mountain. The coaster was scuttled after opening in 2017, when the ski area was owned by Intrawest. “We have long recognized the Outlaw Mountain Coaster was not in an ideal location as the first impression in the base area,” says Steamboat president Rob Perlman. “Now we have the opportunity to be thoughtful about our approach to base area improvements as we move Full Steam Ahead with shifting Christie Peak Express lift to make room for the Wild Blue Gondola.” Also hasta luego’d: the Maverick Mini-Golf course.
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Eagle Creek has been a legendary adventure travel luggage brand since its founding in 1975. After Denver’s VF Corp. announced plans to shutter the brand last year, Travis Campbell—who previously served as general manager Americas for The North Face and president of Smartwool here in Steamboat—purchased it and moved its headquarters to Steamboat. Swillin’ caught up with Campbell in between fly casts on the Yampa and bike rides on Emerald to catch up on his plans for the brand.
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Tell us about your motives for the purchase. It was an amazing opportunity. The brand means so much to so many, is known for its incredibly highquality products, and we have an opportunity to build a company from scratch around that love. We can put some of the toothpaste back in the tube and move forward in a way that’s authentic to the brand and our customers. We want to invest in growth for the right reasons: to create opportunities for our people, scale our impact, and create funds for sustainability work and conservation efforts. You can be a great business by traditional financial metrics and also do good in the world
Any big changes to the brand’s direction? Everyone involved recognized time was of the essence and how important it was to let the market know the brand would be going forward with new ownership and renewed energy. I think eventually we’ll put our own stamp on it, likely in terms of new categories or activities we want to serve. In the short term, I just want to understand where the brand has been and where it is before we make major changes. The great thing is we’re starting from a position of a having an iconic brand that has made really good product over time.
Any big changes staffing-wise? The brand was located in Denver ever since VF moved its outdoor businesses there in 2019. We’ve now moved our headquarters to a building off Elk River Road. We’re building our team essentially from scratch, while defining what the future organization will look like and which roles can come over time.
8 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
Courtesy of Travis Campbell
2020
The Eagle has Landed 47-year-old luggage brand Eagle Creek lands in Steamboat
Travis Campbell bought the brand last year and moved it to Steamboat.
Is the new line ready to sell yet? Because of COVID, the brand had actually built newness into the line that they held off on introducing in the last couple seasons, and it’s developed newness for SP22 and F22 as well, so we have a lot of new product in the pipeline right now. For this year our focus is going to be on being in stock on our core, best-selling items.
Does the recent slowdown in travel due to the pandemic give you any concerns? For sure. Not so much in the long term because I’m convinced that global adventure travel will come back stronger than ever, but in the short term it is definitely having an impact on bigger trips. That said, many people adjusted to more close-to-home outdoor recreation last year and that trend continues to explode in a positive way for parts of our business.
Any advantages on being an independent, smaller company? I think an independent Eagle Creek can do things large corporations simply can’t because the demands of our capital structure are so different. We want to be an incubator for ideas seen and heard over the years, create new ways to help travelers and the world. I truly believe travel can change lives on so many levels, because travel is so much more than going to a place, it’s the journey, the people you meet, and what’s learned along the way.
BOAT BITES
Photos Courtesy of Steamboat Powdercats.
Sultry Art or Graffiti? How’s Your Aspen?
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You never know what you’re going to stumble across ski touring among the aspen trees of Routt County. Take this crop of sultry artwork, for instance, adorning a stand of aspen trees up on Buff Pass. While similar artwork belonging to lonely sheepherders has been found—and recorded— throughout Routt County, this batch seems slightly more modern, given the snowboard attached to one figure and the relatively newschool swimsuit attire fashioned to the others. But they add to a trove of such drawings that can be found in our backcountry. “They’re all over the place up here,” says Kent Vertrees, manager of Steamboat Powdercats, whose guides know the region’s aspen groves better than anyone and have given certain areas not-entirely-PC monikers. “Sometimes we’ll show our guests them when we’re
in a certain stand of aspen trees.” Leslie Lovejoy, who heads up nonprofit Friends of the Routt Backcountry, has been chronicling and recording her tree art finds for years, many as much as eight decades older than these more modern additions. “They’re very prevalent,” she says. “I have hundreds of photos of them from up in our neck of the woods. Many are dated and go back to the 1920s and 1930s.” Just be warned lest you think of adding to this arsenal of artwork: Stumbling upon them skiing or riding is fine, but defacing the forest is frowned upon. “Tree carvings cause resource damage and can result in the death of that tree,” says the Forest Service’s Brendan Kelly. “It’s a prohibited activity on National Forest lands and can result in a citation.”
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BOAT BITES Steamboat Snapshots Costume of the Year Forget all the costumes at this year’s Spring Splash celebration. This closing day get-up would have soared across the pond with aplomb. Complete with a pet monkey, purple vest and Moroccan fez hat, the reveling Aladdin crafted the carpet out of a PVC piping frame surrounding his snowboard, before whisking away down Mt. Werner. Good thing he could rely on three wishes to help him get down.
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Board Meeting, Steamboat-style Big Agnes co-owners Bill Gamber, Rich Hager (at the oars) and Len Zanni switch from designing tent poles to casting fishing poles on the nearby Colorado River. (Photo courtesy Carlos Fernandez)
Tyke of a Pike Ryan Herbert of Yampa Valley Anglers hooked into this 41-inch hog by stripping a streamer in the lower Yampa. “It’s the biggest one I’ve ever landed on a fly there,” he says. “It inhaled it and then towed us all around. It took about 20 minutes to land, and barely fit in the net.”(Photo courtesy Dave Marrs/ Yampa Valley Anglers)
Become a sustaining donor today Urine Bovine Country
Ranch Cutout of the Month: This rancher, located on the north side of Hwy. 40 just before Hayden, thought he might as well get artistic with the trickle feeding into his cattle trough. So he made a…peeing cowboy!
10 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
MUNCHIES Restaurant Scuttlebutt Courtesy of Steamboat Commons.
Dude & Dan’s Changes Hands
The Steamboat Commons will take over the old Ghost Ranch and house up to six food vendors and full bar.
Roll Out the Carpet for… The Steamboat Commons There’s a new food court in town, pilgrim. Showing that teamwork and partnerships are alive and thriving in the eatery world, various restaurants are saddling up to new digs in the former Ghost Ranch building at 56 Seventh St. With renovations underway, the new venture, called The Steamboat Commons, will house up to six food vendors, a full bar (operated by Justin Keys, owner of The Barley), large, 650-square-foot deck with outdoor seating over the alley, and more. Clyde’s Pies is already using one alley space in the building’s basement, with coffee shop Burlap and Berry already serving takeout options. “We spent a lot of time planning it and wanted to do it right,” says co-owner Cam Boyd, who purchased the 7,200-square-foot building with partner Adan Feiges in 2020. “It’s great because it gives smaller vendors the ability to cook and serve great food and it gives guests a place to sit down and relax and enjoy great food and drinks.” While four vendors will be up on the main floor, the street-level spaces will harbor two more, with walk-up access and bar seating livening up the alleyway. “It will be great for people to meet for coffee and breakfast in the morning, sandwiches for lunch, and great food as well as beer and cocktails for dinner,” says Boyd, adding they should open this summer. Keys adds they also plan to offer signature cocktails with the food vendors. “We’re stoked for the vision the Commons has become,” says Clyde’s Kyle Nelson. “Food halls are all the rage—specially coming out of the pandemic. We’re humbled to be a part of it and also involved with The Barley and the beast that it’s become. We couldn’t ask for a hotter ticket to put our name next to.”
Don’t expect it to be renamed Scott & Seann’s, but Dude & Dan’s at 1106 Lincoln Ave. in downtown Steamboat has new owners with entrepreneurs Scott Buchler and Seann Conway—of the Café Diva, Ore House at Pine Grove and Freshies restaurant group—purchasing the sports bar in March from former owners Brandon and Jackie Pfaff. Conway will now oversee operations of all four restaurants and says it will still be good ol’ Dude & Dan’s but with a new name, West End Sports Grill. Customers will find 20 large screen televisions to watch the game, great drinks and grub (including starters, salads, sandwiches, meatloaf, gumbo, jerk chicken and more), and a large game room upstairs for the youngsters (and those without any friends). It will also keep using the space next door, offering pool tables, foosball, darts and more “social and adult-style games,” says Conway. It’s open daily at 11 a.m. and closes at midnight, when the cows have already gone home.
Make way for…the Yampa Valley Icehouse! Don’t expect rapper Ice Cube to show up, but get ready for the Yampa Valley Icehouse at 751 Yampa Ave. right along the river next door to SunPies. Owned by John and Jarett Duty, the new live-fire BBQ joint will feature a 14,000-lb., custom smoker trailered over from Texas, serving up ragin’ barbecue, including burgers, chicken, pork and more, by head smoker Mark Mlynski. Also look for live music outside, as well as a rooftop bar and deck with views of Howlie, the river, Mt. Werner and more. While they’ll remain separate restaurants and bars, they’re also taking the fence down between the Icehouse and SunPies, opening up the ambiance. “It’s not going to be a late-night bar, just a great venue for awesome barbecue and bands in the daytime and early evening,” says John. Maybe that will be enough to entice a visit from the Cube? www.yamparivericehouse.com.
Trail’s End Takes Over for Double Z Move over Double Z, there’s a new meat-slinger in town. Hotdog emporium Trails End Bar & Bites has opened up at 1124 Yampa St., the former home of riverside BBQ joint Double Z. “We serve traditional bar food like Chicago-style dogs, chicken wings, loaded cheese fries, and just about anything you can think of fried,” says owner Jacob Hardin. Expect a casual atmosphere, welcoming bar and delish’ dogs. “You get that laid-back rustic feel in an 111-year-old building that’s directly across from the Yampa and Howelsen,” he adds. “It’s a great spot to watch the game or sit outside with friends and family.” Swillin’ tip: Eddy out and order a dog when you’re floating by on the river. www.trails-end.bar
Sambi Canton becomes Ocean Dragon Sambi Canton at 941 Lincoln Ave. in downtown’s Victoria Building has new owners, with Jun Zhang and May Li taking over operations of the Asian restaurant in March and renaming it Ocean Dragon Chinese and Sushi. Zhang will be quick to get the hang of the new restaurant. Originally from northern China, he worked as a sushi chef in Arizona before working at Steamboat’s 720 Fusion Fresh for two years and running Kremmling’s Mount Dragon Chinese and Sushi for four years. He says they’ll continue to offer many of Canton’s staples, but will also add new items and recipes, including new sushi offerings and Chinese and Thai fare. SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 11
MUNCHIES Town’s Top Off-the-Wall Pizzas We all know the typical pepperoni and mushroom, sausage and onion or, heaven forbid, vegetarian pizza orders. But what about the more obscure, creative ones that get served up in Steamboat? Here’s a sampling (sorry, Domino’s):
cream cheese, sausage, caramelized onions, spinach, white sauce). The list of pizzas and their respective toppings is pretty darn extensive.
Mambo Italiano
The Godfather: With a list of over 20
Blue Sage possible toppings and ingredients, Blue Sage Pizzeria leaves food creativity largely in the hands of its patrons. That’s not to say it doesn’t offer its own vibrant and varied options like “The Godfather,” topped in white sauce, spinach, tomatoes and chicken, available in a medium 14 inch and a monster 18. Just don’t leave half of it on your pillow in bed (for all you “Godfather” fans).
The Forager: Reminiscent of a romp through
deep woods, The Forager offers a natural and nature-based theme of toppings that set it apart from others. Including assorted mushrooms, broccolini, caramelized onion, taleggio, mozz, garlic, truffle oil, and eggs, this pizza pays homage to the deep woods surrounding Steamboat and offers a unique flavor scheme. Consider sampling the 12-inch small, or go all-in with a 16.
Corner Slice Buff Chick: So its name might not be entirely PC. But the pizza certainly is. Ski fast, eat pizza is the motto at Corner Slice, which carries over into summer for other outdoor pursuits. This baby comes with toppings like buffalo sauce ranch drizzle, blue cheese and chicken. Looking for something a bit greener? Try the Veg Head, with more veggies than Natty G’s.
Brooklynns Pizzeria The Max: Count a whopping 10 toppings on
this monster refueler, a hand-tossed masterpiece of pepperoni, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, black olives, Italian sausage, tomatoes, extra cheese and anchovies (upon request)…and that’s not counting its traditional red Italian, sauce and unique blend of mozzarella. Real hungry? Get the Monster size.
Clyde’s Pies Palisade Peach/Goat Cheese:
Hot Momma/Spicy Papa: These two distinctly named ‘zas are memorable in flavor and title. The Hot Momma is exactly that: hot. With honey Sriracha, jalapeños and chili flakes spicing up fresh mozzarella, bacon and chicken breast, it’s not for the faint of heart or taste bud. Or try the toned down Spicy Papa, whose marinara, mozzarella curd, cream cheese, pepperoni, jalapeños and pineapple won’t melt your mouth.
Mazzola’s Florentine: As a part of Mazzola’s “designer
pies” that come with a gluten-free crust option, it’s no surprise that the Florentine has ricotta cream, artichoke, spinach, chicken, red peppers and mozzarella as a part of its unique, across-theAtlantic flavor. You’re guaranteed to be saying “Molto Bono!” after every bite.
Hamburger/Sausage Combo:
Enjoy the Pesca with a fresh pint of local brew at Mountain Tap.
How Ya’ Doin
Mountain Tap
Lobstah Bubblah: Lobster, chicken
Pesca: While Mountain Tap admits it “doesn’t
tenders, cream cheese and a menagerie of innovative names to match, How Ya Doin’ (try to say that without impersonating Joey from “Friends”) boasts a wide variety of creative “Specialty Pies” in 10-inch sizes. Our two faves: Sink your claws into its Lobstah Bubblah (lobster, bacon, garlic butter sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, tomato, basil); or Daniel’s White Gold (mozzarella,
Otto Pint
Beau Jo’s
Courtesy of Mountain Tap
Offered seasonally, the Palisade Peach from Clyde’s is a summer medley of a pizza, including not only its namesake Palisade peaches, but also crema sauce, honey goat cheese, basil chifonade, roasted pine nuts, prosciutto and balsamic glaze. It all adds up to a pie with a tinge of the taste of summer, all from its wood-fired oven in the alleyway of Steamboat Commons. “We wouldn’t necessarily classify it as weird, but more eclectic,” says Clyde’s Kyle Nelson. “Our Palisade Peach should be world famous—sweet and savory, so good.”
cheese, basil, white sauce and a drizzle of beer glaze—a sweet and savory beer reduction,” she says. “It hits the menu as soon as Lance from Davis starts delivering to the Farmers Market in early June. It’s an amazing symphony of flavors ranging from the fresh and sweet peaches to savory pancetta.” Looking for something with a local feel? Try the Wapiti, topped with elk sausage, roasted corn, red bell pepper, red and green onion, garlic, parmesan and San Marzano tomato sauce, which will leave you bugling in a rut for more.
really do any off-the-wall/zany pies” (“Our chef and his team would never even think of suggesting a pizza with pineapple or jalapeños,” says co-owner Wendy Tucciarone), it veers that way with its Pesca, its most popular summer ‘za. The reason harkens to the Allman Brothers’ “Eat a Peach” album: “It features fresh peaches from Davis Family Farm in Palisade, pancetta, garlic, Calabrian chilies, Grana Padano
12 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
Cow connoisseurs rejoice. With Beau Jo’s offering a “choice of hamburger” with pizza sauce, it might be confusing that the Hamburger or Sausage Combo is, in fact, a pizza. Offering hamburger and sausage as separate options as well as a combo, this carnivore’s favorite is topped with additional pepperoni—as well as a few vegetables, including red onions, green peppers and mushrooms—with wholesome whole milk mozzarella cheese to glue it all together.
Brick The Quattro Formaggio: Say cheese, please. This four-cheese classic is a brick oven ‘za that delivers on exactly what its name promises. With traditional mozzarella layered with additional fontina, parmesan and goat cheese, it’s a dairy delight, offering a new take on an old, tried-and-true “just cheese” formula. — Rebecca Bonebrake
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MUNCHIES On a Wing and a Prayer Town’s Best Wings Sampler Rex’s Grill
Who cares that RedBull gives you wings? Anyone who’s had a RedBull and vodka hangover knows that’s for millennials. But here’s the rundown on where Steamboat gives you wings — deep-fried ones, to be exact, with all the fixins’, sauces, spices and more. Just wash your hands before you put your sunglasses back on or grip your SUP paddle or bike brakes; the grease tends to both lubricate and smudge.
Rex’s Grill isn’t flighty about its wings at all. It serves them them up hot and huge, perfect for watching the game at the bar or enjoying on the lawn outside. They come with all the rub and sauce options to satisfy almost any post-ride or hike craving, and a casual atmosphere to match. Choose from their popular Dry Rub, Cry-Baby, Chili Jam, Ranch or creamy Blue Cheese and prepare to see your taste buds soar. Courtesy of Slopeside Grill
Moe’s Original Bar B Que Moe’s knows BBQ and Moe’s knows wings. Applewoodsmoked chicken wings, to be precise. Founded by three downhome Alabamans — “Life needs more beer and BBQ,” says co-founder Ben Gilbert — Moe’s is run by longtime locals Chris Gander and Hillary Heid-Gander and hangs its hat on southern flavor, which wafts up in its jumbo smoked wings. The key: They’re smoked, then fried, then lightly coated in housemade wing sauce. They’re served with celery and Moe’s creamy Alabama-style white BBQ sauce for dipping. Bonus: Happy Hour from 2 to 6p.m. daily with, yes, $1.50 wash-down-your-wings Hamms.
there were only five in the carton.”). Credit eight savory flavors, including garlic parm, Rachel’s Smokin’ BBQ (whoever Rachel is), lemon pepper, peri-peri (Huh?), Cajun, Buffalo and Hot Buffalo, King Candy (Huh, again?) and Tropical Reaper. Hormone- and antibiotic-free, these babies were never frozen and are marinated for 24 hours in house brine. They come in six-, 12- and 18-piece cartons, minus the one you eat before getting home.
Old Town Pub Served by the pound, Old Town Pub’s wings are bold in very different ways, reaching all ends of the spice and flavor scale. “We pre-bake them for a few hours in a flavorful wing juice, which makes them super tender and hands-down what we feel are the best in town,” says owner Sean Regan. Sauces range from mild flavors like bleu cheese, ranch and barbecue to step-it-up-a-notch dry rub and even Swillin’ fave red lime curry. But those are just warmups for the “at your own risk” Fuego flavor—wings so hot they warrant a warning (but there’s plenty of beer on tap to cool the flames).
Slopeside’s regular and boneless wings will lift you up just like the new gondola.
Slopeside Grill
How Ya Doin’
Aurum Food & Wine
Carl’s dippin’ sauce makes Carl’s wings fly off the menu like its namesake Norwegian.
Carl’s Tavern Credit the wing accolades at Carl’s Tavern downtown to Carl’s dippin’ sauce. You get a whole pound of them, with dry rub BBQ, Ninja, Buffalo, or Steal Your Face seasonings, with your choice of homemade ranch or bleu cheese. “They’re cooked to order and arguably one of our best sellers,” says owner Scott Engelman, touting hand-crafted sauces and seasonings, including its own Carl’s Tavern Dry Rub. “Come in and enjoy a pound on game day.”
Billing itself as “A new element in dining,” Aurum also offers a new element in wings: “It’s actually not even chicken,” says owner Phil Armstrong. “It’s an Asian-style duck wing, with a sweet soy-style sauce. People love them.” The secret is the sauce, a viscous concoction with a special ingredient: stout beer, mixed in perfectly with an array of spices. Garnish it with sesame seeds and green onion, and a half price happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m., and you have a wing that, well, flies off the shelf.
Hypnotic Chicken Okay, so it’s a drive-thru. Still, we gotta’ give chicken wing accolades to locally owned Hypnotic Chicken, between town and the mountain, which are so good you can’t resist eating at least one and getting the remnants on your steering wheel (“Honest, honey,
14 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
Keeping it short and sweet, How Ya Doin’ simply refers to their chicken wing meal as “Wings.” And while the title gets right to the point, their wing sauces and flavor arrays are far from simple, with such tried-and-true classics as Buffalo and BBQ bookending such options as Thai Peanut and Sweet Chili sauces. Just save enough room for their pizza.
Courtesy of Bésame
Courtesy of Carl’s Tavern
Sure, there might be some construction going on at the resort this summer, but that will only disguise the noise your stomach is making thinking about Slopeside’s Boneless Wings, which get served up in half-pound or full-pound batches and come dryrubbed, buffalo, BBQ or sticky. For sauces, choose from bleu cheese, ranch, BBQ, honey mustard, buffalo, or the Swillin’ fave slope sauce. Just save room for a handmade delectable pizza or sandwich afterward, and order plenty of beer to wash them down as you watch the new gondola go up.
Bésame’s Ancho Chili Duck wings will make you want to kiss your server.
Bésame Duck, duck, goose! A fun game around a circle for kids takes on new meaning at Bésame, whose Ancho Chili Duck wings make up their resident wing entree option, with more succulent, moist meat than your standard chicken. With a unique and flavorful taste combo, these babies come augmented with bitter orange puree, jalapeños, radishes and puffed rice, upping their duck game even more. — Rebecca Bonebrake
Groovy Smoothie Inside Seedz’ Green Monster
AS PREMIUM CANNABIS CURATORS, WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON HAVING THE BEST CANNABIS SELECTION IN THE STATE.
Pineapple, citrus fruits disguise algae taste Don’t let its name scare you. The Green Monster smoothie at Seedz is far from frightening. In fact, the only feelings it evokes is a love of food. Seedz Café’s signature and best-selling smoothie is described by owner Fawn Racoma as a “healthier, green smoothie, with a cerelena or algae base.” But at first sip, you’d never guess that algae is a base ingredient to this healthy blend. “Pineapple and citrus fruits disguise its taste,” says Racoma. True enough, each sip reveals a new layer, taste buds too occupied with chasing around undertones of pineapple to focus on its more traditional health-food ingredients. Based on a drink popularized at her former restaurant Rootz, the Green Monster, she says, was created because they didn’t have a kale juicer at their new location, leading its creators down new paths. But that’s not to overshadow their second most popular drink, the PBJ smoothie, which Racoma cautions doesn’t actually have jelly, but rather fresh strawberries and other fruit and, of course, peanut butter—which, blended, thankfully won’t even stick to a Green Monster’s mouth.
Open Daily | ANNAdispensary.com | @ANNAdispensary 735 E Jefferson Ave, Hayden, CO 81639 | 970-717-0104
— Rebecca Bonebrake
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MUNCHIES Chef Profile Catching up with Rex’s Vicki Connacher
What’s your restaurant background and how’d you end up here? I was lucky enough to attend culinary school in South Africa, after which I worked for a few years in Cape Town, then traveled for the next few and
worked in London and then on cruise ships and in resorts till I heard about Rex and asked for a job.
What’s your family status?
Courtesy of Vicki Connacher
Vicki Connacher is the talented executive chef for Rex’s Family of Restaurants, which include Rex’s, Laundry, Mazzola’s, Salt & Lime, Big House Burgers, Lil’ House and Creekside. Originally hailing from Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where she attended Cape Town’s Silwood Kitchens Cordon Bleu Culinary School, she’s traveled around the world training with some of the most skillful chefs in the industry, including the crazy and talented Gordon Ramsay in London. In 2006, she joined Rex’s team at Mazzola’s and has never looked back, becoming an integral part of its growth from one to seven go-to restaurants in Steamboat. We caught up with her between slicing and dicing for the inside, er, skinny…
I’m shacked up with my beautiful dog, bad cat and silly boyfriend on “the West side.”
What restaurant do you spend the most time at? That all depends on each restaurant’s kitchen management status and staffing. I’m currently at Rex’s, but this will change.
What makes each of Rex’s restaurants unique? Each restaurant has a chef that is passionate about maintaining a high standard in their food, a happy staff and consistent product – Rex’s family is very Lucky to have these great, talented humans at the reins. Some things you may not know: Big House has magical custard shakes, Salt and Lime’s
Butter my biscuits. Vicki Connacher has led the team at Rex’s Family of Restaurants since 2006. Churros seem to have a life of their own, Creekside’s pancakes are so fluffy, they’re like clouds. Laundry has a chef that’s so positive and excited about food he’s basically doing cartwheels while creating your favorite bites (I’m not joking.) Mazzola’s has the most incredible pizza crust and Rex’s has something fun up their sleeves every Tuesday, besides the amazing Mac n’ Cheese.
STEAMBOAT’S MOUNTAIN BIKE HEADQUARTERS BICYCLE RENTALS fat bikes, pedal assist e-bikes, mountain bikes, cruiser bikes, kids bikes trailers & tagalongs
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SERVICE/SALES/PARTS Daily service and parts specials, demo bikes available. We are your trusted source for trail information, reports and updates.
WE CAN SERVICE ANY BIKE! Open Daily Between 8th & 9th on Yampa St.
841 Yampa St. | Steamboat Springs | 970-819-4805 Located on the river along the bike path. A 60 second ride to the Emerald Mountain Trail System SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 17
Chef Profile
What do you like about the Rex’s Family of eateries?
Don’t make eye contact with me. I’m very awkward and prefer not to have to talk to people while I’m cooking, which leaves me inserting my foot into my mouth a lot.
Our food is whimsical, it’s not completely what you expect.
Any quick cooking tips for us amateurs?
What’s better: cooking or managing cooks?
Put a damp, clean towel under your cutting board. It keeps it from sliding around and driving your significant other nuts. Nobody wants giant onion chunks in their salad. Seriously. If you have a mini spatula, you’re cool!
Cooking, by far.
What is your favorite meal to prepare? I have three: Thai Green Curry, Lamb Korma and General Vicki’s Chickee General, a Tso Chicken/ American Chinese dish. It’s chicken thigh morsels marinaded in Shaoxing wine and fried, served in a spicy savory tomato-soy sauce. For the Curry, I like to make the base paste, which is so fragrant with its kaffir lime, lemon grass and aromatic spices. Making your own paste makes a world of difference.
What’s the best thing a customer can do?
Is it true that the 100 folds in a classic chef hat represent all the different ways to cook an egg?
Courtesy of Vicki Connacher
MUNCHIES
Apparently, yes. But a ball cap is way less work and you can wash it in the dishwasher.
Don’t make eye contact. Chef Connacher needs to concentrate in the kitchen.
Other hobbies or interests?
Favorite hiking or biking trail?
I love to travel, as well as reading, mountain biking, hiking and skiing.
I love a quick Larry’s to Blair Witch to Little Moab ride after work when the days are so long you can still ride at 7 p.m. It’s magic. We are lucky to live here!
Now serving Breakfast Sandwiches. Made with Hayden Fresh Farm Eggs!
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BEVVIES Short Pours Going to New Heights
Yampa Valley Brewing Co. Coming to Steamboat
Storm Peak Debuts Bus Stop Location, Roof Top Bar
Get ready for more suds, Steamboat. Steamboat is getting a new brewery taproom this summer, with Hayden’s Yampa Valley Brewing Co. expanding and opening a new outlet downtown at 1125 Lincoln Ave. Originally opening with a brewery and tasting room in Hayden (now at 200 Walnut St.), the brewery expanded quickly to also open the YVBC Barrel Room in Craig at 576 Yampa Ave. Now its sights are on the beer drinkers in Steamboat. “We want to brew beers tailored to what each community wants while creating an environment unique to each location,” says co-owner Paul Brinkman. To keep all three tap houses supplied, last summer the brewery broke ground on a new 1,500-square-foot brewhouse in Hayden, increasing its production threefold. The company plans to open the Steamboat location this summer, complete with a front patio and lodge-style tasting room.
Mountain Tap has new brews and a new mobile bar ready for summer.
Mountain Tap Mojo Mountain Tap has its mojo going with several new concoctions for summer. Brewed to celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day, its Get Out! Saison is a Belgianstyle saison made with Colorado-grown barley and wheat described as earthy, spicy, tangy and quenching. Its new Summer Heat Ginger Wheat is brewed with fresh ginger root, wheat, oats and barley, then conditioned on more fresh ginger, lemongrass and limes, with a low ABV of 4.3%, making it a patio crusher, while its Summer Haze is a juicy, hazy session IPA brewed with tangerine and grapefruit purees, then dry-hopped. The brewery is also collaborating with Routt County Riders for a springtime quencher perfect for trips to the desert with its Prickly Pedal, a crushable prickly pear session, light with a hint of desert fruit and a low ABV; and Hala-boration river beer with the crew at Hala Gear Space with the new Hala Lima, a hazy session beer brewed with key lime puree, giving it just a hint of margarita. “It was a crazy winter and spring and we’re looking forward to summer,” says co-owner Wendy Tucciarone, adding the brewery also, with the help of a friendly rancher’s tractor, recently installed a new tank – a sevenbarrel fermenter – to keep up with increased demand. Also look for the barn-style Mountain Tap Mobile making the rounds to area weddings and other gatherings.
New Digs Meet Mythology: Distillery Gets New Home at Butcherknife
Courtesy of Mythology
Courtesy of Mountain Tap
There’s a new spot for brews on the mountain at the Storm Peak Bus Stop, opened by brothers Wyatt and Zach Patterson. Steamboat’s newest taproom opened in January at 2500 Village Dr. and serves up Storm Peak Brewing Co.’s awardwinning craft beers at the base of the mountain. “We’re very happy with how it turned out,” says Wyatt, adding the new 4,600-square-foot location is actually bigger than Storm Peak’s west side taproom at 1885 Elk River Road with room to seat 180 people and a whopping 32 taps. “It’s a tasting room for most everything we produce at our brewery.” Situated between two bus stops, the renovated location used to house the Iron Waffle and Steamboat Bauhaus and includes one of the longest bars in town (just try to slide your glass down its entire length). Foodwise, as with its main location it works with nearby restaurants and stores like Après Burger Bistro and Wild Plum, while also allowing customers to bring in outside fare. In other Storm Peak news, check out its new rooftop bar at its west end location, offering views of everything from the sunset down valley to the alpenglow caressing Mt. Werner and its namesake Storm Peak.
Well, it’s a bummer that the Amputator got the axe with the closing of Butcherknife Brewery. But in its stead comes Mythology Distillery, an award-winning craft whiskey and gin distillery that will be making Steamboat, and the former Butcherknife HQ, its new home by spring 2023. Company founder Scott Yeates has lived in Steamboat with his wife, Lauren, since 2017 and is excited Mythology finds a new home in the old to be moving up after Butcherknife brewing building. opening Mythology with partners Scott Burg and Mike Zakhem in Denver in 2018. After looking for a mountain location, he found the 5,000-square-foot Butcherknife property at 2875 Elk River Road and knew it was the answer. He plans to open in spring 2023, including a production facility, tours and tasting room with food and homespun cocktails. “We’re super excited to relocate Mythology to Steamboat,” says Yeates. “The site is perfect for us as we can utilize the existing building for our production and renovated tasting room. We’re also planning to break ground this summer on a second production building and outdoor whiskey garden that will be an awesome outdoor community space to enjoy drinks, listen to live music and hang out.” Recognized as one of Denver’s top distilleries and winning more than 50 domestic and international awards, Mythology has grown into one of Colorado’s fastestgrowing distilleries, with mainstays including its Best Friend Bourbon, Hell Bear American Whiskey and Needle Pig Gin. Booze bonus: his dog’s name is Whiskey! SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 21
BEVVIES Coffee Town USA? Steamboat Java Roundup Sometimes it’s breweries getting all the attention, other times bars and even dispensaries. This time, it’s town’s coffee shops and roasters, with a slew (a latte?) of changes percolating around Steamboat’s java scene. Following is a filtered sampling of what’s going on in the world of Joe in what is fast becoming Coffee Town USA.
from Lakewood’s Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters, which connects the coffee farmers with the bean processors, wholesalers and consumers. Its menu runs the gamut from espresso, Americano, macchiato and latte to drip coffee, cold brew, tea and more. It also serves Sherpa Chai, matcha latte and turmeric-based golden milk. As for wines, look for such organic offerings as Italy’s Vincenzo Bianco and others; and for brewha’s, a large selection of crafts from across the Centennial State.
Seedhouse Coffee
“Our goal is to be thoughtful in in our service and products and listen to the community,” says Lindstrom, adding that the shop is “a thoughtful space and crew that want you to want to be there.” Info: www.beardbraidsteamboat.com
New ers Own
The new owners of Seedhouse Coffee, Alyssa and Ryan Stauffer and Kendra and Chase Lovins, understand the value of a good cup of coffee. That’s why this January they purchased the roasting company from Andy and Kay Leigh Kearns, who bought the roasting biz in 2019 from founder Gates Gooding. Roasting each bean to a unique profile to bring out its nuances, the company specializes in organic, single-origin, ethically sourced coffees, roasting their beans twice a week at its location downtown. Their quiver includes four single-origin coffees including Honduras Pactiva, Ethiopia Limu, Guatemala Codech and Mexico Chiapas, as well as seasonal and espresso blends. It selects beans based on flavor profiles — sweet, fruity, bright, and earthy — and sources from producers around the world. It’s their mission that “every coffee we share has something unique to say about where it came from and how it was processed. We only offer those rare coffees that we get truly excited about.”
The Steamboat Collective
New
Longtime Steamboat sommeliers Michael Lang and AJ Fossum have teamed up to create The Steamboat Collective at 1875 Ski Time Square Dr., which serves up Big Iron Coffee during the day and wine in the later hours. It’s a mountainside coffee shop in the morning, with wine tastings in the afternoon and a private club in the evenings. Lang, a 20-year sommelier at Harwigs and L’Apogee, joined forces with Fossum, owner of Ski Town Wine and Spirits, to open the establishment, with sommelier and former Sauvage GM Andre Swanson also chiming in. Led by barista Colleen McNaught, it also offers bagels, pastries, yummies from Mountain Waffle Co., and a wine-tasting charcuterie with cheese, olives, nuts and more. Info: www.wine-collective.com
Courtesy of Beard & Braid
Courtesy of Dusky Grouse
They also help the communities they work with around the world, giving a percentage of profits toward people, projects and initiatives that are making a difference. “We believe in leveraging everything we have at Seedhouse for bettering our world,” maintains Kendra. “We love coffee, and we love this community.” Bonus: A subscription service for $17 per delivery, delivered to your home, however often you want. Info: www.seedhouse.coffee
Dusky Grouse: music and machiatos.
Dusky Grouse Coffee Beard & Braid recently opened up shop in the old Azteca space downtown.
Beard & Braid
New
Feel free to show up at Steamboat’s newest coffee shop with your follicles wherever and however you want them. Located at 116 Ninth Street downtown (Azteca ring a bell?), Beard & Braid is owned by Jess Lindstrom and offers fresh coffee, Colorado craft beers, organic wines and awesome sauce baked goods, including house-made pastries, croissants, coffee cakes, scones, birthday cakes and more. Its motto—”Drink good coffee and be kind”—rings home with us, as does its coffee 22 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
New
Call it Steamboat’s only coffee and record store. Glen and Stephany Traylor’s new Dusky Grouse Coffee, at 1585 Mid-Valley Drive, blends albums and java to what they call “a welcoming gathering place filled with the aroma of roasted beans.” From hot to cold, the new coffee shop offers more than 15 different handcrafted coffee drinks, from lattes to cortados, iced mochas and spicy chais. Also look for bagels, croissants, breakfast burritos and more to fuel your day outside. And go in expecting tunes as well as treats as they sell records, vinyl-style, as well. The shop also partners with Seattle radio station KEXP to play alternative and indie rock while you’re sipping your cup of joe, as well as albums for sale and staff’s favorite picks. It all goes with their motto, “Music matters, you are not alone.” And coffee matters, also. Info: www.duskygrousecoffee.com
BEVVIES
Coffee Town USA? Butter Bean Coffee New
Founded by Liberty Adams, Butter Bean Coffee is Steamboat’s newest cold coffee brew. Available at Mountain Brew Coffee and other select locations, the bottled coffee drink is cold-brewed delicious and one of several new drinks Adams hopes to offer down the pipeline (he started NEWZ flavoring earlier this year). He says he has ideas for other uplifting drinks, including those using terpenes, as well as drinks that enhance creativity, decrease stress and more. For his cold brew, he wanted to decrease coffee’s bitterness and acidity, allowing him to add different flavors not normally found in coffee drinks.
Burlap & Berry
summer, anyway—served out of their takeout window. “We’re incredibly excited to show everyone the plans we have for this year,” says Anson Palmer, who co-owns it with partner Frankie Azulay. Info: www.burlapberry.co
Emerald Boat
New
You’ve maybe heard of the “Emerald Mile”, the book by Kevin Fedarko about the record-setting dory descent down the Grand Canyon. Now Steamboat has its own Emerald Boat, named after Emerald Mountain and just as green. The new coffee shop and café is at 700 Yampa Street, offering healthy and organic drinks, house-made treats, savory food and more. Enjoy a cup of organic coffee, tea, chai, matcha, smoothies and a glass of wine or beer. “We’re super excited to provide unique food and drink options in a cheerful and warm environment,” says Anahita Tikku, who owns it with partner Walter Leskiff and touts its super luxe sofas, arm chairs, swiveling leather barstools and vintage wood tables. “Emerald Mountain represents the spirit of the town and we aim to be a gem of the town as well.” Info: www.emeraldboat.com
New
Located in the former Ghost Ranch Saloon (now Steamboat Commons) building at 56 7th Street, Burlap & Berry is one of town’s newest coffee shops, providing highquality coffee and espresso thanks to its partnership with the passionate smallbatch roasters at Steamboat Coffee Co. Its mission: for you to love their coffee as much as they love making it. Also look for smoothies, Italian sodas, blended drinks, breakfast sandwiches, and uber-yummy smoothie bowls, all—for this
Not to Forget the Tried and True
Mountain Brew With locations downtown and inside the library, Mountain Brew, owned by Alan Hansen, is a locals’ favorite for a cup of java and other specialty concoctions (a whopping 11 signature drinks). Ranging from light roasts to dark, it serves the finest fair trade coffee beans available, small-batch roasted in Portland, Ore., and ground fresh for each pot, as well as coffees from Steamboat’s local roasters. Menu items vary daily, featuring baked goods and a full breakfast and lunch menu, sourced locally (try the quiche or curry chicken wrap). “We’re an intimate coffee shop in downtown Steamboat,” maintains Hansen. Info: www. mountainbrewsteamboat.online
Steamboat Coffee Roasters has expanded its selection to 19 varieties.
Steamboat Coffee Roasters Locally roasted in good ol’ Routt County, Steamboat Coffee Roasters offers a rotating selection on drip, as well as a variety of different bags sold whole bean. In all, it offers “19 varieties, freshly roasted at altitude,” including such organic, fair trade, rainforest-friendly and Steamboat-themed roasts as Powder Morning, 3 Wire Winter, Hahn’s Peak and Nordic Jumpn’ Bean. Bean bonus: Bring your own beans in and it will also grind your coffee so it’s as fresh as possible. Info: www. steamboatcoffee.com
Big Iron Owned by Bowan Radkey, Big Iron Coffee has big plans to keep you caffeinated, with a chill vibe and delicious drinks. The biz that gives you a buzz has two coffee shops in town, one downtown and one on the west side, both serving up freshly roasted coffee drinks in all shapes and sizes. Visit them downtown at 635 Lincoln Ave. or at their roastery at 2432 Lincoln Ave. out west to put a little boost in your step or pedal crank. Info: www.bigironcoffee.com SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 23
BEVVIES Brewery Roundup Mountain Tap Brewery
Courtesy of Storm Peak
Expect a mountain of fun every time you go into Mountain Tap Brewery downtown. Artisanal wood-fired pizzas and tasty lagers and IPAs get you stoked? Throw that back and more inside its cozy taproom (or outside on its deck) and brewhouse downtown at 910 Yampa Ave. The Steamboat favorite features innovative beers and a full menu served up in a family-friendly atmosphere. Twelve taps pour everything from hoppy IPAs to porters, ales and lagers (Swillin’ fave: the Macaroon). A giant wood-fired oven cranks out homespun ‘zas, and a firepit-lined patio fuels the social vibe. “Our beers, cuisine and casual ambience all depict our mountain town atmosphere,” says owner Rich Tucciarone, whose hair might be just a bit disheveled and wet from a SUP-surf outing on the A-wave just a cork-pop away. www. mountaintapbrewery.com
Storm Peak Brewing Co. There’s a lot brewing at Storm Peak Brewing Co., located west of town at 1885 Elk River Plaza, with a new rooftop bar and Bus Stop on-mountain location. Popular choices include its lagers and pilsners, as well as its
Maestro, an IPA heavily hopped with Citra and Chinook, with flaked wheat and Munich and caramel malts. “It just has a way of refueling those carbs you burn up adventuring outside,” says co-owner Wyatt Patterson. “But we also brew a bunch of lighter IPAs and a whole lot more. We’ve also had great response to our new seltzer, which is a great option for those who don’t like ‘beer.’” Storm Peak makes its beer in a 4,600-square-foot facility with 20 taps and garage doors that open to a large patio with yurt and fire pit. Other mainstays include its Mad Creek Kolsch, Urban Sombrero Lager, sour-fruited Serenity Now and Insanity Later, guavakettle-soured Hoochie Mama and Zomb Brown Ale. “We love sharing our passion for beer — there’s almost always something new to enjoy,” says Patterson. “Our lab and quality control are way ahead for a brewery our size so we can make the best, most consistent product we can.” www.stormpeakbrewing.com
Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill Located downtown on 5th Street and Lincoln Avenue, Mahogany Ridge, owned by longtime locals Charlie and Nancy Noble, is Steamboat’s oldest brewery (and a multiple winner of Town’s Best Bar), serving up craft-made brewhas in the heart of downtown. A longtime locals’ favorites is its potent Alpenglow, a rich, full-bodied, amber ale with a toasted malt character and sweet finish. Use it to wash down its “dipping menu’s” 20 different sauces. “The beers are great and it’s not your typical brewpub fare,” says Charlie, touting its fish and chips, burgers, ribs and long-loved Onion Ale soup. Bonus: one of the best happy hours in town, with one buck tapas. www.mahoganyridgesteamboat.com
We are a brewery and canning operation in Steamboat Springs, CO
two LOCATIONS! BUS STOP TAPROOM TAPROOM AND CHILL ZONE NEAR THE SKI BASE. 2500 Village Dr, Steamboat Springs, CO
/////////////////////////////////////////// BREWERY & TAPROOM TAPROOM AND MANUFACTURING FACILITY ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN. 1885 Elk River Plaza Steamboat Springs, CO
24 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
BEVVIES
Brewery Roundup
Courtesy of Steamboat Whiskey
Yampa Valley Brewing Co. Headquartered at 200 N. Walnut St. in Hayden just two miles from the airport, Yampa Valley Brewing Co. churns out delicious craft brews at its downtown Tap House and Brewery for locals and tourists alike. Its YVBC Barrel Room at 576 Yampa Ave. in Craig is also a prime spot for pints, and the company has an additional location coming to 1125 Lincoln Ave. in downtown Steamboat this summer. To keep all three tap houses supplied with its craft beer, it recently completed a new 1,500-square-foot brew house behind its Hayden tap house, increasing its production threefold.” Year-round favorites include Yampa Valley Blonde, Sandhill Crane Red and Coal Miner Stout, with plenty of special seasonal rotations. Swillin’ fave: the orange-hued Space Age IPA, with equal parts piney, citrus and herbal hops combining for vibrant flavor, with hints of light caramel. www.yampavalleybrew.com
Steamboat Whiskey Company
Steamboat Whiskey offers a large selection of unique libations.
Saddle up to Steamboat Whiskey Company, located at 1103 Lincoln Ave. in Steamboat’s first Co-op building. Town’s first and only craft distillery, it makes its high-quality spirits by hand in an American-made pot still. Stop in
for a free tasting, whiskey-infused dessert or a signature libation (try its Sleeping Giant Gin or Ski Town Vodka), while watching its distilling team in action. Also, sample its new menu items by chef Shawnna Elmore, including smoked brisket tacos, smoked with shavings from its whiskey barrels and served on homemade tortillas with a vinegar-based slaw. The company even has its own garden on its roof. “We have a lot happening this year,” says co-owner Jessica Newhall, touting a new line of rum-based liqueurs, its first aged whiskey and a new single malt in collaboration with Storm Peak Brewery. And don’t overlook its Warrior Whiskey, a blend of American-made bourbon and rye whiskies finished in rum casks and bottled at Navy strength (100 proof)— a Double Gold winner at the 2021 San Francisco International Spirits Competition, with sales benefiting U.S. veteran support organizations. (Hint: Look for sweet notes of maple syrup, sweet corn, clove and cinnamon, with a rich vanilla and marshmallow palate profile.) Visit on a Wednesday and play its hilarious, R-rated Adult Spelling Bee. www.steamboatwhiskeyco.com
Steamboat Winery Unleash your inner sommelier at Steamboat Winery, located at Two Brothers Ranch 20 minutes from downtown. Due to Steamboat’s short growing season, it purchases its grapes from California, mainly Sonoma and Napa, letting it produce wines here in the Yampa Valley. All of its labels center around life in Steamboat, including River Angler Cabernet Sauvignon, Slopeside White Chardonnay, Ranch Dog Rose’ of Pinot Noir, The Daisies Sauvignon Blanc, Expert Slope Syrah, The Aspens Barbera, Barn Red Blend, The Antlers Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Rodeo Merlot, and a Bunny Slope non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice. Its wines are also available for purchase locally (as well as wine and chocolate gift baskets), as are private in-home tastings with charcuterie by appointment. www.steamboatwinery.com
SATURDAY, Sept 1o, 2022 Beer Garden 2-6 pm (WILDHORSE PLAZA)
GET YOUR tickets! SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 25
A FAVORITE COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE
BEVVIES Know your ‘Tender Gondola Pub and Grill’s Michael Ruby By Emma Wilson
12 house-made beers on tap Full menu of wood-fired cuisine Bounty of retail offerings Spacious outdoor patio Beer and food to-go
Tue, Wed, Thur at 3 p.m. Fri, Sat, Sun at 12 p.m. 910 YAMPA STREET | 970-879-6646 MOUNTAINTAPBREWERY.COM
Like a good wine, bartenders get better with age. Such is the case with Michael “Ruby” Ruby, of Gondola Pub and Grill and Yampa Valley Shakers, who’s been bartending in the ‘Boat for over two decades. Originally drawn to Gondola Pub and Grill by its reputation amongst locals as the perfect spot to après after a day on the slopes, Ruby has been a staple behind the bar for 18 years, slinging drinks for powderhounds every weekend. With 25 years of total experience pouring libations, Ruby is a master of concocting a good time and getting drinks in hand. When he’s not at GPG, you can find him pouring drinks with his mobile bar service, Yampa Valley Shakers, which specializes in bringing the bar to wherever the party’s at. Swillin’ caught up with him to get to know him a little better. Age: 46 Marital status: Married (14 years, two boys ages 6 and 8)
How long have you been here and why Steamboat? I moved here in November of 2000 from Michigan for the skiing. I came out to live at the resort for a winter, but once I stayed for a summer, I knew I was never leaving.
What’s your favorite part of the job? My favorite part is the social aspect. People are in a good mood and I’m serving a good time. My passion for skiing allows me to bond with strangers—I get to talk to people about their ski days and watch the excitement on their faces when they walk in. I’m like, ‘What did I miss? Tell me about the snow!’ I’m also just happy that people are having a good time. This is my town and I want people all around the world to have a topnotch opinion of Steamboat. The fact that I get to be part of that positive experience feels great.
What’s your favorite drink to make? I love an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan. Something that you can take pride in. I also like when people aren’t sure of what they want, and I get to create for them.
Ruby’s favorite part of his job is serving up a good time. talk to your guests, introduce them to each other, and find common ground. A bartender should also know what’s up to date so that you can talk to people. Know other bars, know Steamboat history, know about the ski hill, and know other goings-on.
What’s the hardest part? Probably judging a customer’s limit of consumption. It’s a bartender’s responsibility to serve patrons and then stop them when they’re incapable of stopping themselves.
Was bartending always the plan? It just suits my personality. I’m a really chatty, social guy and I wanted to travel and experience different things. In the winter, all I want to do is ski and work, and bartending lets me do that. It also gives me midweek opportunities to spend time with my family and get outside with them without the crowds.
Any favorite sports and activities? Our whole family rides dirt bikes. In the summer, we do lots of camping, dirt biking, mountain biking, and standup paddleboarding. And in the winter, obviously skiing.
What are the most important skills for a bartender?
Check out Ruby’s other endeavors:
I’d say multitasking, being aware of your surroundings, and paying attention to your guests’ moods. When teaching someone how to bartend, I tell them that you’re basically hosting a party. If your party sucks people will leave. You need to be able to joke around,
Yampa Valley Shakers (www.yampavalleyshakers.com), a mobile bar service specializing in beer, wine and specialty cocktails; All Decked Out, an epoxy coating, deck finishing, and painting service.
26 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
BEVVIES Dive Bar Spotlight: Sunpies Bistro Maybe it’s the blue, headache-causing Hurricanes. Maybe it’s the Cheers-like bar inside (where everybody knows your shame). Maybe it’s the riverside tables, where you can watch tubers and paddleboarders swim by. Maybe it’s even that confounded ring toss game where you try to swing a ring onto a hook that seems impossibly far away. Whatever it is, people seem to like hanging out at Sunpies, one of the best excuses for a dive bar in town. “It’s just a fun place to hang out that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg,” says co-owner John Duty. “It has a cool, local vibe all year long.”
anything. It reminds me of some of the places we used to go to in Texas.” The feel changes sometimes during the summer, when it can get packed. “That’s when it loses some of its character—or should I say characters,” John says. “But they come back once it quiets down.” This summer its outside deck should have a lightly different, bigger feel as well as the Duty’s have bought the land just downstream, plan to take out the fence and open it up to border their new Yampa River Icehouse restaurant next door. “But don’t worry,” says Duty. “It will still feel like good ol’ Sunpies.”
Located at 735 Yampa St., and a past winner of Town’s Best Bar honors, Sunpies’ New Orleans spin owes itself to southern founders Mike and Colleen Miller, who gave it its Hurricanes (a 20-ounce mixture of rum and juices), Po’ Boy shrimp sandwiches and Gumbo. When it was purchased a decade ago by brothers John and Jarett Duty, and partners Chad and Sarah Gagliano, they did little to change this vibe, adhering to “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”—which could also apply to its dedicated patrons, who don’t necessarily sip Patron. Saddle up to the bar indoors, which can get a bit tight; the open-aired bar outside with a roof overhead, evoking a more southern latitude feeling; or take a seat on the grass along the river. If you’re a local, you’ll likely know someone, and if you’re a visitor, you’ll meet one. “We always liked what they had done with it,” John says, touting the bar’s relaxed, simple atmosphere. “It seems to work and it didn’t seem prudent to really change
Get your Swill & Chill On 10%o ff
mix & match 6pks of Beer
15%o ff
When you bring 2 corks (we recycle)
15%o ff
When you buy 6 bottles of wine
WINEPURCHASE
Please, don’t feed the passing paddlers or tubers.
Thank you STEAMBOAT for 25 26 YEARS of PATRONAGE! Slices All Day - All Night Most Affordable in the Boat!
All your favorites plus boutique wines & unique craft beers (970) 879-7278 Open Daily 9am - 8pm 1450 S. Lincoln Ave, Steamboat Springs, CO Located directly next to Safeway on the way into town.
Always Fast, Fresh & Open Late Daytime DELIVERY Starting at 12 p.m. daily 57 10th St. | Corner of 10th & Lincoln 970-871-1000
Your Taste Buds Will Thank You! SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 27
STRAIGHT DOPE Steamboat’s Dispensaries Blue Heron Where: 100 W. Main St., Oak Creek | Web: blueherondispensary.com
ANNA Where: 735 E Jefferson Ave., Hayden | Web: annadispensary.com What: Blue Heron’s sister dispensary Anna (“a play off the word “cannabis,” says co-owner Mark Wellstone) is fueling the cannabis stoke in Hayden at 735 E. Jefferson St. — right next to the “windmill” property — carrying its selection of high-quality flower. Like Blue Heron, it’s a “small and mellow” boutique-style pot shop, serving up all-organic flower and locally sourced concentrates. “It’s very similar in terms of what we offer,” says Wellstone, who operates the shop with partner Cherie Sanders. “It’s Hayden’s first dispensary and we hope to be an important part of Hayden’s revitalization and are excited to provide top quality service to the community.”
What: Oak Creek’s Blue Heron is known for having one of the best selections of the highest quality flower in northwest Colorado. The small, boutique-style pot shop offers all-organic flower, and the concentrates are locally sourced. The dispensary features a variety of products from farms all over the state, including Binske chocolate bars and concentrates, Honest Marijuana Company’s flower and joints, and Wild Fire, a newer Steamboat company featuring vape pens and concentrates. “We enjoy catering to locals on a first-name basis,” says owner Mark Wellstone, who named the company in honor of a blue heron that always on the water when he went boating with his late friend Matt Lansing. “We’re the hidden gem in Rout County, and carry the best of the best.”
Billo Where: 3150 Ingles Lane | Web: mybillo.com What: Carrying a complete line of flower, concentrates, edibles, topicals and more, Billo Dispensary prides itself on having a friendly and knowledgeable staff and the highest quality cannabis. Located on the south end of town, Billo is the first dispensary visitors see when driving into town from Rabbit Ears Pass. Billo products are as prime as their location, with the company winning multiple awards for its locally grown strains. In this year’s THC Classic, the state’s only blind-judging cannabis competition hosted by Rooster Magazine, Billo products won Best Indica Strain (1st Place – Banana Mac); Best Flash Frozen (2nd Place – Durban Diesel Diamonds and Sauce); Best Disposable Vape (2nd Place – Grapple x Jealousy); and others. This follows several awards last year as well, including second place (Indica) for their Slurry Crasher strain, and third place (Sativa) for their Caps Frozen Lemons. “It’s an honor to be recognized now for the third year in a row,” says head of grow operations Dave Kulberg. “It highlights how hard the team has been working and how we continue to focus on quality above all. And it feels good to come home with trophies in a range of different categories.” Pre-order these products online or swing by Billo’s mountain village store and talk with a friendly budtender. 28 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
Golden Leaf Where: 1755 Lincoln Ave. | Web: goldenleaf.co What: Located on the west end of town, Golden Leaf cultivates cannabis with nutrient-rich soil, pure Rocky Mountain water and advanced growing techniques to produce some of the highest quality cannabis in Colorado. Whether you’re looking to enhance your Yampa Valley experience or help an ailment, Golden Leaf strives to provide a comfortable and informative experience for everyone. It recently completed an onsite grow facility with Manufactured Infused Product (MIP) license behind its retail store at 1755 Lincoln Ave. and is riding high on a slew of awards, including 1st Place Sativa for its Lemon Poison at the 2022 THC Rooster as well as
1st Place Hybrid for its Dry Ice, which also earned 2nd at the 2022 Hemp Connoisseur THC Championships. It also appeared (on the date 4/20, of course) on the Discovery+ Channel’s THC show, which focuses on dispensary remodels. While locals know Golden Leaf for its flower and concentrates, what they love most is its friendly, service-oriented budtenders. With a complimentary shuttle service, as well as daily flower and concentrate selections, it also offers online recreational ordering.
BH
Open Daily Located on Main St. in Oak Creek (970) 736-2268 blueherondispensary
Tumbleweed Steamboat Where: 2093 Curve Plaza, #C-103 | Web: tumbleweed420.com
Located directly behind the Farmers Market
What: Proud to be owned and operated by females, Tumbleweed—named after the namesake plant its owners saw blowing across the highway when they moved west from Minnesota—began in Parachute, Colo., in 2016. Growing like a weed itself, it’s since rolled across Colorado to include eight dispensaries in Frisco, Edwards, Carbondale, DeBeque, Eagle, Craig and Steamboat (which it formed by purchasing local dispensary Rocky Mountain Remedies in 2019). Its Steamboat team has 13 years of experience managing other dispensaries in Routt County, so is well-versed in understanding the wants of locals and visitors. It proudly serves the Colorado high country with quality green bud, edibles, topicals, CBD products, concentrates and everything in between. (It also has the world’s first drive-thru dispensary.)
SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 29
STRAIGHT DOPE
Yes, necessity is sometimes the mother of invention. Just ask Todd Baur, inventor of the aptly named “Presto Pipe,” a tiny little item that lets you instantly turn any can or plastic bottle into a, yes, smoking instrument! Simply screw it in, torch up and, Voila!, puff away (or poke and smoke, as its stately literature attests). “There’s always a can or bottle to be found somewhere,” says Baur, describing it as inexpensive, small and disposable. “And it’s cheap enough to keep several handy for whenever the mood hits.” When you’re finished imbibing, it can be tossed (yes, it’s recyclable) or kept for next time. And he adds they’re also great for traveling, involving no dirty pipes or wrinkled papers to pack—and it’s hard to tell it’s a pipe. $3.99, www.prestopipe.com
Move Over, Moots The Titanium DangleBong Forget local Titanium bike maker Moots. Bozeman, Mont.’s Dangle Supply Co. has them beat with the world’s first…wait for it…Titanium waterpipe! (Unless someone at Moots has secretly made one on the side.) The virtually indestructible Titanium Bong is tiny and travel friendly, delivering what its makers call a perfect hit every time, for gurgles on the go. The implement features a fixed 18mm down stem with extra percolation holes in the bottom to ensure a clean, smooth pull, while an 18mm UltraSucc bowl (yes, also Titanium) carries not one, but five holes for an even burn and easy cleaning. But wait, there’s more! Also included is a RubbPlugg rubber plug, a convenient place to store your bowl while you’re out adventuring. The DangleBong measures 7 inches tall and weighs just 133 grams for “compact Dangleability.” $142.69, www.danglesupply.com Courtesy of DangleBong
Courtesy of Presto Pipe
Ways to Imbibe The Presto Pipe
YOUR ONE STOP FOR BUDS & SUDS
CURVE PLAZA
2093 Curve Plaza, Unit C Order online for quick pick up! 970-761-2239 • tumbleweed420.com
30 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
OPEN EVERY DAY 2093 Curve Plaza, Unit D 970-879-7355 • www.arcticliquors.net
STRAIGHT DOPE Beginners 101 How to Roll a Joint
LISTEN THIS SUMMER WHILE YOU’RE
Sure, it’s nice to get those perfectly rolled, filter-ended, nary-a-bumpor-run pre-fab joints from your local dispensary of choice. But all that prerolling has unfortunately put the art of rolling your own on the back burner, regaling the practice to yesteryear right alongside cleaning out seeds. To resurrect the long-lost art, we went to a few local rollmeisters for their tips. Here’s what we found:
Break up the Goods: Break up any bud stems that might poke through the paper with either a grinder (if you’re that retentive) or with your fingers. The goal: finely crushed herb that will burn smoothly and not rip the fragile rolling paper.
Want a Filter? While they’re not mandatory, filters, or “crutches,” help reinforce the mouthpiece, make a joint easier to hold, boost airflow and minimize lip burn. Buy them pre-made or make your own with a piece of thick paper or cardstock (business cards work great, just don’t hand it out at that job interview) by ripping off a rectangleshaped strip about half an inch wide, folding it into a small cylinder and putting it at one end of the paper before rolling.
Load ‘er Up: Lay the rolling paper on your tray (ZZ Top album cover?) with the adhesive side facing up and toward you. Position the crutch at one end and sprinkle your ground-up cannabis onto the paper in an even column in line with it (note: “experts” recommend about a third of a gram per doobie). Avoid overstuffing it and evenly spread the dope throughout the joint, making especially sure there’s not a bulge in the middle. Hint: start with 1¼-inch paper until you’re ready for the big leagues.
Roll ‘er Up: Get rolling. Carefully pick up the cannabis-filled paper in both hands,
using your thumbs and index fingers to pinch the paper into a taco shape. Spread the cannabis out evenly and pack it down a hair (note: it’s okay if some falls out). Tuck the non-adhesive side of the paper over the weed and slowly roll it up towards the adhesive side, tucking in the bud as you go. Hint: Use your thumbs to roll and your index fingers to support the outside.
Lick ‘er Closed: There’s no need to slobber all over the thing or, heaven forbid, put the entire joint in your mouth. When you’re ready to seal, just a little lick along the glue strip will seal it up just fine, starting at the mouthpiece end and working to the other side. If you want to get fancy, tap any loose stuff at the end with a pen or something to pack it down then twist the extra paper at the tip to seal her shut. Swillin’ tip: Like an ice cream cone, don’t commit to your lick too soon; if it’s not to your liking, unroll and try again.
ALL YOUR FAVORITES LIGHT ROCK • ROCK • COUNTRY • SPORTS
Blunt vs. Spliff Did You Know? (you probably did...) A cannabis joint that includes both cannabis and tobacco is called a spliff, while a cigar hollowed out and filled with cannabis is a blunt. Blunts can also be made by rolling cannabis in the heavy, dark, tobacco papers used for cigars. SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 31
STRAIGHT DOPE Meet the Grower Billo Head of Grow Operations Dave Kulberg
What do you like about it? I love being able to produce premium quality marijuana for this community. The true passion lies in the pursuit to find unique traits in each plant and new genetics or strains. We’re looking for different qualities and effects each time we bring something new to the table. A plant must check all the boxes before being approved for commercial production. It’s always exciting seeing the final product, but the true allure is learning from and perfecting the process and quality of each specific pant. The job is never done.
What’s the hardest part? It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been growing, you will always run into some obstacles along the way. On the other hand, these obstacles are how you learn and improve your process. We always learn from our mistakes and more times than not a mistake is what is needed to get to the next level of growing and life for that matter. At this point our system is pretty dialed. Honestly, the hardest part would be managing different people and personalities along the way.
How hard is it to grow premium cannabis? It’s only as hard as you make it. First it starts with genetics, which are the foundation of the potential quality you can achieve. Our process is a standard operating procedure that produces quality product harvest after harvest. It’s all about giving the plant what it needs, when it needs it. You tend to make it harder on yourself if you skip these crucial moments in a plant’s life cycle.
And you really have to transfer the plants to different rooms throughout the growing process?
Passion about growing: Dave Kulberg inspecting the goods.
Earning a bevy of awards and accolades, the Billo grow facility prides itself on the tender loving care and attention to detail it puts into every step of its growing process, from fresh clippings sprouting roots to monitoring soil nutrients, light intensity, ventilation and water pH levels—all in quest of the “perfect” plant. Behind it all is head of grow operations Dave Kulberg, who minimizes all stress in the plants’ lives. We chatted with him to get the dirt on what all goes into making a premium product. Age: 35
How long have you been in Steamboat and how’d you end up here? I moved to Steamboat in 2008. I was drawn here for the outdoor community and school. What was meant to be a two-year stay turned into 14 years of growing and learning. I now have set my roots with Billo, my wife and 5-year-old son.
The different rooms serve to house different stages of the plants’ life cycle. When the plants are young they require a different environment and light cycle than those of a more mature or flowering plant. Our different rooms allow us to have plants in all stages of life at the same time. We harvest every 21 days.
How long does a typical plant take from sapling to harvest? Grown indoors, it takes around 120 days from clone to harvest. Vegetative plants with a light cycle that encourages growth take about 42 to 56 days before the plant is mature and big enough to flower. Flowering rooms have a shorter light cycle that forces the plant into producing flowers or buds. The flower stage is generally 60-65 days.
What other jobs did you have before working at Billo? What separates Billo’s I had many jobs before Billo but none of them consisted of cannabis. I worked as a growing ops from the line cook for a few different restaurants in town. crowd? How long have you been growing (and when did The biggest factor is our team. Their experience and passion is you start at Billo?) I’ve been growing cannabis for 10 years. I grew for personal use, which was where I learned a lot about the science. I’m one of the founding members of Billo and helped start the company in 2017. 32 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
what makes Billo what it is. We’re a family that puts heart and soul into creating something special and worth working for.
Dave Kulberg tends to his harvest at the Billo facility.
STRAIGHT DOPE Impress Your Friends! How to Blow Smoke Rings
Enhance Your Steamboat Experience Consume how you like. Feel how you want.
Premium Flower | Edibles | Concentrates | Pre-rolls | Vapes | Topicals
Award Winning Steamboat Grown
Cigar, cig or cannabis—impress your friends by blowing smoke rings! Not that we’re advocating wasting precious of today’s finely tuned commodities, but yes, there is an art to this age-old ritual. And for you Bill Clinton types, it doesn’t involve inhaling. Here are a few hints to blow rings like a pro: Step 1: Draw a mouthful of smoke into your mouth (don’t inhale.) Step 2: Press your tongue against the bottom of your mouth and back of your throat; draw your tongue back, keeping it pointing down toward the bottom of your mouth. Step 3: Shape your mouth into an “O”, sticking your lips out as if making an “ooo” sound or sucking on a lollipop. Step 4: Push small amounts of smoke out by clicking your lower jaw backward and pushing the smoke through your lips. Hints: Hold your breath; keep your lips steady; and keep your tongue far back in your mouth.
Cheater Trick for Beginners: Tap Your Cheek Follow the same steps above to get the smoke in your mouth and form the same “ooo” shape with your lips. Then, instead of forcing the smoke outward with your jaw, flick or tap the side of your cheek with your finger repeatedly, which should create a mini-ring. Then graduate to the big leagues.
Advanced trick: Use Backspin! Master the basic ring? Try corking it up by putting on some backspin. As the smoke leaves your lips, push your tongue forward, still keeping it pointing down (don’t bring its tip above your teeth; think of it like a conveyor belt). At the same time, bring your lower slightly upward and lips inward. Voila! Back spin and a beautiful ring. Next trick: going off-axis!
t Convenient Dispensary s o M ’s boat t location to the resort village! m a e t S oses Cl
Open Daily: 8:00 am - 9:50 pm
3150 Ingles Lane | mybillo.com | 970.879.4420 SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 33
STRAIGHT DOPE Chris Franges can be found most days tending the counter at Tumbleweed.
Know your ‘Tender Tumbleweed’s Chris Franges By Emma Wilson
Budtenders are modern-day Indica and Sativa sherpas, educating consumers on cannabis and walking them through the illustrious world of strains, vaporizers, edibles and more. Swillin’ sat down with Chris Franges, manager of Tumbleweed Steamboat and Craig, for his take on guiding customers through the whole process before they make their purchase.
What’s the hardest part?
How long have you been in Steamboat and at Tumbleweed?
Budtending can be difficult when you have to remind people of the laws. A lot of people try to ask us questions about breaking the law and we have to remind them that this plant is still federally illegal outside of Colorado and they could be charged federally. Also, checking IDs of people clearly over 21 but have expired IDs and then asking them to leave because we can’t serve them. Most people understand but just like any business, we have to follow the rules and sometimes that upsets people.
I’ve been in Steamboat for 16 years and started with Tumbleweed in 2020.
Was budtending always the plan?
Why Steamboat?
No, budtending wasn’t always the plan. I was a professional bicycle mechanic working for ProTour teams in Europe when I met my future wife. I was traveling about 200 days a year with the teams and she said if I wanted to settle down, I had to find a job that allowed me to stay in one place. I had always used cannabis and it had just been legalized for recreational use in Colorado, so I saw it as an opportunity to start in a new industry with something I was already passionate about.
Age: 34 Marital status: Married
I always say Steamboat chose me. I grew up in a ski instructor family in Pennsylvania, so when I was old enough, I started teaching skiing as well. When I was graduating high school, all my friends were applying to colleges, while I was applying to ski schools in Colorado. Of all the ones I applied to, Steamboat was the first to respond and tell me that I had a job, housing and there was a free bus! It’s just a bonus now that Colorado legalized marijuana and now I get to work in this great industry.
What’s your favorite part of the job? I really enjoy breaking the stereotypes associated with marijuana and educating customers about the plant. We aren’t just a bunch of stoners who like to smoke weed all day. There’s a lot of science behind what we are doing, whether the government is willing to admit it or not. If we can teach everyone who walks through our doors something new about cannabis, I feel we can make a better impact on the federal legalization front.
What are the most important skills for a budtender? For our budtenders, we look for amazing customer service skills. It’s easy to sell someone some gummies, but we like to actually listen to the customers and provide them with more than just a sales experience. Educating the customers so they can feel assured that they are getting the best products for their needs. 34 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
What’s the most popular item at Tumbleweed? We sell a lot of vape cartridges and gummies. Our Wyldfire vapes are made right here in Steamboat, just two blocks away from our dispensary, while our Highly Edible gummies are made by our sister facility in Denver and are the best-selling gummy in the entire state.
Any favorite sports and activities? I definitely live the Colorado lifestyle. I like to mountain bike, golf, hike, camp and fish in the summers. In the winters I’m an avid skier.
Anything else we should know about you? I’ve traveled to over 39 different countries and Steamboat is where I’ve chosen to call my home. I get to enjoy the best part of the state and some of the best cannabis in the whole country. I love my job with Tumbleweed and the town we call home.
OFF THE COUCH Kerplunge! Town’s Best Swimming Holes! D-hole
Want to cool off? As well as hitting the lap pool at Old Town Hot Springs, when the water’s low (i.e. when the tubing hatch is out) but the river is still open, plunge into the Yampa to take a bite out of the heat. Below are a few favorite spots to get the body temp back to a normal, Chillin’ level.
New SUP Bar for Pearl Lake
The first official river feature built by the City (that it actually secured a Recreational InChannel Diversion (RICD) water right for) serves up the best beach in town where you can prop a camp chair, dangle your toes in the water and swim to your heart’s content. Just beware when the local kids come out and tie a rope to the bridge to surf the wave on boogie boards. Location: Elk Park (just downstream from the library).
Fetcher Pond Head for a pondside, afternoon picnic or BBQ at Fetcher Pond, complete with grills, tables and a pond where you can SUP, swim, fish and more. It even has a changing room so you don’t have to do that awkward changebetween-your-car-doors trick. Funtime Idea: Break out your watch and stage timed races around the island. Location: Midtown, past the roundabout at Walgreens.
Get ready for some suds and wine-sipping after supping Pearl Lake. Yes, Steamboat SUP rental company Paddleboard Adventure Co. has procured a prestigious license to open up a bar on Pearl Lake, so you can kick back and swill beer, wine and ranch waters after your paddle. “It’s going to be pretty sweet,” says owner Danny Tebbenkamp, adding the retro-fitted bar/trailer should be ready by mid-June, complete with a fenced-in turf yard. “It’s going to be a great place to sit back and relax and celebrate your day. And the sunsets up there are awesome.” Nestled next to Farwell Mountain with views of Hahns Peak and Sand Mountain, the lake, located 40 minutes north of Steamboat, has become a town favorite for paddling, with his rental kiosk and bar located on the old boat ramp on the point, a veritable oasis overlooking the lake. The company carries several brands of boards, kayaks and canoes, as well as the giant SUPSquatch for float-and-bloat parties and games of king of the board. Info: www.paddleboardadventurecompany.com.
Hippie Dip Hot Springs
Photo by Michael Kirsh on Unsplash
While it can get crowded, this outtake from the Old Town Hot Springs across the street that empties into the Yampa is a favorite spot to take the kids, with a shallow warm-water pool right next to the river and a sandy beach. Bring a picnic to share on the adjacent grass and pick up more trash than you leave. Location: Rich Weiss Park.
Courtesy of Friends of the Yampa
Babes on a Board: Revelers hanging 10 on the giant SUPSquatch.
State Parks C-hole Named for local kayaking icon Charlie Beavers and a popular surf wave at high water, come low flows this popular bike-to swimming hole is a summertime bonanza, drawing boogie boarders, suntanners, snorkelers (for river bootie), swimmers and more, complete with rocks to cannonball off. Location: Across from Bud Werner Memorial Library.
Popular nearby lakes for swimming include Steamboat Lake (head north on Hwy. 129 24 miles to Steamboat Lake State Park) and Stagecoach Reservoir (13 miles south via Colorado Highway 131 and Routt County Road 14), each serving up sandy beaches for lounging, a rope-bordered swimming area and, yes, popsicles for the kids. Each lake also offers a variety of watercraft rentals for even more fun in the sun.
SUPpers getting their glow on at Pearl Lake. SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 35
Bluegrass Boating Float to a Music Festival! Looking for a unique way to fill the dog days of summer? Try floating into a music festival—i.e. the Yarmony Music Festival, a three-day, hippie-filled, Hula-hooping bluegrass concert on the Colorado River at Rancho del Rio. Held in August in conjunction with the Perseid Meteor Shower and named after 9,516-foot Yarmony Mountain and Ute Indian Chief Yarmony, it lets you take in live music from a unique floating stage where bands play Ripple while you’re floating on the water’s ripples. Put in right there in the eddy on whatever floats your boat, be it a SUP, tube, or giant inflatable swan, or float down straight into the concert on the 7-mile stretch from Radium to Rancho. Expect banjos, standup-basses and accompanying debauchery. Past bands include Steamboat’s own Buffalo Commons, Tenth Mountain Division, Travelin’ McCourys, Drunken Hearts, Kitchen Dwellers, Infamous Stringdusters and more. Most musicians are rafters themselves, so they’re fully in tune with the river revelry (just try not to splash when you clap). It’s a watery Woodstock sporting every type of blow-up creature and craft you can fathom, from 10-person mattresses and couches to dragons and unicorns filled with arm-circling, hand-paddling party-goers. Hint: Tie off to the anchor rope angling off the stage to keep your hands free for beer and to avoid getting carried downstream for a premature exit stage left. Bonus: Hike to dinosaur tracks across from the beach! Info: www.yarmonymusic.com
Courtesy John Ryan Lockman/Show Love Media/Festy GoNuts
OFF THE COUCH
Whatever floats your boat: Yarmony Grass’s on-water stage hits Rancho del Rio this August.
RC • • • • •
E T S E N AT
TRUCKS CARS DRONES AIRPLANES RC TRACK
Buddy’s Hobby Hut M-F | 8-4 (970) 879-2725 3162 Elk River Rd, Steamboat Springs nesteautoglass.com/buddys-hobby-hut/ 36 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
Diminutive Driving Buddy’s Hobby Hut Enough with all these hard guy (and gal) outdoor sports…how about something a little more sedentary (where you can Swill and Chill)? Try Buddy’s Hobby Hut, where you can try your hand at an array of remote-control vehicles for free on their two outside tracks. The store came about when Neste Auto Glass employee Jesse James Romero (AKA Buddy), was diagnosed with late-stage brain cancer requiring surgery. “We knew we had to do something special for his recovery, so we opened a hobby store that he could work at,” says Neste owner Jeff Sexton of the 1,800-square-foot shop’s opening upstairs in 2017. “Now, he’s cancer-free and back at work.” Visitors can use their two race and rock-crawler courses out back at no charge (great for kids outgrowing their backyard tracks), and their retail offerings include R/C vehicles in different scales and skill levels, drones and R/C airplanes, as well as parts and repair. “Bring your own car and roll away, or use one of ours,” Sexton says. “It’s way more popular than we ever dreamed, drawing people of all ages. It’s certainly not just for kids.” The only problem: Keeping the Neste workers on their window tasks. “That’s become a little bit of an issue,” Sexton says.
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DANIELLE ZIMMERER PHOTOGRAPHY STEAMBOATxCOLORADO Tiny transmissions, big time fun: Try your hand at racing R/C cars at the Hobby Hut.
swillinandchillin.com
daniellezimmerer@gmail.com 719.338.7239 SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 37
OFF THE COUCH 2022 Summer Events Sampler June
23
Spring Creek Memorial (9.5 Mile and 5K), runningseries.com
12-19 The Colorado New Play Festival, steamboatchamber.com
29
Free Summer Concert Series, Sam Bush, keepinitfree.com
18
24 25 25
Yampa River Roots, Rock & Reggae Festival, Craig, goodvibesrivergear.com
30-31 Steamboat Revolution Enduro, revolutionenduro.com
4-7
Vettes on the Rockies, steamboatchamber.com
Reds, Whites & Brews Festival, redswhitesandbrews.net
5
STARS Biking the Boat, steamboatstars.com
Free Summer Concert Series, Neal Francis, keepinitfree.com
6-7
Emerald Mountain Epic (50-mile, plus full/half trail marathons), emeraldmtnepic.org
July Art in the Park, steamboatcreates.org
16
Tour de Steamboat, tourdesteamboat.com
14
14-17 Steamboat Mt. Soccer Tournament, steamboatchamber.com 15
Free Summer Concert Series, Big Something, keepinitfree.com
16
Eriksen/Shimano Tour de Steamboat, tourdesteamboat.com
4
Free Summer Concert Series, The Devon Allman Project, keepinitfree.com
4
10K and 10,000 Feet (10K and 5K), runningseries.com
10
Steamboat OktoberWest (presented by The Resort group), steamboatoktoberwest.com
August
Free Summer Concert Series, Jesse Royal, keepinitfree.com
9-10
Ongoing Events
SBT GRVL Race (37 to 141 miles), sbtgrvl.com
16-17 Run Rabbit Run (100 Mile and 50 Mile), runrabbitrunsteamboat.com 23-30 SAM Plein Air Festival, steamboatartmuseum.org 24
29-Oct. 2 Steamboat Food and Wine Fest, steamboatchamber.com
September
October
1-4 Steamboat Crane Festival, steamboatchamber.com
1 Steamboat Springs Mustache Ride (fundraiser for Routt County Humane Society), ssmustacheride.com
Steamboat Springs Stage Race, bikesteamboat.com
On the Grass Free Summer Concert Series, Wednesdays throughout the summer from June 8- Aug. 10, SnowBowl, snowbowlsteamboat.com
Il Corsa D’oro/The Golden Ride (45-mile gravel/paved social ride; no SAG support), theclassiccrank.com
18-21 Routt County Fair, routtcountyfair.org
3-5
Westside Wednesdays
Farmer’s Market Saturdays throughout the summer from June 11- Sept. 24, Yampa Street downtown, mainstreetsteamboat.com
Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series Every Friday and Saturday night, June 24-Aug. 27, steamboatprorodeo.com
Steamboat OktoberWest
(presented by The Resort Group) Celebrating its 13th year, OktoberWest is a celebration of craft beer in beautiful Steamboat on Sat., Sept. 10. Instead of German beer it has a western twist, featuring a Rocky Mountaincrafted beer garden and local food and festivities. Expect over 40 Colorado brewers and the I Love Beef Cook Off. steamboatoktoberwest.com
Photo by Giovanna Gomes on Unsplash
Sudsalicious!
38 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
Piknik Theater Shakespeare comedies, musicals, music in the park and more throughout the summer, pikniktheatre.com
PARTY TIME Downtown Happy Hour Sampler 8th Street Steakhouse
Johnny B Goods Diner
Aurum Food & Wine
Laundry Kitchen & Cocktails
4:30 to 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to close daily; 8thstreetsteakhouse.com 4:30 to 6 p.m. daily; aurumsteamboat.com
Back Door Grill
3:30 to 5:30 p.m. daily, all day Sundays upstairs at the bar; thebackdoorgrill.com
3 to 5 p.m. daily, www.johnnybgoodsdiner.com
4:30 to 6 p.m. daily; thelaundryrestaurant.com
Johnny B Goods Diner
3 to 5 p.m. daily, www.johnnybgoodsdiner.com
Angling for some après? There’s no shortage of the big HHs in town. The only problem: finishing your day’s adventure in time.
Off The Beaten Path
Sunpie’s Bistro
4 to 6 p.m. Monday - Saturday, 4 to 5 p.m. Sundays; steamboatbooks.com
3 to 6 p.m. daily
Table 79 Foodbar
Old Town Pub & Restaurant
4:30 to 6 p.m. daily; table79steamboat.com
Tahk Omakase Sushi
3 to 6 p.m. daily; theoldtownpub.com
4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wed.- Sun.
O’Neil’s Tavern & Grill
Taco Cabo
4 to 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight daily; oneilstavernandgrill.com
4 to 6 p.m. daily; tacocabo.com
The BARley Tap & Tavern
Mad Creek BBQ
Besame
Mahogany Ridge
4 to 5 p.m.; mahoganyridgesteamboat.com
3 to 5:30 p.m. and 9 to 10 p.m.; ottopint.com/steamboat
Primrose
2 to 6 p.m. daily; vaquerosmexican.net
Carl’s Tavern
Mai Thai
Salt & Lime
3 to 6 p.m. mon. - thurs. and 9-10 p.m. thurs.-sat.; www.thewestendtavern.com
5 to 7 p.m. daily; thebarleycolorado.com
4 to 5:30 p.m. daily; besamesteamboat.com 2 to 6 p.m. daily; carlstavern.com
The Corner Slice
3:35 to 5 p.m. daily; thecornerslice.com
E3 Chophouse
3:30 to 5:30 p.m. daily; e3chophouse.com
Harwigs L’Apogees 5 to 6:30 p.m. daily; harwigs.com
How Ya Doin’ Pizza & Eats 4 to 5:30 p.m. daily, howyadoinpizzaneatz.com
4-5:30 p.m. daily; madcreekbbq.com
3 to 7 p.m. daily
Vaqueros
West End Sports Grill
3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday; maithaimenu.com
4-6 p.m.; primrosesteamboat.com
Mambo Italiano
4 to 5:30 p.m. daily; mambos.com
3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and 10 to 11 p.m daily; suckalime.com
Mazzola’s Italian Diner
Schmiggity’s
5 to 6 p.m. and 10 to 11 p.m. at the bar; mazzolas.com
8 to 9 p.m. daily; schmiggitys.com
Ocean Dragon
2 to 5 p.m. weekends; seedz-café.com
5 to 6 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays; oceandragonchinesesushi.com
The Press
Otto Pint
Don’t see your restaurant on this list? Email eugeneb@swillinandchillin.com.
Seedz
Steamboat Whiskey Co.
4 to 6 p.m. daily; steamboatwhiskeyco.com
Swillin’ Happy Hour Sampler Sample Drinks: 50% off apps; $8 margs, mules and other cocktails; $6 wines; half-price drafts. Sample Food: half-price app’s, including Latin street tacos, pork carnitas, crispy duck wings, Angus burger and more.
Back Door Grill (3:305:30pm daily): Sample
Drinks: $5 house wines, $3.5 draft beers, $5 Jameson’s, $4 wells. Sample Food: $3.5 fish tacos, $6 burgers/ wings/large basket o’ fries, $7 cream cheese jalapeno poppers.
Carl’s (3-6pm daily):
Sample Drinks: $5 house margs, half-price glass wines, $5 mules, $2 Sessions, $4 well drinks/shots. Sample Food: half-price wings, the business, deviled eggs and more; $12/three pulled pork sliders.
E3 Chophouse (3:305:30pm daily): Sample
Drinks: $7 house margs, $6-$8 glass wines, $6 sangria slush, $5 drafts/ microbrews, $4 domestic/imports, $5 well drinks. Sample Food: $7 truffle fries, $16 lobster mac ($9 bisque), 412 ceviche, $9 French dip.
Los Locos (3-6pm daily):
Sample Drinks: $1 off margs, beers. Sample Food: $1 off tacos. (Bonus: Margarita Mondays: 5 buck margs; and Taco Cat Tuesdays: discounted tacos).
Mahogany Ridge (4-5pm daily): Sample Drinks: All drinks
half price. Sample Food: $1 tapas menu (try the brie and mango filo cups, carne asada taco and pork belly lollipop).
O’Neil’s (3:30-5:30pm daily): Sample Drinks: $5 house
wines, $2 off beers, $6 car bombs, $5 cocktail of the day. Sample Food: $6 pretzels, $6 pub salad, $8 potato skins, $7 Irish mac n’ cheese/fish n’ chips.
Primrose (4-6pm): Sample Drinks: $3 off signature cocktails and drafts, $5 premium well cocktails. Sample Food: seasonal specials (hopefully the crispy, apple cider vinegar/parmesan Brussels sprouts). Rex’s Grill (3-5pm): Sample drinks: $5 drafts and wells, $8 wine. Sample Food: $4 Sliders (try the Kickin’ Chicken with cheddar, chipotle mayo and lettuce), and $9 snacks and Little Pies (try the Hawaii Five-O with red sauce, cheese, ham pineapple and jalapeno).
Slopeside Grill (3-6pm):
Try the Sunday Brunch with live music from 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Photo courtesy ofO’Neils
Aurum (4:30-6pm daily):
The deck at O’Neil’s Tavern offers views well past your Irish carbomb.
SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 39
PARTY TIME
Courtesy of The Grand Bevy
Your Photo...on a Cocktail? Now here’s what we call a real mugshot. Party favors go to new heights with Steamboat’s SipMi, a new offering in the fancy/schmancy party world which prints out photos on “edible paper,” allowing custom images — of guests, hosts and more — to grace foam-topped cocktails. The patented technology is the brainchild of former Hollywood actors Josh Rosenthal and Priscilla Sommer, founders of event beverage company Grand Bevy. Working a side gig catering, Rosenthal noticed guests mingling with cocktails and came up with the idea to present them better. From their home office in Steamboat, where they moved in 2017 to raise their kids, they now provide the service for parties across the country through a contracted staff of 180 people in 14 cities. Earning mentions by The New York Times and Martha Stewart, they’ve provided their customized drinks for more than 2,000 events, including product launches, celebrity birthdays, high-end weddings and more. While it offers a range of drink services, from smoked cocktails to champagne towers and ice luges (and
“branded” ice), SipMi goes a step farther, placing an edible hi-res image or logo on a beverage’s foam via food-grade ink. In short, it transforms table-setting names, logos and photos into images topping the foam on such cocktails as its vodka-based Miss Scarlet, rum-riddled On Holiday, bourbon-infused Bee Hugger or tequila-based Hello, Sunshine. The key is its vegan, fully FDA-compliant edible ink and foam “paper” that resides on top until you slurp it down. The company also offers the service interactively, taking guest photos onsite via a booth or roving photographer and turning those images into a personalized cocktail in under a minute. The trick, says Rosenthal, is in the foam. “We’ve spent years along with countless chemistry to hit the optimum solution that allows our images to remain in place without distorting for over an hour even while drinking the drink,” he says, adding they’ve had to develop four specific cocktails to pair perfectly with the technology and the foam. “People absolutely love it.” Info: www.thegrandbevy.com
The best spot in town for swillin’ drinks & chillin’ out Live music,comedy acts,and so much more
Best Morning Spot to Swill & Chill Serving Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch all day 7am-1:30pm
ut k o u! ec en Ch r m ou
1009 Lincoln Ave., Downtown Steamboat 970-879-1292 | thepresssteamboat.com @the_press_steamboat 40 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
325 Anglers Dr, Steamboat Springs, CO 970-871-4633 www.theeggsteamboat.com
PARTY TIME Rooftop Marg or Brewha, Anyone? Top Rooftop Bars Elevator, goooing up! Yep, that’s the trend across town, as restaurants and bars are looking skyward to expand their footprint. Following is a Swillin’ snapshot of where to get high for your happy hour and more.
Salt & Lime Arriba! Yep, that’s where you’ll be on the rooftop of Salt & Lime: up high, where you can see the slopes of Mt. Werner, whose glimpses of snow glisten like the salt rimming your glass. Margaritas are often the libation of choice; and you might find yourself inviting up friends who you see walking or driving along Lincoln Avenue with the lesser mortals down below. Hint: bring a jacket; your margarita merriment will likely keep you there until well after the sun— and your third margarita—goes down.
Storm Peak Brewing Co. A westside local hotspot, Storm Peak Brewery is going up, just like the bubbles in its handcrafted beer. The brewery just opened a new rooftop seating area at its west end location, affording views of everything form Sleeping Giant to the west and its namesake
Storm Peak to the east. Co-owner Wyatt Patterson says the new rooftop digs will offer great sunsets while increasing sitting space, and that they hope to open it on warmer days this ski season. “It’ll be a great spot to hang out in the summertime,” he says.
Vaqueros Steamboat’s newest rooftop revelry belongs to Vaqueros on Lincoln Avenue, giving the Mexican joint a whopping three floors of tequila-toting service. Appreciate the buffed arms of your servers who carry it up if you order a trayful of the Large marg, whose “Millionaire,” made from 1942 Don Julio Anejo and 100th anniversary Grand Marnier, will set you back 75 bucks but is worth every rooftop peso.
Schmiggity’s While the jury’s out on if it will be ready this summer, Schmiggity’s is planning to go up, up and away—by adding a rooftop deck and bar with light vittles atop its location downtown. You’ll see Howelsen Hill across the way, and if you stay there long enough, hear the latenight band jamming below.
Margs at altitude: Salt & Lime’s rooftop offers shade and an overview of downtown.
The Icehouse Opening this summer by Sunpies co-owners John and Jarett Duty, the new Yampa River Icehouse is a restaurant and bar next door to Sunpies that’s planning to, yes, have a rooftop bar that overlooks Howelsen Hill (during happy hour and all other times). “It’s going to be great,” says John, whose patrons will able to see floaters from their sister businesses the Tube Shack and rafting company Bucking Rainbow Outfitters floating on the river below. “It’ll be one of the best views you can get from downtown.”
Sales / Service / Advice 1136 Yampa, Steamboat Springs, CO OrangePeelBikes.com / 970.879.2957
SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 41
PARTY TIME Party on Garth! Schmiggity’s Snow Bowl
Free Summer Concert Series
Snow Bowl’s Free on the Grass Concert Series
Summer Music Fest
“I know our kids are around here somewhere...” And the drumroll, please… After a truncated season last year, the Steamboat Free Summer Concert Series is serving up five free shows to celebrate its 30th anniversary downtown at historic Howelsen Hill. The season kicks off with Grammy-nominated reggae singer/songwriter Jesse Royal from Kingston, Jamaica, followed by funky Big Something from North Carolina and longtime Colorado bluegrass mainstay Sam Bush. A week later keyboardist Neal Francis brings his Chicago soul to the stage, before the season finishes up with a Labor Day weekend performance from The Devon Allman Project, the blues-playing son of Greg Allman of the Allman Brothers. “It’s an awesome lineup,” says board member Scott Fox. “We’re super psyched with being able to put on another great concert season in Steamboat.” Info: www.keepinitfree.com
The Lineup June 24 – Jesse Royal
We’ll call that a perfect strike. Put Wednesday evenings on your list as the time to get your outdoor groove on as Snow Bowl Steamboat unveils its free Westside Wednesdays on the Grass Concert Series. Presented in partnership with Bonfire Entertainment, Dano’s Dangerous Tequila and Billo Premium Cannabis, the free shows take place from June 8 to Aug. 10 outside on the lawn at Snow Bowl on the west side of town, featuring everyone from local bands to national artists. “Come prepared to dance and party with some incredible acts in our huge dog-friendly, turfed lawn with 600 of your closest friends and music lovers,” says Snow Bowl’s Alex Faulk. Adds Bonfire’s Ariel Rosemberg: “The goal is to bring the community great roots music with a sprinkle of WinterWonderGrass love as the icing on the cake.” Info: www.snowbowlsteamboat.com
The Lineup June 8 – Wood Belly June 15 – The Jauntee June 22 – Pixie and the Partygrass Boys
Courtesy of Schmiggity’s
Westside Wednesdays
Courtesy of Free Summer Concert Series
30th Anniversary!
But wait, there’s more! The summer concert collaboration between Snow Bowl and Schmiggity’s is back. Rain or shine (or snow), Schmiggity’s presents its Snow Bowl Summer Music Fest, featuring an all-star line-up of bands every Friday at 7 p.m.. Concerts start June 17 and run through Oct. 1 .
The Lineup June 17 – Bonfire Dub June 24 – Maddy O’Neal, Phyphr July 1– Diggin Dirt July 8 – Mo Lowda & The Humble July 16 – Wake Up & Live July 22 – Andy Frasco & The U.N.
June 29 – The Sweet Lillies
July 30 – Kris Lager Band
July 6 – Pickin’ on the Dead & Tyler Grant
Aug. 6 – Ryan Montbleu Band
July 13 – 10 Year Echo
Aug. 19 – DeadPhish Orchestra
July 15 – Big Something
July 20 – Liver Down the River
July 29 – Sam Bush
July 27 – Buffalo Commons
Aug 5 – Neal Francis
Aug. 3 – Lindsay Lou
Sept 4 – The Devon Allman Project
Aug. 10 – Jay Roemer
42 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
Aug. 13 – Vegabonds, Stews Aug. 26 – Wish You Were Pink Sep. 2 – Head for the Hills Sep. 9 – Spectacle Sep. 16 – Young Dubliners Oct. 1 – Fortunate Youth
PARTY TIME
Party on Garth!
Whazzup at Strings
Bar Spotlight
Whittle the Wood Rendezvous
Strings Celebrates 35th Anniversary with 60+ Events
Inside The Press Courtesy of The Press
Outside The Box
Courtesy of Strings Concert Series
We can’t help but say it: People press glass to get into the Press.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band is on the lineup this summer at Strings. Axe-throwing and chainsaw-carving contests, a car show and free live music…what more could you want? All that and more comes to Craig’s Whittle the Wood Rendezvous at Loudy-Simpson Park June 2225, headlined by husband-and-wife duo Thompson Square on Saturday night. In all, there will be seven total acts coming to Craig, from bluegrass to country. “We really wanted to get as much entertainment out there as we possibly can,” says Craig Parks and Rec Director Ryan Dennison. “Friday night will be kind of big on the bluegrass, early Saturday it will be a bit of both, and then a little more country by the end of it.” Info: www.whittlethewood.com
The Lineup Friday, June 22 – Head for the Hills, The Lil’ Smokies Saturday, June 23 – High Country Hustle, Stray Grass, Thompson Square Sunday, June 24 – Tyler Reese Tritt (daughter of country’s Travis Tritt)
It’s a good way to ring in its 35th. To celebrate its whopping three and a half decades in Steamboat, Strings Music Festival has announced more than 60 concerts and special events from classical to rock, jazz, country and more during this summer’s lineup at the 569-seat Strings Pavilion. Headliners such as Bruce Hornsby, Keb’ Mo’, Graham Nash and Mary Chapin Carpenter join perennial Strings favorite events like free Music on the Green concerts and the Strings Festival Orchestra—which this summer will feature 76 musicians hand-picked from 30 different U.S. orchestras. Also look for performances from such Strings firsttimers as Kenny G and Joan Osborne, as well as the Tesla Quartet and Berlin Counterpoint. In all, the 35th Anniversary lineup features 10 Grammy winners with 35 Grammy Awards between them. This summer will also see the return of the free Music on the Green, with eight outdoor concerts in the Yampa River Botanic Park. Its Concert Truck will also offer pop-up free performances in surprising locations around town, with a host of special events planned as well, including Musical Stargazing, outdoor Yoga with Classical Music, the Youth Concert Series, Family Programs and House Party fundraisers. “It’s a great line-up this summer,” says Strings marketing director Greg Hamilton. “We’re looking forward to bringing a lot of awesome performances to town.” Info: StringsMusicFestival.com
It’s previous tenant may have stopped the presses, but nothing’s stopping The Press from becoming one of town’s hottest live music bars. It might be small and unassuming on the outside, but The Press at 1009 Lincoln Ave. downtown, home of the former newspaper, is an unsung hero when it comes to live tunes and camaraderie. What looks like could be another art gallery or retail store is actually a hopping bar sporting up-close-and-personal live tunes, comedy acts, open mics and more most every weekend night. And it’s getting even better, with a May renovation shortening and moving the bar to create a bigger stage and more audience room. “We’re a great music venue,” says Ed Andreoni, who purchased it in 2018 and is shooting for live music every Thursday through Sunday this summer, with comedy acts on Tuesdays. “People can get super close to the bands.” Credit also the acts he’s able to lineup, including the likes of country music legend Mark D. Sanders this summer. “The Texas Music Fest has helped a ton,” he says. “Word has gotten out in Austin and Nashville, with bands from those areas now playing here.” “We love playing there,” says blues guitarist John Lupori of the Brian Smith Band. “The sound’s good and it’s close-quartered so it’s easy to interact with the audience.” Libation-wise, The Press serves up cocktails, wine and a variety of beer on tap, including two Storm Peaks, two from Yampa valley Brewing Co., and two from Palisade Brewing Co., “which all sell pretty equally,” he says. Use it to wash down food you can bring over from the MeatBar by Laura the Butcher next door. Swillin’ fave: the Meatcone, featuring, jamon Iberico, Spanish chorizo, Manchego, pickle stick and picos camperos crackers—just be prepared to pass it around the dance floor and even to the band. Info: www.thepresssteamboat.com SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 43
TUNES Steamboat’s longest-running band? Consisting of John Lupori on lead guitar and vocals, Mark “Hermo” Hermanciski on rhythm guitar, Brad “Warpig” Williams on harmonica, Brian Smith on bass, Neil Marchman on lead guitar and on drums Gabe Hedstrom—who replaced Kevin Kolvereid, who passed away in 2018—the Brian Smith Band has been entertaining Steamboat for years with their soul blues and high energy rock n’ roll. We caught up with ringleader Lupori, a now-retired oral and facial surgeon who started his practice here in 1999, for his take on what makes the band tick.
Courtesy of Brian Smith Band
In His Own Words: John Lupori of the Brian Smith Band
I’m from Chicago and have a huge blues background. I had bands when I was younger; our high school band was called White Stone. When I was 16 we’d take the train downtown and sneak into blues bars like Legend and Kingston The Brian Smith Band: And they can even stitch you up if you get too rowdy in the mosh pit. Mines and see bands like Lenny Brooks, Buddy Guy and Koko Taylor. rhythm and then the lyrics. Then I always do the chorus first and try to make that One guy in our band went onto become a big recording artist in Austin. the main part of the song and support it with verses. Most of our songs are threechord songs, but we’ve been known to write a couple four-chord songs. In 2004 I was in a car accident and in a wheelchair for five months so I started playing guitar a lot more. Then Hermo starting playing with me and then Warpig. We also started playing a lot of different venues around then as well as special Our first song was Long Black Veil by Johnny Cash. After five months or so events, like every New Year’s at VFW. We opened for Tab Benoit at OTP and play we picked up a bass player and a drummer and started practicing in Hermo’s a lot of his covers. We also opened for Samantha Fish, Eddie 9-volt, Smash Mouth basement, which was where the coroner used to do his autopsies. There was a big and Eric Tessmer. manhole on the ceiling where they’d throw down the bodies. We’re kind of known as the ‘Doctor Band’ because we have me and Hermo. Kevin, We were called Warpig and the Bongwater Blues Band. Our first gig was at Old who died in 2018, always considered himself a doctor but he was a PA. So, we have Town Pub. Kevin Kolvereid was there at asked to join. Our drummer had hurt his a big following from the hospital…nurses, techs, radiologists and other docs. It’s foot and couldn’t play, so we brought him on. He was good. Then our bass player kind of an escape for Hermo and I, when I was practicing. Once all our patients moved in 2006 and someone said, ‘I know a bass player named Brian Smith.’ So were taken care of, we could play on weekends as a sort of escape. We try to practice I looked him up and there were, like, 15 Brian Smiths in Steamboat. So, I started every Thursday, but that started to fall apart when everyone started having kids. calling every single one until I found him. He’s great and from Chicago also, with My son, Jack, is part of the band now also. He’s awesome and can play any a background in guitar. instrument. He’s also formed his own band called Ruckus Squad. They opened for We played again at OTP and the owner said he needed our name to place an ad. us once and blew us away. It sucked. So I just said, ‘the Brian Smith Band,” and that’s been our name ever since. When We’re in it for the fun, not the money. We started getting paid in 2008 and right he’s not playing, he’s the Dean of Students at the Steamboat Mountain School. now our bank account is still negative $3,000. Our dream is to play the mountain We’re more of a band and a show, the sum of all our parts. People come to see all the town circuit; the only thing in our way is everyone’s wife. Our absolute fantasy is characters involved. Our music is kind of loud and raw. A lot of our influence is from to play Red Rocks. They feature a local’s band once a week, but our chances for what I call Stratocaster blues. It’s kind of a distinct sub-category of blues. Jeff Beck, that are absolute zero. Stevie Ray and Clapton all played it, a sort of combo of Texas, Chicago and Delta We were one of the first bands to play during the pandemic with social distancing as opposed to jazz blues like B.B. King. But we’re also influenced by ‘80s-‘90s punk at The Press. But no one could dance. I don’t like playing unless people can dance. and Ska also, with bands like The Specials, English Beat and The Clash. I started writing originals in 2008. Now we probably have 15 or so, with four or five on Spotify. One’s called “O’Reilly’s Bar” about a Chicago bar that was torn down, and another is called “Cliffs of Mohr,” which has a strong Ska beat. I always write the riff first, get a real unique riff, and then add the backing track and 44 SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ | WWW.SWILLINANDCHILLIN.COM
There are certainly musicians and bands that are way better than us. But I will say that in Steamboat, which is a great music town, we could be the oldest, maybe behind Worried Men. But we’re definitely in the hunt. Still, for a blues band, we’re adolescents.
TUNES Buffalo Commons is Stampeding Along
Courtesy of Buffalo Commons
New album coming!
Anything But Common: Buffalo Commons is quickly growing its herd with its soulful sound.
Go with the herd. That sums up the storyline of Steamboat’s Buffalo Commons, which is stampeding into listeners’ hearts with a new album this summer rife with harmonizing vocals, tight musicianship and infectious energy. Featuring singer/ songwriter/guitarist Tyree Woods, Denton Turner on upright bass, Eric Baker on mandolin, Randy Kelley on fiddle, Dan “Danjo” Harris on banjo, and Tyler Cain on drums, the band is fresh off playing all three Winter Wondergrass concerts, a benefit for the Marshall Fire victims, a bluegrass festival circuit and more. Below, Tyree catches Swillin’ up on the upcoming album and coming season.
How’s the album coming along? We have lots of rehearsals happening, bouncing ideas back-and-forth with our producer Tyler Grant, and are getting ready to start tracking the album at SwingFingers. The album should be fully released to the public mid-July.
What all will be on it? We have a couple of deep cuts going on the first album, songs that I wrote early on in Buffalo Commons’ conception. We collectively felt that it made sense to get those on the first full length album.
How fun and hard was it to put together? For me, writing a song is a special feeling. But it’s an ability I don’t own; I can just tap into it from time to time depending on what kind of vibration I’m sitting with. It’s an incredibly intimate deal to bring music to the band, and have everyone put their own take on it, inject a little bit of themselves into it, whether it be through a
solo or an idea for arrangement. I love the whole team for that.
You’ve been gigging a lot lately...how’s it feel to be back on stage? It’s been great getting back on stage with the team, getting to create relationships with other bands, touring out of state and expanding our herd. It’s what musicians dream of when starting a band. I feel incredibly lucky to have gotten to witness it happen to an idea I had eight years ago.
What events are you looking forward to this summer? I’m looking forward to every bill that Buffalo Commons is on this summer, and I’m really excited about the things I don’t even know about yet.
Let’s talk river jams…how awesome is it to jam on those RiverGrass trips Scotty puts together? RiverWonderGrass is, and will forever be, one of the best experiences of my life. The cohesion that an expedition creates sets the stage for some next-level bonding between musicians, guides and ticket-holding passengers along for the ride. There’s no telling what’s gonna’ happen on the river, there’s always an element of the unknown. Scotty [Stoughton] has created a platform to not only showcase music, but Mother Earth on one of the grandest scales. I’d fully recommend that if you’re interested, just go for it…you won’t regret it. SUMMER 2022 | SWILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ 45
LAST CALL Cue up your best Tom Selleck or Ted Lasso. Steamboat’s own Mustache Ride is back with its quirky, facial hair flair, taking place Saturday, Oct. 1 (giving those of you struggling with lip fur plenty of time to prepare). A fundraiser for the Routt County Humane Society celebrating all things bicycle and follicle, the event shows that Steamboat riders have both panache and ‘stache—for a day at least, more than most any other mountain town. What started as a fun pub crawl among friends has morphed into a whimsical, costumed and mustachioed bar-hopping, charity bike ride through town. Each year’s ride lures as many as 500 riders and raises upwards of $15,000 in donations—as well as the eyebrows of un-mustachioed onlookers. Bonus: Donate early and receive a special ‘Stache Card from sponsors for one free drink from sponsored locations. Info: www. ssmustacheride.com
Courtesy of The Steamboat Springs Mustache Ride
Mustache Mayhem
Swillin’s “Are You a Local?” Quiz We all like to brag about how long we’ve been in Steamboat. Below is a simple quiz to help determine whether you’re a cheechako or sourdough—as they say in Alaska—when it comes to your tenure in Steamboat.
6) I try this ski parking sequence, in order: A) Ski Time Square, Knoll, Meadows B) Meadows, Knoll, Ski Time Square C) Rodeo Grounds, City Market, Wildhorse Meadows
11) The following attended PerryMansfield: A) Dustin Hoffman, Julie Harris and Lee Remick B) Justin Bieber and Justin Timberlake C) Marilyn Monroe
1) White Out is used to: A) Turn legs into jelly B) Correct mistakes on a term paper C) Warm-up your legs on the first run D) 1 and 3
7) Drink out of the Lithium Springs and you may get: A) The trots B) A euphoric feeling C) A ticket D) Algae in your teeth
12) Touch the Buddy Werner statue atop Mount Werner and you’ll get: A) Arrested B) Good luck C) Cold fingers
2) The old Routt County license plates started with: A) ZY B) YK C) WZ 3) Four current postal clerks’ names are: A) Don, Tom, Ginger and Ron B) Fred, Hank, Dorothy and Harriet C) Jason, Denise, Patti and Frank 4) Locals used to gather atop Thunderhead in the early morning for: A) Advice from Billy Kidd B) Free coffee/mimosas C) Rope Drop 5) The name of our local mountain range is: A) Park B) Elk C) Zirkels D) Never Summer
8) The original name of the Yampa River was: A) Bear River B) Steamboat River C) Anything Town USA River D) Billy Kidd Brook 9) The original hospital in town is now: A) A dispensary B) Old Town Pub C) Old Town Hot Springs D) Tattoo parlor 10) The original name of the Steamboat Ski Area was: A) Billy Kidville B) Storm Mountain C) Grouse Creek D) Wally World
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13) The following Broadway musical resulted from Agnes DeMille square dancing in a schoolhouse in Hayden: A) Grease B) Oklahoma C) West Side Story
17) Lincoln Avenue is so wide because: A) It was designed to fit Hummers and Lincoln Navigators B) It was used to drive cattle to stockyards C) High school tuba players needed more room at Winter Carnival 18) These bands played at the Inferno: A) Dave Mathews, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Sonia Dada B) Lynyrd Skynyrd, Taj Mahal, the Suburbs C) The Grateful Dead, Jethro Tull, Charlie Daniels
Score:
5 points for each correct answer (Total 90)
Score:
14) The word “Yampa” comes from: A) A flowering, edible root that grows along the river B) The founder of town, Herbert B. Yampa C) An Indian greeting
80-90: Veritable John Crawford 70-79: Billy Kidd 60-69: Five-year ski bum 50-59: Came for the winter, stayed for the summer Below 50: Visitor
15) The real name of today’s Lighted Man is: A) Tom Hanks B) Jon Banks C) Claudius Banks
1: D; 2: C; 3: C; 4: C; 5: A; 6: B; 7: B; 8: A; 9: B; 10: B: 11: A; 12: B; 13: B; 14: A; 15: B; 16: A; 17: B; 18: A
16) The Depot was once one of the largest: A) Cattle shipping centers in the West B) Facilities to host Cabaret C) Coal-transfer stations in Colorado
Answers:
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