BEVVIES

Griping Over Grocery Wine

First it was 3.2 beer (remember those urine-inducing days?), then regular, then craft. Now, any store with a beer license in town, such as our Big Box grocery stores, can also add wine to the mix (“Let’s see…what goes good with paper towels?”) But local liquor stores aren’t exactly popping the cork in celebration. Central Park Liquor, in fact, took out a full-page ad in the paper this spring, reading (with six exclamation points): “Don’t be fooled! Don’t let corporate big box stores ruin locally owned stores! CPL will beat grocery/chain store pricing! Keep local dollars in Routt County! Service, Selection, Knowledge and Pricing! You won’t get those at the grocery!” So, when you’re planning on swillin’ and chillin’, please support your smaller local dealer. “Wine in grocery stores is just another example of corporate America taking over middle America,” says Rick Pighini of West End Liquors. “Years ago, my mother told me her butcher closed shop. Meanwhile she was starting to buy her meat products at Costco. As it turns out her butcher was working there.”

Introducing Big Joe Ale!

Even if we can’t wrap our hands around its big-chested model, at least we can around the beer’s taste and cause. This summer, Yampa Valley Brewing Co. debuts its Big Joe Ale as well as a limited edition glass benefitting Friends of the Yampa. “We’re stoked to partner with Yampa Valley Brewing, which is donating

$15 of every glass sale to Friends of the Yampa during June,” says FOY’s Katie Berning. “It should make its way into many river rat kitchens.” Named after a rapid on the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument, this light-bodied Pale Ale uses the innovative hopping methods to preserve the hop oils, promoting vibrant citrus,tropical, resiny flavors and aromas—all while limiting bitterness and maintaining a light malt body (despite the heavyset body on the label).

North Routt Revelers Rejoice!

Call it T-Bar North. Steamboat-born Chapman “Chappy” Geer and Coleman Holloway have turned a two-story log building in the Hahns Peak Village into the True North Adventure Lodge, complete with the new TNTBar. While the lodge includes a great room with a wood stove and breakfast bar (and large dining area on the second level), the TNTBar (True North T-bar) is a creative, casual finedining and drinking experience. Holloway, who partners with his brother Tres in the T Bar at the base of Steamboat Resort, says the restaurant is a sister to the T Bar, only with a much larger kitchen. The menu includes everything from Rösti cheese on Sundays (carried over from T Bar) to pulled pork sandwiches, burger specials, chicken/tofu bahn mi, cold summer ramen, birria tacos and more.