Thirst Colorado -- July-August, 2024

SERVING UP THE COLORADO EXPERIENCE

Vol. 9, No. 5 July-August 2024

Artistic Expressions Visual arts fest accessible to all

Plus: Trains keep rolling

Packaged: Great spirits and historic lodging Performing arts premieres drop along Front Range

Exploring Wyoming’s Campbell County

From Bison and Old West charm to stunning scenery, this northeast region of Wyoming is a crowd-pleaser 3 DAY ITINERARY Rolling hills, sagebrushcovered plains, stunning blue skies, and historic Western towns can all be found in Campbell County, which rambles across the northeast corner of Wyoming. Gillette and Wright are the county’s largest communities.

Together they are considered the capitals of the Powder River Basin, which lies between the Big Horns and the Black Hills.

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

VISIT GILLETTE Take a guided tour of Downtown Gillette and learn about the city’s Old West past.

See spectacular machines working at the Eagle Butte Mine.

The Frontier Auto Museum and Relics Store is filled with great artifacts.

Jessica Seders • 307-686-0040 • jessica@visitgillettewright.com visitgillettewright.com

Chilled by the Sun

®

How Cool is That?

100 kW of solar panels powering the largest beer cooler in Boulder

®

28th Street and Pearl, Boulder Hazelsboulder.com Download the Hazel’s app

VISIT US

ONLINE

W

e publish more stories than we can fit into each print issue.

Visit ThirstColorado.com (or point your smartphone at the QR code) to see these stories and much more, including our weekly events roundup, food and drink recommendations, ticket giveaways and more.

OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES FOR ALL

Former Denver Bronco Bobby Massie and his wife Angel have launched a luxury outdoor outfitting service. Learn about their efforts to make everyone feel welcome in the wilderness.

Publisher Paul Johnson paul@thirstcolorado.com Associate Publisher & Editor Joe Ross joe@thirstcolorado.com Vice President, Sales Scott Kaplan Sales Linda Battle, Rebel Becker, Nina Gunther, Alexandra Smith, Christine Werner Design & Layout Sandy Birkey Stacey Krull President & Founder Emeritus Wilbur E. Flachman Digital & Marketing Manager Steve Graham Editorial Assistant Johnny Burkin Contributors John Garvey, Kyle Kirves, Kristen Kuchar, Jay McKinney, Eric Peterson For advertising and editorial information, please contact Joe Ross at 303.428.9529 or email joe@thirstcolorado.com Proud member of the Colorado Brewers Guild

NOT A HERD MENTALITY

The beloved bison off Interstate 70 are much more than a tourist attraction. Learn how Denver Parks is using them to make a social and environmental impact.

24 HOURS OF ART

Thirst Colorado is produced by The Publishing House, a division of Colorado Word Works, Inc. The Publishing House also produces Colorado’s Performing Arts Publications, serving arts venues along the Front Range.

7380 Lowell Blvd., Westminster, Colorado 80030 303.428.9529

We’ve got your itinerary for a day in the Denver neighborhood where the hotels, food and museums are all works of art.

Drink up life in large amounts, but restrict your alcohol consumption. We do not endorse or support excessive drinking.

And sign up for our weekly newsletter so you never miss another update.

4 ThirstColorado.com July-August 2024

Thirst Colorado is published six times a year by The Publishing House, 7380 Lowell Blvd., Westminster, CO 80030. © The Publishing House, 2024. All rights reserved.

Printed in the U.S.A. Except where noted, the content of Thirst Colorado is the property of the magazine and should only be reprinted with permission. Thirst Colorado is not responsible for false or misleading claims made in advertising or editorial materials published herein. Thirst Colorado Magazine is distributed in part by DJM Distribution, Inc., and Community Racks Distribution, LLC.

CONTRIBUTORS JOHNNY BURKIN In addition to contributing to Thirst Colorado, Burkin writes screenplays and breaks down the chances of the Denver Broncos and Denver Nuggets returning to championship glory. And he’s been known to bend a few ears with a history lesson.

JOHN GARVEY Garvey is a storyteller, freelance writer, illustrator and nerd. He has written for dozens of lifestyle magazines, business publications, and blogs, including Entrepreneur, ColoradoBiz, InnovatioNews, and Thirst Colorado. A Northern Colorado resident, dad, and artist, one of John’s strangest and most notable accomplishments is completing a drawing a day for the entire year of 2023. That creative practice that taught him far more about the human mind than he had expected.

You can see John’s writing at clippings.me/johngarvey. His art is at CreativeFollies.com and @CreativeFollies.

KYLE KIRVES Kirves prefers “man of letters” to “English Major” when responding to questions about his degrees from Ohio University and the University of Dayton. Writing professionally since 1992, he’s primarily covered people, places, and events in the arts, craft culture, and leisure communities, most recently for Arts Enthusiast, the Longmont Downtown Development Authority, ArtsLongmont, and, of course, Thirst Colorado. He is an avid road/trail runner, amateur historian, passable guitar player, lousy fly-fisherman, and devotee of 1950’s and 60’s jazz, especially Miles. He lives in Longmont, with his wife, artist Joanne Kirves, and has two children, Nate and Nora. When he sleeps, he dreams of meatball sandwiches and cold craft beer.

KRISTEN KUCHAR Kuchar has written about travel and the beverage industry for 15 years in a variety of national and local publications.

For Thirst, she primarily covers food, wine, cider, beer and other beverages. She has contributed to VinePair, Zymurgy, The Beer Connoisseur, Craftbeer.com, Beer Advocate, Brew Your Own, All About Beer, DRAFT and dozens more.

Currently, she is a Certified Cicerone Beer Server and has a Level 1 Wine Certification with the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, and she continues to pursue further wine and beverage education.

JAY MCKINNEY McKinney is a Colorado native who grew up south of Denver in Sedalia. In 2020, he graduated from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. Shortly after, he began contributing to Thirst Colorado. He is passionate about promoting the Colorado lifestyle and the independent craft businesses that make the state a magnet for creative people. During his free time, he enjoys playing golf, shooting pool and hiking throughout Colorado and neighboring Utah.

ERIC PETERSON Peterson is a freelance writer who covers travel, business and real estate as well as Colorado’s craft beverage industry.

In his spare time, he likes to create hard listening music, oddball art and psychedelic videos. Eric lives in Denver with his wife, Jamie, and their faithful mutts, Aoife and Ogma.

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THIRST COLORADO | July-August 2024 EXPERIENCES

12 Historic Trains

Rail rides can be found throughout the state

16 Historic Stay 20 Big River Fun

Great spirits and historic lodging await

Rio Grande County remains slightly under the radar

8 20

28 Events Guide

From arts to food and drink fests, you'll find a favorite in this list

34 Dining Where?

By plane, train or city morgue, grab some grub at these unusual spots

38 Mocktails with Zing Impressive NA drinks that deliver flavor

44 Green Light?

48 Branch and Barrel

Learn more about THC's effect on creativity

Raising spirits in the south metro area

On the cover:

Caroline Young’s painting, “Guardians of East and West.”

Check out Young at the Affordable Arts Festival. See page 8.

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Distillery, Winery, 52 Brewery, Cidery and Meadery Guide

Find great craft beverages wherever the adventure takes you

ARTISTICALLY SPEAKING

8 Creative Visions

40 Characters

24 Center Stage

42 Eclectic Mix

Visual arts fest affordable for nearly any budget

Performing arts premieres drop along the Front Range

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These folks help keep the Colorado scene sizzling

Wood Belly's sound evolves as band blends talents

One City.

A World of Flavors.

AURORA Embark on a culinary adventure in one of Colorado’s most diverse cities. The Aurora Eats guide is your passport to the city’s 330-plus authentic, specialty restaurants and markets.

There’s a world of flavors to explore in this global community brimming with culture, history and heritage. Experience Aurora and find out why it’s truly the World in a City.

GoAurora.org

ART FOR EVERYONE

Popular Denver festival focuses on making fine art affordable

By Steve Graham

A

Artist: Lisa Diámor Sánchez

I believe that everyone should have original art, it’s magical and this show opens that door. I’m so thankful to be a part of it.

– Lisa Diámor Sánchez

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rtist Lisa Diámor Sánchez wants everyone to own original art. That goal is much more attainable at the Affordable Arts Festival in Littleton, where every piece costs $150 or less.

“I love that it makes art accessible to everyone,” said Sánchez, who returns to the festival this year with her mixed-media art. “I believe that everyone should have original art, it’s magical and this show opens that door. I’m so thankful to be a part of it. I’m looking forward to seeing all my friends and collecting more art.”

The festival is a one-day event unlike any other festival in the country.

More than 165 artists all over the country offer top-quality art in a wide range of media. Festival director Jim DeLutes said some of the art is originally valued at up to $4,000. The festival will include painting, glass, clay, sculpture, metalwork, photography, mixed media, fiber and wood.

“Artists love the high-energy buying that happens at the Affordable Arts Festival,” he said. “They love being swamped with excited buyers who are purchasing faster than the artists can keep up.”

The opening of the festival can feel like a Black Friday shopping frenzy.

DeLutes said about 4,000 people waited for the gates to open at last year’s festival, and rushed to their favorite artists’ booths.

“People actually bring lawn chairs and a thermos of coffee and wait for 5 hours hoping to be the first ones in,” said artist Jenny Bullard, who will bring her colorful and uplifting art to the festival again this year. “I love the energy and excitement the buyers bring.”

This year’s festival opens at 9 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at Arapahoe Community College. Admission costs $12, and proceeds have funded a cumulative $290,000 in scholarships for ACC students since 2012.

DeLutes has been running the Denver Arts Festival for 18 years, and launched a second, more affordable festival 12 years ago. He was inspired by an artist friend who attended an affordable arts festival in Milwaukee.

“He gave me live video feeds of how many people were there and how crazy the shopping energy was,” said DeLutes, who then attended the show in 2011 as an artist. “It was so much fun and I knew right then that Colorado needed a show like this.”

The Milwaukee festival closed recently after more than 50 years, and DeLutes said he doesn’t know of any other shows of its kind in the nation.

DeLutes said he loves to see “patrons being blown away by the quality of the work and the huge discounts,” and attendees often tell him they planned a $200 budget, but spent $1,200 without regret.

Award-winning artist Caroline Young will return to the Affordable Arts Festival this summer, and she calls the event “a truly unique art festival.”

Young said she will bring new original paintings and new limited-edition prints to the festival this year.

“Jim DeLutes is the best show director we’ve ever worked with,” she added. “...The fact that the show is only six hours on one day makes festival

Artist: Bruce White

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Artist: Dan Sawusch

Artist: John Scanlon

Artist: Jenny Bullard

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goers focus on buying artwork. They know they must act before someone else snatches up what they want. Despite the low prices, the exhibitors have high-quality items. You do not get the feel of a flea market. The excitement of the crowd creates an infectious buying energy.”

Despite the low prices, the popularity of the festival makes it lucrative for artists.

“Having been an artist at the Affordable Arts Festival since the third annual show, I can tell you it has been one of my top grossing shows every year since,” said Colorado painter Bruce White.

He echoed the other artists’ recollections of eager attendees.

“Patient patrons literally run through the aisles once the horn sounds to open the show, just to get to a particular artist’s booth before anyone else can,” White said. “I have had lines of customers for a solid three hours in all of the three most recent shows. You don’t see that in any other show.”

And he doesn’t just make money and sell art at the show. He is also an avid patron building his own collection.

“In fact, I have personally purchased dozens of cherished pieces over the years,” White said.

“This is truly a show that art lovers should not miss.”

Steve Graham is a freelance writer and former newspaper editor who lives in Denver with his lovely bride, boys and bikes.

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HOP ABOARD!

Riding the rails through Colorado history

Photo courtesy of Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

By Johnny Burkin

CUMBRES & TOLTEC SCENIC RAILROAD

B

A darling of the big screen, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad has made cameo appearances in several well-known films over the years: Bite the Bullet (1975), Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade (1989), and Hostiles (2018), to name a few. And considering its picturesque 64-mile trek that whips between the Colorado and New Mexico borders and builds up to a 10,000-foot climb over Cumbres Pass, one can begin to see the allure. Other highlights of the route include a descent into the Chama Valley, hugging the edges of the Toltec Gorge, and a top-down view of the rushing waters of the Rio de los Pinos. If that doesn’t quite pique enough interest, board one of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad’s special trains, like the Outlaw Express - Brews, Views and Que’. Travelers that book this trip can look forward to an afternoon ride followed by a 6 p.m. dinner prepared by Outlaw BBQ. Enjoy delicious smoked turkey, sliced brisket, as well as other favorites. Plus, for craft beer enthusiasts, pair the meal with a nice, refreshing brew provided by Ska Brewing Company. cumbrestoltec.com

efore traffic jams or the rise of commercial airliners, trains ruled the day as the primary mode of transportation across most lands. And although they are still used in that capacity today, cross-country travel in the U.S. has largely been passed over.

But everyone should experience the serenity of chugging along the tracks, especially here in the Centennial State where there is no shortfall of gorgeous landscapes to venture through. Finding a fun and scenic train ride to gather some historic perspective and limitless photos is easy. So, for those interested in coasting some rails and seeing the state in a different light, here are some exciting train rides to consider.

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GEORGETOWN LOOP RAILROAD Considered an engineering triumph at the time of its completion in 1884, The Georgetown Loop is one the more well-known visitor attractions found across the state. The 3-foot narrow gauge railroad corkscrews its way through mountainous terrain as it hauls passengers between the old mining towns of Georgetown and Silver Plume. The ride itself is on the shorter side as it only covers 2 miles and generally lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes during the main season. For those with limited time or restless children, this can be seen as a plus - just like the loop’s proximity to the Denver Metro area, which is less than an hour away. During July, take advantage of Sasquatch Adventure Days and explore the legend of the furry beast. Or, take advantage of an August visit during Wild West Days and pan for gold while learning about yesteryear. To further enhance the experience, be sure to check another historic offering on site: the walking tour of the Lebanon Silver Mine. georgetownlooprr.com

Bob - stock.adobe.com

THE BROADMOOR MANITOU AND PIKES PEAK COG RAILWAY Some say necessity is the mother of invention. In the case of the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, that might be true. Its construction in 1889 came about after businessman/inventor Zalmon G. Simmons traveled to Pikes Peak to inspect telegraph insulators placed on the mountain. What he encountered was a difficult two-day mule ride to the summit. Hence, his decision to fund the creation of the railway. These days the Pikes Peak Cog Railway serves as the world’s highest and longest cog railroad. The three hour, 9-mile trip takes riders on a journey filled with magnificent views as the train ascends to the top of America’s Mountain. Once there, visitors will have 40 minutes to explore the newly updated Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center. For those seeking a little sustenance, be sure to try one of the center’s famous freshly made donuts. Need a keepsake or souvenir to commemorate the journey? Don’t forget to browse the gift shop. And for the bold few, scrap that return trip all together and hike your way down the 13-mile Barr Trail. cograilway.com

Photo courtesy of The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway

LEADVILLE RAILROAD Since 1988, Memorial Day weekend has marked the beginning of a new season for the Leadville Railroad. Not that anyone is counting, but that makes 2024 their 36th season in action. More importantly, though, it means daily trips will be available through September. For a little context, the railway dates to 1884 and was originally owned by the Denver South Park & Pacific Railroad, and once played a key role during the town’s silver mining boom.

Guests that embark on the roughly two-and-a-half hour route can expect to learn more about the railroad’s origin in addition to discovering the region’s vast natural beauty. Expect sweeping scenes of the Upper Arkansas River Valley and San Isabel National Forest. Peak lovers can look forward to seeing the Rocky Mountains in all their glory, as along the way they’ll be treated to the sights of the state’s two tallest, Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive. leadvillerailroad.com Photo courtesy of Leadville Railroad

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DURANGO & SILVERTON NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD Take the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company, sprinkle in some mining and that’s the recipe that binds Durango and Silverton.

In fact, when D&RG founded Durango in 1880 it did so with the primary intention of supporting mining operations in the San Juan area. That meant one of the first orders of business was the construction of a Silverton line. Fast forward to the present, and the line, now part of Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, is one of the better known tourist rides in the state. During the summer season those onboard the steam powered train can anticipate a seven-hour round trip along the Animas River and through the San Juan Mountains as they traverse between Durango and Silverton.

Once reaching Silverton, however, passengers will have a twohour layover to take in the town. Wander the main street with all its historic buildings like the Grand Imperial Hotel or the San Juan County Courthouse. There’s also no shortage of local shops and eateries to check out. For the beer connoisseurs, don’t head back before grabbing a cold one at one of Silverton’s two breweries Avalanche Brewing Company and Golden Block Brewery. Altogether, D&SNGRR provides a great experience for people from all walks of life, even offering several special packages catered to the more adventurous. One example is the Raft & Rails package, which includes a guided morning rafting trip before catching a relaxing afternoon train ride back to Durango. durangotrain.com

ROYAL GORGE ROUTE RAILROAD The Royal Gorge is one of the most iconic landmarks that Colorado has to offer. It’s so spectacular that a war was fought in the late 1870s over which railroad company would have access to its breathtaking views. Well, not exactly. While the Colorado Railroad War, or as it’s also known, the Royal Gorge Railroad War, was indeed a conflict between two rival railroad companies, the Atchison,Topeka and Santa Fe, and the Denver & Rio Grande, the dispute only involved the gorge because it simply obstructed their way. In other words, what both companies truly sought was to build a direct railway to the flourishing mines of Leadville. But after a bitter two-year struggle, only the D&RG would be allowed to resume construction of the track. Today, the Royal Gorge Route Railroad uses part of that same stretch of track to give its passengers a one-ofa-kind journey spotlighting the beauty of the gorge in addition to stunning views of the Arkansas River. The onboard experience is also top notch and offers first-class accommodations and dining options.

Furthermore, availability should never be an issue as the Royal Gorge Route Railroad runs year round with up to four departures daily.

Royalgorgeroute.com

Photo courtesy of Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

ADDITIONAL RAILS TO RUN Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad Hop on that steam engine and relive the historic mines of Cripple Creek during this 45-minute journey. cripplecreekrailroad.com Ridgway Railroad Museum & Train Ride Experience the old train equipment and the railroading history of Ouray County and surrounding areas. ridgwayrailroadmuseum.org Tiny Town & Railroad This fun and short miniature train ride through a miniature town is always a hit with the kiddos. tinytownrailroad.com Colorado Railroad Museum Tour the museum’s exhibits as well as its 15-acre railyard and truly be immersed in the rich railroading past of the Rocky Mountains. coloradorailroadmuseum.org Colorado Railbike Adventures Put the pedal to the rails and railbike tracks that were once used to support the coal mines of Erie. coloradorailbikeadventures.com

Photo courtesy of Royal Gorge Route Railroad

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In addition to contributing to Thirst Colorado, Johnny Burkin writes screenplays and breaks down the chances of the Denver Broncos and Denver Nuggets returning to championship glory. And he’s been known to bend a few ears with a history lesson.

Order “one of everything.”

Your dining escape awaits tucked away in the pines of Black Hawk.

Savor every flavor with award-winning restaurants where you can discover tastes as bold as your laugh.

Make your reservation at MonarchBlackHawk.com

THE VALLEY’S DISTILLERY 1874 Distilling keeps everything close in Del Norte

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Story and photos by Jay McKinney

W

ithin the agricultural hotspot of the San Luis Valley, 1874 Distilling became the first local distillery when it opened more than four years ago. It’s rather surprising, given the sheer size of the valley (larger than some eastern states) and the fact that it produces many grains utilized by far-away distilleries.

As the valley’s first, the founders of 1874 realized the value in producing spirits with local ingredients and running a tight-knit operation where they could slash transportation costs and build communal relationships with farmers.

The distillery, located in the same building as Del Norte’s historic Windsor Hotel, opened at the worst time in recent history: March of 2020. While nobody could predict or prepare for a pandemic, the distillery was fortunate to be able to serve the community when the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms reached out to see if it would produce hand sanitizer. That kept the team busy throughout the year and by December of 2020, the distillery finally had its first sale. Nearly six months later in June of 2021, the tasting room opened too.

In its mission to keep everything local, 1874 strictly produces spirits with what can be grown in the valley, including barley, wheat and rye. The distillery also has a partnership with its neighbors, Three Barrel Brewing, which is located two blocks away and does the mash for the distillate.

“Basically, everything that goes into a bottle is grown within 20 miles of our front door,” says distiller Micah Reynolds. This is

the fourth distillery that Reynolds has worked for, and he says it’s unique because a lot of places don’t have millions of farmable acres right at their doorstep.

The distillery hopes to be a leader in the recently designated single malt category by using the flavors of the valley. However, it also produces vodka, gin and liqueur as well.

“American single malt is a new category and we’ve kind of known that was coming down the pipeline and so we’ve sort of geared our products toward being a leader in that category,” Reynolds says. “In the next five years, I would expect to have a couple of (American single malt) gold medals.”

In September 2023, a cottonwood-smoked single malt was the first batch of whiskey the distillery released. On the nose, the whiskey has notes of smoked cherry and dried fruit, and it finishes light with a subtle flavor of tobacco and a hint of mint.

1874 Distilling is led by an assortment of people with different backgrounds and occupations including a brewer, a CPA, mixologist, sommelier, a couple of farmers and others. Three of the partners own the hotel as well, which is what truly brought them together in this endeavor.

THE WINDSOR HOTEL One of the most unusual aspects of the distillery is that it is located within the same building as the Windsor Hotel. Originally built in 1874 (hence the name of the distillery), the Windsor is a Middle Victorian building that is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. It was almost demolished in 1993 and sat vacant July-August 2024 ThirstColorado.com

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Distiller Micah Reynolds

for about 25 years, but now, thanks to a major restoration, it’s operational once again.

The building was restored with the help of a historical architectural engineer, who found the same colors that were originally used and even the same press used to press the tin on the ceiling. Walking into the hotel feels like stepping back into the 19th century, when Del Norte was a bustling Wild West town.

However, in the renovation there were some major improvements made to make it hospitable in the 21st century.

The hotel currently has 20 rooms. When it was first constructed there were 30 rooms occupying about the same amount of space that nine rooms occupy today. With bedpans and a communal bathroom, it probably felt more like a hostel than a hotel.

Guests now have 20 modern options with rooms featuring a variety of sleeping configurations and a suite that is rumored to have been a woodshop or a dancehall back when it first opened.

“It has a lot of character,” says co-owner Kevin Haas. “Ninetyeight percent of the restoration work was done by artisans and craftsmen in the San Luis Valley. The only thing they needed to farm out was the fire suppression and the elevators.”

It really is a community investment and a cornerstone in Del Norte, and the valley as a whole. While the town’s population is still

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comparatively small (roughly 1,500 people), recent years have seen immense growth.

“Humbly speaking, I think Del Norte is becoming the center of the valley again, because of its resurgence and its wealth of business that we have coming back,” Haas says. “Ten years ago when I came here, there was nothing going on. It’s pretty interesting to see the growth in just a few years.”

As bad as it was for the distillery’s opening, the COVID-19 pandemic enabled people to flock to smaller towns like Del Norte and can be credited with the recent boom in business Haas speaks of. When remote work became acceptable and there was an emphasis on solitary outdoor activities versus indoor gatherings, many city slickers headed for the hills.

But what has set Del Norte apart from other destinations is its proximity to the Rio Grande and surrounding mountains, which provide an abundance of year-round outdoor opportunities.

Jay McKinney grew up in Sedalia and graduated from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. During his free time, he enjoys playing golf, shooting pool and hiking throughout Colorado and neighboring Utah.

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Photo by Joel Condren

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THE

BIG

RIVER

Diving deep into Rio Grande County

By Jay McKinney

R

io Grande County is the modern-day Wild West. There might not be cowboys dueling on dusty streets, but it’s geographically isolated from larger towns and full of wild adventure opportunities.

The county is located in the vast San Luis Valley and serves as the gateway to the San Juan Mountains, which are a crown jewel of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. In the warmer months, tourists visit the county to fish, hike, raft, hunt and partake in just about every other outdoor activity Colorado is known for. And when winter sets in, passionate skiers, boarders and snowshoers make the trek to nearby Wolf Creek Ski Area to experience some of the deepest snow in the state. Whether planning a single- or multi-day trip, there’s plenty of fun to fill up the day.

The county is named after the “big river” – Rio Grande in Spanish – that flows through the region and connects the three municipalities of Monte Vista, Del Norte and South Fork. Each town has its own charming sense of community and pride.

Of the three municipalities along the river, South Fork may be the smallest population wise, but it dubbed itself the base camp for adventure. It’s an ATV-friendly community that also offers anglers a 22-mile stretch of the river designated as Gold Medal Water.

Anglers seeking trophy fish have their best shot at catching one in this section of the river. Joel Condren owns 8200 Mountain Sports in South Fork and argues that the remoteness of the area is what makes it special.

“One of the key components is that South Fork is geographically undesirable,” Condren jokes. “You really have to want to be in South Fork. If you left Denver or Albuquerque, there are a lot of other rivers in between those bigger cities than South Fork. You get that customer that’s willing to come down and stay overnight for one or more nights, and therefore we feel like we get a better class of recreational tourists.”

In a state that has so many great rivers to fish, only 168 miles have been designated as Gold Medal Water and this portion of the

Rio Grande deserves to be on every Colorado angler’s bucket list. For those who are interested in a friendly fishing competition, consider joining the Par Fly Tournament hosted by 8200 Mountain Sports and San Luis Valley Trout Unlimited. From September 26-28, teams of two compete on the river, with one point awarded for every brown trout caught and two points for every rainbow trout. On day two, the teams tee off at Rio Grande Club and Resort for an 18-hole best-ball golf tournament. The points awarded for fishing are subtracted from the team’s golf score and the lowest score wins.

While the river’s activities are great, hiking, biking, and rock climbing are an integral part of the county’s recreational lure. There’s nearly 300 miles of trails spread throughout the area, offering a variety of terrain. Popular adventures include the Limekiln and Stone Quarry trail systems that lie between Monte Vista and Del Norte.

The Stone Quarry trail is nearly 7.4 miles and rated intermediate to difficult with its tight twisting turns and purpose-built slick rock and natural surface. It’s a rugged landscape littered with massive boulder formations and the occasional panoramic valley view. Those who prefer to keep their heart rate down can explore more than 600 miles of multi-use trails throughout the county that are designated for ATVs and other vehicles. The trails range in elevation from 8,200 feet to 12,000 feet and are a great option for anyone looking to cover the most ground.

Rock climbing is another popular activity, with Penitente Canyon and Limekiln being primary destinations near Del Norte.

There’s also the Big Meadows Reservoir area that is a 15-minute drive up Highway 160 from South Fork. It is great for climbers of all skill levels.

“As a guide service, Big Meadows is the place I prefer to take new climbers and kids, especially in the summer as it is quite a bit cooler than down in the valley,” says Curt Howell, owner of Narrow Ridge Outdoors. “In the fall and winter, the Manassa Dike is another fantastic venue made of basalt that offers routes up to 200 feet. In most venues there is something for everyone and plenty of routes to keep you coming back year after year.”

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In most venues there is something for everyone and plenty of routes to keep you coming back year after year.

– Curt Howell Narrow Ridge Outdoors owner

While Howell is proud to guide climbs in Rio Grande County, he says the alpine climbs found in the Sangre de Cristo range nearly an hour away offer the most solitude.

People looking for a unique experience should consider booking a South Fork Railbike tour. The railbikes board at the South Fork Railroad Station and seat two to four people on carts that have pedals and move along retired railroad tracks. Among the tour options are the Rio Grande Run that takes riders on a 6-mile round-trip tour along the river, and the Silver Bridge Run. The latter is more extensive at 12.5 miles round trip but worth every pedal as it takes riders through amazing scenery, including the Coller State Wildlife Area.

After a long day of exploring, consider stopping by the Pivot Public House in Monte Vista for a much-needed libation. The bar prides itself on being a hub for the community and offers beer, wine, signature cocktails and shareable plates that feature seasonal ingredients and showcase the local agriculture of the valley. Try the Ploughboy with Laws Whiskey House San Luis Valley Rye, or the Lavender Mint Collins with 1874 Distilling’s gin or vodka to get a taste of the valley.

“We are proud to showcase products grown and produced here in the San Luis Valley,” says Pivot’s co-owner Danielle DeForest. “It is all about the connection to the people and the land. Many of the folks we buy from return the favor by supporting us. We like to think of the Pivot Public House as a celebration of the Valley and the people who live here.”

Beer lovers will want to consider a visit to Three Barrel Brewing in Del Norte. The brewery has an amazing lineup of beer also brewed with the valley’s ingredients. Some of Three Barrels tasty core brews include the Burnt Toast English brown ale, Hop Trash IPA and the Trashy Blonde ale.

As the sun begins to set, consider heading north to visit the Frontier Drive Inn located in the town of Center that lies on the border of Rio Grande and Saguache counties. The renovated drive-in movie theater plays films Thursday through Saturday under the mesmerizing night sky.

It’s a special venue to watch a movie and there are also luxury rooms that can be rented for an unforgettable getaway.

Jay McKinney grew up in Sedalia and graduated from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. During his free time, he enjoys playing golf, shooting pool and hiking throughout Colorado and neighboring Utah.

Photo Courtesy Narrow Ridge Outdoors

Photo courtesy of Frontier Drive Inn

22 ThirstColorado.com July-August 2024

Photo by Raleigh Burt

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A SEASON OF FIRSTS

Colorado will stage an impressive number of world, regional and national premieres this year

The Original Broadway Company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO: (l to r)_ Nina White, Bonnie Milligan, Fernell Hogan, Michael Iskander, and Olivia Hardy.

Photo by Joan Marcus

24 ThirstColorado.com July-August 2024

By the Thirst Team

L

ast year, “Kimberly Akimbo” won five Tony Awards, including best musical and best original score. Now, the beloved show about a rapidly aging but unshakably optimistic girl will launch its national tour on Sept. 22 at Denver’s Buell Theatre.

It is perhaps the most high-profile entry in a long list of regional, national, and world premieres this season around Colorado. A Denver dance company presents a year of nothing but world debuts, theater companies across the state will stage regional firsts, and many other groups will break out new projects.

After “Akimbo” closes, the Denver Performing Arts Complex also will host the Colorado premieres of “Back to the Future: The Musical,” based on the revered movie; “Life of Pi,” based on the bestselling book; and “& Juliet,” a new spin on the Shakespeare classic.

Also at the DCPA, two crowd favorites that were read at the 2023 Colorado New Play Summit will make their world debuts as full-blown theatrical productions in 2025. “The Suffragette’s Murder” is a farcical whodunit, and “The Reservoir” is an intergenerational comedic drama hailed as “an emotional roller coaster.”

offenders sharing a group home. “Confederates” is a timetraveling story of institutional racism.

The season opens by bringing much-needed humor to election season. “POTUS” is billed as a “chaotically funny” all-female play.

Next spring, Curious brings a new play by the writer of “The Whale.”

Samuel D. Hunter’s “A Case for the Existence of God” is the story of two melancholic single fathers.

DANCE PREMIERES Wonderbound, an acclaimed contemporary dance company in Denver, has sold out nearly every performance in its renovated space — and almost all of them were world premieres. Artistic director Garrett Ammon will debut four completely new shows this season.

In October, “Devil’s Crush” spotlights a Lucifer who has fallen to earth, then fallen in love. December’s “Jolly Moxie” is a madcap adventure set to classics performed by the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra. Next spring, “Agent Romeo” upends Shakespeare’s classic with an FBI man named Romeo pursuing mafia heiress Juliet. Finally, “Space Cowboy” reunites Ammon with members of the Gasoline Lollipops and DeVotchKa for a show where the Old West meets the Space Age. The Zikr Dance Ensemble in Littleton is another acclaimed, cutting edge dance group, with several unseen pieces as part of its fall “Secrets” showcase. Artistic director David Taylor said the show “explores the ancient, mysterious and transcendental aspects of the artform through a contemporary multi-media lens.” He said he has expanded and transformed “Ripples in the Sand,” his dance performance set to the “Dune” film score. And “Cham Mandala,” based on Tibetan mysticism and purification rituals, has new choreography.

The Colorado Ballet will present the regional premiere of “Casanova,” a new ballet by Kenneth Tindall, in January. The show “explores the decadent proclivities of the infamous, fabled romantic through bold choreography, iconic Venetian masquerades, and a passionate narrative set to the music of Kerry Muzzey.”

MORE DRAMATIC DEBUTS The groundbreaking Curious Theatre Company in Denver is known for staging intense and topical shows. And several upcoming regional premieres are no exception.

“Downstate” is an intense story of four convicted sex

Nathan Mariano of Wonderbound in Garrett Ammon’s SAM & DELILAH. Photo by Amanda Tipton

July-August 2024 ThirstColorado.com

25

OpenStage SWEAT Photo By Lynn Nottage

About a mile west of Curious, another troupe of creative Coloradans has been performing at the always creative and irreverent Buntport Theater. The Denver group’s next world premiere is as yet untitled but has a promising premise.

“The play will be a documentary-style show surrounding the 20th anniversary of the Dave Matthews Band Chicago River ‘incident’ in which one of the band’s tour buses emptied its blackwater tank on the Kinzie Street Bridge, dumping hundreds of pounds of human waste onto an open top sightseeing boat below,” said company member Erin Rollman. “In our iteration, the inanimate objects involved — boat, bus, bridge — will finally be able to tell their side of a comedic and completely horrifying event.”

The Wheat Ridge Theatre Company’s world premiere of “A Manny for Us” by James P. Hayes opens July 26. The R-rated play is about a pair of married, gay senior men seeking a live-in housekeeper.

Bas Bleu Theatre in Fort Collins will stage the Colorado premiere of “The School for Lies,” a David Ives farce set in Paris in 1666. The show runs from Sept. 20 through Oct. 13.

Also in Fort Collins, OpenStage presents the world premiere of “October Surprise” by local playwright Miguel Muñoz this fall. “‘October Surprise’ is an emotional, harrowing, and twist-turning

26 ThirstColorado.com July-August 2024

Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812.

Photo by Amanda Tipton

new play about family and morality through the lens of American politics, that asks the question ‘How far are you willing to go for what you believe in?’” said OpenStage managing director Jessica Kroupa.

Funky Little Theater Company in Colorado Springs “strives to bridge the gap between community and professional theater,” said producing artistic director Chris Medina. His company will present one world premiere. “Bootleg Jedi” is a comedy set in 1983 and written by Denver’s Josh Hartwell. Medina said it is “loosely inspired by a zany, true-ish story” of a misfit teen film thief.

Another Funky show is “Mockingbird” by Julie Jensen. This regional premiere revolves around an 11-year-old girl on the autism spectrum, and is adapted from Kathryn Erskine’s National Book Award-winning novel.

The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities will stage the regional premiere of “Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really” by Kate Hamill from Sept. 7 through Nov. 3. The show “drives a gleeful stake through the heart of the patriarchy itself,” said Sarah Kolb, director of marketing and communication for the Arvada Center. “This is a gory, funny, and really clever spin on an old story, and anybody who loves - or loves to hate on - classic novels will be surprised by this production.”

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EVENTS GUIDE JULY TELLURIDE PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL, various locations, through July 6 BRAVO! VAIL MUSIC FESTIVAL, various locations, Vail, through Aug 1 STRINGS MUSIC FESTIVAL, Steamboat Strings Music Pavilion, through Aug 3 CENTRAL CITY OPERA FESTIVAL, Central City Opera House, through Aug 4 “MACBETH” AT THE COLORADO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, Roe Green Theatre, Boulder, through Aug 11 ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL AND SCHOOL, various locations, Aspen, through Aug 18 TRACKING TIME, WORK BY NOELLE PHARES AND CHELSEA KAIAH, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, through Sept 2 BLITZEN TRAPPER, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, July 2 DARK STAR ORCHESTRA, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, July 3 THE CHURCH & THE AFGHAN WHIGS, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, July 3 THE U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY BAND, Dillon Amphitheater, July 4 DARK STAR ORCHESTRA, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, July 4 CRAFT BEER FEST, Greeley Stampede, July 5 SUZY BOGGUSS, I Bar Ranch, Gunnison, July 5 TANYA TUCKER, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, July 5 DARK STAR ORCHESTRA, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, July 5 ATOMGA, The Lariat, Buena Vista, July 5 THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, July 5-6 COLORADO MUSIC FESTIVAL, Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, July 5-Aug 4 COLORADO SYMPHONY: MOZART UNDER MOONLIGHT, Arvada Center Outdoor Amphitheatre, July 6 PG6IX, Dillon Amphitheater, July 6 THE REVIVAL FEAT. FLOBOTS AND KAYLA MARQUE, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, July 6 EMOTIONAL RESCUE, Big B’s Orchards, Hotchkiss, July 6 MADE BY US MARKET, Denver Central Market, July 6 ADAM TRENT, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, July 6 EASY HONEY, The Lariat, Buena Vista, July 6 “THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR” AT THE COLORADO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, Roe Green Theatre, Boulder, July 6-Aug 11 JAPAN FEST 2024: A RYUICHI SAKAMOTO TRIBUTE, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, July 7 MELISSA ETHERIDGE, Arvada Center Outdoor Amphitheatre, July 7 THE TRAVELIN’ MCCROURYS, Dillon Amphitheater, July 8 RICKY SKAGGS AND KENTUCKY THUNDER, Arvada Center, July 9

28 ThirstColorado.com July-August 2024

PAUL CATHEN, I Bar Ranch, Gunnison, July 10 BLACKBERRY SMOKE, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, July 10-11 COLORADO SYMPHONY: MOZART AT MCGREGOR SQUARE, Denver, July 10 LOS MOCOCHETES, Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park, July 10 NATTALI RIZE WITH MINORI, Old Town Square, Fort Collins, July 11 MARK MORRIS WITH FRIENDS, Center for the Arts Evergreen, July 11 PORTUGAL. THE MAN, Dillon Amphitheater, July 11 MUSIC IN THE MOUNTAINS, Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, Durango, July 11-Aug 4 DARKFIELD, Bird Lot, Denver, July 11-Aug 11 DAMN TALL BUILDINGS (TUNES ON THE TERRACE), Lone Tree Arts Center, July 12 TOM PAPA, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, July 12 MO LOWDA & THE HUMBLE, The Lariat, Buena Vista, July 12 THE WIDDLER & COKI, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, July 12 THREE DOG NIGHT, Pueblo Memorial Hall, July 12 RICK SPRINGFIELD & RICHARD MARX, Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park, Grand Junction, July 12 SPAFFORD, I Bar Ranch, Gunnison, July 12-13 COLORADO WHISKEY FESTIVAL, Douglas County Fairgrounds, Castle Rock, July 13 COLORADO JAZZ REPERTORY ORCHESTRA WITH TATIANA LADY MAY MAYFIELD, Arvada Center, July 13 WINE & JAZZ FESTIVAL, River Run Village, Keystone, July 13 PORTUGAL. THE MAN, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, July 13 COLORADO BREWERS RENDEZVOUS, Riverside Park, Salida, July 13 ARVADA ON TAP, Ralston Park, July 13 BRECKENRIDGE SUMMER BEER FESTIVAL, Beaver Run Resort, July 13 COLORADO SYMPHONY: BEETHOVEN AND BREWS AT THE ‘PLEX, Denver Performing Arts Complex, July 13 BLACK OPRY REVUE, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, July 14 TRAMPLED BY TURTLES, Dillon Amphitheater, July 14 BROTHERS OSBORNE, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, July 14 SPAFFORD, Dillon Amphitheater, July 15 CASTLE ROCK WINEFEST, Bison Park, July 15 ZIGGY MARLEY, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, July 15 THE SPRINGSTEEN EXPERIENCE, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, July 16 HAZEL MILLER & THE COLLECTIVE, Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park, July 17 THE SECOND CITY: COMEDIAN RHAPSODY, Garner Galleria Theatre, July 17-Aug 11

THE WHITE BUFFALO, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, July 18 GASOLINE LOLLIPOPS, The Lariat, Buena Vista, July 18 CHAIN STATION, Old Town Square, Fort Collins, July 18 TASTE OF PIKES PEAK, Park Union, Colorado Springs, July 18 LAKE STREET DIVE, Dillon Amphitheater, July 19 SAMANTHA FISH, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, July 19 DANGERMUFFIN, Big B’s Orchards, Hotchkiss, July 19 STRAIGHT NO CHASER, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, July 19 CHALI 2NA AND CUT CHEMIST, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, July 19 CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS, various locations, July 19-28 THE DAMN QUAILS, The Lariat, Buena Vista, July 20 TENNYSON STREET FAIR, Denver, July 20 SHAGGY, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, July 20 SEUN KUTI AND EGYPT 80, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, July 20 YAMPA RIVER REGGAE FESTIVAL, Loudy-Simpson Park, Craig, July 20 WINTER PARK JAZZ FESTIVAL, Rendezvous Event Center, July 20-21 SUMMERFEST ART FESTIVAL, Buchanan Park, Evergreen, July 20-21 PUNK IN DRUBLIC FEAT. NOFX, National Western Center, Denver, July 20-21 MOMS UNHINGED STANDUP COMEDY SHOW, Lone Tree Arts Center, July 21 NORAH JONES, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, July 22 DREW HOLCOMB & THE NEIGHBORS, Dillon Amphitheater, July 22 IBIBIO SOUND MACHINE, Washington’s, Fort Collins, July 23 TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE, Dillon Amphitheater, July 23 DREW HOLCOMB & THE NEIGHBORS, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, July 23 THE MCCHARMLYS, Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park, July 24 TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND, Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park, Grand Junction, July 24 “WICKED,” Buell Theatre, Denver, July 24-Aug 25 THE MCCHARMLYS, Old Town Square, Fort Collins, July 25 DIRT MONKEY, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, July 25-26 ARAPAHOE COUNTY FAIR, Aurora, July 25-28 POURS ON THE PLAINS, Arapahoe County Fairgrounds and Event Center, July 26 RIVER RUN ART FESTIVAL, Warren Station, Keystone, July 26 FRUITION, The Lariat, Buena Vista, July 26

DARRELL SCOTT, Big B’s Orchards, Hotchkiss, July 26 JASON MRAZ, Dillon Amphitheater, July 26 MISTURA FINA (TUNES ON THE TERRACE), Lone Tree Arts Center, July 26 COLORADO SYMPHONY’S TRIBUTE TO ARTHUR FIELDER & BOSTON POPS, Arvada Center, July 26 ROCKYGRASS FESTIVAL 2024, Planet Bluegrass, Lyons, July 26-28 RIVER RUN VILLAGE ART FESTIVAL, Keystone, July 26-28 VAIL DANCE FESTIVAL, various locations, July 26-Aug 5 ORPHEUS MEADFEST, Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden, July 27 DOWNTOWN SUMMER FEST, Park Union, Colorado Springs, July 27 CHEESMAN PARK ART FEST, Denver, July 27-28 JASON MRAZ WITH THE COLORADO SYMPHONY, Red Rocks, Morrison, July 28 “ARDEN OF FAVERSHAM” AT THE COLORADO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, Roe Green Theatre, Boulder, July 28 TOWER OF POWER, Arvada Center, July 28 MOE., Dillon Amphitheater, July 29 A.J. FULLERTON, Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park, July 31

AUGUST THE BROTHERS COMATOSE & HAYES CARLL, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, Aug 1 DENVER BURGER BATTLE, Auraria Campus, Denver, Aug 1 ALYSHA BRILLA, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 1 GUSTER WITH THE COLORADO SYMPHONY, Red Rocks, Morrison, Aug 1 HEAVY DIAMOND RING, Old Town Square, Fort Collins, Aug 1 THE PO’ RAMBLIN’ BOYS WITH DRUNKEN HEARTS, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 2 SHADOWGRASS, Big B’s Orchards, Hotchkiss, Aug 2 MOE., Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, Aug 2-3 THE DEAD SOUTH, Dillon Amphitheater, Aug 2-3 RHYTHMS ON THE RIO, Del Norte, Aug 2-4 SHAKEDOWN STREET, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 3 ANTONIO LOPEZ BAND, Big B’s Orchards, Hotchkiss, Aug 3 VINO AND NOTES, Memorial Park, Woodland Park, Aug 3 MADE BY US MARKET, Denver Central Market, Aug 3 DACONO MUSIC AND SPIRITS FESTIVAL, Centennial Field, Aug 3 Email your upcoming event listings to joe@thirstcolorado.com. And check venue and event websites for updates.

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July-August 2024 ThirstColorado.com

29

Join us for Craft Beer and Endless Summer FUN! Special ticketed craft beer event at the Arapahoe County Fair

Add on a Fair ticket–think fireworks, funnel cakes, unlimited rides–and make it a whole night!

6:30–9:30 p.m. Friday, July 26, 2024

Arapahoe County Fairgrounds and Event Center 25690 E. Quincy Ave., Aurora 80016

Tickets: $25, will sell out fast www.arapahoecountyfair.com L

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2024 SPONSORS AND PARTNERS:

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PARTICIPATING BREWERIES (subject to change)

30 ThirstColorado.com July-August 2024

STEINLEY CUP MICROBREW FESTIVAL, Veterans Island Park, Saratoga, Wyoming, Aug 3 WINTER PARK BREW FEST, Rendezvous Event Center, Aug 3 BLUEGRASS AND BEER FESTIVAL, Warren Station, Keystone, Aug 3- 4 GRAHAM NASH, Washington’s, Fort Collins, Aug 4 ALO, Dillon Amphitheater, Aug 5 BEN FOLDS, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, Aug 6 BEN FOLDS, Pueblo Memorial Hall, Aug 7 LOWDOWN BRASS BAND & THE BURROUGHS, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 8 SLIGHTLY STOOPID, Dillon Amphitheater, Aug 8 YAM YAM, The Lariat, Buena Vista, Aug 8 TAKUYA KURODA, Old Town Square, Fort Collins, Aug 8 HAIRBALL, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, Aug 8 BEANSTALK MUSIC FESTIVAL, Rancho Del Rio, Bond, Aug 8-10 VAIL WINE CLASSIC, various locations, Aug 8-10 SLIGHTLY STOOPID, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, Aug 9 CORINNE BAILEY RAE, Arvada Center, Aug 9 LITTLE BIRD, The Lariat, Buena Vista, Aug 9 THE BODEANS, I Bar Ranch, Gunnison, Aug 9 CLINT BLACK, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, Aug 9 JAMESTOWN REVIVAL, Club Red, Telluride, Aug 9 ROOSTER BLACKSPUR, Center for the Arts Evergreen, Aug 9 ONE REPUBLIC, Sunset Amphitheater, Colorado Springs, Aug 9-11 TELLURIDE JAZZ FESTIVAL, Telluride Town Park, Aug 9-11 ROCKY MOUNTAIN FOLKS FESTIVAL, Planet Bluegrass, Lyons, Aug 9-11 PHAMALY THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS “A CHORUS LINE,” Kilstrom Theater, Denver, Aug 9-25 WINCHESTER, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, Aug 10 REAL FAKE NEWS, Big B’s Orchards, Hotchkiss, Aug 10 VAIL VALLEY BREW’AU, Nottingham Park, Avon, Aug 10 ILLITERATE LIGHT, The Lariat, Buena Vista, Aug 10 ALL MY RELATIONS CELEBRATION, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 10 ESTES PARK WINE FESTIVAL, Bond Park, Aug 10-11 THE BURROUGHS & LOWDOWN BRASS BAND, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, Aug 11 BODEANS, Washington’s, Fort Collins, Aug 11 MIGUEL ESPINOZA FUSION WITH MICHELE CASTRO, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 11 COUCH, Dillon Amphitheater, Aug 12 NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND, Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park, Grand Junction, Aug 13 JOSS STONE, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, Aug 13

Find your hoppy place.

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July-August 2024 ThirstColorado.com

31

Join us for the 3rd Annual Winter Park Brew Fest!

August 3, 2024 | 12pm-5pm Live Music:

That Eighties Band & Hunker Down

RENDEZVOUS EVENT CENTER WINTER PARK, COLORADO

9TH ANNUAL

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32 ThirstColorado.com July-August 2024

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ALLEN STONE, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, Aug 13 THE BEACH BOYS, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 14 LEFTOVER SALMON, YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND & RAILROAD EARTH, I Bar Ranch, Gunnison, Aug 14 THE REVIVALISTS, Red Rocks, Morrison, Aug 14-15 WALKER HAYES, Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park, Grand Junction, Aug 15 BIG WILD, Dillon Amphitheater, Aug 15 THE BEACH BOYS, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, Aug 15 ATOMGA, Old Town Square, Fort Collins, Aug 15 ATMOSPHERE, Red Rocks, Morrison, Aug 16 THE CRANE WIVES, Washington’s, Fort Collins, Aug 16 BIG RICHARD, The Lariat, Buena Vista, Aug 16 BANSHEE TREE, Big B’s Orchards, Hotchkiss, Aug 16 WALKER HAYES, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, Aug 16 THE BEACH BOYS, Sunset Amphitheater, Colorado Springs, Aug 16 LEFTOVER SALMON, YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND & RAILROAD EARTH, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 16 JOY OLADOKUN, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, Aug 17 RIVERFEST, Pueblo Riverwalk, Aug 17 BIG WILD, Red Rocks, Morrison, Aug 17 WAILING SOULS AND ITALS, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 17 GLOBAL FEST, Aurora Municipal Center, Aug 17 O.A.R., Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, Aug 17 WALKER HAYES, Sunset Amphitheater, Colorado Springs, Aug 17 FIRESIDE COLLECTIVE, The Lariat, Buena Vista, Aug 17 THE BEACH BOYS, Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park, Grand Junction, Aug 17 MOUNTAIN TOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL, Warren Station, Keystone, Aug 17 HERITAGE BREW FESTIVAL, Memorial Park, Manitou Springs, Aug 17 LEFTOVER SALMON, YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND & RAILROAD EARTH, Dillon Amphitheater, Aug 17 FRONT RANGE WINE FESTIVAL, Main Park, Windsor, Aug 17 O.A.R., Red Rocks, Morrison, Aug 18 SHAKEY GRAVES, Dillon Amphitheater, Aug 18 IRATION AND PEPPER, Sunset Amphitheater, Colorado Springs, Aug 18 LEFTOVER SALMON, YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND & RAILROAD EARTH, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, Aug 18 FILM ON THE ROCKS: “MAD MAX: FURY ROAD,” Red Rocks, Morrison, Aug 19 MOONTRICKS, Dillon Amphitheater, Aug 19 KARL DENSON’S TINY UNIVERSE, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, Aug 20 NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS, Red Rocks, Morrison, Aug 20-21 KAYLA MARQUE, Old Town Square, Fort Collins, Aug 22

BERNADETTE PETERS WITH MEMBERS OF THE COLORADO SYMPHONY, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, Aug 22 BRECKENRIDGE WINE CLASSIC, various locations, Aug 22-24 COLIN JOST, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, Aug 23 GIPSY KINGS, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 23 BLUE OCTOBER, Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park, Grand Junction, Aug 23 LAUREN DAIGLE, Sunset Amphitheater, Colorado Springs, Aug 23 SAN JUAN BREWFEST, Buckley Park, Durango, Aug 23-24 COLORADO WINE WALK, Dairy Block, Denver, Aug 24 NEDERLAND JAZZ & WINE FESTIVAL, Chipeta Park, Aug 24 PETER ROWAN WITH THE SAM GRISMAN PROJECT, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, Aug 24 PRIMUS, Sunset Amphitheater, Colorado Springs, Aug 24 MELVIN SEALS & JBG, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 24 SHAKEY GRAVES, Big B’s Orchards, Hotchkiss, Aug 24 EVERGREEN FINE ARTS FESTIVAL, Buchanan Fields, Aug 24-25 PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND, Arvada Center, Aug 25 AFFORDABLE ARTS FESTIVAL, Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, Aug 25 CIRCLES AROUND THE SUN, Dillon Amphitheater, Aug 26 LINDSAY LOU, Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Vail, Aug 27 JOHN FOGERTY, Sunset Amphitheater, Colorado Springs, Aug 27 OVERLAND EXPO MOUNTAIN WEST, The Ranch Complex, Loveland, Aug 27-29 GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV, Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park, Grand Junction, Aug 28 THE HIGH KINGS AND GAELIC STORM, Arvada Center, Aug 28 GEORGE THOROGOOD & THE DESTROYERS, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, Aug 28 KURT VILE, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 29 PAA KOW, Old Town Square, Fort Collins, Aug 29 DIERKS BENTLEY, Sunset Amphitheater, Colorado Springs, Aug 30 YOLA, Arvada Center, Aug 30 TROPA MAGICA, Big B’s Orchards, Hotchkiss, Aug 30 THE HIP ABDUCTION, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, Aug 30 FOUR CORNERS FOLK FESTIVAL, Pagosa Springs, Aug 30-Sept 1 DASHIKI FEST, Levitt Pavilion, Denver, Aug 31 ROBERT PLANT & ALISON KRAUSS, Sunset Amphitheater, Colorado Springs, Aug 31 THE HIP ABDUCTION, The Lariat, Buena Vista, Aug 31 JAS EXPERIENCE, Snowmass, Aug 30-Sep 1

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Photo courtesy of The Airplane Restaurant

UNUSUAL DINING HOTSPOTS

Enjoy your meal by train, boat, plane or … morgue

By Eric Peterson

THE AIRPLANE RESTAURANT

W

Colorado Springs Appropriately adjacent to the Colorado Springs Airport is a 1953 Boeing KC-97 parked as a 275-seat restaurant. One of the largest piston-driven aircraft ever produced by Boeing, the KC-97 served as a refueling tanker on a number of missions before it landed once and for all in Colorado Springs to refuel patrons with steaks, seafood, burgers and other fare. The plane also houses a minimuseum of aviation history with hundreds of photos and artifacts.

hite tablecloths and crystal chandeliers are great, but have you ever sat down for a meal in a permanently grounded airplane? Or a former morgue?

A restaurant’s setting is often as memorable as the food itself.

From the high country to the Front Range, Colorado has a number of dining options in unexpected locations that are brimming with quirky personalities.

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OLLIE’S PUB & GRUB

MOUNTAIN TAP BREWERY

Breckenridge The highest floating restaurant in the world is located on a replica of a dredge mining boat on the Blue River in the heart of Breckenridge.

Dredge boats scoured the river for gold in the early 1900s, but the notably destructive practice fell out of favor by the middle of the century. Today, Ollie’s Pub serves wings, burgers, and pub grub from the faux boat’s deck. There’s also a second location in Frisco.

Steamboat Springs Purchasing a lift ticket isn’t necessary to jump on a gondola in Steamboat Springs. In winter, the Mountain Tap offers guests the option to sit in the cabins of repurposed ski gondolas on the patio.

Each has a Bluetooth speaker and a heater, with space for six adults.

Reservations are recommended, and there are minimums for food and beverage tabs. Beyond the craft beers on tap, the resident wood-fired oven churns out popcorn, chili, pizzas and s’mores.

THE FRIAR’S FORK Alamosa One of the best new restaurants in the state, the Friar’s Fork serves innovative takes on Italian and Mediterranean fare from its location in the historic St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Alamosa, built in 1926 and deconsecrated in 2020. The Sanctuary, a slick cocktail bar, is part of the structure, and is just the place to hide away and savor your favorite beverage.

ORE HOUSE AT THE PINE GROVE Steamboat Springs The former barn on Pine Grove Ranch morphed into a restaurant in the early 1970s. The surrounding landscape has changed from cattle ranch to ski town since the barn’s construction in 1910, but beef remains front and center on the menu. You’ll also find plenty of memorabilia from the ranch’s glory days on the walls.

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Photo courtesy of Train Cars Coffee & Kava, by Nathan Saier

HAPPY ENDINGS CABOOSE CAFE Cañon City After a stint on the Great Western Railways tourist trains, Caboose 1006 found a new life as an eatery in the heart of Cañon City. Now owned by the Royal Gorge Route Railroad, the slickly restored railcar is permanently off the rails to serve crepes and cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and burgers and wraps for lunch. Thirst quenchers include coffee, wine, beer and cocktails.

TRAIN CARS COFFEE & KAVA

Photo courtesy of Happy Endings Caboose Cafe

Nederland Cañon City doesn’t have a monopoly on the state’s trains-turned-cafes. For an espresso, latte, or other quaffable pick-me-up, Nederland offers three historic rail cars that comprise a coffee shop that doubles as a music venue and community gathering spot. Beyond coffee and kava drinks, the menu includes donuts, breakfast burritos and sandwiches.

RABBIT HOLE Colorado Springs Once the city morgue, the Rabbit Hole is situated below the streets of downtown Colorado Springs. Descending into the brick-laden space transports you into another world, featuring murals by local artist Phil Lear, as well as Wonderland-inspired cocktails like the White Rabbit (a vanilla vodka and coconut rum martini topped with a flaming marshmallow). Creative dishes jump off the menu, certain to please carnivores and vegetarians alike.

SCHOOL HOUSE KITCHEN AND LIBATIONS Arvada Built as a one-room schoolhouse in 1882, this structure in Olde Town Arvada served as a movie theater, dance school, and sporting goods store before assuming its current incarnation as a restaurant in 2015. The menu of elevated bar fare ranges from nachos and fried Brussels sprouts to baked meatloaf and shrimp po’ boy sandwiches, not to mention a bar stocked with more than 50 beers and 2,000 whiskeys.

Photo courtesy of Rabbit Hole

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Eric Peterson is a freelance writer who covers travel, business, and real estate, as well as Colorado’s craft beverage industry. Eric lives in Denver with his wife, Jamie, and their faithful mutts, Aoife and Ogma.

July-August 2024 ThirstColorado.com

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SOBERING THOUGHTS

Staying healthy with Colorado-created, non-alcoholic cocktails

By Kristen Kuchar The non-alcoholic trend fueled by Gen-Zers continues to grow in Colorado’s world of spirits. And many N/A cocktails are crafted with thoughtfulness to create flavorful beverages without the drawbacks of booze. The following recipes created by local mixologists will keep you rolling into the night without the need to give up the car keys.

COLORADO COOLER FROM THE POST CHICKEN & BEER 1½ oz strawberry puree 1½ oz mint honey syrup* 1½ oz lime juice Shake and serve in a pint glass over ice with a lime.

The mint honey syrup is a mix of honey, water and fresh mint. In a large sauce pot, add ingredients over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and place in the cooler.

STRAWBERRY BASIL SPRITZER FROM ATOMIC COWBOY ¾ oz strawberry jam (Atomic Cowboy uses a strawberry rhubarb jam) ½ oz lemon juice 1 oz basil syrup Soda water Shake the jam, lemon juice and basil syrup with ice.

Strain into a glass with fresh ice. Top with soda water, and garnish with a lemon wheel.

CROCS WITH SOCKS FROM BURNDOWN 2 muddled blackberries 1 oz Seedlip Garden 108 1 oz ginger syrup ½ oz lime juice Shake and double strain over fresh ice in an old-fashioned glass, top with soda and stir.

Garnish with a thick sprig of mint.

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UBE COLADA FROM SWAYLO’S TIKI RESTAURANT AND BAR 4 oz pineapple juice 1 3/4 oz cream of coconut 1 oz ube syrup*

FRAMBOISE FROM LA TAVERNE

*To make ube syrup, combine 1/2 cup of ube powder, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer and chill immediately.

2 oz sweetened raspberry puree 1 oz lime juice Strong Water club soda Lime wheel and raspberries for garnish

To make this cocktail, combine pineapple juice, cream of coconut and ube syrup.

Combine in beverage glass. Stir. Garnish with a lime wheel and two skewered raspberries.

TIDAL WAVE FROM POKA LOLA SOCIAL CLUB

PINEAPPLE GINGER FROM IRONTON DISTILLERY & CRAFTHOUSE 1 oz pineapple juice 1 oz lime Juice ½ oz simple syrup Ginger beer Combine pineapple juice, lime juice and simple syrup, shake and top with ginger beer.

4¼ cups frozen mango chunks 3 oz water 3 oz citric acid solution 8½ oz pineapple juice 10 oz orange juice 3 oz champagne vinegar ¼ oz vanilla bean paste 8½ oz demerara simple syrup 3 oz simple syrup 2½ cups coconut milk Blend thawed mango chunks into a purée.

Combine all ingredients except coconut milk to a stock pot. Cook on low heat for about 30 minutes; let cool. Once cooled completely, add coconut milk and whisk all ingredients thoroughly to blend together. To serve: Add 4 ounces to a Collins glass, add ice and top with club soda. Mix together with a spoon or straw.

Kristen Kuchar is a freelance writer covering food, libations, music and other Colorado gatherings.

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CHARACTERS OF THE CRAFT Tessa Rausch Self-taught artist Age: 25 What do you love about your job? Being my own boss. Being able to create and do what I love on my own terms and at my own pace.

What is the hardest part of your job? Being the boss. Which contradicts my last answer but it is definitely a love-hate relationship. Not only am I the creator behind my own business, but I am also the social media manager, sales manager, business manager, photographer, and everything in between. Doing it all on your own is hard work.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? The people in my life and the art I get to create each day.

What’s one thing about yourself that most people in your circle wouldn’t know? I get extremely burnt out being around groups of people, which is strange because I am a bartender and also a live-painter. I also love music, which usually brings me to a lot of packed venues.

What would be your favorite Colorado staycation destination?

Why? The mountains. To be able to disconnect is one of my favorite things. I am forever grateful to have that escape so accessible!

What’s one of your favorite places to eat or drink in Colorado?

Rails End Beer.

Craig Engelhorn Head distiller and co-founder of Spirit Hound Distillers Age: 62 What do you love about your job?

I get to make whisky for a living, seriously? I’ve had pretty decent success in the beverage/alcohol business, both in the beer world (I was the original brewer at Oskar Blues), and also in the spirits world – Spirit Hound even got Whisky of the Year in London last year – unbelievably fun for me. Actually, one of my favorite things is the amazing range of people I meet in our tasting room - from all over the place. I like to hear their stories, find out their history, you know, make a connection.

What is the hardest part of your job? Making spirits is a very detail-oriented operation. There can be a lot of things all happening at once, and it can get a little overwhelming at times managing all of the balls in the air. I also have high expectations for the products we produce, and that takes extra work and attention as well.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Knowing that I get to go to work with and for some very amazing people, in a successful business that I helped to create. Plus, our cat gets really annoying in the morning.

What’s one thing about yourself that most people in your circle wouldn’t know? A lot of people I know refer to me as the professor, because I know a lot of shit and am a pretty good problem solver.

What they don’t know is that I really consider myself the student, because for all of those things I know about, there are so many more things that I need to learn.

What would be your favorite Colorado staycation destination?

Why? Honestly? Don’t laugh. Our home right here in Lyons. We have a cute little cabin up high in town with amazing views and a secluded yard. It’s very unique, but I hardly get to actually be home and spend time enjoying it. I’ve considered telling everyone that we’re going out of town on vacation, and then just stay home.

What’s one of your favorite places to eat or drink in Colorado?

This is a very, very difficult question. I have a lot of favorite places, mostly up and down the Front Range. I’ll narrow it down to an amazing restaurant, relatively new to Lyons, called Marigold. They are a slice of upscale urban amazingness right here in our small town. Chef Theo is highly regarded (he’s in the running for a James Beard award, I’ll have you know), the amazing menu changes regularly, the wine list and cocktails are well above par - love it.

Jim DeLutes Director of the Denver Arts Festival and the Affordable Arts Festival Age: 70 What do you love about your job? Helping artists make a living doing their art is number one. A close second is the high energy of the patrons and the artists at my Affordable Arts Festival. People line up for hours; the gates open, and they run and buy—lots of fun for artists and the patrons. Plus, after 13 years, we have raised $300,000 for the scholarships at Arapahoe Community College.

What is the hardest part of your job? The months of working on the logistics of the show. Putting together a promotions plan, the permits, the layout of the booths to name just a few. Some days, it feels like juggling running chainsaws.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? My wife and I work at home and I look forward to spending my day with her. We’ve been together almost every day for over 20 years, and she is my favorite person.

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What’s one thing about yourself that most people in your circle wouldn’t know? Most friends know that I love driving. What they may not know is that by the time I was 19, I had driven to 49 states (Hawaii had to wait).

What would be your favorite Colorado staycation destination? Why? Trappers Lake in the Flat Tops Wilderness Area is stunning, with hiking, horseback riding and fishing. It’s definitely rustic, with cabins to rent, some built 100 years ago.

What’s one of your favorite places to eat or drink in Colorado?

Scalzotto Italian Restaurant (Westminster, Broomfield and Loveland) has some of the best Italian food. Comparable to dishes we had in Italy.

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WOOD BELLY CRAFTS A NEW BLUEGRASS SOUND Band gets stoked mixing genres, styles

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By Kyle Kirves

“W

e put a lot of work into every single song,” says Chris Weist, guitarist and co-founder of Colorado-based band Wood Belly. “We really want them to be as memorable and as awesome as they can be. We turn over every stone, every possibility. It takes a lot of effort, a lot of love.”

It’s a craftsman-like ethos that pervades the group – whom I hesitate to call a bluegrass or even “newgrass” band, despite their origins at the 2015 Rocky Grass Festival – and allows them to push the boundaries and go where the muse takes them.

“We play a lot of bluegrass instruments, but we’re not trying to fit into that traditional sound,” Weist continues. “We’ve even gone further than what those labels suggest. We have songs that have electric guitar, drums, lap steel and dobro and electric bass instead of upright. There’s still some ’grass there, but there’s a lot of rock, a lot of Americana in there too.”

Banjo player Aaron McCloskey said the vocals also break through genre boundaries.

“We could go any of those directions,” he said. “And sometimes those directions include three part vocal harmony.”

Consider, for example, many of the songs on the band’s latest record, “Cicada,” from late 2023.

“With ‘Cicada,’ we embraced a lot more of an electric sound.

Not out of disrespect for bluegrass at all,” Weist says. “It’s really just about trying out new things and new possibilities and expanding the canvas. We still want to do the kinds of music that came before, of course, but also be open to what can come after.”

“Cicada,” the band says, germinated quickly in two sessionbased batches.

Bassist and singer Brennan Mackey, who was new to Wood Belly at the time, says he reveled in the creative process.

“It was fun to see how they work and work with them,” he said.

“We kind of found the common thread or middle ground where we could all meet.”

The result was a layered recording with a sense of live flair and the kind of beautiful hodgepodge that can only come through organic collaboration.

Regardless of the tonality or theme of the songs, all of them, McCloskey says, “have a great lyrical focus, and emphasis on song quality. And often a story vibe to them.”

“Pockets of Gold” is another streaming favorite from “Cicada,” and is emblematic of that concept.

“That one is a pretty long, slow rocker,” Mackey says. “A kind of power rocker. It’s like a Pink Floyd song. It’s a pretty strong departure from our previous sound.”

Bluegrass meets Pink Floyd? To me, that sounds like a natural for Colorado audiences.

Wood Belly’s experimentation gives them more latitude in terms of putting together tailor-made set lists that are both diverse and capable of matching audience energy. “We try to pick up on what kind of crowd might be coming to a certain place,” Mackey says. “It might create more of a house concert kind of vibe. Or if it’s a late night raging club, we might play stuff that’s more suitable for that kind of room.”

McCloskey agrees.

“Everytime you see us, you’re going to get a different set,” he said. “Which Chris is great at, by the way. Making the music fit that venue or event.”

There is plenty of depth to draw from.

“Four, four-and-a-half records in, we kind of have a lot to choose from,” he says. “It’s very diverse, and there will be something for everybody who comes to a Wood Belly show. In some ways, we almost erase the whole band concept and just play.”

Songwriting inspiration comes from many places. Recently, Wood Belly finished some new studio work on the West Coast, taking in the California vibes for an experimental piece sourced from an interesting concept.

“We did a really cool project with a group called Song Confessional,” Weist says. “They set up these confession booths at shows, like Mishawaka, where people could just go in and confess some story that happened in their life. Then they hand that off to a band and you create and record a song based on that story. I think it turned out super cool and the song, called ‘Late Bloomer,’ ended up being really great and a nice departure from the stuff you’d find on Cicada.”

The Golden State suffused the new tunes with more of a laid back feel. “We’ve always written things here in Colorado, so writing on the beach is very different from writing here,” says Mackey. “And then to take that energy into the studio. It just felt like everybody was cooking. Really running on all cylinders. Just really a chilled out experience, which was very memorable.”

California dreamin’ aside, Wood Belly knows that Colorado is a special place in terms of venues and every member of the band concurs that Colorado audiences are a treat to play for. “It’s one of the few places in the country where you can do this as much as we do,” Weist says. “People are always willing to come out, in all kinds of weather, and still bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the show. They’re not just fans. They are the people that we want to hang out with.”

Judging by the attendance and accolades the band continues to enjoy, that feeling is mutual. With a repertoire that both embraces and defies expectation and convention, Wood Belly continues to create music for kindred spirits who share in the joy of musical exploration, taking them on a ride where every song is a new and unforgettable story.

Kyle Kirves drinks beer, plays guitar, runs trails, and manages projects – all with varying degrees of success. While not a craftsman himself, he is quite content writing about the Colorado artisans who create such wonderful things and memorable experiences.

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CANNABIS AND CREATIVITY CREATIVE FUEL OR OBSTACLE? Musicians and other artists have tested the theory for decades Story and illustration by John Garvey

A

lot of conspicuously accomplished creative people are stoners. If you think weed can help creative people live more productive and expressive lives, you may look to Louis Armstrong, Paul McCartney, Amy Winehouse, Woody Harrelson and Snoop Dogg. When I set out to write this article, I was of the opinion that cannabis was, in fact, a creative stimulant.

There remains a theoretical but decent argument for this, which I’ll get into shortly. But as with so many other things cannabisrelated, the accepted narrative about cannabis and creativity is mainly bullshit. When you look in depth at the clinical and realworld evidence, the relationship between cannabis and creativity looks more like the relationship between alcohol and sex: • It makes it more likely to happen – up to a point • It can make it occur in what feels like a more spontaneous, free-wheeling and innocent way • But it doesn’t make you better at it • And beyond a certain point, it tends to keep anything whatsoever from actually happening There’s room for exploration and debate about weed and creativity. Cannabis was conspicuously present during several eras of musical innovation in the U.S., such as the early jazz era, the groundbreaking rock and folk music of the Vietnam era, and the emergence of hip hop. Cannabis may help some silence their inner critic, or give them a sense of playfulness and spontaneity, enabling them to actually do things rather than thinking about them.

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But a more likely explanation for the stereotype of the creative stoner is the trait of openness. Openness to experience, one of the Big 5 personality traits, is strongly correlated to creativity and can also help explain an affinity for substance use. In fact, it is easier to make the case that coffee is a creative stimulant than cannabis.

Coffee, more than cannabis, has been beloved and widely used by countless Western artists from Beethoven to the impressionists to the beatniks.

ALPHA STATES AND CREATIVITY In his book “12 Notes on Life and Creativity,” legendary music producer, artist, author (etc.) Quincy Jones wrote about the importance of tapping into “alpha states” for creative expression.

“I’ve decided that I don’t believe in writer’s block,” he said. “It’s not a block; rather, it’s the need to move into an alpha state so you can hear what your heart is trying to tell you. Only then can you quiet your conscious mind and tap into your subconscious, which helps you think more clearly without internal judgment.”

Jones also says that “whenever I’m producing for other artists, I make sure to schedule our sessions late in the night when the musicians are getting sleepy, just so they can’t overthink when recording their parts.”

There’s something to this that ties indirectly to substance use.

Consciously or not, we often use drugs to try to tap into that alpha state.

This may be why the “Quarter Gummy Solution,” my approach to microdosing, works so well for me. I am considerably annoyed that there aren’t more studies on cannabis microdosing in general.

Drawing from my own experience, and some clinical evidence, I think sporadic cannabis use and microdosing can aid creativity.

But so do other things, such as exposure to different cultures, periodic sleep deprivation, ADHD, and a daily walking habit. I credit each of these things, more than any substance, for my creative drive.

So do many people far more creatively accomplished than I am.

And although it doesn’t make headlines, most artists have either no relationship or a moderate relationship with drugs.

Creativity also requires a surprising amount of discipline, if you want to do it consistently and skillfully. And cannabis doesn’t lend itself to discipline. I drew a drawing a day for the entire year in 2023, and cannabis didn’t benefit the quality or the quantity of my art. It was really a blend of stubbornness, love, discipline and rage.

Finally, cannabis use causes you to have a less active dream life.

That too is a strike against it as creativity goes.

Weed will not make an uncreative person creative. It does have a tendency to accompany creativity that merits further investigation.

But there are better established and more effective ways to nurture creativity.

EUREKA! Speaking personally, my Eureka! moments simply come to me when my guard is lowered – when I’m in an alpha state – or when I encounter something unusual. Speaking generally, creative breakthroughs tend to occur in the shower (as the cliche goes), on walks, during conversations, and most inconveniently just before you go to sleep.

The most important thing you may ever hear about creativity is this:

Just as you will love well when you treat love as a verb (something you do) rather than a noun (something you experience differently day-to-day), your creativity will flourish when you treat it as a habit rather than a gift.

John Garvey is a storyteller, freelance writer, illustrator, and nerd. You can see more of his creative ventures at clippings.me/johngarvey and CreativeFollies. com.

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BRANCH AND BARREL DISTILLING TAKES CREATIVE PATH TO SUCCESS

Trio moves from backyard bootlegging to bonafide bourbon production

By Jay McKinney

I

t’s difficult to imagine hard-working construction workers setting aside their free time to partake in the trial-and-error art of distilling, but the founders of Branch and Barrel Distilling are far from average. Between the three of them, they have zero chemistry degrees, but they do have the most important component to distilling: Passion.

Ryan Morgan is a third-generation developer, Scott Freund is a master plumber and Tom Sielaff has been constructing apartment buildings for nearly 50 years. They met through their work in construction while working on a project in Boulder and shortly afterward, Sielaff proposed the idea of trying to distill bourbon.

He proposed the idea to Morgan (who ran a tea company on the side) and from there they purchased “how to make whiskey” books. Despite being novices, they read the books from cover to cover and then went to Freund with a plan for a still.

“We always wanted to have a very clean alcohol, so we started with a fractioning still, because it had a better chance to remove impurities,” Morgan says. “So we drew the schematics, and handed it to Scott and asked if he could make it. Three months later, we showed up and there’s a six-gallon water heater with copper piping welded to it.”

With a homemade still constructed, they purchased turkey fryers, grain, and other necessities and started experimenting in Sielaff ’s backyard in 2012. Despite working through frigid temperatures and failed attempts, the hardworking construction workers were determined to produce alcohol. After finally succeeding, they needed a way to flavor their hooch, but couldn’t purchase barrels as they were technically bootlegging.

In true bootlegging fashion, they got creative and decided to try flavoring the spirit with the clippings from different tree

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branches including aspen, hickory, oak, apple and plumwood.

Morgan admits that 95 percent of them were horrible. Some tasted like varnish and were undrinkable. However, the ones with apple, red oak and plumwood were palate pleasers.

“I would go to these parties and bring a mason jar with wood chips in it and put it on the table and just see what would happen,” Morgan says. “By the end of the party it would be gone, and people started asking us ‘what is this and where is it from?’ That gave us the courage that maybe there is a market for this.”

Named after the backyard bootlegging creations flavored with branches, Branch and Barrel has grown into a fully operational distillery – and yes, they are using barrels these days. The distillery outgrew its old water heater still, moved operations to Centennial in 2015 and has expanded throughout its building, adding a tasting room and acquiring more space to distill. From those backyard trials to now filling 20-25 barrels every two weeks, Morgan says their hobby/business progressed extremely quickly, and there were times when they felt they were in over their heads.

Just after moving into the Centennial location, the man they had hired to be their distiller quit on his first day because of a horrible allergic reaction from milling grain. While it clearly appeared to be a defeating blow to their start, it opened the door for their current distiller Rick Warren, an electrician who happened to be wiring the building when it happened.

“Rick was in there and he said, ‘I’ve been looking at what you guys have been doing and I’m trying to get out of being an electrician, would you consider hiring me to be your distiller?’”

Morgan says. “We asked him if he had any experience and he said no. We told him neither do we, this is perfect.”

Morgan praises Warren for his work ethic and dedication to learning how to make bourbon as the master distiller. From the beginning, they always wanted to do things the right way and that

WINNING WAYS

is why they focused solely on bourbon and perfecting their recipe throughout the distillery’s first three years.

There are multiple components to producing quality products, but one big piece is the use of water from a well at Freund’s farm that taps into the Arapahoe Aquifer. Every week, trucks extract spring-quality water from the well and transport it to the distillery’s massive storage tanks. The nutrient-rich water contains microbes that make the yeast happy and in the words of Morgan, “Happy yeast is happy alcohol.”

Along with an obsession for quality, Branch and Barrel also embraces sustainability. Every piece of equipment is either repurposed, recycled or reused with modifications provided by Freund. One noticeable trait of its two current stills, named Rosa Linda and Delta, is that they are stainless steel vessels rather than copper. There is copper in the column heads of the customized stills, which has its benefits and is the distillery’s own secret.

Taking sustainability one step further, all the spent grain from the distillery is taken to Freund’s farm to feed the livestock, and then during butchering season, they sell meat from the farm out of the tasting room. Nothing like pairing your favorite whiskey cocktail with a juicy steak that was fed using the grain that made the whiskey.

“We plan on being here for a very long time,” Morgan says.

“This is a generational company, and we just happen to be the first generation. If we can set up these practices now and work on our efficiencies and create that reputation in our product that garners a $60-$100 bottle price, our thought is that people will respect that and buy it.”

The distillery’s original motto is family, friends and freedom.

“Family,” because they all view each other as such and they’re in it together. “Friends,” because they want to share these spirits with friends, and “freedom” to promote the freedom to experiment.

With more than 10 years of perfecting its products, Branch and Barrel has gathered 17 medals, including a Double Gold at the 2024 San Francisco International Spirits Competition for its first ever Wheated Bourbon. Their flagship bourbon also took home Silver in the competition.

Just like the early days experimenting with various wood chips, Branch and Barrel is always open to trying new and creative methods. Among their lineup of spirits is the original Plumwood Bourbon, which is aged in stainless steel rather than oak and uses plumwood chips from local farmers.

Another whiskey is the 3-Way, aged in barrels that were used previously to hold cinnamon whiskey, vanilla extract and maple syrup. Each barrel is unique, with some of the flavors being more prevalent than others depending on the barrel. While some people may steer away from flavored whiskies, these are simply aged in barrels that add flavor and aren’t flavored with additives. The result is amazing.

In contrast to its experimental creations, Branch and Barrel is focused on traditionalism and creating typical styles of whiskey.

Roughly 90 percent of their volume is dedicated to the flagship bourbon, and it will be the defining product of their lineup going into the future.

While the founders of Branch and Barrel would be happy to see their whiskey on shelves outside of Colorado in the future, right now they are focused on building the brand within the state. Distilling success set aside, Morgan, Freund and Sielaff still work their day jobs in construction because they love what they do. They look forward to growing the distillery at a rate that will never compromise quality because Branch and Barrel is truly a passion project.

Jay McKinney grew up in Sedalia and graduated from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. During his free time, he enjoys playing golf, shooting pool and hiking throughout Colorado and neighboring Utah.

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Prime Pairings Spice Trade coconut green curry mussels + Thai Tripel

By Kristen Kuchar This pairing from Spice Trade Brewery & Kitchen in Greenwood Village is a classic play on moules frites, a Belgian mussel dish served with french fries and typically Belgian beer. “The Thai Tripel is dry and effervescent and helps cut through the richness, heat and intensity of the green curry while refreshing your palate for another bite,” says Spice Trade owner Jeff Tyler. “The herbal lemon-lime notes in the beer complement the green curry as well, since there are many overlapping ingredients in the Thai Tripel including lime leaves, lemongrass and ginger.”

Photo by Hard Knoch PR

Ingredients 1 can (13.5 oz) unsweetened coconut milk (shaken) 2 tbsp vegetable oil (divided) 11⁄2 tbsp garlic (minced) 11⁄2 tbsp ginger (minced) 2 lime leaves 1 lemongrass (minced) 11⁄2 tbsp Thai green curry paste

1/3 cup white wine (or sake) 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp granulated sugar 1/3 cup fresh lime juice 1⁄2 red onion (small dice) 1 tbsp garlic (minced) 1 tsp ginger (minced) 2 tbsp cilantro 1-2 lbs of mussels (cleaned

Directions The sauce 1. In a medium saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil on medium heat.

2. Add in garlic, ginger, lime leaves and lemongrass and saute for 30 seconds.

3. Add in green curry paste and stir until fragrant (30 seconds).

4. Add in the white wine or sake and reduce the wine by half.

5. Add in fish sauce.

6. Add in 2 ounces of coconut milk and ensure that everything is mixed through.

7. Once the mixture is simmering, add in the rest of the coconut milk.

8. Bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes on medium low heat.

9. Add in sugar and lime juice and stir to combine.

10. Taste for proper seasoning.

50 ThirstColorado.com July-August 2024

The Mussels 1. In a large saute pan or pot, add the other half of vegetable oil on medium heat.

2. Add in red onions, garlic and ginger. Saute for 30 seconds.

3. Add in fresh or frozen mussels. Place cover for about 3-4 minutes.

4. At this point, you want to make sure all the mussels are beginning to open. Discard any mussels that are not opening.

5. Add 8 ounces of the coconut green curry sauce and place the cover. You may reduce the heat to medium low for about 5-7 minutes.

6. Remove the lid and add in 1⁄2 of the cilantro and mix in.

7. Turn off heat and plate in a bowl.

8. Garnish with the rest of the cilantro and lime wedges. Serve with rice.

Prime Pairings Yellow potato bisque from Bin 707 + Storm Cellar Double Switchback

By Kristen Kuchar This bisque comes from Josh Niernberg, a James Beard Outstanding Chef semifinalist. The owner of Bin 707 Foodbar in Grand Junction uses small fingerling-style, Colorado-grown yellow potatoes from the San Luis Valley for this recipe. He notes the key is a very low-starch and high-sugar content potato. His suggested wine pairing is the Double Switchback from Storm Cellar, a rosé made from a blend of riesling, pinot noir and pinot gris. “Each grape on their own pair to different attributes of the bisque – the pinot noir to the trout roe, sausage and fingerling chips, the riesling to the aromatics and the potatoes themselves, and the pinot gris to the creaminess and overall texture,” Niernberg says. “As a wine, the Double Switchback makes the case for a terroir driven light-bodied rosé pairing and complementing the depth of both flavor and texture from the Colorado-grown potato bisque.”

Photo courtesy of Bin 707

Ingredients: Yields approximately 8 large servings.

For the Bisque: 2 diced yellow potatoes (skin on – stored in water to prevent oxidation until needed) ¼ diced yellow onion ¼ cup diced celery ¼ diced fennel bulb 4 oz ‘Nduja Sausage (We use Elevation brand) 1 oz minced garlic 1 oz diced shallot 2½ cups white wine (we use High Dessert Wine Lab “White Light” Riesling) 1 qt heavy cream 1 qt milk +/- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar +/- ¼ cup honey Salt and pepper (of choice – white, cayenne, guajillo or black) To Serve: First cold-pressed olive oil or infused oil such as chive or parsley oil Multicolor potato chips Creme fraiche/sour cream Fennel fronds Trout roe (optional)

Directions In a large, oven-safe stock pot, sweat the fennel, onion and celery until translucent. Do not brown.

Add ‘Nduja to vegetable mixture and slowly render completely over medium/low heat, stirring constantly.

Deglaze with white wine.

Add potatoes and cover with parchment.

Roast in a 400° oven approximately 45-55 minutes - until potatoes are soft.

Add milk and cream, honey, vinegar. Stir and let cool slightly.

Working in small batches, blend equal amounts of solids to liquids (you could use a stick blender here, or a high-speed blender to smooth out the bisque as much as possible.)

Return the finished bisque to the stock pot, heat to barely a simmer, stirring often over low heat.

To finish, season with salt and pepper and adjust balance with apple cider vinegar and honey as needed.

Note: If bisque is too thick, adjust with either milk, water or both depending on desired richness. Make sure to readjust seasoning after diluting as needed.

To Serve: Garnish the bisque with a dollop of both creme fraiche and parsley oil. Make a crescent shape around the crema and oil with lightly crushed multi-color potato chips. Gently add trout roe to the chips. Garnish the chips and row with fennel fronds.

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COLORADO CRAFT L ● – Serves Food ● – Food Truck ● – Live Music

Raices Brewing Co

Odyssey Beerwerks ● ●

GOLDEN

WESTMINSTER

Seedstock Brewery ● ●

Resolute Brewing Tap & Cellar ●

Barrels and Bottles Brewery ●

BJ’s ●

Strange Craft Beer Co ● ●

SomePlace Else Brewery

Cannonball Creek Brewing Co ●

Frolic Brewing Co ●

Tivoli Brewing ●

Spice Trade Brewing at Yak & Yeti ●

Coda Brewing

Kokopelli Beer Co ● ●

Coors Brewing Co

Westminster Brewing Co ●

Golden City Brewery ●

Windfall Brewing Co _____________________________

BREWERIES DENVER

Zuni St. Brewing Co ● ●

BAKER/SOUTH BROADWAY Baere Brewing Co Banded Oak Brewing Co Burns Family Artisan Ales Denver Beer Co Monolith Brewing Novel Strand Brewing Co Platt Park Brewing Co ● The Post Chicken and Beer ● Public Offering Brewing ● Ratio Beerworks ●

AURORA

NORTHEAST DENVER

A Bit Twisted Brewpub ●

Danico Brewing ●

Bent Barley Brewing Co

FlyteCo Tower ●

BJ’s ●

River North Wash. St. Taproom ●

Cerebral Brewing ● ●

NORTHWEST DENVER Amalgam Brewing Berkeley Alley Beer Co. Bruz Beers ● Call to Arms Brewing Co ● Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project Diebolt Brewing Co ● ● The Empourium Brewing Co

Cheluna Brewing Co Dry Dock Brewing Co ● Incantation Brewing Co Lady Justice Brewing Launch Pad Brewery ● Mileau Fermentation

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

Echo Brewing Co - Erie ● Fritz Family Brewers - Niwot

New Terrain Brewing ● ● Ohm Brewing

Howlin Wind Brewing and Blending Rollinsville

Over Yonder Brewing ●

Knotted Root Brewing Co - Nederland

Second Dawn Brewing

GREENWOOD VILLAGE

Six Capital Brewing & BBQ ●

Cherry Creek Brewery ● Holidaily Brewing Taproom

BRIGHTON

Goldspot Brewing Co ● ●

Big Choice Brewing

CAPITOL HILL/E COLFAX/ PARK HILL

The Grateful Gnome Sandwich Shoppe + Brewery ● ●

Floodstage Ale Works ●

HIGHLANDS RANCH

4 Noses Brewing Co ●

Hogshead Brewery ●

Something Brewery ●

3 Freaks Brewery ●

Bruz Off Fax Cerebral Brewing ● ● Crazy Mountain Brewery Fiction Beer Co ● Long Table Brewhouse ● Pints Pub ●

Prost Brewing Co. & Biergarten●

RINO 14er Brewing Altitude Brewing & Supply Bierstadt Lagerhaus ●

BROOMFIELD

Spice Trade Brewing Co

Living the Dream Brewing Co ●

Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery ●

Wonderland Brewing Co ● ●

LAKEWOOD

Burly Brewing ● ●

Great Frontier Brewing Co ●

Cohesion Brewing Co ●

The Elizabeth Brewing Co ●

Green Mountain Beer Co ●

DENVER INT’L AIRPORT

Dewey Beer Co

Great Divide Brewery & Roadhouse ●

Landlocked Ales ●

Boulder Beer Tap House ●

Great Divide Brewing Co ● ●

Iron Mule Brewery ● ●

Old 121 Brewhouse ●

Denver Chophouse & Brewery ●

Left Hand Brewing Co ●

Rockyard Brewing Co ●

Westfax Brewing Co ●

Great Divide Brewhouse and Kitchen ●

New Belgium - The Woods at the Source

Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co ●

New Belgium Brewing ●

Odell Brewing Co

CENTENNIAL

SweetWater Mountain Taphouse ●

Blue Spruce Brewing Co

Our Mutual Friend

Bent Barley Brewing Co

Tivoli Taphouse ●

Breckenridge Brewery ●

Ratio Beerworks ●

Blue Spruce Brewing Co ● ●

Coal Mine Ave. Brewing Co

River North Brewery

Halfpenny Brewing Co ● ●

Comet Brews ●

Spangalang Brewery ●

SOUTHEAST DENVER

Denver Beer Co ●

Woods Boss Brewing ● ●

Bull and Bush Brewery ● ●

Los Dos Potrillos Mexican Restaurant y Cerveceria ●

LODO / BALLPARK

Comrade Brewing ● comradebrewing.com 720.748.0700

Denver Beer Co ●

Resolute Brewing Co

LITTLETON AREA

Lariat Lodge Brewing ●

Odd 13 Brewing Inc ● ● The Post Brewing Co ● ● Westbound and Down Brewing Co

Großen Bart Brewery ● ●

ENGLEWOOD AREA

Satire Brewing Co ● ●

Chain Reaction Brewing Co ● _____________________________

Breckenridge Brewery Ale & Games ●

Spice Trade Brewing at Yak & Yeti ●

Brewability Lab ● ● Downhill Brewing ● ●

NORTHGLENN/THORNTON Mother Tucker Brewery ● ● Prost Brewing

Bearded Brewer Artisan Ales ●

Knuckle Puck Brewing Left Hand Brewing Co ● Longs Peak Pub & Taphouse ● Oskar Blues Brewing ● Outworld Brewing ● ● The Post Chicken and Beer

PARKER

Pumphouse Brewery ●

Downhill Brewing Co ●

Shoes and Brews

Fiction Beer Co Chapter Two

Wibby Brewing ●

ARVADA

Sanitas Brewing II ●

Denver Beer Co

FREDERICK

Lone Tree Brewing

LUKI Brewery

Mirror Image Brewing Co ●

Los Dos Potrillos Mexican Restaurant y Cerveceria ●

52 ThirstColorado.com July-August 2024

Mono Mono Brewery ●

Collision Brewing Co ●

Black Sky Brewery ●

Odell Brewing Sloan’s Lake ●

Liquid Mechanics ● ●

Lone Tree Brewing Co ●

SOUTHWEST DENVER

New Image Brewing ●

LAFAYETTE Cellar West Artisan Ales ●

Bootstrap Brewing ● ●

New Image Brewing

Little Machine Beer ●

Wild Provisions Beer Project

Great Divide Brewery & Roadhouse ●

Mestizo Brew Cantina ●

Degree Restaurant ●

Vision Quest Brewing Co ●

Barquentine Brewing Co

Spice Trade Brewing at Yak & Yeti ●

Burns Family Artisan Ales

Upslope Brewing Co ● ●

LONE TREE

Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery ●

DENVER SUBURBS

Twisted Pine Brewing ● ●

EDGEWATER/WHEAT RIDGE

Joyride Brewing Co ●

Briar Common Brewery + Eatery ●

Southern Sun ●

Los Dos Potrillos Mexican Restaurant y Cerveceria ●

Denver Beer Co ●

LOHI / AURARIA

Sanitas Brewing Co ● ●

Two22 Brew ●

Great Divide Brewing Co ● ●

Wynkoop Brewing Co ●

Rocks & Hops Brewing

LONGMONT

Brewery Rickoli ●

Westbound & Down Brewing Co

The Post Chicken and Beer ●

300 Suns Brewing ●

Copper Kettle Brewing Co ●

Sandlot Brewery

Boulder Social ●

Locavore Beer Works

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ●

Denver Chophouse & Brewery ●

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ●

BJ’s ●

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ●

Brew Dog ●

7677 E Iliff Ave Denver

Beyond the Mountain Brewing Co

Rails End Beer Co ● ●

BJ’s

Cervecería Colorado

Avery Brewing ●

Finkel & Garf Brewing Co

105 West Brewing Co ●

AC Golden Brewing Co

BOULDER Asher Brewing Co

Prost Brewing Co & Biergarten

Blue Moon Brewing Co ● ●

FIVE POINTS

Very Nice Brewing - Nederland ●

Gordon Biersch ●

6 and 40 Brewery

Vine Street Pub & Brewery ●

Oskar Blues Grill & Brew - Lyons

Los Dos Potrillos Mexican Restaurant y Cerveceria ●

CASTLE ROCK

Station 26 Brewing Co ●

MainStage Brewing - Lyons ●

4 Noses Brewing Co ●

Black Shirt Brewing Co ● ●

Reverence Brewing Co

Busey Brews - Nederland ● ●

Mountain Toad Brewing ●

FlyteCo Brewing ●

TRVE Brewing Co

BOULDER COUNTY Bambei Brewing - Superior ●

LOUISVILLE 12Degree Brewing ● Crystal Springs Brewing Co

LIBATIONS LISTINGS Gravity Brewing ● ● ●

Estes Park Brewery ●

WINDSOR

PAGOSA SPRINGS

Eagle County Brewing Co - Gypsum ●

Mother Tucker Brewery ● _____________________________

Lumpy Ridge Brewing Co

High Hops Brewery ●

The Break Room Brewing Co

Vail Brewing Co - Vail ● ●

The Post Chicken and Beer ●

Mash Lab Brewing ●

Riff Raff Brewing ● ●

Rock Cut Brewing Co

Mighty River Brewing ● ●

FORT COLLINS

Peculier Ales ● ● _____________________________

S. FRONT RANGE BierWerks Brewery - Woodland Park ● ● Crafty Canary Brewery - Walsenburg Florence Brewing - Florence Iron Tree Restaurant and Funky Town Brewing - Florissant ●

Anheuser-Busch BJ’s ● Coopersmith’s Pub & Brewing ●

Manitou Brewing - Manitou Springs ●

Crooked Stave Brewing

Mountain Merman Brewing - La Veta ●

DC Oakes Brewhouse & Eatery ●

Paradox Beer Co - Divide ●

Equinox Brewing ●

World’s End Brewing Co - Cañon City

Funkwerks

COLORADO SPRINGS Atrevida Beer Co ● Battle Mountain Brewing ● Bell Brothers Brewing BJ’s ● Black Forest Brewing Co ● Brass Brewing Co ● Bristol Brewing ● Cerberus Brewing Co ● Cogstone Brewing Co ● ● Colorado Mountain Brewery ● Dueces Wild Brewery ● Father & Sons Brewery ● FH Beerworks ● Fossil Craft Beer Co ● Goat Patch Brewing Co ● JAKs Brewing Co ● Local Relic ● Lost Friend Brewing ● Mash Mechanix Brewing ● Metric Brewing ● Nano 108 ● OCC Brewing

CENTRAL COLORADO Browns Canyon Brewing - Buena Vista

The Colorado Farm Brewery

Evergreen Brewery ●

San Luis Valley Brewing ●

Lariat Lodge Brewing ● ●

Spare Keg Brewers

GLENWOOD SPRINGS AREA

Craft Mountain Brewing Co - Bailey

Brewzone Rifle ●

Eddyline Brewery - Buena Vista ●

Chrysalis Barrel Aged Beer

Casey Brewing and Blending

Elevation Beer Co - Poncha Springs ●

Paonia United Brewing Co ● _____________________________

Glenwood Canyon Brew Pub ●

HighSide Brewing - Fairplay South Park Brewing Co - Fairplay ●

NORTHEAST

T-Road Brewing Company - Crestone

Parts & Labor Brewing Co - Sterling ●

Two Mile Brewing Co - Leadville ●

Tumbleweed Brewing & Wine - Yuma ● _____________________________

Intersect Brewing ● ●

SALIDA

Jessup Farm Barrel House ●

Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub ●

NORTHWEST

Maxline Brewing ● ●

Salida Brewing Co

Mythmaker Brewing ●

Soulcraft Brewing ●

New Belgium Brewing Co ● ●

Tres Litros Beer Co ● _____________________________

Gilded Goat Brewing Co ● Hello Brewing Co Horse & Dragon Brewing Co

Obstacle Brewing and Grill ● Odell Brewing Co ● ●

SOUTHWEST

Peculier Ales

Avalanche Brewing Co - Silverton ●

Pitchers Brewery ●

Bottom Shelf Brewery - Bayfield ●

The Post Chicken and Beer ●

Colorado Boy Brewery - Montrose, Ridgway ●

Prost Brewing Co Purpose Brewing Rally King Brewing Ramskeller Brewery ● Salt Road Brewing Snowbank Brewing Stodgy Brewing Co ● ● SweetWater Brewery Verboten Brewing Co Zwei Brewing Co ● ●

Edgewater Brewery ● Foam & Folly Brewing Gemini Beer Co Kannah Creek Brewing Co ●

Camber Brewing Co - Fraser

Mama Ree’s Pizza and Brewhouse ● ●

Fraser River Beer Co - Fraser Grand Adventure Brewing - Kremmling Never Summer Brewing Co - Granby Smoking River Brewing Co - Meeker

Ramblebine Brewing Co ● The Rockslide Restaurant and Brewery ● Trail Life Brewing

Vicious Cycle Brewing - Fraser ●

GRAND MESA AREA

World’s End Brewpub - Grand Lake

Base Camp Provisions - Fruita ●

Yampa Valley Brewing Co - Hayden

Copper Club Brewing Co - Fruita ●

Yampa Valley Taproom - Craig

Palisade Brewing Co ● ● Suds Brothers Brewery - Fruita ● ●

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS

Golden Block Brewery - Silverton ●

Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill ●

SUMMIT COUNTY

Horsefly Brewing Co - Montrose ● ●

Mountain Tap Brewery ●

Angry James Brewing - Silverthorne

Lake City Brewing Co - Lake City ●

Storm Peak Brewing Co

Breckenridge Brewery & Pub ●

Mancos Brewing Co - Mancos ●

Yampa Valley Taproom

Broken Compass Brewing - Breck.

Pomona Brewing Co - Montrose ● Silver Basin Brewing - Montrose Smuggler’s Union Brewpub - Telluride ● Spare Keg Brewers - Creede Stronghouse Brew Pub - Telluride

GREELEY

Telluride Brewing Co - Telluride ●

Phantom Canyon ● ●

Three Barrel Brewing Co - Del Norte ●

Pikes Peak Brewing Co ● ●

Rule 105 Brewing Co ●

Red Leg Brewing ●

Tightknit Brewing Co ● ●

Red Swing Brewhouse

WeldWerks Brewing Co ●

J. Fargo’s Family Dining & Micro Brewery ●

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ●

Wiley Roots Brewing Co ●

Main Street Brewery & Restaurant ●

Storybook Brewing ●

Yetters Brewing

WildEdge Brewing Collective ●

CORTEZ

LOVELAND/BERTHOUD

Urban Animal Beer Co

DURANGO

Berthoud Brewing Co

Voodoo Brewing Co ●

Anarchy Brewing

Big Beaver Brewing Co ●

Wackadoo Brewing

Animas Brewing Co ●

Big Thompson Brewery

Whistle Pig Brewing Co ● ●

Carver Brewing Co ●

City Star Brewing ●

High Trestle Brewing ● ●

PUEBLO

Crooked Beech Brewing Co

Ska Brewing Co ● ●

Brues Alehouse Brewing Co ● ●

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse

Steamworks Brewing Co ●

Reservoir Brewing Co ●

Loveland Aleworks ●

Shamrock Brewing ●

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ●

Walter’s Brewery & Taproom ● _____________________________

Rock Coast Brewery ●

N. FRONT RANGE

Verboten Brewing Co

Bulzomi Brewing - Eaton

WELLINGTON

Timnath Beerwerks - Timnath ●

Old Colorado Brewing ●

ESTES PARK

Sparge Brewing

Sky Bear Brewery and Pub ●

GRAND JUNCTION Base Camp Beer Works

Dolores River Brewery - Dolores ● ●

Crabtree Brewing ● ●

Avant Garde Aleworks

El Rancho Brewery ● ●

PAONIA

Peaks N Pines Brewing Co ●

Trinity Brewing ●

EVERGREEN

ALAMOSA

GUNNISON/CRESTED BUTTE The Eldo Brewpub & Venue ● ● High Alpine Brewing Co ● Irwin Brewing Co

OURAY

Dillon Dam Brewery - Dillon ● ●

WINTER PARK

HighSide Brewing - Breckenridge, Frisco ● ●

Big Trout Brewing ● ● bigtroutbrewing.com 970.363.7362

Outer Range Brewing Co - Frisco ● Pug Ryan’s Brewery - Dillon ● Steep Brewing & Coffee - Keystone ●

50 Vasquez Rd Winter Park

Syndicate Brewing Co - Silverthorne _____________________________

Hideaway Park Brewery The Noble Buck ● _____________________________

I-70 CORRIDOR

DISTRIBUTION ONLY Backacre Beermakers Ceria Brewing Crow Hop Brewing

ASPEN AREA

Dive Bar Brewing Co

Aspen Brewing Co ●

Mad Russian Brewing Co

Carbondale Beer Works ●

New Planet Beer

Capitol Creek Brewery ● Mountain Heart Brewing - Carbondale Westy's Tap & Tavern ●

CENTRAL CITY/GEORGETOWN/ IDAHO SPRINGS Cabin Creek Brewing - Georgetown ● Dostal Alley Saloon & Gambling Emporium - Central City ●

Primitive Beer Sleeping Giant Brewing Soul Squared Brewing

DISTILLERIES DENVER/BOULDER

Guanella Pass Brewing - Georgetown, Empire

52Eighty Distilling - Littleton

Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub - Idaho Springs ●

Ballmer Peak Distillery - Lakewood ●

Abbott & Wallace - Longmont ●

Colorado Boy Southwest Pub ●

Westbound & Down Brewing Co - Idaho Springs ●

Bear Creek Distillery - Denver ●

Ouray Brewery ●

EAGLE COUNTY

Boulder Spirits by Vapor Distillery Boulder

The Block Distilling Co - Denver

Craftsman Brew Co- Edwards ●

Branch & Barrel Distilling - Centennial

July-August 2024 ThirstColorado.com

53

Copper Sky Distillery - Longmont

South Park Distilling - Fairplay

Colorado Vintners - Palisade

Deki Spirits - Lafayette

Spirits of the Rockies - Pueblo

Colterris Winery - Palisade ●

Denver Distillery - Denver Deviation Distilling - Denver Downslope Distilling - Centennial Dry Land Distillers - Longmont DV8 Distillery - Boulder ●

Woods High Mountain Distillery woodsdistillery.com 719.207.4315 144 W 1st Salida

The Family Jones Spirit House - Denver ●

Deroco Cellars - Palisade ● ● Evolve Wines - Clifton ● ● Grande River Vineyards - Palisade ●

Continental Divide Winery Breckenridge, Fairplay ●

Country Road Vines and Wines - Fort Morgan ●

Mountain Spirit Winery - Salida

Mummy Hill Winery - Holyoke

Steamboat Winery - Steamboat Springs

Reds Wine Boutique - Sterling

Vines at Vail Winery - Wolcott Vino Salida Wine Cellars - Poncha Springs ●

Bluejays Winery

Gubbini Winery - Palisade

Winter Park Winery - Fraser

Fallen Mountain Wines

Hermosa Vineyards - Palisade

Gold Dirt Distillery - Rollinsville ●

WESTERN SLOPE

Mafia Princess Winery - Grand Junction

Golden Moon Distillery - Golden

10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits - Vail ●

Hogback Distillery - Boulder, Estes Park

Archetype Distillery - Vail, Gypsum

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

J & L Distilling Co - Boulder

Breckenridge Distillery - Breckenridge●●

Ironton Distillery - Denver ●

SOUTHERN FRONT RANGE Brush Hollow Winery - Penrose Bugling Elk Vineyards - Penrose

The Ordinary Fellow- Palisade

Evergood Elixirs - Palmer Lake ●

Clarke & Co’s Distilling - Palisade ●

Peachfork Orchards and Vineyards Palisade

Fountain Creek Winery - Fountain ●

Laws Whiskey House - Denver

Durango Craft Spirits - Durango

Red Fox Cellars - Palisade

Leopold Bros - Denver

Eagle River Whisky - Minturn

Restoration Vineyards - Palisade ● ●

Fraser Valley Distilling fraservalleydistilling.com 970.363.7792

Sauvage Spectrum - Palisade ● ●

Mad Rabbit Distillery - Westminster Mile High Spirits - Denver Molly Brown Spirits - Denver Mystic Mountain Distillery - Thornton Rising Sun Distillery - Denver Rocker Spirits - Littleton Spirit Hound Distillers - Denver, Lyons ● State 38 Distilling - Golden Stranahan’s - Denver Strongwater Spirits & Botanicals - Denver

410 Zerex St Fraser

Highlands Distillery - Grand Junction ● Honey House Distillery - Durango

Shiras Winery - Grand Junction ● Talon Winery - Palisade Two Rivers Winery - Grand Junction ● Two Swedes Glögg - Grand Junction TWP Winery & Farmhouse - Clifton ●

Latigo Winery - Black Forest Legatum Cellars - Canon City Manitou Winery - Manitou Springs ● Monte Cervino - Colorado Springs Pop’s Vineyard - Penrose ● The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey - Canon City ●

CENTRAL FRONT RANGE

Varaison Vineyards and Winery Palisade ●

Allis Ranch Winery - Sedalia

Idlewild Spirits Distillery- Winter Park ● KJ Wood Distillers - Ouray

Vines 79 Wine Barn - Palisade

Attimo Wine - Denver

Marble Distilling Co - Carbondale ●

Whitewater Hill Vineyards - Grand Junction

Augustina’s Winery - Nederland

Montanya Distillers - Crested Butte

DISTRIBUTION ONLY

Graystone Winery - Clifton

Aspen Peak Winery & Bistro - Bailey ● ●

Balistreri Vineyards - Denver ●

Talnua Distillery - Arvada

Peach Street Distillers - Palisade ●

WESTERN SLOPE

Tighe Brothers Distillery - Denver

Bigsby’s Folly - Denver ●

Peak Spirits - Hotchkiss

5680' Vineyard - Paonia

Turnbuckle Distilling - Westminster

Pullman Distillery - Frisco ●

NORTHERN COLORADO

Stoneyard Distillery - Dotsero, Glenwood Springs

Alfred Eames Cellars at Puesta del Sol Vineyards - Paonia

Blanchard Family Wines - Denver, Golden ●

477 Distilling - Greeley ●

Settembre Cellars Wild Mountain Cellars

CIDERIES 13° Brix Cider Bistro -Palisade ● Apple Valley Cider Co - Penrose Big B’s Fruit Co - Hotchkiss ● ● Boco Cider - Boulder ● Boxing Brothers Cider - Colo Springs Brush Hollow Winery - Penrose Clear Fork Cider - Paonia Climb Hard Cider Co - Loveland Colorado Cider Co - Fort Collins, Lakewood ● EsoTerra Cider - Durango, Delores ● ● Fenceline Cider - Mancos ● ● Happy Hollow Hard Cider - Cedaredge Haykin Family Cider - Aurora Locust Cider - Fort Collins, Lakewood ● Old Mine Cider Co - Erie ● Red Fox Cellars - Palisade ● Snow Capped Cider - Cedaredge

Bonacquisti Wine Company - Denver ●

Azura Cellars - Paonia

St. Vrain Cidery - Longmont ●

BookCliff Vineyards - Boulder ● ●

Storm King Distilling - Montrose

Berkeley Estate Cellars - Olathe

Stem Ciders - Denver ● ●

Coppermuse Distillery - Fort Collins ●

Carboy Winery - Denver, Littleton ●

Stranahan’s Whiskey Lodge - Aspen

Black Bridge Winery - Paonia

Stem Ciders Acreage- Lafayette ● ●

Elevation 5003 Distillery - Fort Collins

Colorado Sake Co. - Denver ● ●

Telluride Distilling Co - Telluride

Chill Switch Wine - Cedaredge

Summit Hard Cider - Fort Collins ●

Elkins Distilling Co - Estes Park

Creekside Cellars - Evergreen ●

Woody Creek Distillers - Basalt

Fallen Mountain Wines - Hotchkiss

Talbott’s Cider Co - Palisade ● ●

Deep Roots Winery & Bistro - Denver ●●

Jack Rabbit Hill - Hotchkiss

Waldschänke Ciders - Denver ●

The Infinite Monkey Theorem - Denver ●

Lanoue DuBois Winery - Montrose

Wild Cider - Firestone ●

InVINtions, A Creative Winery Greenwood Village

Feisty Spirits - Fort Collins

DISTRIBUTION ONLY

Gnebriated Gnome Distillery - Fort Collins

American Woman Spirit Co.

The Heart Distillery - Windsor ●

Anders’ Vodka

Mobb Mountain Distillers - Fort Collins

Arta Tequila

Mountain View Winery - Olathe

Mythology Distillery - Steamboat Springs

Conflagration Distilling

Ladrón Cellars - Englewood

Peony Lane Wine - Paonia

Coyote Gold Margaritas

Purgatory Cellars Winery - Parker

Qutori Wines - Paonia

Dirty Dill

Silver Vines Winery - Arvada, Boulder ● ●

Stone Cottage Cellars - Paonia ●

Felene Vodka

Spero Winery - Denver

Stoney Mesa Winery - Cedaredge ●

Kure’s Craft Beverage Co.

Taboche Winery - Broomfield

The Storm Cellar Winery - Hotchkiss ●

Locke & Co Distilling

Turquoise Mesa Winery - Broomfield

Williams Cellars - Cedaredge

Vinnie Fera - Boulder

FOUR CORNERS AREA

Water 2 Wine - Littleton ●

Durango Winery - Durango ● ●

The Wine Barrel - Parker

Laughing Leprechaun Meadery Distribution Only

Flying T Wine - Cortez

NORTHERN FRONT RANGE

Meadery of the Rockies - Palisade

Four Leaves Winery - Durango ● ●

Bad Bitch Cellars - Eaton

Fox Fire Farms - Ignacio ●

Blanchard Family Wines - Fort Collins ●

Sauvage Spectrum - Ouray ●

GRAND JUNCTION AREA

Blendings Winery - Fort Collins

Sutcliffe Vineyards - Cortez ●

Avant Vineyards - Palisade

Blue Mountain Vineyards - Berthoud

Yellow Car Country Wines - Cortez ●

Snowy Peaks Winery - Estes Park ● ●

NOCO Distillery - Fort Collins Old Elk Distillery - Fort Collins ● Old Town Distilling - Fort Collins Seed & Spirit Distilling - Fort Collins Spring 44 Distilling - Loveland Syntax Distillery - Greeley ●

Tincup Whiskey Tingala

SOUTHERN COLORADO

Vanjak Vodka

1350 Distilling - Colo. Springs ●

Western Medicine Spirits

1874 Distilling - Del Norte ● ● 3 Hundred Days of Shine - Monument ● Art of the Spirits - Colorado Springs Axe and the Oak - Colo. Springs Black Bear Distillery - Green Mountain Falls

WINERIES

Mesa Winds Farm and Winery Hotchkiss ●

The Blue Beryl Winery - Palisade

Sweet Heart Winery - Loveland ●

Blackhat Distillery - Colo. Springs

BookCliff Vineyards - Palisade

Deerhammer Distilling - Buena Vista ●

Carboy Winery - Palisade ●

Distillery 291 - Colo. Springs

Carlson Vineyards - Palisade

Aquila Cellars - Carbondale ●

Meridiem Spirits - Elizabeth

Carlson Tasting Room - Grand Junction

Buckel Family Wine - Crested Butte

Snitching Lady Distillery - Fairplay ●

Centennial Cellars - Palisade

Carboy Winery - Breckenridge ●

Colorado Cellars Winery - Palisade ●

54 ThirstColorado.com July-August 2024

Kingman Estates Winery - Denver ●

CENTRAL MOUNTAINS

Tamburi Wine - Fort Collins Ten Bears Winery - Laporte ● The OBC Wine Project - Fort Collins ●

PLAINS Claremont Inn & Winery - Stratton ●

MEADERIES Alpenglow at the Granary - Hayden ● Antelope Ridge Mead - Colorado Springs Brush Hollow Winery - Penrose Colorado Cellars Winery - Palisade ● Dragon Meadery - Aurora Drekar Meadery - Colorado Springs Honnibrook Meadery - Castle Rock ● ● Hunters Moon Meadery - Severance

Meadkrieger - Loveland ● ● Miracle Stag Meadery - Distribution Only Queen Bee Brews - Denver Redstone Meadery - Boulder Slaymaker Cellars - Idaho Springs Yellow Car Country Wines - Cortez ●

Colorado Magazine

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m a i F l y r u to Yo O m u o r r s F

We believe that high quality, delicious beef is even better when it’s done locally.

We carry ribeye steaks, beef jerky, prime rib, brisket, beef sticks, steak sauce, ground beef, and tons of other options for dinner! We also make it easy to have beef shipped directly to your door!

RETAIL LOCATIONS Centennial Cuts Mercantile Belmar 408 South Teller St. Lakewood, CO 80226 Open Daily 11am to 6pm (720) 627-5612

Centennial Cuts Mercantile Old Colorado City 2520 1/2 W Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80904 Open Daily 11am to 6pm (719) 394-4268

Centennial Cuts at Denver International Airport 8500 Peña Boulevard, Denver, CO 80249 Gate B29 and Gate A34 Open Sunday-Friday 7am to 9pm

Centennial Cuts centennialcuts.com