Thirst Colorado, November-December 2017

SERVING UP THE COLORADO LIFESTYLE

Vol. 3, No. 1 November-December 2017

BACKCOUNTRY HUT-TO-HUT ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTHWEST

ABSINTHE

THE HISTORY BEHIND THE ‘GREEN FAIRY’

BIG BEERS

THE STATE’S FAVORITE WINTER BEER FESTIVAL

12

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CRAFTS & DRAFTS

A lot of cities brag about having great beer.

In Colorado Springs, we expect a little more. Here you’ll find dozens of breweries, distilleries, wineries and cideries. Because your taste buds deserve options.

VisitCOS.com/crafts-drafts to learn more about craft beverages in the area.

&

LIBATIONS BEYOND

People who make Thirst happen As we’ve done in the last few issues, we are using this space to introduce readers to some of the people who help make Thirst Colorado a part of the state’s vibe. Our magazine, website, social media and events are a product of talented people coming together to create fun, informative content.

Below we highlight two industry veterans with very different positions and an aspiring marketing whiz who is kickstarting his career.

Stacey Krull’s Iowa roots and Iowa State University education are reflected in her strong sense of design and high standards. Overseeing the design team at Thirst Colorado, as well as our parent company, The Publishing House, Stacey’s eye for detail is always in play. When she’s not in the publishing fray, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter.

Dylan Hochstedler is an editorial assistant for Thirst and is about to graduate with a degree in marketing. After growing up in Colorado Springs, he moved to the Denver area to attend Metropolitan State University of Denver. His plans include elevating the communications efforts of a lucky Colorado brewery … when he’s not boarding, hiking or disc golfing his way around the state.

ADVISORY BOARD Jean Ditslear Owner, 300 Suns Brewing Bess Dougherty Head Brewer, Grateful Gnome Sandwich Shoppe and Brewery Sean Smiley State 38 Distilling

Kimberly Naslund Owner, Dancing Pines Distillery Alan Laws Owner, Laws Whiskey House Charlie Sturdavant Owner, Golden City Brewery

Publisher Paul Johnson paul@thirstcolorado.com Associate Publisher & Editor Joe Ross joe@thirstcolorado.com Vice President of Sales Tod Cavey Design & Layout Michele Garner, Stacey Krull, Sandy Birkey, Mary Anderson President & Founder Wilbur E. Flachman Marketing & Digital Coordinator Neill Pieper Editorial Assistant Dylan Hochstedler Contributors Mary Anderson, John Garvey, Holly Gerard, Steve Graham, Kyle Kirves, Rick Souder, Angie Wright For advertising and editorial information, please contact Joe Ross at 303.428.9529 Ext. 227 or email joe@thirstcolorado.com Proud member of Brewers Association and the Colorado Brewers Guild Thirst Colorado

Steve Graham earned a journalism degree at the University of Colorado Boulder and has worked as an editor, reporter and news designer for several Colorado and California publications. As a Fort Collins freelance writer and editor, he combines access to a great craft drinking scene with compelling stories and detailed editing to help Thirst bring entertaining and informative stories to readers across the state. He also works from home (when he’s not at craft breweries) with two young sons.

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

7380 Lowell Blvd., Westminster, Colorado 80030 303.428.9529

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

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November-December 2017

Thirst Colorado is published six times a year by The Publishing House, 7380 Lowell Blvd., Westminster, CO 80030. © The Publishing House, 2017. 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.

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THIRST COLORADO | November-December 2017

38

INTERSECTIONS

14 Strange Brews

There’s something tasty about this winter brew

18 Art of Brewing

Heavy metal enthusiasts making great beer

28 Untapped

26

Stay warm this winter with great events around the state

34 Prime Pairings 40 Q&A

28

Flavor-filled recipes to try at home Disabled workers keep things moving at Brewability Lab

42 Characters of the Craft 48 Tales from the Lying Log Three individuals who support the craft scene in their own way

48

Tales from the Lying Log: A story of equine love

50 Brewers’ Favorites

Insiders share their favorite brews

52 Brewery, Cidery & Distillery Guide

We’ll help you find great drinks wherever you end up in Colorado

On the cover: Hut-to-hut skiing near Ridgway. Photo: Neill Pieper

ADVENTURES

8 Backcountry Venture

Hut-to-hut in the iconic San Juan’s

Storied Spirit

16

Ski Small

The extensive history of a misunderstood liquor

Small ski areas offer big experiences

22 Warm Water, Cold Beer

Riff Raff Brewing harnesses geothermal energy to produce great beer

18 6 ThirstColorado.com

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November-December 2017

26 Big Beers & Big Mountains

Breckenridge hosts one of the year’s favorite beer festivals

32 Holiday Pairings

What to drink alongside your holiday feast – and what to do when you are finished

38 A Climbing Mecca 44 Holiday Gift Guide

Ouray provides the ice for climbers’ axes

Gift ideas that are sure to please

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HUT TO

HUT A trip on the San Juan Powder Trail

Story and photos by Neill Pieper

O

n the fringe of the Colorado ski scene is a small but growing group of skiers and mountaineers that embrace a slightly more humanpowered version of the sport. Gliding under their own power instead of riding up a chairlift, these backcountry enthusiasts seek solitude in the wilderness.  Colorado’s hut-to-hut adventurers are taking skiing back to its roots. The state has more than 160 backcountry huts and yurts just for recreation and immersive outdoor experiences. Biking and hiking to many of these huts is simple in the summer, but when the snow starts to fly, ski touring and, in some cases, snowshoeing are the main ways to

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November-December 2017

Left: A hard day of skiing calls for a dram of Leopold’s whiskey while the fire roars at the Burn Hut. Above: The view from Moonshine Park provides a stunning panorama of the Cimarron Range. Deep-powder turns can be found there.

explore these hidden refuges.

With this type of travel in mind and inspired by hut systems in Canada, Ridgway resident Joe Ryan created a hut system for backcountry travel in southwest Colorado.

Spanning the Sneffels Range, his huts connect Ouray, Ridgway and Telluride with access along the historic Dallas trail system. More than 60 miles of crosscountry trails are accessible. Visitors have the option of reserving one hut as a base of operations or traveling to all five huts.

The huts are simple: a wood stove dominates a one-room cabin. The huts

are fitted with bunks to sleep eight, and there is a kitchen area with a propane stove taking up one wall. Water in the winter is collected from melting snow. An outhouse and firewood shack are nearby.

An idyllic setting coupled with remote wilderness is the gist of it. If you think you’re up for the challenge, here’s a taste of what to expect.

Getting There

Ryan’s San Juan Huts base of operation is in Ridgway. Booking a hut trip is as simple as checking availability online and driving down to southwest Colorado to begin your trip.

Trips range in length and difficulty, so it’s important to plan ahead. Simplicity is

the beauty of a trip like this. When you arrive at the headquarters, you’re handed a topographical map, directions, a key to the huts and a friendly “have fun.” After this exchange, you may not see another person until you return the key.

The Trip

The sun is just peeking over the snowcovered San Juan Mountains. A few miles outside of Ridgway, the Burn Hut trail begins.

Roughly six miles to the hut, the route skirts ranch land, aspen glades and dense pine forest, all beneath the region’s tallest peak, Mt. Sneffels.

Described as a beginner to intermediate ski tour, the Burn Hut trail November-December 2017

ThirstColorado.com 9

SKI TOURING IS MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN EVER

Above: The Burn Hut is nestled in a grouping of aspen and pine trees beneath Whitehouse Mountain.

is a good introduction to the San Juan hut system. Located in an old burn area, it offers a great view of Whitehouse Mountain.

From the Burn Hut, there is a plethora of backcountry options in deep, untracked powder, ranging from sloping glades behind the hut to Moonshine Park, a two-hour adventure. Moonshine Park looks down into Ouray and its surrounding valley, and up to the nearby Cimarron Range.

Colorado Hut to Hut, written by Brian Litz, provides a great resource for aspiring backcountry skiers.

“The Burn Hut is a fine destination for beginning and intermediate skiers, mixed groups, and aspiring backcountry

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November-December 2017

skiers who may not be ready to cope with serious avalanche hazards and complicated route-finding,” according to Litz. “(The trail) is challenging but not overwhelming, and you get the beautiful panoramas associated with harder tours in the area.”

Along the journey, a traveler returning from his adventure passed by and after some chatter about the weather and trail, he gave his two cents on the San Juan Hut experience. “The isolation and beauty of the San Juans is the true pull of a trip like this. Skinning up to 10 miles kicks my ass but when I get home, the sore legs and blistered feet bring me back to the trail ... and that in itself makes it all worth it.”

Neill Pieper uses his considerable thirst for the craft beer scene to provide editorial, marketing and online production at Thirst Colorado.

From Central Asian hunters and Scandinavian military units to Colorado mail couriers, people have been skiing from point A to B for thousands of years.

While ski touring (using skis to ascend and descend across terrain) is hardly new, modern technology is enabling skiing enthusiasts to embrace this more traditional style.

Long-distance snow travel is faster and easier, thanks to lightweight, freeheel bindings known as alpine-touring bindings, combined with carbon skis and climbing skins (literally synthetic or natural animal skins attached on the bottom of skis for uphill travel, and removed for descent).

Increased access makes experiencing the Rockies in winter magical, but backcountry travel requires diligent planning and avalanche training. Before you decide to embark on your own hut trip, take an avalanche course, test your gear and study topographical maps of the area.

Great resources are available at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, and backcountry education can be found through the Friends of Berthoud Pass and the Silverton Avalanche School.

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Photo: Rick Souder

D THE RETURN OF E

ABSINTHE

The green fairy is back in vogue and here to delight

D JUNKING FOR BOOZE E

Ever the spirits connoisseur, Gould has long had a hobby he calls “junking for booze.”

“I go to junk stores, garage sales, estate sales and I’ll pretty much buy any sealed, full bottle of anything, no matter how strange or weird.”

At a junk shop in Detroit circa 2000, Gould found an entire case of mid-1950s Spanish absenta (absinthe) that had likely been imported illegally by way of Canada.

He snagged it immediately.

“It was a brand name absinthe (Argenti) and I tasted it and I was totally intrigued,” he said. “It was like nothing I had ever tasted before.”

Gould’s knack for finding ridiculously rare things paid off again two weeks later when he found a mid-1800s distilling manual called the Roret Encyclopedie Agricul. And so began his journey to distilling notoriety.

“I went way down a rabbit hole, networking in what at the time was a fairly secretive community of underground absinthe distillers around the world,” he said.

Gould struck up friendships with several absinthe distillers who helped him acquire the skills and knowledge to distill good absinthe. All the while, he also curated one of the largest North American collections of rare books on distillation. Gould’s library today has over 600 titles dating back to the 1500s. It’s the foundation of Golden Moon’s R&D. With one exception, all of the distillery’s spirits are Gould’s own formulation.

Since 2008, Golden Moon’s REDUX Absinthe has won some of the top distilling awards on the planet at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in London, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and several others.

VILIFICATION AND E EXONERATION The three botanical elements that help define absinthe — grand wormwood, sweet fennel and green anise — have been used in combination for medicinal purposes for about 300 years. Modern absinthe, however, emerged in late 18th century Switzerland. In time, absinthe became wildly popular in much of Europe, especially France. As testimony to absinthe’s cultural relevance, the French equivalent to happy hour in the late 19th and early 20th century was dubbed l’heure verte – literally, “the green hour.” The spirit was even personified as la fée verte, or “the green fairy.”

Due to a combination of factors including a fictitious disease called absinthism (thank the French wine industry for that fakery), la fée verte was banned in most of Europe and the U.S. in the early 20th century. It was legalized again early this century, when distilling advocates debunked the centuryold myths about absinthe insanity and hallucinations. That’s why you can now legally drink it in downtown Golden at the Golden Moon Speakeasy.

D

D REDUX COLORADO E Of the 18 spirits made at Golden Moon, REDUX is the most widely traveled.

“I regularly get photos from people traveling all around the world with bottles of our absinthe in bars, restaurants (and) private homes,” Gould said.

On the horizon is the exciting release of REDUX Colorado Absinthe, made with locally sourced wormwood from Larkspur.

“Even though the formulas are very similar, the character and the flavor of the absinthe are significantly different,” Gould said. “That’s all because of the terroir and the soil and the climate that the wormwoods are grown in.”

D ABSINTHE EN MARCHE! E “Prior to absinthe being banned, absinthe was one of the most common cocktail ingredients used by bartenders,” Gould said.

The most famous bartending guides in history, such as Harry Craddock’s “Savoy Cocktail Book,” contain hundreds of cocktails where absinthe is listed as an ingredient.

“Bartenders tend to logically know its history if they’ve been trained well, but emotionally they don’t realize that absin the is an incredibly flexible and powerful tool in their toolkit as bartenders,” Gould said. “A few drops, a splash, a rinse, a spritz of absinthe can change the entire character of a cocktail and just make it so much better.”

As the public becomes familiar with absinthe as a libation rather than a peculiar historical footnote, Gould hopes to see it regain its rightful place as a premium spirit in American cocktails.

A business journalist and freelance writer, John Garvey writes about architecture, sustainability, clean energy R&D and anything that entertains and inspires. View his portfolio at Clippings.me/johngarvey.

November-December 2017

ThirstColorado.com 13

©Erica Guilane-Nachez /Adobestock.com

T

he story of REDUX absinthe is, in a word, colorful. It includes junking for booze, stumbling into a distilling subculture, an illustrious private library, conniving industrialists, malarkey, myths and debunkery. It just doesn’t involve “tripping” because, for better or worse, absinthe is not hallucinogenic (sorry to disappoint).

Stephen Gould’s first brief foray into distilling 26 years ago wasn’t a smashing success. He decided to pursue another career, but fortunately his fascination with distilling didn’t wane. Since founding Golden Moon Distillery in 2008, he’s won more awards than you can shake a stick at, and has become an internationally recognized absinthe expert.

By John Garvey

STRANGE BREWS

BRIGHTON BREWERY PUSHES ENVELOPE WITH EDGY FALL BEER NAME

By Steve Graham

D

Basic Bitch

Style: Imperial vanilla pumpkin spice chai porter Brewery: Something Brewery Location: Brighton IBU: 45 ABV: 8.5

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November-December 2017

espite its non-descript business title, Something Brewery is not afraid to push the envelope on beer flavors … and beer names.

“We specialize in being crazy for the sake of being crazy,” said David Allegrezza, co-owner and brewer at Something, which was Brighton’s first craft brewery.

To that end, they brewed an autumn porter with pumpkin, then aged it with vanilla and chai tea. The result is called Basic Bitch, a snide reference to customers who gush over fall fashion and seasonal pumpkin drinks at a certain major coffee chain.

“Get your Uggs, scarfs and yoga pants out because we have the beer for you” reads the bottle label from last year’s edition, which also has a background that mimics the pattern on a Louis Vuitton bag.

Allegrezza said the brewers are also making fun of themselves for jumping on the fall pumpkin bandwagon. And, of course, some controversy can be good for business.

“We wanted the beer to stand out with the ingredients we used, but we also wanted the name of the beer to stand out in the crowd,” said Brian Castillo, another co-owner and brewer. “The Basic Bitch does just that by combining a memorable beer name and unique ingredients.”

To be sure, the name attracted some attention when the first batch was released last fall. But Allegrezza said it was mostly positive.

“People loved the name,” he said, adding that many customers bought extra bottles as whimsical Christmas gifts.

Something Brewery specializes in tea-infused beers. Allegrezza said some brewing experts told him it would be impossible to brew beers with tea without destroying the flavor of the beer. However, he experimented with steeping tea in the beer while it ages.

The brewery has since made a wide variety of tea-infused beers.

The chai porter is infused with two types of chai, Tazo pumpkin spice chai and a spiced chai from In-Tea, which is a gourmet tea café and importer in Littleton. It also features vanilla beans.

“It has lots of different flavors that are all really subtle,” Allegrezza said. “The pumpkin and chocolate notes will really pop as it ages.”

After a successful run of bottles and taproom kegs last year, Allegrezza hopes to distribute the porter to other bars in the area.

“We plan on getting it out to the major taprooms to have a fun crazy beer you’ve never had, and to get a different kind of pumpkin beer,” he said.

Something also has plenty of other creative brews in the works, including a hazelnut coffee milk stout, a New England IPA infused with matcha tea, and a tea-infused vanilla bourbon stout slated for the brewery’s second anniversary in December.

Steve Graham is a Fort Collins writer who enjoys the outdoors and great beers.

Photo: Angie Wright

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HIT THE SMALL RESORTS FOR IMPECCABLE TURNS The Thirst Team

C

omes a time when a quiet, less commercial mountain feels like the perfect snowy escape to pull out the shred sticks.

Less traffic and fewer people are combined with reduced grooming and fewer food choices, but that’s just the ticket to free the mind and delve into yesteryear skiing in Colorado.

Although hitchhiking or spinning a rearwheel-drive sedan to the high country are less popular options than back in the day, short flights are all the rage. According to Chris Linsmayer of Colorado Ski Country USA, skiers and riders have a few additional options for accessing the slopes this year.

So, with less pomp and more powder, here are some backcountry choices for this season.

Above, skiers ascend the ridgeline to higher terrain on Silverton Mountain.

Left, the Hesperus chairlift. Center, night skiing on Howelsen Hill. Right, a Silverton Mountain skier gets an incredible face shot of powder.

Photos: Courtesy Colorado Ski Country USA

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HESPERUS SKI AREA

With one double chairlift and the addition of a tow rope this year, Hesperus expects to host a few more families, skiers and riders. Families might note that the tow rope will provide access to a popular tubing hill and some beginner terrain.

“Hesperus is the southwest area’s largest night skiing operation,” said Kim Oyler, director of communications for Mountain Capital Partners, which owns the 60-acre resort just outside Durango.

A Nordic trail and a fat biking trail will be added this year “because Durango is such a mountain biking community,” Oyler points out.

Overall, she said the mountain features “kind of a laidback feel. It’s casual and people like to feel that vibe,” which is tough to find at some of the larger resorts.

For those who need to capture some cardio bright and early, a reduced-price ticket allows you to skin up the slope (ski uphill with skins under your skis to improve traction) before the lift opens, and ski down.

HOWELSEN HILL SKI AREA

The city of Steamboat Springs runs Howelsen Hill Ski Area. With cheaper lift tickets than adjacent Mount Werner, families with beginner skiers find this iconic hill friendly on the wallet.

This small gem also has a reputation for pumping out skiers who win international competitions. As the training ground for nearly 90 Olympic competitors, Howelsen is the state’s oldest continuously operated ski area. It opened in 1915 on “the largest and most complete natural ski jumping complex in North America,” the resort reports.

The northwest Colorado hill has nine Nordic trails exploring 13 miles of backcountry splendor. Seventeen alpine trails are also available. People get to the top of the 7,136-foot peak with the help of a double chairlift, Poma surface lift and boardwalk.

SILVERTON MOUNTAIN

Going big at Silverton doesn’t mean talking smack about that great run you did before stopping for a beer during a two-hour lunch. It does mean experts only.

What can you say about a mountain that boasts zero terrain for beginners and intermediate skiers? And yes, you are required to have your avalanche beacon, probe and shovel when the sole chairlift drops you off at an elevation of 12,300 feet.

“There are loads of bowls, chutes, cliffs and wonderful natural terrain features to be discovered during a visit to Silverton Mountain,” the resort reports. “It is the highest ski area in North America with a peak of 13,487 feet, and it is also the steepest, with no easy way down.”

If that sounds like a warning, it is. There are no groomed trails or gentle slopes for the inexperieced.

November-December 2017

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ART OF BREWING

TRVE

Truly rooted in heavy metal

By Kyle Kirves

the images may grab your attention, it’s what’s in the bottle that keeps aficionados coming back for more. “We want people to notice and pick up on the labels, sure, but we don’t want it to be all you notice or remember about our brewery,” says Nunns. “It’s really about the beer.”

The artwork on TRVE’s bottles is as unmistakably striking as any vinyl album cover. Artistically, heavy metal is the touchstone for the artistic choices TRVE makes. With an endless well of subgenres to choose from, the label art can go in any direction. “We always start with the beer or with a beer concept,” Nunns says. “Then we go out and find a band that sonically represents the taste or ethos of a beer. Maybe we look toward a

“S

o, how metal are you?”

It’s an odd opener for a conversation, especially with someone you’ve just met. Unless, of course, that person is Nick Nunns, proprietor of Denver’s heavy metalthemed brewery, TRVE (pronounced true). It’s a question Nunns has a ready, though not surprising, answer to.

“We’re very much into metal and it’s our life’s blood. It’s a core component of how we brand and image ourselves,” says Nunns. “All genres and subgenres of metal get airplay at the brewery.” Yet

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November-December 2017

he wants to be clear: “There’s more – much more – to TRVE than just metal.

There are things about us that are equally interesting. Most importantly, it’s about the beers we’re making and our approach to that.”

Those words ring TRVE. Yes, music and metal is important in forming the culture and identity of TRVE. Consider that head brewer Zach Coleman is in doomed heavy metal band Khemmis, a touring act with multiple albums. But like any other branded product, while

specific song or phrase within one that mirrors the style of it.”

Digging deeper, Nunns says, “It’s a kind of synesthesia,” a term for those gifted – or cursed – with a cross-sensory ability to see sound or taste words.

“We look at everything the band does, whether it’s color schemes or images and we’ll spin or riff on that a little bit.” He cites Celtic Frost as an example of a band whose imagery and iconography influenced their Jewel Throne label artwork. TRVE’s Departure of Consciousness is a tribute to Massachusetts-based Forn’s album cover art.

When asked about his own personal favorites, Nunns mentions a mixed culture sour pale ale,

Cursed, a label with a black and red depiction of a distortion pedal. “I’ve always said that label is a very subtle reference to metal and what it means to us,” he says. And then he drops a riddle on me: “If you understand that label, you understand what we’re all about. Only a real metalhead,” he says, “will be able to figure out all of the references.” I won’t spoil it.

Figure it out on your own. Or better yet, go into TRVE and ask.

Slow Death, a limited-release collaboration with Ashville, North Carolina’s Burial Brewing, is another of Nunns’ favorites. “I do all of our layouts,” he says, “Sam does all of the literal work, bringing me actual drawings or pen-onpaper artwork and then I do all of the digital work. That one really demonstrates my love of typography and a place where I put my stamp on the label art. It is also a great example of Sam’s talent.”

“Sam” is Sam Turner, brand artist for TRVE, who echoes Nunns’ assertions about their creative process. “We work together iteratively to create something that’s inspired by a band or song,” Turner says. “But it’s an indirect association.

We want the art to be a sincere tribute to the band or song, but also respect their trademarks and identity.”

Turner’s contributions go beyond the bottle art, though. If you’ve been to the

brewer y, you’ll notice two Gameof-Throne-ish banners flanking the taps, each featuring a monastic figure, one a goat and one a hooded wolf. It’s an altar of metal brewing, and brewing mettle.

A personal favorite of mine, both for the art and the style of beer, is Revengeance.

Styled in some places as American wild ale, Revengeance drinks like a roasty currant-infused porter. The label is a blood-spattered, black-and-white image of a hulking barbarian, complete with double axe and sword. It’s an excellent representation of Turner’s Frank Frazettainspired work. But as Nunns suggests, while the art is engaging, the beer itself is unmistakable and unforgettable.

And, the name TRVE? It’s a common meme metal heads would understand.

“TRVE is a term used to describe someone or something – a band, whatever – that takes themselves a little too seriously. It’s easy to do that in the brewing world. But the name is a conscious reminder and inside joke,” Nunns says, “for us not to take ourselves too seriously.”

So, how metal are you?

Kyle Kirves is a solid dude who believes drinking beer should be a five-senses experience.

November-December 2017

ThirstColorado.com 19

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Springs

Riff Raff Brewing taps

By Steve Graham

L

ate fall is a great time to visit Pagosa Springs and swim in it’s namesake “healing waters,” then drink some beer brewed with the same spring-fed geothermal power.

Riff Raff Brewing co-founder Randy Schnose helps run one of only two “earthpowered” breweries in the nation. Riff Raff uses advanced technology to tap into an ancient energy source, and does it all in a 120-year-old building.

“We’ve got such an old building with so much character housing so much technology,” Schnose said.

It’s also providing an example for other businesses. “We have this fantastic

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resource literally in our backyard,” said Madeline Bergon, who runs marketing and events for Riff Raff. “We as a business and community are showing people alternative resource possibilities.”

Riff Raff opened in 2013 in a remodeled 1896 Victorian home. It’s one of the oldest buildings in town, and it has housed a doctor’s office, dance studio and a mortuary in its long history.

The brewery happens to be one of 31 sites that can tap into a downtown geothermal heating district, which uses 144°F water to heat sidewalks, schools and buildings from October to April. The district was originally funded by a federal

grant, and is operated by the city of Pagosa Springs.

The geothermal pipes tap into the deepest hot spring in the world. It’s even listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. The geothermal system heats the brewery, kitchen and restaurant, as well as a couple of upstairs vacation rentals. And it melts the snow on the brewery’s back lot.

The system preheats the brewery water, but Schnose points out that the brewery only uses pure river water that is heated through geothermal pipes. No worries that your beer will have the aroma or the heavy minerals of hot springs water.

and geothermal heat Schnose and his wife moved to Pagosa Springs 15 years ago and soon started homebrewing. He acquired some professional experience as a volunteer on-call brewer at Pagosa Brewing. With the older brewery’s blessing, and an agreement to operate on the other end of town, he started looking for a downtown site and exploring the geothermal district.

“We looked at over 19 different properties for over a year looking for a place that had geothermal,” he said. “The community of Pagosa Springs was sitting on a goldmine and it was not being utilized at all. We wanted to show what could be done with it.”

Photos left and center: Courtesy of Riff Raff Brewing Photo right: Tod Cavey

Schnose said it took a while to work out the logistics with city officials, who were concerned about a brewery tapping too much of the geothermal resource.

To assuage their concerns and to maintain the precise temperatures and specifications needed for brewing, Riff Raff built a system with state-of-the-art assessment of every variable.

“Our geothermal system is one of the most complicated in the nation and full of monitoring,” he said. “We are monitoring what is coming in and what is going out, including BTU usage.”

The system is connected by a complex daisy chain of heat exchange loops

that draw on the city’s system without depleting the heat source.

“They quickly realized our system is so efficient it has very little effect on everybody downstream,” he said.

Bergon said she enjoys leading customers through the “kind of creepy trapdoor behind the bar” to see the wall of copper piping that is the heart of the geothermal heating system.

“Customers are always awed at the craftsmanship that went in to the design of our system,” she said. “They are always surprised at how warm it is down there.”

Steve Graham is a Fort Collins writer who enjoys the outdoors and great beers.

November-December 2017

ThirstColorado.com 23

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24 ThirstColorado.com

November-December 2017

BIG VIEWS

Brewers, fans looking forward to Breckenridge festival celebrating strong, heavy-hitting beers

By Steve Graham

E

ven Colorado’s biggest brewers are apt to be humbled by the surroundings and company at the state’s most prestigious winter beer festival.

“Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines is an incredible gathering of some of the country’s most celebrated craft brewers,” said Alex Kayne of Odell Brewing Co. “Odell is proud to be among such great company. With a backdrop like Breckenridge in January, and a topnotch beer lineup, it really captures the Colorado spirit.”

To be sure, you’re practically living

26 ThirstColorado.com

November-December 2017

in an ad for Colorado’s high country when you are sharing a hot tub with local brewmasters while sampling an imperial stout, all in the shadow of Breck’s Peak 9.

Founder Laura Lodge is proud the festival can maintain such intimacy while also drawing international A-listers of the brewing world.

“It’s still very small compared to any other beer festival that I know of,” said Lodge, who has organized the festival for each of its 18 years. “We want to plan an event that brewers are really happy to come to.”

Even after expanding and moving from

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Vail to Breckenridge, the festival is still intentionally small — perhaps frustratingly so for some brewers. There was a waiting list of 40 breweries for last year’s event.

The result is an experience very different from the Great American Beer Festival or other larger events.

“It’s so tiny but the fact that it is that tiny gives each of the attendees a different kind of opportunity to interact with the brewers,” she said. “This is a chance for them to really find their favorite brewers and ask them all the questions they want to ask.”

The festival, which runs Jan. 4-6, includes seminars, dinners, homebrew contests and a tasting showcase.

As its alliterative name suggests, Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines focuses on full-flavored and high-octane beers.

To be considered for the commercial tasting or homebrew contests, beers must be Belgian, experimental or pack at least 7 percent ABV — or, ideally, some combination of the above.

“The brewers are really digging into their cellars and their specialty supply to show off to other brewers,” Lodge said.

The festival began as a trade show for her brother’s beer distribution business. At the time, craft beer wasn’t a common phrase, and Fat Tire was the most exotic offering at many bars.

“People had no idea beer could be sold like wine,” said Lodge. She said even high-end restaurants and liquor stores were unfamiliar with specialty beer styles and imported brews.

She decided to open the trade show to the public and focus on those big beers.

All these years later, it has grown to several competitions and 13 seminars, including a yoga session, a cigar pairing and sensory beer-tasting workshops.

The festival also attracts dozens of affiliate events throughout Breckenridge.

The owners of Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora have been involved since before they owned a brewery. Their sister company, the Brew Hut homebrewing shop, is a longtime sponsor of the homebrew competition.

Dry Dock co-owner Michelle Reding said she is looking forward to heading up to Breckenridge again this January.

“Big Beers is one of our favorite festivals of the year,” she said. “Personally, it is a festival full of my favorite styles of beer, especially the barrel-aged beers.”

Lodge said many of the dinners and more intimate events are already sold out, but she maintains wait lists for each event in case there are last-minute cancellations.

Visit bigbeersfestival.com for tickets and more information.

Steve Graham is a Fort Collins writer who enjoys the outdoors and great beers.

Photos from the 2017 Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines festival

by Neill Pieper

November-December 2017

ThirstColorado.com 27

BIG BEAR BREW FEST NOVEMBER 18 Pueblo

Located in the heart of downtown at the Pueblo Convention Center, the Big Bear Brew Fest is the premier beer festival. Enjoy more than 100 beers from more than 50 craft brewers in an indoor, climate-controlled facility. pueblobrewfest.com

MILE HIGH UNITED WAY TURKEY TROT NOVEMBER 23 Denver

In its 44th year, this fun Thanksgiving tradition draws more than 20,000 people to Denver’s beautiful Washington Park for a four-mile run and walk supporting Mile High United Way’s work in the community. unitedwaydenver.org

DECEMBER Photo: Eddie Clark

LEFT HAND BREWING PRESENTS NITRO FEST 2017 NOVEMBER 11 LONGMONT

America’s only exclusively nitrogenated beer festival will feature more than 40 of the best breweries from across the U.S. pouring rare,

NOVEMBER

DENVER INTERNATIONAL WINE FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 1-3 Westminster

Denver International Wine Festival includes enough events to fill three solid days, including a food-and-wine pairing competition (contestants are Colorado chefs); a tasting of 400 wines, beers, spirits; educational seminars about wine; and a daylong tour of three local wineries, plus one distillery. denverwinefest.com

FALL BACK BEER FEST NOVEMBER 4 Estes Park

Celebrate beer, brewers and the craft brewed experience. Discover new favorites and talk with the brewers behind the beers from dozens of Colorado craft breweries. While there, you’ll also have a chance to chat with experts from Colorado hop farms, brewing equipment fabricators, yeast laboratories, malting companies, barrel suppliers and much more. Several homebrewing clubs will be brewing on site. Come ask questions and even lend a hand. fallbackbeerfest.com

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November-December 2017

never-before-seen nitro styles alongside wild circus acts. Nitro Fest will be a dark, swanky, mysterious evening pairing super smooth ales with a steampunk circus setting. Proceeds benefit the Left Hand Brewing Foundation.

lefthandbrewing.com

DENVER BEER AND MUSIC FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 11 Denver

The Denver Beer and Music Festival is an allinclusive event bringing guests to downtown Denver at the beautiful City Hall Indoor Venue.

While there, try samples of over 50 craft beers, wines and spirits. Bands and DJs will set the stage. Proceeds benefit the Coastal Conservation Association. denver-beerfestival.com

ALL COLORADO BEER FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 11 Colorado Springs

This is the 11th annual ACBF, and the event takes place at the Norris-Penrose Event Center. The 2016 All Colorado Beer Festival raised more than $80,000 for its beneficiaries, and the festival is expected to be larger this year. allcoloradobeerfestival.com

DENVER CHRISTKINDL MARKET NOVEMBER 17 - DECEMBER 23 Denver

The annual Christkindl Market is back for its 17th year. Grab traditional holiday grub and beverages while checking out handmade goods. Experience live German-style music and Gluehwein (warm spiced wine), perfect for the holiday season. denverchristkindlmarket.com

9NEWS PARADE OF LIGHTS DECEMBER 1-2 Denver

The free parade features marching bands and a special appearance by Santa. Grab your hot chocolate and earmuffs, this year is going to be better than ever. downtowndenver.com

VAIL SNOW DAYS DECEMBER 8-10 VAIL VILLAGE

Winter events in Vail are as unique as the surrounding peaks of the Gore Range and Mount of the Holy Cross. Vail Snow Days is the signature kick-

TOWN OF FRISCO’S WASSAIL DAYS DECEMBER 1-10 Frisco

The celebration of the holiday season honors wassail, a traditional warm Old English apple cider. Over the years, Frisco’s Main Street businesses have worked to perfect their own iterations of this holiday staple, serving more than 5,000 complimentary cups to guests. townoffrisco.com

HOPPY HOLIDAYS DECEMBER 2 Denver

Join the Kyle Hollingsworth Band and Yonder Mountain String Band to celebrate the holidays.

This brew and music fest goes down at the Fillmore Auditorium and has 30-plus breweries supplying unlimited tastings. kylehollingsworth.com

COLORADO WINE FEST DECEMBER 9 Ouray

You will be able to consume all the wine, chocolate and cheese you want at the Colorado Wine Fest. An abundance of vendors will be in Ouray, where you will be able to cram your stomach full of guilty pleasures right before the holidays. coloradowinefest.org off event to the season, welcoming free live music, wellness and transformation opportunities, familyfriendly happenings, a sponsor expo village and more. Join Vail in creating moments that become memories, and memories that become tradition.

vail.com

Photo: Neill Pieper

BIG BEERS, BELGIANS & BARLEYWINES JANUARY 4-6 BRECKENRIDGE

Known for the caliber of both the event and its participants, the Big Beers Festival showcases beers from more than 120 breweries and importers while offering a gathering place for the

WINTER DEW TOUR DECEMBER 14-17 Breckenridge

The Breckenridge Resort hosts the Dew Tour, showcasing ski and snowboarding athletes’ prowess on the slopes. The event brings in competitors from all over the world and features big air and halfpipe action. dewtour.com/snow

VAIL HOLIDAYS DECEMBER 16-31 Vail Village

Vail Holidays is the perfect place for a family celebration, as the town and mountain come alive with lights, sounds, events and cheer during the month of December. Embrace the holidays with the annual tree-lighting ceremony and lantern walk. On New Year’s Eve, watch as ski instructors and Vail locals form a glowing train down Golden Peak with glow sticks, followed by a fireworks. vail.com

12 DAYS OF ASPEN DECEMBER 20-31 Aspen

Check out downtown Aspen for a plethora of activities to mark the holiday season. Make your own s’mores and hot chocolate. A variety of free activities for the whole family can be found around town, including ticketed performances and more. aspenchamber.org/events Photo: Vail Resorts courtesy of Zach Mahone

- Compiled by Dylan Hochstedler

best of the best in the industry to convene and play. It is a unique opportunity to meet and visit with some of the most creative and innovative brewers in the business while enjoying some of the finest beer in the world. Big Beers is an experience not to miss.

bigbeersfestival.com

JANUARY

28TH ANNUAL BRECKENRIDGE INTERNATIONAL SNOW SCULPTURE CHAMPIONSHIPS JANUARY 22-29 Breckenridge

Visit the Riverwalk Center, where the Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championship will be headquartered. Discover the process of snow sculpting, information about the teams and lots of interesting trivia. Stop by Thaw Lounge+Music for event memorabilia and a look at sculptures from past years. gobreck.com

WINTER X GAMES JANUARY 25-29 Aspen

More than 200 of the world’s best athletes in skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling throw down over four action-packed days of competition for the most coveted medals in action sports. Don’t miss your chance to witness legends and Olympians including Shaun White, Torin Yater-Wallace and more at the base of Buttermilk Mountain. xgames.espn.com

Have an event you would like to get into Thirst Colorado?

Let us know. joe@thirstcolorado.com November-December 2017

ThirstColorado.com 29

Creating unique craft beers with regular events and live music in one of Denver’s newest gorgeous tasting rooms.

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November-December 2017

WORK ON YOUR SIX-PACK Don’t keep your passion for brewing all bottled up. Brew like a master with our part-time, evening program. Find out more at regis.edu/brewing.

Regis University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our website at regis.edu/certificates.

Find Yours: FridayHealthPlans.com November-December 2017

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1

The holidays wouldn’t be complete without a festive yule log to sweeten your palate. With this chocolate delight enjoy a New Belgium Brewing Transatlantique Kriek. Cherry aroma and flavor with a tart embrace that pairs nicely with chocolate.

12 DAYS

OF SPLENDOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

2

While the young ones (or you – absolutely no judgement) work on the holiday gingerbread house, enjoy a Denver Beer Co. Graham Cracker Porter.

An obvious choice for such an occasion, the porter has flavors of vanilla, spices and a graham cracker-like biscuit finish.

A

s the weather gets chilly during the holiday season, comfort foods are on the mind. But as we’ve all come to know, one cannot live on comfort food alone. Here are some ideas for beverages that complement traditional foods.

Below are a few suggestions that will get you out of the house after feasting.

Winter Park has snowmobiles for rent, which will allow the family to experience the Continental Divide in the middle of winter.

Check out the Denver Zoo Lights or the Blossoms of Light at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

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November-December 2017

Sleigh rides are as traditional as overindulging and Steamboat is a great place to kick back and view the holiday splendor.

Spend Saturday afternoon learning to curl at the outdoor Nederland Ice & Racquet Park.

Backcountry skiing is an excellent way to slim down after a feast.

The Aspen/Snowmass Nordic Trail System is a great place to set out on an adventure.

On the Western Slope?

Grab your skis and head to Telluride for some downhill fun. Find short lift lines and endless turns beneath the iconic Palmyra Peak.

©Lily(tree&gifts)/Adobestock.com

An Itallian favorite, Cioppino, is a stew maide with seafood that is a lighter meal. Peak Spirits Farm Distillery from Hotchkiss makes an Italian favorite, Grappa – a natural digestive, perfect to finish off a big Christmas dinner.

4

A quintessential holiday favorite, glazed ham, wouldn’t be complete without a Glider Cider from Colorado Cider Co. Western Slope apple varieties combine for a light sweetness and semidry finish that balances well with a heavier meat dish.

5

Who doesn’t like a little spiked hot chocolate while roasting chestnuts on an open fire? Peach Street Distillery makes a Plum Brandy Eau De Vie (similar to Schnapps) that pairs well with hot chocolate. Light and delicate plum flavors meld nicely with a homemade hot chocolate.

6

Eggnog and rum is one of those combinations that just seem to never go out of style. For a new twist, try Stoneyard Distilleries Colorado Silver in your ’nog. Hailing from the tiny town of Dotsero, Stoneyard creates the spirit from local beet sugar. It drinks like rum with a Colorado twist.

Catch the matinee of A Christmas Carol down at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

Visiting the southwest?

Dogsledding is popular near Durango and it’s a great way to see the backcountry.

7

Mmm, melted cheese … the Swiss really know how to please a crowd.

With a traditional gruyere cheese fondue, try State 38 Distilleries Scottish Peat Smoked Whiskey. Utilizing grain sourced from the Islay region of Scotland and Scottish peat smoked malted barley, State 38 has created an American-style scotch.

Colorful peat smoke flavors on the front and a rich chocolate finish makes for a superb sipper with your fondue.

8

After a day on the ski slopes, a good elk chili hits the spot. Ska Brewing’s Buster Nut Brown has got just enough malty backbone and smooth hopped finish to balance the heat from the chili. Sessionable, this brown isn’t overpowering with a heavy meal.

9

An old-fashioned cranberry sauce makes the list of delicious sides to complement the main course. With a sweet cranberry medley, grab an Oskar Blues Ten Fidy. A bear of a beer, Ten Fidy weighs out at 10.5 percent ABV, 65 IBUs and boasts flavors of chocolate covered caramel, coffee and dark malt. The sauce complements the brew, rather than the other way around.

Dig your ice skates out of the garage and drive up to Evergreen Lake for a few trips around the pond.

- After a large brunch, Rocky Mountain National Park offers miles of snowshoe trails to exercise the afternoon away.

©golubovy(cookies&milk)/Adobestock.com

10

Maybe a late brunch is in the cards. A simple crêpe recipe with ham and melted Swiss or fruit calls for an early afternoon Brainless Raspberry.

The Epic Brewing delicacy pairs raspberry flavors with a quintessential Belgian yeast, yielding banana and light bubblegum.

It’s a flavorful brew that won’t overpower your crêpe.

11

A vegetarian mushroom soufflé goes perfectly with an Odell IPA. Nine different aromatic hops create a true Colorado favorite that tastes just right alongside the distinctive flavors of mushrooms and pastry in a warm soufflé.

12

It seems like there are always leftover candy canes around the holidays, and you can’t let that hardened sugar go to waste. So, crack open an Avery Brewing Old Jubilation ale and meld the hazelnut, mocha and toffee goodness with the sweet peppermint of the candy cane.

Head to downtown Denver to experience the 17th annual Denver Christkindl Market. Music, shopping and more!

Grab your tube and head to Chatauqua Park in Boulder for a snowy afternoon on the hill.

November-December 2017

ThirstColorado.com 33

©Maksim Pasko(BG)/Adobestock.com

3

Prime Pairings Bold Bites: Bó Kho and Beer Pickled Garlic Great Divide Brewing Co. is one of Denver’s original craft breweries, brewing bold beers since 1994. Bold Bites is Cho77’s way of combining two favorite things, great beer and great food.

This Bold Bite collaboration is the brainchild of executive chef Ryan Gorby from Cho77, the sister restaurant to ChoLon. Gorby created a take on a traditional dish, Bó Kho, that you can make at home using Great Divide’s Hercules Double IPA.

Ingredients: Bó Kho 2 lbs of beef chuck or stewing meat cut into 1 ½ inch cubes 2 tbsp ginger, peeled and minced

¾ lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch segments 2 cups canned tomatoes, crushed 1 ½ cup beef broth 1 tsp salt 1 bottle Great Divide Hercules Double IPA

¼ cup fish sauce 1 tbsp curry powder 2 tbsp brown or palm sugar

Beer Pickled Garlic

1 tbsp paprika

1 cup rice vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup sugar

1 yellow onion (mediumsized), diced

½ cup Great Divide Hercules Double IPA

4 star anise, whole

¼ cup water

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp salt

1 stalk lemongrass, cut into thirds and bruised

8 cloves of garlic, sliced thin

Ryan Gorby is executive chef and owner at Cho77 in Denver. He spent eight years in New York City working in the city’s top restaurants under chefs such as Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Michael Symon and Lon Symensma. When chef Symensma to open his own restaurant in Denver, he tapped Gorby to be his right-hand man at the new Southeast Asian inspired hot spot ChoLon. ChoLon became a staple in the Denver dining scene with many accolades and some very loyal fans. Turning to Asia for inspiration, chef Gorby traveled from the mountains of northern Thailand to the sweltering streets of Singapore, and now shares a little piece of Southeast Asia with South Broadway at Cho77.

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November-December 2017

Pair with Great Divide’s Hercules Double IPA Great Divide brews up a truly balanced double IPA. A robust, malty profile provides a sweet and smooth base layer of this aggressively hopped ale. Brewed with a huge amount of hops, Hercules is a perfect addition to Cho77's heroic take on a Vietnamese favorite.

Directions: Bó Kho Mix beef with the ginger, curry powder, sugar, and fish sauce. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes. In a medium sized pot, heat the oil gently over low-medium heat. Next, add the garlic, onions and paprika and sweat lightly for about 2 minutes. Add the whole star anise, cinnamon stick and bruised lemongrass pieces to cook for another 2 minutes.

Next, add in the marinated beef and cook while stirring for about 5 minutes. After the beef is cooked, add in the carrots, tomatoes, broth, salt and the beer to cover the beef. Bring to light simmer and cook uncovered until the beef is tender. When you are ready to serve, remove the lemongrass, cinnamon stick and star anise pieces to avoid any surprises while eating.

Serve with shaved red onion, scallions and beer pickled garlic (see recipe below) over rice or with slices of fresh baguette.

Note: 2 tsp of Chinese five spice powder can be used in place of the star Anise and cinnamon stick, but it should be added to the pot when the beef is added.

Beer Pickled Garlic Combine all the ingredients, except for the garlic, in a small pot and gently heat while stirring. Heat just until all the sugar and salt have been dissolved, cool the liquid to room temperature and pour over the sliced garlic. Allow the garlic to pickle for at least 8 hours before using.

Braised Brisket Tostada The Corner Office Restaurant + Martini Bar created a braised brisket tostada with a twist. Using Strange Craft Beer’s Dr. Strangelove Barleywine, sweet and tart flavors from the beer will come through in this dish, as well as a bit of smokiness and spice from the peppers.

Ingredients 4 lbs of beef brisket 1 onion, sliced 5 dried guajillo peppers 3 ½ oz can of chipotle peppers 48 oz (4 lbs) of crushed tomatoes Strange Craft Beer’s Dr. Strangelove Barleywine (8 cups or a little under 3 bombers) 2 cups beef broth 20 tostada shells 1 ½ cups queso fresco cilantro leaves 3 limes (cut into wedges)

Directions: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Trim down fat on brisket and place it into a large braising pan. Add in sliced onion, dried guajillo peppers, can of chipotle peppers and crushed tomatoes. Pour in the Dr. Strangelove Barleywine and beef broth and cover the pan. Let it cook for five hours or until you can pull apart the brisket.

Pair with Strange Craft's Dr. Strangelove Barleywine - Style Ale Strange Craft's Dr. Strangelove – inspired by the iconic 1970's movie – complements a flavorful brisket tostada with the welcome addition of a whole lot of sweet and malt goodness. Dried fruit flavors coincide with a large dose of American hops. Deceiving for its 10.5 percent ABV, the good doctor finishes dry and light on the palate.

Pull the brisket out of the braising liquid and set it aside.

Blend the braising liquid, onion, peppers and tomatoes together.

Season with a little bit of salt.

Shred the brisket and place the meat in a large bowl. Add in the blended sauce and toss. Spoon the shredded brisket on top of each tostada, and sprinkle with queso fresco, cilantro and add a lime wedge on top.

Servings: Makes 20 tostadas

Executive chef Rich Byers leads The Corner Office Restaurant + Martini Bar’s food preparation, vision and delivery. When he’s not cooking award-winning fare, Byers enjoys skiing, mountain biking and camping.

November-December 2017

ThirstColorado.com 35

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Ouray is a hotbed for the

By John Garvey

t can be as hardcore as any contact sport, but the perceived danger of ice climbing is the biggest misconception about it.

“There’s a perceived risk where people say, ‘You’re climbing these frozen waterfalls and that just has to be inherently dangerous,’” says Dan Chehayl. “And there is an inherent danger to it — you always have the potential for some ice fall. But in the Ouray Ice Park, we try to control that inherent danger to the best of our abilities.”

Chehayl, director of operations and fundraising at Ouray Ice Park, isn’t alone in his belief that Ouray is the world’s greatest ice climbing destination. Ouray’s culture, geography and climate combined to make it the sport’s mecca. Chehayl first visited Ouray as an outdoor education and leadership undergrad at Sterling College in Vermont. He quickly fell in love with it. This will be his seventh year at the park, where he began as an ice farmer.

38 ThirstColorado.com

November-December 2017

Ouray Ice Park is made possible in part by a one½-mile plumbing system running along the north rim of Uncompahgre Gorge. From the third week of November to sometime in February or early March, excess water from the city supply runs down the gorge at a rate of 150 to 300 thousand gallons per minute. This continues overnight for as long as the temperature will allow.

But those legendary climbs don’t just take form when you run the pipes.

Ensuring that climbs are high-quality and safe is up to ice farmers. They direct showerheads along each section of the cliffs, hack away loose ice, thaw frozen pipes with blow torches, and coax and sculpt ice along the rim. If the sport itself requires physical fitness and mental toughness, it’s safe to say ice farmers have a surplus of both.

Regardless of grit and expertise and

infrastructure, ice farmers can’t create the same climbing conditions with adverse weather as with ideal, sub-freezing winter temperatures. Warm days, rain, or even deep freezes all pose challenges.

“Last year was actually, in Ouray, a really good year for snow if you were at the right altitude, but the Ice Park is actually just around 7900 [feet] ... so we’ve faced a lot of challenges,” explains Chehayl.

“We had rain in January and February which hasn’t happened very often.

You talk to locals who can remember a season or two where it did, but not to the extent of last year.”

Ouray Ice Park features 100 to 125 climbs, depending on the season.

Roughly 100 more climbs lie in the Ouray backcountry.

“One of the great things about the ice park and Ouray in general is you show up and it’s just such a grand place,” Chehayl says.

“You walk up to the upper bridge of Photo: Neill Pieper

“We have an amazing climbing community of people who have come from all over the world and decided to stay and put their roots down here,” notes Chehayl. “And for the most part, we all get along really well and our main focus is to make this place bigger and better, and it’s also very welcoming.”

Ouray’s two breweries — Ouray Brewery and Ourayle House Brewery (better known locally as Mr. Grumpy Pants) — are the favorite destinations for climbers winding down at the day’s end.

Chehayl’s favorite post-climb beer is

Mr. Grumpy’s IPA. Ourayle House is also home to a quirky but meaningful ritual: Paradox Sports hosts an adaptive climbing program at the park each February, and adaptive climbers celebrate by drinking beer out of a prosthetic leg.

Speaking of awesome, the annual Ouray Ice Festival will run from Jan. 18-20, featuring climbing competitions, live music, equipment demos, tons of climbing clinics and other activities.

Opening the park each year requires reckoning with the elements, grueling labor, preventing pipes from freezing, finesse and a lot of administrative work.

It always gets done. Chehayl sees that as his most important lesson from seven years at the park. “You just need to be persistent and resilient and have passion and everything else will follow.”

©Markus /Adobestock.com

the ice park for the first time and you look down into the canyon and you’re looking 120 feet down and it’s just all blue ice everywhere and it’s just spectacular.”

Chehayl showed up as a novice years ago and dreamed of tackling the most advanced terrain in the park. Check!

A business journalist and freelance writer, John Garvey writes about architecture, sustainability, clean energy R&D and anything that entertains and inspires.

View his portfolio at Clippings.me/johngarvey.

November-December 2017

ThirstColorado.com 39

Q.and A. EMPLOYING WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES IS PART OF BREWERY’S INSPIRATION

By Holly Gerard

Photo: Dylan Hochstedler

Contributor Holly Gerard interviewed Brewability Lab owner Tiffany Fixter about being the first brewery in Denver to employ adults with developmental disabilities.

Q.

We think it’s laudable that you employ adults with developmental disabilities at the brewery. Whose idea was it and why?

A.

I was the one that came up with the idea because I was a special education teacher for 10 years.

I moved here from Kansas City, Mo., to teach a day program for adults. I soon realized there was a lack of services and classes offered in special education after they reached age 21. I worked with a home brewer for inspiration on the concept of hiring special needs adults that could have job opportunities where they are front and center, and not just behind the scenes.

We first tested the idea out at Grandma’s House brewery in Denver and got funding from a Kickstarter campaign. After that, we went ahead by taking over the location that Caution Brewing Co. had moved out of. I talked with Danny (Wang) at Caution and he thought it was a fantastic idea. Licensing

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took more than a year but finally, in October, 2016, we opened.

How many people overall do you employ at the brewery?

Q. A.

Five employees, plus myself.

We currently have a staff of all males (other than myself) and I am definitely looking to hire women.

What type of positions do your disabled employees fill?

Q. A.

Tony, who is deaf, does the tours and bartends. We like to call his tours “Tony’s Tours.” He is very enthusiastic about showing everyone the space. Devon, who has Asperger’s syndrome, is currently doing the assistant brewing. Patrick, who also has Asperger’s, is another one of our bartenders. Alex, who is blind, is one of our newest bartenders. We have a colorcoded system for the taps, since not everyone reads. We thought color-coded ordering would be a simpler process for the guys. Each style is a different color.

Strawberry Blond is red, Pale Ale is white, and so on. We also have the same color-

coding system for our kegs. We also offer a braille menu and the very tops of the taps are braille. We have a photo-based point of sale program for the beer sales as well.

The brewhouse has a visual checklist for cleaning tasks, as well as video examples.

I wanted to employ elements of a classroom in a work setting.

Q. A.

How has the responded?

community

Everyone has been really nice.

Unfortunately, our brewery is in a strange location and it has been hard to spread the word. For those who have visited, they have all been super supportive. We like to say, ‘new people come and everyone leaves as friends.’

The brewing community has also been very supportive. We also have a lot of teachers and therapists come in as well as a lot of people from out of state who have found us on Google. Our brewery motto is ‘we are accepting of all people.’

Brewability Lab is located at 12445 E. 39th Ave., No. 314, in Denver.

Holly Gerard is a Front Range photographer and journalist about town.

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ThirstColorado.com 41

CHARACTERS OF THE CRAFT

B

efore carving out his niche as a beer attorney, Mike Drumm was an intellectual property attorney in Denver. His office was downtown, and he parked across the street from Great Divide Brewing Co. “I went in to Great Divide just about every day and got to know the employees. I convinced them to use me as their lawyer and told them they could pay me in beer,” said Drumm.

“They ended up losing out on that deal, and eventually switched over to money,” he added, grinning.

Three years later, Odyssey Beerwerks approached Drumm for legal services, and he

Mike Drumm

Beer Attorney

A

lthough John Giarratano’s interest in craft beer didn’t start until he turned 30, he has been involved in beer’s most active ingredient since his early 20s.

Before co-founding Inland Island Yeast Laboratories in 2014, Giarratano worked in a yeast lab for both a pharmaceutical company in San Diego and a biofuel company in Littleton.

“I started homebrewing and I was like ‘this is exactly what I do at work all day long,’” Giarratano said. “Homebrewing was actually easy to pick up for me because I was so familiar with yeast fermentation through my job.”

Giarratano always knew he wanted to be an

John Giarratano

an Hayward started as an employee at the original Savory Spice Shop on Platte Street in Denver in 2005. In 2008, he partnered with owners Mike and Janet Johnston to open the Boulder location.

Previously, Hayward worked every restaurant position from busboy to assistant general manager through college. One of his favorite jobs was waiting tables at Noel Cunninghamowned Strings restaurant from 1991 to 2001.

“Cooking and flavors are my passion,” Hayward said. “It’s never lost on me that I am in an industry that is thousands of years old. I am honored to be part of the spice merchant

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November-December 2017

entrepreneur. When he met Matthew Peetz while working at the biofuel company, they decided to start Inland Island Yeast Laboratories together.

Inland Island now provides yeast for more than 80 breweries, plus a multitude of homebrew shops throughout the Denver area.

Giarratano speaks at craft beer festivals and conferences about yeast fermentation, and is even willing to make a visit to his brewing clients and provide advice about proper fermentation.

“Yeast dictates how the beer is going to taste, and brewers are always curious and asking questions,” he says.

Inland Island Yeast Laboratories

D

Dan Hayward

realized there were other breweries that could use an attorney. He grew his business as the craft beer industry exploded, growing from one brewery in 2010 to more than 150 breweries in 2017 — more than half of them in Colorado.

“Do what you do best, right,” says Drumm. “I can do legal work better than any brewery can, and they can brew beer better than I can. It’s a good match.”

Drumm does everything from trademark and copyright filings to distribution agreements and brand enforcement.

lineage and grateful to continue the craft.”

While Hayward regularly provides spices to restaurants, food trucks and homeowners throughout Boulder, he also does a great deal of business with local breweries.

“I probably work with 10 to 15 different breweries,” he said. “It fluctuates according to seasonality and their spice needs and ideas.

Avery and Upslope are two of our biggest clients. They buy spices for large and small projects, and feature various flavor profiles based upon their brewer’s creativity. We provide spices for Upslope Pumpkin Ale, Christmas Ale, Thai IPA and Blood Orange Saison.”

Savory Spice Shop Photos and Characters of the Craft by Dylan Hochstedler

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TRAILSHOT POCKETSIZED WATER FILTER $49.95

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SUMMIT KEGERATOR $847.99

kegworks.com What good is a beer if it isn’t cold? This one-faucet kegerator from KegWorks gives your homebrewing fanatic the chance to serve their creations fresh from the tap at a reasonable price. Complete with an electronic temperature control, deep chill function for new kegs and automatic defrost, the kegerator can hold half, quarter and mini kegs. It also comes equipped with a tap kit so you can get things pouring on Christmas Day.

Make hydration a no-brainer with this pocket-sized water filter. Weighing a mere 5 ounces, the TrailShot Pocket-Sized Water Filter can fill a one-liter bottle in just 60 seconds, ensuring no time is wasted in getting back on the trail. It’s the perfect addition to any backpacker, trail runner and mountain biker’s gear collection.

HIGH COUNTRY BOTTLES GROWLER $50

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I LOVE COLORADO BEER LEASH/COLLAR $24.99

ilovecoloradobeer.com Know someone with a furry friend who loves beer? Then, this collar or leash with bottle opener is the perfect gift for them. Made from post-consumer recycled rubber, the collar comes in large and small sizes with a bucklestyle closure and bottle opener attached.

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November-December 2017

Featuring a double-walled, food-grade stainless steel base that can keep 64 ounces of your loved one’s favorite brew cold for up to 24 hours, this growler is made by High Country Bottles, a Colorado-based water bottle company. You can customize the design and get it online or from the company’s booth at various farmer’s markets in the Denver metro area.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

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GILI GEAR BAG PRO $79.95

gilibags.com Colorado-based Gili aims at raising awareness toward a more sustainable future.

Using repurposed vinyl mesh, they hand-make durable, waterproof bags. The bags are UV and sand resistant and perfect for carrying adventure gear for the active people in your life.

ROMP SKIS CUSTOM COLORADO SKIS Price Varies

rompskis.com Are you ready to take your skiing to the next level? If so, Romp Skis in Crested Butte is ready to help make that happen. Offering fully customizable skis, their team will build a pair of skis from the ground up that fits your profile. Graphics, shape, flex and everything in between is yours to choose, helping maximize your potential on the slopes.

From your dog-obsessed friend to your outdoors-loving dad, we’ve got you covered on what to get everyone on your list this holiday season.

OWL YOU NEED IS LOVE BREWERY CHECKLIST POSTER $24.95

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BIOLITE CAMPSTOVE 2 $129.95

bioliteenergy.com Turn fire into food and electricity with the latest CampStove from BioLite.

The internal core takes the heat not used in the cooking process and converts it to electricity, stored in the built-in battery. With internal fan jets for improved efficiency and a smart LED dashboard, this stove is perfect for any adventurer.

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ThirstColorado.com 45

Should’ve Had

Jefferson Park Brewery-Restaurant, focusing on classic beer styles with an eclectic and well paired food menu, along with amazing patio-views!

At State 38 Distilling, We Hand Mill, Mash, Ferment, Distill, Barrel and Bottle 100% Of Our Spirits From Scratch In Golden, Colorado. Colorado Is State 38.

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ThirstColorado.com 47

TRUE TALES FROM THE LYING LOG

By Bufford T. Clapsaddle

S

addle and pack horses were tethered for the night. Whiskey marinated bison steaks and fried taters were being digested.

Because we wanted to locate within hiking distance to one of Colorado’s most elevated fishing lakes, we were camped tangent to timberline in the rarified air of the magnificent La Garita Wilderness area.

There were nine of us, large trees were scarce, so two shorter lying logs bracketed our campfire.

Conversation actuated with a question.

“Clapsaddle, what brought about your association with horses?”

Easy answer: (Clapsaddle has owned dozens of trail pack animals for more than 50 years.) Unbridled (yep) admiration for my grandfather’s proficient and affectionate equine relationships embraced during my grade school days, then re-surfaced a couple decades later.

Granddad typified the dedicated, sunup to sundown farmer.

Though nearly everyone in the township was plowing with post-Depression new tractors, he tilled and harvested his Southeast Iowa land with multiple teams of “work” horses.

In addition to his noted horsemanship skills, Granddad was also widely recognized for his purposefully misshapen hats and his commonsensical expressions, i.e.: “Oh, I’ll get to that some Tuesday.”

It surely must have been a Tuesday, because Granddad was up on a ladder painting on the side of one of his many barns. My brother and I had overnighted and he warned us to keep out of the corral where he was busy. I was six then and really had an inclination to pet a certain horse. A big gray mare instead had her inclination to head butt me into a corner when I attempted

48 ThirstColorado.com

November-December 2017

to pet her curious foal. I yelled. Granddad hustled down the ladder. The giant mamma became more aggressive and pushed me to the ground and stood over me. With paint brush yet in hand, Granddad whacked her on the right side of the face, and when she was slow in retreating, slapped her on the left side. Then came the lecture (rather than a spanking, probably because both of us were totally bummed about the red-faced, painted horse).

Apparently, he was not permanently upset, because later that summer he invited me to accompany him to attend his favorite activity … traveling to auctions.

Granddad had an obsession with forming matching teams. If he owned a black mare with a white stocking on her left front leg, he scoured the region to find a matching mate.

Many times he drove his fancy buggy horse, and if he made a purchase, tied the animal behind and hurried to beat sundown home. On some occasions he drove a team and hay wagon, like the time he trotted to an auction 15 miles away. According to my aunt, he purchased a spunky team that previously had never been harnessed.

After some effort, he got them geared up, hooked the new rookie rascals to the wagon, tied the veteran horses behind and arrived home after dark.

When I was seven or eight, I made my second trek with Granddad to an auction 20 miles away by road. This time we walked because he said we

could eliminate five or six miles by cutting across country. We hiked through timber after timber, picked walnuts from the ground, cracked and ate, took off shoes, rolled up pant legs and crossed a bevy of creeks and streams, crawled through dozens of barbed wire fences, arrived at a friend’s home prior to dark (and I was asleep before dinner). No horse took Granddad’s eye the next day, so my dad came to drive us home in his Studebaker truck.

Granddad walked to many auctions for two reasons: (1) if he needed to stay overnight because of weather or other circumstances, he did not need care for his horse and buggy; (2) he didn’t drive a car.

There were many mechanical creations that frustrated him, from gadgets to vehicles, and it didn’t take much irritation for him to exclaim: “They should have made one of those and quit.”

One possession that caused Granddad to be extremely proud was his substantial collection of sleigh bells. Each set attached to the harness of his horse teams produced welcome winter melodies for friends and neighbors when he decided to go to town or just go for a ride in fresh snow. The faster the ponies trotted, the sweeter the tune.

Christmas day traditionally brought all of the aunts and uncles and cousins together at Grandma and Granddad’s loving home. One Christmas Eve in the mid-1940s, Mother Nature dumped two feet of snow, and Dad told us that it would not be possible to participate as usual because the township’s single snowplow likely would not get roads cleared for days.

Certainly, my brother and sister and I were completely ©Andrzej Fryda /Adobestock.com

dejected, so we had tugged on our winter heavies to explore the powder.

And, then we heard the jingle of sleigh bells.

With a flatbed hay rack mounted on sled runners, Granddad hitched and drove one of his fancy teams the five miles to our house to pick us up. En route back we made slight detours to pick up our other aunts and uncles and seven cousins.

It was an unusual and memorable celebration … the day saved by an athletic team of half Percheron geldings.

While he enjoyed the summers planting and raising sorghum cane utilizing the horses, and cooking gallons of homemade molasses, he made certain his teams remained in shape over winter.

He once told a relative who complained of the weather: “In January, the North Wind is cold no matter which direction it blows from.”

Importantly, Granddad’s inspirations seven decades ago remain kindled.

Daughter Angie made her first pack trip into the Colorado Flattops in front of me in the saddle when she was four. She and her husband Paul (a first-rate packer) swing into the stirrups every opportunity they get.

And, the fifth generation, 10-yearold grandson and seven-year-old granddaughter, each completed his/ her first five-day horse excursion into the Colorado Wilderness before turning five.

Now, they ride confidently on their own.

So, thank you from all of us, Granddad!

Oh, and sincere appreciation for rescuing me from that gray mare 70-plus years ago.

Had the same circumstances arisen, my grandchildren may not have been so fortunate.

Ol’ Clapsaddle never was very handy with a paint brush.

Bufford T. Clapsaddle (aka Wilbur Flachman) is a retired newspaper and magazine publisher who has guided hundreds of horse pack trips into the Rocky Mountains for family, friends and business associates during the past 45 years. Majority of his tales are revealed only at timberline.

November-December 2017

ThirstColorado.com 49

BREWERS’ FAVORITES

WHERE INSIDERS SHARE THEIR OPINIONS

1

Chin Wag ESB, 5.8% ABV, Hogshead Brewery

I am a fan of cask-conditioned beer, and I wish I had more room at Lariat Lodge to do more of that. So, when I need a fix, I head to Hogshead and have a Chin Wag ESB. It’s sessionable, super well balanced and delicious. I love to try whatever they have going on, but Chin Wag is a go-to. I finally made the pilgrimage to England last year, and aside from a pint of lager before a football match, I drank nothing but cask.

Heaven! Hogshead fills the void at home.

2

Sad Panda, 6.8% ABV, Horse & Dragon Brewing Co.

If I was to recommend a beer from another Colorado Brewery, I would say try Sad Panda from Horse & Dragon. This stout has it all: creamy mouth feel, full body, and just the right amount of sweetness. You get coffee on the nose, with hints of caramel throughout.

They really did it right when making this beer!

Zach Weakland, Head Brewer, High Hops Brewery

Eric Rode, Brewmaster/Co-Owner, Lariat Lodge Brewing Co. & Gastropub

4

Turkish Coffee Stout, 7% ABV, Intrepid Sojourner Beer Project

As a brewer, I’m always looking for something to shift my beer paradigm, giving me a fresh take on the world of possibilities for great beer.

Because I brew high in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, the thought of Turkish coffee in a 7% ABV stout on a cold brew day warms the belly. I like it because I haven’t had anything like it. Hops are balanced by the flavors and aroma of Turkish coffee. New like us, these guys opened their doors six days before we did this year.

Jon Strother, Head Brewer, Guanella Pass Brewing Co.

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November-December 2017

3

IPA, 7% ABV, Odell Brewing Co.

Full disclosure, I’m pretty much in love with lager beer; some might even say a craft lager snob. So, of course, I’m going to pick a lager beer, right? Nope! I just love that easy drinking Odell IPA. It’s consistently my “safe room” IPA when away from my brewery. I dig that hop profile; juicy with notes of pine and citrus. Always clear, never harsh, the balance between malt backbone and hop bitterness is spot on for me.

Kirk Lombardi, Brewer/Manager, Zwei Brewing Co.

5

Elevation Pilsner, 5% ABV, Elevation Beer Co.

I tend to get burned out on extreme, hoppy and fruity beers from time to time. It’s nice to slow it down and take it back to basics.

That’s why my personal favorite is Elevation Brewing’s Elevation Pilsner. Even with the recent resurgence of pilsners in Colorado, Elevation Pilsner stands alone due to its very traditional bread and biscuit malt profile that is subtly overshadowed by an extremely floral dry hop, which helps it to walk a unique and memorable balance that I just can’t get enough of.

Shaun Salyards, Lead Brewer, Snowbank Brewing Co.

6

Proboscis Simcoe APA, 5.8% ABV, 4 Noses Brewing Co.

Whenever I spot Proboscis Simcoe APA from 4 Noses Brewing on the shelves, I’m sure to grab myself a couple six-packs. After pouring it into the glass, I am immediately hit with a burst of tropical fruit, pine, and grapefruit from this 100% Simcoe pale ale. The light, bready malt backbone is complemented by a smooth and balanced bitterness. This beer truly showcases the diversity and unique complexity of Simcoe hops in a wonderful way. To be enjoyed anywhere, in any season.

Reilly Reid, Brewer, Intersect Brewing Co. - Compiled by Dylan Hochstedler

Marketplace Market Place

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Briar Common Brewery + Eatery 2298 Clay St, Denver 80211

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November-December 2017

ThirstColorado.com 51

COLORADO BREWERY, DIS Very Nice Brewing ● Vindication Brewing Co Vision Quest Brewing Co

● – Serves Food ● – Food Truck ● – Live Music

West Flanders Brewing Co ● ● White Labs Tasting Room Wild Woods Brewery

BEER ARVADA Denver Beer Co Grand Lake Brewing Tavern ● ● New Image Brewing ● Odyssey Beerwerks ● ● Someplace Else Brewery Spice Trade Brewing Co ●

BRIGHTON/FREDERICK/ERIE Big Choice Brewing Echo Brewing Co Floodstage Ale Works ● Mountain Cowboy Brewing Co Something Brewery

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Launch Pad Brewery launchpadbrewery.com 303.745.4599

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AURORA BJ’s ● Cheluna Brewing Co Dad and Dudes Breweria ● Dry Dock Brewing Co North Dock ● Dry Dock Brewing Co South Dock ●

Peak to Peak Tap & Brew ● Two22 Brew ● Ursula Brewing Co

BAILEY Mad Jack’s Mountain Brewery ● ● ● BOULDER AREA 12Degree Brewing ● Amalgam Brewing Asher Brewing Co Avery Brewing ● Beyond the Mountain Brewing Co BJ’s ● Bootstrap Brewing ● ● Boulder Beer Co ● ● BRU Handbuilt Ales ● Cellar-West Artisan Ales ● Crystal Springs Brewing Co Endo Brewing Fate Brewing Co ● Finkel & Garf Brewing Co Front Range Brewing Co ● ● Gravity Brewing ● ● Gunbarrel Brewing Co Industrial Revolution Brewing Co J Wells Brewery James Peak Brewery & Smokehouse ● Kettle and Spoke Brewery Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co ● ● Mountain Sun ● Odd 13 Brewing Inc ● ● Oskar Blues ● ● The Post Brewing Co ● ● Powder Keg Brewing Co ● ● Sanitas Brewing Co ● ● Southern Sun ● Twisted Pine Brewing ● ● Upslope Brewing Co ● ● Uturn BBQ ●

52 ThirstColorado.com

BROOMFIELD/WESTMINSTER 4 Noses Brewing Co ● BJ’s ● C.B. & Potts Broomfield ● C.B. & Potts Westminster ● Gordon Biersch ● Kokopelli Beer Co ● ● Nighthawk Brewery ● Rails End Beer Co Rock Bottom Orchard Town Center ● Rock Bottom Westminster Promenade ● Westminster Brewing Co ● ● Wonderland Brewing Co ● ● CASTLE ROCK 105 West Brewing Co ● Castle Rock Beer Co Rockyard Brewing Co ● CENTENNIAL/LONE TREE/ HIGHLANDS RANCH 3 Freaks Brewery ● Blue Spruce Brewing Co ● ● C.B. & Potts Highlands Ranch ● Grist Brewing Co ● Halfpenny Brewing Co Living the Dream Brewing Co Lone Tree Brewing Co Lost Highway Brewing Co Resolute Brewing Co Rock Bottom Park Meadows ● COLORADO SPRINGS AREA BierWerks Brewery ● ● Black Forest Brewing Bristol Brewing ● Cerberus Brewing Co Cogstone Brewing Co ● Colorado Mountain Brewery ● Deuces Wild Brewery ● Fieldhouse Brewing Co ● Florence Brewing Co Fossil Craft Beer Co ● Goat Patch Brewing Co Gold Camp Brewing Co Great Storm Brewing ● Iron Bird Brewery JAKs Brewing Lost Friend Brewing Co Local Relic Manitou Brewing Co ● Nano 108 Paradox Beer Co

November-December 2017

Peaks N Pines Brewing Co Phantom Canyon Brewing Co ● ● Red Leg Brewing Rock Bottom Colorado Springs ● Rocky Mountain Brewery Royal Gorge Brewing & Restaurant ● Smiling Toad Brewery Storybook Brewing Trinity Brewing ● Ute Pass Brewing Co ● Whistle Pig Brewing Co

DENVER

BAKER/SOUTH BROADWAY Alternation Brewing Baere Brewing Co Banded Oak Brewing Co Black Project Spontaneous & Wild Ales Declaration Brewing Co ● ● Grandma’s House Lowdown Brewery + Kitchen ● Platt Park Brewing Co ● TRVE Brewing Co CAPITOL HILL/E COLFAX/ PARK HILL Alpine Dog Brewery Cerebral Brewing CO-Brew Deep Draft Brewing Co Fiction Beer Co ● Pints Pub ● Station 26 Brewing Co ● Vine Street Pub & Brewery ● FIVE POINTS Spangalang Brewery Woods Boss Brewing LODO Denver Chophouse ● Great Divide Brewing Co ● ● Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery ● Rock Bottom Denver ● Sandlot Brewery

Wynkoop Brewing Co ● wynkoop.com 303.297.2700 1634 18th St Denver

MILE HI/AURARIA

Briar Common Brewery + Eatery ● briarcommon.com 720.512.3894 2298 Clay St., Denver

Denver Beer Co ● ● Little Machine Brew House ● Seedstock Brewery

Strange Craft Beer Co ● ● strangecraft.com 720.985.2337 1330 Zuni Street, Unit M Denver

Tivoli Brewing Co ● tivolibrewingco.com 720.458.5885

900 Auraria Pkwy., Ste. 240 Denver

Zuni St. Brewing Co ●

NORTHEAST DENVER Brewability Lab Creede Brewing Co ● River North Brewery Zephyr Brewing Co ● NORTHWEST DENVER Bruz Beers Call to Arms Brewing Co ● De Steeg Brewing Diebolt Brewing Co ● ● Factotum Brewhouse Goldspot Brewing Co ● ● Grateful Gnome Sandwich Shoppe + Brewery ● Hogshead Brewery ● Oasis Brewing Co Prost Brewing Co ● RINO

10 Barrel Brewing Co ● ● 10barrel.com/pub/denver 720.573.8992 2620 Walnut St. Denver

Beryl’s Beer Co ● ● Bierstadt Lagerhaus● Black Shirt Brewing Co ● ●

Blue Moon Brewing Co ● ● bluemoonbrewingcompany.com 303.728.2337 3750 Chestnut Place Denver

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project Epic Brewing Co ● Great Divide Brewing Co ● ● Mockery Brewing ● Our Mutual Friend Ratio Beerworks ● ●

SOUTHEAST DENVER Bull and Bush Brewery ● ● Comrade Brewing ● Copper Kettle Brewing Co ● Fermaentra ● SOUTHWEST DENVER Black Sky Brewery ● ● Chain Reaction Brewing Co ●

Crazy Mountain Brewing Co ● ● crazymountainbrewery.com 970.926.3009 471 Kalamath St., Denver

The Intrepid Sojourner Beer Project ● Renegade Brewing Co Wit’s End Brewing Co

WHEAT RIDGE/EDGEWATER/ LAKEWOOD Brewery Rickoli ● CAUTION: Brewing Co

Colorado Plus Brewpub ● ● Great Frontier Brewing Co Green Mountain Beer Co Ironworks Brewery & Pub ● Joyride Brewing Co ● Landlocked Ales

Westfax Brewing Co westfaxbrewingcompany.com 303.233.3742 6733 W Colfax Ave Lakewood

DURANGO AREA Animas Brewing Co ● Bottom Shelf Brewery ● BREW Pub & Kitchen ● Carver Brewing Co ● Dolores River Brewery ● ● Durango Brewing Co ● J. Fargo’s Family Dining & Micro Brewery ● Main Street Brewery & Restaurant ● Mancos Brewing Co ● Ska Brewing ● ● Steamworks Brewing Co ● WildEdge Brewing Collective EAGLE COUNTY 7 Hermits Brewing Co ● Bonfire Brewing ●

Crazy Mountain Brewing Co ● crazymountainbrewery.com 970.926.3009 439 Edwards Access Road B-102, Edwards

Gore Range Brewery ● Vail Brewing Co ● ●

ENGLEWOOD AREA The Brew on Broadway ● ● C.B. & Potts Denver Tech ● Dead Hippie Brewing ESTES PARK Estes Park Brewery ● Lumpy Ridge Brewing Co Rock Cut Brewing Co FAIRPLAY South Park Brewing Co ● FORT COLLINS AREA Anheuser-Busch BJ’s ● Black Bottle Brewery ● C.B. & Potts ● Coopersmith’s Pub & Brewing ● DC Oakes Brewhouse & Eatery ● Equinox Brewing ● Freedonia Brewing Funkwerks Gilded Goat Brewing Co Horse & Dragon Brewing Co Intersect Brewing Jessup Farm Barrel House ● Mash Lab Brewing Maxline Brewing McClellan’s Brewing Co

TILLERY & CIDERY LINEUP New Belgium ● ● Odell Brewing Co ● ● Old Colorado Brewing Co Pitchers Brewery ● Purpose Brewing Rally King Brewing Ramskeller Brewery ● Snowbank Brewing Soul Squared Brewing Co Three Four Beer Co ● Zwei Brewing Co ● ●

GLENWOOD SPRINGS/ CARBONDALE/ASPEN Aspen Brewing Co ● Capitol Creek Brewery ● Carbondale Beer Works ● Casey Brewing and Blending Glenwood Canyon Brew Pub ● Roaring Fork Beer Co ● GOLDEN AC Golden Brewing Co Barrels and Bottles Brewery ● Cannonball Creek Brewing Co ● Coors Brewing Co Golden City Brewery ●

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

Mountain Toad Brewing ● mountaintoadbrewing.com 720.638.3244 900 Washington Ave. Golden

New Terrain Brewing

GRAND JUNCTION AREA 4 B’s Brewery ● ● Copper Club Brewing Co ● Edgewater Brewery ● Kannah Creek Brewing Co ● Palisade Brewing Co ● ● Revolution Brewing ● ● The Rockslide Restaurant and Brewery ● Suds Brothers Brewery ● ● GREELEY AREA Brix Taphouse and Brewery ● ● Broken Plow Brewery ● Crabtree Brewing ● ● Grand Lake’s 16th Street Tavern ● ● Green Earth Brewing High Hops Brewery ● ● Rocky Mountain Taphouse ● WeldWerks Brewing Co Wiley Roots Brewing Co ● IDAHO SPRINGS/EVERGREEN/ CENTRAL CITY Dostal Alley Saloon & Gambling Emporium ● El Rancho Brewing Co ●

Evergreen Taphouse & Brewery ● Guanella Pass Brewing Co Lariat Lodge Brewing Co ● ● Tommyknowcker Brewery & Pub ● Westbound & Down Brewing Co ●

Shoes and Brews shoesbrews.com 720.340.4290

KREMMLING Grand Adventure Brewing Co

Skeye Brewing ● skeyebrewing.com 303.774.7698

LAKE CITY Lake City Brewing LITTLETON AREA 38 State Brewing ● ● Blue Spruce Brewing Co Boggy Draw Brewery Breckenridge Brewery ● Coal Mine Ave. Brewing Co Living the Dream Brewing Co Locavore Beer Works Saint Patricks Brewing Co LONGMONT

300 Suns ● 300sunsbrewing.com 720.442.8292 335 1st Ave., Unit C Longmont

Bootstrap Brewing Grossen Bart Brewery ● ● Left Hand Brewing Co ● Open Door Brewing Oskar Blues ● Pumphouse Brewery ●

63 S Pratt Pkwy Longmont

900 S Hover St, Unit D, Longmont

Wibby Brewing

LOVELAND/BERTHOUD Berthoud Brewing Co Big Beaver Brewing Co ● Big Thompson Brewery Buckhorn Brewers City Star Brewing ● Crow Hop Brewing Grimm Brothers Loveland Aleworks Rock Bottom ● Verboten Brewing Co Veteran Brothers Brewing Co MONUMENT

Pikes Peak Brewing Co ● ● pikespeakbrewing.com 719.208.4098 1756 Lake Woodmoor Dr. Monument

NORTHGLENN/THORNTON Beer by Design Brewery ● Mother Tucker Brewery PAGOSA SPRINGS/ DEL NORTE/ALAMOSA Pagosa Brewing Co ● Riff Raff Brewing ● ● San Luis Valley Brewing ● Square Peg Brewerks Three Barrel Brewing Co ● Wolfe Brewing Co ● ● PARKER Barnett and Son Brewing Co ● ● Downhill Brewing Co ● FanDraught Sports Brewery PUEBLO AREA Brues Alehouse Brewing Co ● ● PDub Brewing Co Shamrock Brewing ● Walter’s Brewery & Taproom SALIDA/BUENA VISTA/ CRESTONE/LEADVILLE Crestone Brewing Co ● Eddyline Restaurant and Brewing Co ● Elevation Beer Co ● Moonlight Pizza and Brewpub ● Periodic Brewing Soulcraft Brewing Two Mile Brewing Co ●

Climb on Board the Longmont Beverage Tour

Ticket info @ brewhoptrolley.com November-December 2017

ThirstColorado.com 53

COLORADO BREWERY, DISTILLERY & CIDERY LINEUP GUNNISON/CRESTED BUTTE The Eldo Brewery and Taproom ● ● High Alpine Brewing Co ● Irwin Brewing Co SOUTHWEST COLORADO Avalanche Brewing Co ● Colorado Boy Pizzeria & Brewery● Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery ● Golden Block Brewery ● Horsefly Brewing Co ● ● Ouray Brewery ● Ourayle House Brewery Red Mountain Brewing Smuggler’s Brewpub ● Telluride Brewing Co Two Rascals Brewing Co STEAMBOAT SPRINGS Butcherknife Brewing Co Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill ● Mountain Tap Brewery Storm Peak Brewing Co Yampa Valley Brewing Co ● STERLING Parts & Labor Brewing Co SUMMIT COUNTY Angry James Brewing Co Backcountry Brewery ● The Baker’s Brewery ● Breckenridge Brewery & Pub ● Broken Compass Brewing

Dillon Dam Brewery ● ● Outer Range Brewing Co Pug Ryan’s ●

SPIRITS DENVER/BOULDER Altitude Spirits, Inc. - Boulder Anders’ Vodka - Parker Archetype Distillery - Denver Arta Tequila - Englewood Bear Creek Distillery - Denver Blank & Booth Distilling - Central Denver The Block Distilling Co - Denver Colorado Sun ‘Shine - Englewood Deviant Spirits - Boulder Devil’s Head Distillery - Englewood Downslope Distilling - Englewood Elwood Distilling - Boulder Geek Spirits - Boulder

TRINIDAD Dodgeton Creek Brewing Co WINTER PARK AREA Hideaway Park Brewery Moffat Station ● Never Summer Brewing Co The Peak Bistro & Brewery ● DISTRIBUTION ONLY 14er Brewing Acidulous Brewing Co Atom Brewing Co Black Sheep Brewery Burgundian Brewing Centennial Beer Co Gemini Beer Co Good River Beer Idylwilde Brewing Irwin Brewing Co Lady Justice Brewing New Planet Beer The Occasional Brew Sleeping Giant Brewing

Golden Moon Distillery goldenmoondistillery.com 303.993.7174 412 Violet St. Golden

Golden Moon Speakeasy goldenmoonspeak.com 720.638.1155 1111 Miner’s Alley Golden

J & L Distilling Co - Boulder Laws Whiskey House - Denver Leopold Bros - Northeast Denver Mad Rabbit Distillery - Westminster Mile High Spirits - Lodo

GOLDEN TOUR Hogback Dr. Brickyard Cr.

303.278.BEER www.Holidailybrewing.com 801 Brickyard Cir., Golden

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720.638.3244 www.mountaintoadbrewing.com 900 Washington Ave., Golden

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Old Elk Distilleries - Fort Collins Rado Distilling - Arvada Rising Sun Distillery - Northwest Denver Rocker Spirits - Littleton Ski Bum Rum Distillery - Golden Spirit Hound Distillers - Lyons Squeal Rum - Aurora

State 38 Distilling state-38.com 303.895.1485

400 Corporate Cr. Ste. B, Golden

Stranahan’s - South Denver Strongwater Spirits & Botanicals - Denver Tighe Brothers Distillery - Denver Vapor Distillery - Boulder Weaver’s Spirits - Parker Whistling Hare - Westminster

NORTHERN COLORADO Anvil Distillery - Longmont Art of the Spirits Colorado Whiskey Idaho Springs Black Canyon Distillery - Longmont Bouck Brothers Whiskey - Idaho Springs Coppermuse Distillery - Fort Collins Dancing Pines Distillery - Loveland Elevation 5003 Distillery - Fort Collins Elkins Distilling Co - Estes Park Feisty Spirits - Fort Collins Longtucky Spirits - Longmont Mobb Mountain Distillers - Fort Collins Old Elk Distillery - Fort Collins Old Town Distilling - Fort Collins Still Cellars - Longmont Spring 44 Distilling - Loveland Syntax Spirits - Greeley Tesouro Distillery - Longmont SOUTHERN COLORADO 3 Hundred Days of Shine - Monument Axe and the Oak Distillery - Colo.

Springs Black Bear Distillery - Green Mountain Falls Blue Fish Distillery - Colo. Springs Boathouse Distillery - Salida Cockpit Craft Distillery - Colo.

Springs Deerhammer Distilling Co - Buena Vista Distillery 291 - Colo. Springs Lee Spirits - Colo. Springs Mystic Mountain Distillery - Larkspur Sand Creek Distillery - Hugo Sangre Distilleries - Westcliffe Spirits of the Rockies - Pueblo Wood’s High Mountain Distillery Salida WESTERN SLOPE 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co - Vail 808 Distillery - Eagle Breckenridge Distillery Breckenridge

Coal Creek Distillery - Crested Butte Colorado Gold - Cedaredge Durango Craft Spirits - Durango Honey House Distillery - Durango Idlewild Spirits - Winter Park KJ Wood Distillers - Ouray Mancos Valley Distillery - Mancos Marble Distilling Co - Carbondale Montanya Distillers - Crested Butte Peach Street Distillers - Palisade Peak Spirits - Hotchkiss Stoneyard Distillery - Dotsero Telluride Distilling Co - Mountain Village Woodshed Distilling - Pagosa Springs Woody Creek Distillers - Basalt

CIDER Big B’s Juices and Hard Cider Hotchkiss Branch Out Cider - Fort Collins C Squared Ciders - Denver ● Clear Fork Cider - Denver Climb Hard Cider Co - Loveland

Colorado Cider Co coloradocider.com 303.759.3560

2650 West 2nd Ave. #10.

Denver

Colorado Common Cider - Colo.

Springs Compass Cider - Fort Collins Golden City Winery - Golden The Ice Cave Cider House Monument Old Mine Cidery & Brewpub - Erie Scrumpy’s Hard Cider - Fort Collins Snow Capped Cider - Cedaredge St. Vrain Cidery - Longmont Stem Ciders - Denver ● ● Summit Hard Cider - Fort Collins Talbott’s Cider Co - Palisade Talisman Farm Cidery - Hygiene Wild Cider - Firestone

● – Serves Food ● – Food Truck ● – Live Music If your favorite craft hangout is not listed, please let us know. joe@thirstcolorado.com

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