If you’re a “more is more” hop-lover then just keep on scrolling. However if you’re up for disregarding strict style confines to focus on beer flavor, Creede Brewing Company’s 8 Inch Hand Drill DIPA is kinda tasty. It may be “double” on the alcohol but it tastes like an IPA Lite – thin bodied and modest on the hops, but honestly a pleasant-drinking beer. If beer’s not your thing, Creede’s owner Jason certainly has a more-is-more attitude when it comes to drinking. Creede is one of the only craft breweries to have a full bar license so they have more, and stronger options than beer. To summarize, Creede’s in an electic area of town, with an unusual drink selection, and probably merits a try to decide if it’s your thing or not.
Month: September 2016
Fall Mountain Ride
Though not for the faint of heart, the ride from Dillon to Breckenridge is a beautiful one, especially in the fall, with changing aspens and most importantly breweries in both towns. The only drawback is that the breweries are clustered at the ends, leaving a 15-mile dry stretch in between (or you could stop in Frisco). On a recent Saturday ride I started in Dillon, found the trail along the inside of the dam, then rode mostly uphill to Broken Compass in Breckenridge. The ride skirts Lake Dillon and provides spectacular views of the water, the mountains, and the fall color.I had hoped to get the hard uphill work out of the way first and be rewarded with some beer and a downhill cruise – not so much.
Beer Of The Week: Grimm Brothers Fearless Youth Munich Dunkel
As fall approaches, slightly darker beers like dunkels and Oktoberfests become more appealing and I was happy to find several good ones at Historian’s Ale House – specifically Grimm Brothers Fearless Youth. Fearless Youth is a Munich Dunkel and has about everything you could want in one. It’s slightly roasty & malty, with a bit of sweetness on the carmel/chocolate spectrum. The color looked a bit light for the style, but let’s be honest – taste buds aren’t good judges of color the taste is a winner. If you want the full story of the Grimm fairy tales behind the beers check out the website or the brewery in Loveland. On a side note, Mondays at Historians are all-day Happy Hour with most crafts $2.50. They’re 10-ounce pours but still a good deal and the smaller pours mean sampling more!
Oktoberfest Time!
It’s that time of year again when brewers start releasing Oktoberfest beers, booking oompah bands and opening their doors to the lederhosen- and dirndl-clad masses for fall celebrations. For starters, this coming Friday Lowry Beer Garden brings in German music and special Dry Dock beers. Lowry’s celebration continues on Saturday, when we can also look forward to Oktoberfest celebrations at Locavore Beer Works, Copper Kettle Brewing, and Wonderland Brewing Company. Other craft brewers and taphouses are having their own celebrations over the next few weeks so check with your local tasting room. No matter what part of Denver you’re in there’s no excuse not to get out and have some beers, brats, and sauerkraut!
A Casual Neighborhood Stroll
The Tennyson neighborhood in northwest Denver has gotten more popular in the last few years and in 2015 gained a second brewery, Call to Arms, in addition to De Steeg Brewing. They each have different approaches to beer and fortunately a stroll of less than 10 minutes gives the opportunity to try both. First up: De Steeg. It’s a little hard to find, tucked in the alley off 43rd behind a yoga studio. Look for signs on the corner and once in the alley look for the barrels. Note: Due to ongoing construction only the south (43rd) approach from the alley is open – look for signs.
De Steeg makes French/Belgian-style beers and does a fair amount of barrel-aging so be prepared for heavy (but tasty!) high-alcohol beers. Generally their beers are full-flavored and not subtle. The tasting room is an intimate setting with numerous barrels on view, a small patio, and very friendly & helpful owners/brewers who happily explain their brewing philosophy and discuss upcoming releases. Continue reading “A Casual Neighborhood Stroll”
Beer of The Week: De Steeg Ginger Ale
Hidden in an alley off of Tennyson St. in northwest Denver, De Steeg consistently turns out French- and Belgian-style beers with a sprinkling of liquor-barrel-aged offerings too. Their Ginger Ale is based on their French/Belgian-style beers and has a refreshing crispness for a hot evening. The ginger is very forward in the beer, finishing with hints of Belgian yeastiness and some farmhouse flavors. It makes for clean standalone beverage but also serves as a good palatte-cleanser between some of the heavier Belgians and barrel-aged offerings.
Beer Of The Week: Launch Pad Magellen English Mild
Launch Pad seems to really shine on their Quads, Tripels and other heavy Belgian beers. Because I couldn’t pick just one favorite to profile I decided to bail on making a decision and go with my next-favorite, which is their Magellen English Mild.”Mild” describes it perfectly – gentle English-hops tea-like flavor, sessionable low alcohol (3.7%), and only 17 IBU. It’s definitely a comfortable and easy-drinking beer to relax with and doesn’t challenge your taste buds or sobriety so it’s a good contrast to the big Belgians. The only thing I found slightly unusual was a hint of cocoa on the back end.
Denver Beer Traveler 