Like many towns across the country, Colorado Springs has a thriving and growing brewery scene. New breweries, varied in beer styles and themes, seem to pop up every couple of months. All these new establishments share a couple of things in common: A love of brewing and a desire to share their vision of craft beer with the community. One such brewery was also founded on their love of our furry friends.

Based on “the owners’ uncanny ability to find lost dogs and return them to their families,” Lost Friend Brewing Co. opened its doors in 2018 to beer lovers and their dogs alike. Since then, they have provided the city with some fun and interesting seasonal and experimental beers. Lost Friend also has a solid lineup of flagship beers that they have offered since the beginning.

Sitting in their taproom, an inviting space filled with books, comfy chairs and warm sunshine, I recently enjoyed a pint of The Bitter One, a West Coast IPA. At 6.4% and 100 IBUs, The Bitter One is a shining example of the style. The beer is dark amber in color with a solid head of small bubbles. It has a great aroma with hints of caramel and malty sweetness. The mouthfeel is full with strong carbonation that leaves some lingering caramel sweetness long after the sip is gone.

The Bitter One lives up to its name with a strong, bitter hop taste balanced with a ton of malty sweetness. Surprisingly, the beer doesn’t balance out the way hoppy IPAs tend to; instead, it is somehow simultaneously bitter and sweet, which a wonderful treat. The taste has notes of pine and grass along with a slight citrus and fruit profile. Overall, this is a great beer for all the IPA lovers out there.

If you are in the tasting room and up for a little excitement, you can order any of their flagship beers michelada style. Lost Friend combines a flagship beer of your choice with the Denver-made The Real Dill’s Bloody Mary Mix and serves it in a glass rimmed with tajin spices. The Bitter One mixed into a michelada packs a heck of a punch. This combination is not for everyone, but if you like savory drinks and want something different, give it a try.

The next time you find yourself in Colorado Springs with a craving for something hoppy, make sure you visit Lost Friend for a cold pint of The Bitter One.

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