Odell Brewing | Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout

ABV: 8.5%

I am not sure which is more exciting, Odell Brewing Company‘s chocolate milk stout known as Lugene or the story behind its name. It is no secret that Fort Collins produces a lot of spent grain in order to make beer, and it all has to go somewhere. For the past decade, the spent grain from Odell’s has been picked up by local farmer, Lugene Sas to feed his dairy cows at Taft Hill Dairy. That’s an entire two truckloads a day! The staff at Odell even made a fun photo editorial of the process to show how it is used.  Read More

Beer by Design Brewery Jacque’s Double Black IPA

ABV 6.1% IBU 66

In the front of a small industrial park housing an indoor soccer complex, an MMJ dispensary and a local hydroponic vegetable grower sits one of Colorado’s newest breweries, Beer by Design. The brewery is located in Northglenn, a little metro Denver town filled with mid century suburbs built from GI Bills. Their beer, “designed to be enjoyed”, is made for the demographic of the town, a shrinking retirement population and a growing group of young professionals and blue collar workers.

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West Flanders Brewing Company – Lion Heart Stout

ABV: 7.7%
IBU: 28

Starting a new job always has its growing pains. Meeting new people, gaining more responsibilities, maintaining a new schedule are all thrown at you at once. It is important to find the delicate balance between these things, new and old. As I sat at the bar of my new employer, West Flanders Brewing Company, thinking about my new co-workers, responsibilities and more, the beer I sipped was a perfect example of successfully creating a delicate balance. Lion Heart Stout weighs in at a decent 7.7 percent and is offered seasonally by West Flanders Brewing Company.

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American Craft Beer Week in Colorado

Today starts the 8th annual American Craft Beer Week which runs from May 13 to May 19th. Put on by the Brewers Association, the week long national celebration is meant … Read More

The Fort Collins Brewery’s Hoptitude Imperial Extra Pale Ale

ABV: 7.5%   IBUs: 54

With the Spring weather being so bi-polar lately, I wasn’t sure that I would be able to ride my bike to Fort Collins Brewery to meet with marketing director Charles Stanley and chat beer. I sucked it up, threw on a scarf, and braved the wind. I was going to have a beer after all, The Fort Collins Brewery was releasing their most recent seasonal, Hoptitude Imperial Extra Pale Ale. Read More

Odell Brewing Bouquet Array IPA

A few months ago, I was asked by Brent Cordle of Odell Brewing Company if I wanted to brew a beer on their pilot system with them. Of course I said yes. After a few emails back in forth with Cordle, the pilot system brewer, we decided on a floral IPA.  I had recently had Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp No. 53, Floral IPA, and fell in love. The inspiration was rose petals, but we decided to also throw in hibiscus and lavender.  For our hop additions we went we varieties that have more floral characteristics, Chinook, centennial, and a little cascade. Most of the hops were added later in the boil, adding more aroma and flavor than bitterness.

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Fort Collins Brewery Doppel Bock

10.2% ABV

A few weeks ago, Fort Collins Brewery hired a Marketing Director for the first time. Honestly, I was pretty surprised a brewery with such a huge facility and a giant reach across the country didn’t have an in house marketer. I was lucky enough to be invited to meet the new director, Charles Stanley, over a pint of Fort Collins Brewery Doppel Bock.  Read More

Big Beers Festival in 140 Characters or Less

Last weekend I had the great pleasure of going to the Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival in Vail, CO. 13 of us from Northern Colorado loaded into a caravan and headed up the mountain for the 13th annual fest. That’s right, lucky 13. What could go wrong there? Read More

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse- Weihnachts Bier

ABV 8.5% IBU 23 SRM 30

Chances are unless you have been to Germany you might not have had a traditional Weihnachts Bier. Pronounce veye-nuchts-beer, the name comes from the German word for Christmas, Weihnachten. This beer is traditionally seen during the advent, or 4 weeks before Christmas in Germany and is gaining popularity in the US. The huge malt bill creates a high ABV, great for warming up on those cold winter nights. Read More