A Bit Twisted Brewpub | Cheating With Juice New England IPA

Coloradans and Texans don’t always mix well. Anyone on the slopes at Vail will tell you that. Also, breweries generally don’t serve mixed drinks, have a full kitchen, smoke their own BBQ meats and serve 12 beers brewed on site. But the aptly named A Bit Twisted Brewpub boldly mixes all these elements. Owners Matt Vargocko (from Texas), Mike Richie (from Colorado) and Brandon Foreman (also from Texas) love to twist the standard narrative. Any given day in the taproom you can enjoy Colorado or Texas sports while drinking a variety of beers with “a bit twisted” names such as Suck It Up Buttercup Stout, What Sharp Teeth You Have New England IPA and Run Run As Fast As You Can Oatmeal Stout. Read More

Jade Mountain Brewing Co. | Silk Road Rice IPA

It’s been almost two months since the grand opening of Jade Mountain Brewing Co. and business couldn’t be better. Brewing craft beer, tea and in-between (i.e. hard tea), Sean Guerrero, the owner and head brewer, has a beverage suited for anyone who walks through the door. He uses exotic (dragonfruit, sichuan chili, jasmine flowers) and modern (Colorado yeast and malt) ingredients brewed to taste, with less focus on adhering to a specific beer style, resulting in beer inviting to all customers regardless of beer knowledge or snobbery. Add to this the beautifully curated traditional Asian tea house aesthetic of the taproom, and it’s clear that Guerrero meticulously planned every step of his business venture to create a unique, delicious, and welcoming establishment where traditional meets modern. See our brewery showcase for more info! Read More

Ultimate 6er | Six Beers For Six Colorado Lakes

July is Lake Appreciation Month across our great nation! The North American Lake Management Society sponsors this event each year and hopes everyone will take time to enjoy lakes in their home states. Here in Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Colorado Lake & Reservoir Management Association are getting in on the action by hosting Lakes Appreciation Day 2021 at Barr Lake on July 10. Bring the whole family for park maintenance projects, fun activities, and free lunch (now we have your attention)!

Here at Porchdrinking.com, we also want folks in the great state of Colorado to get out and take part. Whether you are fishing, boating, or falling asleep in a giant inflatable unicorn, fun at the lake is always best enjoyed with a brewski in hand. Here are six beers we recommend drinking from breweries close to some of the state’s best lakes! Read More

Halfpenny Brewing Co. | Homer’s Oatesy Oatmeal Stout

Halfpenny Brewing Co. is not your grandpa’s English pub. Yes, just like the old country, Halfpenny has an impressively giant wooden bar and a strong community atmosphere but, unlike those old dusty establishments, this brewery has ample lighting, clean bathrooms, and fantastic beer that isn’t limited to ale. It’s almost as if this modern pub was planned this way. Oh wait, it was.

Owners Chris Reigrut and Chris Garner have been brewing since 1996 and decided at some point that they would open a English and German beer inspired brewery together before they turned 50. Mission accomplished. In 2014, these high school buddies opened the doors of Halfpenny and many people (including grandpa) enjoy their variety of worldly beers, including Homer’s Oatesy Oatmeal Stout!

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Nate’s Top 10 Albums of 2020 and the Beers To Pair With Them

Turns out, PorchDrinking.com staff sometimes have hobbies outside of beer. Weird, huh? For me, that’s listening to newly released albums and painstakingly ranking those albums to assemble the Top 10 albums of 2020. Okay, I guess I drank beer from the great state of Colorado while doing this, so it’s not a completely separate interest. I’m hoping you’ll enjoy my top 10 albums of 2020 and the beers to pair with them.

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Ultimate 6er | Beers To Drink While Reading Dune In Preparation For The Movie

Denis Villeneuve-directed movies are not for the light-hearted. I’ll bet you never heard anyone say, “Tough day at the button factory, honey, let’s relax and watch Sicario,” or “My boss is such a jerk, I need to clear my head by watching Arrival.” Complex storylines, heavy themes, experimental and ambient scores, and ominous cinematography, are not just common, they are the rule. Put simply, you have to be in the right headspace to get the most out of his movies.

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Launch Pad Brewery | Pumpkaccino Imperial Pumpkin Espresso Stout

Let’s be honest, pumpkin beers are hit or miss. That random six-pack you grabbed at the liquor store on your way to your buddy’s place for Friendsgiving? Likely disappointing. But good news, the highly underrated Launch Pad Brewery knows how to make a hit pumpkin beer and has been doing so for five years in their aeronautics and space-themed location in Aurora, Colorado. In fact, the business was more or less founded on pumpkin beer with Dave Levesque, owner and head brewer, brewing for pumpkin-themed parties before even thinking of opening a business. Launch Pad also knows how to make Russian Imperial Stouts, with a new release each month in 2020, and other big beers, including their “Eight Crazy Nights” of barrel aged beers starting December 16. Add this together with Espresso Torro from West Coast Roasting Co. and holiday pumpkin spice, and Launch Pad brings their delicious Pumpkaccino, Imperial Pumpkin Coffee Stout. It’s no wonder that this beer has made it to the final table at GABF multiple times. Eat your heart out, Starbucks!

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Resolute Brewing Company | Ode to San Diego

San Diego, CA, aka “The Finest City,” “Silicon Beach” and “A whale’s…” (at least, according to Ron Burgundy) is also known for an amazing beer scene, beautiful beaches, not having a professional football team and as the former home of Colorado-based Resolute Brewing Company‘s head brewer, Justin Burnsed. Burnsed spent more than eight years here while pursuing his interest in brewing (i.e. taking brewing classes, interning at local breweries and writing for Brew Your Own Magazine), forging his own path in the then-emerging beer scene of this laid-back beach city. As Slightly Stoopid, a native San Diego band and one of Burnsed’s favorites at the time, sang, “But he’s that one, He’s just a manly ese loco, With a plan.” Read More

Spice Trade Brewing | Sun Temple IPA

Spice Trade Brewing has undergone an incredible transformation since its unexpected beginnings as Yak and Yeti Brewpub, which grew as an extension of a Nepalese restaurant in Arvada, Colorado. The beer program, which opened in 2008, six years after the restaurant side, likely convinced many who came seeking authentic Nepalese fare to try a few delicious beers as well. This past spring the brewery opened its own location in the DTC, bringing much-needed variety to the area—and the tech nerds rejoiced! Read More