Colorado Beer Beat | Bi-Weekly Beer Release Guide 11/9

Welcome to the Colorado Beer Beat, a bi-weekly roundup of all of the new can releases around the state. From Denver to Grand Junction and everywhere in between, we have you covered. Be sure to check back on Thursdays (usually!) to find out what’s new in the Colorado beer scene.

As the weather continues to get colder, it’s the perfect time to try a new dark beer from one of our amazing Colorado craft breweries. Not a fan of dark beers? Don’t you worry, there are a ton of new non-dark releases this week to keep your taste buds satisfied all month long!

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Firestone Walker | Anniversary XXVII

When you think of legendary anniversary beers, Firestone Walker has to be pretty close to the top of this list. Not only do they consistently produce incredible blended beers, it’s how they come to that final blend that makes it so special. As with previous versions, local winemakers come together to compete to put their names on that winning blend. Read More

Collaborating for a Cause | Altar of the Orc Lord: DDB Edition

Those who have followed Alex Kidd since the beginning know him to be a long-time supporter of Modern Times. His reviews of their products have contributed to the growth of their barrel program and special projects, and the news of his cancer diagnosis back in May really hit the team in a personal place. Less than a month after Alex shared the news on social media, Modern Times had already organized a release in an effort to help cover his hospital expenses. We had the opportunity to work briefly with the Special Projects team at Modern Times to gain more insight on the beer itself and Alex’s impact on their development.

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Brewery Spotlight | Sandy Valley Brewing Co.

Sandy Valley Brewing Co., located in Hillsboro, MO, is a family-owned and operated brewery making waves with its unique foraged beers and commitment to sustainability.
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2023 FoBAB Results | Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beers Award Winners

It may not have fully felt like barrel-aged beer season this year in the Windy City. However, the onset of November always signals the perfect time to down some barrel-aged Stouts, Porters, Wilds and Sours to commemorate the return of one of the festival’s best showcases of barrel-aged beers.

The results are IN and we now know all of the big award winners from this year’s 2023 Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers (FoBAB). This year’s 21st annual FoBAB was once again a spectacular success showcasing the country’s absolute best producers in the wood and barrel-aged beer categories.

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Collaborating for a Cause | ALEX KIDD IS LIFE!

While Mikerphone Brewing out of Chicago is the latest brewery in this series, they were one of the first to take action in support of Alex Kidd and his family following the news of his cancer diagnosis. Just like what we saw most recently with Bob D’Angelo and Esker Hart Artisan Ales, Mikerphone Brewing was founded from a passion for homebrewing. Now, eight years since their first commercial beer, Mikerphone has become a Chicago beer staple and Owners Mike and Lisa Pallen have been fortunate enough to travel the world making and sharing beer. Upon hearing Alex’s devastating news, they knew they wanted to do what they could for him and his family during this unprecedented time. We were able to talk briefly with Mike and discuss a little more about the special single barrel English-style Barleywine released for the man behind the Barleywine is Life movement.

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Primitive Beer Moving Operations to New Image Brewing Wheat Ridge

After operating out of Longmont for the past six plus years, Primitive Beer is moving operations to an annex at New Image Brewing Wheat Ridge. While leaving Longmont is bittersweet, operating out of New Image will allow Lisa and Brandon Boldt, co-owners of Primitive, to focus entirely on brewing, blending and packaging their spontaneous fermentations. “Given that our entire family-run operation is just two people strong, we’ve reached the conclusion that our current professional juggling act which includes running a retail space, outside sales, marketing, brewing, blending and packaging isn’t sustainable,” says Lisa. 

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Colorado Craft Brewers Summit Announced for November 9 & 10

Returning for a seventh year is the Colorado Craft Brewers Guild Summit and Trade Show. This year’s show takes place on November 9 and 10 at the Embassy Suites Downtown Denver.

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Zine Review | Beer Tarot by Courtney Iseman

As the kid who would host séances at her birthday parties and dressed as a variety of witches throughout her youth, anything witchy is always welcome in my home. When Courtney Iseman came out with Beer Tarot: Pulling Cards, Pouring Beer, & Discovering Self through the Bean to Barstool umbrella, I knew it was one I had to read.

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Wayfinder Beer | Winged Creatures West Coast IPA

Craft beer label artwork has become a huge selling point over the past few years. We all know that it’s what is inside that makes the beer enjoyable, but sometimes those eye-catching labels are enough to get you to buy a beer without knowing much about it. Buyer beware, you might end up with something you don’t like at all.

That isn’t the case with Winged Creatures, an outstanding West Coast IPA from the mind of Natalie Baldwin, Brewmaster, and Orion Landau, Art Director for Wayfinder Beer.

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E9 Brewing Company | The Bearer Robust Porter

Have you ever heard the old saying, “I hate to be the bearer of bad news”? More than likely you have, and like it suggests, it’s going to be bad news. What if we could be the bearer of good news, wouldn’t that be so much better? When we say good news in this instance, we’re talking about craft beer of course. So, let’s get into the good news!

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New Trail Brewing | State Light American Lager

There’s something almost magical about this time of year. Even more so if you’re a football fan. The air is starting to turn cool, or cold depending on where you are located. Warm weather backyard barbecues have turned into significantly cooler afternoons with friends huddled by a small fire. Or, perhaps, you’re with friends hanging out in the stadium parking lot before the game starts. If you happen to be a Penn State Nittany Lions fan, then New Trail Brewing Company has just the beer for you!

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TRVE Brewing Announces Second Denver Taproom Location in RiNo

It’s always difficult attempting to follow the success of a breakthrough album, but TRVE Brewing should have no problem topping expectations when it launches its second taproom in Denver’s RiNo neighborhood in 2024.

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ENAY Brewing Co. | Day Ripper NA Pilsner

There could be a multitude of reasons why you might have to cut back or give up on alcohol completely. Maybe you are the designated driver for the night, but you still want to sip on something that won’t impair your driving ability. Perhaps you have to stop due to medical reasons. No matter the reason, the Non-Alcoholic beer market has evolved, and you can actually find some really good NA beers. Long gone are the days of trying to drink something that tastes like rainwater that has been poured through a rusty pipe, thank goodness!

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Von Ebert Brewing | Pils German-Style Pilsner

You see them everywhere! Passed over by the wandering eyes of craft beer enthusiasts looking for that fresh Hazy IPA drop or perhaps, for this time of year, that beast of a Barrel-Aged Stout. Often times they are even relegated next to the dare we say it, American domestics! Of course, we’re talking about the craft Pilsner. A truly underrated style of beer.

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FIRST LOOK | 4 Noses Brewing Opens Park Hill Location

For many breweries making the leap from producing 1,000 barrels a year to 5,000 barrels a year is a formidable task, but taking that leap from producing 5,000 barrels a year to 10,000 and maintaining that production is an accomplishment few are able to achieve.

In Colorado, breweries like New Belgium, Odell, Oskar Blues, Left Hand, SKA Brewing, Avery Brewing, Upslope, and Great Divide have served as pioneers for the next generation of craft beer fans by scaling to become national brands. And while the craft beer landscape certainly looks different than it did ten years ago, a new wave of Colorado breweries including the likes of WeldWerks, Denver Beer Company, and now 4 Noses Brewing are looking primed to usher in a new era of Colorado breweries that could make a splash across the national market.

The opening of 4 Noses Brewing Company Park Hill marks yet another exciting milestone in the brewery’s methodical, yet strategic growth over the past nine years. 4 Noses Brewing Company first burst onto the scene when it opened its doors in Broomfield, CO in May 2014. Throughout the first six years of operation, 4 Noses built a sterling reputation for executing at a high level across a wide range of styles. However the burgeoning young brewery made it’s next big leap with the opening of Wild Provisions Beer Project in Boulder, CO in June 2020, focusing on mixed culture and wild fermentation beers as well as Czech-style Lagers. Shortly thereafter, 4 Noses would form 4N Holding as a parent company and acquire Lafayette’s Odd13 Brewing in November 2021. Now armed with three successful and distinctly unique brands under its belt, 4 Noses is prepped to embark on it’s next big step forward with the opening 4 Noses Brewing Company Park Hill at 4040 Dahlia Street.

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Gnarly Barley Brewing | FestBier

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, we are not talking about Christmas yet, but simply referring to the release of Oktoberfest style offerings from all around the country. Every year it seems as though the releases start earlier and earlier in August, yes August! An Oktoberfest style lager can be enjoyed year-round, but there’s something about sipping on these seasonal offerings when the air turns a bit crispy!

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Amalgam Brewing | Bloom Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

It has been said for many years that humans have five basic senses. Those senses being Sight, Sound, Touch, Smell and Taste. Some scientists believe that we have even more than the five basic senses that we have been taught. We’re not confirming or denying that there could be more than the basic senses, but we can confirm that we were given Smell and Taste as a gift for the beer we’re going to be talking about today!

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Burns Family Artisan Ales Opening Second Location in Former Dos Luces Brewery

As several small-to-mid-sized breweries across the country have begun to feel the pinch of a more competitive craft beer landscape, many of those breweries have had to make difficult decisions on whether to invest heavily in growth or call it quits. And while a greater volume of recent headlines has trended toward the latter of the two fates, including the recent closure of Denver’s Dos Luces Brewery, Burns Family Artisan Ales (Burns) is seizing the opportunity to bet big on itself by taking over Dos Luces’ space to open a second location.

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Guinness Open Gate Brewery Now Open in Chicago

While Guinness originally hoped to open its Chicago taproom in time for Saint Patrick’s Day, it experienced some delays, which moved its official opening date to Sept. 28. Immediately stepping foot into the new Chicago location, it’s easy to see that the wait was worth it.

The Guinness Open Gate Brewery is now open in Chicago. This marks the second U.S. location for Guinness. The other U.S. location is in Baltimore, Maryland.

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