Cerealiously Count Chocula will be tapped on October 30. You'll have to go to Fort Collins to try that one (for now), but there are few other new or newly packaged beers (sorry, without cereal) that you can buy off liquor store shelves right now or in the near future. They include a new brew from Boulder's Sanitas called Sanitas IPA; a canned version of Grimm Brothers' GABF award-winning Fearless Youth dunkel lager; and Slope Style Winter IPA, a new seasonal release from Boulder Beer Company.
Turn the page to see all of this week's craft-beer events.
Wednesday, October 22As part of a month-long beer-education extravaganza, World of Beer Cherry Creek, in Glendale, is offering a weekly series of free beer schools at which guests can sign up to learn about "the history and care that goes into the specialty varieties crafted by some of the industry's leading breweries." Sign up is available before each class; space is limited and first come, first served. Today's class is Specialty & Barrel-Aged Beers with Avery Brewing, which starts at 6 p.m.
River North Brewery will tap its very last keg of B-Side Quandary, a version of its quadrupel aged with cherries, today at 3 p.m. There will also be classic Quandary and Big City Quad on tap as part of the brewery's Wayward Wednesday series.
It's Pumpkin Month at the Copper Kettle, which will tap a firkin of a pumpkin beer every Wednesday. Today's is Bourbon Oak Aged Pumpkin Porter, an Imperial Pumpkin Porter with bourbon=soaked oak spirals, paired with bourbon pumpkin pie bites.
Thursday, October 23
Odd 13 Brewing in Lafayette will tap two new beers today at 3 p.m.: Derplomat, an American brown ale, and Pepo the Picker, a sour ale with pumpkin and apple.
Friday, October 24
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse in Loveland will release its second canned beer, Fearless Youth, today with a party from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be Fearless Youth beer brats from Rocky Mountain Sausage Grill, a free can with a brat purchase, and $1 cans for sale, plus a chance to win prizes with each can sold. Fearless Youth, a Dunkel lager, used to be sold in bomber bottles. It won a GABF medal in 2013.
Saturday, October 25
Lost Highway Brewing, which quietly opened in late September after three years of planning and construction, will host a grand-opening party today from noon to 6 p.m. with live music from Jim Dalton of the Railbenders, chile roasting, food and more. Founded by the owners of the Cheeky Monk Belgian Beer Cafe next door, Lost Highway has six of its own beers on tap: District 6 Pils, Grave Robber Fraud Quad, Golden Ghost Blond, Pumpkin Ale, Belghost IPA and Longest, Wickedest Wit. "The names of the beers reflect the history and experience of Colfax and the Capitol Hill area," the brewery says. "Brew Master TJ Compton is working on several other beers in the portfolio, which are expected to be released later this month." In addition to beer, Lost Highway also offers fresh bread, charcuterie, olives and other picnic-style edibles in its market.
Hops & Pie will host a Pumpkin Beer Fest starting at noon today and featuring a variety of gourdy goodness, including Avery Rumpkin, Bruery Autumn Maple, Dogfish Punkin, Strange Pumpkin Porter, Sam Adams Fat Jack, Denver Beer Co Hey Pumpkin!, Hoppin Frog Hoppin Hollow, Southern Tier Pumpking, Alaskan Pumpkin Porter and many others.
Copper Kettle will host a party for the release of Well Bred, its rich 10.7 percent ABV English barleywine. "Less hoppy and more malty than its American counterpart, this English barleywine has lavish hints of vanilla, toasted coconut and caramel, with earthy tones from the Breckenridge Bourbon barrel-aging," the brewery says. Well Bred, which was released last year as well, is part of Copper Kettle's barrel-aged bomber series.
Lone Tree Brewing will begin selling 22-ounce bombers of its seasonal Hop Zombie Red IPA ($10 each) today from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., or while supplies last. Only eighty cases will be available and, "based on the last two years of sales," they'll sell out early, the brewery says. A small amount of the 8.5 percent ABV beer will be available in the taproom after that. The first ten people in the door today will get a commemorative Hop Zombie T-shirt, but the shirt and glasses will be for sale all day.
Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora and the nearby Wing Hut will host their third annual Dante's Wingferno Challenge today at the brewery from noon to 4 p.m. The wings-eating contest typically involves fifty to seventy people who all try to eat eight super-spicy wings (and Wing Hut has been working on a new, hotter sauce recipe) in five minutes. You can register on the Wing Hut's Facebook page; it costs $10 in advance and $15 online. All proceeds go to the Aurora Fire Department, and each precinct plans to send a competitor. It also helps to have them there for safety's sake, since the wings are that hot, says Dry Dock co-owner Kevin DeLange. Dry Dock beers will help you cool down. If you finish, you get a T-shirt.
Sunday, October 26
Avery Brewing will release No. 23 in its barrel-aged series today with a bottle party starting at 1 p.m. Antonius' Carmen is a sour ale aged in madeira barrels; only 291 cases were produced. Each twelve-ounce bottle is $12 (limit of twelve per person). Rare beers on draft starting at 11 a.m., including Drew's Fuzzy Peach, Karmarita, Papa Sour, Eremita V, The Preacher, 2013 Mephistopheles' Stout and Vanilla Bourbon Coffee Chocolate Stout.
Monday, October 27
Dad & Dude's Breweria is celebrating its fourth anniversary with a series of events that culminate on November 1. Today, the brewery will tap a nitro version of Gourd-Geous Pumpkin Ale, a 5.5 percent ABV creation made with pumpkin puree, brown sugar and pie spices. The theme is Pajama Day; wear your PJs and receive double raffle tickets.
Tuesday, October 28
Dad & Dude's Breweria is celebrating its fourth anniversary with a series of events that culminate on November 1. Today the brewery will tap Sun Kissed Braggot, a vintage style that blends beer and mead. It's crafted with malted barley, sweet orange peel, ginger, and orange blossom honey. Theme: Graffitti Night. Wear a white T-shirt and tag yourself and friends with fabric pens provided by D&D staff.
Turn the page to see more events later in October and in November.
Wednesday, October 29
It's Pumpkin Month at the Copper Kettle, which will tap a firkin of a pumpkin beer every Wednesday. Today's is Pumpkin Saison, a Belgian saison with pumpkin pie spices added to give it that extra kick, paired with pumpkin whoopie pies.
As part of a month-long beer education extravaganza, World of Beer Cherry Creek, in Glendale, is offering a weekly series of free Beer Schools at which guests can sign up to learn about "the history and care that goes into the specialty varieties crafted by some of the industry's leading breweries." Sign up is available before each class; space is limited, first come, first serve. Today's 6 p.m. class is Belgium Beers with Ommegang Brewery & Duvel. "Discover the variety of Belgium beers, from Trappist Ales to Lambic Beers and everything in between."
Thursday, October 30
Dad & Dude's Breweria is celebrating its fourth anniversary with a series of events that culminate on November 1. Today, the brewery will tap Rum Forrest, Rum, an American-style stout aged for three months on Madagascar vanilla beans in a rum barrel. Theme: KISS night. Face painters will be on hand to help you get the rocking Ace Frehley look.
Friday, October 31
Lost Highway Brewing will host the Grave Robber Halloween Party today starting at 7 p.m. with a costume contest, ghost stories, a palm reader and special pairings with its Grave Robber Fraud Quad.
Dad & Dude's Breweria is celebrating its fourth anniversary with a series of events that culminate on November 1. Today, the brewery will tap Lion Heart Barley Wine, a 12 percent ABV English/American hybrid made with Colorado malt and hops and fermented with an English yeast. Theme: Halloween Night.
Saturday, November 1
Dad & Dude's Breweria is celebrating its fourth anniversary today by tapping Zinful, a beer/wine hybrid made with red zinfandel and Cabernet grape juices, blackberry puree and Belgian pale malts, then aged in a red wine barrel for four months. Theme: Redneck Prom. Wear your best overalls, flannels mullets, daisy dukes and denim fashions.
The 8th Annual All Colorado Beer Festival takes place today at Freedom Financial Expo Center in Colorado Springs. There are two sessions, the first from 1 to 4:30 p.m. and the second from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $35. There will be seventy Colorado breweries on hand with two hundred different beers. All proceedsbenefit Theatreworks, the Empty Stocking Fund, the Home Front Cares, and the ACBF Scholarship Fund at UCCS.
Friday, November 7
Mockery Brewing will introduce itself as the newest brewery in River North today with a grand opening party starting at 3 p.m. There will be nine beers on tap, including Black IPA, Vanilla Bourbon Porter, Blonde, Peach Blonde, Salted Schotch Ale, Red Session IPA, Southern Hemisphere Ale, Pumpkin Oktoberfest Ale, and Rye Saison.
Upslope Brewing will kick off its sixth anniversary weekend today at its Lee Hill location from 4 to 8 p.m. for an evening celebrating the taproom's barrel-aged releases. Cured will provide cheese pairings at 4 p.m.; Heirloom food truck will serve farm-fresh eats from 5 to 8 p.m., and there will be music from The Longest Day of the Year Duo at 6 p.m.
Saturday, November 8
Avery Brewing will host its third annual Boulder IPA Fest today beginning at 1 p.m. at the brewery; this event will likely sell out far in advance. There will be more than 100 different beers on tap. Tickets are $45 and include sixteen four-ounce pours and a commemorative glass; additional drink tickets will be available for sale. Find the full beer list at Avery website or Facebook page. It includes Hop Shovel from Bear Republic, Flower Child IPA from Cambridge Brewing, Hoperation Overload from DESTIHL, Elevated IPA from La Cumbre Brewing. Get more info at eventbrite.com.
Upslope Brewing will celebrate its sixth anniversary today from 2 to 8 p.m. with a party at its Flatiron Park location. There will be new and vintage releases, plenty of food trucks, games and live music on the back dock.
Saturday, November 15
In honor of its 21st birthday, Left Hand Brewing will introduce an unusual new festival today called Nitro Fest, the first even dedicated exclusively to nitrogenated beer. Taking place from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Longmont brewery, the fest will feature beers from 21 breweries across the country. Some are rare beer that are being nitrogenated for the first time for the fest. Tickets are $50 for four hours of all-you-can drink nitro craft beers. Event proceeds will benefit the Left Hand Brewing Foundation. Left Hand helped popularize the nitro style recently by introducing three different nitogenated beers in bottles over the past few years. Breweries at the fest include Founders, Cigar City, Dogfish Head, Firestone Walker, Victory, Green Flash, Oskar Blues, Breckenridge, New Belgium and Odell. In addition, there will be performance art including fire dancers, stilt walkers and aerial artists.
Sunday, November 16
The third annual Denver Bacon and Beer Festival runs today from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at the Curtis Hotel. This year's event will feature eighteen breweries and more than 25 restaurants; one beer-bacon team will be crowned Best in Show win $750 to donate to the local charity of its choice. Presented by EatBoston and Denver Off The Wagon, the fest has raised almost $40,000 for Project Angel Heart and Metro CareRing in the past. For tickets, $46.50, more info and a list of participants, go to the Denver Bacon and Beer Festival's website.
Thursday, November 20
The annual Chef & Brew Festival, which brings some of Denver's best chefs together some top breweries, returns today to the at EXDO Event Center from 7 to 10 p.m. Attendees get access to unlimited appetizers and craft beer samples from at least eighteen restaurants and eighteen breweries. The apps and beers are paired together, and the best combo, as voted on by guests, will win the competition. Tickets are $49 (or $80 for VIP, which gets you in an hour earlier, at 6 p.m.). Some of the chefs include: Jensen Cummings of the BSide, John Chad Little of Harmans, Argyll's John Broening and Panzano's Elise Wiggins. Breweries include, Crooked Stave, Funkwerks, TRVE, Epic and Great Divide. Find the full list, info and tickets at chefnbrewfestival.com.
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