Brian Hutchinson

Cannonball Creek opens Saturday in Golden, kicking off a craft brew revolution in Coors country

There has never been a shortage of beer in Golden, Colorado. But until this month, there had only been one brewery in town that wasn't named Coors. On Saturday, however, Cannonball Creek Brewery will open its doors, joining Golden City Brewery, which has been the town's "second largest brewery" sin ... More >>

A dozen new breweries on tap for the Denver Metro area by spring 2013

Breweries, big and small, have been opening at a dizzying pace over the past year along the Front Range, from Colorado Springs to Windsor and everywhere in between. Denver alone welcomed eight new breweries in the past twelve months, while Boulder County added at least eight, including four within t ... More >>

Two former Mountain Sun brewers will open Cannonball Creek Brewery in Golden

Former Mountain Sun brewers Brian Hutchinson and Jason Stengl have left the company to open their own place in Golden later this year. Cannonball Creek Brewery will be the second craft brewer in a town that sits in the shadow of the Coors plant. Hutchinson, who was the head brewer at Mountain Sun, ... More >>

The hoppiest beers in the world: the annual contest during #GABF switches locations

The Alpha King Challenge, a low-key hoppy-beer contest that takes place every year during the Great American Beer Festival, will move this October from the Falling Rock Taphouse, which has hosted it for thirteen years, to the Rock Bottom Restaurant. The move seems like a strange one for Hopunion, t ... More >>

Get your growlers at Vine Street Pub, which is finally ready to brew

Just two weeks shy of its fourth anniversary in Denver, the Vine Street Pub & Brewery finally got its brewery license on Wednesday, and although the brewers won't whip up their first batch of beer until Wednesday, they are allowed to start filling up growlers now. To celebrate, co-owner Kevin Daly ... More >>

Vine Street Pub & Brewery kicks off Stout Month in style

February is Stout Month for the Mountain Sun group, which means all three locations will be featuring a rotating draft selection of stouts (including some stellar guest taps), along with various other happenings in honor of the increasingly popular style. It's an annual tradition that's become a muc ... More >>

For Kyle Hollingsworth of the String Cheese Incident, making beer and making music are creatively one and the same

FacebookKyle Hollingsworth jams at Boulder Beer.​There's a moment on stage when Kyle Hollingsworth just lets go. It's a crucial moment, especially for a jam-style musician who relies on his instinct and his skill when he's performing to help lead the band in the right direction. The same is t ... More >>

Colorado craft-brewed Mexican lagers on tap before Cinco de Mayo

Ska Brewing​Mexican-style craft-brewed lagers are set to make a splash in Denver this summer, with a couple of new ones joining the fiesta in the run-up to Cinco de Mayo. Because of its lighter, more mellow profile, Mexican lager isn't a style that's common among craft brewers, who typically ... More >>

Southern Sun kicks off a new firkin program today at 4:20; Vine Street could be next

​The Southern Sun pub in Boulder will tap a firkin of its FYIPA today, the first of what brewer Brian Hutchinson hopes will lead to many more in the near future. In fact, the Southern Sun and Denver's Vine Street Pub, which are both owned by the Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery group, are close t ... More >>

Vine Street Pub begins construction on its new brewery, which could open this fall

Vine Street PubConstruction begins.​Vine Street Pub is getting ready to raise the roof on its new brewery. But first it had to lower the floor. "We dropped the whole thing about three feet," says Brian Hutchinson, head brewer for Vine Street. The goal is to make room for a twelve-barrel brew ... More >>

PLAYING THE BREWS

Culinary calendar for the week: Stout month and Superbowl Sunday

​It's Stout Month at Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery -- and all its satellite brewery locations -- which means beer educational classes galore. It's the perfect way to kick off your Superbowl Week, and we've also got the best places to grub on Sunday when you're watching the game. Here's a taste ... More >>

Defiance

The play’s a dud, but the Vietnam War still hits home.

Assassins

Next Stage kills it with this musical.

Do I Hear a Waltz?

Arvada Center creates passable music.

Held in Check

Chess uses music to play with our emotions.

Hail to the Chief

Next Stage's Assassins is a grand musical look at America's killer instinct.