Left Hand Brewing in Longmont and River North Brewery in Denver are both releasing major new beers in their year-round and seasonal portfolios over the next few days and weeks.
Left Hand will debut three seasonals. Hard Wired Nitro is part of the brewery's nitrogenated bottle series and has flavors of caramelized sugar, cacao and hints of blueberry. Well Played is a new Red IPA — unusual because Left Hand had never focused on American IPAs until recently. The brewery will use different experimental hops each year in this beer. Saison au Miel, which is part of Left Hand's new Les Quatres Saisons quarterly canned saison series, was brewed with native Colorado ingredients, including wildflower honey. And finally, Travelin’ Light is a new year-round 4.8 percent kolsch.
River North, meanwhile, has added two new beers to its canned lineup: Colorado IPA and Pils. Both are brand-new beers for a brewery that has previously focused on big Belgian styles. Colorado IPA was brewed with Citra, Amarillo, Azacca, Columbus and Cascade hops. "Inspired by IPAs from both coasts, Colorado IPA strikes the perfect balance of bitter and floral hop character," River North says. Pils is a classic pilsner, fermented over time and at low temperatures. In May, River North will debut a mixed twelve-pack of all four of its cans, providing the perfect variety for gatherings at home or in the great outdoors.
Keep reading for the best beer events through April 1.
Wednesday, March 1
Comrade Brewing will tap a new beer, El Nugg Hoppy American Lager, today at noon. "Fermented with the famous Augustiner strain from Munich," the 5.7 percent ABV beer was hopped with El Dorado, Nugget and Amarillo on a light American Pilsner malt base, the brewery says. It was lagered for weeks for "a crisp and clean finish and plenty of American hop flavor."
March is Girl Scout Cookie Cask month at Copper Kettle Brewing, which will tap a cask each Wednesday inspired by "these dangerously delicious cookies." Today's is Lemon Berliner, "a refreshing, tart, German wheat ale with a touch of lemon," the brewery says. It was inspired by Savannah Smiles, crisp, zesty lemon wedge cookies dusted with powdered sugar. Pavy's Food Truck will provide eats to go along with the beers.
Platt Park Brewing taps Galaxy on the Horizon IPA today. It boasts a "distinctive mixture of citrus, passion fruit, peach and hints of grass," the brewery says. Tacos El Huequito will be outside.
March is Oyster Month every year at the various Jax Fish House & Oyster Bars in Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins. To kick things off, each Jax location will tap kegs today of Emersum Oyster Stout, which was brewed by Odell Brewing just for Jax in collaboration with the restaurant's staff members. "They added shucked Emersum oysters to the mash and then whole oysters — shell and all — to the boil," Jax says. "This process adds more minerality, more mouthfeel and a subtle brightness to the beer and makes an excellent companion to a dozen oysters on the half-shell."
Thursday, March 2
Call to Arms Brewing will release a new bottled beer in its Carriage House Series today at 3 p.m. The beer, called Really Really Ridiculously Good Tasting, is a petite farmhouse saison that was "handsomely aged in Chardonnay barrels," the brewery says. "Our latest barrel project started with a delicate blend of Pilsner, White Wheat and Acidulated malts. We then added Bravo hops for a spicy and floral balance. Primary fermentation began with a traditional French Saison yeast, but we later barrel-conditioned for months on end with Brett Claussenii to add farmhouse characteristics to this well-rounded beer. Expect notes of cantaloupe, lemon zest and light barnyard funk with soft layers of vanilla and coconut in the finish." There are only 120 375ml bottles available, with a limit of two bottles per customer.
Ratio Beerworks brings back Rented World Session IPA today. Originally inspired by the Possible Worlds collaboration with Call to Arms, Cannonball Creek, Station 26 and TRVE, Rented World was such a staff favorite that Ratio decided to bring it back full-time. To brew it, Ratio employed its "highest volume of late aroma hops to date, with massive amounts of Citra and El Dorado. Measuring in at an approachable 4.8 percent and 41 IBUs, this easy-drinking session IPA is big on bright citrus and pine flavors, but a mere wrinkle on the harsh bitterness scale due to the limited use of bittering hops."
Odyssey Beerwerks in Arvada has taken its Clan Warrior Scotch Ale, a smokey, malt-forward beer and winner of a World Beer Cup gold medal, and aged it in a ten-year-old Islay Scotch barrel for four months. The result is For Peat's Sake, a 10.2 percent ABV smoky sensation. "The base beer is a rich Wee Heavy ale brewed with a variety of caramel and roasted malts, packing tremendous flavor without much hop-derived bitterness. The barrel-aging process adds intense smoky aromatics," the brewery says. This is the first beer in Odyssey's new barrel-aged series. For Peat’s Sake will be available on draft, and in a very limited release of 22-ounce bombers; there are only 96 bottles available.
Friday, March 3
Join Cerebral Brewing for the release of You Do You, a 5.9 percent ABV double dry-hopped Pale Ale that was brewed with Centennial, Amarillo, Motueka and Ekuanot (formerly Equinox) at over seven pounds per barrel. "We're immensely passionate about producing beers in this style and have been so since we opened sixteen months ago," Cerebral says about its hazy beers. "Trends come and go. Do what you love. Love what you do. You do you." Burgerchief will be outside from 3 to 10 p.m.
Copper Kettle Brewing will host a special release of Bourbon Barrel Aged Mexican Chocolate Stout today. The brewery aged its dynamic stout with cinnamon, cacao nibs and chile peppers in bourbon barrels for four months. We Chef Kitchen food truck will be on hand.
Platt Park Brewing taps its last drop of Colorstorm IPA today. Brewed with Rikau and Simcoe hops, the 6.5 percent ABV beer has subtle apricot, passion fruit and pine resin flavors and aromas. Rezzys food truck will be on hand with cheesesteaks and other sandwiches.
Beryl's Beer Company will bring back Mila Rouge, its petite sour saison, today at 3 p.m. There will also be music from the Notecrackers Live at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 4
Fermaentra Brewing will tap its collaboration with Blue Moon RiNo today. The beer, called MØØN JUICE IPÆ, was brewed with eight different hop varietals from three continents; there are about five pounds of hops per barrel. "Since the hops were primarily utilized in whirlpool and dry-hopping additions, we've cataloged potent flavors of honeydew, guava, coconut, orange peel, and tangerine," Fermaentra says. "The grain bill was built with 48 percent oats and wheat for a soft, velvety mouth feel, alongside one of our favorite English yeast strains we don't see typically used in this style of IPA. Yes, this is a hazy IPA."
SOLD OUT: Avery Brewing will host its fifteenth annual Strong Ale Fest from noon to 5 p.m., bringing in beers from around the country that are 8 percent ABV or higher. This year, there will also be several special barrel tappings and a massive list of Avery beers brewed just for the event. Tickets (which went on sale February 3) are $55 each, and all proceeds benefit Get Outside and Learn Something (GOALS); each includes sixteen three-ounce pours and a commemorative glass. Food will be available for purchase.
Wynkoop Brewing will host a beer fest today called Day of Dorks. "Teaming up with over thirty breweries, we'll be pouring some of the geekiest and white-whaley craft brew in all the land," Wynkoop says. "Nerd attire suggested but not required. And to truly encourage The Next Generation of dorks, we'll be collecting school supplies including pens, pencils, notebooks and more. Donations will benefit local area schools." Tickets are $25, or $40 for a pair, at eventbrite.com and include a commemorative Day of Dorks glass and snacks. "To miss out would be highly illogical."
The Real Ale Real Love Firkin Festival returns to Loveland today at 3:30 p.m. thanks to co-hosts Grimm Brothers Brewhouse and Verboten Brewing; the event takes place behind Grimm Brothers, in the Garden Room at 687 North Denver Avenue. The intimate fest highlights one-of-a-kind cask beers from northern Colorado breweries and "allows the brewers to push the envelope and try new experimental flavor combinations that wouldn't be cost-effective on a larger scale," Grimm Brothers says. There are only 250 tickets, available at brownpapertickets.com; the $30 price allows attendees to "chat with the brewers about the beers they made and the flavor profiles they were hoping would come out in the firkins." Get more information about Real Ale Real Love at realalereallove.com.
Monday, March 6
New Image Brewing in Arvada will kick off its weeklong one-year anniversary celebration today, with events all week leading up to the official party on Saturday, March 11. Today is Merch Monday, meaning new swag goes on sale. Tomorrow is industry night, when brewery, bar, restaurant and liquor store employees get their first beer free. On Wednesday, New Image will tap the last remaining keg of Kline's Barrel, a collaboration stout aged in WL Weller barrels, and on Thursday, the brewery will tap the Wood, which has aged for seven months. On Friday, New Image will launch its Crowler program with a buy one, get one free promotion. And finally, on Saturday, the brewery will release its official anniversary beer, a double dry hopped New England-style IPA at its can release patio party.
Wednesday, March 8
Zuni Street Brewing will open its doors at 2 p.m. today with a grand-opening party featuring four beers: a hoppy wheat ale, an IPA, a Belgian wit and a golden ale. Founded by TJ Slattery and Willy Truettner, the brewery aims to be an oasis in the city: full of trees and nourishing liquid. And to that end, it has been decorated with a gorgeous 53-foot-long wooden bar and beer rails, along with huge abstract tree sculptures. There are also two large patios, garage doors and an indoor-outdoor bar sure to help guests enjoy the outdoors in any season.
Alpine Dog Brewing taps another installment of its pilot-batch series today. This time, it's a Belgian IPA. Brewed with peppery Belgian yeast, the beer has a light body and massive tropical/citrus and white grape hop character, the brewery says. It was hopped with Nelson and Citra.
Thursday, March 9
"Technically it's still winter, but with seventy-degree days, it's starting to feel a lot like summer," says Renegade Brewing, which will release a new seasonal beer today called Summer Tan. The tangerine-infused double IPA comes in six-packs, and you can get a free one with the purchase of a pint.
Saturday, March 11
The Crafty Fox Taphouse & Pizzeria will celebrate its first anniversary today with special tappings, games and giveaways downstairs starting at 11 a.m. and a ticketed event upstairs at 3 p.m. with rare beers and live music. The upstairs tickets are $35 (there are only 100 available), and there will be live music from Blow the Vault, exclusive tappings of Ursula Brewery’s Jefferson’s Reserve Barrel Aged Imperial Crustless (Peanut Butter and Jelly Porter), and an Ursula/Wiley Roots/Crafty Fox collaboration, Vanilla Wafer Coffee Blonde Ale. There will also be an unlimited special menu for “grown-up kids.”
"We love it when the snow falls, but come March, we just want to roll up the garage doors, put on some Bob Marley, enjoy a tasty beverage and pretend winter's over." That's how Locavore Beer Works in Littleton describes the reasoning behind its Beach Party, which runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Locavore will tap Big Kahuna, a coconut porter on nitro, and a couple of other tropical surprises. The first forty customers will get a free Locavore Beer Works insulated tote bag. The Mango Bros, an "eclectic and entertaining" tropical island duo, will be playing from 4 to 6 p.m. Roberts Italian Restaurant will have a pig roast complete with sides.
Left Hand Brewing will throw its fifth annual Hops+Handrails festival today featuring 150 mostly Colorado beers from more than 65 craft breweries, live music, a four-story (forty-foot high) ski-and-snowboard ramp, and a trick rail-jam competition. Gates open at 11 a.m. at Roosevelt Park, with riders starting their runs by noon. The music kicks off at 1 p.m. with Grant Farm; headliner Chris Robinson Brotherhood starts at 4:30 p.m. Local fare will be available from Abo’s Pizza, Georgia Boys BBQ, Hefe’s Tacos and Sisters Dumplings. Tickets, $40, include unlimited tastings and are available online at lefthandbrewing.com or at the event entrance. Proceeds benefit the Left Hand Brewing Foundation, SOS Outreach and Chill Foundation. To date, Hops + Handrails has raised more than $100,000.
Monday, March 13
Molly’s Spirits in Lakeside and Big Choice Brewing in Broomfield will release the first beer in their Tarts & Crafts series: Cranberry Orange Sour Brown Ale. This collaboration will be the first of several beers released every other month for a year under the Tarts & Craft series label. This beer will be sold in cans only at Big Choice and at Molly's (Big Choice will also have it on tap). There will only be 75 cases available.
Thursday, March 16
New Kids on the Block, the brewery-centered ’80s dance party and mini-beer fest, returns for its fifth year today at the Lobby. Hosted by the PorchDrinking website and blog, New Kids fetes breweries that are under two years old. "Festivities kick off at 7 p.m. with unlimited pours from approximately twenty of the best up-and-coming Colorado breweries, each showcasing two of their best beers," PorchDrinking says. "Additionally, the ’80s dance party will be rocking all night long with a live DJ. Be sure to dress the part, as we'll have brewery prizes for best-dressed outfits." Tickets are $30 through March 5 and $35 thereafter. They cost $40 the day of the event. Buy them at nightout.com.
Friday, March 17
Westfax Brewing in Lakewood will celebrate its first anniversary today and tomorrow by tapping Barrel Aged Tears of Our Enemies, Green Colfax Cream Ale and Nitro Dry Irish Stout. The brewery, which opens at 2 p.m., will also give away beer glasses to the first forty people to buy a beer and will hold raffles and giveaways. And finally, the ShaWING food truck will also be celebrating its one-year anniversary by hosting a chicken-wing-eating contest at 7 p.m.
Big Choice Brewing in Broomfield will host a sham punk-rock St. Paddy’s Day party starting at 2 p.m. The brewery will tap a traditional Red Irish Ale and play Irish punk music all night. "Forget your green beer, four-leaf clovers and green bowler hats, instead join us to celebrate the Pogues, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, Stiff Little Fingers, Flatfoot 56, the Real McKenzies, the Young Dubliners, the Blaggards and more," the brewery says.
Saturday March 18
The best event during the annual Colorado Craft Beer Week, which runs today through March 25, is whatever one you are able to get to, either at your neighborhood brewery or restaurant, or at one that you go out of your way to enjoy. There are dozens of tappings and events going on across the state — many are TBA at the Colorado Craft Brewers Guild website — but each day during Colorado Craft Beer Week is broken down into themes this year. March 18 and 19 will focus on brewery tours and events that will allow you to meet the brewers; on Monday, March 20, breweries will host a variety of educational events, while Tuesday, March 21, will showcase brewers and chefs who team up to host beer dinners and special menus. Things kick into high gear on Wednesday, March 22, with Colorado Pint Day, when certain breweries will be giving away special 14er glasses when you buy a pint of beer. Thursday, March 23, is all about special tastings or rare or unusual beers, and Friday, March 24 will feature beers made for Saturday's marquis event, Collaboration Fest. Friday is when breweries will host special tappings of their Collaboration Fest beers throughout the state, giving craft-beer lovers a chance to experience the vibe of Collaboration Fest. For more on the big March 25 festival itself, see the description below.
The Work From Home Beer Breakfast, complete with waffles and bacon, returns to Cerebral Brewing this morning from 10 a.m. to noon, and this time there's a barrel-aged version of Work From Home, a "breakfast" porter brewed with Vermont maple syrup and cold-brewed Colombian coffee roasted by Middle State and prepared by Cerebral's neighbors at the Lula Rose General Store. The barrel-aged version has been slumbering in Woodford Reserve barrels for twelve months. Tickets are $40 and include a screen-printed glass mug, a ten-ounce pour of Work From Home, a four-ounce taster of Barrel Aged Work From Home, and a waffle and side of bacon from Waffle Brothers. Additional pours of Work From Home are $5. There will also be cartoons on the big screen, and the brewery highly encourages you to wear your favorite pajamas. There might possibly be a best-dressed prize. Cerebral will also sell Barrel Aged Work From Home in bottles. Space is limited, and tickets are expected to sell out quickly.
"Three years ago, a drunken group of brewers had a wild idea to start a rye festival," say the organizers of said event. "It turned out to be so much fun, we're doing it again — celebrating the Third Annual Rye Fest 2017." Eleven Denver breweries (mostly from the west side) will bring their versions of rye beers to the Brew of Broadway, where the garage doors will open onto the patio if the weather is nice. The breweries are: Barnett & Son, Black Sky Brewing, The Brew on Broadway, Caution Brewing, Chain Reaction Brewing, Fermaentra, Brewery Rickoli, Boggy Draw Brewing, Strange Craft Beer Company, Dead Hippie Brewing , and Halfpenny Brewing. There will be food from El Toro the Tot Food Truck and music from the Denver Celtics and The Rye Pushers. This is a fundraiser for the Colorado Adaptive Sports Foundation.
Westfax continues its one-year anniversary celebration at noon by pouring two of its newly released beers alongside a buffet from Mile High Cajun. The beers are Concussion Protocol Belgian Quad and Peach Saison. The brewery will also be giving away glassware and other merchandise.
Friday, March 24
Boulder Beer Company is celebrating the end of Colorado Craft Beer Week by releasing its new spring beer, Hola Maria Mexican-style Ale. "Brewed with malted wheat for a soft mouthfeel and left slightly unfiltered for full flavor in a light crisp ale," the beer will be tapped at 1 p.m. Boulder Beer will also have a limited amount of each of its Collaboration Fest beers on tap: Coconut Curry Hefeweizen (brewed with Ska Brewing) and Ladyfingers, a Tiramisu Brown Ale (brewed with New Holland Brewing).
Saturday, March 25
Now in its fourth year, Collaboration Fest, hosted by the Colorado Brewers Guild, has grown into one of the state's largest, most creative festivals. But its aim is unique: The fest features more than 110 beers made collaboratively by more than 150 breweries around the state and the country (and even a few overseas), and showcases the distinctly collaborative nature of the craft-beer industry. "Every beer tapped at Collaboration Fest has a unique story, as two or more breweries come together to brew something special," event organizers say. Some will only be brewed once, while others will find so much success that they will take on a life of their own. Tickets, $60 for general admission and $85 for VIP, are available at collaborationfest.com. There will also be food vendors and live music. The festival runs from 4 to 7 p.m. (VIPs get in an hour earlier) at the National Western Complex.
Sunday, March 26
It's not summer yet, but that's not stopping Big Choice Brewing in Broomfield from hosting a Summer in Winter (spring, actually) party in order to tap its seasonal 10,000 Summers Saison. The brewery will be serving beer mimosas and beer ice cream floats in addition to the new beer. "Feeling brave? Show up in your swimsuit to receive a free pint," the brewery says. There will also be a summer-themed paint-and-sip party thrown by Pinot’s Pallets upstairs.
Saturday, April 1
Big Choice will tap the second beer in its Brown Bag Series: Chinook Bob-Omb IPA, today at 2 p.m. "This style is what we are calling a Colorado IPA," the brewery explains. "Colorado is known for its C-hops: Centennial, Cascade, Chinook and Columbus hops. We wanted to make a delicious, more flavorful IPA, less bitter than juicy NE IPAs, but with the standard hops, as opposed to the 'sexy' hops like Mosaic, Galaxy, and Citra. With the Chinook hop, we are proving you don’t have to use sexy hops to create a juicy IPA by varying the timing of the addition of the hops in the brewing process."