Getting sauced with spicy snacks at Phat Thai

Happy Place: Phat Thai, 2900 East Second Avenue, 303-388-7428. The Hours: Monday through Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. The Deals: $3 draft beers; $5 specialty cocktails and wines by the glass; $1-$5 small plates. Were we happy? Flip the page to find out…

Squeaky Bean starts pouring Sean Kenyon’s new cocktail menu tonight

Fall means many things to people: pumpkins, football, piles of leaves. But to nationally-recognized bartender Sean Kenyon, designer of the cocktail menu at Squeaky Bean (which I review this week), it means something else: aromatics. “When I think of fall and winter, I think aromatics right away,” says Kenyon, whose…

Three incredibly cool wine concepts to try in 2012

After reading last week’s column, you may have correctly deduced that we were less than thrilled by a set of half-witted wine branding ideas designed to insult the intelligence of women everywhere. Lest you think we were unduly harsh in our assessment, trust that we understand that it’s gotta be…

Photos: The best beer swag of Great American Beer Festival 2012

Sure, you like beer — but have you ever worn it? Wrapped your entire being in it and then spent three days at a convention devoted to it? That’s what the country’s most dedicated boze enthusiasts (enbooziasts?) did at the Great American Beer Festival, held at the Colorado Convention Center…

Twenty best costumes of Great American Beer Festival 2012

Beer lovers aren’t exactly known for their high fashion, but they do know how to stagger in style, and thousands of people showed off just how crazy they could look last week during the three-day Great American Beer Festival. From Viking horns to Waldo costumes, this year’s hops lovers were…

Meet the winners of Great American Beer Festival 2012

This year’s Great American Beer Festival played temporary home to 580 breweries — and with more than 2,700 beers poured, the fest’s professional judge panel had its hands (and mouths) full when making decisions on the winners of all 84 categories. Continue reading for the full list of the weekend’s…

Fifteen best beards of the Great American Beer Festival

The Great American Beer Festival is a mecca for beer afficianados–but curiously, it seems to be home to something else, as well: The Great American Beard. Continue reading for photos of our favorite chin-growers from the three-day booze-a-palooza. See also: – Great American Beer Festival 2012: The People – Great…

Gumbo’s delivers a delectable happy hour experience

Happy Place: Gumbo’s Louisiana Style Café, 1033 East Seventeenth Avenue, 720-266-5300. The Hours: Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. The Deals: $2 off specialty cocktails; $3.50 beer specials; $4 wines by the glass and martinis; $3-$4 small plates. Were we happy? Flip the page to find out…