Third-generation Colorado native Sean Smiley founded State 38 Distilling in 2013 with the goal of being the only all-agave distillery in the United States. And for the past three years, that’s been true; State 38 currently offers a lineup of three agave spirits — blanco, reposado and añejo — as…
Just about every brewery in Colorado makes an IPA, or two, or ten. Most are decent. Many are outstanding. But recently, the definition of what makes a good IPA has gotten a little murky. A couple of events this week, including one tonight at Jake’s Brew Bar in Littleton, will…
It’s often best to keep it casual, whether you’re on a second date or introducing your parents to your polyamorous anarchist collective. There’s no point in getting dressed up and worked up when you can take it easy. Since 1933, Billy’s Inn has existed as a living invitation to low-stakes…
As part of its 25th anniversary celebration this year, New Belgium Brewing “is going back to its roots” by teaming up with four breweries from “old” Belgium to make four Lips of Faith collaboration beers — one of which will be released during each quarter of 2016. The beers are…
Flor de Mayo at El Chingon Valintina Panic loves foam. While attending bartending school in 2010 in her native Serbia, she was particularly fascinated by a class on making foams out of spirits. Shortly after arriving in Denver in 2013, she got a job as a bartender when El Chingon…
Coors Field is surrounded by independent craft breweries — there are more than a dozen within a one-mile radius of the ballpark. But inside, the story has been very different. Although Coors Field is home to the only working brewery at a Major League stadium, Blue Moon Brewing at the…
Nocturne puts on a show every night, so it’s the least I could do to get into character. Just over a year old in a storied space on 27th Street, Nocturne is realized in such a classy way that it begs you to rise to the occasion, even if the…
The Brewers Association released its annual list of the top fifty craft brewers in the nation, and Colorado lost a member from the 2014 list: Craftworks, the parent company of Rock Bottom, Old Chicago, Boulder Beer and the Chop House. That leaves only five in-state breweries on the list, but…
Distillery 291 founder Michael Myers set out to create whiskey and other spirits distinct to Colorado when he launched his business in 2011, but he’s succeeded in attracting attention well outside our state’s borders. The Colorado Springs distillery has earned international recognition for bourbon and rye whiskey that feature a unique…
Denver restaurants can live or die on the strength of their happy hours, and three of the city’s buzziest new eateries have finally revealed what they’re up to in the late afternoon hours. Brider, the fine-casual outfit from Steve Redzikowski and Bryan Dayton of Acorn, plus Jeff Osaka’s Sushi-Rama and twin…
Citra Fizz at New Image Brewing At New Image Brewing Co., Sean Fisher is making cocktails for beer drinkers. Even before the four-week-old brewpub opened, Fisher began to think about how a beer could be deconstructed into components that could be used to flavor cocktails. As he toyed around with…
The brothers behind Seedstock Brewing had been waiting, and waiting, and waiting — almost an entire year past when they’d originally planned to start pouring beer at 3610 West Colfax Avenue, suffering through a variety of delays related to its gas and power lines. So when UPS delivered their “Open” sign…
I just can’t help it, y’all. Just when I thought I had enough of these slick, modern pizza bars after my visit to Gozo, I find myself at Bar Dough, which is floating on a wave of good buzz and steady business. BD lost out on our Best of Denver…
Diebolt Brewing is a tiny beer marker in Denver’s Sunnyside neighborhood. But the company recently faced a billion-dollar conundrum: fight a trademark battle over the name of one of its best beers, The Commodore, or acquiesce to the requests of another brewery that makes a beer with the same name…
Chipotle recently teamed up with master sommelier Richard Betts to come up with a streamlined beverage program that would complement the food menu while hewing close to the burrito chain’s “food with integrity” mission. The new beverage roster, which comprises cocktails, beer and non-alcoholic drinks — debuts this week at…
March is stats month for the Boulder-based Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group representing thousands of craft breweries nationwide. So far, the organization has released several interesting numbers (a more comprehensive look will arrive soon). For starters, the number of operating breweries in the United States grew 15 percent in…
“I don’t wish this on anyone. I don’t wish it on my worst enemy. It very nearly destroyed us, but we are coming back stronger than we ever were.” Those are the words of River North Brewery founder Matthew Hess, who was forced to close his doors last fall after…
When Corey Marshall opens his second brewery on the fifth floor of the new Westin Hotel at Denver International Airport – possibly before the end of this year – the spot will hold two unusual distinctions: it will be one of the only breweries in the country located on an…
Spring Sting at Coohills When Joshua Tallent thinks of Spring, he thinks of tequila. He also thinks of things like fresh herbs and pineapple, which is evident in one of his new cocktail recipes on his seasonal cocktail menu at Coohills. His menu launches today and features the Spring Sting…
The bigger a craft brewery gets, the more it usually tries to streamline its operations — brewing and packaging beers in a uniform manner that keeps things simple. But not Epic Brewing, which was founded in Salt Lake City and operates its major production facility in Denver. The company has…
New Highland cocktail bar and restaurant, the Way Back, at 4132 West 38th Avenue, is nearly ready to greet the public. While the kitchen won’t be fired up quite yet, the bar will open for business this coming Monday evening (March 28). The Way Back it the product of barman Chad Michael…
If you’re shopping for a unique bottle of wine or a locally produced spirit, there’s a new shop on Broadway with shelves stocked with just what you’re looking for. Baker Wine & Spirits opened earlier this month at 440 Broadway, bringing a hand-selected inventory of wine and spirits to the…
