West Flanders Brewing in Boulder has made a Super Bowl bet with Seattle's Elysian Brewing. Depending on the outcome of the game, the head brewer in the winning city will be flown to the losing team's city at the loser's expense, where he will take over the losing brewery's equipment and staff and brew a beer of his choice. On tapping day, the host brewery must fly the winning team's flag for two weeks or until the beer is gone.
Turn the page to see all of this week's craft-beer events.
Wednesday, January 29Big Choice Brewing in Broomfield will tap a firkin of Cherry Pie Stout today at 4 p.m.
River North Brewery will tap keg of Unified Theory fermented with wine yeast and infused with fresh grapefruit at 3 p.m. today as part of its Wayward Wednesday series.
Barley's Angels, an international women's craft beer organization, recently created a new, roving Colorado chapter that plans to hold monthly meetings at different tap rooms along the Front Range. (Initially, there will be one meeting per month in both the Denver and Boulder areas.) The first one, at the Wynkoop Brewing Company, was on January 27 and sold out quickly. The second one is today at Sanitas Brewing in Boulder. At this meeting, cheese educator John Scaggs of Haystack Mountain Goat Cheese will lead a beer-pairing class featuring four Sanitas beers.
Copper Kettle Brewing will finish up its New Year's Resolution cask month by serving a firkin of Ultra Low Gluten Ale, a beer made from 100 percent rice.
The Yak & Yeti is feeling a little tropical; it will start pouring 100 percent Kona Coffee Porter today at 4 p.m. today. The beer is 5.2 percent ABV.
Thursday, January 30
Station 26 Brewing will tap a firkin of its Belgian-American Pale with blood oranges today at 4 p.m. as part of its weekly cask program.
Parry's Pizzeria & Bar in Highlands Ranch is tapping what it calls a "truly heroic" lineup of rare beers that include some "super duper" examples of what beer can be. Starting at 11 a.m., it will have Freik by Odell Brewing, Bitches Brew by Dogfish Head, Lolita by Goose Island, Foeder Projekt #1 by Boulevard Brewing, Barrel Aged G'Knight from Oskar Blues, and Avery Brewing's Lilikoi.
The Warwick Hotel is hosting a winter beer tasting today with Colorado Springs-based Bristol Brewing that will include Smokebrush Porter and Winter Warlock Oatmeal Stout; hors d'oeuvres will be served. Tickets are $20 and can be reserved by calling 303-318-7272; the event will be held on the fifteenth floor of the hotel.
West Flanders Brewing in Boulder will tap Orange in Brew Championship Ale today in honor of the upcoming Super Bowl. The beer, which is part of the brewery's Single Keg Series, is spiked with the zest from eighteen oranges, a toss of dried orange peel, and a special dose of Omaha hops flown in by Nebraska Brewing Company in Nebraska. The beer will go on tap at West Flanders at 5 p.m.
Friday, January 31
The Yak & Yeti will tap Raj Mahal, a 7.9 percent ABV Belgian-style red ale, today at 4 p.m. The beer was named by Brian Leppla in the Yak's Facebook naming contest. POSTPONED: Breweries and Foodies, a fundraiser hosted by the National Federation of the Filipino American Associations, at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, has been postponed from today until February 23.
Saturday, February 1
The Vine Street Pub in Denver and the three Mountain Sun pubs in Boulder will kick off the company's 21st annual Stout Month today. All four places will "fade to black" by loading up the taps with local, regional and national versions of the rich, thick and dark ale. But the highlights of the highly-anticipated yearly series are the dozens of house stouts that the pubs brew themselves, including Oatimus Prime Imperial Oatmeal Stout, Megatron Imperial American Stout, Chocolate Dip Stout, Korova Cream Stout and Old School Irish Stout. There will be special Stout Month events all month long.
River North Brewery will release its latest barrel-aged beer at 1 p.m. today. Scotch Barrel J. Marie combines "the classic esters of the brewery's farmhouse ale with notes of oak, smoke and peat." River North bottled 110 cases of Scotch Barrel J. Marie; the lowest-numbered bottles will be available at the bottle release, but some will be distributed to store shelve in Colorado the following week.
Monday, February 3
Every Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. during the month of February (Stout Month), the Mountain Sun, Southern Sun or Vine Street pubs will offer anyone who buys a six-beer sampler a preview of the next day's special stout release and a tour of the brewery. Today's preview beer is Oatimus Prime Imperial Oatmeal Stout.
Tuesday, February 4
As part of the month-long Stout Month, the Mountain Sun, Southern Sun or Vine Street pubs will all release Oatimus Prime Imperial Oatmeal Stout today. The beer "is dark and rich with flavors of chocolate from the blend of roasted grains balanced by warming notes of alcohol. A large addition of Golden Naked Oats lends aromas of oatmeal cookie as well as contributing to the smooth texture and full mouth-feel."
For more events later in January and in February, turn the page. Wednesday, February 5
February is Decadent Chocolate Cask Month at the Copper Kettle, and today's beer is Cherry Chocolate Milk Stout, a sweet, roasted stout brewed with fresh cherries and cocoa. It goes on a 3 p.m. The Ckrepes food truck will be on hand at 4:30 p.m.
Monday, February 10
Every Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. during the month of February (Stout Month), the Mountain Sun, Southern Sun or Vine Street pubs will offer anyone who buys a six-beer sampler a preview of the next day's special stout release and a tour of the brewery. Today's preview beer is Stoked Oak Stout.
Tuesday, February 11
As part of the month-long Stout Month, the Mountain Sun, Southern Sun or Vine Street pubs will all release Stoked Oak Stout. "Former Mountain Sun brewer Scott Overdorf masterfully balanced various malts, vanilla and oak to create an 'Old World-Style' stout with barrel-aged character," the company says. The combination of smoked malt and the additions of pure vanilla extract and toasted oak spirals give the impression of a barrel-aged stout without having undergone the barrel-aging process."
Wednesday, February 12
February is Decadent Chocolate Cask Month at the Copper Kettle, and today's beer is Chocolate & Vanilla Cream Ale, a light to medium bodied classic American style, brewed with Tahitian vanilla beans and cocoa. It goes on a 3 p.m. The Ckrepes food truck will be on hand at 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 13
The Wynkoop Brewing Company will present the inaugural Masters of the Brewniverse Beer Festival and Brewery Pageant tonight from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Oriental Theater. Guests will receive unlimited tastings from more than fourteen breweries while watching reps and brewers from each brewery compete on stage for the crowning title of "Master of the Brewniverse." Teams will showcase the personality of their brand through various rounds of beer pageantry including fashion, talent and interview. Contestants include Asher, Big Choice, Black Bottle, Caution, Crooked Stave, Denver Beer Co, Elevation, Epic, Great Divide, Left Hand, Mountain Sun, Renegade, Twisted Pine, Yak & Yeti, and the Wynkoop. Tickets are $25 and available at ImbibeDenver.com. Proceeds benefit the Mile High United Way.
Friday, February 14
Copper Kettle will host the, yes, Romance and Bro-Mance Beer Dinner with the El Toro the Tot food truck, and chef Vincent Burns, today beginning at 7 p.m. The four-course meal is $65 per person and includes dishes like Tempura Fried Soft Shell Crab, Potato and Chive Gnocchi, and Braised Pork Osso Bucco. The featured beer will be a Belgian blond ale with rose hips, but the brewery will serve several others as well.
Monday, February 17
Every Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. during the month of February (Stout Month), the Mountain Sun, Southern Sun or Vine Street pubs will offer anyone who buys a six-beer sampler a preview of the next day's special stout release and a tour of the brewery. Today's preview beer is Mutual Respect Imperial Coffee Stout, a collaboration with Odell Brewing.
Wednesday, February 19
February is Decadent Chocolate Cask Month at the Copper Kettle, and today's beer is Orange Grand Marnier Chocolate Milk Stout, a sweet, roasted stout brewed with fresh orange peel, cocoa, and Grand Marnier liqueur. It goes on a 3 p.m. The Ckrepes food truck will be on hand at 4:30 p.m.
Monday, February 24
Every Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. during the month of February (Stout Month), the Mountain Sun, Southern Sun or Vine Street pubs will offer anyone who buys a six-beer sampler a preview of the next day's special stout release and a tour of the brewery. Today's preview beer will be the winner of the Stout Month 2014 Homebrew Contest.
Wednesday, February 26
February is Decadent Chocolate Cask Month at the Copper Kettle, and today's beer is Strawberry Chocolate Blonde, a malt-oriented American craft beer brewed with fresh strawberries and cocoa. It goes on a 3 p.m. The Ckrepes food truck will be on hand at 4:30 p.m.
Follow Westword's Beer Man on Twitter at @ColoBeerMan and on Facebook at Colo BeerMan