Beer Calendar: A New Brewery, a New Brewery Name and Burning Can

To celebrate New Belgium's 25th anniversary, the Fort Collins brewery has collaborated with five other breweries around the country — Allagash, Firestone Walker, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Rhinegeist and Avery — to make several different versions of the iconic Fat Tire Amber Ale. For the all-Colorado Avery collaboration, the two breweries created Avery-Fat Wild Ale, "a fruitier version of the original Fat Tire with a dose of 'wild' Brettanomyces," New Belgium says. "Avery-Fat Wild Ale focuses on a fruit-forward hop bill featuring Huell Melon [hops] and a dose of Brett evoking notes of apricot and pineapple."

The beer will be available alongside the other four collaborations, and the original Fat Tire itself, in a mixed twelve-pack starting in mid-June in advance of New Belgium's June 28 birthday. 
   
Wednesday, June 1
Denver Beer Co. took home a gold medal in May at the prestigious 2016 World Beer Cup in Philadelphia for its winter seasonal, Summit Sunrise, in the Double Red Ale category; DBC's entry topped a field of 51 contestants. To celebrate, the brewery will offer a limited release of the beer in its original Platte Street tap room today, on draft only. Summit Sunrise is typically only available from November through March, in cans. "Summit Sunrise is characterized by a balance of malt and hops, making this Red Rye IPA a quintessential example of a Double Red Ale," the  brewery says. "Crimson in color, Summit Sunrise boasts pine and citrus hop aroma, spicy rye tones, and a rich, malty backbone."

Reading Partners Colorado, which helps low-income elementary-school students improve their reading skills, will host its quarterly social, Books & Brews, today from 4 to 7 p.m. at Ratio Beerworks. For every beer bought at Ratio tonight, $1 will go to Reading Partners Colorado. They will also be holding a drawing for prizes. Get more info on Facebook.

Thursday, June 2
Popular Facebook group Colorado Let's Talk Craft Beer will host its first "Discovering Craft and Community" meetup from 4 to 8 p.m. at River North Brewery. "We're all passionate about craft beer in this group, but what do we love most about it? For many of us, it's that great beer brings us all together," the invite reads. "Craft brewers pour their heart and souls into so much more than a bubbly drink. They strengthen the community around them, provide a friendly place for neighbors to visit and make new friends, and inspire our own lives as we witness their dedication and devotion to their craft. River North Brewery exemplifies all of the above and has been flying their flag for most of the craft beer renaissance we live in today." There will likely be a food truck and a few tours. RSVPs requested.

Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora will celebrate the release of its Sour Apricot in six-packs today from 2 to 8 p.m. at the North Dock production facility. The new year-round offering "was developed out of a series of kettle sour experiments at South Dock, created by adding Lactobacillus in the wort prior to fermentation," the brewery says. "This approachable sour ale strikes an elegant balance of sour and sweet, hence the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote on the can. Refreshingly tart and fruity with bright effervescence, Sour Apricot packs rich apricot flavor in every can while retaining just the right amount of acidity." 

The Backyard Concert Series at Anythink Wright Farms in Thornton will host Great Divide Brewing and brewery manager Ro Guenzel tonight for Beerology. The event is "an opportunity to discover beer through a variety of lenses, including its history, impact on culture and literature, and the science of brewing," Anythink says. "Attendees can sample various beer styles, learning all about the features and ingredients that make them distinct. This ticketed event is for both beer novices and enthusiasts alike." Beerology takes place from 6 to 8 p.m., and tickets are $10 or $15 at the door. A Q&A session with Guenzel will follow. Proceeds raised from ticket sales and the auction will benefit the Anythink Foundation.

Friday, June 3
Ursula Brewery, formerly called Coda Brewing, is throwing a two-day "Re-Brandiversary" party to celebrate everything new. The location is celebrating its second anniversary in this spot, but had to change its name when head brewer Luke Smith left earlier this year and took the name Coda with him. Ursula will have special tappings today and tomorrow, including some sour beers. There will also be a live DJ and bands.

Platt Park Brewing will celebrate its second anniversary today and tomorrow with live music, bottle releases and many new beers. Check the brewery's Facebook page for further details.

Cerebral Brewing will tap a new beer, called Firstling, today at noon. The brewery says it is "our first (of many) ventures into the world of mixed-fermentation. Brewed in honor of our Head Brewer's first-born daughter, Firstling spent six weeks in stainless with our house Saison strain and two Brettanomyces strains. It was then dry-hopped with eight pounds, 2.5 ounces of Ella." Burgerchief will be outside.

Jake's Brew Bar in Littleton will celebrate its fourth anniversary today and tomorrow with live music, special beer tappings and a Saturday block party in the alley, with Rolling Smoke BBQ hosting a pig roast. Featuring special tappings and a tap list fit for a king. 

Saturday, June 4
Banded Oak Brewing, at 470 Broadway, will open its doors for the first time today at noon. The brewery, founded by Chris Kirk and Will Curtin, will serve three beers — an imperial rye saison, a Scotch ale and a lower-ABV, “patio-minded” Vienna lager — but there are more in the fermenters that will be ready in a week or two. Banded Oak hopes to eventually focus on beers aged in wine barrels.

Summer is here (almost), which means it's time for the return of Ratio Beerworks' New Wave Strawberry Berliner Weisse, a tart, kettle-soured seasonal "brewed with patio sessions in mind," the brewery says, adding, "This bright pink Berliner Weisse is light, tart, effervescent, and clean on the finish. Strawberries are the dominant flavor profile, as each batch is fermented on over 300 pounds of real strawberries." The brewery opens at noon and will celebrate into the evening with an '80s Dance Party beginning at 7 p.m. There will be an '80s cover band, coincidentally named New Wave.

Oskar Blues will host its signature event, Burning Can Beer Fest, today in Bohn Park in Lyons starting at 10 a.m. There will be beer from fifty "can-centric" breweries around the country, a beer relay, and live music from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, the Big Thompson Flood and Na'an Stop. There will also be demos from world-class kayakers, slackliners and dirt-bike riders in town for the Lyons Outdoor Games. For tickets, ticket prices and much more info, go to evenbrite.com.

SOLD OUT: Casey Brewing and Blending in Glenwood Springs will host its latest monthly release today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. And although tickets for bottles to go have sold out, you do not need a ticket to show up and try some of the beers in eight-ounce pours. For details, go to Casey's Facebook page.

Sunday, June 5
Ursula Brewery in Aurora will host a bomber-bottle release party today starting at 11 a.m. Ursula will sell bottles of Gram Imperial Stout 2015, aged ten months in Breckenridge Bourbon barrels; Gram Imperial Stout 2016; Olde Royale, an old ale aged in Crown Royal barrels for ten months; and Smores Baltic Porter. Buy all four bottles and get a free Ursula T-shirt while supplies last. Breakfast burritos will be on sale.

Odd13 Brewing in Lafayette will release Double Dry Hopped Codename: Superfan today at 1 p.m. in cans. The beer is a variant on the brewery's popular hazy, New England-style IPA, Codename Superfan. The beer will only be available in the tap room, and it will go fast. Customers are limited to one case each, but will get a free glass with that purchase. 

Saturday, June 11
Great Divide Brewing will celebrate its 22nd anniversary today from 2 to 6 p.m. with the traditional giant bash at its new production facility located on Brighton Boulevard in RiNo. There will be live music from Chimney Choir, Strange Americans and Zach Heckendorf, as well as food trucks, outdoor games, Yeti floats and unlimited samples of the Great Divide lineup, including year-round, seasonal, special releases and small-batch beers. There will also be a "Brewed Food Experience option for guests" this year, which includes a paired tasting session at 1 p.m. with chef Jensen Cummings. Great Divide will also tap its 22nd Anniversary Dark American Sour for the first time. Other beers available will include: Barrel Aged Old Ruffian, Barrel Aged Hibernation, Pink Boots Gose, Pilot Maibock, Experimental Double IPA, Port Barrel Aged Old Ruffian, Red Wine Barrel Aged Yeti, and many many more. General-admission tickets are $40, while the Brewed Food Experience tickets are $70. Buy them on Great Divide's website.

Saturday, June 18
SOLD OUT: Avery Brewing will host its sixth annual SourFest today from noon to 5 p.m. featuring more than eighty different sour and wild ales. Tickets were $80 and sold out in minutes in May.

Sunday, June 19
WeldWerks Brewing in Greeley will release the very last of its Medianoche bourbon-barrel-aged imperial stout variants for 2016 today, starting at noon. The brewery will sell Coconut and Vanilla Medianoche in 375 ml bottles. "In our humble opinion, these will be the best variants released to date thanks to the extended aging in barrels (over 12 months now) and the higher usage rates and longer contact time with adjuncts," the brewery says. There will be a small amount on tap. Bottle sales will be limited. Weldwerks says its 2017 Medianoche "is already happily aging in bourbon barrels."