Beer Calendar: Terpenes, a Secret Stash and TRVE's Weedian IPA

After a years-long wait, the light rail G Line is finally scheduled to open on Friday, April 26. When it does, the new train will take passengers between Denver Union Station and Ward Road in Wheat Ridge. The good news for beer drinkers is that it's another way to get to some of their favorite breweries.

The first stop after Union Station is the 41st and Fox Station, which is just five blocks from Factotum Brewhouse and six blocks from Diebolt. It's also close to Denver Beer Co.'s Canworks production facility (which may reopen its small taproom some time this year). To celebrate, Factotum will offer a buy-one-get-one beer for anyone who shows their RTD ticket/pass or takes a selfie at the 41st and Fox Station.

In addition, the Crafty Fox, a pizza restaurant known for its extensive craft-beer menu, will host a free barbecue from 4 to 7 p.m. in celebration of the G-Line opening.

Farther west, the G Line also stops in Olde Town Arvada, just blocks from New Image Brewing and from Denver Beer Co.'s Arvada taproom. That means DBC fans may be able to make a light-rail circuit to all three locations (Union Station is a half-mile walk to the brewery's original taproom).

To honor the arrival of the train, DBC's Arvada spot is tapping a new beer called Ain't Nothing But a G-Train; there will also be live music from the Bad Bunnies from 2 to 5 p.m.

Keep reading for all of this week's craft-beer events.

Wednesday, April 17
Call to Arms Brewing taps Whiny the Millennial, an experimental beer-sake hybrid infused with one hundred pounds of organic Oregon raspberries. Brewed with 44 percent flaked rice and fermented with traditional sake yeast, it is "super dry and highly crushable at 4.8 percent ABV," the brewery says. "Delightfully effervescent and refreshing," the beer "boasts a rosy hue and offers a pleasant tartness from the abundance of raspberries."

Station 26 Brewing will tap a unique, limited version of its Juicy Banger IPA, brewed with a different yeast profile "in the interest of experimentation in fermentation," at 4 p.m. Everything about the beer recipe is the same as the original except for different yeasts; Brettanomyces Claussenii and fruit Saccharomyces were added to "bring forth new and potentially unexpected flavor and aroma to create a one-time, special version" of the brewery's flagship IPA, Station 26 says. The team from Good Bugs Fermentation Project will be on hand to present a uniquely crafted food pairing with each pour of the Good Bugs version of Juicy Banger IPA, and to discuss the wonders of fermentation experimentation.

Thursday, April 18
In its early days, Station 26 Brewing "loved digging into the spirit of small-batch experimentation, as any new brewery does," by tapping conditioned firkins on a weekly basis for fun, the brewery says. But its "ability to produce those firkins started to slip as we grew with more tanks, packaged beer, people and an omnipotent desire to be putting what the people want in front of them on a larger scale." Now, Station 26 is bringing back the spirit of the early days with its new Third Thursday Firkin Series, a monthly event celebrating small-batch, uniquely conditioned firkins. First up is Galaxy dry-hopped Juicy Banger IPA, which taps at 5 p.m.

The Craft Brewers Conference may have left town, but that doesn't mean there's no beer left. Hops & Pie squirreled away some good stuff from out of state, including beers from Trillium Brewing and Bissell Brothers, which it will tap at 11:30 a.m. Beers include Trillium's The Streets, Citra Cutting Tiles, Vicinity and Galaxy Fort Point; and Bissell's Swish, Substance and Industry vs. Inferiority.

Comrade Brewing taps Brutal Honesty Brut IPA at noon. Brewed with Root Shoot Genie Pale malt grown and malted in Loveland, this 6.1 percent ABV beer was hopped with Azacca and El Dorado.

Friday, April 19
Westfax Brewing debuts Spirit Animal Hazy IPA in canned four-packs at 2 p.m. This "tropical, fruity, juicy" hazy IPA was brewed with Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin and Kohatu hops, the brewery says.The cans feature original artwork by Colorado artist Dolan Geiman. The 6 percent ABV beer will also be on tap.

"Inherited Oak: Balaton Cherry was a massive hit before, so we're even more excited to announce the release of the next in the series: Inherited Oak: Blueberry & Maple." So says 4 Noses Brewing in Broomfield, which will have the beer available to go in 500ml bottles starting at noon. Inherited Oak is a series of barrel-aged golden sours that have been matured for multiple years in red wine barrels and then re-fermented on various fruits. This variation features "the juicy, tart puree of natural blueberries and the delightful sweetness of maple syrup sourced from Vermont." There will also be bottles of Inherited Oak: Balaton Cherry available.

Saturday, April 20
The crew at Station 26 Brewing has been experimenting with terpenes in beer, and the brewers are ready to release three different variations in Crowlers and on draft. Although they are commonly associated with cannabis, terpenes are "organic compounds and the primary constituents of the essential oils of many types of plants and flowers. Those essential oils are the driving factor behind the fragrance and flavor of plants — including both hops and cannabis," the brewery explains. "By adding additional terpenes (that are naturally present in hops) to beer, we can enhance individual characteristics of hop aroma and flavor." For the three beers, Station 26 used three different extracts in three of its core beers. The first is Humulene, which "combines earthy notes of cedar and sandalwood with the nutty character of our flagship amber, American Copper." The second is Limonene, which "enhances the citrus fruit character of our flagship IPA, Juicy Banger," and the third is Geraniol, which was added to 303 Lager in order to add "a potent floral aroma to the delicate hop character." There will be a limited number of Crowler three-packs (containing one of each) available at 11 a.m. Station 26 will also be "sharing information via special menu on the ideal cannabis strains to pair with these beers, if you're into that."

Today is 4/20, which means it's time for a hit of TRVE Brewing Nazareth, a sticky, 8.5 percent double IPA, or "Weedian India Pale Ale," as the brewery calls it. This year, for the first time, TRVE has canned the beer (its first canned IPA as well) and will sll a very limited number of cases starting at noon. The beer is double-dry-hopped with Citra, Mosaic and El Dorado.

Freshcraft is dipping into its secret stash at 1 p.m. and tapping at least fifteen amazing beers that the beer-centered restaurant reserved before the Craft Brewers Conference last week. Breweries include Beachwood, Collective Arts, Commonwealth Brewing, Creature Comforts, Fair State Brewing Cooperative, Fort George Brewery, Half Acre Beer Company, Jester King, Lawson's Finest Liquids, Modern Times Beer, Old Nation Brewing, Russian River Brewing, Scratch Brewing, Societe Brewing and Tin Roof Brewing Company.

Westbound & Down Brewing will host a new release at the Cultural Center, its shared beer-aging space, at 6381 Beach Street, Suite A, in Denver. This time around, the brewery is sharing Louie, its English-style barleywine aged in port-finished rye whiskey barrels for nine months. "As regal as his namesake, expect malty richness, notes of creme brûlée and nutty toffee with soft residual spice from the rye whiskey barrels," the brewery says. Doors open at 11 a.m., and the beer will be available in 750ml bottles and on draft. In addition, Westbound & Down will have Single Barrel Sauternes Louie and Double Barrel Louie on draft.

River North Brewery and Good Sugar Baking are teaming up for an Easter stroopwafel and beer pairing starting at noon. For $16, you get four Easter-themed versions of these caramel waffle delights paired with a taster. Examples include marshmallow chicks stroopwafel paired with River North White, and hazelnut spread stroopwafel paired with Soirée Raspberry Sour. With the level of interest we've seen, these will sell out," the brewery warns, so get there fast.

Odd13 Brewing in Lafayette is excited to announce the release of the Colorado Kid project, "a locally sourced, locally produced and locally consumed Hazy IPA." The brewery will begin by testing a few batches in the taproom with the goal of canning the beer and making it available only in Colorado in 2020. The project is a collaboration with Troubadour Maltings in Fort Collins. The yeast will be sourced from the Brewing Science Institute in Woodland Park, and some of the hops will be sourced from Billy Goat Hop Farm in Montrose.

Oskar Blues Brewing brings back JAHvanilla Barrel-Aged Ten Fidy Imperial Stout to its taprooms in Longmont and Boulder in honor of 4/20. There will be live music, 4/20 festivities and no limits on purchases of JAHvanilla 19.2-ounce stovepipe cans (available only in taprooms). "For the first time ever, JAHvanilla was made using a blend of bourbon barrel-aged Ten FIDY and double bourbon-barrel-aged Ten FIDY," Oskar Blues says. "The burly blend got rolled up in a barrel with Hotbox Roasters' cold brew coffee and Madagascar vanilla beans, then aged to rich, espresso-flavored perfection at 14.3 percent ABV." The brewery will also have a few other FIDY variants on tap, including Double Barrel-Aged Bourbon Ten FIDY, Double Barrel-Aged Rum/Bourbon Ten FIDY, and Double Barrel-Aged Port/Bourbon Ten FIDY.

Wednesday, April 24
Rockyard Brewing in Castle Rock is throwing a twentieth-anniversary bash from 5 to 9 p.m., and since the brewpub opened in 1999, it's going to party like it's the ’90s (so come dressed to impress; there will be prizes). The brewery will be offering tours of the brewhouse, serving cake and tapping its 20th Anniversary brew, DINO-MITE. "Loads of Citra hops start this beer off with a heavy punch of citrus and tropical fruit aromas, with lemon and lime peel helping to round out the puckering-tart finish," the brewery says. There will also be cupcakes from Three Birds Bakery and a chance to meet artist Drew Button, who designed the brewery's can art.

Friday, April 26
Raise a glass with Copper Kettle Brewing as it celebrates its eighth anniversary with a three-day party full of special releases, fun events and live music. Tonight, the brewery will release two different fruited sours. There will also be two food trucks outside. Some of the main attractions for the rest of the weekend include a staff-brewed beer showdown, more music and food trucks, on-site screen printing and a $5 bus that takes you between Copper Kettle and Comrade Brewing, which are both celebrating anniversaries this weekend.

Boulder's Avery Brewing, which is now owned by Mahou San Miguel, will release the 52nd in its acclaimed Barrel-Aged Series. Double Barreled Maple Stout is an imperial stout that was aged in bourbon and maple barrels and then blended with cinnamon, coffee and extra maple syrup. It will be available at 11:30 a.m. on tap and in Avery's signature gold-foil bottles.

Two new small-batch cans hit the tap room at 4 Noses Brewing in Broomfield at 3 p.m. — one old school beer and one new school beer. The old school beer is Zwicky P, "an ultra fluffy, thirst-quenching 5 percent ABV pilsner-style lager with flavor characteristics reminiscent of honey and white grape," the brewery says. Zwickle "refers to the German process of serving bier young, unfiltered, unpasteurized and with a pronounced yeast profile often lost during the multiple-month cold maturation process characteristic for modern lagers. Like brewers sampling directly from the fermenter, Zwicky P is meant to be consumed by the litre." The second beer is Blueberry Velvet, the latest if 4 Noses's lush velvet series of New England-style milkshake IPAs. Brewed with lactose, vanilla beans, and blueberries, the beer is creamy and smooth.

Saturday, April 27
Comrade Brewing toasts its fifth year in business with special beer releases, food trucks and limited-edition glassware. Favorites like Grapefruit Superpower and barrel-aged Quit Stalin will be on the tap list, along with many others. Doors open at 11 a.m.

Join Goed Zuur to celebrate its second anniversary. The Five Points restaurant and beer bar — which serves only sour and wild ales — is tapping rare beers, offering food specials ((including return of some GZ kitchen favorites) and hosting giveaways of merch, glasses and more. The party runs from noon to midnight.

Rye Fest, a small and unusual beer event celebrating beers made with rye, takes a turn at Chain Reaction Brewing this year, from noon to 4 p.m. Tickets are $40 and include unlimited tasters of all the different rye beers and a limited-edition glass. Participating breweries include Chain Reaction, Strange Craft, Black Sky, Brew on Broadway, Barnett & Son Brewing, Brewery Rickoli, Wit's End, Peak to Peak Tap & Brew, Dead Hippie Brewing, Boggy Draw Brewery, 105 West Brewing and 38 State Brewing. Uncle Tapas will be there slinging food. Proceeds go to the Rebels Project, which supports survivors of mass tragedy and trauma "by creating a safe environment to share unique resources, experiences, and provide education."

Join Mockery Brewing at noon for its fourth annual Reinheitsgewhat?! Party in celebration of the 503rd anniversary of the polarizing German beer-purity law that only allows for barley, hops, water and yeast. "It's going to be a grand day of mocking and rocking the law with new and limited beer releases (all of which break the law), live music by the Polkanauts, and a German food menu from Boar and Castle.

Long Table Brewhouse, located in the Park Hill neighborhood, will celebrate its first anniversary by closing down Fairfax Street for a block party starting at noon. There will be live music, food from Farm to Truck and Moontime Crepes, and lots of beer.

In the old days in the Czech Republic, "communities would build straw witches and burn them in massive bonfires to kiss winter and bad spirits goodbye," all while drinking beer and eating sausage, says Seedstock Brewing, which is hosting its own Walpurgis Night in honor of spring. There will be fire pits in the parking lot, complimentary sausages (to cook over the pits) with a donation to a mental health nonprofit, live music and the release of the brewery's Czech-style Polotmavy half-dark lager.

Parry’s Pizzeria & Bar brings back its Big Ass Avery Tap Takeover to its various locations, offering more than forty beers — some of them rare, vintage, discontinued and limited — from Boulder's Avery Brewing. To take things up a notch for the eighth iteration of this tap takeover, Avery and Parry's collaborated on a sour blend. Examples of some of the beers you'll find include: the Northglenn location has three years of Tweak (2016-18), Raspberry Truffale, Dui Cochi, and Double Dry Hopped Maharaja IPA; the Highlands Ranch location has  Fimbulvvinter, Samaels Oak-Aged Ale 2016, Plank’d and Flavus Cattus; and the Southglenn location has Sandy Claws, Twenty Five, Double Dry Hopped Maharaja IPA, and Amicitia. Adam Avery will be making the rounds at all participating Parry's locations. Find more details on the Big Ass web site.

Sunday, April 28
The third annual Belgian Brew Fest in the garden next to Bruz Beers starts at 1 p.m and includes twelve breweries pouring Belgian-style beers. There will also be food trucks, live music and more. The breweries include Briar Common, Bruz, Duvel, Elevation, Goldspot, Intrepid Sojourner, Liberati, Ommegang, Paradox, Periodic, River North and Thirsty Monk. Tickets are $48.