Beer Calendar: Cold Winds Are Blowing Pumpkin Beers and Barrel-Aged Brews

Dave Olson, who joined Ursula Brewery in Aurora five years ago as a volunteer keg washer before rising through the ranks to become head brewer, will head west along the I-70 corridor to join Bruz Beers. There, he will work with brewmaster Charlie Gottenkieny making the brewery's Belgian-style beers.

"In his first year as a full-time brewer, his recipes achieved a silver medal at the GABF followed by several Colorado State Fair medals," Bruz says. After that, "Dave gathered several more accolades and medals."

Olson will take the lead brewer spot vacated by Jake Littleton, who will also move west along the I-70 corridor to take the job of Beer Baron and Yeast Wrangler at Odyssey Beerwerks in Arvada.

Keep reading for craft-beer events into mid-November.
Wednesday October 23
Comrade Brewing will tap Koffee Kream Extra at noon. The beer is the brewery's milk stout, but made with the addition of a custom-roasted coffee from Kaladi Bros. The beer pours pitch black, "but don’t let that fool you, this beer has a massive coffee aroma yet is full-bodied and sweet," Comrade says.

Black Shirt Brewing taps Viewmaster, its "double-fruited" Berliner Weisse made with both cherry and lychee. The 4.5 percent ABV German-style wheat beer is available on draft and in Crowlers to go.

The four breweries that participate in the Traveling One Barrel Wednesdays program will all tap Pumpkin Stout at 3 p.m. "Rich, smoky and spicy," the beer is full of pumpkin flavors, the group says. The stout will be available at Black Sky Brewery (where it was made), Strange Craft, Chain Reaction Brewing and Dead Hippie Brewing.

Thursday, October 24
Great Divide Brewing will tap Sour Cherry Belgian Quad at both tap rooms as part of its weekly New Year, New Beers program. "This mostly traditional Belgian Quad had a healthy serving of tart cherry puree added post-fermentation but prior to aging in both whiskey and red wine barrels," the brewery says. In addition, the Arapahoe Street location will host a Mini-Pie-and-Beer Pairing at 6 p.m. It includes four tiny pies from Good Sugar Baking and four beer tasters for $16. A percentage of every sale goes to Our Front Porch.

Friday, October 25
Nobody’s Darlin' Barrel Aged Whiskey Ale returns to the Ratio Beerworks tap room today at noon with its 2019 edition. The beer blends various barrel-aged versions of Reservoir Old Ale, Hold Steady Scotch Ale and for the first time, a touch of Novo Coffee, Ratio says.

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project presents Unicorns Hunting Whales, a tapping of a variety of beers from breweries distributed by Crooked Stave's distribution arm as well as beers from Outer Range Brewing. The other breweries include: Moksa, Pure Project, Narrow Gauge, Fremont Brewing, Fort George, Jester King, Lawson's Finest, Maine Beer Co, pFriem Beer Company and Chuckanut.

Black Shirt Brewing releases the latest beer in its bottle-conditioned program. Until We Meet Again, which is the third mixed-culture saison the brewery has released, incorporates wildflower honey. The other two variants, A Bright Hello (base) and Pleasure to Meet You (dry hopped with Mosaic), are available, as well.

Join Cerebral Brewing for the release of two new collaboration beers and one new IPA in cans. The first beer is Shorts Were a Bad Choice, an 8.3 percent ABV double IPA that Cerebral made with L.A.'s Mumford Brewing; it contains Citra, CTZ and Mosaic hops. The second beer, brewed with Mosaic, Vic Secret and Sabro hops, is Malicious Intent, a 7.3 percent ABV IPA created with Resident Culture Brewing. The final beer, User Error, was brewed after brewery owner Sean Buchan realized he'd run out of Citra hops to make Cerebral's tap room standard, Strange Claw, so he had to brew something else instead. It has Mosaic, Motuek and Vic Secret hops.

How can a brewery stand out "in the ever-crowded, and still growing, craft beer marketplace in Colorado?" That's just one of the questions that Spice Trade Brewing head brewer Jeff Tyler will delve into during a discussion called "Brewing a Unique Brand in a Crowded Beer Market." The talk is part of Denver Design Week and will take place at the Space Annex, 95 South Cherokee Street, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tyler will also dig into the trademark issues that convinced the Yak & Yeti Brewpub to rebrand its beer line as Spice Trade. The presentation will cover business aspects "from developing a mission statement and new company name, to designing a bold new logo and eye-catching packaging noticeable in a sea of other brands. We’ll also discuss how to tailor products true to your brand and our plans to create a unique, in-person experience with our new flagship brewery and restaurant scheduled to open early 2020 in Greenwood Village," organizers say. There will also be a free tasting of Spice Trade beers during the event. Tickets are available for $10 on the event's Facebook page.

4 Noses Brewing in Broomfield will release its first-ever sixteen-ounce can, the choice receptacle of New England-style IPAs these days. The beer, Playtime Anytime, is indeed an NEIPA, brewed with Galaxy and Citra hops.

Saturday, October 26
Liberati Brewery & Restaurant, which makes beer-wine hybrids called "oenobeers," hosts a grape-stomping party in conjunction with the Modern Eater radio show. The inaugural Colorado Harvest Grape Stomp, taking place at the brewery from 5 to 8 p.m., is "a celebration of all things Colorado. Colorado grapes, Colorado wine, food sourced with Colorado ingredients, a brilliant Colorado chef and a Roman who loves to brew beer with grapes" will be on hand, the Modern Eater says. That Roman is Liberati owner and brewer Alex Liberati, who has been wanting to brew one of his oenobeers with Colorado grapes; to do it, he and the Modern Eater crew road-tripped to Carlson Vineyards in Palisade, where they made arrangements to have grapes sent back to Denver. They also recruited Bin 707 Foodbar in Grand Junction, which will be part of the event. The grapes are now ready, and you can participate in stomping them, and then enjoy five different bites from Bin 707, and a wine pairing from Carlson Vineyards and Liberati; meanwhile, the Modern Eater will be broadcasting live. Tickets are $40, or $70 per couple, on the Colorado Grape Harvest Stomp Facebook page.

Primitive Beer in Longmont has bottled its first carbonated beers and will host its first bottle-release party from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at its barrel house. Previously, the blendery had only packaged its beers — most of them uncarbonated — in boxed bags. There will be four blends available in 750ml bottles: Jazz Pilot, a blend of four puncheons; ShibbleShabble, a two-puncheon blend and winner of a 2019 GABF silver medal last month; And Now We Sparkle, a single puncheon blend; and So Last Season: Nectarine, a two-puncheon blend matured for nine months on whole Hotchkiss nectarines. The theme of the party is a "Werewolf Bar-Mitzvah (or the more inclusive Werepeople B’nai Mitzvah) and costumes are highly encouraged," Primitive says.

Hops & Pie hosts its annual Pumpkin Fest beer tapping starting at noon. There will be pumpkin beers from at least ten different breweries, including Two Roads Brewing, Copper Kettle Brewing, Strange Craft, Epic Brewing, Oakshire, 4 Noses Brewing, New Holland, Denver Beer Co. and Upslope.

Call to Arms Brewing hosts its annual Halloween Rumpus from 4 to 11 p.m., featuring special beer releases, hound (4 p.m.) and human (7 p.m.) costume contests, DJ-Rayrock from 6 to 9 p.m. and other mayhem.

River North Brewery taps Single Cask Mr. Sandman XO at 7 p.m. at the Washington Street tap room only. It will also be sold in bottles. "This barrel aged imperial stout was aged for twenty months in Breckenridge barrels, giving it a very distinct flavor that hits your nose before you even get close to tasting it," the brewery says.

Dry Dock Brewing hosts a pumpkin party at its original South Dock location to prepare for Halloween and celebrate fall. Expect a limited release of Half Moon Pumpkin Ale, along with pumpkins for sale and for decorating, and a showing of The Addams Family (original version) on the big screen.

Launch Pad Brewery in Aurora taps Pumpkin Espresso Soyuz Stout at noon. The beer is an imperial stout made with pumpkin spice and fresh espresso. It's available on tap and in 19.2-ounce cans.

Lone Tree Brewing is the location for the fourth annual South in Your Mouth Beer Festival, which runs from noon to 6 p.m. and is made up of beers from a dozen breweries in the south Denver area. "This year the breweries will be wearing their best toga attire, and guests are encouraged to join in," Lone Tree Brewing says. "Breweries will be pouring specialty beers that are not commonly available in their tasting rooms. Tickets are $10 and include a commemorative glass and two five-ounce pours. Because October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, a portion of the sales will be donated to Drink for Pink, a nonprofit that collaborates with local breweries to raise funds to support breast cancer research in Colorado. There will also be food from Hottie Rob’s Mobile Eats and Gyros King Food Truck, cool tunes, giveaways and more. Participating Breweries include 105 West Brewing Company, Blue Spruce Brewing Company, Boggy Draw Brewery, Coal Mine Ave Brewing Company, Dead Hippie Brewing, Halfpenny Brewing Company, Grist Brewing Company, Living the Dream Brewing, Locavore Beer Works, Lone Tree Company, Pikes Peak Brewing Company and Resolute Brewing Company.

Tuesday October 29
Liberati Restaurant & Brewery will host a four-course Italian dinner featuring an assortment of the best truffles of the season, in celebration of its first anniversary. This special menu was created by Liberati executive chef Marta Biasotti and includes dishes like Truffle Beef Tartare (grass-fed beef tartare topped with quail egg and microgreens, seasoned with truffles from Alba, Italy, and topped with Maldon salt flakes) and Fettuccine al Tartufo (homemade fettuccine pasta with Italian porcini mushrooms and fresh truffles flown in from Italy). Tickets are $110. Curated oenobeer and premium wine pairings will be available for $20 and $40 respectively. Find tickets and more information at eventbrite.com.

Wednesday, October 30
Cerveceria Colorado, an offshoot of Denver Beer Co. next door, hosts an early Día de Muertos celebration by tapping Cerveza de Muerto at 2 p.m. "Cempasuchil, also known as Marigold flowers, are the traditional flower used in ofrendas as part of the Day of the Dead tribute and celebration," the brewery explains. "Dried Marigold flowers are aged on a Mexican Lager to create a unique floral aroma and flavor for this special brew."

Woods Boss Brewing hosts Dark Woods Week starting today, "a dark and spooky tap takeover" featuring ten beers from the brewery's cellar (in addition to ten everyday beers). They are: Draw Knife Porter, Reviresco Scotch Ale, Baggage Car Baltic Porter, BBl Form and Function Belgian Quad, Paradisio Belgian Smoked Porter, Stadtler and Waldorf Belgian Dubbel, Funny She Doesn’t Look Druish Schwarzbierrt, Herbstwald Marzen, Trail God IIPA and Fifth Point Colorado IPA.

Thursday, October 31
Wiley Roots Brewing in Greeley will release — count 'em, five — new beers on site and to go during its annual Halloween Costume Contest from 5 to 8 p.m. The first is That John Denver is Full of Peanut Butter, a collaboration with Hailstorm Brewing; the 12.5 percent ABV beer is described as a "Rocky Road Imperial Stout" with peanuts, marshmallows, chocolate and milk sugar. Then there's Mallow Monstah Imperial Stout with Marshmallows and Cooky Monstah Imperial Stout with Chocolate Cookie Crumbles (both are 10.5 percent ABV). The fourth beer is Triple Berry County Fair Cobbler, which is described as a "Milkshake Sour IPA with Blueberry, Raspberry, and Blackberry purée, Graham Cracker, Cinnamon, Vanilla, and Milk Sugar dry hopped with Lemondrop and Mandarina Bavaria hops. And finally, there is Swatches Galaxy Blue, a New England-style IPA with Citra, El Dorado and Galaxy hops. As for the costume contest, it includes best individual, best couple and best group categories, with prizes for the winners.

Saturday, November 2
Dos Luces Brewing, which specializes in corn and maguey-based gluten-free beers inspired by Pre-Columbian traditions, celebrates Día de Muertos with a seasonal beer release and a variety of family-friendly activities and treats. The beer, Azteca Pulque, was inspired by Mexican hot chocolate drinks and was made with maguey sap, malted blue corn, cinnamon, cacao nibs, cocoa, chocolate, and a touch of cayenne pepper. There will also be live entertainment by Trevor Tomes, a food truck, candy and Día de Muertos sugar skull painting with "authentic" sugar skulls from Potter’s Touch (you must RSVP for a $30 sugar skull).

Mockery Brewing celebrates its fifth anniversary with a block party from noon to 10 p.m. on Delgany Street in front of the brewery. There will be twenty beers on tap, including some special releases; live music from Bud Bronson & The Good Timers, Timber, and Blow the Vault; free axe throwing with Axe Whooping from noon to 3 p.m.; cornhole; giant beer pong; live screen printing; food from High Society Pizza and a mini market.

Saturday, November 9
Grandma's House is throwing a Grand Ol’ 5th Anniversary Party from from noon to close by "showcasing some of our favorite events, beer, and people. Expect five exclusive beer releases, bingo (with a special anniversary twist), games, comedy, an optional grandma-themed costume contest, a groovy granny get-down dance party and more," the brewery says.

Left Hand Brewing brings back Nitro Fest, one of the wildest beer events in the state, from 5:30 (or 4 p.m. with VIP admission) to 10 p.m. at the Longmont brewery. The only fest in the country dedicated exclusively to nitro beers, it features selections from 35 acclaimed breweries from across the globe, But Nitro Fest is also an "out-of-this-world experience," the brewery says, as guests will be treated to music and national touring artists including fire dancers, aerialists and more. The theme is a Cosmic Masquerade, and costumes for this dark and swanky fete are highly recommended. Tickets are $65 for general admission or $115 for VIP and available on Left Hand's website. Proceeds benefit the Left Hand Foundation, which supports local charities.

Tuesday, November 12
Tivoli Brewing taps two special Veteran’s Day beers at 5 p.m. The first was put together by two Tivoli staffers who are/were also members of the military. Liquid Courage is a Colorado Common that was aged in Laws Rye Whiskey barrels, "yielding subtle fruity esters and roasty malt with a touch of heat to round it out," the brewery says. It is the brainchild of Chris Thibodeau, who served in the Air Force from 1986 to 2009 and recently graduated from Metro State's Beer Industry Program; and Kyle Warren, who has been a member of the Army National Guard since 2013 and is now enrolled in MSU's beer program. The second beer is Valkyrie Vision Braggot; a 10.8 percent ABV beer with "a rich, citrusy, and piney aroma that compliments the fruitiness of the yeast and the dry, floral character of the fermented honey." It was made by Tivoli brewer Todd Bellmyer and MSU Beer Program Professor Ethan Tsai to honor active and veteran military members. Tivoli will donate a portion of the sales of both beers to MSU's Veteran and Military Student Emergency Scholarship Fund.

Friday, November 15
Copper Kettle Brewing will release Snowed In Mocha at noon on draft and in 19.2-ounce cans. This is the brewery's bourbon-barrel-aged oatmeal porter with chocolate and coffee.

Platt Park Brewing will release cans of two new beers in sixteen-ounce four-packs: Lost Paradise Coconut Coffee Porter brewed with coffee from Kaladi Roasters; and Blackberry Berliner Weisse.