Beer Calendar: Colorado Craft Beer Week Continues at Denver Beer Co, Freshcraft, More

Denver will recognize Declaration Brewing today as the first brewery in the city to be certified as "sustainably" green; the designation means it complied with a specific set of environmentally-friendly practices, like donating spent grain to farmers to be re-purposed into animal feed, instituting a heat-recovery process on boilers to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and packaging its beer product only in kegs and cans instead of bottles. "As the first brewery to be certified, Declaration Brewing has been instrumental in setting the criteria for green breweries," the city said in a statement announcing the certification,  adding that there are 149 businesses in Denver  that have been certified. City Council member Chris Nevitt will be on hand at Declaration, which just opened in February, from 3 to 5 p.m. today to celebrate the brewer's status.

Wednesday, March 25
Freshcraft will throw a tapping party to celebrate the release of River North Brewery's new canned beer, River North FarmHouse, a 4.6 percent ABV Belgian-style ale. There will be several other River North beers on hand, as well as brewery representatives.

Crooked Stave will release another new beer, Serenata Notturna, today in its taproom at The Source. The beer, which at 12 percent ABV is unusually strong for Crooked Stave, is a "take on a Belgian Strong Golden Ale, primary fermented with Crooked Stave’s mixed culture of wild yeast and bacteria in previously used Sherry casks," according to the brewery. 

Upslope Brewing in Boulder will bring back its limited-release Belgian Style Pale Ale to bars and liquor stores this week. But first, the brewery will kick things off with a Colorado Craft Beer Week party at its original Lee Hill taproom at which it will tap fruited versions of the beer, including blackberry and raspberry. The party runs from 5 to 9 p.m. today; the Heirloom food truck will be on hand.

Copper Kettle Brewing continues its month of special Wednesday tappings of various versions of Help Me Out Stout at 3 p.m. today with a cask of Protestant Irish Whiskey Keltic Stout. 5280 Sliders will be there at 5 p.m.

As part of a week's worth of marketing activities, Washington State's Ninkasi Brewing, which only recently began distribution in Denver, will take over the taps at Spruce Tap House today at 5 p.m. Ninkas will be pouring Vanilla Oatis, This is Why I'm Hop, Tripel, Total Domination and Dawn of the Red.

A part of Colorado Craft Beer Week, Fuss-Off may be a hipster's dream come true. The event, featuring an unknown lists of craft beers and guys with mustaches and beards will take place at secret location from 6 to 9 p.m. Only those with tickets will know where — and even they will only find out by e-mail today. You can get in the know and enjoy some great beers for $50 by clicking here. 

Thursday, March 26
The New Kids on the Block craft-beer party returns to The Lobby today as part of Colorado Craft Beer Week. The fest celebrates local breweries that are less than two years old; there are at least twenty participating. Guests are encouraged to dress in their finest '80s duds. The all-you-can-drink event includes unlimited beer tastings, '80s jams and a costume contest. Tickets are $30 for general admission (7:30 p.m.) and $45 for VIP (6 p.m. admission), which includes a three-course dinner.

Denver Beer Co will debut its Cocoa Cream Graham Cracker Porter today at 4 p.m. by releasing a limited number of 22-ounce bomber bottles of the beer at the brewery's original Platte Street location. It will also be served on tap. To make it, the brewery started with an imperial version of its award-winning Graham Cracker Porter and then aged it in American oak barrels with vanilla and cacao nibs. "This is a bold, yet deliciously approachable beer," the brewery says, "kind of like creating a triple decker stack of s’mores and then dunking the whole thing in a milkshake." There will also be a special chocolate pairing during the event.

Friday, March 27
Falling Rock Taphouse will host its own Sour Fest today at 5:30 p.m. as a way to wrap up Colorado Craft Beer Week. Firestone Walker has confirmed a special sour for the evening. The rest is TBA.

Dry Dock Brewing will host a Colorado Beer Book Showcase from 4 to 7 p.m. today in the Canoe Room at its North Dock location. Meet the authors of three Colorado beer titles: Colorado Breweries, by Dan Rabin; Colorado's Top Brewers, by Emily Hutto; and Mountain Brew, by Ed Sealover. Guests can purchase books and get them signed at this event.

It's rare beer night at Freshcraft, which will welcome Longmont's two biggest breweries, Left Hand and Oskar Blues at 7 p.m. Beers on tap include Left Hand Smoke Jumper, Left Hand Oak Wake Up Dead, Left Hand Milk Stout, Oskar Blues Bolivia Newton John (Coffee Stout), Oskar Blues Don’t Beer the Reaper (Multigrain Harvest Ale, Oskar Blues Tickled Pink (saison w/ raspberries).

Saturday, March 28
Featuring beers brewed with rye malt, today's first Rye the Hell Not Rye Fest involves ten local breweries and benefits the MaxFund No-Kill Animal Shelter and Adoption Center. Participating breweries include The Brew on Broadway (The BoB), Chain Reaction Brewing Company, Baere Brewing Company, Renegade Brewing Company, Black Sky Brewery, Strange Craft Beer Company, Wit's End Brewing Company, FERMÆNTRA, Brewery Rickoli Ltd. and CAUTION: Brewing. Rye the Hell Not takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. at Black Sky Brewing; tickets, $35, are available at participating breweries.

Hops & Pie will host an insane Sour & Wild Fest today, beginning at noon today. The beer list includes Cantillon Cuvee Saint-Gilloise, Cascade Blackcap Raspberry, Crooked Stave Progenitor, Epic Brewing Elder Brett, New Holland Blue Sunday Sour, Crooked Stave Flor d'Lees, Siren/Prairie Ratchet, Brasserie De Blaugies/Hill Farmstead La Vermontoise, Almanac Farmer's Reserve Blueberry, Evil Twin/Intangible Ales Sour Bikini, Crooked Stave Origins. Sante Fe Brewing Kriek, Lost Abbey Cuvee De Tommme, Crooked Stave Nightmare on Brett, Russian River Consecration, Mikkeller SpontanRosehip, Firestone Walker Bretta Weisse. No tickets are necessary. There will be flights and single pours available.

The Mile High chapter of the Brewery Collectibles Club of America is hosting a showcase today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dry Dock Brewing's original South Dock location in Aurora. "Guests can bring in their vintage beer items for appraisals, buy and sell, and browse through the club's collection of classic beer cans and brewery swag."

The third annual Hops + Handrails Beer Fest & Rail Jam, hosted by Left Hand Brewing in Longmont's Roosevelt Park, returns today from noon to 5 p.m., featuring beers from fifty different craft breweries and a totally sick forty-foot snowboard ramp where local pros will test their mettle in a competition, doing flips and tricks. The event also includes live music, local food and a kids' park. Tickets are $30 for the beer fest and Rail Jam, and $10 for just the Jam. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.; the beer fest runs from noon to 4:45; the rail jam goes from 1:45 to 5 p.m.; and the awards ceremony is at 5 p.m.

Wednesday, April 1
As Great Divide preps for its new warehouse and packaging line in River North, it has been organizing and cleaning out its current cellar - and everything must go! This year's version of the brewery's well-regarded barleywine, Old Ruffian, just hit shelves (and a barrel-aged version may also be out soon), but Great Divide will sell off seventy cases ($60 per case, limit of two per person) today of its 2012 Old Ruffian. This one-time case sale starts at 4 p.m., and you can buy a ticket in the taproom — "then head over to the tank farm to retrieve your glorious prize," the brewery says.

Crooked Stave will release Petite Sour Raspberry, a 5.5 pecent ABV mixed-fermentation ale aged in oak foeders with raspberries, today in its taproom at the Source. "Petite Sour Raspberry is the second in a string of Petite Sours the brewery will be releasing this spring. Each Petite Sour features a different fruit to both celebrate the season and exhibit subtleties in flavor that comes from the interaction between the wild yeast Brettanomyces and a singular fruit," the brewery says. "As Crooked Stave continues to grow, our focus is on making sour beers more accessible and at a price point that will motivate a larger group of people to try these beers. Petite Sour Raspberry, and all Petite Sours, will be priced at $8 per bottle.

Thursday, April 2
Regis University Applied Craft Brewing students brewed a roasted coconut and vanilla porter at Factotum Brewhouse that will be released today. Stop by Factotum from 6 to 8 p.m.  for the official tapping "and to meet, and talk with, lead brewer, Brann Greager and fellow brewing students about their beer and experience brewing," Factorum says. 5280 Sliders will be on hand as well.

Saturday, April 4
SOLD OUT: The 13th annual Boulder Strong Ale Fest takes place today at Avery Brewing, featuring "beers of brawn" from around the country — those that are 8 percent ABV or higher "and represent something very special from the heart and soul of its creator," according to Avery, which will hold the event at its newly opened location in north Boulder.

Wednesday, April 8
Crooked Stave will release a new batch of Vieille Artisanal Saison today at its taproom in the Source. This is the second batch of Vieille released this year. "The brewery has moved production of its core brands – Vieille Artisanal Saison, Surette Provision Saison, and St. Bretta Citrus Wildbier – to a quarterly basis, with a new batch of each beer coming out every quarter," the brewery says. "Lightly dry hopped with Motueka, the April 2015 batch of Vieille exhibits zesty citrus aromas and a refreshing tartness at the finish."

Copper Kettle is celebrating Hoppy Easter month with a series of Wednesday firkins. Today's is Headless Bunny, an intense chocolate Irish Stout. 5280 Sliders will be selling burgers.

Wednesday, April 15
Crooked Stave will release Petite Sour Boysenberry at its taproom today. "Another of the ever growing Petite Sour series, Boysenberry was primary fermented in oak with the brewery’s mixed culture of wild yeast and bacteria, and was dosed with the equivalent of over a pound of fruit, leaving a beer with a deep violet color and vibrant boysenberry characteristics," the brewery says.

Copper Kettle is celebrating Hoppy Easter month with a series of Wednesday firkins. Today's is an English Strong Ale version of Sombremesa with a higher ABV and cherry flavors. Gusto's Kitchen will be serving food.

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