Turn the page to see all of this week's craft beer events.
Wednesday, November 26Strange Craft will tap Sweet Potato Green Chili (an American wheat beer) today at 3 p.m. and serve up actual Sweet Potato Green Chili, made by a friend of the brewery. Strange will also tap a winter seasonal, Gingerbread Man (which is a brown ale).
Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project will release Nightmare on Brett, a Dark Sour aged in Whiskey Barrels, in bottles at 6 p.m. today at its taproom at the Source. Bottles cost $12 each, and there is a twelve-bottle limit.
November is Happy Thanksgiving cask month at Copper Kettle Brewing. In honor of Turkey Day, today the brewery will release a firkin of Pecan Pie Brown Ale, a light-flavored, malt-accented brown with pecans and brown sugar.
Friday, November 28
Dry Dock Brewing will toast the release of its Vanilla Porter in six-packs with a party from noon to 6 p.m. today at the Canoe Room, the brewery's new tasting room at its North Dock production facility. Guests who purchase six-packs to go will receive free Vanilla Porter koozies. A classic English-style brown porter, the beer was created in 2006 by Dry Dock co-owner Kevin DeLange and is made with more than a quarter pound of Madagascar vanilla beans per barrel. Beginning in December, Vanilla Porter will be available in six-packs as well as 22-ounce bomber bottles.
Let go of the Walmart coupons and shine a little light on Black Friday by trying one, some or all eleven variations of Station 26 Brewing's 11 percent ABV Dark Star Imperial Stout. The brewery opens at 1 p.m., when it will tap Dark Star, Firkin Dark Star and Whiskey Coffee Dark Star. From there you'll find Belgian Chocolate Dark Star, German Chocolate Dark Star and Mexican Chocolate Dark Star at 2 p.m.; Thanksgiving Dark Star (cranberry, rosemary, thyme) and Raspberry Dark Star at 3 p.m.; Kopi Luwak Coffee Dark Star at 4 p.m.; and Gingerbread Dark Star and Rum Raisin Dark Star at 5 p.m.
Today Copper Kettle Brewing will debut the 2014 version of its Snowed In coffee stout in bomber bottles and on draft. Previously known as High Country Breakfast Stout, the beer is an Imperial oatmeal stout made with locally-roasted coffee from Pablo's Coffee and aged for months in High West Distillery bourbon barrels. Taste of Texas BBQ will be out front selling food.
Comrade Brewing is releasing its 10.5 percent ABV Russian Imperial Stout today. Brewed with Chinook, Sorachi Ace and a generous late addition of Centennial hops, aromas of "toffee and chocolate dominate," the brewery says. Oh, and Comrade is setting aside a few hundred gallons of the stout to be aged in whiskey barrels, which will be released in a few months.
Strange Craft will tap Big Malty Winter Brew at 3 p.m. today. The beer is a winter seasonal.
The Cheeky Monk on Colfax will offer a Black Friday Survival tasting paddle today with Scaldis Noel, St. Bernardus Winter, Bristol Brewing Winter Warlock and Brewery Ommegang Adoration.
Diebolt Brewing will tap Algerian Biere de Garde, Pieds Noir today at 4 p.m., as part of its Ex-Pat series. "Our Ex-Pat Series explores French colonialism past and present through indigenous ingredients. We choose a colonial entity, select interesting or unique ingredients from this area and incorporate them into French beer styles like Biere de Garde, Saison or Grisette," the brewery says. "Pieds Noir means Black Foot and refers to people of French and other European ancestry who lived in North Africa particularly Algeria. This Ex-Pat features a sweet Algerian curry, palm sugar and figs which give it the color of the Saharan sands, the heady, spiced aroma of an outdoor bazaar and the figgy flavor of the cradle of civilization."
Left Hand Brewing will be releasing a "Forgotten Wake Up Dead" keg today at 5 p.m. "Come early to make sure you have a chance to try this rare brew," the brewery says.
Turn the page to see more events later in November and December.> Wednesday, December 3
Crooked Stave is releasing bottles of Flor d'Lees, a golden sour aged in oak barrels, at 6 p.m. tonight in the taproom at the Source. Bottles are $12 each; limit of six.
Friday, December 5
The Terminal Bar at Union Station will debut a new German-style beer at 5 p.m.; Union Kolsch was made specifically for the Terminal Bar by Denver Beer Co, located across the tracks, to honor the city's pre-Prohibition, German beer-making heritage. The DBC's Charlie Berger and Joe Vostrejs of Larimer Associates (one of the Union Station partners) collaborated on the beer all summer; they tried out about six different variations before picking the one they liked best. At the party, there will be some limited-edition commemorative glassware available and beer specials.
Freshcraft honors Repeal Day at 7 p.m. by tapping Firestone Walker Mocha Merlin and Velvet Merkin; there will also be a Velvet Merlin Beer Cocktail.
Lost Highway Brewing will release a new winter ale, Liquid Pajamas, from 8 to 10 p.m. and celebrate by inviting everyone to wear their PJs for a Pajama Party. There will be "midnight snacks," games and beer. Liquid Pajamas, at 12.5 percent ABV, is brewed with wheat, rye, barley and eight pounds of powdered cocoa.
The first Boulder Beer Festivus, which was designed to celebrate the thirty craft breweries in Boulder, will take place today from 7 to 10 p.m. at Rembrandt Yard in Boulder. Hosted by Imbibe Events, Boulder Festivus is modeled after Denver Festivus, which was founded three years ago. So far, twelve Boulder breweries have signed on, but Imbibe says more will be joining the list. Tickets, $40, and the list of breweries are both available at boulderfestivus.com. A portion of proceeds benefits New Era Colorado Foundation.
As the number of breweries proliferated along the C-470 corridor in the southern Denver suburbs over the past year or two, eight of them decided to get together to create a recipe for a Weizenbock. Each brewery will now make their own version of the beer at their respective place of business and tap them on December 5. In addition, they designed a "beer passport," which can be picked up today (or later) as well. Patrons can get the passport stamped at each location when they order a Weizenbock. The first 180 people to be stamped at all eight will get a C-470 Collaboration beer mug. The eight participating breweries are Blue Spruce, 3 Freaks, Lone Tree, 38 State, Grist, Living the Dream, CB Potts-Broadway and Rock Bottom-Lone Tree.
Saturday, December 6
The Wynkoop Brewing Company is bringing back its annual Parade of Darks beer fest today, but this year the brewery is blowing it out by holding it off-site, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., at the Bindery on Blake. The fifth annual holiday tradition will showcase more than sixty beers "in the amber to opaque categories," from more than 25 breweries. Tickets are $35 and include a commemorative glass for unlimited sampling. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the event and an accompanying silent auction will benefit Metro CareRing, a hunger-relief organization. Participating breweries include Avery, Crazy Mountain, Elevation, Epic, Great Divide, Grimm Borthers, Odell, Odyssey, River North, Squatters & Wasatch, Strange, Tivoli, Twisted Pine, Verboten and Wynkoop.
Tuesday, December 9
Bull & Bush Brewery will make merry at its annual Christmas Beer Tasting tonight from 6 to 10 p.m. It's featuring over 150 special holiday beers, winter seasonals and vintage beers in what is probably the largest holiday beer-tasting around. Tickets available online at bullandbush.com.
Wednesday, December 10
Barley's Angels, a craft beer club for Colorado women, collaborated with four different professional brewers over the past few weeks to create some beers that will be served in brewery taprooms over the holidays. The second release party is today at 7 p.m. at Kokopelli Brewing in Westminster, which will pour a Chocolate Cranberry Stout. There will also be chocolate pairings on hand from the Chocolate Therapist.
Friday, December 12
Station 26 will host its First Birthday Blowout all weekend, beginning today at 1 p.m. with the release of Colorado Cottonwood Smoked Imperial Porter, which was brewed with 100 percent Colorado ingredients. On Saturday at 1 p.m., Station 26 will sell a limited number of bottles of the brew, First Birthday Beer; it's Station 26's first-ever bottle release. There will also be live music on Friday and Saturday nights, along with a Bluegrass Brunch on Sunday. There will be food trucks all weekend long. (Note: this is a 21-plus weekend.)
Our Mutual Friend Malt & Brew will celebrate its second anniversary today from 2 p.m. to midnight with food from Texorado, live music and DJs, and beer, of course. The brewery will do a bottle release of its American Wild Ale collaboration with the nearby Populist restaurant. About 200 corked and caged bottles will be for sale. OMF will also serve the beer on tap in addition to Chocolate Oak Aged Brown ale, a collaboration with Ritual Chocolate; Belgian Strong Golden Ale, a collaboration with Baere Brewing; Barreled & Bretted Chinook Red Ale; Barleywine; All Colorado Malt & Hop Pale Ale; All Colorado Malt & Hop Chinook Red Ale; Farmhouse Ale; Brown Ale; Novo Coffee Stout; Proletariat and IPA. There will be shirt and beer giveaways and other cool stuff.
The first Fort Collins Beer Festivus, which was designed to celebrate the twenty-plus craft breweries in Fort Collins, will take place today from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at YendraBuilt, 1304 Duff Drive, in Fort Collins. Hosted by Imbibe Events, Fort Collins Festivus is modeled after Denver Festivus, which was founded three years ago. So far, eight Fort Collins breweries have signed on, but Imbibe says more will be joining the list. Tickets, $40, and the list of breweries are both available at focofestivus.com. A portion of proceeds benefits New Era Colorado Foundation.
Saturday, December 13
SOLD OUT: The third annual Denver-only Beer Festivus, put on by Imbibe and Denver Off The Wagon, runs from 3 to 6:30 p.m. today at the McNichols Building. Founded three years ago as a way to feature as many of Denver's breweries as possible under one roof, there will more than forty on hand today. Tickets are $40 (but currently sold out). A portion of proceeds from Festivus benefits New Era Colorado Foundation.
Sunday, December 14
Barley's Angels, a craft beer club for Colorado women, collaborated with four different professional brewers over the past few weeks to create some beers that will be served in brewery taprooms over the holidays. The third release party is today at 2 p.m. at Former Future Brewing in Denver, which will pour a Belgian Christmas ale with pink peppercorns, grains of paradise, nutmeg and spruce tips. There will be empanadas from Maria Empanda.
Monday, December 15
Barley's Angels, a craft beer club for Colorado women, collaborated with four different professional brewers over the past few weeks to create some beers that will be served in brewery taprooms over the holidays. The fourth and final release party is today at 5:30 p.m. at J. Wells Brewery in Boulder, which will pour two beers, an imperial porter and an imperial cherry porter. The food pairings are still TBD.
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