After pulling out of some states in 2011 in order to concentrate on others, Longmont's Oskar Blues has recently begun expanding aggressively again. This week, the brewery, which has a second production brewery in North Carolina, said it plans to launch beer sales in Idaho, Minnesota, Kansas, Nevada and Delaware, along with increased distribution in southern Alabama. Last year, the brewery added Michigan and Indiana, while upping its presence in California, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky.
Turn the page to see all of this week's craft beer events.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Falling Rock Taphouse will try out the second beer brewed by members of the Publican National Committee, which includes Falling Rock owner Chris Black. This one, called Broken Elevator, was made more than three years ago at Allagah Brewing in Maine. The tapping is at 5:30 p.m.
Upslope Brewing's Fan Firkin Friday will feature a Milk Stout with vanilla beans, cocoa nibs and cinnamon, an idea sent via Facebook by Upslope fan John Daniel Gibson. The firkin will be tapped at Upslope's Lee Hill tap room at 2 pm.
TRVE Brewing will tap a new beer today: Scorn is a pale ale with wheat, dry hopped with Citra and Mosaic hops. It was made in honor of Primitive man. Tapping is at 7:06 p.m.
Saturday, January 4
River North Brewery is ringing in 2014 by releasing J. Marie Barreled & Bretted, the brewery's first bottle-conditioned beer. For this limited, one-time release, River North took its J. Marie farmhouse ale and aged it for a full year in red wine barrels with wild brettanomyces yeast. One of the rarest River North releases, only thirty cases of 750 ml bottles were packaged. It will also be available on draft at 1 p.m.
Odell Brewing will celebrate the release of Runoff Red IPA today and tomorrow in the brewery's Fort Collins tap room. Guests can enjoy samples of the beer, special food truck fare, as well as live music by the Waido Experience on Sunday from from 3:30 to 5:30 pm. The beer, which used to simply be called Odell Red, will be available in six-packs in liquor stores. The name was changed to better reflect the beer's hoppy character.
Ska Brewing will take over the taps at Right Coast Pizza in Wheat Ridge today at 6 p.m. for what they're calling a #failedresolutions tap takeover.
West Flanders Brewing in Boulder will tap Recreational Smoke today at 4:20 p.m. The smoked malt beers is a tribute to Colorado's new pot laws.
Funkwerks in Fort Collins will tap Brett Trois today, a new 100 percent Brettanomyces Belgian ale. The first keg will be tapped at noon when Funkwerks will give everyone a free half glass until the keg runs out.
Anyone (well, anyone 21 and older) who shows up to Boulder Beer today from noon to 1:30 p.m gets a free pint. Yes, that's free beer.
It's a Copper Kettle tradition to start the year off with a "Mystery Beer," release in which only the brewers know what will be tapped. That happens today. (Copper Kettle tapped a Black Belgian Quad in 2012 and a Juniper Berry Golden Strong in 2013).
Tuesday, January 7
January is beer month at Euclid Hall, and the restaurant kicks things of today with Brew Bites, an every-Tuesday event in which it will pair three two-ounce pours of selected beers with three bite-sized snacks from thekitchen for $12.50. Today's pairing (the deal runs from 3 p.m. to close) is called "Hopped Up," and features AleSmith IPA, Grand Teton Pursuit of Hoppiness American Red Ale, and Hitachino Nest Dai Dai IPA.
For more events later in January, turn the page. Wednesday, January 8
January is New Years Resolutions cask month at the Copper Kettle. Each Wednesday, the brewery will tap a different cask made with a different ingredient. Today's resolution is to reduce stress, so try a pint of Holy Basil IPL, an India Pale Lager made with the stress reducing herb holy basil, adding a light scent of mint and cloves.
Thursday, January 9
The Post Brewing, the long-anticipated new chicken-and-beer joint in Lafayette is scheduled to open today at 4 p.m. Owned by the Big Red F group and run by one of its chefs, the Post also boasts brewmaster Bryan Selders, formerly of Dogfish Head.
Station 26 Brewing, which just opened in December, will debut a new weekly firkin program today by tapping coffee red IPA. Next week, they'll tap an red IPA with chipotle peppers and cacao nibs.
The fourteenth annual Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival kicks off today in Vail, featuring dinners, tastings, seminars and other events, along with hobnobbing with craft beer celebrities and brewers. Tickets are still available for some events, but they are going fast. For information, go to the Big Beers web site.
Tuesday, January 14
January is beer month at Euclid Hall, and the restaurant kicks things of today with Brew Bites, an every-Tuesday event in which it will pair three two-ounce pours of selected beers with three bite-sized snacks from thekitchen for $12.50. Today's pairing (the deal runs from 3 p.m. to close) is called "Big Bad Ass," and features Anchor OBA American Strong Ale, Dogfish Head Raison D'etre Belgian Strong Dark, and Ommegang Take the Black Stout.
Thursday, January 16
Breckenridge Brewery will throw a kickoff party for its newest bottled beer, Ophelia today from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Irish Rover. Ophelia is a wheat beer, but has been supercharged with Mosaic hops. There will complimentary appetizers.
Tuesday, January 21
January is beer month at Euclid Hall, and the restaurant kicks things of today with Brew Bites, an every-Tuesday event in which it will pair three two-ounce pours of selected beers with three bite-sized snacks from thekitchen for $12.50. Today's pairing (the deal runs from 3 p.m. to close) is called "Show Us Your Pucker Pace," and features Petrus Sour Pale, Bear Republic Tartare Berliner-style Weisse, and Trinity Red Swingline IPA Primitif.
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