Patios Drinking Turns Summer S’mores Into Winter Comfort Food

"Okay, pay attention! First, you take the graham. Then you stick the chocolate on the graham. Then you roast the ’mallow. When the ’mallow's flamin', you stick it on the chocolate. Then you cover it with the other end. Then you stuff."

These are wise words from The Sandlot's Hamilton "Ham" Porter about how to make s'mores, and it's advice that Colorado's breweries are taking this winter as pandemic-induced indoor seating restrictions force them to come up with creative ways to lure customers to their lovely but often very cold patios.

Golden City Brewery, for instance, is offering s'mores kits that people can use to cook up these campfire treats — typically a summer staple — over their tabletop fire boxes, while Bruz Beers will welcome in a new gourmet s'mores cart, called S'amore Denver, every Thursday through December, and possibly into January and February. S'amore Denver, owned by Katrina Foster, will also appear at others breweries.

"It gives people something to look forward to in these tough times. It brings joy to the neighborhood and our customers, and lets people focus on something positive," says Bruz co-owner Ryan Evans. "It's small things like the s'mores truck that keep people happy and motivated while giving them an excuse to leave their homes and safely get outside and take a break from the constant news cycle and COVID pressure."

Over the past few weeks, several breweries — including Our Mutual Friend, Epic, Woods Boss and Factotum — have also hosted outdoor s'mores pop-ups alongside their beer tappings.

On December 19, S'amore Denver will visit Station 26 Brewing for the release of the brewery's anniversary beer, 7 S'more Years, an imperial pastry stout, and pair its s'mores with the new brew.

And speaking of s'mores beers, in the past few weeks, nearly a dozen breweries have tapped or released beers made with chocolate, marshmallows and graham cracker (or at least they taste like the three s'mores ingredients). They include Great Divide Brewing's still-available S'mores Yeti Imperial Stout, Someplace Else Brewery S'mores Stout, Uhl's Brewing Schtuft, South Park Brewing S'mores Stout and Make Believe Beer S'more Stout.

Left Hand Brewing is getting on board as well, having just announced that it will release a new seasonal beer in cans next year called S'mores Milk Stout as part of its rotating milk stout series.

So don't be like Scotty Smalls, who said, "I haven't had anything yet, so how can I have s'more?" Just have s'more.