Ill-advised? Perhaps. Optimistic? Definitely. At least two Denver breweries, Bierstadt Lagerhaus and Great Divide Brewing, made bets with some of their counterparts in Milwaukee over who would win the National League Division Series between the Colorado Rockies and the Milwaukee Brewers — and now one of them is paying up in grand fashion. Since the Rockies were swept, the bartenders at the Rackhouse Pub/Bierstadt Lagerhaus will be sporting Brewers jerseys and pouring the pilsner from Lakefront Brewing; you can do a side-by-side with Bierstadt's own version. Not only that, but the Rackhouse will be turning the TVs not just to the Brewers playoff game, but to the Monday Night Football game featuring the Green Bay Packers. Yes, it will be Wisconsin-palooza as the Rackhouse also serves up cheese curds and brats. Losing sucks.
Continue reading to see craft-beer events into late October.
Wednesday, October 10
Woods Boss Brewing taps Strangers Meeting Strangers at 2 p.m. The beer is a New England-style IPA made in conjunction with On Tour Brewing out of Chicago. The beer "raises a pint to meeting new people and the idea that you never know who may be sitting next to you," Woods Boss says.
While Copper Kettle Brewing acknowledges that "pumpkin is polarizing," the brewery will host a series of pumpkin beer firkin releases every Wednesday. Today's cask is Pumpkin Milk Stout.
Thursday, October 11
Comrade Brewing taps two beers at noon. The first is Single Hop Saphir, which was brewed with Colorado-grown Genie Pale malt from Loveland and hopped with German Saphir "for floral and spicy herbal noble-hop aromatics," the brewery says. It was then dry-hopped for good measure. They second is Single Hop Mosaic Brut IPA, which was brewed with Root Shoot Genie Pale malt that was grown and malted in Loveland. The beer has big notes of apricots and mango with a light bitterness.
As part of the four-day Flatirons Food Film Festival, which opens today in Boulder, there will be several craft-beer related events. At 5 p.m., Pizza Squared + Beer (formerly a Boulder Beer Company location) and Cicerone Certification Program founder Ray Daniels will host a beer tasting dinner at 5 p.m. Tickets are $55 and include admission to a 7:30 p.m. screening of Brewmaster, a new documentary that follows two people, a NYC lawyer who dreams of starting a brewery, and a beer educator studying to become a Master Cicerone; the film includes interviews with Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione, Boston Beer's Jim Koch, Brooklyn Brewery's Garrett Oliver and several other beer luminaries. The screening, which takes place at the Boulder Public Library's main branch, will be followed by a panel discussion with Daniels and Brewers Association founder Charlie Papazian (who are both in the film), and Lady Justice Brewing co-owner Betsy Lay. It will be moderated by Westword beer writer Jonathan Shikes (that's me). Tickets to the movie and the discussion (without the dinner) are $13 and available at flatironsfoodfilmfest.org. Afterward, there will be a party nearby at the Kitchen Upstairs, where you'll have an opportunity to lift a pint and continue the craft-beer discussion. The party is free to enter, but registration is required. Attendees are responsible for purchasing their own food and drinks.
Friday, October 12
Last August, the brewers at Factotum Brewhouse traveled to Palisade to get a truckload of fresh, hand-picked peaches. Then they stuffed them into an already-barrel-aging stout. They'll tap a single barrel of the resulting Whiskey BA Palisade Peach Stout at 3 p.m.
4 Noses Brewing in Broomfield releases cans of Autumn Whimsy at noon. This new brew in the seasonal Whimsy series celebrates the changing of the leaves and the changing of the weather. The brewery used Simcoe, Citra, Mosaic and Columbus hops to "lend a fragrant, citrus nose with a delightfully creamy, hop-forward taste," the brewery says. The beer is available on tap and in four-packs.
Primitive Beer in Longmont is shaking things up this weekend and will be open from 4 to 9 p.m. today and from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday. The unusual brewery says it will have "lots of delicious spontaneous, barrel-aged beers available on cask and to-go," including its newest release, Be Excellent to Each Other, a single-barrel, unblended, fresh-hopped brew. "We crammed forty pounds of just-off-the-vine Colorado-grown Cascade hops into a neutral oak puncheon and let it get real delicious for about two weeks. Now this pineapple, fresh mango bomb is ready for your approval."
Saturday, October 13
Join Wynkoop Brewing at 10 a.m. for the release of Honey Helles Bock, a beer that was inspired by a visit from Wynkoop brewers Charles McManus and Jason Lima to the National Honey Board booth at the Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, last spring. A golden lager brewed with five gallons of Orange Blossom Honey, the beer sits at a smooth 6.8 percent ABV and has just a touch of warm honey notes in the finish. It will be paired with bites from head chef Brent Butterfield. Tickets are free — and entitle you to a breakout pour, a paired bite and a pint card good for any Wynkoop visit — but you have to RSVP at eventbrite.com.
River North Brewery has teamed up again with Mr. B's Wine & Spirits for two new installments in the B'Side series. "For this iteration, we brought in our friends at Bear Creek Distillery, aging our signature quadrupel in their wheated bourbon casks," River North says. After aging, half of the batch was dosed with Ghanaian cacao nibs, resulting in B'Side Quandary Cacao, while the other half got Lambert and Royal Anne cherries, resulting in B'Side Quandary Cherry. A very limited amount of both versions will be on tap and in bottles to go. Both Mr. B's locations will host an on-site tasting and bottle sale starting at 3 p.m., as well.
New Image Brewing in Arvada releases cans of its brand-new beer, Double Paul Double IPA, at 11:30 a.m. The beer, which will also be on tap, is a double version of New Image's regular Paul New England Style IPA.
"With the help of all the incredible people who have sipped an Apricot Blonde, cracked a Vanilla Porter by the campfire or religiously followed our Firkin Fridays," Dry Dock Brewing has made it to lucky 13, the Aurora brewery says. To celebrate, Dry Dock will host a thirteenth-birthday party starting at 2 p.m. at its North Dock location. There will be limited beer releases, a cellar sale, food trucks, live music, lawn games, on-site screen printing and a tattoo artist offering $31 flash tattoos. No tickets are necessary, but Dry Dock will have a First Mate ticketing plan for $35 that includes a commemorative glass and unlimited beer.
Three suburban breweries are launching a three-week series of pumpkin releases during which you can get three beers and collect three souvenir glasses. Peak to Peak Tap & Brew in Aurora will tap Oh My Gourd Pumpkin Chai Brown today. That will be followed by Pumpkin Paddy Imperial Pumpkin Amber at Launch Pad Brewery on Saturday, October 20, and then Pumpkin Screamin' Cream Ale at Two22 Brew on Saturday, October 27.
Support local firefighters from noon to 5 p.m. at Copper Kettle Brewing with a barbecue cook-off, live music and the release of Pull Box Pilsner. Food and beer proceeds of the day will go toward the South Metro Professional Firefighters Foundation, which assists the families of firefighters who have lost their lives on the job. Pull Box Pilsner was brewed in conjunction with South Metro, and bombers will be available, as well.
Musician and beer lover Kyle Hollingsworth of the String Cheese Incident is back with a new Boulder beer fest called Rocktoberfest that benefits his longtime favorite charity, Conscious Alliance. Taking place at Upslope Brewing's Flatiron Court location, the festival includes more than sixty craft beers from thirty breweries, including collaboration brews from Hollingsworth and select breweries. There will also be plenty of music. For tickets, prices and much more information, go to kylehollingsworth.com.
Outer Range Brewing in Frisco is hosting a huge can release today featuring three new collaboration beers in conjunction with some of the trendiest breweries in the country. The first is Outer Range's first-ever stout, Feels Like the First Time Imperial Stout, which it brewed with Chicago's Mikerphone Brewing. Made with cacao nibs, cinnamon and coffee from Mountain Dweller Coffee Roasters out of Breckenridge, it costs $25 for a four-pack. The second beer is Goggle Sag Double IPA (made with Citra and Nelson hops), an 8 percent ABV collaboration with Brooklyn's Other Half Brewing Company; it costs $22 per four-pack. The final beer is 2 Corners Double IPA, a collab with Wren House Brewing. This one was brewed with Vic Secret and Galaxy and costs $18 per four-pack. Craftsman Vail will be on hand serving up sandwiches and bites starting at noon.
Wednesday, October 17
Goed Zuur will be hosting a week of special tappings in honor The Festival, from Shelton Brothers, which takes place this weekend. Tonight is the only ticketed event, however. It's a beer dinner featuring beers from Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen. Tickets will be available on eventbrite.
Thursday, October 18
Costermonger Barrel-Fermented Sour Apple Ale makes its annual return to Call to Arms Brewing today. In addition to being on tap, the brewery will also have an extremely limited quantity of twelve-ounce cans for sale as two- or four-packs.
In conjunction with the esteemed Festival by Shelton Brothers, which takes place October 19-20, Black Project Wild & Spontaneous Ales will offer a series of special tappings and tours with co-founder James Howat. The tours are free (sign up at eventbrite) and will be at 3, 5 and 7 p.m.; they are limited to twelve people each. Black Project will have bottles for both on-site consumption and carry-out. Beers to be tasted are Oxcart Blend C, a blend of one-, two- and three-year-old traditionally produced spontaneous ale; 2018 Tagboard Wet-Hopped Spontaneous Ale, a blend of Lambic-inspired spontaneous beer, brewed in accordance with the méthode traditionnelle guidelines, combined with fresh picked Neomexicanus wet hops from Voss Forms in Arvada; and Mercury Golden Sour, with coffee, cinnamon and vanilla.
Tavernetta joins the Shelton fest (October 19-20) fun by hosting a tap takeover starting at 3 p.m. from the famed Blackberry Farm Brewery in Maryville, Tennessee. Five Blackberry Farm beers will be available either by the glass or in bottles. They include the World Beer Cup gold medal-winning Classic Saison, Barrel Series Brett Saison 18 and Abbey Quad. Kyle Morgan will be on hand from the brewery to pour and greet guests, while Tavernetta chef Ian Wortham will prepare special happy-hour offerings to pair with each of the beers. The beers and happy-hour pairings will be available through the weekend or while supplies last. Examples include: Maine mussels, smoked tomato and beans paired with Classic Saison; fried dough, mortadella and prosciutto paired with Harvest Saison; and pork sausage and cabbage paired with Peel Your Face IPA. No reservations for happy hour or tickets are necessary.
Romero's K9 Club & Taphouse in Lafayette will host Florida's Green Bench Brewing and "some of their finest industry homies for a little weekend warmup before this year's Shelton Festival in Denver," the taphouse says. There will be "exquisite beers, jammin' tunes and friendly faces from near and far."
Friday, October 19
Cerebral Brewing will release three different collaboration beers in cans starting at noon. The brewery will also have fresh cans of its flagship IPA, Rare Trait, available. The first of the three collabs — which all took place during the Great American Beer Festival — is Dice Notation, a 6.2 percent ABV IPA brewed with Anaheim's Bottle Logic Brewing; fermented with Cerebral's house yeast strain, it was hopped with Galaxy, XJA2/436 and Hallertau Blanc. The second collab is Extra Leg Room DDH Double IPA. Brewed with Civil Society Brewing, out of Jupiter, Florida, this 7.8 percent beer was hopped with Mosaic, Nelson Sauvin and Hallertau Blanc. The final collba is Collective Consciousness, an 8.2 percent double IPA brewed with yumberry (Chinese yang-mei fruit). Created in conjunction with Finback Brewery in Queens and Virginia's Commonwealth Brewing, this beer was "aggressively hopped" with Mosaic and N1/69 and then conditioned on Yumberry.
Copper Kettle Brewing hosts a release event for its 2018 Well Bred Barleywine at noon. "English barley wine was originally created to satisfy the aristocracy’s fondness for strong libations. While less hoppy and more refined than its American cousin, our take on this English style retains its snooty appeal and ruby color with lavish hints of vanilla, caramel and earthy wood undertones," the brewery says. The 10.2 percent ABV "bold sipper" will be available on draft and in Copper Kettle's new 19.2-ounce cans for $14 each.
Factotum Brewhouse taps Small Batch Sour Plum at 3 p.m. "This perfect fall beer will dance between the tartness of the beer and the richness of the fruit," the brewery says.
Saturday, October 20
Renegade wants to give you a wake-up call. The brewery is releasing Barrel Aged Coffee & Pancakes Maple Porter at 11 a.m., which is earlier than normal. "We took our Pancakes Maple Porter, blended it with a custom roasted coffee made by Copper Door Coffee and aged it all in Woodford Reserve Bourbon barrels," the brewery says. There will also be a full brunch menu from Cirque Kitchen, including a short stack of pancakes. "People brave enough to rock their footie pajamas will receive $1 off their beers."
Welcome Home Craft Brewery, at 19523 Hess Road in Parker, will open its doors for the first time at 2, with several flagship beers on tap, a food truck and a DJ for at least part of the evening.
Parry’s Pizzeria & Bar is teaming up with Dogfish Head Craft Brewery for a tap takeover featuring rare beers paired with "off-centered" pizzas. Examples include: Maple Buffalo Wings with the brewery’s Namaste White; and Pumpkin Bites with Bourbon Barrel-Aged Palo Santo Marron. Beers to be tapped include: 2015 and 2018 120 Minute IPA (all five locations); Bourbon Barrel-Aged Palo Santo Marron (Highlands Ranch, Northglenn, Southglenn, Johnstown); Fruit-Full Fort (Highlands Ranch, Northglenn, Longmont, Johnstown); 2016 World Wide Stout (Northglenn, Longmont); and Puddin’ Wine (Southglenn). The event runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Parry's locations in Highlands Ranch, Johnstown, Longmont, Northglenn and Centennial.
Thursday, October 25
Renegade Brewing is back with its latest Beers + Banned Books series. This time, the brewery is pairing Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone with its own version of Butter Beer – in this case, Renegade's 5:00 Afternoon Ale blended with brown sugar and butterscotch and aged on rum-soaked American Oak staves in a Squarrel barrel.
Purchase a pour of the Butter Beer and receive a copy of the book for free. And anyone that comes dressed as their favorite HP character will receive a $1 off their second beer purchased.
Saturday, October 27
It's Pumpkin Fest at Hops & Pie, which will pour the following beers: Copper Kettle Bourbon Barrel Imperial Pumpkin; Oakshire Big Black Jack Chocolate Pumpkin Porter; Dry Dock Double Pumpkin; Southern Tier Warlock; Southern Tier Rum Pumking; 4 Noses Pump Action; Epic Barrel Aged Imperial Pumpkin Porter; Station 26 Scott’s Imperial Pumpkin Ale Aged in Rum Barrels; Anderson Valley Pumpkin; Shipyard Pumpkinhead; Two Roads Roadsmary’s Baby Rum Pumpkin Ale with Vanilla Beans.
Call to Arms Brewing invites you to join them for a Halloween Rumpus that they says will blend "tradition with innovation... Inspired by the cheesy horror flicks of the 1980s, this festive throwback party" includes specialty beer releases like a Halloween-inspired beer punch, along with spooky cookie creations from Valhalla Cakes, an 80s-inspired DJ set by Nightlove (6 to 9 p.m.), live t-shirt screen printing by Humble Monster (noon to 5 p.m.), and a fall-inspired menu from MAS KAOS Pizzeria & Taqueria. There will also be a costume contest at 7:30 p.m., "o bring on the cheese and dress to impress."
Ursula Brewery in Aurora will host the annual release of Scary Stories S'more Porter. The beer, a Baltic porter, is made with marshmallows, cacao nibs, vanilla beans, meadow foam honey and graham-flour crackers added to a big Baltic Porter base. There will also be a Hallow-Onesie Party.