Although limes and chiles tend to come out for Cinco de Mayo, any day is a good day for chile peppers in Colorado, which has a long and loving relationship with God's green gift. And while you can find chile beers here year-round, Spice Trade Brewing is amping things up a notch with a new mix-pack of cans.
The Mixed Pepper Variety Pack includes four 16-ounce cans, each one infused with a different single pepper. All of the beers use Spice Trade's 5.1 percent ABV German-style pilsner as their base. The four different beers range from mild to extra spicy, according to the brewery.
The first is the brewery's flagship chile beer, Jalapeño Pilsner, which is flavored with just enough chiles for a mild taste that won't keep you from drinking a few pints. The second beer employs Korean sun-dried gochugaru chilies, which are often used in kimchi; they impart a sweet, fruity and smoky flavor that isn't too spicy.
The third uses partially dried Aleppo peppers, which are rich and earthy and are often used in Middle Eastern cuisine. And finally, the fourth beer is infused with Thai chiles, which pack a punch; in this case, the beer is far spicier than the others, also drinkers can still appreciate the more fruity nuances.
The four-packs will be available at the brewery on Cinco de Mayo (that's this Wednesday, May 5) and will also be distributed to some liquor stores. In addition, all four beers will be on tap today through Sunday at the brewery. And for today only, you can partake in a "choose your own spice adventure" beer-and-food pairing flight. "The food pairings are killer, especially the Thai beef salad, which typically is quite spicy and made with fresh Thai chilis. We left the thai chilis out of the salad so that the extra spicy beer could fill in that gap," says Spice Trade's Jeff Tyler. "It's probably my favorite beer pairing we have done to date."
Spice Trade Brewery & Kitchen is located at 8775 East Orchard Avenue in Greenwood Village and will be open from 4 to 9 p.m. on Cinco de Mayo. Call 720-710-9508 or visit the brewery-restaurant's website for more details.