Lifestyle | Breckenridge Brewery Just Changed The Craft Beer Game | Opening June 21

Summer in Colorado revolves around beer, park days, hiking, beer, camping and fights over who gets to sit next to the fan. But, after this Sunday it's going to revolve solely around Breckenridge Brewery's new restaurant/pub. Like the sun that all of us so gleefully orbit, Breck's new location is an institution and we're giving in to its gravitational pull. There's no sense in fighting it... hell, we may as well even camp out in the back. Lord knows they have enough space.

The wait is finally over! Breck will open their doors for public tours this Sunday (reservations are highly encouraged and what better gift to give dad?). Anyways, here's the low down on what to expect, what to bring and how to behave when touring this craft beer haven.

From Breckenridge Brewery's press release:

The brewery will host four scheduled tours a day, Wednesday through Monday. "We want to create a very personal experience with each tour, so you'll find that we take our time getting to know small groups of guests and introducing them to Breckenridge Brewery, behind-the-scenes," says Sarah Kokkeler, director of the brewery's tour program. Tours start in the brewery's tasting room, across the plaza from the Farm House, with a 10-oz pour from the daily selection on tap. The tour path leads from tasting room to brewery mezzanine overlooking the four-vessel 100-barrel brewhouse, across the bridge to the fermentation building, and continues on to barrel aging and packaging. Tours conclude back in the tasting room with four 4oz samples of each. Tour reservations can be made at http://www.breckbrew.com/about/tours. The $3.00 charge for tours covers generous sampling, and a portion will go to rotating charities. Non-drinkers, including those under 21, are welcome to participate in tours, and there is no charge.

So, as you can see their tours are going to be pretty wonderful...and you can even bring your baby! Start em' young. That's what we always say. But, all that really means is that it's a family affair, bring a picnic blanket, sunscreen and camp out in the back. With bocce ball, craft beer and an amazing restaurant, what else could you Coloradans possibly need? See what we mean about the orbit? Are you feeling the pull yet?

Breck has already filed a restraining order against Castro because he was caught lurking in the shadows one too many times. We can't blame him tho! It's science.

After touring the brewery we're certain that this will go down in Colorado history. Thanks to breweries like Breckenridge, Colorado has become a mecca for craft beer connoisseurs and nerds alike. But, this new pub has pushed the ceiling just a little bit higher. It is because of innovation like this, that we know Breck will continue to break records, brew crazy beer with Buddha hand fruit and set the standards for what it means to be a craft brewery.

See you guys on the bocce ball court, it's going to be an amazing summer!

(All Images courtesy of Breckenridge Brewery)

Lifestyle | Great Divide Brewery's 21st Anniversary Party

Yeti sighting #1

It's a special moment in Colorado Craft Beer history when one of the local breweries turns as old as 21. Not only can they drink legally and spend all of their money chasing tail at the bar, but they can say that they've beaten the odds. It is not an easy feat to turn a side hobby into a craft beer empire... it takes guts, but mostly it just takes brewing delicious beer. And Great Divide definitely has both of those things, tenfold.

The brewery in itself is an institution. Most likely the biggest storage container warehouse we've ever seen. The anniversary party was held outside adjacent to the brewery, so sadly we were not able to peek inside upon our craft beer heaven. We can only imagine that it would have involved a lot of open mouth breathing and some stalkerish stares on our part.

The Party:

The weather listened to our beer soaked pleas and it was a beautiful, sunny day in downtown Denver. Everything about the event was flawless, from the bike check in the beginning to the coffee lid surprise at the end. Side Note: When a drunk person receives something that turns an otherwise normal beer pint into their Monday morning challis for coffee, it is single handedly the most exciting thing that has ever happened in their life (speaking on behalf of a friend).

The anniversary party had everything from roaming yetis to a photo booth to beer floats and jumpy Twister to everything else in between. We wouldn't be surprised if sorcerer magic was used to get inside the heads of drunks and analyze what a perfect day of beer drinking would look like. On top of all of the games and events, there was great local music and delicious food from Denver food trucks. We were able to see one of Denver's newest local artists, Brent Coles (former lead singer of You, Me and Apollo) sing his heart out on stage. We'll be darned if the range on that boy is not the craziest thing you've heard this year. Then there's the Gin Doctors... they're your 90's wet dream rolled into one absurd and rowdy band. There is nothing more spot on than serenading a bunch of drunk people to 90's throwbacks. Ultra5280 Disclosure: Blink 182 was sung along to in tones and volumes that we are not proud of, we are sorry for any discomfort and trouble this may have caused you. Oakhurst closed out the night, (at least for us) with their upbeat bluegrass and had the entire crowd dancing along, stomping their feet and spilling their beer.

The Beer:

Although the party revolved around beer, the golden craft gets its own section. The two stand out beers for us, would have to be, of course, the Port of Meow and the Strawberry Rhubarb. The Port of Meow is a wily cat... at first she'll snuggle up on your legs and bat at your yarn, but... as soon as you let your guard down it will leave you alone in the alley wondering where your wallet is and if you're adopted. The strawberry rhubarb was enticing and quizzical. Upon the first sip it tasted slightly dry and bitter, (most likely from the rhubarb) but upon further inspection it grew into a full bodied beer with sweet undertones and a smooth finish. Definitely intriguing and one of the most interesting and diverse beers we've ever tasted. The lines may have been long, but the beer was strong and we were drunk so it didn't matter anyways.

Brent Coles and Port of Meow

We are so proud of our craft brewery scene and feel honored to call this mecca our home. Great Divide continues to push boundaries and break through ceilings when it comes to crafting up delicious beer and we're sure that 21 is just the beginning... So, cheers to hoping they grow out of their new brewery relatively quickly so we can attend another one of their wonderful parties!

Lifestyle | Breckenridge Announces New IPA

There's nothing that defines Colorado better than being able to drink a great IPA all, year, long. Yep. That's right. Breckenridge Brewery has done Colorado a solid and concocted an IPA that you can drink at the top of Pike's Peak and while on the slopes at Beaver creek.

What is it's name, you ask? The Denver brewery betrothed this beaut the name of, Breck IPA. An all around good beer that will keep you warm in the winter and cool in July when your AC breaks down. We like you Breck IPA, I think we'll keep you around. He hits the shelves early next week, so keep an eye out!

Keep reading to hear what the brewery has to say about their latest release:

Next week Breckenridge Brewery releases a new year-round India Pale Ale in all of its markets. Simply stated, Breck IPA is what it was designed to be – a stand-out IPA, Colorado style. Breck IPA hits you right away with a distinctively pleasant floral aroma that carries hints of tropical fruit. The bready malt backbone, however, balances its citrus hop flavor and lends it staying power.

Todd Usry, Brewmaster and Director of Brewing Operations, led the brewing team in developing the right recipe for the new year-round IPA offering. “We got a lot of feedback from the market, our sales folks and our production crew on qualities that make an IPA rise above the standard. It was important to stay true to style while differentiating ourselves. That's hard to do in a market segment with so many choices and so many acceptable varieties within the style. We set out to create something extremely aromatic, but more balanced in flavor.”

“We spent a lot of time in R&D with this one,” shares John Jordan, Breckenridge Brewery's Quality Control Brewer. “We played around with some experimental hops and malts in an effort to create something totally different, but not so crazy-different that it excludes itself from much of the market. Some ingredients we kept; others were scratched. It's been a great process – we learned a lot.”

The brewing team found that Mosaic and Cascade hops together lend the aromatic qualities that they sought.  Full Pint malt, a relatively new and rare malt variety, provides a fullness in flavor that compliments the bittering hops.  Full Pint malt is grown in the Rocky Mountain region using watering methods that are more efficient and produce plump, bright barley.  Because this malt is in such limited supplies, not many brewers are able to commit to large-scale, year round beers using it.  Breckenridge Brewery is so pleased with the unique flavor Full Pint adds to Breck IPA that it secured a multi-year contract for quantities of it.

Scrutiny of ingredients was paramount, but so was scrutiny of process. Experimenting with different hop treatments in various stages of production assisted in elevating the aroma and balancing the bitterness of this beer.  “Recirculating hops for an extended period of time in late stages of production was ideal for this beer.  It's labor intensive, but worth it,” added Jordan.  The end result is what the brewery calls a Colorado-style IPA...delightfully hoppy with satisfying body.  Breck IPA weighs in at 6.3% ABV (Alcohol by Volume) and 66 IBUs (International Bitterness Units).

Those in the Denver area are invited to join Breckenridge Brewery at its Breck IPA tap-in party Thursday, April 9th, at Pub on Penn at Capitol Hill (1278 Pennsylvania St, Denver). The party starts at 5:30 p.m. with sampling, complimentary pints, and plenty of giveaways.

With the addition of Breck IPA, Breckenridge Brewery’s year-round portfolio now holds eight beers that include several session beers and styles that range from amber and wheat to stout and porter…and now two IPAs. Lucky U IPA has been a staple in the portfolio since 2009, and it will remain so in draft and cans. Usry explains, “We created Lucky U to satisfy the call at the time for IPAs with a bunch of hops and a focus on flavor and bitterness. It’s still relevant with a harmony of seven hop varieties that cascade across the palate as the beer is enjoyed. Breck IPA is much different and fills a void we felt existed in our year-round offerings. The IPA style has evolved and matured in the US, and this beer is for those seeking out a solid IPA - aromatic, flavorful, balanced, and enjoyable.”

Look for Breck IPA in draft and 12-oz bottles.



About Breckenridge Brewery

Breckenridge Brewery was founded in 1990 in Breckenridge, Colorado. In the past two decades Breckenridge Brewery has grown from a small 3,000-barrels-a-year brewpub to one of the most successful craft beer and restaurant companies in the nation. It now handcrafts more than 64,000 barrels of fresh beer annually and owns and operates five brewpubs and ale houses in the state of Colorado. For more information visit www.breckbrew.com.