Lifestyle | What We Thought of the Fleakin' Flea

It’s official! 2016’s first Flea of the year reigned in over 20,000 people this past weekend! And it was quite the spectacle too, as happy hipsters, baby wielding dilfs and local goods enthusiasts flooded the streets of Denver’s River North district.  The crowds did surprise us, mainly due to the sheer chaos downtown that surrounded the launch of Denver’s new A Line... which had a wait of nearly two hours out of Union Station! Promptly abandoning our initial decision to check out the A Line launch party, we decided to ditch the lines and opt for artisan vendors, booze and to our excitement even more lines! 

The Flea was already pretty packed by the time we arrived an hour after it opened on Saturday the 23rd. It was also larger than we expected, spanning out on all sides of the ExDo building. There were booths lined along three sides of the venue coupled with a food truck courtyard, complete with seven food trucks and two ice cream trucks. The bars kept the lines moving as thirsty shoppers flooded their fronts hoping for New Belgium craft, margaritas, cocktails and other domestic spirits.

The long lines, excitement and flawless djing from veteran flea curator, Tobias Krause caused some of our four legged friends to take shameless (and adorable) naps right in the center of the of all the commotion. 

There were over 150 vendors this time making it one of the largest Denver Flea’s to date and what seemed like one of the most popular (next to their super Holiday Flea we reported on early December).  As usual, there were lots of clothing companies, body products, homemade foods and jewelry, all kinds of art and some unique home goods and furnishings. 

One of the reasons we've flocked to the Denver Flea numerous times is the diversity of unique finds situated in a fun, party-like atmosphere. You're always greeted with a boozy beverage ticket, lots of local snack samples and plenty of pretty people watching. Between all the stunning handmade pieces, art, clothes, food and people, the Flea is a nonstop beauty overload. You will most likely leave with a couple cool new things, a full tummy, plenty of FitBit steps, and a renewed appreciation for the artistic spirit thriving within Denver. 

Here's to lookin' at you Summer Flea. Fleak on, fleaks. Fleak on...

Lifestlye | Breckenridge Brewery Comic Beer Announcement

Since Comic Con graced Denver with its first conference in 2012, Breckenridge Brewery has been a loyal and active sponsor.  Each year the brewery creates a special beer for the conference, and with friends from Denver Comic Con, it hosts a popular name-the-beer contest through social media.  This year’s knock-out Comic Con beer, “Hulk’s Mash,” will debut Friday, May 1st at The 1up – Colfax at 717 East Colfax Avenue in Denver.  The 1up - Colfax and The 1up – Lodo will have the beer on tap leading up to the conference May 23-25.

The fluid:
The beer is delightful pale ale made with mango puree and Mosaic hops.  It sounds mild-mannered, but don’t be fooled.  Mosaic hops produce an aromatic punch of mango, lemon, citrus, and earthy pine scents.  Loads of pulverized mangos heroically balance the hoppy aroma and flavor.

The name:
As is tradition in March, Breckenridge Brewery hosted its on-line “Name the Comic Con Beer” contest.  From 700 entries this year, 5 finalists were chosen.  Then came a public vote. “Hulk’s Mash,” the clever conception of Jonathan Cooper, rose to the top and became the honored 2015 Comic Con beer name.

The image:
New this year was the label artwork contest, sponsored by Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design.  Students at RMCAD were invited to create label designs for Hulk’s Mash, and artwork by Trevor Plaza was chosen to adorn limited-edition commemorative pint glasses.  The first 200 to attend the Hulk’s Mash release party on May 1 receive a free pint glass.  The glasses and Hulk’s Mash beer will be on sale at the conference.  Select Denver pubs are signed on to carry the beer and offer glasses (while supplies last) during Denver Comic Con weekend.

Availability:
Leading up to and during Comic Con, Hulk’s Mash can be found at Breckenridge Colorado Craft, Hard Rock Café, Hyatt Regency, Marlowe’s, Paramount Café, Pizza Republica, Tarantula Billiards, The 1up (Colfax and Lodo locations), Tilted Kilt, and World of Beer.

Denver Comic Con is Denver’s premiere pop-culture fan experience, covering the worlds of comic books, film, and related media. It is also an extension of and an awareness builder for its parent organization, Pop Culture Classroom. This year, the 3-day conference will bring 90,000 fans to the Colorado Convention Center.

Follow Breckenridge Brewery and Denver Comic Con on social media for updates and additional information.

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.

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.
 

Lifestyle | Illegal Pete's | "Smother It" For Autism

Smother it, for Autism that is. Our favorite philanthropic, punk, burrito haven, Illegal Pete's announced their third annual campaign to benefit The Joshua School & individuals affected by Autism during the entire month of April. It's a win win for the charitable burrito lovers of Colorado (which is like every citizen of our fine square state).

DEETS:

• For every smothered burrito, $1 is donated to Joshua School
• This year's funds benefit the Music Therapy program

EATS:

Smothered burritos.

DO GOODS:

• Illegal Pete's will donate $1 to The Joshua School every time someone smothers their burrito.
• Customers can donate in $1 increments and mark their donation with leaves to write their name on.
• Customers can also "round up" their orders as a donation through Pete's Mobile.

Get your eat on for a good cause this April. Trust us, there's nothing better than a Pete's burrito smothered in pork green chile. Trust. Us.

INFORMATION:

www.illegalpetes.com, www.joshuaschool.org

Lifestyle | Breckenridge Brewery Partners With The East For Colab Fest

Oh! Collaboration Fest! The finest Fest of all the Fests in town. Who doesn't like to see breweries working together in perfect harmony, singing, brewing and drinking like the blood brothers we are. One of our local favorites, Breckenridge Brewery was making frenemies with the East while we were enjoying our frigidly warm winter. Are we about to see a Tupac and Biggie showdown? Or will they work together to create something that Big Poppa and 2Pac himself would imbibe? We think the latter. If history has taught us anything, it's that beer can solve any and every feud. And we'll drink to that!

Who: Starr Hill Brewery and MadTree Brewing Company.

The Results: Two recipes to be proud of, two days of brewing with new friends and two incomparable and wonderful beers to share.

MADTREE + BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY = SAISON RIDGE

The goal was to create a beer that represented each state through its ingredients. Jimmy Walker, head brewer for Breckenridge Brewery's brewpub in Breckenridge teamed up with Jeff Hunt, head brewer of MadTree Brewing. Together they came up with a short list of ingredients that included Ohio spice bush berries, Colorado spruce tips, and Colorado honey.

“Carrying 10 pounds of super fragrant spice bush berries through airport security to bring a piece of Ohio to the beer was just the beginning of a great partnership with Jimmy and the Breck crew,” shared Jeff. “We had fun coming up with a beer style, brewing something that plays well with these unique ingredients yet is still refreshing for the spring.” Jimmy added, "Both spruce tips and the spice bush berry can be easily overdone with their very potent flavor profiles. We attempted to err on the side of subtlety and keep the beer true to style.” Saison Ridge is the outcome of their meticulous efforts - a dry, refreshing, spicy and drinkable saison with subtle and complex flavor nuances from the native ingredients.

STARR HILL BREWERY + BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY = SNOW YOUR OATS

Todd Usry, Brewmaster and Director of Brewing Operations for Breckenridge Brewery, co-created the second collaboration with Robbie O'Cain, Brewmaster of Starr Hill. “Starr Hill was an easy pick for this collaboration. Its founder, Mark Thompson, is an old friend from brewing school. I was born and raised in Virginia and love the Blue Ridge Mountains where Starr Hill is based. It doesn't hurt that Starr Hill is renowned for its stouts and other beers; I've always wanted to create something with them.” Robbie came to Colorado to brew a collaborative stout at Breckenridge Brewery's Denver brewery. He shipped ahead malt and barley used in Dark Starr, Little Red RooStarr, and other great Starr Hill stouts, and he carried with him locally sourced Virginia oats. To round out the 50 barrel brew, Breckenridge threw in 200 pounds of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory dark chocolate, the same chocolate brewed in its 72 Imperial Chocolate Cream Stout.

Denver was barraged with snow the day they brewed, inspiring the name “Snow your Oats.” How appropriate that the resulting full-flavored, chocolate oatmeal stout is one that will soothe the soul and satisfy the palate during any given storm. “After a great experience brewing and sharing knowledge with the Breckenridge team, I can’t wait to show off this beer at Collaboration Fest," said Robbie, who is flying back to Colorado this weekend to help launch Snow Your Oats. "It will be a blast when Todd and Breckenridge make the trek east to Virginia later this year to brew a new collaboration with the Starr Hill team for our fans on the East Coast.”

Come drink the fine elixirs on March, 21st at Sports Authority Field @ Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado from 3pm-7pm.

Get yo tickets here: http://www.imbibe-events.com/event/2015-collaboration-fest/

Parties At Galleries Are The New Black | March 13

Ultra5280 is excited for this upcoming new monthly staple! We mean come on, what's better than listening to local music, supporting local artists and grinding up on a strange person all night? Trust us, WE KNOW... Let's all welcome, The Gallery Party Series to Denver! 

Noveau Colorado and Roux Black are pleased to present The Gallery Party Series, a gathering of Colorado's tastemakers and artisans hosted at Point Gallery. The first party will be held on March 13th (Friday) and will feature performances from The ReMINDers, Catch Lungs, Amanda Hawkins, Jacob Russo, and more. The deejay duties will be held down by SpydaTEK and the dance floor will be packed.

Early in the evening Ladyspeech will be performing poetry, there will be vendors and merchandise booths including tarot readings, massage, live art and more.

Check out thegallerypartyseries.com to learn more about this brand new monthly event and to peruse the sounds of some of the hottest artists.

We are pleased to join in partnership with Point Gallery to provide a party worth the history books and give a platform to some of Colorado's hottest performers and art curators.

Lifestyle | FELLOW Magazine Pop Up Event | March 5

We would have expected nothing less from Fellow Magazine. They transformed a rather empty warehouse into a hipster haven. There was everything from candles hanging from the ceiling in mason jars to tiny cups of cotton candy and a folky band with such exquisite beards that even Nick Offerman would envy. But beyond the decor there was something more to the evening. A sense of camaraderie among us, the feeling that we were all in this together (cue the Disney music). But really, everyone in attendance understood what it was like turn down a desk job or say, “no” to the 9-5. To simply write, draw and create for no other explanation than because we had to. An eternal testament to the city we live in and the people that make Denver unique. FELLOW Magazine has captured the heart of our generation on a 1950s Polaroid camera.

We are Generation C, we collaborate, connect and create. FELLOW understands this and celebrates Colorado’s differences. Their magazine gives artists a chance to express and expose themselves so they can really make it at their trade. A publication that leaves the “click bait” alone and really sets out to create something that captures the people that inhabit the forests, ghost towns and high rises of Colorado.

I read through volume 03 at a voracious pace and soaked in everything from crazy cocktails and ice fishing adventures to beautiful prose. What sets this volume apart is the writing, anyone with a knowledge of the English language can feel the story brewing in the writer’s veins as they read. Two of my favorite articles were, “Riding The Rails” and “ Birds In The Backyard.” Tales simple enough to be told in a few moments or less, but intricate enough to curl up and take home in your mind.

This review does not do the evening or the volume any justice. Head over to: http://www.fellow-magazine.com/ and pick yourself up a copy. We guarantee that it will be your coffee table staple long after your grow out of your studio apartment.

-McClain Morris