What do you get when you combine a bevy of booze, blues and babes? The Breckenridge Hootenanny that is. And their 25th anniversary party was nothing short of a rip roaring good time. With specialty beer, a pig roast and a Colorado torrential down pour--it goes down in the books as one of the best birthday parties we've ever been to.

One of the main things that surprised us (other than unexpectedly getting drenched by the rain) was the sheer amount of people that showed up to support Breckenridge Brewery. You know you've tipped the scale from small town brewery to craft beer mecca when you can sell 7,000 tickets to an event. The crowds may have been vast but they sure new how to handle the masses. Which was surprising given the newborn status of the brewing grounds.

There's nothing we love more than Breckenridge's craft beer. They're always pushing boundaries and dreaming up new and delicious beer. Couple that with a delicious pig roast and we were in heaven. But, with that being said, we would have liked more food options given the longevity of the day. The logistics of having shuttles bus people in and out was very well organized and made it easily accessible to those attending. Judging by the sheer amount of bikes locked up, riding your bike seemed like the most common mode of transportation.

A highlight for your Ultra5280 team was seeing Anders Osborne- an annual staple at Telluride Blues and Brews he is no stranger to rocking a stage. Leftover Salmon closed out the night, it may have been the music or it may have been the fact that it was the end of the day and we had been been drinking Leftover Salmon Indian Pale Lager all day, but it was incredible. Left us awe struck-mouth agape in wait of next year's Hootenanny.

Thanks Breckenridge brewery for a great time and even better beer!

Words: Mcclain Morris

Photos: Robert Castro

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)