Steel City Brew Fest & Homebrew Competition Coming to Pueblo

The Steel City Homebrew Club announces the Inaugural Steel City Brew Fest and BCJP Homebrew Competition. Steel City Brew FestThe brew fest and homebrew competition will take place in Pueblo, CO. at the historic Riverwalk along the Arkansas River.

The Steel City Homebrew Competition will feature 21 American style categories and is BCJP certified. The cost is $5 per 2-bottle entry which must be received by a front range drop off location on 5/23/2014. Along with medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places, a 50lb bag of 2-row malt will be awarded to the show winner courtesy of the Colorado Malting Company. For more information and to register for the competition visit http://steelcitybrewers.com/blog

The Steel City Brew Fest will be held on June 7, 2014 from 6:00-9:00PM at Gateway Park on the Historical Riverwalk in Pueblo, Colorado. This event is part of the 14th Annual Boats, Bands and BBQ Festival, benefiting the HARP Foundation. The Steel City Brew Fest will be 300+ participants sampling beer from a variety of craft breweries from Colorado and across the U.S., as well as beer from Pueblos’ own Steel City Brewers. The tickets are $20 per person. For more information visit http://puebloriverwalk.org/steel-city-brewfest

Colorado Native Lager Offering Free Blue Spruce Saplings to Aid in Colorado Reforestion

AC Golden Brewing Company, the makers of Colorado Native Lager, are offering free Blue Spruce saplings to those interested in regrowing the state. For full details see the flyer and additional information below.

Colorado Native Regrow

Golden, Colo. – Colorado Native Lager, Colorado’s only homegrown beer, is offering free tree saplings to Coloradans who want to help regrow Colorado.

After several years of devastating wild fires and beetle infestation, and last year’s 100-year flood, the state’s forests and urban areas have lost millions of trees.

To celebrate Arbor Day, which is Friday, April 18 in Colorado, and to help regrow Colorado, locals can join Colorado Native’s club, The Brew Crew, and request a free Blue Spruce sapling be sent to their home for planting.

The Blue Spruce saplings, about 1½ years old, were grown by and purchased from the Colorado State Forest Service’s Seedling Tree Nursery in Northern Colorado.  The trees come ready to plant.  The Blue Spruce is Colorado’s state tree and is well suited to the local environment.

“As Colorado’s home grown beer, Colorado Native Lager is the perfect fit for helping Coloradans regrow the state, one tree at a time,” said Glenn Knippenberg, president and co-founder of AC Golden Brewing Company, brewer of Colorado Native. “Colorado Native is brewed with 100 percent Colorado ingredients, and is packaged and shipped only in Colorado. We reinvest 25 cents from every single case sold back into the state through projects like this one.  Colorado is our home and we feel strongly that our efforts and investments should benefit our beautiful state,” said Knippenberg.

To receive a sapling, go to www.ColoradoNative.com during April and click on Brew Crew.  There is no cost to join the club. Members receive free gifts and special offers like this one. Last month, Brew Crew members were able to join Colorado Native’s legion of volunteer hop growers and receive a free hop rhizome.  Members can grow and harvest their hops for inclusion in a Colorado Native brew in the fall.

About CSFS Seedling Tree Nursery
The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) seedling tree program allows farmers, ranchers and rural landowners to obtain trees at a nominal cost. Its goal is to encourage landowners to plant new forests; to establish effective windbreaks that reduce erosion; to protect homes, cropland, livestock and highways; and to enhance wildlife habitat. The nursery has many outdoors acres and an 18,000 square foot greenhouse. It sells an average of one million seedlings annually.

About Arbor Day
Arbor Day is a nationally recognized day to encourage individuals and groups to plant and care for trees. It originated in Nebraska City, Nebraska in 1872.   National Arbor Day is April 24 this year however each state observes its own date to facilitate the best tree planting time.  Colorado’s Arbor Day this year is Friday, April 18.

About AC Golden Brewing Company
AC Golden Brewing Company, located in Golden, Colo., is a small-batch brewery specializing in handcrafted beers for discerning beer drinkers. Among its beers are: Colorado Native, an amber lager made with 100 percent Colorado ingredients; Herman Joseph’s Private Reserve, a German-style lager; Barmen, a German-style pilsner, and Winterfest, a Vienna-style lager shared only during the holidays.

Colorado Winners: 2014 World Beer Cup

The World Beer Cup is put on every other year by The Brewers Association, which is headquartered in Boulder, CO. The World Beer Cup is a popular event among brewers and brewing companies, as it brings together the best and brightest in the brewing industry. The 2014 World Beer Cup and Craft Brewers Conference took place in Denver, CO, and included a whopping 4,754 beers, 1,403 breweries from 58 countries and 94 styles of beer! Colorado brewers fared well at the World Beer Cup, bringing home 24 medals (10 Gold, 5 Silver, 9 Bronze).2014-world-beer-cup-banner

According to The Brewers Association, “The mission of the World Beer Cup is to create greater consumer awareness around the world about the quality and diversity displayed by the various beers of the world. The World Beer Cup is dedicated to recognizing both the traditions and innovations shared by the entire brewing industry as well as those customs unique to specific countries and regions. The World Beer Cup also promotes the responsible consumption of beer as an alcohol-containing beverage and urges beer producers and distributors to encourage beer enthusiasts to savor the flavor of beer responsibly.”

Colorado Winners @ The 2014 World Beer Cup:

  • Fruit Beer (57 entries) GOLD: Cherry Kriek, Strange Brewing Co, Denver, CO, SILVER: Apricot Blonde, Dry Dock Brewing Co Aurora, CO
  • Chocolate Beer (51 Entries) GOLD: Shake Chocolate Porter, Boulder Beer Co Boulder, CO
  • Coffee Beer (109 Entries) GOLD: Big Shot Espresso Stout, Twisted Pine Brewing Co – Boulder, CO
  • Indigenous Beer (37 Entries) GOLD: Wild and Crazy Rye, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Boulder,CO / Huntington Beach, CA
    BRONZE: Got Beer, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Boulder, CO / Huntington Beach, CA
  • Wood & Barrel-Aged Strong Beer (112 Entries) BRONZE: Bourbon Barrel Aged Mountain Man, Verboten Brewing – Loveland, CO
  • Baltic-Style Porter (44 Entries) SILVER: The Baltic Gnome, Rock Bottom – Denver, CO
  • American-Style Lager / Light Lager or Pilsener (53 Entries) GOLD: Coors Light, Coors Brewing Co Golden, CO
    BRONZE: Coors Banquet, Coors Brewing Co – Golden, CO
  • American-Style Amber Lager (34 Entries) GOLD: Winterfest, AC Golden Brewing Co – Golden, CO
  • Australasian-Style Pale Ale / International-Style Pale Ale (33 Entries)
    SILVER: River Runners Pale Ale, Eddyline Brewing Buena Vista, CO
  • French & Belgian-Style Saison (91 Entries) GOLD: Saison, Aspen Brewing Co – Aspen, CO
  • Belgian-Style Blonde Ale or Pale Ale (46 Entries) BRONZE: Jean-Claude Van Blond, Wit’s End Brewing Co Denver, CO
  • Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale (41 Entries) SILVER: Deceit, Funkwerks – Fort Collins, CO
  • Ordinary / Special Bitter (37 Entries) GOLD: Sawtooth Ale, Left Hand Brewing Co – Longmont, CO
  • English-Style Brown Ale (49 Entries) BRONZE: No Name, Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co – Glenwood Springs, CO
  • Oatmeal Stout (57 Entries) SILVER: Pure Imagination, Verboten Brewing – Loveland, CO
  • British-Style Imperial Stout (42 Entries) BRONZE: Weapon of Self Destruction Imperial Stout, Riff Raff Brewing Co – Pagosa Springs, CO
  • Irish-Style Red Ale (46 Entries) GOLD: George Killian’s Irish Red, Coors Brewing Co – Golden, CO
  • Foreign-Style Stout (38 Entries) BRONZE: Devil Dog Stout, Red Leg Brewing Co – Colorado Springs, CO
  • American-Style Pale Ale (122 Entries) BRONZE: Featherweight Pale, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co – Golden, CO
  • American-Style Amber / Red Ale (90 Entries) GOLD: Runoff, Odell Brewing Co – Fort Collins, CO
  • World Beer Cup Champion Brewery & Brewmaster – Large Brewing Company
    Coors Brewing Company, Dr. David Ryder – Golden, CO

2013 Top 50 Craft Breweries List: Includes 6 From Colorado

CBP13_Top_50_ BreweriesThe Brewers Association recently released their list of the 2013 Top 50 Craft Breweries in the U.S. For the 2nd year in a row, 6 Colorado breweries are on the list. The 6 on the list include; New Belgium, Oskar Blues, Odell, Left Hand, Rock Bottom & Breckenridge. These 6 are the same as last year, but a few of them have moved spots on the list from 2012. Left Hand Brewing Co. made the biggest jump, moving up 5 spots from #43 to #38. Oskar Blues moved up 3 spots from #27 to #24. On the other end of the spectrum, Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries (Rock Bottom) dropped 7 spots from #32 to #39.

6 Colorado Breweries listed in the top 50 Craft Breweries in the U.S.

  • New Belgium Brewing Co: #3 (no change from 2012)
  • Oskar Blues Brewery: #24 (up 3 spots from 2013)
  • Odell Brewing Co: #34 (down 1 spot from 2012)
  • Left Hand Brewing Co: #38 (up 5 spots from 2012)
  • Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries (Rock Bottom): #39 (down 7 spots from 2012)
  • Breckenridge Brewery: #40 (up 1 spot from 2012)

Of the 6 Colorado Breweries listed in the top 50 Craft Breweries, 4 of them are also listed in the top 50 overall brewery list!

4 Colorado Breweries listed in the top 50 overall:

  • New Belgium Brewing Co: #8 (no change from 2012)
  • Oskar Blues Brewery: #33 (up 3 spots from 2012)
  • Odell Brewing Co: #44 (no change from 2012)
  • Left Hand Brewing Co: #50 (1st time on the list!)

2013-Top-50-Brewery-List

Colorado Craft Beer Week – March 21-29, 2014

Tomorrow marks the start of the annual Colorado craft beer celebration, Colorado Craft Beer Week. The celebration consists of a collection of events featuring local brewers, restaurants and pubs that serve Colorado craft beer. The next nine days will be a great time to try a new brewery, or check out a taphouse or pub you’ve never been to. There are quite a few different opportunities during the week to learn more about the ever growing Colorado craft beer industry.

ColoradoCraftBeerWeekColorado Craft Beer Week is run by the Colorado Brewers Guild. As they describe it, “Colorado Craft Beer Week is a nine-day celebration of Colorado’s craft brewers, pubs and restaurants. Dozens of events will showcase brewers and educate beer lovers about Colorado’s unique craft beer community.”

There are too many events to list them all, so here are the featured events for the week:

  • Collaboration Fest: March 22, 2014 – This event will showcase the release of over 20 Colorado collaboration beers, all being unveiled at the event! Each beer featured at Collaboration Festival will be created by at least one Colorado Brewers Guild member, with other participating breweries coming from near and far.
  • Escape to Colorado: March 21-29, 2014 – All week long, Epic Brewing will be donating $.25 per pint sold in the tap room of our much-loved Escape to Colorado IPA to the Colorado Brewers Guild. Raise a glass to the CBG for all the work they do for Colorado’s craft breweries.
  • Colorado Craft Beer Week Classic: March 25, 2014 – In celebration of Colorado Craft Beer Week, Lou’s Food is teaming up with four of Colorado’s top breweries to host a 5-course beer dinner. Featured beers provided by Avery Brewing Co., Left Hand Brewing. Upslope Brewing Company and Prost Brewing.
  • New Kids on the Block: March 27, 2014 – New Kids on the Block is a beer-centric event celebrating Colorado breweries under 2 years old. Come in your finest 80s duds to this all-you-can-drink event! The event will include unlimited beer tastings, 80′s jams, a beer-themed buffet and a costume contest.
  • Hops & Handrails: March 29, 2014 – Left Hand Brewing is excited to announce the return of Hops & Handrails Beer Fest & Rail Jam, on March 29th in Longmont, Colorado. The hybrid winter event will feature the finest craft breweries alongside a 25’ high ski ramp at Left Hand Brewery. Hops & Handrails will bring the best Colorado has to offer in a family friendly winter wonderland loaded with snowboards and craft beer!

There are quite a few more events going on during Colorado Craft Beer Week. To find out more, check out the event calendar. Have a fun week checking out Colorado craft beer, and be safe out there!

AC Golden Announces Special Release from Hidden Barrel Collection

Golden, CO – Framboise Noir, an oak-aged sour from AC Golden Brewing Company’s Hidden Barrel Collection, goes on sale today in limited quantities in the Denver area. Framboise Noir - AC Golden

Framboise Noir was aged in oak barrels for two months with blackberries from the Western Slope of Colorado. The result is a dry, yet creamy, red wine-colored sour with a complex taste of fresh plums, maple and oak, caramelized toffee and blackberry jam.

The beer is packaged in 750 ml bottles with a cork and cage seal and a unique, wooden label. The label material, from Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials, is made of real cherry wood, which is backed with a special liner and adhesive to adhere to glass.  Because the labels are real wood, each one is uniquely grained. No two labels are exactly the same.

“We thought a real wood label would be perfect to represent our Hidden Barrel Collection, since most of those offerings are aged in wooden whiskey and wine barrels,” said Glenn Knippenberg, president and co-founder of AC Golden Brewing. “It was a bit of a challenge but we have a great labeling partner in The Smyth Company of St. Paul, Minnesota. Smyth has been literally “posted up” on the leading edge of packaging innovation for as long as we have been associated with them.  It is fun to be one of the very first to use this new type of label.”

The label material was introduced by Avery Dennison about a year ago.  The challenge of producing wood label material that’s ideal for printing is to create a uniform thickness and smooth surface, while not losing the real grain of the wood. The label designs were created by Conor McMahon at The Integer Group.

About 89 cases of Framboise Noir are available in about 20 craft-centric liquor stores in the Denver metro area.

Framboise Noir is part of AC Golden’s Hidden Barrel Collection, which displays the brewer’s passion for experimenting with a variety of brewing materials and production methods. Other recent releases from the Collection include: Ctayt (Russian Imperial Stout), Peche, Apricot, Kriek and Checkpoint Charlie.

AC Golden Brewing Company, Golden, Colo., is a small batch brewery specializing in hand crafting beers for discerning drinkers. Among its beers are: Colorado Native, an amber lager made with 100 percent Colorado ingredients; Herman Joseph’s Private Reserve, a German-style lager; Barmen, a German-style pilsner, and Winterfest, a Vienna-style lager shared only during the holidays.

Caution Brewing’s Lakewood location opening this week!

**Update: Caution Brewing in Lakewood is now open!** – December 21, 2013.

Craft beer drinkers in Lakewood are about to have a new craft brewery in their neighborhood. Caution Brewing Company has been planning to open their second location for months, and it looks like this week we’ll see the official opening. We’ll be sure to update everyone when the opening is official.

Caution Brewing Logo

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

CAUTION: Lakewood Opens This Week!

[Lakewood, CO] CAUTION: Brewing Company’s latest expansion will be unleashed to the public during the week of Dec 16th, with exact date and time to be announced on social media. Lakewood’s first production microbrewery and taproom finally opens for business after months of planning and construction. With a taproom and covered patio seating for that can accommodate over 70 people, CAUTION: Brewing Company will bring their own brand of specialty beers to the Lakewood area.

Award winners such as Lao Wang Lager, Card Your Mom Saison, and Honey Matrimony Brown Ale will all be a part of a 16-tap draft system designed with experimental and unique recipes in mind. In addition to a regular list of flagship beers, CAUTION: Brewing Company will fill the remaining taps with new creations brewed on a new 3BBL system sourced from Minnetonka Brewing & Equipment Company.

As Denver’s first microbrewery to open a second brewery and taproom, CAUTION: Brewing Company has enjoyed success at it’s original location just outside of the Stapleton area. CAUTION: East, as it’s affectionately known, will remain CAUTION’s primary production and packaging facility, while providing beloved fans and friends the original taproom experience only CAUTION can provide.

Along with the opening of the CAUTION Lakewood location, CAUTION will also be releasing a new version of the VIP Groupie Growler program, rightfully named “Groupie Growler 2.0.” Each of the new limited edition, black 32oz. Liberty Bottleworks growlers will be individually numbered – and only 130 are available. Owners of the Groupie Growler will enjoy membership perks such as $6 growler fills, early access to special beer releases and special events reserved exclusively for VIPs. The limited edition VIP Groupie Growler program will retail for $50.

Surprises will be aplenty during opening, more details will be announced on social media at a later time. CAUTION invites you to join in their celebrating their new Lakewood location. Are you ready to #partywithcaution?

About CAUTION: Brewing Company

Having established itself as one of Denver’s best speciality microbreweries, CAUTION has been enjoyed by craft beer lovers in the Denver area since 2011. Founded by Betty and Danny Wang, CAUTION strives to produce well balanced beers made with a unique twist. By using as much Colorado raw ingredients as possible, CAUTION is proud to be a part of the Colorado craft beer family and have locations in both Denver and Lakewood. For more information, please visit – http://www.cautionbrewingco.com/ or social media sites:
Twitter: @cautionbrewing
Facebook: facebook.com/cautionbrewingco
Untappd: untappd.com/cautionbrewingco

CAUTION: Lakewood
1057 S. Wadsworth Blvd, Unit 60
Lakewood, CO 80226

CAUTION: Denver
12445 E. 39th Ave. Unit 314
Denver, CO 80239

AC Golden Brewing Company Introduces Olathe Lager

The makers of Colorado Native Lager are at it again. Their latest creation is called Olathe Lager, and is a great example of a craft beer brewed with Colorado ingredients. Just in time for the Colorado harvest, AC Golden Brewing Company introduces a first-of-its-kind beer, Olathe lager, a German-style lager brewed with Olathe hops, corn and barley.Olathe Lager

“The corn, barley and hops were all grown within one mile of each other in Olathe,” said Glenn Knippenberg, president of AC Golden Brewing Company. “We brewed this lager to celebrate the harvest season and all the men and women who work so hard in agriculture in the state.”

The beer’s ingredients include Charles two-row winter barley malt, world-renowned Olathe sweet corn, and Crystal and Nugget hops from Misty Mountain Hops Farm. The result is a German-style lager with a very balanced taste. “We want folks to know that when they enjoy this beer, they are celebrating and helping to support the hop farmers and barley growers of Colorado,” said Knippenberg.

The beer’s label resembles burlap and prominently features the name. The label reads: “Whether its fruits, vegetables, grains or hops, the fertile ground from Fruita to Palisade, and down to Montrose and from Paonia to Delta produces world class agriculture. “Home grown” is important to us.  We’re the brewers that brew Colorado Native Lager from ingredients grown only in Colorado. To celebrate the harvest season, and the area’s rich agriculture heritage, we brewed this golden lager as a tip of the hat to those who work the ground to feed us all.”

Olathe beer is available in draft and in 750 ml bottles (25.4 fluid ounces). Only 1,440 bottles were produced. It’s available in Cedaredge, Delta, Grand Junction, Hotchkiss, Montrose, Olathe, Palisade and Paonia while supplies last.

AC Golden Brewing Company, located in Golden, Colo., is a small brewery that handcrafts beers for discerning drinkers.  The company also brews Colorado Native, the only lager brewed with 100 percent Colorado ingredients, including barley grown in the San Luis Valley, hops grown 100 percent in Colorado, Rocky Mountain water and the oldest variety of brewing yeast in the state.

Beer By Design Brewery Grand Opening today in Northglenn

Beer By Design Grand Opening

The latest craft brewery to hit the Colorado craft beer scene is set to officially open today in Northglenn, CO. Beer By Design Brewery, the creation of President & Head Brewmaster Vince Sabbe and General Manager Rich Aggen will officially open up for business today at 4:30 PM. Following the Grand Opening, Beer By Design Brewery will be open 7 days a week.

Beer By Design Logo

Beer By Design offers 3 unique brew series. As they put it “We celebrate the history of craft brewing while introducing new and innovative flavors. Explore each series to find your favorite flavors.”

Beer By Design’s 3 Brew Series:

  • Architectural Series: As our most famous American architects perfected their well-known works through careful attention to design, so has the Beer By Design Brewery in perfecting these four finely crafted beer styles. We dedicate these flavors to those architectural  artists and your enjoyment.
  • Mountain Ale Series: This series celebrates the majestic design of the Rocky Mountains, with their scaling heights, rugged peaks and refreshingly cold water. In fact, Rocky Mountain water is one of the finest water sources anywhere, and its taste is a key ingredient to all of our carefully designed beers.
  • Women & Beer Series: Designed as a tribute to the many women who have contributed their talents to the craft brewing industry as well as all those who embrace the freshness and flavor of craft beer. The beers in this series emphasizes a superior malt complexity and somewhat subdued hop character, while at the same time maintaining a well balanced taste profile.

Following the American craft beer style, Beer By Design’s beers use the finest two-row grains, hops and yeast. Special mashing and kettle processes, developed by Brewmaster Vance Sabbe, are observed. These uniquely refined brewing techniques help create beers that are cleaner tasting and more visually appealing than most other craft beers. This is accomplished without the use of flavor-stripping filtration devices or additives.

I look forward to visiting Beer By Design Brewery and trying out some of their beers. They offer roughly a dozen beer choices, so there are styles for pretty much any taste. I wish Beer By Design Brewery the best of luck, and hope that they have a great grand opening celebration today! If you’re interested in checking them out, see their info below.

Beer By Design Brewery
2100 E. 112th Street
Northglenn, CO 80233
(303) 517-2202

Factotum Brewhouse: A homebrewer’s dream come true

Factotum Brewhouse Logo

Factotum Brewhouse will be the first brewery to cater to homebrewers when it opens this fall in Denver, Colorado. Guest brewers will have the opportunity to brew their recipe on Factotum’s seven barrel system and the beer will then be served to thirsty taproom patrons. With help from headbrewer Christopher Bruns, homebrewers will learn the steps of commercial brewing from recipe creation to the brewing process to the taproom release of the beer. This concept was originally designed for serious homebrewers who wish to receive honest, unbiased feedback from the public but recreational brewers, new brewers, and small groups are also welcome to use Factotum’s services. Christopher will act as quality control and to ensure the tap lineup isn’t dominated by any one style: “If six people come in wanting to brew an IPA, they can either wait in line or decide to brew something else,” says Christopher. Six of Factotum’s eventual eight taps will pour homebrewer beers while the remaining two will pour beers made by Christopher.

Brother-and-sister team Christopher and Laura Bruns conceived of the Factotum model over dinner with their other two siblings and have since graduated from Denver’s Small Business Development Center’s business start-up class, as well as Tom Hennessy’s renowned Brewery Immersion Course at the Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery in Ridgway, Colorado. Christopher and Laura’s Midwestern, German-American upbringing has instilled in them a passion for beer and they’re mutual background in education compels them to make Factotum a school as much as it is a brewery; Factotum isn’t just a place to drink great beer but also a place to learn about beer. Located at 4735 Lipan Street in the Sunnyside neighborhood, Factotum is moving into an already established craft beer community with Stomp Them Grapes homebrew supply store two doors down, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project ½ mile away, and the upcoming Diebolt Brewing Company one mile away.

Christopher and Laura Bruns hope local beer lovers will use the close proximity to ride their bicycles and safely visit all these fine establishments. Factotum’s setting, like so many in the Denver area, is an industrial one and the taproom ambiance will complement that setting with a rustic, factory, wood-and-metal atmosphere. However, this location means Factotum is lacking somewhat in natural light. Please visit Factotum’s Kickstarter.com page so that Christopher and Laura may make improvements to the taproom including the purchase of a glass-paneled garage door to bring sunshine into the brewery.

Factotum Brewhouse
4735 Lipan Street
Denver, CO. 80211
303-303-3003
www.factotumbrewhouse.com 

(Factotum Brewhouse is still working on their website. To find them online, visit their facebook or twitter pages)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/FactotumBrewhouse

Twitter: www.twitter.com/FactotumBrew