Tasting at the Eddyline

Our next stop on our never ending beer tour was the Eddyline. Last Tuesday in the peaceful little town of Buena Vista, we found some very fine, tasty brews. They're located right off of Hwy. 285, between Fairplay and Salida. Their woodfired pizza alone is worth the trip, and there's a fabulous walk along the Arkansas river where we love to take the dog and watch kayakers roll in the rapids in the summer. Lovers of pales and IPAs will swoon over their two stellar offerings. The River Runners pale is citrus-y and bright - NOT bitter - and won a gold medal (!) in the Great American Beerfest. I prefer the less hoppy beers, but was won over by this one. Crank Yanker IPA also earned our devotion. With a nice malt balance, it's hoppy in the middle but has no bitter aftertaste at all. My personal favorites were the Mountain Fairy Raspberry (I know, I know, it's a girl beer) which was not overly sweet with an authentic hint of berry. Also incredibly good was the Kickin' Back Amber Lager. Full of subtle nuances, it's a Vienna style lager with hints of chocolate, and lots of smokey and roast-y notes which put me in my happy place. In all they have nine or ten beers to pick from depending on the season, and none was a disappointment. Manager and head brewer Ryan McFadden was a fountain of information about the anaerobic roasting process, etc. and made the visit fun and interesting for us. Colorado microbrewery trail aficionados will want to bag the Eddyline. - Rose We really enjoyed our time in this small mountain town, stunning views of Collegiate Peaks, and a great place for outdoor adventurers. Ryan, Jeff and Maggie, our friendly hosts, kept us awash in suds and conversation. My favorite was the Crank Yanker IPA, had a real balance of malts and hops, went down real easy. River Runner pale was runner-up,also sublime and tasty. Two thumbs up for the Eddyline, don't pass it up if you're on that stretch of road. --Bob