Parry's Big Tap Takeover

When we heard Avery was coming to the Highlands Ranch Parry's Pizza, we hustled ourselves over there. And yes - they had the most complete selection of Avery brews you can get other than making the trip to Boulder. We were not disappointed. I had the Salvation and Bob had the Reverend - both were finely tuned, richly multi-layered delights. The event was a mob scene, and we talked with lots of friendly folks who recognise a great beer when they encounter one. One couple in particular were so enjoyable we plan to meet up with them again!

Hall Brewing on a Friday Afternoon

We wanted to enjoy the Rockies home opening day without the downtown Denver madness and logistics, so we chose to check out Hall Brewing (right nearby in Parker). And - YES! - they had the big screen TV in this tasting room featuring light recycled beetlekill wood and artsy chalkboards. We felt right at home as our Tapmeister Tony expertly served up beer and brewing lore. They know their stuff at Hall, we were delighted by the sheer numbers of beer to try (11 today) . If I have to sort out three favorites I'd have to say the nectar-y Peach Blonde Ale made with Colorado peaches, the Holiday which is made with orange peel and cocoa nibs - but with no one note overpowering the others; it's just complex and satisfying. The Bock/Lager is an award winner, and deservedly so. It was smokey at the start, zesty and bright - and what a kick at 9.9% alcohol content! Hall has only been open for 3 months, but the place filled up quickly with the FAC crowd, and then later the after dinner crowd. If you brew a great product, they will find you! --Rose ALL the beers here are great, no kidding.. I usually hate fruity beers, but had no problem with these. Harvest and Holiday Seasonals--outstanding-- esp. with an added infusion of dry hops, on request. Farmhouse IPA, with notes of subtle honey and light bits of grapefruit, like hitting a bases-clearing triple! Also thanks to Tony, crackerjack host, for his hospitality and clear knowledge of his craft.-- Bob

Elk Mountain Brewing

This great microbrew is right in our own backyard; Parker CO. Maybe it was the frigid weather, but when we walked in it reminded me of one of the wonderful breweries we've loved in Montana. The rough pine walls, the great country music, and everybody knows everybody. Warmth and friendliness on a cold day! Well, the first beer I tasted was a revelation - the Barrel Aged Kolsh - with a heavenly essence of chardonnay. The Wapati Wheat was a cut above, with the banana and clove taste. The brewing process for this wheat combines German and Belgian processes,winning it a Silver in the Craft Beer competition. I also found the Shayton Strong Ale a surprise with the sparkling essence of root beer and seductive honey. -Rose I liked the Rock Slide Amber, better than most, which are average around here. It had a slight taste of brown sugar upfront and an herbal note at the end. And I LOVED their Ute Bill Pale ! Just rolls across the tongue with some lemon/grapefruit hint. Also worth a mention is Elkhorn Stout. It was smoky, satisfying and full-bodied. We had fun talking to the staff; they were friendly and informative about the process. Great way to spend my 66th birthday. --Bob

Trinity Brewing

Near the glory of Garden of the Gods, west of Colorado Springs,hidden in a nondescript strip mall, lies a real find.......Trinity Brewing... if you have seen the movie "Office Space",you'll love and appreciate all the references posted on the chalkboard. e.g. "Case of the Mondays","Oh Face","Red Swingline", etc., yeah, you get it. These guys specialize in Saisons and Farmhouse ales. Masterpieces. Farmhouse Soleil brings it home, must try.--Bob I LOVED the Chi Belgian Pilsner - it gets five stars from me - it has a taste of honey and a lightly crisp ending. Farmhouse Fantome has a summer harvest taste of subtle strawberry at the end. We also appreciated the cheese cubes that came with the sampler, (nice touch) and the friendly helpful waitstaff. They have 20 (!) guest beers on tap, so you're sure to find something you'll like. This visit to Trinity capped off a lovely drive through Garden of the Gods on a late summer day. Do visit them!--Rose

Grand Lake Brewing Co.

Last Friday found us in the mountain community of Grand Lake in the beautiful summer weather. Grand Lake Brewery is right next to Hwy 34, between Granby and the town of Grand Lake. It's a cozy, comfortable feeling place to duck in, where you're just as likely to see tourists from out of state as you are to see locals who come back again and again for the great choices from the tap. Our fellow tasters at the bar were from Westminster, and Albuquerque. Among the beers we found to love were the seasonal brew Passionfruit Wheat, which had a sweet and slightly salty taste and reminded me of a chardonnay. Lovely!!! Also worthy of mention was the Plaid Bastard Strong Scotch Ale which had a slight essence of prune I found interesting. Another favorite was the Amber Lager "Mud Season" beer. Clean and mellow, perfectly balanced, and a pleasure.-Rose I liked the Pumphouse Lager, a German style helles,a nice smooth blend of German hops and yeast and European malts. Another fine beer with a complex blend of American and European malt was the Stumpjumper IPA, stays with you without being too hoppy. We had a great time both in town (see pix!)and at the taphouse, friendly staff too. -Bob

Meetup at Wynkoop

This day found us taking light rail to downtown Denver to Wynkoop Brewery, Colorado's oldest brewpub, very near beautiful Coors Field (home to Colo. Rockies baseball). Wynkoop has an old-town feel, it's a perfect place to stop in for a cool one on a hot summer day. Monday afternoon I had the pleasure of meeting 3 cousins from far-off places - John from Northern British Columbia, Ginny from Tuscon AZ, and Cathy from Paulbo, MT. I already know my cousin Frank from Issaquah WA, who was also in attendance. And of course, my husband Bob was there! We started with the unfiltered Belgian style Weiss - did not disappoint - plenty of banana and clove essence. Patty's chili beer was a delight, with the green chili punch I love - not too much heat. And the Black Lager was different and wonderful - some real heft and character to go with the crisp lager base.-Rose For my taste the best sure bet here is the classic Railyard Ale, an amber that pleases the taste bud, nothing fancy, just right. --Bob

Dillon Dam Brewery

We were up in Summit County CO, enjoying some of the best ski towns in the country - during summer (!) The lovely scenery, the cooler temps, great breweries make for an excellent getaway. We'll get right to the punchline here - the best of five microbreweries is probably Dillon Dam Brewery; named for the dam right nearby. The standout to me was the exquisite Supermoon Saison. Like a heavenly wildflower meadow, it had a breath of honey at the front, and interesting herbals at the end. Another winner was the Zuma Zen lager, an amber lager actually. _Rose We have been to this place several times in past years when we lived in the central Colo. mountains, and I have to say the brown ale -Sweet George's Brown- is possibly one of the best anywhere-doesn't bite, lightly smoky,and a little caramel, a real favorite.-Bob