Top Brewpubs Serving Seasonal Beer In Denver
Oskar Blues Tasty Weasel Tap Room
1800 Pike Road, Unit B
Longmont, CO 80501
(303) 776-1914, ext 313
www.oskarblues.com
Down the road from Oskar Blues Home Made Liquids & Solids is its beer laboratory called the Tasty Weasel. Soak in the smells and sounds of employees brewing beer as you try specialty options not on the market. Tuesdays (Tasty Tuesdays) and Fridays (Firkin Fridays) are the days to check out the Tasty Weasel because this is when you can expect some delicious small-batch seasonal brews. In October, Oskar Blues releases a regular seasonal beer called Osktoberfest that's brewed with a German-lager yeast in small batches with limited release.
Left Hand Brewery
1265 Boston Ave.
Longmont, CO 80501
(303) 772-0258
www.lefthandbrewing.com
Left Hand's tasting room is never without a regular group of locals who claim they show up for "choir practice." What are they singing about? Left Hand's taproom is heavy on seasonal beers and light on food (there is none), which means it is serious about one thing only, beer. Fall beers include a Marzen lager Oktoberfest, a spicy herbaceous ale called Juju and an IPA aptly named Warrior. Left Hand also specializes in high-alcohol stouts like Fade to Black and barrel-aged Wake Up Dead, a 10.2-percent ABV (limited release). All are rich and powerful enough to make the choir boys sing a high note.
Breckenridge Brewery Tasting Room
471 Kalamath St.
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 573-0431
www.breckbrew.com
Autumn Ale is the fall favorite from Breckenridge Brewery. Breck brew fans like it for its German malt and American, clean ale taste. This ale is brewed with Munich malts and Bavarian hops with a toasty fall finish. Breckenridge Brewery has a regular line of beers available all year long that are perfect for a crisp fall day including a Vanilla Porter that is all chocolate with a little nuttiness. The barrel-aged Well Built IPA is aged in Stranahan's Whiskey casks which impart a toasty oak flavor. Go to the website for all of Breck's brewpub, tasting room locations and well as a beer locator for in-store purchases.
Denver Beer Company
1695 Platte St.
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 433-2739
www.denverbeerco.com
Denver Beer has been open for just over a year and it's fast becoming a top hang-out spot for beer lovers. Every night, a different food truck parks in front to satisfy hunger pangs and the beer is as seasonal as possible. Denver Beer Company changes its lineup regularly and small batch is the norm. Beers that capture the season of falling leaves might include a Pumpkin Porter or a Pumpkin Amber Ale. The Big Money Maple Nut Brown is like a malt pie in a glass with maple, brown sugar and walnuts. The beers change frequently so check in often for the best new brews.
Great Divide
2201 Arapahoe St.
Denver, CO 80205
(303) 296-9460
www.greatdivide.com
Great Divide specializes in three fall and winter beers, each available for a limited time from October through December. Fresh Hop gets its name from the freshly cut, damp hops of the Pacific Northwest that are shipped overnight to Denver. The beer is grassy, medium-bodied and has a hint of citrus. The Oak Aged Yeti is intense with huge oak flavors softened by a touch of vanilla. Hibernation Ale is a perfect beer for after a fall hike or an early ski day with dry hops and rich malt.
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Kimberly Lord Stewart is a food author and journalist for CBS Denver local, Organic Food Reporter for Examiner.com, and the Food, Wine and Spirits editor for Denver Life magazine. Her book, "Eating Between the Lines" tells readers about the truth and myths of food labeling. Stewart is the recipient of two Association of Food Journalist awards for food news reporting and the Jessie Neal Business Journalism award. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
