Beer in a Hive: A honey brew at the Brown Palace. Photo: Steve Zdawczynski/steve-z.com
Online Garage Sale
Sure, it’s a little early to be thinking about spring cleaning. But when you’re hanging up your summer gear in order to pull out the winter goods, it’s likely that the sheepish thought of man, I’ve got a lot of stuff crosses your mind. And if you’re like 99 percent of Colorado gear junkies, a sizable portion of what you’ve accumulated over the years is no longer in use. Welcome to The Pro’s Closet, a gear reseller founded in Boulder in 2005 by mountain bike racer Nick Martin and pro roadie Pete Lopinto. The pair run a bike shop like none other – a space designed to retool your ride (and other outdoor gear) for resale. With the help of 16 employees, they’ve auctioned off 33,000 pieces of gear in 2011 alone and manage the largest used cycling store on eBay. “We study auction science to drive more people to our clients’ auctions so they end up with more money in their pocket,” Martin says. Of course, nothing is for free—the duo keep 25 percent of the first $400 sold and 10 percent of the remaining amount. But they also take the hassle and headache out of selling used gear—a service well worth it. theproscloset.com
High on Bourbon
Three years ago, Peach Street Distillers introduced the first legal bourbon produced in the state of Colorado. Light on the palate, the bourbon revealed soft caramel flavors and cereal notes, with aromas of light oak and vanilla. Craft liquor aficionados and hooches alike rejoiced. But alas, Peach Street produced just 200 bottles available only at the distillery, located in the heart of Colorado wine country in Palisade.
But things are looking up. EO heard from Moose Koons over at PSD that they’ve been hard at work to meet the demand—this year, they’re cranking out 150 cases a month. Get yours at local liquor stores across Colorado. And if you still can’t get your mitts on a bottle, give their Peach Brandy a try. It just happens to be the only legal aged peach brandy in the entire U.S. Made with organic peaches, handpicked in Palisade, peach brandy is the stuff from which Washington and Franklin made the infamous Fish House Punch they overindulged in after signing the Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of small-batch craft spirits.” peachstreetdistillers.com
Honey Buzz
Two years ago, the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver welcomed nearly a half million permanent guests—a colony of bees residing in five hives on the roof. The bees have been busy producing the honey served during the historic four-star hotel’s traditional afternoon tea, held every afternoon from 12:00 to 4:00. This fall, the bees took on a new project—supplying 75 pounds of honey for a joint effort with the Wynkoop Brewery to craft a special edition beer. “We wanted to create a beer that was refined, but also embraceable, something fitting for the Brown Palace,” says Wynkoop’s Marty Jones.
The Rooftop Honey Saison accomplishes exactly that. In addition to the honey, the Belgian-style ale was made with European hops and a dash of wheat. Fermented with a blend of four saison yeasts, the beer features aromas and flavors of sliced pears and white pepper, with a creamy body and a dry, elegant finish. Try it at Wynkoop or at the Ship Tavern at the Brown Palace Hotel. Better hurry; only 300 gallons (about 20 kegs) were produced. wynkoop.com
