Your Summer Hydration Guide
It should be no surprise that the very mountains we love to play in also inspire and produce some quality drinks. Colorado is home to an endless array of craft distilleries, brew pubs, micro brews, drinking festivals and home brewers. Many of them source the supplies they need from right here in Colorado. And why not? The snow-capped Rocky Mountains provide rivers of fresh water while the sunny Western Slope and Front Range allow for produce of all sorts to grow and flourish. All the while, our great state is full of people—locals and visitors alike—enjoying the wide variety of activities. Be it rafting, kayaking, surfing (stand up paddleboarding), hiking, running or biking, there’s nothing like a frosty, frothy brew to cap off the day, an aromatic shot settle into the night or a fun festival to enjoy.
Dillon Dam Brewer
Location: Dillon, CO
Founded: 1997
Hours: Open daily at 11:30am
Standout: Sweet George’s Brown Ale
In May, the Dillon Dam Brewery won two awards at the 2012 World Beer Cup held in San Diego, California. Gold for the Art of Science Schwarzbier and Bronze for Sweet George’s Brown Ale. It was the first time the brewery had taken home two medals at either the Worlds or the Great American Beer Festival.
“We were excited to win Gold for the Schwarzbier, but when we won the bronze for Brown a few minutes later I jumped out of my seat yelling “Hell Yeah!” said Dam Brewmaster Cory Forster. “We’d never won two awards at one of the BIG competitions, and to have a chance at Brewpub of the Year, you’ve got to win several, so that’s nice.”
Called the Olympics of Beer, the ninth bi-annual World Beer Cup boasted the strongest field of entrants on record, with 799 breweries from 54 countries and 45 U.S. states entering 3,921 beers in 95 beer style categories. Judges presented a total of 284 awards.
Sweet George’s Brown Ale is always on tap—so stop by and try the award winner. The Dillon Dam Brewery has over 70 menu items including burgers, soups, salads, pub favorites, sandwiches, wraps, pasta, steaks, fish and more. And there is a new lunch special every day.
The award-winning ales and lagers range from Dam Lyte to McLuhr’s Irish Stout. And there’s always a creative seasonal beer or two on tap.
A great place to meet friends and family. Kids menu. Open daily at 11:30 a.m. Summer beer garden. Mountain views of the Gore Range from the large windows. Weekend brunch menu. Free Wi-Fi. Self-guided brewery tours. Thursday night live music. Sports on 11 TVs. Located just off I-70 Exit 205 on U.S. Hwy. 6 next to Christy Sports.
For more info, coupons and band schedule go to dambrewery.com or find us on Facebook. 970-262-7777. dambrewery.com
Renegade Brewery
Location: Denver, CO
Founded: 2011
Hours: Mon-Thurs, 3pm – 9pm, Fri-Sat, 2pm – 10pm, Sun, 1pm – 6pm
Standout: Ryeteous
Brian O’Connell loved craft beer so much, his wife said, “If you enjoy it so much, you should try making it,” and got him a home brew kit in 2005. Like a kid with a new chemistry set he took inspiration from his favorite beers and started mixing it up. Over the years, the kit grew bigger, more elaborate and Brian went after bold flavors.
Then last year in 2011, Brian threw a big party and launched the 15-barrel Renegade Brewery in Denver. This year, for the brewery’s first anniversary his flagship beer “Ryeteous”, inspired by Lenny’s Bittersweet Rye IPA, is making the bold and easy-to-distribute move to 16 oz. cans. It promises to be a crowd pleaser.
Brian is not afraid to try new flavors. After Halloween one year, he picked up a few bags of peanut butter cups and peppermint candies. After brewing test batches using each of those, the peanut -butter beer received rave reviews. With about 20 pounds of mini peanut butter cups Brian brewed a full batch of Imperial Peanut Butter Cup Milk Stout and named it “Black Gold.” Other unique beers you’ll find on tap include: Banana Split, 5 O’Clock (a blonde ale), Sunday Morning, Elevation, Red-I (a red IPA), the russian influenced Hammer & Sickle, Bedwetter and Two Down.
You won’t find the beers of Renegade Brewery anywhere but downtown Denver. Most of the beer gets sold out right over the counter of Brian’s tasting room. Only a select few nearby pubs host Renegade Brewery’s beers on tap. Though, that may start to change as Brian works to expand his brewing capacity and with Ryeteous going into cans.
As with the launch of Renegade Brewery, a big party was thrown in June for their first birthday. For that, Brian stashed a few barrels of some previous brews and aged them. Beers like the triple IPA Elevation, Hammer & Sickle, Radiator (a winter beer) and the Edinburgh Elixir made a more mature appearance. craftbrewerydenver.com
Steamworks Brewing Co.
Location: Durango, CO
Founded: 1996
Hours: Sun-Thurs, 11am – 12am, Fri-Sat, 11am – 2am
Standout: Steam Engine Lager
Have you ever participated in a mountain bike race that had you ride through a brewpub before? Seriously. A window is removed and a ramp is installed letting riders enter the brewery. They then ride along the bar, out the back door into the courtyard and down a steep ramp off the back deck. Fans pack the bar, offering a very intimate environment with high-fives along the way. Some riders even stop at the bar to grab a drink.
Since opening in 1996, this has happened not just once but three times at the Steamworks Brewing Company in Durango. First in 2001 for the UCI World Cup Mountain Bike Races. Then not again until 2011 and just this past May in 2012 for the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic. Stunts like this offer a very telling glimpse into the attitude of this establishment: fun, bustling and untraditional.
Despite mountain bikes streaming through on Memorial Day Weekend and a number of large TV’s to show Broncos games, Steamworks doesn’t really tout itself as a sports bar unless you focus on the beer. Considered “The Olympics of Beer,” the World Beer Cup has awarded Steamworks beer three medals including a Gold in 2012 for Brewmaster Ken Martin’s Berliner Weiss (a sour & refreshing wheat based beer). Add to that eleven medals awarded from the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) and you have nothing but champion options to enjoy.
Take for example one of the most highly decorated beers in Colorado, Steamworks’ Steam Engine Lager. The “Steam” as it’s known, has won four Gold, a Silver and a Bronze at the GABF and a Silver at the World Beer Cup. Or try another winner, the Colorado Kolsch, a light and refreshing beer style originating in Cologne, Germany. The Kolsch brought home a Silver from the World Beer Cup and won two Silver Medals at the GABF. Despite its German origins, the Kolsch logo features the Colorado flag and has become Steamworks’ top selling beer throughout Colorado.
Not to be outdone, the food offered at Steamworks is unmatched in the region both in breadth and quality of offerings. The “gastropub” fare includes regionally-raised meats and sustainable seafood along with healthy salads, delicious pizzas, spicy Southwestern-style dishes and vegetarian and gluten-free offerings. Culinary Institute of America Chef Sean Clark continues to push the menu in new and creative directions that are typically reserved for fine dining restaurants.
By now, it should be no surprise that the Steamworks is a favorite for locals and visitors alike. It’s a well known town meeting place as it embraces the culture of Durango. The team of employees love to hike, fish, ride, enjoy amazing food and of course, drink great beer. steamworksbrewing.com
Durango Mountain Resort
Location: Durango, CO
Founded: 1965
Hours: Vary by activity and season
Standout: Diggler Mountain Scooter
Beer and mountains. In this loose formula we sum up Colorado. Fine tune the mix to four award-winning craft breweries and the doorstep to the magnificent San Juan Mountains and we have Durango. This is a natural setting for a wide variety of activities, be they in the mountains, down in town or a civilized combination of the two.
Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort offers activities for every adventure seeker. This is an ideal base camp for hikers looking to explore the San Juans in gentle day hikes or to stage multi-day backpacking trips. Stay closer to the resort and rip down the mountain on the alpine slide or get off the ground and fly through the air on the zipline. For a totally unique adventure the Diggler Mountain Scooter might be your ticket. Part mountain bike, part snowboard and part scooter the Diggler is easy-to-learn and fun to ride down the trails at Purgatory. If you’re feeling ambitious, take the scooter and test your carving abilities on the Diggler Mountain Bike Trail. Traditional mountain bikers can take advantage of the fact that Purgatory has maintained the course installed in 1990 when they hosted the first-ever World Mountain Bike Championship. To accommodate a wide range of riding abilities and styles, Purgatory maintains 10 different mountain bike trails. Beginners and experts alike are sure to find fun and enjoyable rides.
Where there are mountains, there will be rivers and Durango is perfectly placed to corral the waters rushing down from above into the Animas River which flows right through downtown. With fast rapids, gentle pools and everything in-between, the Animas is perfect for great rafting, kayaking and it is home to Gold Medal waters for fly fishing.
To kick back and relax after kayaking, rafting, fishing, hiking, biking, ziplining or riding the Diggler, know that options abound since Durango has more restaurants per capita than San Francisco. And with four award-winning craft breweries finding a good beer won’t be a problem. Stroll along historic Main Street to check out the outstanding boutiques and galleries.
Durango Mountain Resort features Dante’s Summer Concert Series on July 6, August 3 and August 17. Starting at 7pm after you’ve had a chance to shower and clean up, grab a local craft beer and order dinner from a full bar and grill. Great music, tasty beer and satisfying food will keep you company as the sun sets and the million plus stars shine on through the darkness of the night sky above.
For gastronomes, experience Purgatory’s Mushroom Festival Aug. 10-11 where you’ll savor a six-course menu featuring mushrooms and other gourmet ingredients, each paired with a wine selection. Then, attend a professionally guided mushroom hunt on the mountain to discover edible fungus growing in the wild. The Festival is complete with an Expo featuring mushroom varietals, and wine and craft beer tastings. The festival sells out so you’ll want to make your festival and lodging reservations soon!
In the unlikely event you feel you’ve done all you can in the mountains, or if you’re just looking for a change in scenery, Durango offers excellent access and a strong cultural connection to the colorful desert southwest. The Durango area cherishes it’s rich western history and heritage.
Be it summer or winter, spring or fall, Durango is a vibrant community and always has something going on. Come by for a visit to this small, friendly mountain town. durangomountainresort.com
Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival
Location: Breckenridge, CO
Founded: 2010
Dates: Oct. 5-7
Standout: Downtown Poker Run and Pub Crawl
Raise your glass, artisan spirits lovers. The third annual Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival lures Colorado’s finest distillers to town for an unrivaled tasting showcase of handcrafted spirits. Produced by the Breckenridge Restaurant Association, the festival was born of Colorado’s rapidly growing artisan spirits industry.
The festival’s grand tasting features samples and specialty cocktails from craft distillers, while local restaurants pay homage to the town’s 1859 founding year with $18.59 menu specials. Plus, the festival has teamed up with the Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center, which means you can enjoy all that food and drink without having to hold out worrying about driving home later on I-70. And what better opportunity to enjoy the famed Hangover Brunch that takes place on Sunday morning with specials at breakfast spots across town.
You can also try your luckat the Downtown Poker Run & Pub Crawl, which lets players sample Breckenridge’s best drinks and collect cards at each location. Top poker hands earn prizes and one-of-a-kind cocktails are awarded to all at a Breckenridge Distillery open house.
“Those familiar with microbrewing will be pleased to discover that the same care and quality is happening within the craft spirits industry, both in Colorado and across the nation,” said BRA president Ken Nelson. “Colorado has a particularly liberal distilling environment and that’s key to the recent boom. Still on the Hill celebrates the diversity resulting from that boom and we’re excited to welcome a variety of talented craft distillers to Breckenridge.”
Paired with historic saloon tours, hearty hangover brunches and lodging specials galore, this annual celebration—the first of its kind in the state—goes down smooth and only gets better with time. breckenridgecraftspiritsfestival.com
Breckenridge Distillery
Location: Breckenridge, CO
Founded: 2010
Hours: Tues-Sun, 11am – 6pm
Standout: Breckenridge Bourbon
What makes the Internationally renowned spirits from Breckenridge Distillery so special? Using snowmelt water from the Rocky Mountains, their small-batch spirits are ranked among the best in the world. Accolades include a top-three finish at the prestigious International Wine and Spirits Competition, two Chairman’s Trophy Finalist finishes and an International Double Gold Medal.
Located in a 4,000 foot facility on Airport Road in Breckenridge, the distillery itself offers drop-in tours. Here you can watch hootch being mashed fermented and distilled. Then go load up on some at the tasting room across from the Visitor’s Center downtown. Breckenridge Bourbon has earned 96 points, been awarded Bourbon of the Year 2012 at the International Whisky Competition, and yes, they have been accused of selling candied sex in a bottle. Check out what BourbonBlog calls “One of the most impressive craft distilleries in America,” and you’ll agree. There’s something in the water!
Breckenridge Bourbon: “Full of character, big-hearted, chewy Bourbon where honey and cocoa thrives and spices make a telling impact…definitely worth buying.” – Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2012
Breckenridge Vodka: “Clean and brilliantly clear with mild notes of lemon cream and fragrant meadow flowers. Light body with a soft, warm texture and a balanced mellow finish displaying just a hint of sweetness. Minerality of the snowmelt lends to the perfect mouth feel.”
Breckenridge Bitters: “Hand-harvested alpine herbs mingle with ancient bitter roots and spicy dried fruits in a symphony of aromas and flavors that recall the mystery of old world alchemy. This exquisite aperitif bitters strikes a remarkable balance of alluring aromatics and bittersweet flavors that will inspire the adventurous imbiber the last sip.” More than a cocktail ingredient, this aperitif is enjoyable straight or combined with an IPA beer. breckenridgedistillery.com
