Boulder Beer Company

So, with the cool air portending coming snow we saddled up in Laramie Friday afternoon, rounded up the herd and headed south on 287 to graze some new pasture and try to catch more of the late summer warmth.

I've always wanted to saddle up in Laramie.

On the way south, a bonus stop just a bit off the trail was the Boulder Beer Company in of all places Boulder Colorado. The full parking lot told us the place was obviously popular with the regular folk blowing off some foam after a hard week scaling peaks, skiing slopes, or just pushing dead pixels around on a screen. Anticipating a cold one or three, we quickly shook off the dust from the hard ride and went inside.


Entering we discovered a nice tap room with an ell-bar in the corner serving all of the Boulder Beers' brews. With perhaps 12 of their beers on draught, it was hard to choose where to start, but I opted for the Flashback Anniversary Ale--a beer I was familiar with from the BOTM club and celebratory of Boulder Beer Company's 30th anniversary.


Speaking of 30th anniversary, this is the real thing folks: Boulder Beer is not some johnny-come-lately to craft beers--they've been here from the beginning. Or just about. It shows in the size of their brewery, their branching out into bottling and the breadth and maturity of their beer lineup. They're obviously doing something right.

Behind the bar are a set of windows looking out into the brewery. There wasn't any activity going on when we were in, but at times I can imagine that this sort of arrangement would provide plenty of interesting beer-making observation.


That's ice Holmes!

S went for the Sweaty Betty of which I had a sip: It was a servicable wheat and tasted fine what with the 85 degree temps and all. After these two beers went down oh so quickly, we went to the beer menu and had a look around.


I quickly settled on the Hazed and Infused which I hadn't tasted before. This hop shot is beer as I try to make it myself: Unfiltered, fresh, quenching. Quickly becoming dazed and confused, as we departed, I pled with S to drive the final leg into Denver and she obliged.

The beers are cold, the tap tenders are funny, personable, and helpful.

If you are in this area and enjoy beer, by all means drop in for a taste.

In Denver: Falling Rock Tap House

Ya gotta love a place with over 2200 bottles of beer on the wall.

And a digital timer on the wall too, measuring the countdown to the 2009 GABF kickoff party on October 6th.

These people really love their beer over here: There are over 75 beers always on draught with a good showing of Colorado micros ande from all over the US. Belgium, Germany, and Czech Republic are represented too, just goes to show you this truly is a league of nations. What about bottles you say? Over a 100 always available.

You know how once you have an idea in yer `ed it's hard to get rid of it? Well I've had the Odell Brewing Company's 5 Barrel Pale Ale in me `ed since March. Seeing it on draught here made me want it for my first brew of the night. And now I've got it in me belly, too. This one is specially brewed up in Fort Collins, CO using multiple (five maybe?) barrels, four hop additions during the boil, and hop additions in the hop back and during fermentation--hence the totally oblique naming reference. Strangely, it's a very mellow PA at only 36 IBUs and not too crazy at all.

The night was still young, and a new beer on draught will always catch my attention. One in particular captured my heart: Avatar Jasmine IPA. This beer from the Elysian Brewing Company of Seattle, has a faint fragrance of Jasmine flowers which are added to the boil and whirlpool during brewing. The subtle hints of Jasmine are in the taste, too, along with the essential hop bitterness being an IPA after all. To me, there is a definite clover honey aspect on the tongue as well--like a mellower version of Bell's Hopslam Ale. Now this is one great tasting IPA. I'm here to tell you, try it if you have the chance.

Barkeeps attentive and sweet like the beer.

On Blake Street a very, and I mean very short walk from Coors Field.

Highly recommended.