Favorite Colorado Lagers!

I have had the one from Dry Dock and it's absolutely wonderful. The smoke is mild - almost along the lines of Schlenkerla's helles, which isn't a rauchbier, but just picks up residual smoke from the equipment. DD's has a little more smoke than that, but it's not super potent. It's one of the best beers I've had this year. Haven't had Bierstadt's yet, but I trust them, too. I might be imagining this, but I think they're "team Spezial" rather than "team Schlenkerla," which means they favor a milder smoke character.

 

I made it in on Tuesday after a visit to Meow Wolf and I was extremely impressed with all three beers they had on: Cohesion 10 + Wet Hop and the Polotmavý Ležák (half dark/amber). The space itself looks really nice, the draft system is gorgeous, and the beer is delicious so I will absolutely be back. It's less than ten minutes from Bierstadt as well so that's a double win for lager lovers.

 

I've dropped into Cohesion twice. The dark and the amber (aka. "1/2 dark") are straight up wonderful. They're as good as any examples I've had anywhere. I'm not sure how I feel about the pale beers. They're absolutely good, but they don't necessarily hit the right notes for me. Both have a slight sour twang to them, which some people love. They're also underhopped compared to anything *I've* had from the Czech republic. That's not to say that what they're making isn't a thing over there, though. The stronger one (the 12°) is closer to Urquell, Budvar, Staropramen, Uneticky, Zatec, etc. but it's still lacks hop presence. The Wild Provisions 12° is far closer to what I want/expect. Conveniently, Cohesion actually serves that as a guest tap! It's served on a side-pull tap just like up in Boulder, so everybody wins. Oh yeah, I did really like their wet hopped version of 10°. It didn't taste traditional, but I loved it for what it was. Lots of grapefruity flavor going on.

 

Just an FYI, Prost finally opened their new location in Highlands Ranch near the AMC at Broadway and 470. I'm looking forward to visiting since I haven't been able to make it up to their main location.

 

Glad to hear. Also CS dropped a festbier.

 

I was out in Glenwood this past weekend, and stopped into the Casey Taproom and was happily surprised to see 3(!) lagers available on tap. I did not get to try the Helles, but both the Oktoberfest and Pils were excellent. Very pleased to see that the Pils was in a soft Czech style with 100% Saaz hops, as those still seem to be on the rarer side locally.

 

And that crooked stave festbier is damned good.

 

Prost has a Winter Lager out in sixers. Says it's a golden bock, so basically a Maibock I guess, but the ABV is 6%, so kinda low for a Maibock, but it is dang tasty if you're craving a heftier lager this winter.

 

I didn't know Prost had a seasonal bock. I'll have to give that a try. Lots of German breweries have a bock for the cooler months and many are pale (or pale'ish) so that's actually pretty authentic.

 

Is this out in liquor stores or only at the brewery?

 

It’s in the Safeway by me.

 

They used to do the doppelbock and maibock thing. Haven't seen either since the rebrand. The highlands ranch location lists the maibock on their tap list, so maybe there is hope it's coming back. That was my favorite from them by a long shot, it's like what odells double pils should have been.

 

Westbound & Down Italian Pils was really, really good.

Really enjoying Crooked Stave Von Pilsner.

Prost Pilsner is a good go-to.

Any of TRVE's lagers are going to be top-freaking-notch.

 

Thanks, I picked up a 6'er last night, and it is damn good (way better than the peppermint bark yeti I opened and then poured out tonite).

 

Bierstadt just tapped their Carolina Gold Lager. Collab with Breakside, using heirloom Carolina Gold rice and hopped with Mistral and Strisselspalt

 

I am seeing Grimm Bros around now, which is nice because it feels like it's been years since I've seen it. I picked up a 6'er of Little Red Cap tonight. It is so tasty.

 

Yeah, I haven't seen fresh stock from them on the south side of the metro in at LEAST a year and a half or so.

 

Relatively fresh Grimm has been showing up at Iliff and Chambers this year. Oddly they mostly only get the seasonals, though.

On the lager front, Cohesion has a winter lager called 17º Vánoční. For all practical purposes, it's a Czech bock. I'm not as familiar with their customs compared to Germany's, but what it tastes like to me. It's killer, too. The malt from their amber beers throws off strawberry notes that I really, really like.