Best Colorado Beer/Brewery

Discussion in 'Mountain' started by Ricelikesbeer, Dec 19, 2012.

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  1. Mebuzzard

    Mebuzzard Grand Pooh-Bah (4,216) May 19, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I like the "tiers" of the breweries around here--so that they don't directly compete :slight_smile:
     
  2. Graviz

    Graviz Initiate (0) Feb 26, 2012 Colorado

    I'm surprised Strange hasn't been mentioned yet. One of my favs for sure.
     
  3. ArrogantB

    ArrogantB Grand Pooh-Bah (3,224) Jun 9, 2006 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Really? Which Strange beers are good?
     
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  4. Steve_0

    Steve_0 Initiate (0) Mar 14, 2012 Colorado
    Trader

    Kriek. . .
     
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  5. Prospero

    Prospero Pooh-Bah (2,606) Jul 27, 2010 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Tiers, niches, specialties, areas of expertise, it's what makes Colorado the best.
     
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  6. CellarGimp

    CellarGimp Initiate (0) Sep 14, 2011 Missouri

    I like Oskar Blues a whole lot. Definitely the CO brewer I think the highest of. I really like Odell, Avery and Great Divide as well, but OB wins. Dales, Deviant Dales, MLYP, Old Chubb, Ten Fidy, G'Knight. All damn good.
     
  7. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I like Strange's Cherry Bomb Stout and the Kriek is pretty tasty, too. Their gingerbread stout's another good one. In general, their "adjunct" beers tend to be their best.

    Several of the smaller spots have all-stars, though. Beers like Green Man, Toaster Bat, Wanderlust, Elevation, etc.
     
  8. denver10

    denver10 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,081) Nov 17, 2010 New Mexico
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I have only tried 2 Strange beers: a farmhouse that Falling Rock had on tap about 3 or 4 years ago which I really enjoyed and their IPA at Watercourse, which I didn't finish. I liked their Farmhouse enough that I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they just had an issue with the IPA style.
     
  9. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I *hate* their IPA, too. Based upon memory, it's simcoe heavy. I usually avoid it. For a while Hops and Pie was even sending it through a Randall of more simcoe hops. It was like drinking a swamp. That's been my only really negative experience with their stuff.

    EDIT: Scratch that - I didn't like their Belgian IPA either. I think that yeast may have made it worse.
     
  10. alexipa

    alexipa Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2011 Colorado

    I could not agree more with this. Every brewery perfects one style it seems; so no stepping on toes, everyone helps each other, all friends, etc. It's amazing.
     
  11. Ricelikesbeer

    Ricelikesbeer Maven (1,389) Nov 29, 2006 Colorado
    Trader

    Yeah I've only had 2 or 3 Strange beers, but I really wasnt' impressed. I had their pumpkin spice porter this year, and thought it was the most overspiced beer I've ever had... Barely palatable. That being said, I wouldn't write them off until I've had most of their stuff.
     
  12. Ricelikesbeer

    Ricelikesbeer Maven (1,389) Nov 29, 2006 Colorado
    Trader

    Yep it's truly a collaberative/ respectful environment. I think many would be surprised to hear how other breweries to step in and help others. I've even learned about several new breweries while visiting Great Divide or whatever. It's all good in CO!
     
  13. Jugs_McGhee

    Jugs_McGhee Grand Pooh-Bah (5,956) Aug 15, 2010 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Best Colorado brewery is tough. A year ago I would have said Great Divide, but having tried more and more Colorado beer, I'd probably have to go with Odell.

    Best beer from Colorado? That's a bit easier. La Folie.
     
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  14. spoony

    spoony Pooh-Bah (2,517) Aug 1, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Soooooo much to choose from...

    For consistently good beers throughout their lineup, I go with Great Divide. The Mountain Sun family gets a special mention because I think they have some of the best brewery food around (and a lot of hippy love, man).

    For my single best beer (this year anyway), my ratings say Deceit from Funkwerks, but the New Belgium/Alpine Super IPA is close behind.
     
  15. ucsbmullet

    ucsbmullet Initiate (0) Oct 5, 2011 Colorado

    My favorites from CO this year were Prost's Dunkel, Pikes Peak's Summit House BA Stout, Phantom Canyon's Winston Smith BA Barleywine, Crooked Stave's Batch 1 and Dry Dock's Bligh's. Recently, I enjoyed Our Mutual Friend's Winter Warmer.

    Prost, Crooked Stave and Phantom were my favorite breweries this year.
     
  16. ucsbmullet

    ucsbmullet Initiate (0) Oct 5, 2011 Colorado

    AC Golden's Kriek did not mess around neither.
     
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  17. beercanman

    beercanman Initiate (0) Dec 17, 2012 Ohio

    I had a 2006 meph in October when I went to GABF. EPIC!
     
  18. jIsh

    jIsh Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2010 Colorado

    Best Brewery: Crooked Stave
    Best Beer: La Folie (C&C vintages)
     
  19. ArrogantB

    ArrogantB Grand Pooh-Bah (3,224) Jun 9, 2006 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Really? I had it once and its not anything close to a real kriek.
     
  20. ArrogantB

    ArrogantB Grand Pooh-Bah (3,224) Jun 9, 2006 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Sounds crazy but I think New Belgium is the best brewery based on their blended sour ales (La Folie, Eric's Ale, Le Terroir, Tart Lychee, Kick). That Alpine collaboration was also probably the best double IPA produced in CO (Hop Vivant might be better).

    For best beer I'd nominate this year's batch of Bligh's, Le Terroir, or Mountain Sun Hop Vivant.
     
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