Best CO Beer

Another good one: Black Shirt Red Porter.

 

...as long as the cans are really fresh. Like with most of the other small canning operations, those cans run the risk of being dead flat if you don't drink them immediately. It's a shame since that beer really is damn good.

 

It was really good when I had it, but I've been bitten by the poorly filled can bug before.

Wynkoop's Mile High Malt is also really good, if you're into coffee-infused Vienna lagers. It's super smooth, with just the right amount of coffee flavor.

I think Ska Viniferal stout is still around; I like that one quite a bit as well. And I haven't been disappointed with anything from Trinity that I've had, other than the cucumber one. The 7 Day Sour's pretty good, and as you drink it, it's like you're kicking puppies owned by the 'it's spelled geueze, not gueze' crowd with every sip. Makes it taste extra-special.

 

Yeah, I thought that was a pleasant surprise. Not really a Wynkoop fan, but I quite enjoyed that one.

 

The funny thing about Mile High Malt is that they've been brewing it for a long time. Since 2007 at least, and maybe even earlier.

 

Yeah, I figure it's a pretty unique beer, and one that someone might want to trade for. How many coffee-vienna lagers are there? I bet if it were brewed in some trendy state like Vermont, we'd all be covered in splooge, whether we wanted to or not.

 

Haha, so true!!!

 

Is the only way to find out when BA Fidy is on tap to call the TW?

 

....or show up.

 

I've noticed they very rarely post anything on their FB page, but occasionally they will. Calling is about it.
As tacosandbeer mentioned it's almost always worth the trip up there. But it is disappointing when not only do they not have a BA Ten FIDY, but their big release is One Nut Brown on nitro.

 

Lots of great breweries in Co. My two favs are O'Dell and Oskar Blues.

 

For me it's 7437 from elevation. I'm a hop head and this is the best hoppy beer from Colorado imo. It's hard to "F" up Citra hops..

 

hmm, do they have their own canning line? (been awhile since I've been in. they surely didn't last time I was there)

Because if they don't--this would seem to be a critique of the mobile canning folks, that several smaller brewer are using, especially if you've experienced it over multiple brands.

I think it would be most likely the result of pinhole leaks? Some of these cans have a thin, cheap feel to them.

Or I guess, bad seams, too. Reading the probrewer website it seems like brewers who can are fighting a never-ending battle with their seamers.

For example--I do not believe I have experienced this with, say, Upslope, who have their own line, or anybody else who does-the bigger guys, Ska, Avery, etc.

I don't think I would have to buy too many flat canned beers before I stayed away from a particular brewery's canned offerings, forever. Which I would hope never happens with Black Shirt, I like those guys and their beer way too much to think they might get hurt from perceived QC issues that they might not be the ones in control of.

 

The first Big Choice 4-pack I got was totally flat and oxidized to crap. It had to be bad seals. I've since gotten a couple 4-packs of the poblano stout that were great.

 

I've had problems with canning lines from lots of different smaller places, including at least a few that have their own lines (or at least they do now)...but have never had any issues with Upslope, OB, New Belgium, Ska, etc.
The typical issue is that the beers are good for a week or maybe 2, and then the next thing you know they're flat or stale. The worst I can ever remember was from Crazy Mountain. Their first batches in the area literally had can you could press the sides of the can inward. They've long since fixed that issue, although they definitely have their own canning line now. No clue if that has always been the case.
I'm at the point where I rarely buy cans from the little guys unless it's from the brewery itself and/or I know I'll drink them in the next 3-4 days. That's been my case with BSB. I've had great cans from them, and then I've had the kind that went flat the next week. It sucks because I love several of their beers.

 

Yeah, that's what the Big Choice cans were like; you could totally squeeze them inwards. When I remember, I squeeze cans now to make sure they're sealed.

 

While seamers can definitely have their issues, the squishy can situation you guys are describing sounds like under-filling. Being just a few grams low can allow a beer to go close to flat within a few days. Mobile canning will produce far more low fills than a dialed-in dedicated line due to setup and tear-down between breweries, adjustments for differences in can size, temperature and carb level coming out of the bright tank, etc. But it's up to the brewery to make sure those cans don't hit the market, regardless of who's running the machine.

You can't weigh every can, so I'm not surprised that BSB would send out a few low fills as they learn the ins and outs of their machine, but I would be surprised if those guys didn't have it figured out pretty soon (I haven't personally had any problems with their cans so far). Until then, squeeze before you buy, and I'm sure they'd love to hear feedback.

 

There is no need to with statistical significance testing.

 

Just zipped up to Tasty Weasel and had a couple crowlers filled with Breck Bourbon BA Fidy. YUM. I don't know if it's the "best" beer in CO or how long the "can" will hold up...but this is a damn fine brew. Love that taproom too. My dog felt as welcome as I.

 

Uh oh, looks like I'm going up to the Tasty Weasel this weekend... It IS without a doubt the best stout in CO and I don't care to listen to anyone else's opposing opinion

Recently had a crowler that was a month and a half old and it tasted just awesome.