Denver Rare Beer Tasting IX

From my early days of drinking craft beer back in the 1980s I've been a big stout fan. So when breweries start submitting the list of beers that they are bringing to the Denver Rare Beer Tasting, I get excited to hear about the luxurious dark brews that will be featured at the event. This year is no exception. Only a small number of brewers have sent us beer information so far and the stouts sound amazing. Here are just a few that are on the preliminary beer list at this point:

• AleSmith Rye Barrel-Aged Vietnamese Speedway Stout
• Hardywood Park Kentucky Christmas Morning
• Kane 2015 A Night to End All Dawns
• Maui Skull Island Stout
• New Holland Dragon's Milk Michigan Winter
• Ozark Onyx 2017 Bourbon Double Cream Stout
• Perennial Barrel-Aged 17 Imperial Mint Chocolate Stout
• Verboten Little Nonsense Double Cask Oatmeal Stout

 

As a public service we normally alert fence sitters when the Denver Rare Beer Tasting is approaching sold out status. We just checked the ticket website and we're at 94% sold, so if you are planning to be in Denver during GABF and considering attending the event, now would be a good time to visit www.etix.com.

We continue to hear about some very tasty beers that brewers are planning to serve, including:

+ Big Sky Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout
+ Crux [Banished] PCT Porter
+ Destihl Highway to the Danger Seizoen
+ Funky Buddha Mexican Coffee Tequila Barrel-Aged Stout
+ Jolly Pumpkin Vampire
+ Lakewood Cuvée de Vélo
+ Rhinegeist Double Oaked Mastodon
+ Saranac Utica After Dark
+ Unknown 2016 Dirty Commie Heathen

 

A very limited number of General Admission tickets remain via etix.com.

We're still hearing from our breweries, but the provisional beer list is starting to take shape:

+ Against the Grain Olive You From My Head Tomatoes*
+ Alaskan Brewing TBD
+ The Alchemist Skadoosh*
+ AleSmith Rye Barrel-Aged Vietnamese Speedway Stout
+ Avery Brewing TBD
+ Bells Brewing TBD
+ Big Sky Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout
+ Black Project Roswell*
+ The Brooklyn Brewery TBD
+ The Bruery Hoarders Cuvée 2017
+ Cascade Brewing TBD
+ Cerebral Brewing TBD*
+ Coronado 2013 Barrel-Aged Old Scallywag
+ Crank Arm Roue Trois Rouge*
+ Crux [Banished] PCT Porter
+ Destihl Highway to the Danger Seizoen*
+ Dry Dock Bligh’s Barleywine (3 year vertical 2014, 2015, 2016)*
+ Firestone Walker Brewing TBD
+ Forager Magnus*
+ Fremont Barrel-Aged Unicorn Tears & Black Heron Project: Barrel-Aged Brett Saison
+ Full Sail Brewing TBD
+ Fullsteam Flanders-style Gold
+ Funky Buddha Mexican Coffee Tequila Barrel-Aged Stout
+ Grand Basin 385 Scytale Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout*
+ Grand Teton Brewing TBD
+ Great Divide Brewing TBD
+ Grimm Brothers Once Upon a Time
+ Hardywood Park Kentucky Christmas Morning & Mamaw's Mean Cobbler
+ Haw River Sazerac (High Country Cocktail Series No. 2), Bodhi Loves Chachi & Saxy Machismo Special Reserve
+ Intrepid Sojourner Barrel-Aged Imperial Turkish Coffee Stout*
+ Jester King Montmorency vs. Balaton & Beer Yet to Be Named
+ Jolly Pumpkin Vampire
+ Joyride Tour Time Barleywine & Bourbon Barrel Aged Tour Time Barleywine*
+ Kane 2015 A Night to End All Dawns*
+ Lakewood Cuvée de Vélo*
+ Libertine 2017 Good Vibrations*
+ The Lost Abbey Monk's Blend
+ The Lost Borough 2016 Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout*
+ Maui Skull Island Stout
+ Mikkeller SD Nurp On Wood*
+ New Belgium Brewing TBD
+ New Holland Dragon's Milk: Michigan Winter
+ NoDa Brewing TBD
+ Ozark Onyx 2017 Bourbon Double Cream Stout*
+ Pappy Slokum Brewmaster's Barrel Series #1*
+ Perennial Barrel-Aged 17
+ Perry Street 2015 Chardonnay Barrel-Aged Tripel*
+ Prison City Pub & Brewery TBD*
+ Rhinegeist Double Oaked Mastodon*
+ River North Vicennial: Shadowman
+ Rogue Big Hoppy Audacious Gulp
+ Rowley Frambozen*
+ Samuel Adams Brewery TBD
+ Saranac Utica After Dark
+ Scratch Filé Saison*
+ Side Project Cellar TBD*
+ Sierra Nevada Brewing TBD
+ Spangalang Conjunction Junction
+ Stone Brewing TBD
+ Sun King Brewing TBD
+ Thirsty Dog Brewing TBD
+ Three Floyds Brewing TBD
+ Uberbrew TBD
+ Uinta Cahoots Port Barrel-Aged Flanders-Style Red Ale
+ Unknown Awkward in Indonesia & 2016 Dirty Commie Heathen*
+ Verboten Little Nonsense: Double Cask
+ WeldWerks Brewing TBD
+ Yazoo Vérifiez vos Fruits!
(* Indicates first brewery appearance at Denver Rare Beer Tasting.)

 

I've tasted their beer and they are indeed "Grand," but the real name of the brand is Great Basin 385 Scytale Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout*. My sincere apologies to our good friends at Great Basin Brewing in Sparks, Nev.

 

Erik-P Thanks for supporting the Pints for Prostates campaign. In past years the General Admission line starts to form around 10:30 a.m. But you should know when the doors open we get all 600 GAs in the venue quickly -- last year in 18 minutes. You can decide the value of your time vs. your place in line. If you are waiting on line, you can take advantage of the Brewers Health Initiative, which is a free men's health screening held outside the event. We recommend to everyone attending if there are bucket list beers you must try that you visit those breweries first. Each brewery is asked to bring 7.75 gallons of beer for the event. Last year at 2:30 p.m. (90 minutes into the GA and 2.5 hours after VIP opened) we had 44 of 54 breweries still pouring beer. This year the event will start with 58 breweries pouring and 10 "Bullpen Brewers" in the wings ready when slots open. The key with an event like this is to realize there is a ton of great beer and a great many sleepers from brewers you might not know. Our lines are typically fairly short (under 10 people) at each pouring station. If the line is longer than that, unless it is one of your bucket list beers, my suggestion is to skip that one and visit the next one. I've seen people walk right up to Jim Koch of Samuel Adams and get a pour of Utopius without a wait, or grab a never publicly released beer from Garrett Oliver at Brooklyn Brewery's table or swap stories with Adam Avery while trying a limited release beer from Avery's barrel house while others have stood in line at the next table. Sometimes a line gets longer because people see the line and think they need to stand in it. But I can't argue with anyone for standing in a line who has wanted to try a rare beer for a couple of years and now it is being poured just a few feet away. It is a smart beer crowd and good atmosphere, so you should enjoy your first time. Cheers!

 

Last Call! Only 5 General Admission tickets remain for this year's Denver Rare Beer Tasting. Get them at www.etix.com

 

SOLD OUT! Thanks for supporting Pints for Prostates and setting a new record for the event. Once we get the final beer list we will post it here. T.G.I.F. & CHEERS!

 

More brewers have reported in on what they plan to pour at the event. We hope to be able to post the complete provisional beer list soon.

· Against the Grain Olive You From My Head Tomatoes*
· Alaskan Brewing TBD
· The Alchemist Skadoosh*
· AleSmith Rye Barrel-Aged Vietnamese Speedway Stout
· Avery Brewing TBD
· Bell’s Traverse City Whiskey Dagger Stout
· Big Sky Barrel-Aged Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout
· Black Project Roswell*
· The Brooklyn Brewery TBD
· The Bruery Hoarders Cuvée 2017
· Cascade Brewing TBD
· Cerebral Rum Barrel-Aged Work From Home*
· Coronado 2013 Barrel-Aged Old Scallywag
· Crank Arm Roue Trois Rouge*
· Crux [Banished] PCT Porter
· Destihl Highway to the Danger Saizone*
· Dry Dock Bligh’s Barleywine (3 year vertical 2014, 2015, 2016)*
· Firestone Walker Parabajava
· Forager Magnus*
· Fremont Barrel-Aged Unicorn Tears & Black Heron Project: Barrel-Aged Brett Saison
· Full Sail 2008 Bourbon Imperial Porter & 2010 Old Boardhead Barleywine
· Fullsteam Flanders-style Gold
· Funky Buddha Mexican Coffee Tequila Barrel-Aged Stout
· Grand Teton 2015 American Sour
· Great Basin 385 Scytale Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout*
· Great Divide Brewing TBD
· Grimm Brothers Once Upon a Time
· Hardywood Park Kentucky Christmas Morning & Mamaw's Mean Cobbler
· Haw River Sazerac (High Country Cocktail Series No. 2), Bodhi Loves Chachi & Saxy Machismo Special Reserve
· Intrepid Sojourner Barrel-Aged Imperial Turkish Coffee Stout*
· Jester King Montmorency vs. Balaton & Beer Yet to Be Named
· Jolly Pumpkin Vampire
· Joyride Tour Time Barleywine & Bourbon Barrel Aged Tour Time Barleywine*
· Kane 2015 A Night to End All Dawns*
· Lakewood Cuvée de Vélo*
· Libertine 2017 Good Vibrations*
· The Lost Abbey Monk's Blend
· The Lost Borough 2016 Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout*
· Maui Skull Island Stout
· Mikkeller SD Nurp On Wood*
· New Belgium Straight from The Source
· New Holland Dragon's Milk: Michigan Winter
· NoDa Brewing TBD
· Ozark Onyx 2017 Bourbon Double Cream Stout*
· Pappy Slokum Brewmaster's Barrel Series #1*
· Perennial Barrel-Aged 17
· Perry Street 2015 Chardonnay Barrel-Aged Tripel*
· Prison City Barrel-Aged Wham Whams*
· Rhinegeist Double Oaked Mastodon*
· River North Vicennial: Shadowman
· Rogue Big Hoppy Audacious Gulp
· Rowley Cabernet Barrel-Aged Frambozen*
· Samuel Adams Brewery TBD
· Saranac Utica After Dark
· Scratch Filé Saison*
· Side Project Derivation Blend #7*
· Sierra Nevada Brewing TBD
· Spangalang Conjunction Junction
· Stone Xocoveza Extra Anejo
· Sun King Jimmy Jam
· Thirsty Dog Brewing TBD
· Three Floyds Brewing TBD
· Überbrew Alpha Force RAPDOM*
· Uinta Cahoots Port Barrel-Aged Flanders-Style Red Ale
· Unknown Awkward in Indonesia & 2016 Dirty Commie Heathen*
· Verboten Little Nonsense: Double Cask
· WeldWerks Peach Climacteric & Medianoche Reserve
· Yazoo Vérifiez vos Fruits!
(* Indicates first brewery appearance at Denver Rare Beer Tasting.)

 

Denver Rare Beer Tasting IX Beer List Unveiled
Pints for Prostates Awareness Event Takes Place Oct. 6

DENVER, CO – The beer list for the ninth annual Denver Rare Beer Tasting is a mix of rare, vintage and exotic brews from 68 of America’s most highly regarded craft brewers.

The Pints for Prostates fundraiser will be held on Oct. 6 in Colorado during the same weekend as the Great American Beer Festival. The beer list is a collection of barrel-aged, stylistically experimental, uniquely flavored and one-off brews giving beer aficionados the chance to explore cutting edge craft beer.

“Brewing craftsmanship and passion will be on display at this year’s Denver Rare Beer Tasting. This is the only time these amazing breweries and beers will come together in a single location,” said Rick Lyke, founder of Pints for Prostates. “We’re fortunate to get this kind of support from 68 amazingly creative breweries helping us to reach men through the universal language of beer.”

The provisional beer list for the event includes:

· Against the Grain Olive You From My Head Tomatoes
· Alaskan Sea Smoke Aged in Laphroaig Scotch Barrel
· The Alchemist Skadoosh & Focal Banger*
· AleSmith Rye Barrel-Aged Vietnamese Speedway Stout
· Avery Black Eye
· Bell’s Traverse City Whiskey Dagger Stout
· Big Sky Barrel-Aged Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout
· Black Project Roswell*
· Brooklyn Pendragon
· The Bruery Hoarders Cuvée 2017
· Cascade Pêché Fumé
· Cerebral Rum Barrel-Aged Work From Home & Nectarine Drupaceous*
· Coronado 2013 Barrel-Aged Old Scallywag
· Crank Arm Roue Trois Rouge*
· Crux [Banished] PCT Porter
· Destihl Highway to the Danger Saizone*
· Dry Dock Bligh’s Barleywine (3 year vertical 2014, 2015, 2016)*
· Ecliptic 2016 Barrel-Aged Rastaban Oud Bruin
· Firestone Walker Parabajava
· Forager Magnus*
· Fremont Barrel-Aged Unicorn Tears & Black Heron Project: Barrel-Aged Brett Saison
· Full Sail 2008 Bourbon Imperial Porter & 2010 Old Boardhead Barleywine
· Fullsteam Flanders-style Gold
· Funky Buddha Mexican Coffee Tequila Barrel-Aged Stout
· Grand Teton 2015 American Sour
· Great Basin 385 Scytale Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout*
· Great Divide Sour Hibernation Aged in Red Wine Barrels
· Grimm Brothers Once Upon a Time
· Hardywood Park Kentucky Christmas Morning & Mamaw's Mean Cobbler
· Haw River Sazerac (High Country Cocktail Series No. 2), Bodhi Loves Chachi & Saxy Machismo Special Reserve
· Intrepid Sojourner Barrel-Aged Imperial Turkish Coffee Stout*
· Jester King Montmorency vs. Balaton & Bière de Coupage
· Jolly Pumpkin Vampire
· Joyride Tour Time Barleywine & Bourbon Barrel Aged Tour Time Barleywine*
· Kane 2015 A Night to End All Dawns*
· Lakewood Cuvée de Vélo*
· Libertine 2017 Good Vibrations*
· The Lost Abbey 24 Steps
· The Lost Borough 2016 Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout*
· Maui Skull Island Stout
· Mikkeller SD Nurp On Wood*
· New Belgium Straight from The Source
· New Holland Dragon's Milk: Michigan Winter
· NoDa Brewing 2017 Coffee Blend Monstro
· Ozark Onyx 2017 Bourbon Double Cream Stout*
· Pappy Slokum Brewmaster's Barrel Series #1*
· Perennial Barrel-Aged 17
· Perry Street 2015 Chardonnay Barrel-Aged Tripel*
· Prison City Barrel-Aged Wham Whams*
· Rhinegeist Double Oaked Mastodon*
· River North Vicennial: Shadowman
· Rogue Straight Outta Newport
· Rowley Farmhouse Ales Cabernet Barrel-Aged Frambozen*
· Samuel Adams 2017 Utopias & Kosmic Mother Funk
· Saranac Utica After Dark
· Scratch Filé Saison*
· Side Project Brewing Derivation Blend #7*
· Sierra Nevada Trip in the Woods Chateau Otra Vez
· Spangalang Conjunction Junction
· Stone Xocoveza Extra Anejo
· Sun King Jimmy Jam
· Three Floyds Battle of Charro II
· Überbrew Alpha Force RAPDOM*
· Uinta Cahoots Port Barrel-Aged Flanders-Style Red Ale
· Unknown Awkward in Indonesia & 2016 Dirty Commie Heathen*
· Verboten Little Nonsense: Double Cask
· WeldWerks Peach Climacteric & Medianoche Reserve
· Yazoo Vérifiez vos Fruits!

(* Indicates first brewery appearance at Denver Rare Beer Tasting.)

Twenty-six breweries will be pouring beer at the event for the first time, while eight breweries have participated in all eight previous Denver Rare Beer Tastings. Breweries representing 28 states are on the list.

Denver Rare Beer Tasting IX is being sponsored in part by Cargill Craft Malt, Tavour, Grandstand Glassware & Apparel, and DRAFT Magazine, with logistical support from MicroStar. Participating brewers donate these amazing beers, along with sought after silent auction beer experiences and collectibles.

While the unique beers are at the center of the event, attendees enjoy an experience that goes beyond what is in their glass. A special beer centric lunch created by Jensen Cummings of Brewed Food is included as part of the afternoon. Guests will have the chance to bid in an exciting Beer Lover’s Silent Auction. Denver Rare Beer Tasting ticket holders will be entered in a drawing for a five night Carolinas on My Mind Beer Adventure for two to Charlotte and Asheville, N.C., and Greenville, S.C. During the event, attendees can also participate in the Brewers Health Initiative, a free men’s health screening.

For the ninth consecutive year the Denver Rare Beer Tasting is sold out. VIP tickets sold out in just a few minutes and General Admission tickets were gone in less than two weeks, a new record for the event. The event will be held this year on two floors of the McNichols Civic Center Building at 144 W. Colfax Ave.

“Craft beer fans from across the U.S. and several foreign countries will get the chance at the Denver Rare Beer Tasting to sample a collection of beers that few people get the opportunity to enjoy, while rubbing elbows with some of the world’s most talented brewers,” said Lyke. “Our goal is to encourage guys to take charges of their health, while raising funds to fight prostate cancer.”

Pints for Prostates is a 501(c)3 non-profit charity and all net proceeds from Denver Rare Beer Tasting go towards the group’s awareness mission and help to fund the education and support programs of the Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, and free prostates cancer screening programs provided by the Prostate Conditions Education Council.

About Pints for Prostates

Pints for Prostates reaches men through the universal language of beer to encourage them to take charge of their health. The group was founded by prostate cancer survivor and beer writer Rick Lyke in 2008. The grassroots effort raises awareness among men about the importance of regular men’s health screenings by making appearances at beer festivals, social networking and pro bono advertising. According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 161,000 new prostate cancer cases will be diagnosed in 2017 in the U.S. More information is available at www.pintsforprostates.org. Pints for Prostates also has a presence on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@pints4prostates).

 

For the ninth consecutive year the Denver Rare Beer Tasting is sold out. VIP tickets sold out in just a few minutes and General Admission tickets were gone in less than two weeks, a new record for the event.

 

We're just over a week out from the Denver Rare Beer Tasting IX. Here is an updated provisional beer list for the event:

• Against the Grain Olive You From My Head Tomatoes*
• Alaskan Sea Smoke Aged in Laphroaig Scotch Barrel
• The Alchemist Skadoosh & Focal Banger*
• AleSmith Rye Barrel-Aged Vietnamese Speedway Stout
• Avery Black Eye
• Bell’s Traverse City Whiskey Dagger Stout
• Big Sky Barrel-Aged Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout
• Black Project Roswell*
• Brooklyn Pendragon
• The Bruery Hoarders Cuvée 2017
• Cascade Pêché Fumé
• Cerebral Trophy Hunt & Nectarine Drupaceous*
• Coronado 2013 Barrel-Aged Old Scallywag
• Crank Arm Roue Trois Rouge*
• Crux [Banished] PCT Porter
• Destihl Highway to the Danger Saizone*
• Dry Dock Bligh’s Barleywine (3 year vertical 2014, 2015, 2016)*
• Ecliptic 2016 Barrel-Aged Rastaban Oud Bruin
• Firestone Walker Parabajava
• Forager Magnus*
• Fremont Barrel-Aged Unicorn Tears & Black Heron Project: Barrel-Aged Brett Saison
• Full Sail 2008 Bourbon Imperial Porter & 2010 Old Boardhead Barleywine
• Fullsteam Flanders-style Gold
• Funky Buddha Mexican Coffee Tequila Barrel-Aged Stout
• Grand Teton 2015 American Sour
• Great Basin 385 Scytale Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout*
• Great Divide Sour Hibernation Aged in Red Wine Barrels
• Grimm Brothers Once Upon a Time
• Hardywood Park Kentucky Christmas Morning & Mamaw's Mean Cobbler
• Haw River Sazerac (High Country Cocktail Series No. 2), Bodhi Loves Chachi & Saxy Machismo Special Reserve
• Intrepid Sojourner Barrel-Aged Imperial Turkish Coffee Stout*
• Jester King Montmorency vs. Balaton & Bière de Coupage
• Jolly Pumpkin Track 13
• Joyride Tour Time Barleywine & Bourbon Barrel Aged Tour Time Barleywine*
• Kane 2015 A Night to End All Dawns*
• Lakewood Cuvée de Vélo*
• Libertine 2017 Good Vibrations*
• The Lost Abbey 24 Steps
• The Lost Borough 2016 Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout*
• Maui Skull Island Stout
• Mikkeller SD Nurple*
• New Belgium Straight from The Source
• New Holland Dragon's Milk: Michigan Winter
• NoDa Brewing 2017 Coffee Blend Monstro
• Ozark Onyx 2017 Bourbon Double Cream Stout*
• Pappy Slokum Brewmaster's Barrel Series #1*
• Perennial Barrel-Aged 17
• Perry Street 2015 Chardonnay Barrel-Aged Tripel*
• Prison City Barrel-Aged Wham Whams*
• Rhinegeist Double Oaked Mastodon*
• River North Vicennial: Shadowman
• Rogue Straight Outta Newport
• Rowley Farmhouse Ales Cabernet Barrel-Aged Frambozen*
• Samuel Adams 2017 Utopias & Kosmic Mother Funk
• Saranac Utica After Dark
• Scratch Filé Saison*
• Side Project Brewing Derivation Blend #7*
• Sierra Nevada Trip in the Woods Chateau Otra Vez
• Spangalang Conjunction Junction
• Stone Xocoveza Extra Anejo
• Sun King Jimmy Jam
• Three Floyds Battle of Charro II
• Uinta Cahoots Port Barrel-Aged Flanders-Style Red Ale
• Unknown Awkward in Indonesia & 2016 Dirty Commie Heathen*
• Verboten Little Nonsense: Double Cask
• WeldWerks Peach Climacteric & Medianoche Reserve
- Wiley Roots Montmorency Dreams, Apricot Boxes, Cinna(man)Bun, Packed with Peaches, Jam the Radar & Brett Barrel Aged Sappy Roots
• Yazoo Vérifiez vos Fruits!
(* Indicates first brewery appearance at Denver Rare Beer Tasting.)

Twenty-six breweries will be pouring beer at the event for the first time, while eight breweries have participated in all eight previous Denver Rare Beer Tastings. Breweries representing 28 states are on the list.

Denver Rare Beer Tasting IX is being sponsored in part by Cargill Craft Malt, Tavour, Grandstand Glassware & Apparel, and DRAFT Magazine, with logistical support from MicroStar. Participating brewers donate these amazing beers, along with sought after silent auction beer experiences and collectibles.