Hello all-- I'll be in Pueblo for work the last week in April - of course, I'm already dreaming of the Mountain regional brews I'll bring home in my suitcase. However, given what crosses over in distribution between regions, and what isn't distributed outside of certain regions, etc., I'm looking for a little guidance in the following areas: 1) What beers should I look for on shelves and/or on common taps in the region, assuming that my coworkers won't want to hit the dankest craft brewpubs for dinner every night of the trip :-) 2) What should I look for in sort of the next level up in terms of price, rarity, seasonal releases, right-place-right-time, if I were to take the rental car and go bottle-shop cruising on some free night? 3) What beers from 2) (or higher?) might be landed in a $4$ IP trade if I pack my outgoing suitcase with Chicago locals, maybe from the same category (Pipeworks/Half Acre/Revolution/FFF bombers). Thanks in advance for any guidance you can give - sorry for the beer homework :-)
I was born and raised in Pueblo and still frequent very often, so here is my best advice. If you are looking for a city rich in craft beer, like the rest of the state, I'm sorry to say this just isn't the case. Most sports bars and restaurants have a few decent taps, but there is no real craft beer bar in Pueblo. There is one brewpub (Shamrock) with OK beer (their seasonals tend to be better) and very good food. With that being said, you're best bet for great craft beer to take home is a place called Big Bear's: http://www.liquorstorepueblo.com/ They have a fairly large walk in, bomber cooler, and a pretty nice mix-six selection. Because the city isn't huge on craft beer, stuff tends to sit around there a lot longer than other cities. You will most likely find some older releases there that are long gone everywhere else. My favorite watering hole used to be the **** 'n Bull, but that has recently closed. They usually had Arrogant Bastard, Stone IPA, and a few other local seasonals on tap. I suggest getting your beer fix at the liquor store I recommended above and hit up some of the local Mexican food restaurants, as they really are very delicious, as well as, the Shamrock Brewpub. If you have any questions or want anymore info feel free to drop me a message. Cheers!
