We are heading out tomorrow to snowboard Breck and Vail and then heading down to Boulder / Denver for the end of the week. I lived out there 93 to 02 and now our kids are old enough to get around the big mountains. We are pumped. I have been looking around other threads but have a few questions: 1) Lunch recommendation somewhere near Denver and I-70. We are probably hitting the REI in Denver on the way up. 2) Ideas where I may find Pliny on tap or in the bottle in Breck or Vail? I'm also pysched to check out the Oasis in Boulder, where I first learned about craft beer (microbrews back them). Wait , it closed years ago? I am thinking of checking out Fate Brewery though.
Fate is a great place. You gotta hit the new Avery brewery...it just moved, what...like 8 days ago. A lot has changed since you've been away, my friend. If you're going to REI, you could hit up My Brothers Bar. BUT you may as well go to Ale House at Amatos, just across the bridge from REI--it's more beer centric with nice food. I'd stop at Backcountry Pizza/Brewery in Frisco, too. If their double IPA is on tap, get it and don't let go. Broken Compass brewing is on the north end of Breck, but I have not been there. Hit and miss as to who would have Pliny. You could quick-stop at AppleJacks on the way up.
I'm drinking a Backcountry Double IPA right now and can second (or third or whatever) the suggestion to pick some up in Frisco. As for lunch near the REI flagship, My Brother's Bar has solid burgers (and Girl Scout cookies) and is a two-minute walk from the REI. You might also check out Proto's Pizza, which is just a block further from REI than My Brother's Bar, and sometimes offers up some decent tap selections. Pizza there is solid, but confirm that they are open for lunch before you walk over. Amato's Ale House is OK and pretty young-kid friendly if that is important. Masterpiece Deli is quite tasty and somewhat close to the REI (it is next to Amato's), but is not a beer joint. As for Vail.... I have yet to find a good, beer-conscious restaurant that is worth your time (and the Vail prices) and I would be surprised to find Pliny up there. That being said, Crazy Mountain and a few other breweries are down valley (towards Eagle).
Thanks all. To summarize our trip due to snow upon arrival Sunday we grabbed something quick after REI and headed up to Backcountry Brewery for an early dinner. Agree that the double IPA was excellent but the service and food was lacking. We hit up Breck Brewery in Breckenridge two separate nights since the kids really enjoyed it and the food is reasonably priced and the burgers are epic. I was not a huge fan of their beer but am coming around on their double IPA. We also hit the Broken Compass which we thought was a very cool scene. My wife also hit the Breck Distillery while we snowboarded one day and really liked it. We hit Breck two days and Vail once and the snow was great. Down in Boulder we hit the new Avery Brewery (thanks Mebuzzard) and loved it. Great tour and great beers. We also hit Backcountry Pizza and while they did not have Pliny they did have Blind Pig which I thought was excellent. Thanks for the advice Colorado BA's hope to be back soon!
