Hey guys! I am new to this site, but it came recommended from a friend. We are leaving tomorrow, Wednesday, and will be staying until Sunday. We were hoping to bring out some local NC beers for trading some West Coast brews we can't get out here. We have done one of these trades in Texas in December and it worked out great, so I am hoping for the same results. Anything beer related we need to do in Aspen? We have Hops Culture and Aspen Brewing Co. on the agenda.
Hops Culture definitely has a great selection of local and out-of-state stuff - I'd recommend planning a few hours there. Don't expect much at Aspen Brewing. The beers are nice, but the taproom is very small and the taplist doesn't offer much in terms of variety, at least when I was there. If you have a vehicle, or don't mind using the RFTA bus system, head to Carbondale to Roaring Fork Beer Co. Best brewery in the valley not named Casey.
Are you flying into Aspen or Denver? (or neither) Coopers in Glenwood Springs has a pretty good selection and sometimes has Casey beers for sale. That may be as much as 1 hour away from where you are staying though.
Also consider a post on the IP Trade forums so that you can post what you have and what you're in search of so that it can be easier for both parties. But if you bring some Wicked Weed and Olde Hickory Event Horizon, I might just meet you wherever you are haha
I was a bit wary of the IP Trade forum, it seems so intense in there. I definitely plan on bring Wicked Weed and this year's Olde Hickory Event Horizon, Olde Hickory Lindley Park is maybe my favorite and I am going to pack some of that, as well.
We are flying into Aspen. We will not have a car, so it may be tough to get out there. We are coming back in July (driving), so I am storing some of this info for the next trip. Thanks!
I lived in Aspen for five years, and go back almost every other weekend (as I still have biz there). Aspen Brewing Company actually is worth going to for the vibe along with the beers alone. It's THE place to hang out with locals, and they almost always have some special beers that don't get distributed. The owner, Duncan, is generally there...and just about anyone hanging out there can give you lowdown on what's going on in town. ABC also likely has their Aspen Cougar (sour blonde) right now. My favorite beer of theirs is the Conundrum Double/Imperial Red. Hops Culture is good for a variety of taps. Not my favorite spot, but they have a great tap list. The best liquor store in the valley is Three Dogs (in Basalt/Willits near Whole Foods). If you don't have a car you can take the bus if interested. The best liquor store in Aspen is The Grog Shop (on Durant). Nothing crazy there, but they always have a lot of local beers (including some bombers limited releases). Don't miss the burger and truffle fries at Ajax Tavern (base of the gondola), and make a reservation at Cloud Nine at Aspen Highlands (thank me later). Almost forgot - Roaring Fork Beer Company: decent beers. Their owner/brewer is the former brewmaster for Aspen Brewing Company. None of their beers will blow you away, but they have solid, quaffable beers that go down smooth...you can get them all in Aspen at the liquor stores so no need to go to Bonedale.
I live in Glenwood Springs and would be interested in trades and can drive to you! PM Me if your interested. Also Thanks a ton @MtnSoup I will be heading to Four Dogs Immediately.
Plus one for Cloud Nine suggestion...perhaps one of the best ski/food experiences in the States (and I don't even remember if they serve beer!).
Yeah, sorry wrote 'three dogs,' but meant 'Four Dogs Fine Wines & Spirits.' Trust me, you won't be disappointed - their location off the beaten path guarantees a bunch of offerings that sell out in hours elsewhere. Russian River, Casey, Ska, etc. It's all good...
If there is anyone else from the Valley lurking this thread. Sopris Liquors in Carbondale has a great selection of beer as well! Snagged a couple Abraxas yesterday from Coopers in G-wood too. Good beer time up here!
Thanks everyone for all the tips! We got here yesterday and ate dinner at Meat & Cheese. Really lucked out, they had a beer bottle list with Casey Fruit Stand, cherry and Casey Hop Mess, they had just sold the last bottle of Russian River Consecration, so we are still on the look-out for that!
Heading to Aspen for vacation next week and wondering if there are any new breweries and/or restaurants with solid tap lists worth checking out when I'm not on the mountain. Thanks in advance for any recommendations!
Wicked Weed was in Denver during SIA/OR, as was Jester King, American Solera, Jolly Pumpkin, Wilderness and so many others I didn’t expect to find. I think I spent almost $400 on mixed ferment beers that I brought back with me to UT.
