Tag: Fort Collins

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Review – FOCO from New Belgium & Odells

Collaboration review day continues with this New Belgium branded release with Odell Brewing. Their partner in FOrt COllins brewing crime.

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The Prairie Dog labeled beer pours a darker shade of orange. And is pretty hoppy for a purportedly pale ale. The aroma is a strong medicinal with some woody notes to it. The taste is also strong but not in the muddled way that the Stone collaboration was.

There is quite a bit if bitterness here. Citra seems more background to this Centennial bomb which I would prefer a more even mix of for maximum efficiency. But the lighter hand and pale ale category does allow the hops to shine more.

And it may be one of the only ways to get even a partial Odell’s fix in Los Angeles.

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Brewery Tour – Fort Collins stop # 1 – Funkwerks


I was quite happy that I was able to get a taster of beer from Fort Collin’s Funkwerks. They along with Crooked Stave (which brews at their facility) have been getting a bit of beer praise and I wanted to see what the fuss was about. And I was impressed.

They focus on the saison style and have a primer on this now thoroughly Americanized style on their website HERE.

I had the Tropic King but their list of beers include ingredients like grapefruit, fennel, and green tea too. So after hitting New Belgium and Odell’s, head over and try a Belgian Oatmeal stout or a citrus saison.

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Brewery Tour – Fort Collins stop # 1 – Odell’s

I made my first trek to Fort Collins this year. It was brutal. Shuttled by New Belgium with beer on the bus to their brewery. But I did miss out on the rest of the scene in this Colorado beer city. So this month, we will travel together to some breweries that I have not visited, yet.

First up is Odell Brewing Company…..

I have had their 90 Shilling Ale and their recent Woodcut offering (#6) but there are quite a few more beers of theirs that I want to try. So let’s get to my list….

St. Lupulin
“A mystical legend echoes in our brewhouse – that of St. Lupulin (loop-you-lin) the archetypal hophead. He devoted endless summers to endless rows of hops, tending to the flowers and the beloved resin within – lupulin. Extraordinary oils in this yellow resin provide this dry-hopped extra pale ale with an undeniably pleasing floral aroma and clean, crisp finish.”

Shenanigans
“Our spirited brewers diligently cultivate recipes on our pilot brewing playground. Sometimes, things don’t turn out as planned…they turn out better. Destined for another adventure, this delightful crimson ale is aged in oak with just a touch of Brettanomyces. The subtle Brett tartness balances the rich amber malt with hints of dried fruit and light citrus. Our ode to the happy accident, Shenanigans was just too good not to share.”

This is family started business that counts sustainability and philanthropy among their core beliefs. That is three mission statements (when you count the beer) that I can believe in.

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Beer Search Party at GABF – Part 2


Started the day on a bus filled with New Belgium beer headed towards Fort Collins. BrewDad Mike secured us passes for a brewery visit and this is a tour like no other.

New Belgium is a huge campus. Really huge. Pipes everywhere. All labeled and all monitored by a computer straight out of Minority Report. And the place goes on and on. Our tour took us past three bars! And so much equipment. To wrap the kegs in plastic for shipping they used a big piece of metal that quickly encircled kegs in layers of plastic. There were labs and two story fermenters and foeders everywhere you looked.


And the lunch was awesome. Great classy food with no pretension. Grilled cheese wedges with tomato soup. Peruvian chicken wings and other little nibbles like Belgian waffles to go with the beer. I went back for seconds and thirds.

We headed home after another beer and on to Freshcraft a new (to me) gastropub on Blake street for the Taplister relaunch. Great beer and a contingent of Portland folk (bloggers and beermongers) plus Joe from Ratebeer. As we were departing, Jeremy and Ting from Eagle Rock strolled in. That is one of the great things about Denver during the fest. Everywhere you stop, there is usually someone you know.

After Freshcraft were stops at Falling Rock (short due to it being it’s usual packed to the rafters self), Breckenridge (for food and a place to rest weary legs) and to cap the night a taxi ride out to Prost Brewing to try their German styled beer. The Pils being my favorite of the taster tray.

The beers are starting to blur together but onward I march to Saturday.

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New Belgium news

New_Belgium_Brewery_LogoHeard this info through the hop vine…

Just in time for the coming Autumn, New Belgium Brewing Co. is back with a new brew. Hoptober Golden Ale is the brewery’s take on a fall seasonal, compete with crushed leaves, hoarded acorns, and a bit of squirrel fur. Or maybe not. But it does feature five types of hops:
The wide array of hops include Centennial, Cascade, Sterling, Willamette, and Glacier hops, while pale and wheat malt are mashed with rye and oats. The medley of ingredients sparks a bonfire of citrus notes, fruity cheers, and a bold finale.

also for you GABF’ers
New Belgium Hub @ the Denver airport Concourse B
phone: (303) 342-6650

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Horsetooth Brewing

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As if I need another beer to try when I am at GABF. Here is a list of beers for this fledgling entry to the Fort Collins scene.

1. Old Town Ale
2. Cache la Porter
3. Stimulator Ale

We will also be doing some fun stuff in-between these batches as special releases.