Photo courtesy of Avery Brewing Co.
Since so many Colorado beer drinkers love to get out and enjoy the snowy mountains in the winter I figured I’d write a post on some portable delicious Colorado beers perfect for a trip out in the cold. Whether you’re taking groomer laps at Beaver Creek, hiking for your turns on Berthoud Pass, or snowshoeing in Rocky Mountain National Park, you might want a couple cans of some amazing Colorado brews tucked safely in your pack. If your favorites aren’t included let us know what you take with you to the mountains.
Avery White Rascal – This staple from Avery Brewing is a throw back to the traditional Belgian white style. The crisp and refreshing White Rascal is an unfiltered brew spiced with coriander and Curacao orange peel. I’d be happy cracking one of these open to celebrate the end of a skin up Berthoud Pass while getting ready for some fresh tracks. Avery is relatively new to the canning process, and White Rascal is one of the first they canned, back in August, and it sure is a great way to enjoy this awesome beer.
Upslope Brown Ale – Upslope Brewing is one of the relatively new breweries to Colorado and has been canning since opening their doors in 2008. This brown ale began as the homebrew concoction of Tap Room Manager, Chad Pieper, and went through several revisions to what we get today. The malty and roasted brown ale is a little more in your face than traditional English brown ales, but hey, we’re in Colorado, not England, so we’re happy to have it. If you are going to pick up a 6-pack, take a glance to make sure you’re grabbing the right Upslope brew, the brown ale is in green cans and the Upslope Pale Ale comes in brown.
Ska Modus Hoperandi – Another canned beer from an early adopter is Ska Brewing’s Modus Hoperandi. This American style IPA is perfect for getting out and snowshoeing or Nordic skiing around Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, surrounded by pine forests. The pine and citrus characters blend well with a creamy, slightly caramel undertone. It pours with a creamy white head and very nice lacing; all around, Modus Hoperandi is a great example of an American IPA.
Oskar Blues G’Knight – Oskar Blues was the first microbrewery in the state to start canning their beers and this one has quite a story. G’Knight is an Imperial red named after Gordon Knight a Vietnam vet and Colorado craft beer pioneer who passed away while piloting a firefighting helicopter near Lyons in 2002. After being called Gordon for over 7 years the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group penned a cease and desist order, prompting Oskar Blues to change the name to G’Knight. Regardless of the name, this strong ale is hoppy, coming in at about 85 IBUs, and balanced with a malty and caramel flavor. G’Knight was formerly a winter seasonal, but is now a limited production year round brew, perfect for relaxing after a skin into a backcountry hut.
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