Throughout the world variations of beer are brewed with an assortment of basic ingredients of water, barley, yeast and carefully selected hops. Denver has plenty to offer the beer enthusiast looking for the perfect beer drinking experience! Our adventure begins at the Cheeky Monk Belgium Beer Cafe in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. A refreshing change of pace, Cheeky Monk has a classy wine bar feel, yet, provides reasonably priced meal selections and top notch service. As one would experience in Europe, enjoy a Chimay Triple or other fine beer in the proper glass which it was intended to be served in. Starting your morning off right makes the Cheeky Monk the perfect stop. Indulge in a breakfast delight such as a Belgium sugar waffle topped with an icing of your choice and complimented with Leffe Blonde, a citrusy, sweet pale ale. If an appetizer or meal is what you desire, meal selections are carefully paired with one of the thirty-six Belgium malt beverages either on tap or bottled. Before heading to your next destination try another Belgium favorite such as fresh mussels prepared one of five different ways.
A short walk from Cheeky Monk is the Irish Snug, Denver’s Best Irish Pub that has been given prestigious local awards from 5280’s Top of the Town to the A-List. At the snug enjoy a selection of Irish beers, live entertainment, Trivia Tuesdays and happy hour specials any day of the week to satisfy your wallet and your cravings. Why not call ahead to reserve your table in the snug for a true Irish experience. Back in the 19th century these small, private rooms, called a snug would provide privacy to individuals visiting the local pub that wished not to be visible by other patrons. While in the snug, ff you are thirst for Ireland’s best beer, a Guinness Draught at the Irish Snug is just what you need. The staff will perform the infamous two part pour of your pint of Guinness, topping it off with a white, creamy head. As the malt and caramel flavors hit your taste buds, you will realize that the wait was time well spent!
A beer enthusiast would agree nothing is more satisfying than a refreshing pint of beer straight from the aging cellar to your glass. At the Wynkoop Brewery, Colorado’s oldest brew pub, visit any Saturday between 1 to 5 pm to partake in a brewery tour with one of the knowledgeable Brew Masters. Although a small operation in the heart of Denver, they are able to produce some fine and refreshing beers. After the tour enjoy a pint of your choice, compliments of Wynkoop Brewery. Every year Wynkoop crowns a Beer Drinker of the Year. Contestants submit a beer resume explaining their beer drinking philosophy and highlighting their passion for the malty beverage. Three contestants are flown to Denver to battle for the coveted title of Beer Drinker of the Year. This is an event that is celebrated by all as glasses are raised to toast to the winner’s admired accomplishments. Wynkoop is also a great location to host receptions and parties or test your aim in the billiard hall in a few rounds of pool.
Your next stop on your touring adventure is the Great Divide Brewing Company. Their motto is Great Minds Drink Alike and you will understand why when sampling their intense, flavorful concoctions. Since 1994 when the Great Divided was founded, they have continued to expand over the years. One of their most recent and well received additions to the Great Divide is their very own beer tasting room. Your beer tour will begin in The Tap Room where you will be presented with a menu of The Beers and The Really Big Beers. Arrive early to score seats at the end of the bar which has large bay windows that provide you with a view of the bottling and packaging area of the brewery, just enough to tease the beer enthusiast until the actual tour begins. Why not grab one last draught before the tour because there will be plenty to raise your glasses to from the 100 gallon fermenting tanks to the intricate bottling assembly line.
Our final tour of the day is highlighted with, of course, more refreshing local microbrew beers and tangy BBQ at Denver’s Breckenridge Brewery Bar-B-Que. The Breckenridge Brewery is the location where they bottle and keg all their microbrews. Tours are offered throughout the week however if you want special privileges by going on the VIP tour, save your Breck Bucks in order to schedule your personal tour with the Brewery. After the tour have a seat in the cozy tasting room and location where you will indulge in some Hickory Smoked Pork Ribs, Sliced Beef Brisket, Spicy Sausage or Smoked Wings complimented with an Avalanche Ale or Oatmeal Stout wash down your meal.
After touring through some of Denver’s finest breweries you may have the desire to begin home brewing or add to your current home brewing operation. Although the name of the store implies wine making, Stomp Them Grapes is a beer brewer’s heaven! The store has everything you need to build a beer to your liking. You will discover numerous specialty grains from around the world, malt extracts and a wide selection of brewing instruments and kits. The educated staff is always happy to share some beer recipes, helpful hints and even suggest a homebrew class offered at Stomp Them Grapes for those looking for assistance with their brewing master piece.
When you decide you are stocked up with your favorite ingredients, beer drinkers unite to celebrate the art of brewing at the Great American Beer Festival. The festival is a three day drinking extravaganza of beer sampling, however, many individuals only attend one or two days of this popular event. As one could imagine, the Colorado Convention Center is busy with individuals sampling over a thousand of varieties of brews from over five hundred breweries from various regions of the United State. If you need some down time from your consumption to enjoy some of the other festival events you could partake in the beer and food pairing demos, discuss your beer analysis with a real beer judge or visit the American Homebrewers Association for book signings.
To end the evening, Falling Rock Tap House in Lower Downtown is a beer connoisseurs dream! With approximately eighty seven beers on tap and serving four hundred different varieties of beer from around the world one is certain to experience a number of flavors to excite the pallet. Belly up to the bar to enjoy the establishments chosen beer of the month at a discount price or lounge in the plush leather chairs to sip on one last frosty beverage for the evening.
Breckenridge Brewery Bar-B-Que 471 Kalamath Street, Denver, CO 303-573-0431
Cheeky Monk Begium Beer Cafe 534 E. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 303-861-0347
Falling Rock Tap House 1919 Blake Street Denver, CO 303-293 – 8338
Great Divide Brewing Company 2201 Arapahoe Street Denver, CO 303-296-9460 ext. 26
The Irish Snug 1201 East Colfax Avenue Denver, CO 303-839-1394
Stomp Them Grapes! 2563 15th Street Unit 101 303-433-6552
Wynkoop Brewery 1632 18th Street Denver, CO 303-297-2700
Great American Beer Festival Colorado Convention Center http://www.beertown.org/events/gabf
This article was submitted to www.52perfectdays.com. Visit this website for more perfect day experiences in Denver and other cities acrossed the country.
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