Colorado has more than 250 breweries, and counting. When GABF hits Denver, it reverberates throughout the entire state in the form of beer releases, special tappings, pairing dinners, and festivals in cities across the Front Range and into the mountains.
Fort Collins
Odell kicked off its 25th Anniversary Week this week, and plans to continue the celebration through this weekend. On Saturday, September 27, Jax Fish House, the Common Link food truck, and Taco Stop will be cooking on-site and giving pairing suggestions. On Sunday, Odell is hosting an Oktoberfest pig roast. The first 100 people to order an Oktoberfest lager will eat for free.
On Tuesday, September 30, it’s San Diego Tuesday at Tap & Handle, where Stone Brewing Company will have four taps: Reason Be Damned Belgian Style Abbey Ale aged in Red Wine Barrels, “The Tiger Cub” Saison aged in White Wine Barrels with sour cherries, Cali-Belgique IPA aged in White Wine Barrels, and Passion Project.
Each year during the Great American Beer Festival, The Mayor of Old Town dedicates all 100 of its taps to breweries in Northern Colorado. Tap Into Northern Colorado began September 21 and runs through October 5.
At Horse & Dragon Brewing, costumes are optional September 27 through October 3. The brewery will serve a flight of its GABF beers submitted for judging with the style guidelines for each of those beers. Order a half pint of each of the two beers Horse & Dragon is pouring at GABF (Picnic Rock Pale Ale and Sad Panda Coffee Stout) and receive a make-your-own pretzel necklace pack.
Loveland
Loveland Aleworks has a week of tours and tappings slated for GABF, including the release of Chocolate Coconut Porter, Sorachi Ace IPA, and Jasmin Tripel. This Northern Colorado brewery is also offering $5 flagship flights, half-price pints of daily small-batch beers to patrons who show their GABF tickets, and free pints for anyone who purchases merchandise during GABF week. Loveland Aleworks will host daily tours through October 5 at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Lyons and Longmont
On Wednesday, October 1, Lyons Fork restaurant will host its annual brewers’ shindig, Beer reUNION. More than a dozen breweries, including Ska Brewing, Maui Brewing, and Oskar Blues, will pour at this benefit for the family of Kellner Schoenke (who died in a tragic motorcycle accident) and Lyons Community Foundation.
The Oskar Blues Ordeal is back for another year. It begins in Denver on Wednesday, October 1, at Falling Rock Tap House where guests board a bus to Oskar Blues’s many locations throughout the Colorado Front Range. The tour heads to CHUBurger, the company’s fast-casual burger joint; to Oskar Blues’ sister business REEB Cycles fabrication shop and B. Stiff & Sons Root Beer brewery & cannery; to the Tasty Weasel, the new REEB retail space CyclHOPS Bike CANtina; and finally to Oskar Blues’ Hops & Heifers Farm for a feast and bonfire before heading home to Denver. There will be another Oskar Blues Ordeal, sans Hops & Heifers bonfire, that goes to the brewery’s original Lyons brewpub on Thursday, October 2.
Boulder
BRU Handbuilt Ales & Eats is rolling out a week of GABF events, including the 2nd Annual Steins & Staches stein-drinking event and facial hair competition on October 1. The brewpub will also serve a GABF Hangover Brunch menu on Sunday, October 5.
The Great Avery Boulder Festival is at the Fox Theater on Friday, October 3. This event celebrates a local venue, local beer, and local bands featuring The Magic Beans and Analog Son! Beers available will include rare tap room exclusives and some gems from Adam Avery’s cellar including Rumpkin, Pump[KY]n, Bad Apple, Lilikoi Kepolo, Chai Brown, Out of Mind, Wet Hop Pale Ale, and GORED.
Glenwood Springs
Get up into the mountains for some beautiful fall color and meet the Fruit Stand Series from the newly launched Casey Brewing and Blending in Glenwood Springs. On Saturday, October 4, the brewery will debut five new beers: Montmorency Cherry Fruit Stand, Peach Fruit Stand, Plum Fruit Stand, Shiro Plum Fruit Stand, and Blackberry Fruit Stand. Only twenty cases of each will be available.