By Dylan Hochstedler

Many Coloradans would say there is nothing more rewarding than cracking open a cold one and enjoying the panoramic view from the summit of a recently conquered 14er.

With so many great beers and 14ers in Colorado, how should you pair the two? Based on matching the difficulty to climb and brew, we asked our friends from Telluride Brewing Co., and Maxline Brewing in Fort Collins for their input.

Grays Peak / Session IPA

Shawn Woodbury is the brewer at Maxline and Nic Vogt is a beertender, as well as an avid climber of 14ers. The two teamed up to pair Grays Peak with session IPAs.

Vogt noted that Grays was the first 14er he climbed. Although it is considered an easier 14er, it took him three different attempts due to weather.

Like this relatively easy climb very close to the Denver area, a session IPA is incredibly approachable and can be enjoyed by novices and veterans. “With ABVs in the mid 4 percent range, it is also easy on the brewer,” Woodbury said.

Mount Sneffels, as viewed from the Ridgway area, is a climb that pairs nicely with the Whacked Out Wheat from nearby Telluride Brewing Co.

Mt. Sneffels / Telluride Brewing Whacked out Wheat

Chris Fish, co-founder and brewmaster of Telluride Brewing Co., has trekked several 14ers and brewed even more batches of beer.

Fish says that Mt. Sneffels is considered the “easy” peak for the locals of Telluride, but it is extremely deceiving because it is a long climb with lots of exposure.

“Because Sneffels is ‘easy,’ our easy-drinking Whacked Out Wheat pairs perfectly,” Fish said. However, like the ascent up Sneffels, Fish says that brewing Whacked Out Wheat is also deceptive because of an extra lautering step. Lautering is the process of separating the grains from the bottom of the mash tun in order to produce a clean, crisp beer.

Mount Bierstadt / Eisbock

Even more than most 14ers, Vogt recommends starting Bierstadt really early. “The trail is surrounded by a marsh-like landscape, beautiful mosses, sandbar willow and moose,” he said. “Get to the top and watch the sunrise with Abyss Lake, which sits stoically in the valley below.”

Woodbury said an Eisbock is a challenging style of beer both for the brewer and the consumer. “Like your typical brew, Eisbock starts with a primary yeast fermentation. However, like the Class 2 rock scramble near the summit of Mt. Bierstadt, the final step of brewing Eisbock is when the real fun begins.”

Eisbock brewing finishes with a process known as fractional freezing, wherein the fermented beer is progressively brought down to freezing temperatures. The brewer is able to remove the frozen water in the beer, which in turn concentrates the flavor and typically increases the ABV.

Mount of the Holy Cross / Russian Imperial Stout

Woodbury and Vogt agree that Mount of the Holy Cross and a Russian imperial stout make the perfect pairing. “It’s a very dynamic trek with streams at 10,000 feet and snowfields to cross until the end of June. The sketchy scramble for the last 400 feet make the views of Lake Patricia and Notch Mountain worth the 12-mile hike,” said Vogt.

“Much like the varying landscape of the Holy Cross climb, Russian imperial stouts are layered and complex. Like crossing snowfields in June, the logistics of brewing such an intense style can be challenging,” said Woodbury. He added that yeast has difficulty fermenting in this style, and sometimes a second yeast addition is required right before fermentation ends.

Woodbury also said it is typical for Russian imperial stouts to hit ABVs of 14 percent, making them as formidable as the last 400 feet of the ascent of Mount of the Holy Cross.

Mt Wilson / Telluride FISHwater DIPA

“I would consider this one of the most difficult climbs in the Telluride neighborhood,” said Chris Fish, adding that it seems somebody is evacuated off Mt. Wilson almost every year.

“For this pairing I gotta go big and go with my FISHwater DIPA,” he said. Fish added that to make this brew, he maxes out his mash tun with hops and malts in order to make a big, bold and beautiful Double IPA.

Dylan Hochstedler is a marketing student at Metropolitan State University of Denver who enjoys exploring Colorado.