The Colorado Scene in Brief

By Jay McKinney

A History Book Worth Reading

When people think of history books, thick textbooks detailing famous battles and treaties often come to mind. While these may be the stereotypical history books we grew up reading in school, the truth is every subject has its own unique history and Michael J. Casey’s first book, Boulder County Beer: A Refreshing History, recounts the history of brewing in Boulder County. Casey has written about beer and brewing for Boulder Weekly since 2014 and is well versed in the subject of brewing within the county.

When Boulder Brewing Company was opened in 1979 by two University of Colorado professors, it became the first brewery to open in the state since Prohibition. The next 40 years would see an influx of beer-loving entrepreneurs flocking to Boulder County with household names like Oskar Blues, Avery Brewing Company and Left Hand Brewing Company paving the way for the booming craft beer scene that is now a defining feature of our state.

Casey’s book, tells the unique stories of these early pioneers and how they helped shape Boulder County into ground zero for craft beer in Colorado.

Homebrew Con Goes Online

If you’ve dabbled in brewing your own beer, cider, mead or kombucha, then you may want to keep your calendar open on June 17-19 for the 43rd annual Homebrew Con. Presented by the American Homebrewers Association (AHA), registration for the event opened on April 6 and all experience levels are invited to attend the online event from the comfort of their own homes.

With a virtual expo hall, more than 20 live seminars with access to post-event recordings and a keynote speech from Marcus Baskerville, the head brewer and co-founder of Weathered Souls Brewing Company, the event will be an educational networking opportunity for homebrewers across the nation. While you must be an AHA member to join, all beer lovers are invited to join with memberships starting at $4.99 a month. The early bird pricing for the event is $99 so save your spot as soon as you can.

15 Years of Whiskey

Colorado’s first distillery to open since Prohibition, Stranahan’s is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a special release. The new Stranahan’s Original is a blend of four-year, five-year, six-year and seven-year-old American single malts and is a testament to the quality whiskey this iconic Colorado distillery produces year after year.

Notes of caramel-butterscotch, vanilla, maple syrup and a hint of leather, make this anniversary bottle tasty and sophisticated. The whiskey is cut to 94 proof (47% ABV) with Rocky Mountain water from Eldorado Springs and is now available to purchase nationwide for $55.

Gonzo Gin

Hunter S. Thompson was a larger-than-life figure with a reputation for wild antics fueled by alcohol and a buffet of other drugs. After nearly a year of collaboration with Thompson’s widow, Anita, Devil’s Head Distillery is honoring the late journalist with the release of their Gonzo Gin, which was his spirit of choice during the summer months. Limited to 400 bottles, each one is signed by Anita Thompson and distiller, Ryan White and each one comes with a removable pewter pendant of the legendary Gonzo fist logo.

The gin is made with Colorado-grown barley, grapefruit (a staple of Thompson’s diet) and even has hops and sage that were foraged from Thompson’s Owl Farm in Woody Creek. Bottles can be purchased through the distillery’s web store and a portion of the proceeds will go to Anita’s Hunter S. Thompson Scholarship for Veterans at Columbia University. While you can purchase this gin online, bottles must be picked up at the Englewood distillery as they cannot be shipped.