New breweries, fresh festivals, birthday parties and more to welcome October

Thirst Staff Report

I hope you’re thirsty. Some busy weeks are coming to the Colorado craft libations scene. Denver Beer Week starts on Friday, and leads up to the Great American Beer Fest next weekend (watch this space for a beer week preview tomorrow). Speaking of next weekend, it’s also time for Still on the Hill, aka the Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival, aka one of the best events on the craft spirits scene. Check back next week for more details on that festival.

And outside of all that, plenty of other wine, spirits and beer events are happening all over the state, starting with a new brewery.

Sunroom Brewing opens

Matthew and Melanie Miller are opening Sunroom Brewing behind the Gothic Theater on South Broadway in Englewood. The new taproom opens at noon Friday, with five beers, including the Colorado Dreams cream ale, an international pale lager and the Stick Season saison. There will be a food truck on the patio Friday, and live fiddle tunes by Some Sweet Day on Saturday.

Balistreri Harvest Party

Front Range wine enthusiasts can celebrate the Colorado grape harvest close to home when Balistreri Vineyards hosts a harvest party from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Enjoy woodfired pizza, other food, more than 20 new wines and live music!

Southwest Fresh Fest

Horsefly Brewing Company organized a fresh hop beer festival at Billy Goat Hop Farm in Montrose on Saturday. At least 12 breweries will pour fresh hop beers, and the event also includes live bluegrass music, food trucks, farm tours and games. Tickets cost $30 for unlimited samples and a farm tour, or $15 for non-drinkers.

“We not only enjoy drinking fresh hop beers, but love the concept of growing hops and having the cones go straight off the bine and into the brew,” said Audrey Gehlhausen, co-owner of Billy Goat Hop Farm. “It reminds me of simpler times, truly connecting farming and harvest to a tangible delicious beer. We just want to share this with everyone.”

Erie Brewfest

At least 13 breweries will pour samples at the Erie Brewfest from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. The 21-plus event also includes food trucks, games and a concert by Slick and Machine. Tickets cost $30 in advance, and admission is free for designated drivers.

Fiction Birthday Party

Fiction Beer Company in east Denver is celebrating its 8th birthday with a 1980s-themed party from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday.

The event also includes ‘80s jams from the Dollhouse Thieves, as well as classic arcade games, balloon drop, glow sticks, food trucks and more. Birthday releases include an unfiltered mango IPA (collaboration with Knotted Root Brewing), a jasmine rice lager, a sour brown ale brewed with syrah grape must, a coffee stout (collaboration with Pablo's Coffee) and two Russian imperial stouts (Mexican chocolate and OG versions).

Krispy King Competition

Barrels & Bottles Brewery at Camp George West is looking for the best crisp lager in the land. Twenty Colorado Breweries are competing for the Krispy King crown. The judges will follow the definition set on the Allagash Brewing blog: “A crisp beer will be dry, meaning it has very low residual sugars and its flavor won’t linger in your mouth after you’ve taken a sip.”

Peaches and Beaches party

The first Peaches & Beaches End of Summer Bash comes to Six Capital Brewing in Aurora from noon to sunset Saturday. Food specials include Golden Toad shrimp bombs, fresh ceviche with Colorado peach salsa, grilled peaches and ice cream, smoked pork tacos with peach-orange habanero hot sauce. Party drinks include a peach milkshake IPA, sex on the beach cocktails and peach bellini slushies.

The event also includes a Hawaiian shirt contest, volleyball and other games.

Ironton Harvest Fest

Denver’s Ironton Distillery hosts a harvest festival from 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday. Guests 21-plus can get free samples of a seasonal limited release Pumpkin Spice Liqueur, which will also be on sale in bottles at a discount. The event also includes pumpkin-inspired drink and food specials, a pumpkin patch and decorating kits, live music, a spooky fortune teller and an outdoor screening of a classic Halloween movie in the backyard starting at 8 p.m.

Oktoberfest continues all over Colorado

Friday is Sept. 30, and October starts on Saturday, so Oktoberfest events are coming to a crescendo this weekend. Here is a roundup.

Oktoberfest in Pueblo: Walter’s Brewery in Pueblo will pour fresh Oktoberfest Bier, host German-style food trucks and live music, stage costume and dance contests, and welcome guests from the Pueblo German American Club in authentic attire. The free Oktoberfest party runs from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday.

Colorado Springs Block Party: Pikes Peak Lager House and Red Swing Brewhouse in downtown Colorado Springs brings Oktoberfest shenanigans to the free Tejon Block Party from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, and noon to 7 p.m Sunday. The event includes live music, drinking games, costume contests and custom steins (with $4 refills all weekend).

Goat Patch OktoBIERfest: Farther north in the Springs, Goat Patch Brewing hosts its inaugural Oktoberfest party, with food, stein hoisting, wiener throws, a dog costume contest and the U-Turn Brass Band. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday.

Salida Arktoberfest: Elevation Beer Company, the Poncha Springs brewery near the Arkansas River, taps the Arktoberfest Märzen and hosts food trucks and live music for the first Arktoberfest party.

Guanella Pass party: Guanella Pass Brewing Company in Georgetown will host two weekends of Oktoberfest revelry, starting Saturday with a beer release, stein holding contest, costume contests and traditional German food.

Mighty River Oktoberfest: Mighty River Brewing in Windsor hosts an Oktoberfest party from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, with free live music all day and authentic German food from the Olio Food Truck. The music starts at noon with the Eli Rey Band. Reminiscing will be in the taproom at 3 p.m., followed by the Max Mackey Band at 6 p.m. The first 70 customers who buy a 32-ounce Märzen pour will take home a 32-ounce beer stein.

LUKI Oktoberfest: Arvada’s LUKI Brewery celebrates from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, with food trucks and Denver’s Thirsty 5 oompah band.

Please send us your events and announcements. We’re happy to share them.