Thursday, August 09, 2007
So You Think You Can Brew?
August 17th is the deadline for the home brew entries for the Colorado State Fair. Sure, this isn't exactly the Great American Beer Festival as far as competitions go. But medals are awarded in 28 different categories to both amateurs and professionals. And where else will you be able to have your ginger saison ale judged in a building right across a walkway from a guy who's selling fried Oreos?
Submissions can be sent to the Colorado State Fair, 1001 Beulah Ave., Pueblo, CO 81004 or can be dropped off at designated sites in Fort Collins and Denver. For more information, call 719-248-4468 or go to www.coloradostatefair.com.
Winners will be honored at the Foamfest microbrew festival on Aug. 25, where a number of the state's breweries also will have their beers on display. And I would be honored if anyone from the Colorado Springs area who wins would let me know - or especially if you let me have some of your beer.
August 17th is the deadline for the home brew entries for the Colorado State Fair. Sure, this isn't exactly the Great American Beer Festival as far as competitions go. But medals are awarded in 28 different categories to both amateurs and professionals. And where else will you be able to have your ginger saison ale judged in a building right across a walkway from a guy who's selling fried Oreos?
Submissions can be sent to the Colorado State Fair, 1001 Beulah Ave., Pueblo, CO 81004 or can be dropped off at designated sites in Fort Collins and Denver. For more information, call 719-248-4468 or go to www.coloradostatefair.com.
Winners will be honored at the Foamfest microbrew festival on Aug. 25, where a number of the state's breweries also will have their beers on display. And I would be honored if anyone from the Colorado Springs area who wins would let me know - or especially if you let me have some of your beer.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
A New Beer Festival . . . Sort of
Well, I've finally come up with one beer-type festival that I omitted from my list of summer happenings. I say "beer-type" because the only potable there that you'll also find at the Great American Beer Festival is mead. But as this blog seeks to promote the enjoyment of alcohol in all of its forms that are anywhere close to beer, I thought it bore mentioning.
Anyway, the event is the first Boulder Food and Wine Festival, and it's scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 12, in downtown Boulder's Central Park. Tickets are $35 in advance at www.boulerwinefest.com or $40 on the day of the event. There will be one meadery among the 20 Colorado wineries there: Redstone Meadery in Boulder. It is slated to break out its creative and tasty nectars - the Black Raspberry is so sweet you'll forget it's 8 percent alcohol by volume - and its Mountain Honey Wine.
This brings up another question from me. There are four meaderies and one winery that makes mead in this state, but the only one that ever seems to show up at these events or sponsor such events is Redstone. Granted, it is by far the best of the lot based on what I've tasted, but why are the state's other meaderies so invisible? Redstone has shown that there is a market for a quality product. If this subset of the beer industry is to flourish, the others need a more public face.
OK, I'm done. Your thoughts?
Well, I've finally come up with one beer-type festival that I omitted from my list of summer happenings. I say "beer-type" because the only potable there that you'll also find at the Great American Beer Festival is mead. But as this blog seeks to promote the enjoyment of alcohol in all of its forms that are anywhere close to beer, I thought it bore mentioning.
Anyway, the event is the first Boulder Food and Wine Festival, and it's scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 12, in downtown Boulder's Central Park. Tickets are $35 in advance at www.boulerwinefest.com or $40 on the day of the event. There will be one meadery among the 20 Colorado wineries there: Redstone Meadery in Boulder. It is slated to break out its creative and tasty nectars - the Black Raspberry is so sweet you'll forget it's 8 percent alcohol by volume - and its Mountain Honey Wine.
This brings up another question from me. There are four meaderies and one winery that makes mead in this state, but the only one that ever seems to show up at these events or sponsor such events is Redstone. Granted, it is by far the best of the lot based on what I've tasted, but why are the state's other meaderies so invisible? Redstone has shown that there is a market for a quality product. If this subset of the beer industry is to flourish, the others need a more public face.
OK, I'm done. Your thoughts?
