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Boulder Beer

Boulder Beer
-Tim Korenich

In the late 1970’s, two Colorado University physics professors that were unhappy with the variety of beers readily available in the US began brewing their own. Their initiative and ingenuity led to the thirty-plus year tradition that is Boulder Beer.

After locating to a goat farm just outside of Boulder, they began working towards some of the flavors and styles English ales they had tasted during their travels. After developing a few that they liked and shared with friends, they began producing and selling them commercially, and after a friendly visit from the authorities in 1979 they received their brewing license — which was only the forty-third in the country at that time. Today there are more than 2,500!  Despite some bumps in the road, Boulder Beer remains the oldest continuously operating craft brewery in the country. When you take a look at their offerings, it’s easy to see why.

Hazed & Infused
This dry-hopped ale is infused with Crystal and Centennial hops, as well as two other hop varieties to give Hazed & Infused a flavorful aroma and a taste that smooth and easy to drink. 5% ABV

Mojo India Pale Ale
An American take on the English style IPA, the Mojo India Pale Ale blends the bitterness of their Amarillo hop variety with the flavor of their malt to deliver a crisp, dry finish. 7.2% ABV

Sweaty Betty
Named after a woman who was the hardest worker on their production line, Sweaty Betty is a Bavarian Style Hefeweizen. With  flavors of clove and banana, it pairs well with most foods and is very enjoyable. 5.2% ABV

Flashback India Brown Ale
Created to commemorate their 30th Anniversary, Flashback pays homage to the spirit of the creators of the Boulder Beer Company. Brewed using five separate hop additions, it boasts citrus flavor with a prominent hop aroma. It finishes on the malty side with biscuit and chocolate malt flavors complementing the citrus of the Cascade hops. 6.8% ABV

Buffalo Gold Golden Ale
Boulder’s lightest beer, Buffalo Gold features Cascade hops and a mild malt flavor. It pairs well with almost everything, which has made it a staple for many CU Buffalo fans’ tailgates. 4.8% ABV

Singletrack Copper Ale
Brewed with toasted rye and caramel malt, Singletrack Copper Ale is a refreshing medium bodied ale that has a slightly nutty flavor and a bold copper color. 4.9% ABV

Planet Porter
While it’s been moved to a smaller spot in the rotation of Boulder Beer’s offerings due to newer varieties and seasonal porters, you can still find Planet Porter on tap in their pub and occasionally find it on store shelves. Their oldest recipe dating back to 1979, Planet Porter is a smooth dark ale that features black malt and a hint of coffee.

Shake Chocolate Porter
With a name like Shake, one would expect something dark, chocolatey, and delicious. Boulder’s version of an American Porter, Shake combines cacao nibs, chocolate wheat, and four other grains for a delicious chocolatey brew.

Seasonals

 

Mojo Risin’ Double IPA
Released annually in January, Mojo Risin’ Double IPA is an in your face, extreme version of the Mojo IPA. Lots of extra malt and twice the amount of Amarillo hops go into making this souped-up brew, creating a stronger grapefruit-like flavor and aroma and a higher alcohol content. 10% ABV

Kinda Blue
Released in March/April each year, Kinda Blue is a blueberry wheat beer that uses pureed organic Oregon blueberries in the fermentation process to add subtle notes of flavor. Perfect for the spring and summer time. 5.2% ABV

Hoopla Pale Ale
Hoopla Pale Ale is a dry-hopped with a blend of Nugget, Glacier and Centennial hops for a fruity, floral hop aroma and flavor and a very drinkable beer. 5.7% ABV

Never Summer Ale
Released in October annually, Never Summer Ale is Boulder’s attempt to make a stronger, more aggressive winter seasonal. With a strong caramel malt base, Never Summer Ale is sure to keep you warm on a cold night. 6.5% ABV

Killer Penguin Barleywine Ale
Following the precedent set by the Never Summer Ale, Killer Penguin Barleywine Ale is yet another strong winter seasonal. It features Nugget, Willamette, and Cascade hops and twice the malt of other winter seasonal beers to an end result of a complex and tasty beverage. 10% ABV

Dragonhosen Imperial Oktoberfest
What seasonal beer list would be complete without an Oktoberfest? Brewed with Vienna and Munich malts for rich, full-bodied, malty flavor, Dragonhosen is Boulder’s take on a traditional Oktoberfest lager. Hallertau and Czech Saaz hops add balance with a mild earthy aroma and flavor with moderate bitterness. 9% ABV

When I spoke with Marvin Simpson, a representative for the company, he told me that they brew in a year what breweries like Budweiser brew in a day. He also informed me that almost all of the varieties and flavors of their beers come from their brewers’ cookbooks. Those sentiments seem to really paint the best picture of Boulder Beer: People doing what they love, and striving to make the best tasting product. With such wide variety offered, there’s surely something for everyone to fall in love with.

If you are ever in the Boulder area, you can stop in to try some of these new creations at their pub, where they often have some small batch test runs available on tap. They also offer tours of the brewery.  For more information and where to buy them locally, check them out at http://www.boulderbeer.com/
2880 Wilderness Place – Boulder, CO 80301

Boulder Beers are proudly distributed locally by Frank Fuhrer Wholesale