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Craft beer blog

Here we are going to talk a bit about some of the wonderful beers we have flowing through our taps, highlight some breweries & chat about beer styles

This highlight focusing on Great divide brew co

First a short introduction from their website;

HISTORY

During the late 80s, Brian Dunn spent 5 years overseas building farms in developing countries.  Having grown up in a family that valued good food and drink, Dunn grew his knowledge and passion for beer during his travels.  Dunn eventually returned to Colorado, started homebrewing and went to graduate school.  Upon graduation in 1993, when the Denver beer scene barely existed, he set out to found what would eventually become one of America’s most decorated and celebrated craft breweries.

Beginning with a marketing study and a business plan, Dunn saw an opportunity in what would soon become Denver’s Ballpark Neighborhood to brew uniquely balanced, flavorful beers.  With financial help from family, friends and a loan from the City of Denver, his dream of brewing commercially became reality in 1994.

BALLPARK

The brewery started small and in the beginning Dunn was the only full-time employee: brewing, bottling and selling to accounts all in the same day.  As the brewery grew, the beer spoke for itself.  Dunn’s beers were balanced, flavorful and representative of a lifestyle that is uniquely Colorado.  While Great Divide’s ethos may be globally-inspired, our beers are distinctly Denver.

Since 1994 we’ve brewed all sorts of exciting beer styles, added lots of brewing capacity and we’ve assembled a great staff.  In 2001, we bought our building – which used to be an old dairy processing plant – and set out for over a decade of exponential growth. In 2011, we realized we would soon outgrow our space and began looking for land to expand– knowing that leaving the city was not an option.

 

THE BARREL BAR

We are a Denver brewery, and have been involved in the craft beer scene and the community here since the beginning. In 2013, we bought 5 acres in the nearby RiNo neighborhood. It wasn’t easy, but we are so happy to have a place only a mile down the road where we can continue growing for the next 21 years. We broke ground on phase one of our expansion in 2014. In 2015, we finally had the space in our new packaging facility to begin canning. We celebrated the opening of our Barrel Bar in July, and immediately began looking ahead to our Phase Two expansion.

 

Our brewery has become what it is today thanks to our hardworking, creative and passionate employees. Here at Great Divide, Bold Character is more than just a catchphrase, it’s the philosophy behind what we brew, how we think, and what we believe.

MISSION

The mission of Great Divide Brewing Co. is to produce high-quality, distinctive ales for our customers, and to provide service and education to our customers and the general public in regard to the craft brewing industry. We are a brewery of Great characters, making remarkable beer while being active in the community.

Tap #3 – Car camper

Style: Hazy pale

ABV: 5%

Hops: hopped & dry hopped with sabro

 

What they say;

CAR CAMPER is the beer to fuel your next adventure. Generously hopped and dry-hopped with Sabro hops, the aroma hints at cantaloupe, mango and coconut and finishes evenly with a pleasant mouthfeel. Surrender to your wanderlust and be sure to pack plenty of CAR CAMPER

 

What we  say;

Super light straw coloured pale ale, with hints of stone fruit & pineapple. Mild bitter finish & super crisp. Great for pairing with our spicy buffalo cauliflower tacos or baby back ribs

Craft beer blog

Here we are going to talk a bit about some of the wonderful beers we have flowing through our taps, highlight some breweries & chat about beer styles

This highlight focusing on Lost & Grounded brewing

First a short introduction from their website;

Lost and Grounded Brewers is a brewery in Bristol, UK, established in July 2016. We are team who are fascinated by the precision of German brewing and the idiosyncratic nature of Belgian beers, and we chose the brewhouse of our dreams that could help us make these wonders of fermentation.

From our flagship Keller Pils through to our delicious Apophenia, we have a range of beers to keep you interested!

We are proud to have been a Living Wage Foundation Employer since we opened.

 

A bit about our special brewery.

It’s no secret we love lager: we set up our brewery to make our flagship Keller Pils and brew lager every week of the year! Lager is a style of beer that is incredibly difficult to master, but we love the challenges that brewing this type of beer brings.  We source our malts from Germany and Belgium as these suit the profile of our our beers down to a tee, and provide classic notes to our modern renditions.

We operate a state-of-the-art brewhouse from Krones, complete with a traditional lactic acid propagation plant (classic German method of adjusting acidity) to produce beers with balance, nuance and depth of character.  In this plant we naturally produce “sour” wort with a special strain of lactic acid bacteria, originally isolated from the husk of malt; this sour wort is in turn used to adjust the pH across the brewing process. This is a totally natural way to brew and is the way for German brewers to deal with alkaline water such as the water we have in Bristol.

All of our beers are unfiltered and vegan friendly.

 

 

Tap #5 – ‘Starsky’

Oatmeal stout

ABV: 5.2%

Ⓥ Vegan beer

 

What they say;

It’s a brisk wind that blows the autumn leaves to the ground and warns us of the imminent arrival of winter. Seeking comfort and familiarity we cultivate a sense of togetherness and warmth. Our smooth oatmeal stout was brewed to capture this feeling through the familiarity of a favourite TV show, the nostalgia of long forgotten memories shared and the comfort of being wrapped in a chunky cardigan knitted by your nan. A base of Pils, Cara, Special B, Chocolate and Roast malts is combined with a dose of rolled oats to deliver a smooth body and complex palate. Flavours of delicate roast, digestive biscuit and dark fruits are supported by a trio of UK hops – Goldings, First Gold and Bramling Cross, making for a clean finish that leaves you wanting more. Pair our Oatmeal Stout with almost everything from hearty stews all the way through to sweet chocolate or fruit based desserts. Delightful.

 

What we  say;

A super sessionable stout if we have ever had one! Light enough to consume many a pint but not thin in anyway, lovely creamy texture with notes of café noisette at the front, toasted almonds & a fluffy chocolate after taste.

Pairs well with our home made white chocolate bread pudding or the original bighorn burger!

Craft beer blog

Here we are going to talk a bit about some of the wonderful beers we have flowing through our taps, highlight some breweries & chat about beer styles

This highlight focusing on DEYA brewing

First a short introduction from their website;

As a company we take a holistic approach to business, striving to be a better company for our employees, our customers, our community, and our planet. Sustainability is a multi-faceted issue. We are trying to be proactive and transparent in tackling this issue, and do what we can internally and externally as a company. This is the start of our journey in becoming more sustainable, and in turn, a better company.

Tap #2 – Steady rolling strataStyle: Hazy pale
ABV: 5.2%
Hops: Strata
What they say;Steady Rolling Man base recipe and process up until dry hop, where the beer was dry hopped at 10 g/l exclusively with fresh Crop Year 2020 Strata from our friends at Indie Hops! The lots that we selected for this beer were grown at Goschie Farms and Coleman Hops.Expect Steady Rolling Man but with amped up tangerine juice! Delicious!What we say;Perfect timing for spring! Tropical juicy pale ale with a good balance between dry hopped chewiness & crushable tangeriny goodness 

 

Craft beer blog

Here we are going to talk a bit about some of the wonderful beers we have flowing through our taps, highlight some breweries & chat about beer styles

This highlight focusing on denver beer co

First a short introduction from their website;

 

PASSION FOR THE CRAFTUsing traditional methods and innovative spirit, our team creates craft beer that is approachable and damn delicious. We brew to enhance the enjoyment of life.WE BELIEVE BEER IS SERIOUS FUN.We love the Denver lifestyle so we created a brewery to match our city’s personality. Denverites work hard, and play even harder. After a long slog at the office or a gnarly mountain bike ride there is nothing better than a good spot to sit and relax with friends and a pint. We welcome oxford shirts, dirty shorts, and pups on the patio (always!).At Denver Beer Co, we are an accepting, inclusive, and loving community. We welcome all races, religions, countries of origin, sexual orientations, genders, ethnicities, and abilities with open arms and love.100% SOLAR POWERED, BREWED WITH SUNSHINE, WE HAVE JUST ONE PLANETAt Denver Beer Co we believe in the importance of environmental stewardship. We have one planet and we believe it is our corporate and social responsibility to help conserve and protect our resources.Our community has given so much to us, and in turn, we believe in the importance of giving back. Each year we run major charitable giving programs as well as provide support for a variety of local causes. Cheers to #DrinkPink! Denver Beer Co. donates more than $15,000 to the American Cancer Society in 2020.Every year Denver Beer Co. selects a local nonprofit organization which supports Colorado’s LGBTQ community to partner with during Pride Month. This year, Denver Beer Co. selected One Colorado, the state’s leading advocacy organization dedicated to advancing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Coloradans and their families.Founded on passion for high quality, flavorfully crafted beerDenver Beer Co. was born in our garages with a few batches of home brew and a love for the craft of brewing. Serving only premium artisan ales and lagers, we utilize fresh ingredients and embrace both innovative and old world styles of beer. Similar to a farmer’s table, our beer selections change with the seasons. By brewing in small batches, we can ensure that a few old favorites are always on tap, but new goodies greet visitors each month.Our brewery is founded on passion for high quality, flavorfully crafted beer, drawing inspiration from beer gardens of Bavaria. Denver Beer Co. is a place where new and old friends can share a table and pint out of doors.

 

Tap #5 – Juicy Freak

Style: Hazy pale
ABV: 6.5%
Hops: Mosaic & simcoe

What they say;

Juicy Freak carries a bright citrus punch and smooth tropical hop bliss. Exploding with rich American hop notes of orange, mango, pear, and stone fruit, this tropical journey is smooth and creamy. Light on bitterness, big on juicy citrus, for living your best life. .

What we say;

Packed with juicy white & yellow fruits this hazy american pale is a little less cloudy than our english cousins & super bright in flavour. Right on time for spring this beer should be honoured in the sun, on an apré ski session – try having only one

 

 

Craft beer blog

Here we are going to talk a bit about some of the wonderful beers we have flowing through our taps, highlight some breweries & chat about beer styles

This highlight focusing on sapaudia

First a short introduction from their website;

CRAFT BEER
BREWED IN THE FRENCH ALPS

Sapaudia is an innovative microbrewery situated in the heart of the French Alps. Our plant’s central location in the Tarentaise Valley allows us to supply local craft beer to the world’s three largest ski areas and beyond.
Independently Produced
State of the art brewing equipment helps us ensure that our beers are of the highest quality. We’ve worked hard to perfect our recipes in pursuit of the elusive perfect pint. Every litre of beer we produce has been made by us. We don’t and never will rebrand other beers and pass them off as our own.
Quality Ingredients
On the face of it, beer is a simple drink comprised of four ingredients: water, grain, hops, and yeast. We only use the best suppliers and our ingredients are sourced from across Europe. The time we’ve taken to seek out these quality ingredients means the beer you enjoy is always of the highest quality.
Efficiently Distributed
To retain its intended taste qualities, the time-to-consumption of packaged craft beer should be minimised. We work with a small selection of skilled distribution partners who prioritise dynamic stock management and offer daily delivery, helping us to ensure a quick, slick supply chain and a fresh pint of Sapaudia at your favourite bar.
Stockists
Our beer is available mainly on tap in over a dozen great bars throughout the Savoie and Haute-Savoie. If you’re interested in stocking our beer, please contact us.

 

Tap #4 – Cosmique

Sapaudia – Style: IPA
ABV: 5.8%
Plato: 13.75
Malts: Pale Ale, Carahell, Munich
Hops: El Dorado & Amarillo

What they say;

Innovative and crowd-pleasing in equal measure, Cosmique is simply big on aroma and taste. A huge bouquet of tropical fruits and sherbet candy lures you in before a rounded malt body takes centre stage, accompanied by a satisfying array of fruit notes. The final act is reassuring, leaving a lingering bitterness on the tongue; enough to keep you going back for more, but not so harsh as to slow down a good après session.

What we say;

One of our most popular beers & local staples here at bighorn, loved by visitors & locals (or cosmonaughts as they are affectionately known) alike this beer is consumed rarely in moderation. A very well balanced ‘international’ style IPA it is low in carbonation, packed full of citrus aroma, medium bodied with a crisp bitter finish.

Craft beer blog

Here we are going to talk a bit about some of the wonderful beers we have flowing through our taps, highlight some breweries & chat about beer styles

This highlight focusing on polly’s brew co.

First a short introduction from their website;

HELLO, WE’RE POLLY’S BREW CO.

Since launching in early 2018 we have grown and adapted our setup to form a small but tight-knit team of ten running the day to day operations of the brewery.

Our motto is to never stop improving; we’re always learning and tweaking our beer designs to create the best beer we possibly can, packaged into only kegs and cans to optimise freshness and keep our beer tasting as fresh as it does from the source.

OUR BEER

Our passion is to create hop-forward, modern styles of beer; with an emphasis on freshness. We’ve developed and grown our Originals range, the core of our output since day one, to a high level of consistency. From this we’ve been able create the Augment range – the next step in our brewing journey. Our journey doesn’t stop here though; we are always looking to push ourselves, exploring new styles and brewing techniques to test ourselves as brewers – our next port of call being our first ever barrel-aging project.

 

Tap #6 – Cant help but shine

Polly’s brew co. – American IPA ‘mountain IPA’

East coast IPA meets west coast IPA 5.8%

What they say;

Okay so we do East Coast style beers pretty well, and we’re getting better and better at West Coast, where do we go next? Smack bang in the middle of course. We stumbled upon the term Mountain IPA when chewing the fat with the legendary Doug Odell of Odell Brewing at Friends & Family & Beer in February last year, before the world went to pot. A hazy pale ale that brings the intense aromatics of an East Coast beer, but with the crisp bitterness and clean finish of a West Coast beer, we’ve brought the old school hops to the table on this beer – utilizing Citra and Centennial, but introducing them with very much new school brewing techniques – fermenting this beer out with our bespoke London Ale 3 yeast strain. A wonderful mish mash of two incredible styles.

What we say;

I think they have done a bang up job of landing right in the middle of the two styles here, imagine drinking an east coast whilst dreaming of a west… The super pale straw colour & cloudy appearance might have you fooled at first but put lip to glass & you shall find a pleasant surprise! Juicy on the front with that classic west coast hop-burst bitter finish. With lemon peel & fresh grapefruit on the nose this beer is a well balanced, aromatic, flavour bomb

Craft beer blog

Here we are going to talk a bit about some of the wonderful beers we have flowing through our taps, highlight some breweries & chat about beer styles

 

The highlight for this segment will be North brewing from leeds

AWARD-WINNING BREWERY AND TAP ROOMS ESTABLISHED BY THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PIONEERING CRAFT BEER VENUE NORTH BAR

North Brewing Co was founded in 2015 by John Gyngell and Christian Townsley, the pioneers behind legendary Leeds beer venue North Bar, which opened in 1997.Known as “the first craft beer bar in Britain”, North Bar influenced a new wave of modern beer bars and breweries across the country, including their own.

In 2015 they turned their 10-year dream of making their own beer into a reality by opening a 15bbl brewery, featuring a 200-person capacity tap room, just half a mile from their original flagship North Bar in Leeds.

The core range and seasonal specials epitomise what they look for in beer: big juicy flavours with tonnes of hops; fun, playful and interesting flavour combinations; classics that demonstrate an uncompromising approach to quality.

The brewery has worked with some of the best breweries in the world, collaborating with the likes of Lervig Øl (Norway), Dry & Bitter (Denmark), Basqueland Brewing Project (ESP), Het Uiltje (NL), De Molen (NL), Other Half and Finback (USA), Magic Rock, BrewDog, Verdant, Thornbridge, Track Brewing and Wylam Brewery (UK).

In just two years North Brewing Company has received both national and international recognition.

Voted ‘Overall Keg Champion Beer’ at the SIBA Independent Beer Awards in 2018

Named ‘Best Brewery Pub Company’ at The Publican Awards in 2017 and 2018

Voted ‘Best UK IPA in 2017’ in the Imbibe ‘IPA Challenge’ for Transmission

Awarded ‘Best New Brewery’ in West Yorkshire in the Rate Beer Awards 2017

Awarded ‘Business Innovation’ category at the SIBA Business Awards 2018

Winner of ‘Best Branding and Design’ at The Beer and Cider Marketing Awards 2018

 

Tap #6 – City of Trees

North brewing – Mountain IPA

East coast IPA meets west coast IPA 6.5%

What they say;

City of Trees builds on the recipe from our last West Coast IPA, The Eighth Chamber. In The Eighth Chamber we utilised Centennial hops, known for shining bright when used on the hotter side of brewing. In City of Trees we’ve selected Idaho 7 and Amarillo, both also known for bigging themselves up when used on the hotter side.

Added throughout the boil, whirlpool and fermentation, their oils have oozed into a slick base of Extra Pale and Cara malt to create a squeeze of tacky gum, freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice, spruce tips, tangerine and lemon all with the classic bitterness and pine we know and love in a West Coast IPA.

What we say;

Straw coloured & faintly hazy this melange of a beer certainly leans into its west coast roots. Bucket loads of fresh pine, lemon peel & grapefruit juice on the nose. Punch of hops at the start with a smooth, crisp & dry bitter finish. Great palate cleanser between meals or other beers

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