Hang On To Summer With FCB's Big, Black Elephant

Are you ready for winter? Me neither. As I stared into the glass brew cages at the liquor store last night, I wasn't ready to surrender to the fall seasonals or the porters and stouts of winter.

I wanted summer to hang around a little longer. I wanted another nice IPA.

So, I reached for the big, black elephant.

Rocky Mountain IPA
Ft. Collins Brewery
Ft. Collins, CO
ABV: 6.20%
http://www.fortcollinsbrewery.com/

I have enjoyed this brew before, but haven't taken time to talk about it (shame on me.)

Ft. Collins Brewery's Rocky Mountain IPA is one of my favorite IPAs. It has a nice coppery-orange color with a tight cream colored head that really lasts.

Give it a sniff and you'll get a generous noseful of citrusy hops. Wait a minute. There is something else in here. Yes, its hoppy....but, there is a really nice bready malt aroma, too. That's what I really like about Rocky Mountain IPA. There is loads of hops...pure, wonderful hops. But, there is plenty of bready malt too. It's a great blend that you don't find in some other IPAs.

You taste the blend too. Lots of grassy and citrusy hops and some nice malts, too. The hoppy-ness really lingers after you swallow, giving you a chance to enjoy Rocky Mountain IPA's flavors just a little while after its gone.

This brew is so well done, you could drink it all day. So, you have another and another...and, another. Suddenly, here comes trouble. This brew is blended so well you haven't noticed it carries a 6.2% ABV. Look Out!!! A Big, Black, Elephant Buzz Is Rumbling Right Atcha!!! (maybe that is why they put that thing on the label...)

Overall, Rocky Mountain IPA is a great beer. It's the blend of hops and malts I really like. You will too, if you are lucky enough to live in one of the 19 or 20 states where Ft. Collins Brewery beers are sold.

Go grab yourself one last gulp of summer.

****ON TAP THIS WEEKEND****

All Weekend:
*It's the Telluride Blues and brews festival this weekend. The grand beer tasting is on Saturday. http://www.tellurideblues.com/

*Oktoberfest is Oompahhing in downtown Denver http://www.oktoberfestdenver.com/ and up in Breckenridge. http://www.breckenridgeoktoberfest.com/

Saturday, September 19th:
*Colorado Pork and Hops Challenge continues in Lincoln Park in Grand Junction, CO. http://www.porknhops.com/
*Wynkoop will roll out The Obamanator. This dry hopped Maibock lager was originally brewed for President Obama's historic visit to Denver during the DNC. 5pm. http://www.wynkoop.com/ *Denver's RooBar's Anniversary Party is tonight with Great Divide brews. http://www.greatdivide.com/

Live Music!
*It's Bluez House with Paul Soderman ($5) at Oksar Blues in Lyons.
*Crank up the tunes with Jon Cody on the patio at Left Hand Brewing in Longmont. 5pm. http://www.lefthandbrewing.com/

Sunday, September 20th:
*The Zooma Women’s Race Series takes off at 7:30am from Central Park in the Stapleton neighborhood in Denver. After the running, Left Hand Brewing does the pampering. http://www.lefthandbrewing.com/

*Vesta Dipping Grill Beer Dinner is tonight with beers from Great Divide Brewing in Denver. http://www.greatdivide.com/

Live Music!
*Scott Von on the patio of Left Hand Brewing in Longmont at 4:30pm http://www.lefthandbrewing.com/
*Felonius Smith acoustic blues band plays Oskar Blues Brewing in Lyons.

Missed the Boat at the Mountain Sun in Boulder at 10pm and Paper Stars plays the Vine Street Pub in Denver at 10pm http://www.mountainsunpub.com/

Here's To You, Old No. 7

Yo Jackie D! Happy birthday, my whiskey brother. As they say, "Hells to the yeah, Jack Daniels, put on the birthday hat and party like a rock star!"

Jack Daniels...and, there really was a Jack Daniels...was born in September, but we don't know on which day. There was a fire in the courthouse that destroyed all the records and anybody that knew his birthday has passed on to that great distillery in the sky.

So, we celebrate his birthday all month long.

There is a funny story about Jack Daniels, not about how he was born, but how he died in 1911.

"As the story goes, Mr. Jack arrived at work early one morning and tried to open the safe in his office.
Thing is, he couldn’t recall the combination. In his frustration, he gave that safe a good, solid kick. The blow broke his toe and infection set in, leading to the blood poisoning that would take his life in 1911.
Because he never married or had children, he deeded the Distillery to his hard-working nephew, Lem Motlow. Some people say Jack Daniel not only left his Tennessee Whiskey behind, he left us all a valuable lesson as well: Don’t go to work early."

(from http://www.jackdaniels.com/)

So in the spirit of our dearly departed friend, who's birthday we celebrate each and every day of the month of September, let's all raise our right hand and take this solumn oath.

"I ____(your name here)_____ promise to love the ones around me, help others when I can and use my turn signal at all times.

I also promise that I will never get to work early and I will avoid kicking any thing harder than a football. Amen."

****On Tap****
Today, Sunday (Sept. 6th)

**Beer and Yoga? Sure, why not! Robyn, The Bristol Beer Ninja, leads a yoga session at Bristol Brewing in Colorado Springs on Sunday. Don't sweat it...it is guy friendly, too. $10 gets you the session, bottled water and a post yoga beer. BYOM (bring your own mat) http://www.bristolbrewing.com/
**Didn't make it yesterday? That's ok, the Oskar Blues pig roast in Lyons, CO continues today, 2-6pm. Then, enjoy country AND western when Halden Wofford & The Hi-Beams brings their honky tonk out starting at 6pm. http://www.oskarblues.com/
**Catch Hot Club Sandwich at the Mountain Sun Pub in Boulder. http://www.mountainsunpub.com/

**A Taste of Colorado Continues-downtown Denver. http://www.atasteofcolorado.com/

Monday, Sept. 7th (Labor Day)
**Come celebrate the labors of Doug and the Odell Brewing when they roll out their Bourbon Barrel Stout. The keg tapping and tasting starts at 1pm in at Odell Brewing in Ft. Collins. http://www.odells.com/
**Another new brew is coming out. New Belgium Brewery just announced that Hoptober Golden Ale, their new autumn brew is on the way. This puppy is described as “...a Hop Lover’s dream within the Belgian idiom.” http://www.newbelgium.com/
**A Taste of Colorado-downtown Denver-Last Day. http://www.atasteofcolorado.com/

What A Weekend For Us Beer Lovers.

Ah, Labor Day....one of the biggest weekends of the year for bodacious brew stuff to enjoy. So, let's get to it.

Tonight, (Friday Night, Sept. 4th), you can kick off the weekend with equal parts folk, country, blues and bluegrass. The Kort McCumber Band performs at Oskar Blues in Lyons. The show starts aboout 9 and it'll cost ya 5-bucks to get in. http://www.oskarblues.com/

Close your eyes and you might think you are hearing Joni Mitchell and the Counting Crows, but Jill Cohn has a sound all her own. Catch her free concert tonight on the Patio at Carver Brewing in Durango. It starts at 8:30pm. http://www.carverbrewing.com/

Speaking of the Four Corners, this is the weekend for the The Four Corners Folk Festival. Grab yourself some great Breckenridge brew and enjoy the live tunes. It happens all weekend at Reservoir Hill Park in Pagosa Springs, CO http://www.folkwest.com/

The Boulder Hometown Fair is this weekend, too. You might wanna chill out in the Boulder Beer beer garden with a Cold Hop or Mojo. http://www.boulderbeer.com/

It's the Taste of Colorado in downtown Denver this weekend. Go people watch, then head over to Great Divide, or Breckenridge, or Wynkoop, or the Falling Rock Tap House and wash that turkey leg taste out of your mouth with a good brew. http://www.atasteofcolorado.com/

Saturday, (Sept. 5th)
It's Fat Tire Time! Head to the New Belgium Brewery in Ft. Collins for the Tour de Fat. I just wish I'd kept my old Schwinn Rocket. http://www.newbelgium.com/

Oskar Blues in Lyons pigs out! They have a pig roast going Saturday and Sunday. And, after you've porked yourself on Saturday, hang around for The Dan Treanor Bandis free concert starting at 9pm. http://www.oskarblues.com/

Sunday (Sept. 6th)
Beer and Yoga? Sure, why not! Robyn, The Bristol Beer Ninja, leads a yoga session at Bristol Brewing in Colorado Springs on Sunday. Don't sweat it...it is guy friendly, too. $10 gets you the session, bottled water and a post yoga beer. BYOM (bring your own mat) http://www.bristolbrewing.com/

Didn't make it yesterday? That's ok, the Oskar Blues pig roast in Lyons, CO continues today, 2-6pm. Then, enjoy country AND western when Halden Wofford & The Hi-Beams brings their honky tonk out starting at 6pm. http://www.oskarblues.com/

DVS 3 plays at The Vine Street Pub in Denver. 10pm. Catch Hot Club Sandwich at the Mountain Sun Pub in Boulder. http://www.mountainsunpub.com/

Monday, Sept. 7th (Labor Day)
Come celebrate the labors of Doug and the Odell Brewing when they roll out their Bourbon Barrel Stout. The keg tapping and tasting starts at 1pm in at Odell Brewing in Ft. Collins. http://www.odells.com/

Another new brew is out. New Belgium Brewery just announced that Hoptober Golden Ale, their new autumn brew is coming out. This puppy is described as “...a Hop Lover’s dream within the Belgian idiom.” http://www.newbelgium.com/

Whoa.