Legacy restaurants add to the fabric of the community.

There are so many ways to run a restaurant. From fish ‘n’ chips to fine dining, I looked into three longstanding Boulder County institutions to see how they’ve survived and thrived through ownership transitions, family legacies, a global pandemic, and at least one misspelling of the owner’s last name on an Irish-themed sign.

Palpable Energy on the Menu

When I first moved to Longmont, there was one place I walked past nearly every day that was always buzzing. Tuesday at lunch, 9 p.m. on a Thursday night, there was always some energy to it. In 2026, in this economy, I was curious about a place with that kind of pull.

A few months later, Pumphouse Brewery had become a regular in my rotation. The firehouse-themed eatery draws beer-drinking sports fans and families alike, built on a reputation for good service and generous portions. On a recent visit, I noticed a new menu celebrating the restaurant’s 30th birthday. As a ’96 baby myself, I couldn’t help but wonder how this place had stood the test of time.

Who better to pull back the curtain than long-time General Manager Ross Hagen. Hagen was a law school student when he started serving tables at Pumphouse in May 1997. He quickly gelled with the original owners, four friends who happened to also be aerospace engineers, and worked his way up through the ranks, buying in as a partner in 2000. After deciding law wasn’t his true calling, he found that the pace and energy of the restaurant world was exactly where he wanted to be. He’s been all in ever since.

Running a broad menu isn’t simple, and Hagen doesn’t pretend otherwise. “It’s gotta taste good. It’s got to be something we can execute consistently,” he said. He knows the “something for everybody” model isn’t for everyone. “Most operators starting up would shy against the breadth of what we’re doing.” What makes it work, he says, is structure: strict recipe standards, plating consistency, and a management team larger than most comparable restaurants. “It really requires that everybody’s on the same page, absolutely busting their butt, every day. There’s no way around that.”

That broad menu is also strategic. Hagen knows Pumphouse’s staying power depends on becoming the neighborhood’s go-to for both date nights and family dinners. “You have to develop regulars and keep them. It’s what matters.” A dedicated back-of-house staff, many of whom have been with the restaurant for decades, has made that consistency possible.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a hard look at Pumphouse’s future. The answer, original ownership decided, was a transition to employee ownership. In 2022, the business was sold to Teamshares, a company that converts acquired businesses to employee-owned models over time. Every Pumphouse employee, from longtime chefs to part-time dishwashers, became a 20% owner, receiving stock and dividend checks nearly every month.

The goal is 80% employee ownership within 15 years. Hagen sees it as the best available path. “If it’s not going to be a fully independently owned restaurant like it was from the five of us, maybe the next best thing is to have it employee owned, as opposed to just selling out to some restaurant group that may or may not keep the character in place.” Though no longer an owner in the traditional sense, his commitment hasn’t shifted. “As long as I’m here, I’ll continue to run the place with an owner’s eyes and the mentality that this is a legacy business, and I don’t want it to decline on any level.”

A 40+ Year Longmont Fixture

Less than a block down Main Street, you’ll find a place that has the Pumphouse beat by 15 years. Mike O’Shays has been a fixture in downtown Longmont since 1981, when New Jersey natives Mike and Nania Shea opened the Irish pub, their last name slightly altered on the sign in a spelling that just stuck. Shea was once quoted calling it a “stay with it” place, and walking in today, you understand exactly what he meant.

General Manager Jen Burchette is the engine of Mike O’Shays. On any given afternoon, she might be welcoming a regular, interviewing a prospective bartender, and signing for a liquor delivery, sometimes in the same 10-minute window. Burchette says Shea built something that didn’t need much propping up. “This place stands on its own.” His hands-on ownership style cultivated a loyalty that has proven remarkably durable. Burchette says they’re generations deep into regulars now, and she hopes it just keeps going. Head Chef Martín, who has been with the restaurant for 30 years, has grown alongside the menu, finding creative freedom in exploring Irish cuisine.

The restaurant has navigated change, including a shift in ownership that brought menu updates and operational adjustments with mixed reactions from longtime patrons. Through it all, Mike O’Shays has held onto what it’s always been: a neighborhood place built on a little bit of grit and a lot of community.

A Generational Dining Destination

From Longmont’s Main Street, head up Baseline Road into the Boulder foothills, and you’ll find Flagstaff House, a fine dining institution with a view to match and a family story spanning three generations. Adam Monette is the restaurant’s co-owner and general manager. He’s the third member of his family to hold that role. His grandfather, Don Monette, bought the property in 1971 and moved his family onto the five-acre mountainside lot where he set about turning what had been a home — possibly destined to become a cabin or ranger station — into a year-round restaurant. Don liquidated three downtown restaurants to make it happen. “It really never should have existed in the first place,” Adam reflected. “But with his foresight and ability to put things together, he saw an opportunity that really wasn’t there at the time.” At its peak, 18 members of the Monette family were working within the restaurant’s ranks. “It was, quite literally, a family affair.”

Don’s connection to Colorado began in the 1950s, when he was stationed at Camp Hale in Leadville as part of the 10th Mountain Division. The mountains left a mark, and after marrying his wife Carol in Michigan, he insisted they move back to the Centennial State. Adam still speaks of him with reverence. “Don is honestly the foundation of this restaurant. But certainly, in many ways, he was my idol.”

That reverence shows up in how the place is run. Flagstaff House is fine dining, but Monette is deliberate about the atmosphere it projects. “Fine dining comes off as pretentious and snooty more often than not. You don’t hear those words here, because we make sure that we’re not.” Staff longevity mirrors the family’s own investment. Employees with over 35 years of service have retired from their posts while promotions into management have nearly always come from within. “Every time we’ve promoted into management, with very few exceptions, it’s been someone who has proven themselves from day one, probably starting as a food runner,” Monette said.

Another example of their commitment to the community can be found on their awards shelf. Flagstaff House recently received the Snail of Approval from Slow Food Boulder County, a non-profit dedicated to fostering a “good, clean, and fair” food system in the region.

From employee ownership to navigating a new proprietor’s vision to stewarding a grandfather’s dream, there is more than one recipe for longevity in the restaurant world. But a few ingredients keep showing up: people who refuse to treat the work as temporary, communities willing to keep coming back, and an understanding that the restaurant belongs, in some way, to everyone who walks through the door.

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The post More Than One Recipe appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Cultivating and crafting the perfect mixers takes time and age-old processes.

Everything old is becoming new again, with summer drink choices also joining in on the trend. Sweet and savory drinks designed from what you can grow in your garden are making a comeback, providing a way to preserve the fruits of your labor or that of your local growers, if your green thumb isn’t fully developed yet.

Vintage Vibe

A refreshing drink called a Shrub was popular as a way to extend the life of produce before refrigeration hundreds of years ago. It can be made from locally grown fruits, sugars and vinegars with 2-4 days maceration time and a 2-4 week shelf life in the refrigerator. Phil Giomassis from Japango Boulder explained their process for making this base for fruity mocktails.

“What you’re doing is taking fruit, this time it’s strawberry, and you take two parts fruit to one part brown sugar,” said Phil. “You let this macerate for 24-48 hours; that’s going to extract a lot of oils and make an oleo saccharum syrup. Then you mix that syrup with one part Balsamic vinegar and let that macerate for another 24-48 hours in the fridge.”

Japango on Pearl Street in Boulder offers not only the Shrub Drink, perfect for mocktails and mixing cocktails, but also a Garden Party drink that contains carrots and an Old Fashioned-type drink made with shitake mushrooms.

After it’s ready, you take the sweet and tart mixture and add soda water to serve, giving it an effervescent, bubbly feel.

Pick your produce

If you are just practicing, or a professional, at growing greens, fruits, and vegetables you can pluck these ingredients right from your garden. Those thirsty for a refreshing drink, but lacking a gardener’s tender touch, can get what they need at the Boulder Farmer’s Market, which runs every Saturday, April through November from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Many of the growers there are able to produce fresh produce in greenhouses, making them ready for early spring delivery to the market.

Some of the produce you’ll need for your summer sips is native to Colorado, though if it’s found in the wild, is likely totally different than what you buy at the market. Tommy Roth, with the Colorado State University Extension Office, said that native plants like strawberries, blackberries and raspberries would be different when picked from the wilderness.

“The Boulder raspberry… is not going to be like if you’re expecting a raspberry, you’re going to be like, ew,” said Roth. “What is this thing that’s not sweet?” And as for the native strawberries, Roth said with a chuckle, “I wouldn’t say they are tasty, but I wouldn’t say they are not, not tasty.”

Vendor views

The farmers market offers much of what you need to get started creating your concoctions, including plant starters grown in a greenhouse over the winter that you can just pop into your garden and nurture through the growing season for your Shrub Drink needs.

One popular farmers market vendor, The Fresh Herb Company, offers herbs, vegetables, and flowers. Jonathan Rogerson who works at Fresh Herb said they have three greenhouses as well as farmland for producing plant starts, as well as peppers, cucumbers, and hanging flower baskets. Like most good things it takes time to grow the herb starter plants. “The largest rosemary was planted last fall,” explained Rogerson.

“You can never be in a bad mood at the farmers market,” said Jonathon Rogerson, with The Fresh Herb Company, which offers many herb plants to put in your own garden, as well as greens and tomatoes, lavender and other beautiful flowers.

Rogerson said the company also makes a lavender spray that is perfect for adding flavoring to drinks, with a spritz or two proving a floral pop to your summer sip.

At the farmer’s market you’ll also find pressed juices for mocktails and cocktails. Cocktail Caravan does all the work of creating refreshing drinks and mixers ready to pour over ice. A dried orange garnishment sweetens the deal.

Seasons savings

Different fruits and vegetables ripen at different times over the summer, enabling you to create a varied menu of seasonal elixirs. Melons are the bumper crop for Monroe Family Farms, which is located east of Greeley. Robert Thompson said the reason they grow so well is the sandy soil in the area. The muskmelons, cantaloupe, and honey dew will be ready for market in July.

And with a Shrub Drink, your summer doesn’t have to end just because the growing season does. “Now you can have your Colorado peaches into the winter,” pointed out Giomassis.

Whether you’re growing the goods yourself or frequenting the farmers’ market, sipping summer drinks never tasted so good.

Breakout Box:

How to Make a Shrub Drink

Ingredients:

The post Drinks from the Garden appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Crosscut Pizzeria & Taphouse

I can’t imagine a better spot for a post-ski beer and pizza than Crosscut. This is one of my favorite places to take friends from out of town. If you find yourself coming off Eldora after 3 pm, stop into this cozy corner of Nederland. Crosscut is an underrated option; it’s up there and smaller space-wise, but once you smell the wood-fired pizza and sit back to enjoy the view of fresh snow falling out the window, it’s perfect for Apres. My favorite post-ski/work/weekend order is the Mario Pizza: Colorado hot Italian sausage, pickled shallot, basil, cremini mushrooms, mozzarella, and herbed ricotta sauce. Pairs well with a beer on tap or Crosscut’s Colorado-drafted root beer.

Jungle

The liveliest of our apres options! Jungle is a tropical-themed tiki bar and burger (with tropical twists!) shack. Located in Boulder on 10th Street, it’s known for fun, island-inspired cocktails and a huge variety of rum from all over the world. Food-wise, they offer a creative menu that includes burgers, plantains, and vegan/vegetarian options. They’re open from 4-11 pm on weekdays, 11 am-12 am Fridays and Saturdays, and closed Sundays. They’re the ideal spot for ski buddies who love to have a great time on and off the mountain. I kept it simple with a Cheeseburger—that Hawaiian bun makes it!—and a frozen Piña Colada.

Bitter Bar

Looking for apres drinkies only? I know just the spot. Bitter Bar in Boulder is off of Pearl Street on Walnut, which is noticeably quieter just one street over. It’s great to decompress after ski traffic. Bitter Bar is laid back, and you won’t want to spoil your dinner as it serves drinks only. It’s a unique spot that’s a happy change from pub fare and beer if you need something new. I love the loungey, Japanese cocktail bar vibe they have going on, but they still keep up a neighborhood bar energy. My go-to lately has been their Fire & Ice cocktail, which is bourbon, ginger beer, Angostura bitters, and candied ginger–a little something to warm up after a cold day.

West End Tavern

If you’re down from the mountains but not quite ready to head home, take a turn onto Pearl Street and visit West End Tavern. They have an incredible view of the Flat Irons if you need to show off for your ski buddies, and their BBQ is the ultimate comfort food after a hard day of skiing. I keep coming back to their Fried Chicken Sandwich, Sticky Style, which is a delectable piece of fried chicken paired with spiced honey, smoked garlic mayo, green apple, and crunchy kale slaw, all on a buttered brioche bun. It hits different after you’ve taken your boots off, trust me.

Rosetta Hall

The snow hasn’t been so great this year, folks, I don’t need to tell you that! It was an early day off the mountain, and we needed a little something for everyone, so we checked out Rosetta Hall. It features eight restaurants and two bars, which offer seasonal, craft cocktail menus that are made with fresh-squeezed, organic citrus and small-batch spirits. I was appreciative to have so many options, from Thai food to Italian, so everyone could enjoy what they wanted rather than trying to decide as one big group. Hangry skiers were thankfully avoided, and we got to make the most of a not-so-great ski day. Rosetta Hall also has live music on Tuesdays and the weekends, which I hope to catch one of these days!

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The post Front Range Foodie: Apres appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Ah, brunch. The glorious time of day when we throw out all the rules and dive headfirst into eggs, pancakes, and maybe — even better — cocktails before noon. With so many tempting brunch spots close by, making a decision could call for a little help from a Magic 8 Ball.

The Buff Restaurant: Where pancakes flirt and $1 mimosas flow
Boulder

When Boulder locals talk brunch, one name always bubbles to the top: The Buff. Cozy as your favorite hoodie and twice as satisfying, this neighborhood staple has been slinging eggs, green chili, and good vibes for over 30 years.

Family-run from the start, The Buff feels like home the moment you walk through the door. General manager Dru Libby is known for greeting regulars with a warm hug and a smile as sunny as your eggs.

The crown jewel of the menu? The Olé Skillet — chorizo, green chilies, onions, jalapeños, potatoes, and cheddar smothered with their famous pork green chili, which might just be the reason Boulder gets out of bed on weekends. Feeling like a kid? Try the White Buffalo Cakes with crispy edges and pillowy softness accented with white chocolate and strawberries. The star? Chicken & French Toast, a perfectly-paired sandwich topped with bacon — because why not? (Already planning my return visit for that dish.)

White Buffalo

And the drinks? Let’s just say they’ve got legendary status. The Buff’s $1 on tap cocktails — yes, one dollar — draw brunch lovers like bees to honey. From classic mimosas to the garnish-loaded Tatanka Bloody Mary, your cup (and Instagram feed) will be full.

Non-drinkers, fear not: The White Buffalo (white chocolate espresso mocha) piled with whipped cream and Dirty Sherpa Chai will give you all the cozy, caffeinated feels you need. Here, brunch is more than a meal — it’s a ritual. Come hungry, leave hugged.

Suggested Pairing: Olé Skillet + $1 Mimosa
Pro Tip: No time to brunch? Grab a White Buffalo to go.
Vibe: Cheerful, friendly, always buzzing

Blueberry Pancakes

Morning Glory Café: Mother Earth’s brunch spot
Lafayette

Morning Glory Café isn’t your run-of-the-mill brunch joint. The secret sauce? Sustainability and local ingredients. Owner Lilly Lieb sources nearly 80% of her ingredients from local farms and strives to get organic whenever possible. From organic, cage-free eggs to fresh, wild-caught salmon, everything at Morning Glory is scratch made and straight from the heart.

Lieb’s commitment to high standards goes beyond just sourcing — it’s in the very DNA of the place. Whether it’s the homemade pesto or her iconic mom Jules’ blueberry dressing (made with agave to keep it vegan), every bite is crafted with care and intention.

The menu is so packed with options that the best choice might just be to ask your server to choose for you. Lieb brought out the Mango Salmon Salad topped with goat cheese, avocado, and blueberries and a stack of Blueberry Pancakes that pleased both my inner kid and gluten-free diet. Morning Glory Café takes dietary restrictions extremely seriously and has a cult following in the gluten-free crowd. For a breakfast entrée, try the Niwot Omelet packed with feta, tomatoes, and spinach topped with a vibrant pesto.

Lieb’s cocktail game is just as impressive as her food. Her Bloody Mary? Vegan and made in-house with balsamic vinegar for a unique kick. The Mimosas come in pint glasses and the coffee? It’s single-origin Costa Rican beans sourced directly from an employee’s family farm for a cup of goodness with a side of authenticity.

Lieb isn’t just serving up great brunches; she’s building a community. With liveable wages and a staff that sticks around for years (shoutout to Adolfo, who started as a dishwasher and now runs the show), the restaurant exudes a warmth that mirrors Lieb’s values. It’s not just about feeding people — it’s about caring for them, whether it’s through the food, the atmosphere, or the heartfelt connection with every guest.

Suggested Pairing: Niwot Omelet + House Bloody Mary
Pro Tip: Feeling spunky? Ask your server to surprise you with some Jackalope.
Vibe: Relaxed, eco-conscious, neighborly.

Salmon Caper Benedict

Tangerine: Classic breakfast with a modern twist
Longmont, Lafayette, Boulder

Tangerine is like your favorite breakfast diner, but imagine if it put on a pair of sleek, modern shoes and went to art school. Chef-owner Alec Schuler crafted a menu designed to hit that sweet spot between comforting and unexpected. Sure, you’ll find the classics — eggs Benedict, pancakes, and omelets — but Tangerine encourages a little culinary wanderlust with a breadth of creative options and a constant rotation of specials.

Schuler’s dedication to quality ingredients means that almost everything on your plate is locally sourced. Colorado-grown potatoes, hangar steak, and cage-free eggs ensure your brunch dollars support small farms and ranchers across the state.

“We’re a scratch kitchen,” said chef Jonathon Derreberry, who creates the specials for the Longmont location. “Everything is made from recipes. We hired skilled chefs. Culinary skill is at the heart of everything we do.” And it shows — whether it’s the house-cured Salmon Caper Benedict or the vibrant Strawberry French Toast, every dish feels like it was crafted with care and a lot of heart. The star of the menu is The Vegan — this isn’t your typical tofu scramble. No, this dish features tempeh, avocado, fresh greens, caramelized onions, carrots, pinto beans, romesco, and pesto, all beautifully plated in a way that could make even the most dedicated carnivore pause and say, “Yes, please.”

Let’s not forget about the drink menu. If you’re thinking about pairing your brunch with a little something special, Tangerine’s cocktails won’t disappoint. The Strawberry Matcha Latte? It’s like a blankie in a cup. If you’re in the mood for something with a little more kick, try the house-made bloody mary (yes, it’s vegan, and yes, it’s amazing). And their seasonal drink specials, like the Lavender Lemon Drop martini, are always on point.

Tangerine is a hopping spot. Call ahead on weekdays and get there early on the weekends for your best chance at getting a table when you arrive. With the generous portions, plan on loosening your pants on the ride home.

Suggested Pairing: The Vegan + Strawberry Matcha Latte
Pro Tip: The specials change often — follow your cravings off-menu.
Vibe: Bright, modern, effortlessly hip

Shrimp and Grits

Lucile’s: Brunch with a side of jazz hands
Erie, Boulder, Longmont

Lucile’s Creole Cafe has been a Boulder County brunch icon since 1980, and it only takes one bite to understand why. The Erie location is right on Briggs Street in a cheery yellow building transporting diners from Old Town Erie straight to New Orleans, complete with zydeco tunes playing softly in the background and powdered sugar floating in the air like confetti.

Lucile’s brunch is loud, lively, and unapologetically joyful. “We want it to feel like a party,” said general manager Michael Micek. “If you call on a Saturday and ask about the wait, I’ll tell you, ‘Come on in anyway — it’s a hoot!’” And he means it.

Eggs Sardou

The menu? Oh, it slaps. The inspiration came from a chef trained at New Orleans’ legendary Commander’s Palace, and the flavors still run deep. Everything’s made from scratch — from the house ketchup and jams to the light-as-air biscuits (Don’t even try to recreate them, the recipe’s top secret.).

Lucile’s elevates the basics like the Eggs Eisenhower (creamy scrambled eggs cooked low and slow with clarified butter) and Pain Perdu (pure French toast perfection with house-made pecan syrup). Teleport straight to the 504 with Eggs Pontchartrain. Regular patron Jack Feuerbach sat at the bar enjoying his mountain trout, with a side of the best jalapeño cheesy grits in Colorado. Dine like the royals with Eggs Sardou — lightly spiced and decadently creamed spinach, juicy Gulf shrimp, expertly poached eggs, and house-made hollandaise.

As for the bar, Lucile’s well-garnished Cajun Mary has won Yellow Scene Magazine’s Best of the West contest for 25 years straight. So that’s a no brainer. For a warm treat, do not miss the Café au Lait with chicory coffee and a side of beignets piled with a mountain of powdered sugar that your kids will remember for a lifetime.

Lucile’s isn’t just where you eat brunch. It’s where you experience it — Creole-style.

Suggested Pairing: Beignets + Cafe au Lait with chicory coffee
Pro Tip: Ask for the Farmer’s Eggs—an off-menu gem
Vibe: Lively, jazzy, powdered-sugar paradise

Carrot Brisket Hash

24 Carrot Bistro: The kind of brunch Gatsby would have hosted
Erie

Just a block away from Lucile’s, tucked inside a gorgeous historic building with exposed brick, rich wood tones, and a bar that would make even Gatsby jealous, this spot serves up brunch with both flair and soul. Brunch at this charming, brick-house beauty isn’t just about eating — it’s about being wrapped up in good vibes and life-altering food. Amy and Elaina greet regulars with the kind of familiar, beaming smiles that make you feel like family — even if it’s your first visit.

Carrot Farmers Benedict

The food? Oh, honey. Owner Bianca Retzloff’s menu is equal parts comforting and creative. As a starter, 24 Carrot has transformed the classic French Beignets and laid them on a layer of lemon curd that is lick-the-plate worthy. The Farmer’s Benedict is a crispy sweet potato cake crowned with a perfectly poached egg and a bright, herby house-made pesto that tastes like sunshine and garden-fresh magic. The Beef Brisket Hash is pure comfort, with melt-in-your-mouth brisket, tender potatoes, and poached eggs, the dish is a true chef’s kiss. And the French Toast? Served with Chantilly cream, fresh strawberries, and a sprinkle of fresh basil, this dish will make you rethink every brunch decision you’ve ever made. Just ask diner Scott Schneider, who paused mid-bite to ask, “Excuse me, what did you do to French toast?”

Behind the bar, Manny shakes up cocktail magic like the Hans Shot First — gin, lemon, Prosecco, and lavender, served in an antique silver chalice — and the Oh You Pretty Thing, a muddled blackberry-mint-lemon masterpiece.

Brunch here isn’t just a meal —it’s an affair, equal parts cozy, classy, and totally crave-worthy.

Suggested Pairing: Farmer’s Benedict + Bitter Sweet Symphony
Pro Tip: Save room for the lemon curd-accented beignets — they’re pure gold.
Vibe: Vintage elegance meets small-town charm

The Brunch Houses Hot Chocolate

The Brunch House: High school sweethearts serving up breakfast goals
Westminster

Some brunch spots have a line out the door. Others have a waitlist a mile long. But The Brunch House? It’s got something even better — regulars who stroll in like it’s their own kitchen, call the servers by name, and settle into the kind of warm, unhurried atmosphere that makes you forget you’re technically dining in a strip mall behind a Sonic Drive-In.

The Brunch House is the passion project of Karen Ibarra and her husband Victor Aguilar, high school sweethearts turned business partners, who took a leap on their dream after years of working in family restaurants together. When they peeked through the windows of this spot on Thanksgiving 2023, they knew they’d found “the one.” April 22 was their first anniversary, and business is booming.

The Chile Rellenos Skillet is a brunch hero in a cast-iron disguise: a golden fried tortilla stuffed with jalapeños, melted cheese, refried beans, eggs, hash browns, and then smothered (with affection, I’m convinced) in their house-made green chile — a family recipe passed down from Victor’s father. It’s spicy, hearty, comforting, and impossible to finish without leaning back in your chair with a satisfied grin.

If you’re leaning sweet, the Tres Leches French Toast is the kind of dish your childhood self would’ve ordered every single Sunday, had your parents let you. Thick slices of French toast get drenched in sweetened condensed milk and caramel, topped with strawberries, whipped cream, and fresh coconut flakes.

The bar menu leans fun and unfussy, offering brunch classics like mimosas and micheladas, as well as playful house specials like the Colorado Sunrise — a twist on the tequila sunrise that somehow tastes like both brunch and vacation at once.

The prices are the icing on the (tres leches) cake: soul satisfying dishes without the bill to match. Pancakes for $11, a Benedict under $13, and a delicious medium roast coffee that won’t break the bank at $3.50. A robust kids menu means your kids are prioritized too.

Suggested Pairing: Chile Rellenos Skillet + Colorado Sunrise
Pro Tip: Bring the whole crew — the kids menu is no afterthought.
Vibe: Homey, welcoming, and strip-mall humble, but five-star flavor

Veggie Omelet

The Greenbriar Inn: Where brunch is an elegant affair
Boulder

Step inside, and you’ll be wrapped in the warm glow of old-world Bavarian charm, where sumptuous leather booths and white linens whisper luxury, but the vibe stays as welcoming as your favorite neighborhood diner. Phil Armstrong, who’s been part of the Greenbriar team for over four decades, took the ultimate leap from chef to owner 31 years ago — and the passion still shows on every plate. He’ll stop by your table to check in on you, as any good host would in their home.

French Toast

First up: the pastries. Light, flaky, buttery, and just the right hint of sweetness — these are no off-the-truck danishes. Everything but the croissants (which fly first class from France) is made in-house, and it shows in every bite. It’s the kind of pastry basket that could easily distract you from the rest of the menu — if the rest weren’t just as stellar.

Much of what lands on your plate starts right out back, taking farm-to-table to the extreme, thanks to Greenbriar’s three on-site gardens. Whether it’s fresh herbs, veggies, pickled goodies, or house-made jams, the kitchen works seasonal magic year-round. Greenbriar even cures its own bacon, smokes its meats, and handcrafts sausages like it’s the only way to do things — because here, it kind of is.

The menu is expansive. From Deviled Eggs to Oysters Rockefeller, expect classics executed to perfection. The Traditional Benedict’s eggs arrive with yolks that practically glow, balanced on English muffins with a generous serving of house-cured ham that tastes like Easter morning. The Vegetable Omelet? Fluffy, soft, and filled with fresh seasonal veggies, like asparagus prepared so well it makes the whole plate sing. And don’t skip the Vanilla Custard French Toast — golden on the outside, tender inside, and topped with fresh blueberry and mint compote and whipped cream.

The drinks are just as thoughtfully crafted. If you’re a bloody mary fan, brace yourself: The Greenbriar Spicy Bloody Mary stars garden-grown horseradish-infused vodka dressing up a house mix, rimmed with celery salt, and garnished like it’s dressed for a party. The Passionfruit Mimosa leans bright, fruity, and just the right amount of fancy — like brunch in a glass. Oh, and if you’re the type who takes brunch with a side of wine, you’re covered. With 670 bottles in the cellar, there’s a pour here for every plate, every taste, and every excuse.

Greenbriar Inn Cocktails

At its heart, The Greenbriar Inn is more than just brunch — it’s a Boulder tradition served with genuine hospitality, garden-fresh flavor, and the kind of attention to detail only a family of food lovers could deliver. So go ahead, dress up a little for the occasion (my suggestion — not theirs) and make the drive. Brunch this good deserves a little extra effort.

No two brunches are ever the same, and that’s the magic of it. Each of these local gems serves up more than just a plate of eggs and pancakes. They offer up personality, heart, and the kind of experience that lingers long after the last sip of coffee. Morning Glory Café wraps you up in fresh, local ingredients that feel tailor-made for an Earth Day celebration, while Lucile’s is a powdered-sugar-dusted party you’ll want an invite to every weekend. 24 Carrot Bistro charms you with its unassuming elegance, the kind of place where comfort and creativity hold hands. The Brunch House reminds us that incredible food and genuine hospitality don’t have to come with a hefty price tag. The Greenbriar Inn is your go-to for those milestone moments that deserve a little extra sparkle. The Buff blends laid-back Boulder vibes with the kind of star power that might have you brunching beside a celebrity. And Tangerine? Well, it’s the rare unicorn that welcomes both stroller-pushers and flannel-wearing foodies with open arms.

Suggested Pairing: Vanilla Custard French Toast + Passionfruit Mimosa
Pro Tip: Make a reservation — especially for special occasions.
Vibe: Elegant, timeless, tranquil

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The post Bruuuunch, Please! appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

As a former sales executive, going out for drinks was a huge part of my job. As a non-drinker, it became a tricky dance with awkward questions and an embarrassing level of peer pressure from adults. I found myself ordering a glass of seltzer with a twist of lime — tasteless, lifeless and sad. Recently, more and more mocktails are popping up on menus, so I grabbed my better half and went on a Tuesday night sober bar crawl in search of the best local mocktails.

Cosmo mocktail from Erie Social Club

We started in our hometown of Erie and found two excellent spots for mocktails right off the bat. At Erie Social Club, bartender Talon Seitz brings five years of experience and a passion for mixology to craft mocktails that blend classic flavors with modern flair. One of the highlights of their menu is the Bee’s Knees, a non-alcoholic take on the classic gin cocktail, featuring special botanical blended non-alcoholic spirits sourced from England. The Coastal Spritz and Margarita are also top sellers, with options for refreshing ingredients like yuzu whipped cream, which adds an unexpected touch of luxury to these alcohol-free beverages.

Talon’s approach to crafting mocktails is simple: while some bartenders might aim to create entirely unique concoctions, he finds success in playing with the classics that people are already familiar with. “Messing with the classics works best for us. People know what they’re getting, and it sells,” Talon said. However, for those looking for something truly special, Talon has been known to whip up custom drinks for patrons, offering a more personalized mocktail experience. For me, he created a non-alcoholic Cosmopolitan with cranberry juice, lime juice, a house-made orange simple syrup and a non-alcoholic aperol — shaken, of course.

Next up, just around the corner from Erie Social Club was Piripi, a frequent Yellow Scene Magazine Best of the West winner in multiple categories. Serendipitously, we arrived on the day that Piripi was debuting an expanded mocktail menu, boasting a full page of custom crafted mocktails and non-alcoholic beers and wines.

At Piripi, bartender Madyson Veve takes a different approach to mocktail crafting, focusing on creating innovative mocktails with quality, locally sourced ingredients and premium non-alcoholic spirits. Madyson highlighted the shift in the restaurant industry toward health-conscious drinking, noting that many customers are now seeking good non-alcoholic options. “We also have many customers in recovery who want to enjoy the same social experience without the negative effects of alcohol,” Madyson explained.

One of Piripi’s standout mocktails is The London, which features Earl Grey tea from the local Bridge Refill Market, Lyre’s non-alcoholic gin, lemon, and lavender — a drink that brings together soothing flavors with a sophisticated twist. For something a little more refreshing, the Pirip-a-tini features CleanCo non-alcoholic vodka paired with lemon juice and lavender simple syrup, muddled with cucumbers and mint. It’s a spa day in a glass. Piripi custom crafts every one of their simple syrups and takes the time to add special touches to make each drink feel fancy, such as fresh floating herbs for a gorgeous presentation. Madyson suggested pairing the Fre non alcoholic red wine with the very popular chicken parmesan for a balanced meal.

In Boulder, we stopped at Postino on Pearl Street. The restaurant has a chill, modern, yet slightly upscale vibe to it. As a wine bar, Postino obviously has an excellent selection of non-alcoholic wines that have brought them notoriety as the place to go to get a good non-alcoholic drink. We explored the mocktail menu under the capable direction of bartender Emma Walker who serves up a diverse and creative non-alcoholic drink menu that is sure to please both mocktail newbies and seasoned aficionados alike. Postino’s mocktails, like the Glow Up and Mockingbird, are crafted with vibrant fruit-forward flavors and non-alcoholic spirits to provide a celebratory, refreshing experience without the alcohol. Emma suggested pairing the Glow Up with fresh, seasonal dishes like their burrata. For something sweeter, the Mockingbird pairs beautifully with sweet potato wedges or their charcuterie board, offering a rich and slightly sweet flavor profile. The Mockingbird, incidentally, was my personal favorite of the night with Lyre’s dark cane, Lyre’s italian orange, pineapple and almond bitters at just 78 calories.

Emma Walker at Postino holding custom mocktails

Postino uses premium non-alcoholic spirits, which allow them to replicate the flavors of cocktails like tequila or rum, but without the alcohol. “Spirits give you the flavor without all the sugar, and the non-alcoholic versions offer a fantastic way to celebrate with friends while still enjoying something that feels special,” Emma explained.

For our last stop, we grabbed some dinner at Rosetta Hall in Boulder which is essentially a very upscale food court anchored by a bar. The sense of community in Rosetta Hall was palpable, with long shared tables and more intimate seating options as well.  At the suggestion of several recent CU grads in my life, we went and tried the Divine Coast, a lemon lavender fizz and the Parakeet, a sweet and spicy blend of pineapple, passionfruit and ginger. With eight different food options in the hall, there were plenty of options for excellent food and spirit pairing.

Sloshing back to the car full of liquid it was clear — Northern Colorado is emerging as a hub for creative and indulgent mocktails. Whether you’re avoiding alcohol for health reasons, in recovery, or simply exploring new flavors, the local bar scene is offering more sophisticated alternatives than ever before — making it easier to enjoy the social experience of drinking without the alcohol. Now that I know what to order, I can kiss goodbye to the sad seltzer and join in the flavorful fun.

The post Mocktails | In The Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

We all love a good cup of tea, especially during the winter months. Besides a heart and body warming experience, tea has long been a ceremonial ritual in many countries across the world. Whether you’re drinking tea as a way to stay warm, as part of a ceremony, or as an alternative to coffee or alcoholic drinks, there are many great tea houses in and around Boulder. Each one offers a unique experience, with the common thread of good tea.

Tea can be a great addition to your routine. Health benefits are plentiful, and the rituals and history that accompany traditional tea houses can be a refreshing break from the everyday hustle and bustle of life.

Chinese tea houses date back to the Tang dynasty where they first served as ritualistic spaces. Since then, an entertainment component was added, and it was common to see jugglers, storytellers, actors, singers perform in these spaces, much like bars today. China is not the only country with a rich culture of teahouses. Many countries have their own traditions and rituals associated with tea. While tea houses may not be as popular as bars or coffeehouses, Boulder County offers a variety of tea houses representing several different cultures, countries and traditions. These tea houses range from The Boulder Dushanbe Tea House in downtown Boulder to the Day Day Up Tea in Lafayette.

Dushanbe offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in a traditional experience from Tajikistan, all in a beautifully artistic space. The Dushanbe Tea House is a part of the Boulder Dushanbe sister city project, and is named after Tajikistan’s capital city, and is a word meaning “Monday.” Traditionally, Mondays are the days that bazaars are held in Tajikistan. Dushanbe is also part of the Three Leaf Family concept, which also includes the following Boulder establishments: Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant, The Chautauqua Dining Hall, Zucca Italian Ristorante, The Huckleberry, Three Leaf Farm, and The Boulder Tea Company.

If you’d like to visit the Dushanbe Tea House, it is best to make reservations. They offer lunch, tea time, and dinner reservations.

Nana’s Dim Sum, another traditional tea house staple is part of the experience here and one you will not want to miss.  Dim Sum is a traditional Chinese meal consisting of small plates of dumplings and other snacks. It is normally accompanied by tea and served during the brunch hour. The tradition of dim sum is thought to have originated in China in the later half of the 19th century after opium dens were banned. Today, dim sum is served across the world and enjoyed both as a tradition, as well as simply for the enjoyment of the delicious dumplings, teas, and other small plates it offers

Day Day Up Tea is a relatively new, traditional Chinese teahouse in Lafayette. It is a casual teahouse which offers a full menu of Kung Fu teas, as well as bubble teas. The Day Day Up Tea House is open to the public and no reservations are required. Try stopping in for an afternoon tea time treat in the winter, or a refreshing bubble tea during the warmer months. In addition to being able to enjoy a cup of tea at the tea house, Day Day Up Tea House also offers online ordering of loose leaf tea for delivery or pick up. You can head to their website for a full menu which includes green, white, yellow, oolong, black, red, and herbal (technically an infusion) teas. The food menu here also does not disappoint with an assortment of traditional Chinese foods, including dumplings, springs rolls, and moon cakes, served daily. If you are looking for a more immersive experience, Day Day Up Tea House offers reservations for tea tasting classes, Chinese Gonfo Tea Art, and “A Taste of China” menu. This last menu requires a 2 day in advance reservation.

Just like a good coffee house takes pride in their brewing equipment and ingredients, so does a good tea house. Ingredients are often imported and carefully prepared, steeped to perfection and served just-so to give you an authentic experience in your drink.

With more and more people choosing not to drink alcohol, teahouses could see a comeback as a gathering place–somewhere to enjoy a good (nonalcoholic) drink, spend time with friends, and maybe even enjoy some entertainment. The atmosphere in teahouses provide a relaxing, tranquil space to unplug from life’s busy pace and reconnect with oneself as well as others.

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The post Boulder Tea Houses | In the Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Recently Boulder Spirits at Vapor Distillery released its 7-year Bottled in Bond American Single Malt Whiskey. I got the chance to visit and talk with Alastair Brogan, Boulder Spirits’ “Chieftain,” to find out about this milestone, as well as two other products that bear mentioning.

Hailing from Scotland, Alastair came to Boulder about twelve years ago with his American wife. They settled their family in Boulder due to its climate, and Alastair, who spent time in the military and then in business, started laying down whiskey. What initially started out as a hobby for him became so much more.

He begins by telling me about American Single Malt Whiskey and how that compares to the rest of the world. First, it goes into new American oak barrels that have been charred on the inside. Scotch whiskey goes into second-use barrels. Under malt whiskey rules, the whiskey must be a minimum of 51% barely, but some distillers will go all the way to 100%.

It’s at this time he tells me that Colorado, which exists in 1 of 5 maker climates here in the US, is on the cusp of legislating a standard of recognition for American Single Malt Whiskey. This would make it like tequila, which can only be made in designated states in Mexico: Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, Nayarit, or Tamaulipas. It would also give the United States its second proprietary spirit, the first being bourbon. Alastair’s excitement about this prospect is palpable.

With this background established, we move into tasting the progression of spirits offered. The first, aged for three years, contains caramel and notes that I’m familiar with but with that slight bite often associated with drinking a straight spirit. The 5-year smooths out a bit and the depth of flavor and complexity ramps up. Then comes the 7-year. The nose, or smell of the whiskey, feels like I’ve stuck my entire face in a bag of caramels. And it’s smooth. No bite at all. How did this happen?

Courtesy of Boulder Spirits

Alastair loves distilling in Boulder due to the water and the climate. El Dorado water from Boulder brings with it a certain natural purity. Our climate, semi-arid with temperature swings, causes the whiskey to move in and out of the char of the barrels, increasing flavor and decreasing that bite. This process has been going on for seven years and marks that special milestone for Boulder Spirits. But what makes creating a product like this a challenge for distilleries?

First of all, storage. Barrels take up space, and that space is also needed for products that don’t age as long. It’s the Angel’s Share, however, that Alastair claims makes aging a whiskey for this long challenging, especially in Colorado’s dry climate. 

History lesson time.

Back when distillers knew only a little bit about science, they would open their barrels and, much to their dismay, discover the barrels were no longer full. Incensed, they blamed the people storing them for pilfering their product. Frustrated, they needed guaranteed honest folk who also possessed the space to store barrels for years on end. Who could they turn to?

Monks.

Of course, the science known as evaporation found its way into the monastery, so when the distillers opened the barrels, they discovered missing product yet again. The monks quietly and calmly explained that when the angels came down to bless the whiskey, they took their share. Thus, what’s known as the “Angel’s Share” became part of distilling lore.

How much is lost to the Angel’s Share? About 2% to 5% each year. In Colorado that estimate increases slightly. Per year. Imagine losing, at minimum, about 14% of your product from each and every barrel when you age it for seven years. That’s why it’s a major accomplishment and a darn good whiskey. Boulder Spirits managed to get about 1,000 bottles. Being available for purchase in the tasting room only makes it even more special.

But maybe you’re new to whiskey and bourbon and want to engage in an initial exploration. They offer a very cool product in the form of a whiskey sample kit. It contains three bourbons and three single malt whiskeys, plus a map. You lay your product out on the map, scan a QR code, and Alastair himself pops up to take you on a 30-minute guided tasting tour via video.

Courtesy of Boulder Spirits

I also learned from Alastair something that made me a bit sad because I am a huge fan: Boulder Pumpkin King Cordial’s final year has arrived. Made with baby pumpkins from the local Munson Farms, it takes about one month to make. Ready to move on to other things, Alastair offers that they should have it on the shelf until Christmas.

My time at Vapor Distillery comes to an end, and I can’t believe the wealth of information swirling in my head. I also find I’m proud of the Colorado distillery scene and Boulder Spirits for making its mark on the national craft distilling scene. I’m eager to see where it’s headed.

The post Seven Years in the Making | In the Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

A journey to Oaxaca, Mexico through an exemplary beverage menu

In today’s food and drink scene, each component needs to be on par with the other. Great food but poor beverage selection? Or vice versa? That only leads to disappointment. One-month-young Masas & Agaves — also known as Masas Boulder — establishes equilibrium with food and beverage, both being top tier.

Offering Oaxacan cuisine, prepared as traditionally as possible and using local ingredients whenever available, the Agaves portion of this new and rising hotspot has been curated under the watchful eye of General Manager Manuel Gandara. Desiring to immerse patrons in the culture and cuisine of Oaxaca, one of Mexico’s southernmost states and foremost culinary destination, makes for a bold and unique drink menu.

The Oaxacan culture focuses on farm to table and uses ingredients with no additives or preservatives. In an effort to teach people about good tequila, only organic tequilas line the bar of Masas & Agaves. With a commitment to tradition and high quality, the mixologists squeeze the needed cocktail juices on the spot. You won’t find pre-squeezed citrus sitting around behind the horseshoe-shaped bar that greets you as you arrive.

Fermentations make up one section of the drink menu. These non-alcoholic options exemplify the Oaxacan tradition of using all parts of the ingredients. I tried the tejuino, made with leftover masa from the made-from-scratch tortillas. The piloncillo, a raw form of cane sugar, adds a touch of sweet, and fresh-squeezed lime brightens up the drink. It presents a juxtaposition between bright and earthy, and the use of a large cocktail ice cube keeps the beverage from getting watered down. Manuel tells me every beverage Masas & Agaves serves comes in its own unique and authentic container. This one came in a replica of a dried-out rind of a gourd-like vegetable and required a two-handed drinking approach.

Photo by Chris Curtis

Mezcal originated in Oaxaca and is known as the “beverage of the gods.” I had the great pleasure of sharing in a culturally focused tasting of a very limited edition mezcal, which came on a mini wooden cutting board in a tiny clay pot. The aging of mezcal occurs in clay pots, and the presentation offers an homage to that tradition. A slice of grapefruit and worm chile salt accompanied the tasting. “Mezcal was made for grapefruit,” Manuel explains. “Not lemon, not lime. That’s why a mezcal paloma is so good. It’s science.” I’m certainly not one to argue with that. We smell and then sip the mezcal to open up our palates. We then dip the grapefruit in the salt, take a bite, and experience another sip. Smooth and smoky, you can taste and see the attention to detail in this tasting. These tastings offer yet another way to be transported to Oaxaca and experience the rich culture. The incredibly knowledgeable staff will guide you through whatever type of experience suits your mood.

As I move into the agave cocktail section of the menu, a Clase Ancestral arrives at my table. This comes in what looks like an upside-down vase, with a broad base that then narrows at the top. Pure white and adorned with hues of blues in a very organic design, my eyes move to the top, which seems to be sealed by an orange slice. Curious, I lift it and cool vapor escapes, bringing with it notes of smoke from the two types of agave spirits, as well as orange and grapefruit. I often label drinks as patio sipping drinks, and this one definitely falls into that category. Crisp, bright, and sparkly, I find it refreshing even with the touch of smoke. All I need now is a beach.

Photo by Chris Curtis

The national drink of Mexico comes next, arriving on a cart. It will be made table side for me by an engaging young man from Guadalajara. And no, it’s not a margarita. It’s a cantarito. The margarita originated in Baja, quickly moving north into the United States and gaining a foothold. The cantarito started in the South, working its way north and permeating Mexican culture and cuisine. “Mexicans don’t drink margaritas,” Manuel informs me. While my cantarito expert squeezes the grapefruit, lime, and lemon juice right in front of me, he explains that during the Mexican Revolution of 1910, people were looking for a cheap, easy-to-make drink. Thus was born the cantarito. It can be found everywhere in Mexico and especially in rural areas. He serves it in a large clay pot with a chamoy and tajin rim. Made with Lalo tequila, I can taste why this drink is so beloved. It’s bright, citrusy, and just plain fun. With the rustic earth tones of the restaurant’s interior and contemporary Mexican music playing in the background, I can easily transport myself to Oaxaca.

As my time comes to a close, I notice another cocktail being served to a gentleman at the bar. It comes in a tall, slender glass and has a bubble resting on top. As the servers bring it over, I notice the guest’s face. Grinning ear to ear, he first examines the drink, takes a photo, and then pops the bubble. Smoke bursts from the bubble and cascades down his glass. I’m sure I can hear him mentally squealing in delight. Of course, that might have been me.

The post Beyond the Margarita appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Limited Number of Bottles Available Beginning August 25, 2023

Boulder, CO – Boulder Spirits, makers of award-winning American single malt and bourbon whiskey, has announced the release of The 10 Essentials, the distillery’s 2023 limited edition American single malt. This complex, spice-driven whiskey will be available for orders and purchase at the distillery beginning August 25, 2023.

The 10 Essentials is Boulder Spirits’ second annual limited edition single malt release and is the follow-up to 2022’s The Trailhead, which won a double gold medal at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition earlier this year. The 10 Essentials combines five different casks, including five-year ex-armagnac, -tawny port, and -PX sherry casks with two casks of straight single malt in new American oak. The result is a spice-filled, luscious dram whiskey aged from 5 -6.5 years was used to create this label.

“We’re excited about this whiskey and to be creating innovative, complex single malts using different casks to get a myriad of flavors,” said Boulder Spirits Cofounder Alastair Brogan. “We’re thrilled to be a leader in the American single malt space, and we look forward to sharing The 10 Essentials with whiskey lovers here everywhere.”

Continuing with the same outdoors theme of The Trailhead, The 10 Essentials refers to the basic necessities needed to survive in the outdoors: navigation, light, shelter, food, fire, a knife, first aid, sun protection, proper clothing, and of course, water. Boulder Spirits’ water source, nearby Eldorado Springs artesian water, is an essential ingredient of this whiskey.

The five casks used in The 10 Essentials were married for eight weeks, then proofed to 49.5% ABV/99 Proof with Eldorado Springs water. The combination of Boulder Spirits’ water, proprietary yeast, and imported barley in this whiskey, aged in Colorado’s intense climate, has created an exceptional single malt with undulations of flavor.

Boulder Spirits is releasing 1,800 bottles of The 10 Essentials, with an MSRP of $64.99.

About Boulder Spirits

Distilled at Vapor Distillery, Boulder’s oldest distillery located at 5311 Western Avenue, Boulder Spirits produces award-winning American single malt whiskey, bourbon, gin and vodka. Featuring the largest copper pot still in the western United States, Boulder Spirits is open Monday through Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., for tours of its distillery and tasting room. For more information and to make a tour reservation, visit: https://boulderspirits.com/ and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

The post Boulder Spirits Announces Release of Second Annual Limited Edition Single Malt Whiskey, The 10 Essentials appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Two-day Party to Take Place at the Distillery on Friday, August 25, and Saturday August 26, 2023

Longmont, Colo. – August 11, 2023 – Dry Land Distillers, the Colorado small-batch craft distillery and tasting room in the heart of downtown Longmont, has announced it will be hosting its five-year anniversary celebration on August 25 and 26, 2023.

“We’re thrilled to be celebrating this milestone,” said Dry Land Distillers Co-founder Nels Wroe. “We look at this anniversary as a celebration of not only our distillery and dedicated staff, but of our community and all the people who have supported us over the last five years,” he added.

The schedule of activities for the two-day celebration is as follows:

Friday, August 25, 2023:

3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Community Chalk Mural

Show us your creativity and kindness! We’ll have a giant chalk mural for guests to create art, write poems, or share artistic memories of Dry Land. We’ll take photos of the mural Friday and Saturday to showcase your art long after the event.

3:00 p.m. – close – Boozy Popsicles (available while supplies last)

AKA Dry Land Frozen Cocktails on a Stick – Back by popular demand, we’ll be offering our spiked popsicles both Friday and Saturday. We created these frozen treats during our COVID shutdown, and it’s time to bring them back for a guest appearance. Flavors have included Watermelon Margarita, Lavender Lemonade, Spiked Creamsicle, and more. Anniversary flavors will be seasonal and delicious!

4:00 p.m. – Anniversary Whiskey Release

Straight Antero Wheat Whiskey – We’re releasing our first two-year Straight 100% Colorado Antero Wheat Whiskey starting Friday, August 25 at 4:00 p.m. Dry Land Antero Wheat Whiskey is crafted from 100% native Colorado Antero wheat grown just east of the distillery by Marc Arnusch Farms. The grain is a true Colorado original. It was developed in the 1980s as a collaboration between local Colorado growers and Colorado State University to create a resilient and environmentally appropriate grain for the Colorado climate.

Today, we’re the only distiller crafting a single-grain whiskey from the Antero wheat. It’s a 50-mile whiskey, with the grain being malted by Troubadour Maltings in Ft Collins and distilled on site at the distillery in Longmont. The Antero Wheat Whiskey is loaded with black cherry and plum notes, complex spices including cinnamon and pepper, and supported by a backbone of balanced tannins from the charred oak barrel.

The distillery will release 100 bottles of the Anniversary Whiskey – only available for purchase at the Distillery.

5:00 p.m.  – 7:00 p.m. – Guest Chef – Daniel Gray Heirloom Grain Pizzas

6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Live Music – Alison Dozar (Singer/Songwriter)

8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Live Music – Vic Dillahay and Friends (Jazz) 

9:30 – 11:00 p.m. – Unity in the Community After Party

Saturday, August 26, 2023

2:00 p.m. – close: Boozy Popsicles (available while supplies last)

AKA Dry Land Frozen Cocktails on a Stick – Back by popular demand, we’ll be offering our spiked popsicles both Friday and Saturday! We created these frozen treats during our COVID shutdown, and it’s time to bring them back for a guest appearance. Flavors have included Watermelon Margarita, Lavender Lemonade, Spiked Creamsicle and more. Anniversary flavors will be seasonal and delicious!

2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Dog Days of Summer at Dry Land Distillers

Well-behaved canine guests are welcome in the breezeway! Bring your favorite canine and snap photos of your pooch in Oscar, the Dry Land Distillers classic Land Cruiser for the first-ever Dry Land Distillers Guest Distillery Dog photo shoot. Send us your photos and we’ll vote for the “Best Distillery Dog” – winners get a handmade leather Dry Land Dog Collar! (And every pooch gets treats.)

2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Collaboration Celebration/Open House

We’ve invited some of our former and current collaborators to come together! Come see and meet or taste some of the creations of the people that make our community in the industry so special! Growers, Brewers, Malters, Restaurant Owners/Managers and more.

3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Community Chalk Mural

Show us your creativity and kindness! We’ll have a giant chalk mural for guests to create art, write poems, or share artistic memories of Dry Land. We’ll take photos of the mural Friday and Saturday evening to showcase your art long after the event.

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Guest Mixologist: DJ Reimer of Grove Street Alchemy

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Special Collaboration Cocktail Menu

The Dry Land Mixology Team will be mixing, shaking and stirring cocktails from some of our favorite restaurant partners and collaborators: Sap Sua, The Roost, Hey Kiddo and The Wolf’s Tailor, Farow, St Vrain Cidery, Primitive Beer, the Colorado Grain Chain, Slow Food Boulder County, and more! This is not to be missed – you’ll have the chance to taste original cocktails from some of the best chefs and mixologists in Colorado.

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Food by Rising Tiger Co.

9:30 p.m. – Closing Birthday Toast (and maybe some birthday cake, too)

Special Releases:

Dry Land Distillers Frozen Cocktails on a Stick – Back by popular demand, Dry Land Distillers will be offering their alcohol-spiked popsicles both Friday and Saturday! The distillery created these frozen treats during our COVID shutdown, and it’s time to bring them back for a guest appearance. Flavors have included Watermelon Margarita, Lavender Lemonade, Spiked Creamsicle and more. Anniversary flavors will be seasonal and delicious!

Dry Land Distillers Anniversary Release Straight Antero Wheat Whiskey – The distillery is releasing their first ever 2-year Straight 100% Colorado Antero Wheat Whiskey starting Friday, August 25th at 4 pm. Dry Land Antero Wheat Whiskey is crafted from 100% native Colorado Antero wheat grown just east of the distillery by Arnusch Farms. The grain is a true Colorado original. It was developed in the 1980s as a collaboration between local Colorado growers and Colorado State University to create a resilient and environmentally appropriate grain for the Colorado climate. Today, Dry Land is the only distiller crafting a single-grain whiskey from Antero wheat. All of this whiskey’s ingredients come from within 50 miles of the distillery, with the grain being malted by Troubadour Maltings in Ft Collins and distilled on-site at the distillery in Longmont. The Antero Wheat Whiskey is loaded with black cherry and plum notes, complex spices including cinnamon and pepper, and supported by a backbone of balanced tannins from the charred oak barrel. The distillery will release 100 bottles of this two-year Anniversary Whiskey – only available for purchase at the distillery.

Dry Land Distillers Sloe Gin – The distillery will also feature the first Dry Land Distillers Sloe Gin at the Anniversary event. Sloe gin is a traditional British spirit made from gin and sloes, the fruit from the blackthorn plant. Sloes are similar to wild plums, and Dry Land Distillers sourced organic sloes directly from the UK for the project. The distillery will feature cocktails made from their limited edition sloe gin and will have a limited number of bottles available for sale.

About Dry Land Distillers

Dry Land Distillers is a small-batch craft distillery in the heart of downtown Longmont that produces unique spirits influenced and inspired by Colorado’s landscapes. With a focus on reestablishing ancient grains and choosing ingredients with a purpose, Dry Land Distillers produces Heirloom, Antero and Emmer Wheat Whiskey, Cactus Spirit made with prickly pear cactus, Native Colorado Gin, and other spirits that represent the authentic flavors of the American West. Their distillery and tasting room are located in a newly renovated historic building located at 519 Main Street. The tasting room is open Wednesday and Thursday from 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Friday 3:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., and Saturday 2:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Private tours, tastings, and special events can be hosted anytime with advance notice. For more information call: (720) 600-4945 or visit: www.drylanddistillers.com.  Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/drylanddistillers/ and Instagram @drylanddistillers.

The post Dry Land Distillers Announces Fifth Anniversary Celebration and Release of Two-Year Straight Antero Wheat Whiskey and Limited Edition Sloe Gin appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

100 years in business is worth celebrating, and The Sink is creating numerous opportunities to join the festivities. After kicking off its centennial birthday in January 2023, the restaurant has had monthly Friday Afternoon Clubs, a film premiere at The Boulder Theater,  a ‘where are they now’ spotlight on “Diners, Drive-Inns, and Dives,” The celebrations aren’t over as they will soon host a Community Block Party and debut an exhibit at The Museum of Boulder.

On Saturday, September 2nd, The Sink will host their 100-Year Block Party. From 2 – 8 pm, partygoers can enjoy live music while savoring Sink Classics from the outdoor grill and sipping cold libations from the outdoor bars. Featuring local musicians Aster, Midnight Strange, and Flat G, the evening will be filled with lively music, a free caricaturist, and an opportunity to purchase limited edition 100th anniversary merchandise.

The reason behind the party comes from the owners, Chris Heinritz, Mark Heinritz, and Tell Jones wanting to create an event to celebrate not just 100 years of serving the community but to have a great time with the actual community that has gotten them there. Mark Heinritz stated, “I’m excited to reunite with everyone. It has been a long time since we were all in the same place at once. It’s going to be a real good time!” Agreeing with that sentiment, Chris Heinritz adds, “It will be wonderful to utilize the event street to its full capacity for the first time.”

With generations of Sink Rats attending, The Sink’s 100-Year Block Party is free to attend (food and beverages available for purchase) with various activities and entertainment that promise an afternoon of good times and great people! Limited quantity VIP Sink Rat passes are available while supplies last. These passes are $38 and include a meal item, a beverage, and an anniversary t-shirt.

The Sink is also proud to announce its new upcoming exhibit, The Sink: The Rest[aurant] is History, in partnership with The Museum of Boulder. Discover the fascinating history of The Sink with an immersive experience that delves into the iconic Boulder restaurant’s history and the vibrant counter-culture surrounding it, highlighting art, music, The Sink’s 100th Anniversary film, and an interactive component for visitors near and far. There will also be an opportunity for museum guests to view the full Sink 100th Anniversary Film every Sunday afternoon beginning on September 10th. The exhibit runs August 25th through early January 2024, making it the perfect place to bring family and friends throughout the fall and winter.

The Opening Reception for the exhibit will take place on August 27th from 1 – 4 pm. Tickets available now.

Special thanks to the community sponsors of both events: Visit Boulder, Boulder Weekly, D&K Printing, Avery Brewing Co., Nothing Bundt Cakes, Polar Beverage, Curation Beverage, and Grandrabbit’s Toye Shoppe.

The Sink originated in Boulder, CO in 1923 as Somer’s Sunken Gardens and was quickly coined The Sink as a nickname for the fountain inside the restaurant.  Over the years, The Sink has been the perfect stomping ground for anyone who wants to catch up with friends over a beer and a burger. The Sink has also brought national recognition with visits with famous faces like President Obama, Guy Fieri, Anthony Bourdain, Madeleine Albright, Dan Ackroyd, and of course, the most famous Sink employee Robert Redford. Their 100th anniversary highlights community events, one-of-a-kind anniversary merchandise, and collaborations with local businesses.

The post Celebrating a Century of The Sink with a Block Party and a Museum of Boulder Exhibit appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Remembrances of Andy at Moxie in Louisville. Photo by Deborah Cameron

Local distillers create whisky honoring Andy Clark.

Whisky distillers have a lot of options for charring the barrel that will age their spirit. When the choice is a barrel that’s been charred with notes from friends, customers, and colleagues who knew and loved Moxie Bread Co. founder Andy Clark — who died unexpectedly last year — there’s likely going to be some spirit in the spirit that’s being created.

Spirit Hound Distillers in Lyons and Dry Land Distillers in Longmont are honoring Clark’s legacy by crafting such a meaningful drink, imparted with memories and treasured notes from loved ones. The highly regarded local distillers had connections to Clark, as many in the community did, and wanted to do something to support his family and the causes he cared about.

When the resulting whisky is ready, it will be a sip full of appreciation for Clark. Even the bottle’s artwork will have special significance. It was designed by an artist who was a former Moxie employee and grain miller. “She really captured the essence of Andy and his love of music, community, and grain,” said Laura Fessenden, Moxie’s director of operations. “They’re either going to call it Andy’s Barrelfire, Clark’s Barrelfire, or just Barrelfire. It’s going to be a very limited run. I imagine the bottles will go quickly.”

The finished product will be sold as a benefit, with the proceeds going either to Clark’s family or to the Colorado Grain Chain, a nonprofit organization dedicated to grain education. Clark helped found this organization and retained a seat on its board until his passing.

A space to be with Andy. Photo by Deborah Cameron

Keep an eye on Moxie’s social channels and website for a fundraiser that will happen in July (The exact date wasn’t announced at press time.). (k. The event will include both the sale and a silent auction. And of course, there will be music — lots of music — and plenty of food.

Fessenden, who worked closely with Clark, remembered Clark as she talked about the benefit. “He was an incredible employer. We had a great working relationship. I considered him to be a mentor, and we got to be pretty good friends. One thing I loved about him is that he empowered me to embrace my role. I felt like he trusted me.”

Fessenden said that his impact was even greater because he created such a sense of community in Moxie’s three locations and beyond. This was particularly true during Covid and then after the Marshall Fire when he led Moxie as part of a larger effort to ensure people were fed.

“During Covid Andy decided to bring in beans and corn and rice and chicken and pasta and started making lasagna and soups to feed the community. I feel like Moxie became a one-stop shop because of that and a lot of things we still do. If anyone was going to do something like that, it was going to be Andy.”

Clark’s effort to feed and support the community is not only more valued after his passing, his legacy is still living on today. It’s present not only through the food at his three locations but the spirit of his staff as they reach across the counter to hand you bread or whatever else you bought. This same spirit will make the fundraiser a warm, congenial, music- and food-filled success. We’ll see you there.

The post Appreciation for Andy | In the Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Moxie, a new farmers market vendor. Photo by Deborah Cameron

Here are the new vendors to look out for at area farmers markets.

Our community is blessed with multiple farmers markets, but each new season sees some vendor turnover. For many of these vendors, participation represents an expansion of their business, a better opportunity to interact directly with the public, or a new revenue opportunity that spurs growth. This year’s smaller stall could grow into a larger player in our dining landscape. When you meet with them at the market, you get to know these businesses up close, and perhaps years from now, you’ll be able to say, “I knew them when…”

We’ve got the info on new vendors as you work through the stalls. Look for them when you’re there, but be aware that not everyone is available every week. Check the market website to find out when specific vendors will be present.

Boulder Farmers Market
Location: Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings on 13th Street between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue.

Dry Storage bakery and café will have its flour mill and specialty fermentations ready to serve Saturday market-goers after participating in the winter farmers market this past year. On Wednesdays, Off Beet Farm will be bringing plant starts, Golden Hollow Farm is offering Colorado-bred meat and poultry, while Grama Grass & Livestock is offering grass-fed beef on Saturdays. Rang Tang Craft Barbecue will be available on both market days.

Other food additions include Colorado Farmhouse Cheese Company, which will be present on both market days. Illegal Oats will serve customers on Saturdays, Arepas Caribbean food will have a stall on Wednesdays, and Boulder Valley Honey will be in a stall on Saturdays. Boulder Juicery and Haykin Family Cider will also be present, filling glasses both days.

Longmont Farmers Market
Location: Saturday mornings at the Boulder County Fairgrounds

Black Cat Farm can be seen at Longmont for the first time this year. There will also be several new vendors with multiple decadent and tempting products including Challah Ma’afia & Kitchen, Colorado Farmhouse Cheese, Corey’s Chocolate, Bread and Baklava, Pebbledash Bake Shoppe, and Rich Brownies.

Savory and non-prepared food providers who are new to Longmont this year include Off Beet Farm, Smoothie Bites, and The Happy Pickle Company.

Photo by Deborah Cameron

Erie Farmers Market
Location: Thursday nights on Briggs Street in Old Town

Expect to see quite a few new vendors at Erie’s Farmers Market this year. The first one we noticed were donuts from Sexy Donut Co, followed by another sweet treatery (our word, not theirs) called Mo Sweets, selling an assortment of homemade marshmallows. There was also Stacy’s Kitchen, NOCO chocolates, SugarBee Cookie Company, Moxie Bread Co., and Doughology.

New savory food and drink vendors are present in Erie this season. The 5280 Mermaid is going to be there with craft cocktail infusion kits made with dehydrated fruits, sugars, and spices. Options can be alcohol laden, or you take advantage of mocktail infusions, which double as a base for tea. There’s also Out Yonder Jerky, Denver Bone Broth, and Yummy Lotus vegan and gluten-free jams. Other options include Purple Fence Farm & Apothecary, Pastamoré Gourmet Food’s fresh pasta, and Eat 100 Foods’ home-delivered meals. Lastly, dog owners will also have a new vendor to choose from with Oat Paws, a canine-focused ice cream maker, that is going to be in Erie for the first time.

Louisville Farmers Market
Location: Saturday mornings on Front Street in Old Town

Managers at Louisville Farmers Market told us that nearly 25% of their vendors are new this year. Debut vendors include Doughology, the same bakery that’s trying out the Erie market. Other vendors include Roxy’s Remixes, Plante which has a brick-and-mortar houseplant-store on McCaslin Boulevard, and Spicy Garden, dedicated to helping people grow potted edible plants.

The post Debuting at Local Farmers Markets | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole. See a full schedule of Bike to Work Day in your community here: https://biketoworkday.co

Boulder, Colorado – On June 28th, Boulder Transportation Connections (BTC) in conjunction with Boulder Chamber, the City of Boulder Community Vitality, and Community Cycles are slated to host two events in celebration of the 2023 Summer Bike to Work Day. Bike To Work Day is an annual free event that draws tens of thousands of Colorado commuters who celebrate the day by swapping a ride in their cars for a ride on two wheels.

For this community celebration. Boulder Transportation Connections will be joined by community partners like Lime, CVB, and Congressman Joe Neguse’s office. Riders can enjoy delicious breakfast burritos from Bridge House during the Breakfast Station, and healthy appetizers from Zeal.

Bike To Work Day Breakfast Superstation
Time
Wednesday, June 28th, 6:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Location
Boulder Chamber
2440 Pearl St., Boulder, CO 80301

Bike Home Happy Hour
Time
Wednesday, June 28th, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Location
Zeal Restaurant
3101 Pearl St., Boulder, CO 80301

Bike to Work Day Breakfast Station and Bike Home Happy Hour Point of Contact
Elaine C. Erb
elaine.erb@boulderchamber.com

Boulder Transportation Connections encourages the community to take the Pledge to Ride during Bike to Work Day, and to celebrate Walk and Bike Month. Participating helps improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce traffic congestion.

About Boulder Transportation Connections
Boulder Transportation Connections (BTC) is a non-profit Transportation Management Organization (TMO) that serves businesses and residents within the City of Boulder. BTC helps connect individuals, businesses, schools, and neighborhoods with their regional mobility options to encourage eco-friendly commutes, including vanpools, carpools, transit, bicycling, telework, and walking. BTC’s goal is for people to choose commute options other than driving alone to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality. BTC also collaborates with local governments, transit agencies, and businesses on new approaches to support transportation efficiency in Boulder.

BTC believes that transit and mobility should be accessible, affordable, and equitable for everyone. BTC aims to serve as a resource for our community — individuals, businesses, schools, partners, and neighborhoods — and provide them with the information and advice they need to overcome mobility challenges. For more information, visit the BTC website.

About Boulder Chamber
The nonprofit Boulder Chamber is the region’s flagship business advocacy and support organization. With more than 110 years of dedicated service to its members and the Boulder community, the Boulder Chamber’s innovative programs help local businesses succeed while sustaining an economy that preserves Boulder’s high quality of life, including its environmental and cultural assets. Together with its member businesses, the Boulder Chamber is building a smarter, more vibrant economy – sustaining Boulder’s position as a global capital of innovation and a thriving center of economic vitality. For more information, visit http://www.boulderchamber.com.

The post Boulder Transportation Connections Hosts Bike to Work Breakfast Station and Bike Home Happy Hour appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Adding something for everyone is a goal for the Greeley Stampede. Over the years, special events have been added to the annual celebration to bring more diversity to the entertainment. The 2023 Greeley Stampede is going to be bringing back some classics as well as add some new events to add even more excitement this year!

Barn Dance – Hosted by Country Kickup
Friday, June 23 at 7:30pm in the 4H Building
Included with park admission or arena event ticket
Dust off those boots and come dance the night away with Country Kickup at the Greeley Stampede Barn Dance. Need to freshen up your dance moves? Come early for lessons starting at 5:30pm.

Hot Rods & Horsepower
Saturday, June 24 at 11am
The 4^th annual Stampede Hot Rods & Horsepower car show will feature more than 70 classic cars and custom hot rods. The cars will be on display around the south side of the park until 6pm when they join the Daily Parade in the Park.

Brickies Creation Festival – Presented by Oxy
Saturday, June 24
Registration required to compete
Do you love to build and have unique ideas? If so, join us for a fun and competitive day of Lego® building! See what you can create with the provided blocks to match this year’s theme of Celebrating Our Community. For more information, visit nolacreativecompany.com/greeley-stampede.

Boots and Bling – Presented by NoCo Healthcare and Health By Design Chiropractic
Monday, June 26 at 4:30pm
THIS EVENT SOLD OUT
An exclusive event for women promoting western lifestyle and the sport of rodeo while raising money for A Woman’s Place. Ticket includes: two drink tickets, hors d’oeuvres, club level seating to the Tough Enough to Wear Pink PRCA ProRodeo, guest speakers and more.

New Tacos and Tequila – Presented by Luna’s Tacos and Tequila with support by Corral Bay Wine & Spirits
Tuesday, June 27
Cost per ticket: $50 (Space is limited)
Pick a flight of five featured tequilas while enjoying tacos from Luna’s under the shade of the North Forty special events tent presented by Greeley Nissan & Greeley VW. Ticket includes tequila flight, three tacos from Luna’s, and one-day park admission.

Whiskey and Cigar Tasting – Presented by Brad Inhulsen, Sears Real Estate
Wednesday, June 28
Cost per ticket: $50 (Space is limited)
Select, learn and sample a flight of five featured whiskeys or scotch while enjoying a cigar under the shade of the North Forty special events tent presented by Greeley Nissan & Greeley VW. Ticket includes a flight, one premium cigar, and one-day park admission.

Tea with the Queen – Presented by Norfolk Iron and Metal
Thursday, June 29^th at 4:30pm
Cost per ticket: $20 (Space is limited)
Kids ages 6-8 are invited to have tea and treats with Miss Rodeo Colorado 2023, Randilyn Madison! Activities during the event include a crowning ceremony (crown and sash included), tea time, photos, and a ride in the daily parade.

Zumba in the Park – Presented by QT Mechanical
Saturday, July 1 at 10am at the Pavilion
Start your Saturday right by coming out to the park before gates open for a morning Zumba workout with local instructors.

Boots and Bags Cornhole Tournament – Presented by Flatiron Steel
Saturday, July 1 at 12pm
Registration Required (Space is limited)
Compete at the second annual Stampede cornhole tournament! Recreational or competitive teams can register to compete at coloradocornholeconnection.com.

Touch-A-Truck – Presented by Ken Garff Ford of Greeley
Sunday, July 2 from 11am-3pm
Included with Park Admission
Guests are invited to get up close and hands-on with some amazing large-scale trucks, tractors and vehicles. Want to register your vehicle to be a part of the event? E-mail kennidi@greeleystampede.org for more information.

Family Funday Sunday – Presented by Bucklen Equipment
Saturday, July 2 at 3pm
Join us for an afternoon of family fun with traditional community events that pay tribute to the original Spud Day Rodeo. Activities include: pie eating contest, potato sack races, mascot foot race and more! No register required to participate, but space is limited for each event.

New Craft Beer Fest – Featuring Breckenridge Brewery
Sunday, July 2
Cost per ticket: $30 (Space is limited)
Enjoy limited and exclusive tastings from local craft breweries under the shade of the North Forty special events tent presented by Greeley Nissan & Greeley VW. Ticket includes your choice of five craft beer tastings, souvenir cup, and one-day park admission.

Tickets for the special events that require one including Tacos and Tequila, Whiskey and Cigar, Tea with the Queen, and the Beer Fest can be purchased by calling the ticket office at 720-600-8669 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10am-2pm or Wednesday from 12pm-6pm. You can also now purchase tickets in-person at the 11^th Avenue ticket office located East of the arena parking lot during the ticket office hours. For general questions about the special events, email info@greeleystampede.org

ABOUT THE GREELEY STAMPEDE: The Greeley Stampede, a 501(c)4 nonprofit corporation, is the Colorado’s premiere summer western celebration. The 2023 Greeley Stampede is scheduled for June 22-July 4. This longstanding event has grown in diversity and popularity since its inception and has provided music and rodeo entertainment to hundreds of thousands of people every summer. The Stampede has been inducted in the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and received many awards including PRCA Mountain States Large Rodeo of the Year, RMCMA Event of the Year and listed in the US Today Top 10 rodeos.. For more information about the Greeley Stampede visit www.greeleystampede.org.

The post Whiskey, Tacos, Legos & More at the 2023 Greeley Stampede appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Happy Hour: Oskar Blues Brewery

May 26 | 5pm – 7pm

This event will include:

• A beer flight tasting provided by Oskar Blues Brewery
• Light appetizers
• Information from Oskar Blues on their brewery with on-site representatives
• Access to the Beer Here! exhibit at the Museum of Boulder

[BUY YOUR TICKET HERE]

Morning Yoga at the Museum

May 28 | 10am – 11am

Join us for a series of morning yoga classes at the Museum of Boulder! Each class will be held on Sunday morning and will be taught by either Zayd Atkinson or Soul Lorain. Ticket price includes access to all exhibits.

[BUY YOUR TICKET HERE]

Rooftop Concert featuring Anna Cutler

July 8 | 6pm – 8pm

Anna Cutler is a singer/songwriter and keyboardist based out of Boulder, Colorado. She started playing the keyboard at the age of six, by 13 she had booked her first gig, and by 18 she had performed to a crowd of 3,000 people.

Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase onsite.

[BUY YOUR TICKET HERE]

Proclaiming Colorado’s Black History through Song on the Broomfield Library Field

June 21 | 7pm

This program is presented in collaboration with Music in Common and the City and County of Broomfield.

Held at the Broomfield Library

This is a multi-modal performance and historical tour de force featuring James Beard award winner Adrian Miller. Discover the roots of contemporary Black music from spirituals and Dixieland jazz through contemporary R & B and hip hop. The small ensemble musical pieces—some rarely heard and others more familiar—will be interspersed with short historical vignettes to set the context for the music and inspiration of Colorado’s Black musicians and composers.

[MORE INFORMATION]

The post Upcoming Events at the Museum of Boulder appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Boulder

1. Asher Brewing Company | 4699 Nautilus Ct.
2. Avery Brewing | 4910 Nautilus Ct.
3. BOCO Cider | 1501 Lee Hill Dr.
4. Bookcliff | 1501 Lee Hill Dr.
5. Boulder Spirits | 5311 Western Ave.
6. DV8 | 2480 49th St.
7. Finkel & Garf | 5455 Spine Rd.
8. Southern Sun | 627 S. Broadway
9. Mountain Sun | 1535 Pearl St.
10. Redstone Meadery | 4700 Pearl St.
11. Sanitas Brewing | 3550 Frontier Ave.
12. Silver Vines | 2037 13th St.
13. Twisted Pine | 3201 Walnut St.
14. Upslope Brewing | 1898 S. Flatiron Ct. | 1501 Lee Hill Rd.
15. Vision Quest | 2510 47th St.

Erie

16. Echo Brewing | 600 Briggs St.
17. Erie Social Club | 105 Wells St.
18. Industrial Revolution | 285 Cheesman St.
19. Old Mine Cidery | 500 Briggs St.

Louisville

20. 12Degree Brewing | 820 Main St.
21. Gravity Brewing | 1150 Pine St.
22. Mother Tucker | 1132 W Dillon Rd #4
23. Redgarden | 1700 Dogwood St.

Lafayette

24. Cellar West | 778 W. Baseline Rd.
25. Liquid Mechanics | 297 N. Hwy 287
26. Odd13 | 301 E. Simpson St.
27. Stem Cider at Acreage | 1380 Horizon Ave.
28. Westbound & Down | 2755 Dagny Way
29. William Oliver’s Publick House | 201 N. Public Rd.

Estes Park

30. Estes Park Brewery | 470 Prospect Village Dr.

Lyons

31. Spirit Hound Distillers | 4196 Ute Hwy.

Niwot

32. Fritz Family Brewers | 6778 N 79th St.

Longmont

33. 300 Suns Brewing | 335 1st Ave.
34. Abbott & Wallace | 350 Terry St.
35. Bootstrap Brewing | 6778 N. 79th St.
36. Collision Brewing Co. | 1436 Skyway Dr.
37. Copper Sky Distillery | 1115 Colorado Ave.
38. Dry Land Distillers | 471 Main St.
39. Grossen Bart Brewery | 1025 Delaware Ave.
40. Left Hand Brewing | 1265 Boston Ave.
41. Pumphouse Brewery | 540 Main St.
42. St. Vrain Cidery | 305 Terry St.
43. Wibby Brewing | 209 Emery St.

Frederick

44. Mountain Cowboy Brewing Company | 318 Fifth St.

Firestone

45. Wild Cider | 11455 County Rd. 17

The post Libations Map 2023 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

It’s summertime and canned cocktails are the way to go. The durable packaging is perfect for taking beverages outdoors from camping to picnics or anywhere else you want to guard against container leaks or where glass isn’t allowed.

Beverage makers have started to figure this whole canning thing out, and it’s possible we’re entering a golden age of cocktails in a can. Boulder County has had a front row seat to the action with the evolution of canned beverages and technologies in our backyard. This growth started with Oskar Blues’ ability to convince drinkers that high-quality beer could come in cans (Thanks, Dale’s Pale Ale!) and included the presence of Ball Corporation’s aluminum packaging and the founding of Wild Goose canning lines.

When things come in cans, we jump on them, so here are some canned specialties you can find in our area this summer. Our list purposely didn’t include wine, seltzer, beer, and kombucha because that offering category is already familiar to customers. Instead, we focused on other crafted alcoholic and nonalcoholic tasty drinks that are part of an emerging trend.

A shrub displayed with food. Photo by Judi Morrell

Rooted Craft Kitchen – Cherry Amore in Boulder

Rooted Craft Kitchen at Avanti Food and Beverage was the first place that introduced us to a shrub — a beverage made from an acidulated fruit-based base that can be used in either craft cocktails or mocktails. Their zero-proof form, called a Cherry Amore, is a great option for summer drinking that keeps you cool. It’s made with fresh ingredients including cherry syrup.The vinegar balances it all with a splash of acid and is as nuanced as anything we’ve ever had, alcoholic or not. We can picture bringing it to a barbeque, having it after a hike, or sipping it on our porch.

Adirondack chairs in front of Stem Cidery. Photo by Deborah Cameron

Stem Ciders – Ciders and cocktails in Lafayette

Stem Ciders has taken advantage of canned packaging for years now, and they still offer great innovative options for canned items ranging from traditional to tangerine to the more floral lavender. There are also taproom-only canned mixed beverages including a Singapore sling (tart, with gin-like botanicals), a rum runner (tropical), and a cobra’s fang (dry and forward). What’s even better is that if you head to Stem’s Lafayette restaurant Acreage, they have the perfect spot to enjoy the outdoors in one of their Adirondack chairs, next to the fire, near their orchard, with a view of the Flatirons — perfect for a late summer evening.

Photo courtesy of Abbott and Wallace

Abbott and Wallace Distilling – Six distinct cocktails from Longmont

Longmont’s Abbott and Wallace Distilling makes it easy to grab a cocktail to take with you wherever you’re heading this summer. Six options range from their La Chupacabra, which blends Cobañero whiskey with apple, ginger, lime juice, and seltzer, to a canned Tom Collins, a mint julep, a gin and tonic and an amaro spritz. We like what we’re drinking here, and we like that it makes it easy to bring a full-fledged adult beverage with you as you get active. But we also love how tied in this business is with the community. Supporting them is, truly, supporting a hometown business.

Photo courtesy of The Old Mine

The Old Mine – Traditional, pear, and adjunct Handlebar hard ciders in a can from Erie

The Old Mine crafts their ciders locally in Erie, right off of County Line Road and serves them at their adult-only taproom in their production facility or at their restaurant on Briggs Street. However, these ciders can literally travel a lot further once they’re canned. The traditional recipe is always our go-to, and if we don’t have that, we enjoy the lighter pear cider. But these aren’t the only two options for packs. There are spicy, fruit-based, and bourbon options that pair well with summer foods.

Infinite Monkey Theorem – Peach bellini wine cocktail from RiNo

Bellinis are a great summer drink, and this one, made by the winery that dialed back all their fermented grape fuss, made wine accessible, and put it into cans. This cocktail is refreshing enough for a brunch, picnic, or even to sip on the water whether you’re canoeing, paddleboarding, or rafting. It’s also enjoyed by a range of tastes, so if you bring it with you, your friends are going to take you up on an offer to share.

Photo courtesy of St. Vrain Cidery

St. Vrain Cidery – Fruit-forward and creative ciders from Longmont

For a few years now, St. Vrain Cidery has been providing the public with all sorts of ciders from their spot tucked into an alley on Terry Street. While they offer ciders that are both made in house and made elsewhere, they take care to seasonally curate what they put on tap. This summer’s offerings include multiple fruit-forward possibilities including their dry chokecherry, which is tart and particularly summer-sippable.

The post Canned Creativity: Six beverages that show the range of canned cocktails you can enjoy this summer appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo: Judi Morell

Boulder’s newest wine cafe, Postino, opened on the Pearl Street Mall last month across from Illegal Pete’s. With extensive menus and thoughtful wine selections, it’s a gathering place where people can connect with friends over food pairings and cocktails.

Executive Chef Ana Douglas leads the team behind the stove and is a key part of making sure this mission works. I talked with Douglas one late afternoon on a Sunday, just prior to Postino’s opening. She fed us well with a bruschetta board, charcuterie, panini, and a spicy kale and brussel sprout salad that became our favorite. As we munched, she took time to talk about the characteristics of the paired wine and why it worked better with some parts of our feast than others.

She also talked with us about why a career in kitchens suits her. She grew up in the U.S., but her family is from Mexico, and she recalls being bombarded by aunts and uncles offering her wonderful homemade food. “My mother should have known how much I loved to cook when I was nine,” Douglas said. “That year, I got a cookbook for my birthday. It was a Chinese cookbook. That’s the thing I really wanted.”

Douglas said there was another reason why a culinary career was perfect for her — it’s an industry that matches her energy. “There’s always something to do, and I need to be doing something all the time,” she said.

But as Douglas has been in this industry, it’s changed her, giving her respect for what others do and making her sensitive to the environment of kitchens she’s part of. “When you’re busy, you’re busy, and there’s no time for anything other than doing your job and executing. A solid Saturday night at the restaurant, the guys are 15 tickets deep. We understand that pressure,” she explained.

Photo: Judi Morell

During a break in our meal I asked Douglas about her idols, and she talked about the time when she met one of them, Thomas Keller. “We went to the French Laundry, and he happened to be there that day. Someone had told him I was also a chef, and he stopped by our table. I realized I couldn’t speak when I saw him,” she recalled.

Although she’s met one of the most renowned chefs working today, one of the chefs that impacted her the most was Executive Sous Chef Kelvin Birotte, with whom she worked at a Topgolf in Katy, Texas. “He was a saucier at Caesars Palace. He noticed how hard I worked. At that time I was an expeditor for 1500 people, so it wasn’t a small job,” Douglas recalled.

Another of her inspirations was the culinary director at the same Topgolf. Douglas called her “mildly terrifying” as she walked through the restaurant pointing out mistakes. She also called her an inspiration, praising her as “A short Hispanic woman. Lesbian. Ticked off all the boxes that said it was impossible. I think it’s no-nonsense women that have gotten to the high-up position they have because they are the way they are. They don’t mind setting a standard.”

Douglas often considers experiences of women in the industry. One of the reasons she’s at Postino is that she noticed a number of direct managers, general managers, regional managers, owners, and executives are women. For her part, she’s tried to mentor the women who work for her.

As we spoke, I also learned that Douglas competed in roller derby for three years while she lived in Texas. It gave me pause, and we talked about some of the local area clubs here. Then I asked if her kitchen was anything like the derby, mentioning the fast pace and relentless stream of orders we already talked about. She agreed but elaborated on some other reasons: “Having a team that supports each other, reaches for each other, and pushes each other forward. Just getting it done.”

She said simply, “It’s a ruckus in the roller derby and a ruckus in the kitchen. For both it’s knowing the people you’re with. Knowing how to read the room.”

The post Off Menu with Ana Douglas at Postino appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Oaxacan Old Fashioned. Photo courtesy of Richard Sandoval Hospitality

You might have noticed last month that Hazel’s Beverage World got a high profile visit from Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. The Breaking Bad actors were here to call attention to their latest joint effort, but this one wasn’t made in a rundown mobile home in New Mexico or a state of the art lab — it was mezcal, a complex spirit carefully crafted underground in clay pots and then distilled in copper.

Many drinkers aren’t as familiar with tequila’s smokier cousin, but mezcal is a delicious option both for sipping or for cocktails. They may have had a subpar version of it once or twice, myself included, and determined it was not for them. I had cheap mezcal out of plastic cups while making pool shots in a garage on New Year’s Eve. We didn’t love it then but later had better luck with higher quality versions in a bar below a steakhouse in Breckenridge. We enjoyed it in a sour craft beer cocktail along with tacos, and that one sip hooked us.

Similar to tequila, mezcal is also made from the core of the agave plant. But where tequila can only be made from blue agave and produced in five specific regions in Mexico, mezcal has a wider variety of sources — both botanically and geographically. It can be made in nine different Mexican regions.

Mezcal also differs from tequila in the way the agave base is treated. With tequila, the plant is roasted in ovens and distilled in copper pots. In contrast, mezcal is cooked by a mezcalero in an underground pit lined with volcanic rocks, wood, and charcoal and then distilled in clay pots. It has a distinctive smoky flavor which, combined with the differences in the wider variety of plants it uses, makes it a unique flavor for cocktails.

Peter Tognetti, bar manager at Tamayo in Larimer Square, has seen a growing interest in mezcal. He said that while many people find it to be too smoky, he’s enjoyed options that are complex, fruit forward, or ones that have medicinal notes.

He shared his tips for identifying quality mezcal over cheaper versions: “When you’re shopping, look for a bottle that says artisanal or indicates that it’s more traditionally made. Those spirits pick up a barrel flavor when they’re aged, and they’re delicious.” Tognetti also suggested food pairings with the spirit including moles, tamales, and simple food that originated in the same region the mezcal is from.

Local restaurateur Fausto Felix serves mezcal in both his Erie restaurants, The Dugout and Rosa’s Mexican Kitchen just off I-25 across from The Orchard Town Center. Passionate about mezcal, he clarified that it can be made with any kind of agave, not just the specific blue agave that’s required to make tequila. He also has his favorite brands, all of them crafted. “If you want to be more selective for mezcal, look for Espadin, especially 400 Conejos,” Felix said. “It’s aged a little longer than two years. It has to be the purple bottle.”

We then talked to Felix about the well known mezcal worm, which Felix highly encouraged. “It’s traditional and originally from Oaxaca, where you can have anything you want to eat there. It’s filled with old-school style. To have it right, mix the worm with a little salt and a little tajin.You lick it, and you drink it,” he explained.

Drink of the Month: Oaxaca old fashioned courtesy of Peter Tognetti at Tamayo

Oaxaca Old Fashioned

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces mezcal joven (reposado or añejo mezcal could also be used)
1/2 ounce reposado tequila (I prefer Siete Leguas Reposado)
1/2 ounce agave syrup
3 dashes of mole bitters

Directions
Stir all ingredients together, serve over a large ice cube, then garnish with an orange twist.

The post Moving Towards Mezcal | In the Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

[NATIONAL]

• Ex-president Donald Trump is indicted for payments to porn star Stormy Daniels in an attempt to squash news of his affair, which occurred just 4 months after Trump’s wife Melania gave birth. He previously announced the day of his arrest, which, like most of his statements, turned out to be false. He pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges.
• Nashville school shooting leaves 6 dead, including 3 nine-year olds in the latest string of gun related tragedies plaguing the nation, making this over 130 mass shootings in 2023 so far.
• Lori Lighfoot (D) comes in third place, losing her Chicago mayoral reelection bid which historically has seen the incumbent remain in power for decades.

[INTERNATIONAL]

• Mass protests spread in Paris following the proposed raising of the retirement age. While France is looking at raising it from 62 to 64, we could learn a thing or two about solidarity in the face of stripped benefits.
• UBS takes over one of its largest competitors, Credit Suisse, in a buyout following news of the bank’s fragility.
• Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovic is detained by Russia who accuses him of spying.
• Fire in a detention center for migrants that have been sent back from the U.S. to Mexico kills at least 38 people trapped in the facility.
• Archaeologists have found evidence of horseback riding that pushes the domestication date of these animals back to about 5,000 years ago.

[LOCAL]

• North Boulder was placed under a shelter in place order for several hours after a standoff with armed suspect near 17th and Yarmouth.
• Prop 125 took effect this month allowing sellers of beer to also stock wine on their shelves. Expect more and more faux wine snobs to come out of the woodwork.
• Jenna Ellis, one of Trump’s numerous former lawyers, has been rightly censured in Colorado over fabricated statements regarding the 2020 elections.
• Lauren Boebert announces her underage son will soon be a father, having impregnated an even younger girl. Boebert will be a grandmother at age 36. 
• CU Boulder signed a football player to their program that is under investigation by the El Paso County sherriffs dept for rape, sexual assault, and sexual exploitation of a minor. A petition to expel him is currently circulating but the administration has made no decision by the date this was published.
• Denver East high school experiences a shooting with two injuries and the death of the shooter. Students staged a protest at the State capitol in a plea for lawmakers to do something.

Small Talk

“I have looked into the terrified eyes of many children after they’ve been shot and tried to comfort them… I tell them they’re in a safe place now, but in my heart, I don’t know if they are.” – Dr. Halden Scott on treating child survivors of mass shootings. 

“Aurora Civil Service Commission quietly approved a package of changes to entry-level hiring rules for police and firefighters, giving the commission… the ability to hire candidates whose backgrounds include caveats that would have previously gotten their applications thrown out.” – according to the Colorado Sentinel‘s In The Blue project.

“To all the trans youth who may be affected by this legislation: we stand by you, and we will not stop fighting. You are cherished. You are loved. You belong,” – Kentucky ACLU on the State passing a bill that, among other restrictions, bans all gender-affirming medical care for those under 18.

“The police department is destroyed. City Hall is destroyed. The county courthouse is damaged. The fire department is devastated. There’s no grocery store that’s operable in the community.” – US Rep. Bennie Thompson on the tornado that devastated Rolling Fork, Mississippi.

“What you’re telling me is, you don’t mind  infringing free speech to protest children [from drag show readings] but when it comes to children that have died, you don’t give a flying f*ck to stop that because ‘that shall not be infringed.’ That is hypocrisy at its highest order.” – Jon Stewart to Oklahoma State Senator Nathan Dahm during their conversation on drag shows and gun rights.

By the Numbers 

11 – Candidates still in the Denver mayoral race as voting comes to a close, with Mike Johnston and Kelly Brough now facing each other in a top-two runoff.

19% – American children deaths are from gun violence, now the leading cause of death for those under 18.

48% – Superior residents are renters according to 2020 census data reviewed by Mayor Mark Lacis.

311,000 – Jobs added last month in an already strong labor market 

47% – Of all building and permit fees for the Town of Superior have been issued as rebates to residents wishing to rebuild.

The post Month in Review | April 2023 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

The First Bite team has officially rebranded to Savor Productions to better encompass all that we have been doing in the past two years. In late 2020, we produced the cookbook A Bite of Boulder, which continues to be one of Boulder’s hottest local gifts. In 2022, we expanded with the inaugural year of First Sip, the libation focused weekend event, along with taking on a marketing client, The Sink, to help produce a campaign to celebrate their 100th anniversary with a bang. We have also deepened our avenues to give back to the community, raising funds for restaurants during the early struggles of the pandemic and later for Marshall Fire families. Throughout the past couple years, we have continued to expand our partnerships, now working with over 85 small businesses in Boulder County, solidifying our dedication to the community at large.

Owner Jessica Benjamin shares: “Our experience and engagement in the community these past two years is something we are so very proud of; but it’s our WHY that really keeps us grounded in our work. The pleasure our team experiences in producing events comes down to curating moments – a whole collection of them – for a wide variety of people. When it comes to dining experiences, to savor is all-encompassing – it is a compendium of small moments and deep meaning, something you want to keep doing.”

Just as a new haircut gives you a bit of zing and a newly discovered sense of self, our rebrand to Savor Productions inspires us to share our ethos loud and clear. We are excited to share even more ways to celebrate the dining scene, build community, and create connections through food through our website, monthly newsletter, and active social media. Our team continues to be committed to our local community in ways we could have never imagined. We serve on PTO’s, local non-profits, are members of Boulder and Longmont Chambers, and hold deep values about how we want to show up and be part of our community.

What lies ahead in 2023 is aligned with what has come before, a whole lot of fun celebrating the creative & industrious food community in Boulder. First Sip will be taking place for its second year this Spring on April 26-30th and First Bite will be back for our 17th year in the Fall on October 20-29th. Both events will be brimming with mouthwatering ways to take a bite (or sip) out on the town.

You can find information on everything Savor Productions is working on at savorproductions.com. As we work to transition our social media platforms, we will continue to use the handle @firstbiteboco for social media until we can rename it to @savorproductions.

We look forward to filling the years to come with opportunities for you to savor. Cheers to the new year – we can’t wait to experience it with you!

Savor Productions was born from the evolution from producing a single event to multiple events, cookbooks, a philanthropic foundation and more. The Savor Productions team is proud to produce First Bite and First Sip, two annual dining festivals in Boulder County. We also produced A Bite of Boulder (cookbook) in 2020 and launched the Food is Love Foundation in 2022. We focus on celebrating the dining scene, building community and creating connections through food.

The post First Bite Team Re-brands to Savor Productions appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Even when you anticipate it
the sting pulses through you
whether it’s a love interest
who picked someone else
or the local poetry festival
that rejected your work
as unsurprising as it is.
It still hurts.
It’s a big shit sandwich
you have to eat.
It’s reality.
and before you move on
to someone else
and buckle down
and work at writing better poems,
you silently wonder why
and replay everything
possibly wrong
over bourbon
and beers
and an 8 ball of cocaine
and you drink your failures
and snort your rejection
through a dollar bill in
the bathroom
as the drip and the rush
simply say
fuck them.
You consume it.
Consume it all
as it consumes you.
You go back to your stool,
down another shot
and the bartender
brings you another round
and throws the empty bottle,
your life
in the garbage
and you clank with the other
discarded lives
as the hip, academic poets
read down the street
and the person you want
the most
is not with you
and you find someone else
for just the evening
if you’re lucky
to fill the empty time
and to ease anything.
The sprinklers turn on at 5
just before the sun rises
and you come down
with failures and rejections still
reminiscing in the first beam
of light as you write it down.

– Ian A Dundas

The post Rejection | Whiskey and Words appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Complementary personalities and taste making skills are propelling Kayser and Ericson to new American food heights.

Gone are the days when chefs started cooking their own food as a caterer or a private home chef. It’s 2023, and chefs can serve out of food trucks, at farmers’ market stalls, in refurbished storage containers at breweries, at wineries and distilleries, as part of pop-up nights, at food halls, and more.

These expressions of culinary service help aspiring restaurant concept owners save money while they show what they can do, practice their craft, and develop their “food voice.” One of the best local stories of this experience is the progression of Rooted Craft Kitchen, owned and led by chef Nicholas Kayser and beverage manager Scott Ericson. The pair have opened at Avanti Food and Beverage on the Pearl Street Mall but are just about to expand into a second, full-service location in a new space in the Highlands at Denver.

Photo credit: Judi Morell

Kayser and Ericson are friends and long-term Coloradoans who met while on staff at the now-closed Vesta Dipping Grill in Denver. They knew their strengths complemented each other, and they wanted to try out what they could do jointly. That meant finding a place at Avanti alongside the likes of other beloved bootstrapping food concepts including Top Chef contestant Byron Gomez at Pollo Tico, Pig and Tiger Taiwanese food, and beloved sandwich shop Rye Society.

We talked to the pair in front of their stall. In our conversation, Kayser is more animated, drawing in close to you from his seat at the high top with a story and a smile. Ericson is also well spoken but quieter, steadily ready with details and a full explanation that answers any questions.

Their success at Avanti is clear. While we talked, the noise was a pleasant rumble in the high-ceilinged hall. The line grew as their staff served the sandwiches and salads like clockwork. The place feels like home. At one point, a worker at the food hall started playing with lighting, turning it off and on and diners responded. It was as if the whole room was in on the joke.

Kayser came to lead Rooted after a range of culinary experiences and spending time in Asia, including Hong Kong. He also helped open one of Richard Sandoval’s restaurants in Dubai. Ericson’s career in beverages started at Sushi Den, and he began to explain it to me before Kaiser piped in. “Tell the story about the black pants,” said Kaiser.

There was a pause and a side look that somehow came at the same time as a laugh. Suddenly, we were at the end of a party, telling stories. “Ok,” Ericson responded with a shift. “The first time I walked in there they asked me, ‘Why should I hire you?’ I said, ‘Show me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it.’ They asked ‘Do you have black pants?’ I left, came back in 45 minutes with black pants, and stayed there for 10 years. 

Photo credit: Judi Morell

Together the pair is looking to make the highest quality food as approachable as possible in an almost-but-not-quite fast casual way. “We’re looking to give you the best version of American fare possible. The best.” said Kayser with a gesture of his hand. Added Ericson, “And we might also show you a food experience you haven’t had yet. Show you something new.”

We enjoyed a couple of examples of this. Their Cluckin’ Good Chicken Sandwich was hot chicken that didn’t burn the back of our throat. It was made with heirloom poultry and house slaw on a brioche bun. We also enjoyed their pumpkin gnocchi and their Rooted Wagyu Burger – American with tender belly bacon.

We washed these down with two zero proof mixed shrub cocktail, a specialty cocktail made with vinegar and fruit juice as a base. These two beverages, named Cherry Amore and Straw and Peppa, ticked the boxes for drinks we hadn’t had before. We drank them quickly, practically sucking on the ice for the remnants of the flavor.

The pair hopes to take this concept out of the food hall space and bring it through to other venues like the one in the Highlands.

Maybe, if things go well, diners might see these concepts first birthed at Avanti in other major cities — in Austin, or Phoenix, or Los Angeles —wherever people can appreciate the accessibility of good, well-made food and innovative flavors.

The post Off Menu with Nicholas Kayser and Scott Ericson at Rooted Craft Kitchen appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Learn more about the vegan drink trend and where you can find one in Boulder County.

When do coconut oils, nut butters, avocados, and cacao butter make a cocktail taste better?  When they’re used as an alternative to animal fat-washed cocktails, a process that uses freezing and traditional fats (think pork fat, duck fat, beef fat, bacon, or even brown butter) to add a smoky, earthy flavor to complex, often aged liquors.

Cocktails developed using fat or oil first appeared in the mid-2000s in New York City, inspired by a process previously used by perfumers. The result knocked drinkers off their barstools, but it left vegans out of the loop. Now that’s starting to change.

Bartenders are replacing animal fats with plant-based fats and finding unexpected fun and rich flavors in their glass. A range of spirits can be fat-washed including bourbon, mezcal, vodka, and rum. When the spirits are fat washed it lends them an entirely new flavor profile, resetting the stage for a new range of cocktail recipes. Think of a coconut oil-washed mint julep, a vegan butter hot buttered rum or a truffle-oiled old fashioned.

Photo credit: Deborah Cameron

Washing isn’t a quick process, but it also doesn’t have to take a while if you want to do it at home. Mixologists need to thoroughly combine the fat with the alcohol, and this is where the process can differ depending on which fat you choose. Once the fat is combined the liquid should be frozen and then as much fat as possible should be removed. The small amounts of fat that remain add new complexity to a liquor’s flavor profile.

Where can you find this in Boulder County? They’re not everywhere … yet. However, we reached out to a couple of bartenders we knew in the area, starting with 24 Carrot Bistro in Old Town Erie. They have a cocktail made with coconut-washed Japanese whisky, honey, salt, and lavender. It’s hot yet balanced with a little bit of sweet and spice. We had it sitting at the bar during one of their busy brunches.

We asked 24 Carrot’s head bartender Jennifer Shillington about the cocktail. She won our  magazine’s pick for the Best of the West best cocktail program in East County and wanted to hear what drinkers had to say when they considered the concoction.

“People say, ‘That’s interesting, let me try it.’ Because we’re known particularly for our cocktail program, lots of folks come to see what we have. And we try to innovate. Once we had a sesame oil-washed cocktail where the alcohol and the oils from the seeds combined. I liked that, but I also like the one we currently have. They’re tricky to do, though. I’ve had them when they’re not executed properly, and it doesn’t work. They need to be balanced.”

In Niwot, Farow Restaurant has an olive oil-washed vodka with Aperol and lemon on their menu. Creative, light, and potent. Bartender Noah Elkind developed this cocktail after a trip to Brooklyn, New York when he enjoyed a specialty martini finished with a drop of olive oil. He took that as the inspiration to do something different at Farow. He let us taste unwashed and olive oil-washed vodka side by side. An olive oil taste was present, and it wasn’t bad. The mouth feel was more full and balanced with the alcohol in a nice way.

Photo credit: Deborah Cameron

Later, when mixed with the lemon of the cocktail, it got even better, not at all overpowering. “We noticed there were some vodkas that weren’t ones people immediately latched on to. We wanted to make them more interesting. It’s a really fun thing, and it’s great for the mouthfeel of the liquor,” Elkind explains.

Outside of these two restaurant bar programs, our hunt for non-animal fat-washed cocktails didn’t lead to any other results — which is a shame — though we have hope that this will change in the future.

These cocktails not only cater to a growing audience of socially conscious, flavor-loving, discerning drinkers, there’s a bar-tab-generating motivation for adding these drinks to the menu, particularly in our area. Like other cocktails, they can work well for a range of meal settings. There’s a place for them before dinner, after dinner, at brunch, and at happy hour. The presence of these cocktails expands what flavors can be in a drink and, naturally, what foods can be entertainingly prepared for them.

We’re going to keep our eye out for more of these unique cocktails in the future.

The post Non-animal fat-washed cocktails | In the Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This month: Five fantastic Colorado-distilled whiskeys to add to your collection.

The post French’s 5 | February 2023 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

EC = East County | B = Boulder

Restaurants

Overall

EC – 24 Carrot: The title for Best Overall Restaurant has been a battle for the last few years between two great Erie Restaurants: 24 Carrot and Piripi. This year 24 Carrot takes the crown and Piripi comes in runner-up. Twenty years ago, who knew Erie would be the hub of exceptional dining? Runner-up: Piripi

B – Frasca: Inspired by the beauty of the Julian Alps and the warm community traditions of northern Italy, Frasca just brings it. This place has won so many James Beard awards it’s almost ridiculous. Frasca is a powerhouse in Boulder making a well-deserved national name for itself with outstanding food, quality wine, and impeccable service. Runner-up: Oak on 14th

Contemporary

EC – Sugarbeet: Get your reservations in order because everyone loves Longmont’s Sugarbeet. This is a top quality experience with a varied and mouth-watering menu. Start with the beet-cured salmon appetizer, move to a main course of gochujang-glazed pork ribs, and end the night with a slice of key lime pie. Don’t forget a Beetropolis cocktail to go with a most inspiring dinner.

B – SALT the Bistro: We have watched Bradford Heap start out in this county and grow to being one of the top chefs in the state. SALT proves why he continues to take the title of Readers’ Choice Best of year after year.

Cheap Eats

EC – Cosmo’s: The pizza king of Lafayette, Colorado, Cosmo’s is a mainstay for folks looking to enjoy a late night in with a pizza or calzone. We appreciate these affordable pies and the late hours are perfect for parties and study sessions that run long. Locals also swear by their signature spicy ranch dipping sauce, a midwestern classic. Runner-up: Biscuits at Mike’s

B – Illegal Pete’s; Runner-up: Cosmo’s

Bread

EC & B – Moxie: The bread is made with love. That’s why it is so good. From the legacy of its founder to the spirit of the team carrying that forward, Moxie has always been about the love of community and the foods we put in our bodies. Runner-up EC: Babettes | Runner-up B: Great Harvest

Newcomer

EC – Jeannot’s Patisserie & Bistro: Wait. Stop everything. Lafayette has a French restaurant that sources its ingredients locally and handcrafts just about everything they serve? We challenge you to even finish reading this blurb before madly storming out the door to go try this little piece of France in Colorado. Reviews are off the chain. Oh, and yes there is a patio. Runner-up: Farow

B – Gemini: Here’s a bit of Barcelona on Pearl Street. Seasonally guided menus, sustainably sourced ingredients, Spanish-inspired ambience. It sounds amazing and readers agree, awarding Gemini with the best Boulder newcomer choice. This Boulder newbie gets shockingly good reviews like this one from Yelp: “transcendent dining experience unrivaled by anything outside of the Iberian peninsula.” Wow! Runner up: Rooted Craft Kitchen

Bagel

EC – Big Daddy Bagels: With Moe’s expansion into East County they give everyone a run for their money, but with 20 years under their belts serving us EC’ers, Big Daddy takes the throne again this year. Runner-up: Moe’s Broadway Bagels

B – Moe’s Broadway Bagels: Every year, every best-of in town, since the beginning of time! Everyone loves a Moe’s Broadway bagel. It must be the authenticity. This is a family-run place started by a true New Yorker who came to Boulder looking for the mountains. Runner-up: Big Daddy Bagels

BBQ

EC – Georgia Boys: If you want a great bagel, find a New Yorker. But if you want the best barbecue in town, find a Georgia boy. They don’t have employees, they have an extended family and they love to offer great slow-cooked food with Southern hospitality. So get yerself over to Georgia Boys for a Tennessee sticky pig and some cauliflower wings. Runner-up: Lulu’s

B – KT’S: It’s Memphis style y’all. No, we’re not talking about Elvis and his weird peanut butter sandwiches. We’re talkin’ Memphis style barbecue at KT’s, a family run barbecue joint going on 30 years running. KT’s is slow-cooked and authentically local just like their hickory-smoked pork ribs. Runner-up: West End Tavern

Breakfast Burrito

EC – Santiago’s: You can get it smothered or you can get it “deluxed.” The meat is chef’s choice and you can’t go wrong with a breakfast burrito from Santiago’s. It’s authentic, made fresh, and if you like it spicy, Santiago’s can make it kick, and they have been for 23 years winning every single year we have published. Runner-up: Taco Wagon

B – Blackbelly: We are not sure what the “o.g.” really stands for, but Blackbelly’s o.g. breakfast burrito is surely the original gangster of breakfast burritos. Everyone loves a good breakfast burrito, but the best breakfast burrito in Boulder is a must before your next ride up Boulder Canyon. Runner-up: Santos

Bakery

EC – Button Rock Bakery: Our favorite Saturday morning is a trip to Lafayette for our essential goods at Jax and then headed right next door for the truly essential goods. Button Rock Bakery delivers the divine we need in our lives to sustain this world. Runner-up: Jeannot’s Patisserie & Bistro

B – Lucky’s Bakehouse: Community-inspired, freshmade, daily small batches. That’s the name of the game at Lucky’s Bakehouse. From gluten-free to sugar-filled and everything in-between, Lucky’s does not disappoint. Runner-up: Shamanes

Coffee House

EC – East Simpson: This is more than a coffee shop. It’s a neighborhood party! From live music, a collective atmosphere, and a funky old house, East Simpson has created a community gathering place that also happens to serve great coffee. Runner-up: MECO

B – OZO: The name is cool and the coffee is top notch. From seed to cup, Ozo brings it with the coffee game. It’s not just the quality, it’s also sustainably and ethically sourced. And for you backpackers out there, they now offer instant coffee packets for the pack! Runner-up: Laughing Goat

Brunch

EC – Tangerine; Runner-up: 24 Carrot

B – Greenbriar: Sunday brunch at the Greenbriar Inn might just be the best thing you can do on one of those perfectly clear summer mornings in Boulder. Bring a blanket and order it picnic style to enjoy by their pond or on the cabin lawn. Plus they have beignets! Runner-up: Tangerine

Breakfast & Brunch

EC & B – Tangerine: Lafayette, Longmont or Boulder, Tangerine is the quintessential perfect breakfast stop, never disappointing, always delighting. It’s why year after year, they continue to win the title of Best Breakfast and this year, Best Brunch. Breakfast EC Runner-up: Morning Glory | Breakfast B Runner-up: Lucile’s

Burger

EC – Waterloo: You know those “God Bless Johnny Cash” bumper stickers you see around here? Yeah, those come from the Waterloo, and that’s the vibe you’ll get at this awesome Old Town Louisville joint. So walk the line to Waterloo friends. And, yes, the burgers are the best in East County. Runner-up: 24 Carrot

B – The Sink: This year The Sink is celebrating their 100th year On the Hill. What would we do without them here to satisfy us with their amazing pizzas, funky atmosphere and of course, the best damn burger around. Be sure to follow them on the socials for all their 100 year festivities. Runner-up: Mountain Sun/Southern Sun

Dessert

EC – Button Rock Bakery: Pies and Cakes, oh my! For the decade that Button Rock Bakery has been serving us scrumptious treats, there has never been something that didn’t meet the divine standard. Button Rock Bakery is quite possibly the most perfect place on earth—or at least in Boulder County. Runner-up: Eats & Sweets

B – Piece Love & Chocolate: Situated on Pearl Street, Piece Love & Chocolate blends classy chocolatiering with just a dash of Wonka-esque whimsy. Locals can’t get enough of their fancier fare like French macarons served alongside wild concoctions like beer-flavored truffles and potato chip chocolate bars. Runner-up: Boulder Baked

Gluten-Free

EC – Button Rock; Runner-up: Cavegirl Coffee

B – Flower Child: They don’t have avocado toast, they have a Crushed Avocado Toast. They don’t have a noodle bowl, they have a Glow Bowl. It is gluten-free but most definitely not flavor-free. With locally-sourced ingredients and made-from-scratch creations, Flower Child is the best in Boulder for vegan, vegetarian, and paleo options. Runner-up: Fresh Thymes (farewell thee)

Colorado-Based Chain & Sandwich

EC & B – Snarf’s: When we met Jimmy 25+ years ago, we thought he was crazy opening up his sandwich shop in one of the funkiest locations in Boulder. But we quickly were one of the people standing in line for his toasted heaven. Today, Jimmy reigns supreme as a home-grown favorite. He’s still doing good things for his community, too. Sandwich EC Runner-up: Eats & Sweets | Sandwich B Runner-up: Organic Sandwich Co.

Patio

EC – Pumphouse: Built in the style of a vintage fire station, the Pumphouse sports a lively ambiance and a menu as diverse as it is delicious. But the actual claim to fame is the beer. Pumphouse sports a litany of microbrews made in-house. Opened in May 1966, the Pumphouse was a pioneer in Longmont introducing the first brewpub. While its food is only surpassed by its home-brewed beers, they also offer Longmont the largest outdoor dining patio, where locals gather to take in all the sights and sounds of the city. Runner-up: Rocky Mountain Tap & Garden

B – TIE – Greenbriar: If you’re looking for a bit of elegance in your next outing, there are few who have done it better since 1967. Surrounded by fields of beautifully curated greenery, enjoy a sophisticated night out of our famous Sunday brunch on Boulder’s best patio. This repeat winner is taking home the top nod for Best Patio again this year. There is a reason this Boulder legacy has been serving us for 55 years and still remains the choice of locals. However, this year Boulder’s best patio is tied with…

B – TIE – Chautauqua: The Chautauqua has been a Colorado tradition since 1898, and for good reason. The delicious food, historical tours, and down-home ambiance calls to the days of the wild frontier. But where it really shines is the patio view from the Dining Hall. From here a delicious, rustic meal can nourish your body while the view of Colorado’s forests and mountain range nourishes your soul. Runner-up: West End Tavern

Lunch/Seafood/Chef

EC – Piripi (Chef – Hugo Meyer): We met Hugo and Victoria at an Erie Chamber meeting years ago before they opened Piripi. They had just moved to town and told us of their plans to open a fine dining restaurant with a world-class chef at the helm. Our publisher, having lived in Erie for over 30 years, remembers the dirt roads, and had no idea what was in store. Today, Piripi is not just one of her favorite restaurants, but it is one that should be everyone’s favorites in Boulder County. Chef Hugo’s perfection he calls our meal is worth the drive no matter where you live. Lunch Runner-up: Eat at Community | Seafood Runner-up: Casian | Chef Runner-up: Kevin Kidd – 24 Carrot

Lunch

B – Brasserie Ten Ten: After over two years of closed doors, Brasserie Ten Ten demonstrates that good food is worth the wait. COVID completely changed the restaurant industry, forcing owners Joe and Peg Romano to shutter their three iconic spots, Ten Ten included. Re-open now for only a few months, try the Prixe Fixe menu for a taste of French luxury. Runner-up: Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse

Sushi/Japanese

EC – Sakura: Reviews consistently praise Sakura as the top spot for quality fish, traditional sauces, and attention to detail, but still crafting the not-so-traditional rolls so many of us crave. Around since 1998, call ahead for the daily special since the freshest fish will rotate regularly here. Runner-up: Button Rock

B – Japango: Master chef Yukiji Iwasa has been preparing the sushi for this Pearl Street classic for over 20 years – that hasn’t changed – but what is new is Japango is now donating portions of proceeds from Thursday nights to go towards Rise Against Suicide, an organization helping youth mental health. More than just sushi, Japango is an institution. Runner-up: Hapa

Seafood

EC – Piripi; Runner-up: Casian Seafood

B – Jax Fish House: Colorado may seem like one of the furthest places from the sea (both horizontally AND vertically) but that hasn’t stopped it from being home to one of the best seafood restaurants in the country. Diners can enjoy fresh oysters, grilled octopus, and a bevy of other deep-sea delectables paired with inventive cocktails like the Almond Joy Martini. Jax has enjoyed its top spot every year since the Best of the West first began, and it’s not hard to see why. Runner-up: Spruce Farm & Fish

Pizza

EC – Rosalee’s: Rosalee’s Pizza prides itself on its welcoming “neighborhood” atmosphere and west-coast approach to pizza making. And we can’t get enough. Rosalee’s owes its number-one spot to its ingredients and welcoming attitude. Everything is lovingly crafted, unpretentious, and made so that the technique and ingredients truly shine. It’s everything a pizza should be. Runner-up: Cosmo’s

B – TIE – The Sink and Cosmo’s; Runner-up: Pizzeria Locale

Steak

EC – 740 Front: As one of Colorado’s oldest taverns, 740 Front has all the turn-of-the-century class you could possibly ask for with just a dash of speakeasy grit (courtesy of a bullet hole in their bart able courtesy of a bootlegera shootout.) And to go with its wide selection of wines, beers, and craft cocktails is what might just be the best damn steak in the state. We still dream about those dry-aged cuts. Runner-up: Sugarbeet

B – Cork: “Local fresh ingredients shouldn’t be special; it should be assumed.” These are the founding tenets of Chef Jim Smailer of Boulder Cork. And his ethos is found in every item on this classy bistro’s menu, namely, its signature cut steaks. While the bistro is a bit on the pricy side, Boulder Cork made its place on the list thanks to its prime rib, with homemade jus and horseradish cream sauce. Runner-up: 316 Steakhouse

Chinese

EC – Ting’s Place: Thirty-two years ago our Publisher moved back to Colorado after being away for several years. As soon as she discovered Ting’s it became a house favorite. It still is 30 years later. Runner-up: Colorado Wok

B – Zoe MaMa: The settings, the seats, and the flavors are just what you would expect from a street food stand in China, complete with recipes from generations back. Zoe MaMa, like all great street food, is constantly packed so arrive early and see why they again won best Chinese food in Boulder. Runner-up: China Gourmet

Thai

EC – Busaba: Named after the Thai word meaning “flower,” Busaba is a rare and beautiful find in Louisville’s culinary scene. In keeping with its namesake, Busaba is a perennial classic that has served up a delicious and exotic menu in a slick, modern venue for over ten years. We personally recommend the spring rolls with a bit of spicy peanut sauce. Runner-up: Anchan Thai

B – Aloy Thai: Aloy Thai conveys the feeling of being invited to a family dinner by a close friend. The warm and friendly service and a homey atmosphere of this family-run business leave most Boulder residents with a feeling of cozy nostalgia for a place never visited. Aloy Thai’s menu is more than just an exotic meal. It’s a reminder that no matter what culture you’re from, a warm meal shared with friendly faces can make anyone feel at home. Runner-up: Busaba

Vietnamese

EC – Pho Cafe: EC’s reigning champion of Vietnamese soups has returned! Like its titular dish, the Pho Cafe is warm and welcoming with tons of local flavor mixed in. The beef Pho, a deliciously savory and flavorful soup filled with rice noodles and thin slices of delicious beef, is a perfect pick-me-up all year ‘round. Runner-up: Viet Kitchen

B – Chez Thuy: Chez Thuy has been a Boulder institution for nearly thirty years. And the head chef, Miss Thuy herself, has been blending French and Chinese cooking techniques to amplify the classic flavors of Vietnamese home cooking. Runner-up: Boulder Pho

Hot Dog

EC – Marco’s Hot Dogs: Year after year, Marco’s wins this category. Four words: bacon-wrapped, hot-dogs. The are simply the best. Runner-up: Dugout

B – Mustard’s Last Stand: With over 40 years of experience, Mustard’s Last Stand has earned its place as a Colorado classic. No one else comes close to competing with their fully-loaded Chicago-style hot dogs and hefty Polish sausages. With a litany of toppings, fries, and plenty of beer, Mustard’s Last Stand truly is the best at the wurst. Runner-up: Freddie’s Hot Dog Stand

Taco

EC – TeoCalli Cocina: At TeoCalli, the word of the day is authenticity. Everything on the menu can trace its lineage back to traditional Oaxacan cuisine, but with a creative twist that elevates these classic dishes to a level that can only be described as artistry wrapped in a corn tortilla. Runner-up: Jefe’s

B – T/aco: Fine dining is great and all, but sometimes you and your friends just want to relax, knock back a few drinks, and enjoy a nice, hearty meal. If you’re looking for a relaxed taqueria, T/aco is the place for you. The casual eatery has dozens of delicious, fresh-made tacos with fillings ranging from duck to Mexican-style pork belly. T/aco is even pet-friendly, providing a separate menu for your dog! Runner-up: McDevitt’s Taco Supply

Healthy Meal

EC – Morning Glory: For something light and healthy that doesn’t sacrifice flavor for wholesomeness, Morning Glory is the best place to be. But the food isn’t the only thing nourishing about this little diner. The positive, welcoming and progressive attitude of its staff is the perfect way to start your day. Bear in mind that healthy doesn’t mean vegetarian, carnivores will find plenty of deliciously meaty meals to sink their teeth into. Runner-up: Cavegirl Coffee

B – Fresh Thymes: It is great sadness that we are writing this Reader’s Favorite pick for Best Healthy Meal in Boulder, as Fresh Thymes closed their doors in December. It was not because business wasn’t thriving, it was. It came down to doing business in Boulder according to the owner. After securing the empty coffeeshop next door for expansion, two years later, Fresh Thymes had still not been able to move in to the new location due to permits being delayed by the City itself. We will miss Fresh Thymes as we were a regular as well. Runner-up: Flower Child

Chef

B – Daniel Asher of River and Woods: Established by world-class chef Daniel Asher and inspired by Colorado’s natural beauty, River and Woods brings the tastes of the great outdoors to the table. Every meal uses local ingredients and techniques inspired by camping trips and barbecues. Enjoy local cheeses and foraged berries, tuck into slow-cooked pulled pork, and cap your night off by roasting homemade marshmallows for s’mores. Runner-up: Chris Cunningham – The Sink

Chocolaterie

EC – Chocolaterie Stam: Chocolaterie Stam has been one of the country’s premium chocolatiers for over one hundred years. And it shows. While its chocolates are a touch pricey, the velvety richness of its candies makes it all worthwhile. If you really want to go all out and treat someone special (or yourself) you can’t go wrong with a Stam “Jewel Box” of chocolates. Runner-up: Robin’s Chocolates

B – Piece Love & Chocolate: Situated on Pearl Street, Piece Love & Chocolate blends classy chocolatiering with just a dash of Wonka-esque whimsy. Locals can’t get enough of their fancier fare like french macarons served alongside wild concoctions like beer-flavored truffles and potato chip chocolate bars. Runner-up: Lift Truffles

Green Chili/Mexican/Margarita

EC & B – Efrain’s: With multiple awards, Efrain’s is that familiar institution that brings familiarity and connection to the community. For over 30 years they have been serving up great Mexican in the same location. If you haven’t discovered why they have been winning all these years, maybe it’s time you should. Efrain’s Boulder is the brother of Efrain’s Lafayette. They recently moved into a new location after 20+ years in a hidden corner of Boulder, but they took their Grandma’s recipes with them. It’s why they are a Boulder favorite all these years. When you head in be sure to order one of their famous margaritas, there are more than 6 to choose from. Green Chili EC Runner-up: Santiago’s | Green Chili B Runner-up: Verde | Mexican B Runner-up: Centro Latin Kitchen | Margarita B Runner-up: Dana Faulk Query

Indian

EC – Taj Mahal: There is Indian food, there is good Indian food, and then there is great Indian food. Louisville’s Taj Mahal is in the great category. The atmosphere is delightful, the flavors are delectable, and the menu is bountiful. The Taj Mahal is second to naan. Runner-up: Flavor of India

B – Sherpas: The menu offers a bit of India, Nepal, and Tibet, but a lot of authentic Himalayan influence. This wonderful place is run by real Sherpas. Chef Jangbu Sherpa has summited Everest ten times! The atmosphere is perfection–a cozy neighborhood haunt on the edge of the Rockies with a leafy patio for your Sherpa Chai and Dhal-Baht. Runner-up: The Taj

Italian

EC – Parma Trattoria: What’s that you say? A mozzarella bar? Yes, a mozzarella bar! With cheeses imported directly from Italy. These are the things that have given Parma Trattoria a very strong showing over its ten years in Louisville. This place has become a community favorite and a known top Denver Metro Italian restaurant. Runner-up: Zucca

B – Pasta Jay’s: You know when a place looks like a set on the Sopranos, it’s damn good Italian food. In fact, it’s food fit for a king! That’s what owner Pasta Jay Elowsky says and Boulder agrees. For 30 years strong family-owned Pasta Jays has been a beloved Boulder institution. Runner-up: Carelli’s

Mexican

EC – TeoCalli Cocina: At TeoCalli Cocina, corn is life. And this is authentic Mexican cooking in the heart of Lafayette. Here you will find delectable dishes like the De Birria short rib tacos and the Adobo Tuna. Polish it off with a Dulce de Calabaza dessert and a Volcan tequila. Runner-up: Old Santa Fe Grill

Celebrity Picks

Christian Hee, Marketing Director at Z2 Entertainment: Christian’s favorite spots revolve around meetings. Depending on the time of day, you’ll find her either at Ozo, or Trident. Her morning go-to is Ozo, known for their down-to-earth staff and fantastic beans. If you catch her in the evening, you’ll see her at Trident Cafe, a combo bookstore and coffee shop where you’re just as likely to find writers plucking away at their keyboards. “I love getting a nice, hot pot of herbal tea and then browsing for books,” Hee shared with us.

Daniel Rodriguez, Singer-Songwriter: Where does Daniel Rodriguez, singer-songwriter and former founding member of Elephant Revival, go on a night out in Boulder? “If I’m looking for a jukebox and some pool tables, the Sundown Saloon is a great place to ‘dive’ into.” Once it’s time to grab a bite, Avanti is his preferred stop. “It’s like they parked seven food trucks inside one establishment,” he said, making us hungry.

Rosen, of Mr. Mota: Southern Sun Pub & Brewery means it’s time for wings. “They have amazing food, great beer, and they have a lot of live music!” Rosen enthusiastically shared. And for entertainment, look no further than Art of Zeb, “some of the coolest art I’ve ever seen.”

John Tayer, Boulder Chamber of Commerce: You can catch John out for a run on the Big Bluestem Open Space Trail or maybe enjoying a round at the Harlow Platts Disc Golf Course. It’s not all sport and exercise though; he also enjoys a beer at the many local brewpubs Boulder has.

Bhavna Chhabra, Site Manager for Google: “The new anemone trail is good for kids,” Chhabra said. For a meal afterwards, it’s gotta be chicken and beer at the Post Brewery. As for music and dancing? Velvet elk and then Avanti.

Giovanni Ruscitti, Managing & Founding Partner of Berg, Hill, Greenleaf and Ruscitti Law Firm: Giovanni loves a Saturday spent at the Boulder Farmer’s Market. French toast at the Village Coffee Shop, lunch at Chiri’s Momo Delight, and dinner at Il Pastaio would be his ideal meal lineup. He’s also a live music fan. “Listening to great music at venues like Macky Auditorium, Boulder Theater and BOCO Cider. I’m hitting on all time high this month taking in a half dozen shows,” he said.

Drinks

Bar

EC – Erie Social Club: Who knew Erie was cool? We remember the days of the horse in the bar in the dirt road town. Not anymore! Erie is host to several amazing restaurants and now a club we can call our own. ESC is THE place to be whether it’s for yoga in the morning, bingo, or a Saturday night of dancing. The facility is fantastic and you can also rent it for your own party. Runner-up: Rocky Mountain Tap & Garden

B – Corner Bar: Enjoy drinks and live music on the bar’s patio or sample the truffle fries that thankfully remain on The Corner Bar’s new expanded menu. This stately yet comfortable spot is just a block off the Pearl Street Mall. First timers, be sure to check out the hotel lobby. Runner-up: Sundown Saloon

Brewery

EC – Liquid Mechanics: A small, award-winning neighborhood craft brewery founded by three former bio/pharma tech pros, Liquid Mechanics aims to connect to the community through beer. The tasting room offers classics such as Lucid AF IPA along with specialty small batch beers. Grab some grub for your suds from the nightly food trucks or Martino’s Pizza. Runner-up: Left Hand

B – Avery: Watch Avery’s award-winning beer being brewed on its production floor before sampling five-ounce tasters or pints from a wide variety of tap offerings. The beertenders are passionate about sharing their extensive knowledge of the Avery product line. Enjoy on the dog-friendly patio or grab a six-pack or growler-to-go. Runner-up: Mountain Sun

Bloody Mary

EC – Lucile’s: Lucile’s Famous Bloody Marys rep the same “corner of Creole culture” as the breakfasts that have been served in this converted pale yellow house since 1997. Enjoy with their impressive garnish onsite or take home one of their new Bloody Mary kits! Bloody Marys are a great way to start the day at Lucile’s, or bring one of their new Bloody Mary kits to your Super Bowl party! Runner-up: Eat at Community

B – Foolish Craig’s: You can choose from the basil lemon or ghost chili-infused vodkas if you care for a twist on Craig’s Signature Bloody Mary. The quirky and relaxed atmosphere located directly on The Pearl Street Mall makes for an ideal place to people watch. Runner-up: The Buff

Happy Hour

EC – The Post Chicken and Beer: This happy hour is small in duration (it’s literally just one hour long) but big on deals. The brined and buttermilked all-natural humanely-raised chicken is dipped in gluten-free flour before fried to golden perfection. It’s the perfect accompaniment for any of their award-winning craft brews. Probably why they won Best Happy Hour this year, too. Runner-up: William Oliver’s

B – Corner Bar: Carving out a happy hour spot at Boulder’s overall BOW bar can be a challenge as it fills up quickly after it starts at 3. Maybe it’s the $3 cup of corn chowder or $4 draft beer that’s offered until six, either way they snag their second Best of the West award of the year. It’s also convenient for pre-concert meetups before heading to Chautauqua. Runner-up: Jungle

Margarita

EC – Jefe’s: Sean Gafner is the chef and owner of this incredibly popular Mexican fusion spot that purchases many ingredients from local ranchers and farmers nearby. Enjoy a margarita flight, pitcher, or just the classic cocktail made the right way – with real ingredients. No marg mix here. Runner-up: West Side Tavern

Distillery

EC – Spirit Hound: These single-barrel whiskies are made from Colorado-grown ingredients such as grains from the San Luis Valley and aged a minimum of two years in charred American oak barrels being bottled. Head distiller Craig Engelhorn and his partners built much of the distillation equipment themselves to achieve the right flavor and purity. Runner-up: Abbot & Wallace

B – Vapor: Free tours at this micro-distillery end with a sampling of Vapor’s hand-made, award-winning small batch spirits. Try the Ginskey, gin aged in oak barrels to infuse color and flavor found in whisky or buy a bottle of the Love Your Neighbor Limited Edition Whiskey distilled and support Marshall Fire rebuilding efforts. Runner-up: DV8 (Deviant Spirits)

Bartender/Mixologist

EC – Jennifer Shillington – 24 Carrot Bistro: A repeat winner from last year, Shilington honed her mixology skills at top New York City eateries before moving to Colorado to raise her family. Now she’s back behind the bar at 24 Carrot Bistro, serving up creative cocktails such as Live and Let Chai (made with bourbon and chai liqueur) or the weekly bartender’s choice. Runner-up: Brittany Bartlett – now Rocky Mountain Tap & Garden, formerly Eat! Food & Drink

B – Laureal Boston – Bitter Bar: Boston says she enjoys meeting friends old and new at the unpretentious Bitter Bar, where she aims to help customers unwind by creating cocktails with “complex flavors that delight the spirit and open the mind.” Runner-up: Matthew Jansen – Mateo

Liquor Store

EC – County Line Wine & Spirits: With regular inventory updates, there’s always something new to try at County Line. And there’s typically plenty of opportunities to do so as County Line hosts several tasting events every week. Though smaller in size than some of its competition, the store still has a great selection and continues to offer curbside service. Runner-up: Atlas Valley Purveyors

B – Hazel’s: Known for its helpful staff, bright atmosphere and wide open aisles and of course its incredible selection of wine, beer, spirits, cigars, and specialty foods, Hazel’s is often at the top of best liquor store lists. Runner-up: North Boulder Liquor

Wine Shop

EC – Atlas Valley: Come for the wine but beware you might also leave with cheese, gifts, or any of the other selection of local goods that might catch your fancy. The wine staff is happy to help you pick out the perfect local, domestic or import for the occasion. Runner-up: Wyatt’s Wet Goods

B – Hazel’s: From the 1940s pinup feel of their website, to the wide selection of over 15,000 products, to the prices that beat nearly everyone else, Hazel’s keeps winning awards. Consistently voted Boulder’s Best Liquor Store, they also have a diverse selection of wines, propelling them to a Best of the West victory as well. Runner-up: Boulder Wine Merchant

Winery

EC – Bookcliff Winery: This family-owned Colorado vineyard and winery offers tours and tastings at its Boulder tasting room. Bookcliff uses 100% Colorado-grown grapes from its vineyard in Palisade, which are cultivated using sustainable practices that eliminate the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Runner-up: Vinnie Fera

Sports

Bike Shop

EC – Louisville Cyclery: Louisville Cyclery has been an integral part of the community for over four decades. The oldest bike shop in the Boulder area, they saw the impacts of the Marshall Fire firsthand and decided to do something about it – fixing up donated bikes for those affected. If you’ve ever needed your bike repaired or a new bike, chances are you came here, showing why they’ve again won Best Bike Shop.

B – University Bikes: University Bikes again claims the top of the mountain, both on the trail and in the awards categories. They’ve won every single year we have had Best of the West, and as far as we know every other Boulder Best of in town, and they are back in the top spot once again.

Ski Shop

EC & B – Crystal Ski Shop: Crystal Ski Shop is another one of those area institutions having geared people up since 1976. Here’s the kicker: they are still locally owned. Justin Burger took the reins when the original owner retired after having worked there all through high school. So when we say locally owned, we mean it! But what makes them a favorite is the service. You know you are shopping locally because of it.

Sporting Goods

EC – Jax Outdoor Gear: Jax’s nine locations across Colorado officially became an employee-owned business as of one year ago. Tracing their roots back to the 1950s Jax not only offers sporting equipment but a full-on experience with food and places to test your gear, continuing the tradition of holding the top spot for Best of the West.

B – Neptune Mountaineering: Neptune Mountaineering holds a nostalgic place in many climbers’ hearts. Around for over 50 years, it has served as a gathering point and museum for mountaineers looking to explore more of their sport. It changed hands not too long ago, but the community spirit persists. You can also catch a lecture on climbing safety while checking out the museum collection in between buying new gear.

Golf Course

EC – Indian Peaks

B – Lake Valley

Gym

B – YMCA: Who hasn’t heard of the YMCA? An absolute institution, the local YMCA is known for providing the community with access to fitness and recreational activities for decades. Members of the public initially come for these services, but stay for the attentive staff, multiple membership types and a wide range of amenities, including child care. The thoughtful approach to YMCA continues to make it a top choice for those in our communities exploring fitness.

Rec Center

EC – Bob Burger: Bob Burger Recreation Center contains all the equipment and room of other centers but has an obtainable price point. The center maintains outdoor jacuzzis for an outdoor soak, and is minutes away from Lafayette’s finest museums, parks, and restaurants. It is a great stop for an outing with your entire family or simply to workout.

B – North Boulder Rec: North Boulder Rec Center remains easily accessible from public transportation offering all the amenities of other recreation centers. The University Memorial Center on CU Boulder’s campus is a ten minute ride to the Center’s front doors on the SKIP going Northbound. Students can easily utilize their bus pass obtained through the University for a hassle-free trip to the gym.

Ski Resort (Day Trip)

Eldora: Have a half an hour? If so, you can be in Eldora for a day of skiing. The resort contains terrain for skiers of all levels and typically hosts short wait times for tickets and lifts. The short drive makes the resort accessible from anywhere within the Denver Metropolitan area looking to become more active for many winters to come.

Ski Resort (Overnight)

Steamboat Springs: Ski Town USA, Steamboat Springs, is located nearly four hours from the city making it the perfect overnight adventure for the family. The proximity of the resort gives you access to a mountain town with shops, restaurants, and other activities. People also boast about the resort’s terrain and powder. You don’t know how to ski? No worries, the world class instructors will have you confidently making your way down the mountain sharing their love with the sport along the way.

Martial Arts

EC – Bennetts Karate: The Bennett family has taken pride in providing martial arts training to families in Lafayette since 1996. Owner and operator Richard Bennett and his family have traveled extensively to Okinawa and Japan to learn from the masters so they can teach you the art of Uechi Ryu and Kubudo authentically. This local dojo invites anyone interested to come experience culture and tradition in a rich, local environment.

B – Tran’s Martial Arts: Allison and Greg Zolun, owners of Tran’s Martial Arts, take fitness to the next level with programs primarily offered in Krav Maga, Muay Thai, and kickboxing. The dojo welcomes people of all ages, backgrounds, and they are welcomed with respect. This is a place of community where the only objective is reaching your goals and testing your limits.

Yoga Studio

EC – Soul Tree: When forced to close due to fire damage, Soul Tree continued to serve the community by hosting sessions in the park and offering online classes. Today, Soul Tree continues to advocate for those impacted by the fires by spreading their message of love to a rebuilding community. The studio maintains a healing space for those interested in taking your passion for yoga beyond physical ability and into mental rejuvenation.

B – Little Yoga Studio: Run by femmes, Little Yoga Studio has affordable options in-person and online, so you can fit yoga into your schedule anytime. Owner Kelly Elle Kenworthy is committed to the empowerment of people through yoga, and has hired instructors with just as much passion for your growth. The studio is devoted to making its walls safe for any person willing to take an explorative journey into the practice of yoga.

Pilates Studio

EC – Rocky Mountain Pilates: Do you find fitness spaces unapproachable? Rocky Mountain Pilates provides a calm, welcoming environment to increase your confidence in the studio. The instructors foster a judgment-free zone where they accommodate movements and intensity to match your desired outcome based on your own abilities. You can focus on learning techniques of pilates and yoga at your own comfort level.

B – The Pilates Center: The Pilate Center’s founders, Amy Taylor Alpers and Rachel Taylor Siegel, have been retaining the integrity of Joseph Pilates’ revolutionary vision for health and exercise in Boulder county since the 1990s. To fulfill the Taylor Sisters’ mission to heal the world, TPC offers courses to become a certified instructor with a direct lineage to Joseph Pilates himself.

Entertainment

Local Celebrity

EC – Bicycle Man of Erie: Is it the iconic beard? The Facebook videos? Or the fact that he offers free flat tire changes and has transparent pricing up on the website? Pick the reason, they all add up to a Local Celebrity award for the Bicycle Man of Erie!

B – Zoe Rogers: Zoe Rogers’ recognition in Boulder reminds fans the importance of giving a voice to women in an industry that is predominately male. Rogers observed the lack of female comedians and determined to make a change. As a founder of Boulder Comedy, Rogers has created a space outside the busy city and an opportunity for aspiring female comedians. The community benefits, as the shows provide a wide range of comedians no matter their gender.

Fair or Festival

EC – Lafayette Music Festival: For all the years we have lived here, we never thought we would say, “Did you make it to Lafayette’s music festival?” YS was proud to sponsor the inaugural Lafayette Music Festival. Five stages and a wide range of bands to listen to. We look forward to supporting it again this year, it was definitely that good. Runner-up: Lafayette Peach Festival

B – Boulder Creek Festival: For over three decades now the Boulder Creek Fest has defined the beginning of summer. Revitalized in 1998 by dedicated citizen Chris Bailey, it has been a fixture ever since. The festival adds a fourth day this year, growing in size and popularity, again taking the top spot in the Best of the West entertainment category. Parking is always crowded; try taking the bus into the festival this year to support the hundreds of artists who will visually and musically keep you entertained. Runner-up: Boulder Comedy Festival

Live Music Venue

EC – Nissi’s: Did you catch the October 2022 cover of YS? That was the new Nissi’s we featured. After years of serving East County with live music, the pandemic shut Nissi’s down in their original location. Imagine our surprise to see them open in their new location, bigger, badder and better than ever before. Nissi’s brings a first-class venue to our backyard and is showcasing great local music. Lafayette has become the place to be. Runner-up: The Muse

B – Boulder Theater: Inside its walls resides countless nights of incredible music from some of the most prestigious names. Bands from The Pixies to Gregg Allman have played here. Since 1906, Boulder Theater has been a treasure to our community, and we are grateful the ownership thinks so, too. Thanks for giving us another year of the music that makes our lives better. Runner-up: R Gallery Wine & Bar

Gallery

EC – pARTiculars: This co-op of local artists still offering free art classes for those affected by the Marshall Fire, pARTiculars is Lafayette’s top art market for not only buying a new piece but also learning how to craft them yourself. Building a community the right way, check out their featured artists of the month on their social media, or in person by stopping by the galleries yourself. Runner-up: Firehouse Art Gallery

B – BMOCA: BMOCA is celebrating 50 years of providing a space for significant art and artists from regional to international. Installations are always something to behold and a membership pass is a great way to continue to support this local icon, along with the votes for being the Best Museum. Runner-up: R Gallery Wine & Bar

Theater Company

EC – Coal Creek Theater Co.: Watching murder mysteries at home on Netflix is fine but Coal Creek Theater has an entire year’s worth of suspenseful plays to see during their upcoming 2023 “Killer Season”. Themed years, playwright competitions, and showcases help explain why they are the top theater this year, and have been an East County artistic fixture since 1990. Runner-up: Back Story Theater

B – Local Theater Company: Despite the name drawing generic Google search results, Local Theater is anything but. Keeping the American writing tradition alive, they are the only Colorado venue to exclusively show world premieres – every play is brand new. Offering a writing workshop to budding young artists, specializing in new American plays, and now in their 12th season, come audition for or watch an original show. They have two productions per year so plan accordingly. Runner-up: Butterfly Effect Theater Co (BETC)

Stage

EC – Nissi’s

B – eTown: Recognized as a “cultural contributor” when inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, eTown is founded on the simple yet oft-forgotten ideals of universal connectivity through music. The twist is that every show is accompanied by an in-depth conversation about things that matter – like politics or the environment. The solar powered hall broadcasts nationally and has hosted over 1,000 artists on their programs over the decades they have been around.

Arcade

EC – Quarters: It’s Saturday night, you’re holding a glass of your favorite brew in one hand and a skee ball on the other. After its grand opening, Quarters is a new destination that adds to the night life in East County, Colorado. The growth of arcade bars brings excitement to members online to revisit an activity left in childhood. Runner-up: Tilt!

B – Press Play: Part college bar, part arcade, this is the place to come if you want to drink and play video games without any kids running around underfoot. Closed on Mondays but with events every other night of the week, come let off some steam by smashing your friend in packman then taking a shot.

Museum

EC – Longmont Museum: Over the last 30 years Boulder County has seen tremendous changes to it’s population and towns. (Which is one of the reasons we are featuring them for our cover this year.) One of our first sources to cover the History of BOCO was the expertise at Longmont Museum. From live music, to indigenous exhibits, summer camps and discovery days, we are lucky to have the tremendous community hub. We’re glad our readers think so too. Runner-up: Lafayette History Museum

B – Museum of Boulder: This year YS is featuring the People’s History of BOCO, by featuring a different town each month. The Museum of Boulder is naturally a first stop for our writer to learn about the history of Boulder. While the MOB includes a gallery to house world-class traveling exhibits, an interactive Google Garage maker space and a separate children’s museum for our youngest visitors. Currently, they are featuring Black History of Boulder, but coming up is their famous Brewing the New West, because beer is as much a part of Boulder as its history. Runner-up: University of Colorado Natural History Museum

Pumpkin Patch

Anderson Farms: Pumpkin patches, fire pits, and… haunted houses. Not a plot in a Halloween movie but an experience discussed by locals who visit Anderson Farms. Of course, a trip to a farm isn’t complete without a corn maze, but don’t forget a map if getting lost isn’t part of your plans. Runner-up: Miller Farm

Health & Beauty

Day Spa

EC – Sunflower: When you’re wilted and worn, this spa gets you back to blooming. Try their incredible HydraFacials. They are the only spa that includes treatment for the sun damage-prone V-Neck area. Staff regularly is retrained to optimize each step of their one-of-a-kind service, resulting in skin that glows after treatment.

B – St. Julien: Offering world-class treatments in the heart of Boulder, this spa is known for delivering royal treatment. With impeccable customer service from booking to departure, this is everything a luxury spa should be. Indulge in all the amenities, including a sauna, steam room, and lounge with seasonal fruit-infused water, tea, and light snacks. Be sure to try the granola!

Facial

EC – Smooth Intentions: With a client base built on referrals from happy patrons, Smooth Intentions pairs 21 years of experience with locally sourced natural products to create a haven of relaxation and self-care. The trademark 75-minute custom facials focus on keeping skin clear and healthy to help all clients leave with a confident glow.

B – Leah Nickie Aesthetics: This is a facial that gives your skin what it needs! Leah only uses cruelty and paraben-free products that feature nurturing botanical and marine elements. Products are only selected after discussing skin concerns and a skin analysis under a magnifying lamp.

Salon

EC – Bevy Salon: Haircuts are a science at Bevy Salon. As an example, they are trained on not one but two cutting and styling techniques for curls—most places only choose one—and take the time to figure out which technique will best complement their client’s curl. This dedication to staying up to date on the latest and best techniques ensures that all clients get the look they crave, whether you have curly or straight hair.

B – Salon Fifty4Thirty: This woman-owned salon is named for Boulder’s elevation and is praised for their friendly inviting hometown atmosphere. Their stylists focus on fostering self-care for all their clients while making their hair look incredibly fabulous. Lean into your hustle and feel great about yourself at this amazing salon!

Barber

EC – Woodward Barbers: First-time clients visit Woodward Barbers for a great cut at a good price. They return for the retro vibe with just the right modern twists, stylists who are experts at their craft, and a just plain cool atmosphere. With over 490 google reviews at 5/5 stars, you can’t go wrong.

B – Hennepin Barbers: When you need a shave or style with a killer view you can’t go wrong with scheduling here. Clients rave about the amazing views of the Flatirons from each chair, the adorable shop dog Ru, and love leaving with a new style that’s (almost) as impressive as the view they enjoyed while getting it.

Massage

EC – Apex Massage and Recovery Lab: Apex focuses on massage for people whose muscles need more than light pressure and relaxing music. They want to get your body back to its top performance state, no matter if you’re hurting from a marathon or a weekend of gardening. With a rugged and stylish interior, this massage is anything but generic.

B – Siam Sensations: This is the only authentic Thai-owned massage spa in Colorado. Most of the therapists were even trained in Thailand, which is why they’ve won before! Thai massage is different. Therapists dynamically move their clients’ bodies to relieve pain. They also offer reflexology treatments that find and fix circulation problems in the body. This is holistic healing at its best.

Manicure/Pedicure

EC – Allure Nail Bar: Allure is your go-to for last-minute nail needs. They are a walk-in-friendly salon that will get your nails back to fabulous in no time. They offer manicures and pedicures – including gel polish options – and nail extensions including acrylics, silk wraps, and liquid gel nails.

B – J Lounge: J Lounge is the queen of healthy nail care! Their salon only uses two nail polish brands free of toxic ingredients like formaldehyde. Their pedicures are done without jetted tubs—the leading culprit of salon nail infections even with sanitization—and instead use beautiful porcelain basins with detoxing soaks featuring essential oils.

Medi Spa

EC – TIE – Sunflower Spa: While Sunflower Spa won two categories this year, this is not their first year winning. In fact, they have won over a dozen times. It might be because of the luxurious treatments in a beautiful spa setting, it might be because they have superb aestheticians and doctor on staff, but it might just be because they are in fact the best way to get away when you need one.

EC – TIE – Valar Aesthetics: With his quirky sense of humor, Dr. Bauer always makes his clients feel comfortable. When he looks at you he doesn’t see a face that needs “improving” he sees your natural beauty that you want to shine just a little longer. As a business he proudly supports our LGBTQ community, while being smartly conservative with our faces.

B – Boulder Plastic Surgery: Boulder Plastic Surgery is an ally to the trans and nonbinary communities. Our looks impact how the world treats us and how we see ourselves. Dr. Rouch offers gender-affirming procedures and ensures that all of his clients’ health needs (physical, mental, and emotional) are accounted for during their journey to reach their desired outcomes.

Chiropractor

EC – Chiropractic Center of Erie & Longmont: Our publisher has been seeing Dr. Dave since his days in Boulder (long before YS). He continually wins our Readers Choice because in her words, “the best hands in town.” But the Chiropractic Center of Erie and Longmont is about much more than adjustment, each treatment is coupled with deep tissue and nerve work, giving a full medical treatment to the situation.

B – Chiro Now: Chiro Now is the place to go when you can no longer stand that nasty crick in your neck. In 2015 Dr. Katcher returned to his home state after finishing his training at Palmer College–the first and largest training ground for chiropracty–2013. He’s worked with Olympic athletes, and is an expert at treating clients of all ages.

Veterinarian

EC – Jasper Animal Hospital: If you read our Chocolate, Donuts and Dogs article in June 2022, you will know BOCO is losing many of their small town vets to corporate buyouts. Jasper is one of the last of the locally owned and has been our favorite because of their caring touch for 20 years.

B – Arapahoe Animal Hospital: Members of the community for over 68 years, Arapahoe Animal Hospital cares for animals of all kinds every day of the week with day and evening hours. For over five decades, they have proven their veterinary excellence by being accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association. Only 15% of vets are members!

Medical Center

EC – BCH Erie/Lafayette: For over 100 years BCH has been the place for healthcare in Boulder County. The Erie/Lafayette Medical center opened in 2019 to provide access to their world class care in East County. They care for people of all ages and offer everything needed to stay healthy, including an Urgent Care if you need stitches!

Medical Center & Hospital

B – BCH Boulder: BCH continues their winning streak for excellent patient care. People of all ages, genders, and sexual orientations praise BCH for caring for them as individuals and not numbers. They are able to adapt to our needs because they are a nonprofit owned by the community. Their many locations makes care efficient, effective, and easy to access. This is Boulder’s hospital. After CU Medical School moved its hospital to Denver, BCH opened as a community nonprofit hospital in 1922 and has cared for the community every day since. Recognized nationally for excellence in everything from stroke care to maternity care, you are in good hands at BCH.

Hospital

EC – Good Samaritan: I’ve had many family members treated at Good Sam, and it’s a beautiful hospital. Every staff member is focused on providing the highest quality of care for all of their patients and their families. The nursing staff is Magnet Certified for excellence (less than 10% of hospitals have this distinction!).

Dentist

EC – Greg Keene – Keene Smiles: Like Vets, Dentists are also getting bought up by big corporations. Thank goodness we still have Dr Keene. His down-toearth personality, exceptional staff and local vibe make his office one of the best, but his expertise is what makes it even better.

B – Rachel Barone – Gunbarrel Dental Center: Dr. Barone knows most people have anxiety about the dentist. She works hard with her team to foster an environment of compassion for her patients. Many find that they no longer fear visiting the dentist after becoming her patient!

Doctor

EC – Dr. Brad Brown and Dr. Sara Schuster – Strive: Dr. Brown and Dr. Schuster were fed up with insurance companies dictating how much time they had with patients. The solution? Strive – where patients pay a monthly fee instead of dealing with insurance, and all their healthcare needs are focused around them. It’s usually much cheaper, and your doctor is always only a text away!

B – Dr. Voss – Boulder Ortho: Doctors either have good bedside personalities or they don’t. Dr Voss has the BEST bedside but as a surgeon he is pretty well-known too, often called in for flight-to-life situations.

Tattoo

EC – Auspicious Ink: Atmosphere is key for creating art. Since 2008 Auspicious Ink has been honored to create high quality fully custom-curated body art for the community. Their studio is always spotless and filled to the brim with positive vibes. Their goal is to connect, collaborate and care for each human who enters their shop.

B – TIE – Rising Tide: Founded in 2005 as a one-man shop, Rising Tide has evolved into a multi-function space where both tattoo art and fine art (think canvases) can be enjoyed. They host both permanent and traveling artists in their studio. You’re sure to find something that suits your skin–or walls!

B – TIE – Boulder Ink: This is the oldest tattoo parlor in Boulder and a past winner! Today they host 5 artists with over 75 years of combined experience and are specialists in the American Classic style and large-scale traditional Japanese bodysuits. They always welcome visitors to hang out and check out portfolios even if there isn’t an imminent plan to get ink.

Shopping

Show Store

EC – Browns Shoe Fit: Service-oriented, charming store in historic Longmont has served the region since 1946. Huge selection of shoes, generations of local shoppers have gone to Browns for everything from running/walking shoes to flip flops. Runner-up: My Savings Grace

B – Pedestrian: A perennial winner. There are two locations of this family-owned business in Boulder, including on the Pearl Street Mall. Richard Polk founded this store back in the 70s and actually started it by selling Birkenstocks out of his van. This family-owned and run charming shop has an enormous selection of name brand footwear including Birkenstock and Chaco. The company supports nonprofits and local events: truly walking the talk. Runner-up: Shoe Fly

Eyewear

EC – Carbon Valley Eye Care: When Dr. Berger told us he was merging his practice with a partner and they were building the largest Center in the North Metro offering eyecare specialties like no other, we thought he might be crazy. But it turns out he knew exactly what he was doing as did Dr. Koditek. Carbon Valley Eye has a great selection of frames, but it is their expertise and specialities that make them stand out. We can see why readers keep voting them the best.

B – Envision: Patients love this practice for its wide range of services and large selection of glasses. Doctor-owned with friendly, attentive service. Post-op care for procedures like cataract surgery and more common care for contact fittings and eyeglass options. Online reviews are fantastic as well, confirming why they were voted Best of the West.

Jewelry

EC – Anspach’s Jewelry; Runner-up: Eric Olson

B – Angie Star: For a city with a rather famous reputation for expensive items, jewelry can actually come at many price points. Angie Star specializes in hand-crafted jewelry, much of it unique and custom-made… If you have gold or diamond jewelry that is collecting dust, the jewelers can apply the price of your old piece as a credit toward something new. Runner-up: Art & Soul

Fashion Boutique for Women

EC – Ivy Rose: It’s so exciting to be able to write about all the cool that has come to East County. Along with restaurants and stages we now have fashion. Ivy Rose has been affordably pairing us with the outfits that look best with their personalized shopping experience for 5 years now. It’s why they keep winning Best Fashion. Runner-up: Due South

B – Kama: While often overused as a term for fashion, Kama the store truly embodies what karma the word conjures up. Picture flowy dresses and tops, denim with embroidered flowers and beaded necklaces. Runner-up: Barbara & CO

Men’s Clothing

EC – Acme Fine Goods: Harkening back to Louisville’s rugged founding days, Acme is also named after a long running coal mine in the area. Whether you yourself are a grizzled outdoorsman or simply someone looking for an aesthetic that conveys images of pioneer Colorado, this is the spot.

B – Weekends: Staff is friendly and helpful when needed, but a bit stand-offish, perfect for men who don’t want to be followed around while they browse for clothes. Don’t want to browse? Shoppers can schedule a private appointment with a stylist.

Consignment Clothing

EC – Found Underground: Brightly lit, cozy shop with ample choices, particularly a large selection of jeans and bags. Consignments are selected by required appointments only and are only on the floor for a select amount of time.

B – Rags: If there is a teen or young adult (or young at heart) in your life, you’ve probably already heard about Rags. Top brands move fast. A destination for shoppers looking for a sustainable way to reuse and recycle. Rags includes top names like Chanel and Fendi. After six weeks, the entire floor is cleared of items guaranteeing a steady rotation of bags.

Shopping District/Center

EC – Downtown Lafayette: The shift from a rather sleepy downtown to a truly charming district with a small-town feel over the past decade has been nothing short of remarkable. Shoppers and diners will definitely run into acquaintances here, but it’s not a “see or be seen” type of district. Very down-to-Earth.

B – Pearl Street Mall in Boulder: It’s hard to believe closing the mall to car traffic was ever controversial. Worth it. Fresh, seasonal flowers cheer up the often-crowded mall most months of the year. Pro tip: Grab a meal or a cup of coffee before heading into Peppercorn, where one can browse cookbooks, hot sauces, linens, and gifts for hours.

Bookstore

EC – Read Queen: Owners Barbra Huntting and Deirdre Appelhans run and operate this woman-owned business, which sells new and used books. Come for the books (a surprisingly large selection given the unassuming modest looking storefront) and stay for the tea.

B – Boulder Bookstore: Follow them on Insta, where you will find events, the staff in ugly holiday sweaters, and the massive gathering of children in front of the store at the annual Munchkin parade. Along with author signings and a wide selection of books, it’s clear why Boulder Bookstore takes the top spot.

Florist

EC – Lafayette Florist: Oh, the service. The old school way of running a plant and flower shop: Shoppers will leave with everything they were seeking, and a million things they didn’t know they needed or wanted. Local delivery is available but the store is a riot of color. Large and spacious, filled with flowers and plants and pots and everything one needs.

B – Sturtz & Copeland: So pretty that flower fans will want to get married every week just to see what their florists can create. Houseplants tend to be long-lasting (depending on how green one’s thumbs are) and very fresh.

Kid’s Store

EC – Pitter Patter in Lafayette: The very definition of “shopping small.” Goods for babies through tweens, mostly clothes. If one has a child, or wants to give a gift to a child they love, Pitter Patter offers unique and interesting choices.

B – Childish Things: Start saying to consignment items for children, most of whom grow out of their gorgeous goodies faster than parents can say “I need to start saving for college.” Also offers new items. Tons of toys featuring Melissa and Doug and used Cabbage Patch dolls that may have mom or dad headed there for themselves. From Yelp: “I absolutely LOVE this place. It is quite impressive how vast the selection is. And how well intact everything is. I always find absolute gems. And I love to consign here.”

Gift Shop

EC – Purple Poppy: Even if the store looks small on the outside of its strip mall location, anything a gift-giver wants will be here. Kitchen towels, jewelry, soaps, and pots of jam. Amusing socks, local honey and a large selection of tea.

B – Sweet Ruckus in Boulder: Reviews from shoppers are very high, but its own social is a little lackluster — but who cares? Much more fun to browse in person anyway. Home goods and body care items are just a short set of offerings from this tidy shop in Boulder. Great, creative cards and paper goods. Very affordable.

Natural Goods

Vitamin Cottage: Oh, what to say? This is not your grandma’s hippie grocer — though they have all those goods as well. Rebranded as Natural Grocers years ago, most people still refer to it as Vitamin Cottage. Bulk foods, organic produce, meat (yes, they went there), vitamins and supplements and anything else you can think of. Buy some wheat berries. Pick up a sandwich. Get some pet food and paper towels.

Musical Instruments

EC – Monkton Guitars: Many fond memories of jamming on guitars, trying out new styles, and discovering a hidden gem of an instrument have been formed here at Monkton Guitars. Dave Williams’ love of vintage instruments led him to create a brick-and-mortar Monkton Guitars in Broomfield after decades of successful online-only sales. Its location has helped preserve some of the classic charm of a neighborhood guitar shop, something every budding young rock star needs.

B – Woodsongs: The music industry has transformed radically over the last 50 years but Woodsongs Instruments, Boulder’s longest running music store, has endured. From the soft-rocking 70s to today, (yes the 70s were 50 years ago!) the sound of choice may have shifted but the place to try out, buy, and care for your instrument is steadfast and beloved in the community, consistently voted as our Best of the West winner, Woodsongs.

Pet Supply

EC – Struttin Pup: Healthy food is the key to feeling well, even in animals. When your pup (or other pet) isn’t quite struttin’ their stuff, it may be time to take them to get a free wellness consultation at Struttin Pup. The hands-on and caring staff will guide you and your beloved pet back to their normal self, which is a huge reason why Boulder County loves them. Plus they only carry natural antibiotic free food.

B – PC’S Pantry: Who says a pantry full of nutritious food and fun treats is only for humans? Not PC’s Pantry, winner of multiple past Best of the West awards, with Mary Lee’s establishment again making an appearance this year. They’ve been around longer than Best of the West has, showing that compassion and quality make a huge impact for pet lovers.

Cannabis

EC – Igadi: Rewards programs aren’t the most exciting thing in the world, unless we’re talking discounts on bud. Igadi’s attempt to demystify the cannabis growing and producing process has helped show both the science and art that goes into crafting quality cannabis products even if the selection is limited to what they produce in-house.

B – Terrapin Care Station: If you’re planning to let your inspiration flow before seeing the Dead & Co. on their final tour, you need to stock up here. Founded in Boulder in 2009, reviews consistently mention quality concentrates as well as friendly budtenders with a great vibe. Terrapin does more than provide a high, they support the The Color of Cannabis and Entrepreneurship for All organization working on racial justice in the industry.

Quilting

A Quilter’s Corner: Even after 23 years of Best of the West awards we still find room for new categories. Introducing our inaugural quilting winner: A Quilter’s Corner. Many of us picked up hobbies over the past few years and A Quilter’s Corner is a well-established place for a variety of materials, classes, and even sewing machines to get you going.

Record Store

EC – Absolute Vinyl: Doug Gaddy is a veritable encyclopedia of music knowledge. With over 12,000 vintage records and facts to go along with each, Absolute Vinyl is Longmont’s ultimate resource for music enthusiasts. For those of us that believe the 50s – 80s were the height of music, this is your home.

B – Paradise Found Records: Another first for this year’s categories: Record Store. Obviously reports of vinyl’s death have been greatly exaggerated – BOCO has 5 record stores now. Paradise Found is Bart’s, rebranded, with owner Will Paradise moving the location back to Pearl Street – where Bart’s was originally first located. Owner Will personally visits the homes of people selling their records to find selections for his very popular downtown shop, which is always abuzz.

Neighborhood & Home Services

Neighborhood

EC – Old Town Louisville: Escape the metro bustle and connect with your small town roots in Old Town Louisville. A lot of character is packed into those five blocks including onehundred- year-old historical buildings, over one hundred businesses, pubs and a museum.

B – Old Town Boulder: There’s nothing like challenging capitalism through a neighborhood dedicated to its local artists. The grassroots cultivated, non-profit NoBo Art District hosts first Friday self-guided art tours, artist exhibits in local businesses, a community art event calendar and a local studio listing webpage.

Consignment Furniture

EC – Fabulous Finds Upscale Consignment Longmont: Find a new couch that will sit well with you at Fabulous Finds Upscale Consignment. For the few fashion-forward Coloradoans not rocking the lumberjack REI look, Fabulous Finds also sells upscale, consigned clothing brands including Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

B – Amazing Garage Sale Boulder: Trying to be the envy of your hipster friends? Find a stylish mid-century modern furniture piece at the Amazing Garage Sale, which is open daily. Peruse their furniture selection from home on their website.

Furniture

EC – Danish Furniture Longmont: Looking to get your ex’s furniture out of your house? Danish Furniture consigns furniture from the community. Along with their selection of consigned furniture, they also sell a collection of new Stressless Brand furniture and offer design services.

B – Arhaus Boulder: With incredibly wholesome values, Arhaus furniture is made from discarded materials like old mango trees that don’t produce fruit and recycled copper. Profits benefit community organizations like Habitat for Humanity and American Forests.

Home Furnishing

EC – Lottie Lane Erie: Born out of a local realtor’s COVID passion project, Lottie Lane features modern, heirloom pieces to decorate your home that encourage enjoying time at home with people you love.

B – Boulder Furniture Arts: Run by a small group of classically trained craftspeople, Boulder Furniture Arts takes the custom approach to making furniture from drafting to assembly. It’s proud to be one of Boulder’s oldest businesses.

Home Improvement

EC – Jax Lafayette Farm & Ranch: Jax is a yearly fan favorite with its large selection of gear designed for any Colorado adventure. The staff is friendly and helpful and can get you set up with tools for jobs as large as ranching or as little as gardening.

B – McGuckin Hardware: Feel empowered to start that home project you’ve been putting off with a trip to fan favorite McGuckin Hardware. Their excellent customer care inspires and helps customers accomplish their home project dreams along with providing miscellaneous services like lamp repair and blade sharpening.

Landscaper

EC – Outdoor Craftsmen: Outdoor Craftsmen brings eastern zen and western structure to your backyard inspired by a clean, modern take on formal English gardens. Whether it’s a seasonal cleanup or a backyard renovation, Outdoor Craftsmen cultivates your outdoor space dreams.

B – Ecoscape: If you dig sustainability, Ecoscape cares for the land through eco-friendly landscaping practices. Certified by Partners for a Clean Environment, Ecoscape offers both landscape services and broader stewardship projects like native revegetation and ecological forest management.

Realtor

EC – Brie Fowler at the Fowler Group: Having a sunflower as a symbol is perfect for the Fowler Group because working with Brie’s sunny personality makes buying a home so much brighter. They even hand out sunflower starter packs for your garden. The Fowler Group has been working with the community since 1960. Long before all the new houses were built. As a third-generation Realtor in the family and a multi-year winner of Best of the West, Brie Fowler and the Fowler Group know BOCO houses better than anyone else. 

B – TIE – Goodacre Group of milehimodern: Goodacre Group of milehimodern is the area’s oldest locally owned and operated real estate company and prides itself on being the local expert on the complex Boulder housing market.

B – TIE – Paul Dart: We can’t think of a kinder person to have won this year. Paul Dart’s soft-spoken nature makes working with him feel comfortable. But don’t let that kindly approach fool you. He is a pro at selling houses. Maybe that is why he proves a good realtor is a good friend.

Plumber

EC – Colorado Green Plumbing Longmont: Colorado Green Plumbing Longmont leaves out the sales pitch and provides knowledgeable technicians to help with plumbing needs. Colorado Green Plumbing offers a free plumbing inspection and low interest financing options.

B – Jim Needham Services: With over 30 years of experience in the Denver area, Jim Needham solves your plumbing needs quickly and without any additional service call fees and prompt, same-day service.

Contractor

EC – Cornerstone Homes: With press nods from New York Times to Boulder County Home & Garden, Cornerstone Homes are third-generation builders who have been building their craft for 20 years. Healthy relationships with clients are the foundation of their work to create living spaces that reflect individual needs.

B – Melton Design Build: A rare feat in the design build world is keeping on schedule and budget with no surprises. Melton Design Build offers clear and consistent communication and a clear timeline while building high quality homes.

Tree Service

EC – Reinholt: With the mission of protecting people and trees alike, Reinholt is a small family business offering tree care in Boulder County with an emphasis on safety and high quality work.

B – Berkelhammer: Fred Berkelhammer has been in Boulder County trees for over 30 years. As a top-rated arborist no one knows Colorado trees like Berkelhammer. But what makes this local organization even better is their desire to make the world a better, greener place.

Education

Place to Play with the Kids

EC – Wow! Museum: This multi-award-winning museum can add another Best of the West to its illustrious list. The museum uses a system of exploration, experimentation, and repetition to create curious learners looking to further explore their world. The Forest of Lights exhibit encourages children, of all abilities, to play in an environment designed by local occupational therapists for sensory exploration. At a low price, Wow! Museum is a great way to help your child become an engaged member of the Lafayette community.

B – Chautauqua: Want to spend more time outside? Nature and history collide at Chautauqua. It is a one of a kind place bridging the gap between the outdoors and education. The park is a place to be active in nature and learn about native plants in the onsite gardens or the history of its historical buildings.

Music School

EC – School of Rock: Sure you can play the hell out of your instrument at home, but what about getting on stage in front of a roaring crowd? School of Rock will teach you how to be a true performer. The Front Range possesses a vivid music scene where students at School of Rock get a taste of what it’s like to be a professional musician. Shift from genre to genre to find your passion, and you may find yourself rocking Colorado’s music scene.

B – The Lesson Studio: Owner and creator, Gary Gutierrez, creates a safe environment where music truly is for everyone. From vocal training to learning the viola, The Lesson Studio has more than a few options to get your student exploring music. The studio was created with one goal in mind: sharing your love for music. The approach of personalizing lessons with applicable practice techniques is designed to ensure the success of all students, so they can share music as a self-assured, creative person.

Summer Camp

EC – School of Rock: For a second year, School of Rock summer camps have won Yellow Scene’s “Best of the West.” It is no wonder School of Rock has been a consistent top pick for Colorado families. The school offers year round camps for musicians of all ages and abilities. Traditional camps solely focus on playing, but School of Rock incorporates confidence building to create self-assured artists on and off stage. Multiple locations mean you won’t have to drive all over town. Your time is a valued character at a reasonable price.

B – Renaissance Adventures: For the third year, parents chose Renaissance Adventures as the Best of the West summer camp for children of all ages. The camps develop skills of empathy and reasoning all while maintaining a creative, safe environment for your child to explore the benefits of experiential learning. The Adventure Quest program is built on this method. It uses exciting plots to engage its participants to navigate through difficult challenges and decisions with support.

Public School

EC – Pioneer Bilingual Lafayette: La Escuela Bilingue Pioneer es un BVSD leader in providing bilingual education for students. El mundo está cambiando. Pioneer Bilingual has a scientifically backed approach to help your student become proficient in another language. Read the reviews. Students love the atmosphere; parents love the approach, it’s why they keep winning.

B – Fairview: It’s not just our readers who voted Fairview the top highschool in BOCO, numerous national publications rank them as one of the best high schools not only in Colorado, but nationally. Known for its academic excellence and college preparedness they take 2023’s top position.

Private School

EC – Dawson School: Dawson School has served our community since 1970 with a mission focused on developing creative students with extensive problem-solving skills. Students and parents alike love the small class sizes. On average, each classroom only has 15 students, and is best exemplified in the Senior Honor Ceremony where the faculty recognizes each graduating student. Faculty and educators take this time to share stories or recognize students’ accomplishments at Dawson. The connections students make with their educators are long lasting and highly valued. It is a small school with a big emphasis on community.

B – Jarrow Montessori: Jarrow Montessori has been in the community for over 50 years providing a certified American Montessori education. The Montessori approach understands that each student’s development comes at their own pace and offers tools to formulate their own concepts Jarrow consistently shows parents their dedication to giving students a well-rounded education that goes beyond the white board.

Professional Services & People

Auto Repair

EC – Stan’s: Since 1984 Stan’s has been providing import and domestic auto and even RV repair in Loveland. Customers love the service they get from Stan and the crew, who continuously go above and beyond for their people. While Stan’s has won Best of the West, just about every year since YS began, their long commitment to community coupled with their trustworthy services has made them a local’s favorite year after year. Be sure to drive by the shop for their famous inspirational message on their sign.

B – Hoshi: Hoshi rarely advertises. Why would they when so many people share the word on this local Boulder repair shop that’s been around for 32 years? Winning Best of the West awards certainly helps, too. Honesty pays off. It’s pretty rare to find an auto shop with positive reviews but they pull it off.

Attorney

EC – Catherine Brown: Catherine has been helping folks with immigration for over 20 years. She has helped countless people make Colorado their home, sometimes even pro bono for those in need. According to reviews, Catherine’s clients feel respected, valued, and supported, like their case matters and she truly wants them to be her Colorado neighbor.

B – Barre M. Sakol, P.C.: Let’s be real, few people want to consult an attorney. Usually that means something is going very wrong. Barre uses his 30 years of experience to help demystify the process and guide you through the legal world so fraught with complications. The legal process can be difficult but your lawyer shouldn’t be.

Bank

Elevations Credit Union: As a nonprofit credit union, Elevations is able to represent the values of the people they serve far more than a typical corporate bank can (or will). This shows in their incredible community contributions ranging from setting up scholarships to community events and education, like “Get Off Your Donkey”, a presentation about wellness for people with desk jobs, a benefit bicycle donation drive, and informational finance workshops in Spanish. They have also been serving Boulder County residents so long they even have customers who still have a 3-digit account!

Auto Sales

B – Fowler Auto: Fowler Auto has grown from state to state across the South and Midwest, keeping a reputation for going above and beyond for its customers throughout its decades-long history. Even if you prefer to avoid dealership service, our readers love the service department at Fowler.

Non-Profit

EC – Sister Carmen: Sister Carmen has been there for everyone in need since 1978 and has distributed over a million pounds of food and household items, and over a million dollars in housing assistance with transparency, respect, and an open heart for all who come to them. The thrift shop is a great way to support this beloved community treasure and get yourself something fun.

B – Community Foundation: Boulder’s Community Foundation is not just for people, but all aspects of living. They hold dear concerns for the environment, as we have seen how the environment impacts people. Over the last year, they have been working steadily with other organizations to help those impacted by the Marshall Fire. They work to build stronger communities, through health, education, and leadership programs, in addition to charitable funding.

Politician

Joe Neguse: Congressman Joe Neguse takes the BOW vote from Polis this year! His dedication to veterans, equity, conservation, climate, education, and civil rights are deeply appreciated by the community. At only 31 years old, Joe Neguse was one of the youngest cabinet members ever to serve. Not only this, but his accomplishments and achievements are a long list of impressive feats, especially for a person of his age, beginning with graduating summa cum laude from the University of Colorado- Boulder.

Artist

EC – Wira Babiak: The art of Wira Babiak’s landscapes have a special essence. She does gorgeous paintings of the Colorado prairies that capture the raw spirit of East County. She is a multimedia artist with major talent across the board and has even brought the stunning fragile beauty of Ukrainian eggs to our area communities. As a Ukrainian immigrant, she is now using her art to benefit humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

B – Adderly Art: Adderly Grant-Lord’s vibrant pinks, blues, and yellows lift the spirit and echo of love. Her soul shines through her work, encouraging you to see, find, and feel true beauty. Her pieces in the Black Futures in Art: We’re Not Just History collection is a spectacular depiction of hope and vitality. As a Carribean-born artist with a background in fashion and art, she knows how to make colors pop and create divine aesthetics.

The post Best of the West 2023: Readers Choice appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Pouring stout. Photo credit: Deborah Cameron

Boulder County is ready.

The second month of the year is still darker and colder than we’d like. Unless you’re planning to hit the slopes or strap on a pair of snowshoes in Rocky Mountain National Park, storms that would have seemed cozy in December now seems like an aggravation that requires us to navigate icy roads and pull the snow blower out one more time.

But there’s a bright spot. February is stout month.

The delicious tradition was established by Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery in 1994 and it’s an anticipated high spot during a slower part of the year. It also honors the creativity and deliciousness inherent in darker, maltier beers that take center stage during winter.

Over the years, Mountain Sun menu of beers has remained incredibly extensive and probably one of the best showcases you’ll find for carefully crafted stouts. When kegs run dry they’re replaced with something equally interesting. We’re talking thin mint stout, chai stout, Belgian stouts, hoppy stouts, pastry stouts, coffee stouts and maybe even a white stout.

True stout lovers go multiple times and you should too. At the same time, other taprooms in the area will also be showcasing their darker labors of love. Try them as well. We’ve got a list of highlights below.

Left Hand Brewing

This brewery showcases a lot of stouts, and while their February lineup wasn’t available at press time, there are plenty of standard options available every winter that are worth trying. Of course, their Milk Stout Nitro is a nationally distributed classic with peanut butter and other versions. But we will always have a soft spot for their Wake Up Dead Russian Imperial Stout, which was our introduction to the high ABV, sweet but not too sweet style that will knock you off your barstool in short order. 

Outworld Brewing

Outworld brewing on Hwy 119 is a unique sci-fi fantasy themed restaurant with a brewer that knows how to brew a dark beer. Their Midnight Robber is a Caribbean rum barrel aged export stout with flavors of coffee, chocolate and dried fruit. They’ve also got a follow up to their previously brewed Black is Beautiful Brew, originally created as a benefit beer in June, 2020 to call attention to injustices faced by people of color. This newly crafted beer is an Imperial Milk Stout with an ABV of 9%. It’s chocolate notes are also flavored with cinnamon and guajillo chilis for a spicy hit of deliciousness.

Collision Brewing

If you’re looking to try an Irish Stout that’s not Guinnes, head to Collision Brewing, located just up the road from Outworld. This dry stout is well made and classic, with notes from darker malts and a fuller body showing through. At 7.1 percent ABV, its not the smallest stout you can order, but it also isn’t the largest.

Finkel and Garf

Located in Niwot on Lookout Road, the team at Finkel and Garf don’t hesitate to show off their brewing chops by competently crafting beers in a range of styles. No surprise – they’re proficient at making a stout as anyone. Their tasty milk stout is one to try, but they also do imperial stouts and pastry stouts. We don’t know what specialties they’ll have brewing for February, but we’ll be sure to stop by and see.

Westbound and Down Mill

Lots of people seek out Westbound and Down for their stouts. Originally in Idaho Springs, when they moved to 95th and Arapahoe in Lafayette, that meant that people in our area didn’t have to go far to access them. Their oatmeal stout is a classic, and their imperial stout is a classic example of their style. In Lafayette, diners can also order a handcrafted, wood fired pizza that pairs well with the malt and hops in their glass.

Avery Brewing

In this case, we’ve saved some of the biggest options for last. And by biggest we mean biggest ABV. Beloved for decades, there was a time when the eye-popping ABV levels of Gunbarrel-based Avery stouts and imperial stouts led the way in creating larger beers than anyone thought. If you want to expand your stout experience this February, don’t dismiss old guard options like Uncle Jacobs stout, Rumpkin Night Watchman and more.

The post It’s February and it’s Stout Month | In The Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Postino Brings Craveable Food & Boutique Wine to the Pearl Street Mall

DENVER – Restaurant and wine bar Postino WineCafé is preparing to roll out its craveable menu and welcoming hospitality to the People’s Republic of Boulder. Since making its Colorado debut in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood in 2015, Postino has become a proud member of the Colorado community – one glass of wine and board of bruschetta at a time. Postino will be located on Boulder’s bustling Pearl Street Mall at 1468 Pearl Street, Suite 110 – across from Illegal Pete’s and Rocket Fizz Soda Pop & Candy Shop.

“We’ve had our eye on Boulder for years,” said Postino co-founder Lauren Bailey. “The stars aligned with the right location and we jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this special community. We’re excited to add a unique gathering place for Boulderites to call their own and can’t wait to join the neighboring restaurants and businesses on the Pearl Street Mall.”

Known for creating eclectic, sophisticated and vintage-inspired spaces, Postino Boulder is designed with the guest experience top of mind. The layout lends itself to a casual meetup or buzzing social hour with intimate tables and lounge areas fit for any occasion.

A unique focal point of each location (think Postino LoHi’s book wall or Postino Broadway’s decoupage of groovy concert playbills), Postino Boulder elicits whimsey and nostalgia with an art wall featuring hundreds of pairs of reclaimed roller skates – a nod to a scene in the early ‘70s and ‘80s “Mork & Mindy” sitcom when Robin Williams’ character roller skates down the pedestrian Pearl Street Mall.

Postino’s menu includes a bountiful selection of must-have bruschetta, charcuterie boards, from-scratch soups, fresh salads and panini sandwiches. For shareable bites, the menu features “Snacky Things,” which include the OMG Grilled Cheese served up with a piping hot and creamy tomato soup dip; butter poached shrimp scampi; sweet potato wedges; and more. The 12 delectable bruschetta offerings include brie & apple with fig spread; smoked salmon with pesto; sweet n’ spicy pepper jam with goat cheese and more. Other guest-favorites include the Brussels sprouts salad with kale, Brussels sprouts, Manchego, spicy Marcona almonds, bacon, and lemon-Manchego dressing topped with dried cherries; the Nine Iron Panini, with sugar-crusted smoked bacon, grilled chicken, fresh stracciatella, mixed greens, tomato and Dijonnaise; and The Bounty Board, a rustic medley of heirloom carrots, cauliflower, broccolini, sweet pepper, blistered Brussels sprouts, nuts, roasted artichokes, watermelon radish and a green goddess dressing that will instigate last-bite-fights. Postino’s menu offers various options for dietary restrictions, including gluten-free bread and vegetarian options.

Famous for its award-winning wine program, Postino serves an ever-changing selection of boutique wines – including more than 30 varietals by the glass – along with ten beers on tap, including selections from local Colorado breweries such as Odell, Ratio Beerworks, Left Hand, Oskar Blues, Upslope and more. Alcohol-free libations include hand-crafted refreshers like the Apricot Palmer, Cucumber Honey Lemonade and Blackberry Smash, all of which are made with Postino’s house-made lemonade.

The weekend brunch at Postino is in a category all its own and will appeal to Boulderites and visitors looking for a curated selection of satisfying offerings like Umbria Egg Toast, featuring scrambled egg with crema and white truffle, crispy oyster mushroom, and Parmigiano Reggiano atop a toasted ciabatta; and the Seeded Avocado Toast with Calabrian chile tahini, hard-boiled egg, watermelon radish and lemon oil. Brunch cocktail highlights include the spritzy Lectric’ Eye composed of Cappelletti, Dolin Blanc, fresh lemon juice, and soda; and the Sherry Mary, a Postino take on a classic Bloody featuring Oloroso Sherry, Rainwater Madeira and Bloody Mary mix. Postino also offers $6 Mimosas and Bellinis on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Happy hour will be available daily until 5 p.m. every day of the week, during which all wines-by-the-glass and pitchers of beer are an approachable $6. Every Monday and Tuesday evening after 8 p.m., guests can enjoy Postino’s iconic “Board & Bottle,” which includes a bottle of wine and a bruschetta board for just $25.

For more information about Postino WineCafé, visit www.postinowinecafe.com or follow Postino on Instagram @postinowinecafe.

About Postino WineCafé

Postino WineCafé was born in a historic 1940s-era Arizona post office in 2001 and has since been dedicated to giving customers a hyper-localized dining experience within the community. Postino co-founders Lauren Bailey and Craig DeMarco built the Postino brand on a foundation of revitalizing buildings and creating spaces that are integral to the neighborhoods that surround each location. The menu offers wine from a bevy of varietals; a wide selection of beer on tap and in bottles & cans; an eclectic selection of snacks, soups, salads, and paninis; a dozen different types of bruschetta; a selection of desserts; and a host of non-alcoholic beverage options. For more information, visit postinowinecafe.com.

The post Postino WineCafé to Open in Boulder On the Pearl Street Mall appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

There’s no shortage of pleasant ways to imbibe across the Front Range. From festivals, dive bars, and taprooms to hiking, camping, glamping, rafting, bird watching, ax throwing, game–playing, ice fishing, post-hot air ballooning, and sports watching (or despairing). We could go on, but the point is that you can pair a drink with almost any setting. But one of the most pleasant might be to find a group of like-minded people eager to not only imbibe their favorite beverage, but to mix it with just the right amount of learning.

We’ve got groups for the social and curious who might just make a few new friends along the way. If this sounds like something you’d like to try, by all means, do it.. We have, and we don’t regret it.

Courtesy of Visit Longmont

Roosevelt and Küper Clubs
Küper Wine Bar, Longmont

Longmont’s newest wine bar is located just off Main Street by Roosevelt Park, and they’ve got two tasting clubs for customers to choose from. The first is their Roosevelt Club. With limited memberships available, members are allowed to pick a minimum of two bottles for purchase from a selection of six options. They can base their selection off of a free, private tasting, and two bottles are generally $50 to $80 a month. The second option is the Küper Club, where, for $15 monthly, members receive a selected tasting flight. Members are also invited to special group events. 2023’s series will lead off with a sommelier-led riesling discussion in January.

Courtesy of Spirit Hound Distillers

Science and Spirits, Cocktail Classes
Spirit Hound Distillers, Lyons

In addition to making the whiskey that won the 2022 London Spirits Competition, Spirit Hound knows how to host amazing events. One of them is aptly named Science and Spirits, generally held the first Thursday of the month. These presentations fascinate attendees with talks ranging from animal biology (There was a talk on pikas in December.) to geology, astronomy, and more, all provided by local scientists or scientifically focused organizations. On top of this, they also have monthly cocktail classes that cover ingredients, cocktail histories, recipes, bar tools, and mixers. There is a per person fee for cocktail classes.

Courtesy of Downtown Longmont

Distilling Dames
Dryland Distillers, Longmont

Some women may be interested in whiskey but may find that learning about about and tasting the spirit is more comfortable in a female-only environment. Established several years ago, this group allows women to taste, talk, and learn about spirits hands-on. Most recently, the group gathered last November to help select the community entry for its 5th Annual ‘Nog Off egg nog competition.  Future dates of the group haven’t been set as of press time, but members can check the distillery’s online calendar or sign up for email notifications.

Courtesy of Left Hand Brewing Co.

Ales4FemAles
Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont

Ales4FemAles has been a gathering group for women interested in beer for nearly a decade and a half. It was founded by Cinzia Wallace, the general manager and wife of Left Hand Brewing co-founder Eric Wallace, during a time when it was considered surprising for a woman to fully appreciate craft beer. Since then, it has offered twice monthly seminars on tasting, judging, and brewing craft beer. The seminars also provide The seminars also provide beer paired with a light meal. Members have created their own their own brews, met for brew days, volunteered at brewery events, become friends, and at least one has gone on to found their own brewery in the area.

Courtesy of Farow

Monthly Cocktail Classes
Farow Restaurant, Niwot

At just over a year old, Farow is one of the area’s newer fine dining restaurants, but it compliments its elevated food program with a sought after happy hour and a top notch bar experience. Each month, their bar manager offers craft cocktail classes, each one focused on a different cocktail or drinking experience. December’s class was focused on champagne, which was appropriate for just before the New Year. Other classes have focused on Scotch, spritzers, and mezcal. Classes are priced per person, per class.

The post It’s 2023… isn’t it about time you joined a drinking club? | In the Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Tyler Goddard

Holiday libations just got easier

I’ve been on a health kick the last few months, one that I expect to continue through the holidays. It’s been tough, but the silver lining is that I discovered mocktails, and they’re going to be one of the things I’ll keep enjoying through the new year.

My recent passion isn’t always easy for the bartenders I meet, but they’ve answered the challenge with innovative, beautiful concoctions. Now, Colorado mixologist-turned-businessman Tyler Goddard is piloting a new line of custom cocktail mixes in Boulder County that could help bartenders the next time a customer like me is in front of them. They’ll also make alcohol-fueled drinks easier and quicker to make, something especially needed when things get busy and people want something festive in their glass at the holidays.

Goddard knows that bartenders and restaurants can have trouble getting that flavor profile just right in a cocktail, especially during busy seasons when bar lines grow. Too much alcohol makes for a hot flavor profile, and too much sugar can be unpleasant. He created LeVita Beverages’ expertly blended mixers to help. The Colorado company’s pre-mixed cocktail recipes can fill the cocktail shakers of restaurant bars as well as home parties with balanced proportions of fresh ingredients.

Miguel Vazquez, chef/owner of Aperitivo Bar in Niwot, has been carrying the mixes for the past two months. “We have a bunch of classic cocktails and specialty cocktails, but LeVita gave our menu a sexy touch. The colors and flavors are very unique and include flavors from around the world,” he said.

We tried alcohol-free versions of LeVita’s Asian Fusion with ube and lychee, and it was sweeter but still light. There was nothing syrupy about it at all. The gimlet was also light but had a little spice to it, enough to make the drink warm but not overpowering. The spicier margarita was fresh and delicious with a bit more heat that tasted appropriate and fun.

Lychee cocktail

Goddard explained the philosophy behind his offering. “Everything I have is something that bars would need a trained staff in order to make well. But I’m doing it so that it can be delivered to a bar or to a home party and have a fast, easy cocktail.” He further shared, “It only takes a bartender ten seconds to replicate, and if the cocktail is alcohol-free, that’s even quicker to pull together. Then they can garnish it and send it out.”

A graduate of Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder, Goddard learned his craft from spending time behind a bar. His blends take advantage of both his culinary knowledge and his ability to help drinkers find what they like. He’s also experienced enough to realize one of the benefits of his mixes is that they reduce cocktail ingredient waste, something restaurants with tight budgets care deeply about.

Goddard has found pre-mixes also help restaurants that are experiencing limited staffing and high turnover behind the bar, a situation that’s grown more common in recent years. They’re easy for new staff to learn even if they’re solo at the bar facing a line of happy hour customers.

While there is a core lineup of mixes, what Goddard has developed can have customizable packaging that guests can receive as a favor at holiday corporate events or home-based parties. Outside of the holidays, people have taken advantage of this option for weddings and created something that guests are glad to take home.

So for this holiday season and beyond, , the drink in your glass could possibly come from a Colorado-made, pre-mixed bottle. That in and of itself is something to toast to.

The post Mocktails and Cocktails Find a New Convenient Factor | In the Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Making breakfast paella. Photo: Deborah Cameron

We love a good surprise!

In the first few fresh days of 2022, there were a lot of things I’d hope I’d get to try. My annual food bucket list included steak with a blueberry black pepper cabernet sauce (got that one) and lobster mac and cheese (still haven’t tried it yet … maybe in 2023). But then there were those things that I didn’t expect would pass my lips. When something new crossed my path, I took a chance and tried it, and I’m really glad I did.

Hot beer: Hot beer is a centuries-old tradition that used to be a staple in homes and taverns. Primitive Brewing in Longmont’s Prospect neighborhood is bringing it back. Beer lovers pour a darker beer into a thick glass that can stand up to some temperature differentials. Then it’s time to heat it with a specially-made, wood-handled poker that’s been in a fire for a while. They put the poker right into the glass and once it was removed, drinkers were free to imbibe. We re-pokered it when it got too cold, and the flavors only improved.

Honeycomb ice cream: For sugar fans, honeycombs are exceptionally delicious, but adding them to ice cream takes them to the next level. We first had it in Happy Cones New Zealand-style Hokey Pokey ice cream sold at Tip Top Savory Pies in Lafayette and Gunbarrel. For this traditional recipe, beloved by native New Zealanders who don’t often find it in the States, the honeycomb is combined with pieces of toffee. It’s rich, textured, and addicting.

Pickle beer: This beer flavor, in both regular and spicy, has been a Texas favorite for a while now. After a trip to that area, Bootstrap Brewing owners Steve and Leslie Kaczeus brought the concept to Colorado. People went crazy for it. The brewery couldn’t keep it on tap, and distributors wanted it in cans. Considering that, in the past, there’s also been an Oskar Blues mustard beer (we tried it, and it was delicious) and an Oregon-brewed spicy ketchup beer, maybe we all need more condiment-themed beers in our lives.

Bacon cheeseburger brats: These brats at Blackbelly Market in Boulder really blew our minds and were perfect for eating outside in the sunshine. Blackbelly Market offers house-butchered meats daily at their location on Arapahoe Ave. Their sausage includes bacon, cheddar, pickles, and red onion. And if a burger in a brat isn’t your thing, Blackbelly has had fun with Gyoza brats and pizza brats. What’s next, taco brats? We wouldn’t be surprised.

Breakfast paella: The rice, the seafood, the flavorful socarrat (bottom crust)—we enjoy paella whenever we can. But for breakfast? That wasn’t something we expected until we were offered it at Café Aion’s booth at the Boulder County Farmers Market. The version we tried had breakfast sausage, eggs, and vegetables, but one could also enjoy paella with chorizo, bacon, kidney beans, and olives.

Pumpkin sushi with balsamic vinegar: We love to sit out on the patio at Hapa Sushi on the Pearl Street Mall watching passersby as we find something fun to eat on the menu. Always open to trying something different, so when a harvest-themed sushi roll came up just before Thanksgiving, we added it to our list. What came to our table was tempura fried kabocha squash, framed by sushi rice and seaweed and lightly garnished with balsamic. We were intrigued and, in the end, liked it. We’re not sure we’d order it all the time but having tried it once was a treat.

The post The Most Unexpected Things to Eat in 2022 | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Courtesy of Toro Latin Kitchen & Lounge

The menu is available now until November 6

As guests approach the entrance of Toro, the Pan Latin American Restaurant in Cherry Creek, they’re welcomed by a generous and colorful altar, or ofrenda. Positioned at the side of the door and extending parallel to the bar, it serves as a warm invitation to step into the restaurant and its culture. 

The ofrenda was built by Toro’s Executive Chef Oscar Padilla in just six hours as part of an annual celebration. His quick work was the result of years of practice. Though he was born in Los Angeles, he spent his youth in Mexico living with his grandmother and learning the tradition from her.  

Now settled in Colorado, Padilla looks forward to putting his Dia de Los Muertos celebration together for customers. “One of the purposes for me working in Toro with Richard Sandoval and making these events is that I get the opportunity to share with guests and neighbors what’s behind these amazing traditions. It’s something I love and that I want to share with everybody.”

As we talk, there are a few things Padilla communicates particularly eloquently. One of them is clarifying the focus of the celebration. “People think we are celebrating the dead when it’s totally different. We are celebrating life and remembering all our family after they pass away. It’s a celebration, a party to remember what they love and still give it to them when they’re on the other side.”

He also wanted to clarify that, in Mexico, celebrants use the term “Dia de Muertos,” dropping the “los” that’s become common in the U.S. He shared that celebrants can still honor deceased individuals from the past, even when those individuals’ families aren’t around.

Toro’s chef is at his most passionate when sharing his culture from in front of a stove or over a tortilla press. His three-course specialty meal at the restaurant proves this point. It begins with Tortilla Talavera, fresh tortillas featuring edible flowers to mirror Talavera tequila bottles.  It also includes green pipian, white mole, panela cheese, mushrooms, and the condiment al ajillo.

He serves the tortillas family style, explaining that “People think that a taco is a dish, but it’s not a dish, it’s a style of how people eat. People use a tortilla as a plate, a spoon, even as a napkin. In Mexico, there’s a tradition where people buy a lot of different things and people can add what they want to it as they go along.”

The tortillas are followed by a second course: Mole Coloradito Enchiladas with pork picadillo, plantain, almond, crema fresca and seasonings. Following that is a sweet course he’s named El Ritual. It has calabaza en tacha cream, caramelized phyllo, a mandarin chocolate sauce, palo santo smoke, and cempasuchil marigold ice cream.

Padilla also talked to us about the other elements of his holiday celebration including the structure of his ofrenda.

Toro’s features prominent Mexican entertainers including the actors Cantinflas and Sara Garcia as well as the iconic wrestler El Santo.

The ofrenda also features a prominent photo of Padilla’s grandfather who traveled widely making his living as a mountain climber. Padilla shared that it was an occupation that led him to his wife. “My grandfather was in a climbing club and my grandmother was in a different club. One day, they met on the peak of a mountain in Mexico (the volcano Popocatepetl) and fell in love. The rest is history.” Now, the entire family, including Padilla’s aunts,uncles, wife and kids, climbs. However, Padilla himself eventually let climbing fall by the wayside in favor of cooking.  

When she wasn’t climbing, Padilla’s grandmother not only taught him about Dia de Muertos and other traditions, she was also his first culinary teacher. “There were just a few of us, 15 or 20, and she made food for 40. Then she reached out to all the neighbors. She showed me that dinner isn’t only for food, it’s to share with everyone. That’s something I want to share here at Toro.”

Padilla’s grandmother still lives in Mexico but remains a cherished part of his life. She is currently in the middle of extended travel in the U.S. Her itinerary is full of adventurous experiences such as camping at Yosemite with family; spending time in Las Vegas casinos; and visiting area 51 in New Mexico. 

At the end of the trip, she’ll visit with Padilla and when she returns to Mexico, he’ll accompany her. They’ll celebrate Dia de Muertos together and with family, at home. The same way he’d done years ago.

As he describes it. “It’s one of the more beautiful celebrations and traditions that Mexico has to share with everyone. People celebrate at home and in the cemetery too. It becomes a kind of party. It is beautiful.”

The post Toro’s Executive Chef Oscar Padilla creates menu for Dia de los Muertos and shares his culture appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Adam Avery at the 2022 GABF

The Friday session for the Great American Beer Festival’s 40th anniversary wasn’t blessed by the crisp fall weather the festival often enjoys. Instead it was gray, damp, and a little chilly. In other words, perfect weather for a festival-appropriate warm flannel and malty beer.

I headed to the Colorado Convention Center to pick up my press pass wondering how GABF’s return after a two-year hiatus due to COVID would be.

There were some clear changes when compared to a few years ago, though overall it was still the event I’d grown to love. The Boulder County brewers I talked to were glad to be back and, as we started to walk through the rows of booths and beer drinkers, we found ourselves talking with Eric Briggs, co-founder of Lafayette’s Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co. Between pours of Key Lime Gose, he shared his thoughts: “An absolutely awesome event. It’s weird, different to be here.” He added, “So much about downtown has changed. Falling Rock isn’t here. Freshcraft isn’t here anymore. But it’s still great to be back and incredible to see everyone here.”

As we walked further into the hall, we took note of what was the same as years past and what had changed. The first thing we noticed were fewer stalls and ample amounts of floor space, likely due to the fact that recent construction at the convention center resulted in 25% less floor space. There were still more than 500 brewery booths, a handful of food trucks, and live entertainment that went beyond the well-known silent disco.

We also noticed more costumes, including our favorite, a sparkly Elton John-Dodgers baseball player, and the festival’s ever-present bagpipers. We were also glad to see glasses rather than plastic cups had returned. There were three types: one for general guests, one for brewers and media, and one for PAIRED® attendees, an option that allows the guest to experience beer and food pairings.

Crowds at the 2022 GABF

Paired sessions felt different to us this year as well. It felt more crowded, with lines that moved faster but were longer than what we recalled from years past. We loved each of the pairings we tried and thought particularly highly of Wibby Brewing’s pairing of Jack’s on the Rocks, a Rauch Märzen Steinbier lager created with Jack’s Abby Brewing, with duck fat, mushroom, and chicken salt popcorn.

We were excited to see Boulder County chefs here, including Kelly Whitaker and Mara King of Basta and Dry Storage, who coordinated the Wibby pairing. As part of this, they added an equally delicious pairing of kimchi watermelon with Wibby’s Home Team pilsner. In another part of the room, Daniel Asher of River and Woods and Ash’Kara coordinated with Oregon’s Deschutes Brewing, pairing a Middle Eastern “crunch” taco with Deschutes’ imperial stout and a raspberry quad with chevre tartlets.

We returned to the beer hall to stop by some local brewers at their booths. We saw that Howdy, once just a fun name for a delicious pilsner, has become its own brand with its own GABF booth since being bought by the folks at Stem Ciders. Niwot’s Fritz Family Brewers was also pouring their well-loved standards. Across the hall, Robin Wibby, co-owner of Wibby Brewing poured for fans, handing out blowup pink flamingos to enthusiastic beer drinkers happy to have anything crazy.

At one point, we found ourselves on the receiving end of a Rumpkin pour from Adam Avery, namesake of the nearly three decades-old Avery Brewing, who talked to us while pouring Rumpkin into our glass. He was as enthusiastic as anyone else in the hall. “It’s f***ing great. I love the energy. I love the people,” he said. “After the years of it not happening, everyone seems generally happy to be here and enjoy great craft beer.” 

Of all the people we spoke with, he was the most likely to have attended more GABFs than anyone else. We asked how this one compared to the first. “Funny thing is, I can’t remember.” he said with a sly grin. “Must have been fun.”

Through the years, it’s perhaps the parts of the experience that haven’t changed that keep us coming back. Craft beer, friends, costumes, pretzel necklaces, and fun — whether it’s entirely remembered or not.

Good times.

The post Malty Good Times Return: GABF Returns for a 40th Anniversary Event | In The Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

It’s hot out. You just finished hiking that fourteener, or maybe you’re sitting at home in front of the air conditioning unit. Either way, you need to get a cold drink in your hands as soon as possible. From intergalactic brews to unparalleled spirits, BOCO is overflowing with top-tier places to drink. So get down from that mountain, or get off your couch. It’s time for a drink.

Redstone Meadery

Photo: Alisa Meraz-Fishbein

Redstone Juniper Berry Mountain Honey Wine, 12% ABV, $23 for a 750 mL bottle

Mead is not a new alcoholic drink by any means. In fact, it is likely the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage. Made from fermented honey, mead highlights the diverse flavors honey can take on.

Redstone offers both carbonated Nectars and still Mountain Honey Wines. The Juniper Berry Mountain Honey Wine is one of Redstone’s most popular bottles. A dry mead, it’s made with orange blossom and dessert blossom honey that makes you feel like you’re lying in a sunny meadow. What makes the Juniper Berry truly special, though, is its woody and slightly spicy finish.

Dry Land Distillers

Photo: Alisa Meraz-Fishbein

Dry Land Cactus Spirit, 41% ABV, $72 for a 750 mL bottle

Dry Land, which has been open for over four years, prides itself in its unique spirit selection. One of its most popular is the Dry Land Cactus Spirit, made out of Texas-grown prickly pear cactus. The cactus is smoked over a mesquite wood fire for 48 hours, ground, cooked, and then fermented with cane sugar.

The cactus spirit serves as a wonderful base for the Dry Land Smoky Margarita, made with orange juice and freshly squeezed lime. The drink is bright and sweet, but the cactus spirit steals the show; its smokiness hits you from the start and lingers even after the glass is empty.

BOCO Cider

Photo: Alisa Meraz-Fishbein

$8.50 for a 10-ounce glass of on-tap cider

Right away, this cider tastes special. It’s probably because of the labor-intensive yet rewarding process that owner Mike Belochi takes. BOCO Cider is made with no sulfites and no forced carbonation. Instead, they use keg conditioning to make the ciders bubbly.

BOCO has over 15 rotating flavors on tap that can be mixed to create even more unique flavors. At the moment, Mike’s favorite combination is a one-to-one ratio of the Bougie d’Pomme (pressed Boulder County apples that are then barrel-aged) and Third Sip Sour. However, the Mango Tango packs the biggest punch. Made with seven different peppers, it’s so spicy most people don’t drink it by itself. Mike noticed that the select few who ordered it on its own were mostly women. “I think they have a higher pain tolerance from having to deal with their partners all the time,” he chuckled. Try it, but maybe have a glass of milk on hand (dairy-free, if you insist).

Outworld Brewing

Photo: Alisa Meraz-Fishbein

$5-$7 for a 10-ounce glass of on-tap beer

This brewery is literally out of this world. Futuristic and sleek, it was designed to look like the inside of a spaceship. Co-owner Nicc Elgh and her family crafted an entire storyline to go along with Outworld’s ethereal appearance. “My family and I are an intergalactic order of brew traders whose ship got stranded on Earth,” Nicc said, going along with the storyline. “All sorts of people and beings come through and mingle.”

Outworld provides numerous craft beers on tap with names stemming from BIPOC speculative fiction and Afrofuturists. They also have specialty cocktails, including The Kuat (named after a shipyard in Star Wars). This specialty drink featuring Disaronno amaretto, bourbon, lemon juice, and orange bitters is worth a try —you don’t even have to leave planet Earth to taste it!

West Side Tavern

Photo: Alisa Meraz-Fishbein

Bada Bing, $12

This tavern, located in Longmont’s quaint Old Town, has an impressive menu of drinks and hearty food. The inside is warm and unique, with a metal skeleton riding a white owl welcoming you upon entering.

West Side has six rotating beers on tap that are mostly from local breweries. They are also well-known for their cocktails. Made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, their old fashioned has won a national award, as has their bloody mary drink. However, owner Wes Isbutt is particularly fond of the “Bada Bing.” This cocktail features vodka, cherry balsamic shrub, lemon, and homemade rosemary syrup. The drink is topped off with a rosemary sprig picked from a bush in the tavern’s backyard; the sprig is lit with a blowtorch and then dropped into the cocktail giving the drink a wonderfully charred, smoky flavor which nicely offsets the sweet and fruity drink.

Carelli’s

Photo: Alisa Meraz-Fishbein

Cavalli Martini, $12

Although often thought of as just a restaurant, Carelli’s has an inviting bar offering a variety of craft and mixed drinks. The Cavalli Martini is one of their most popular. It is made out of Ketel One pineapple-infused vodka and a splash of pineapple juice. One sip and suddenly you’re at the beach, waves lapping your feet. The drink is served chilled with a sugar rim and leaves you with a sweet, delicate, and slightly floral taste.

Creating the pineapple-infused vodka is a labor of love. The vodka sits in a jar filled with pineapples that are precisely cut and shaped to fit the angles of the jar; it takes 36 pineapples to fill the jar, and they are refilled every month.

Spirit Hound Distillers

Photo: Alisa Meraz-Fishbein

Spirit Hound Straight Malt Whisky, 45% ABV, $50 for a 750 mL bottle

Spirit Hound’s whisky isn’t just good, it’s the best. They won Whisky of the Year at the 2022 London Spirits Competition with their Straight Malt Whisky (specifically Barrel 138).

They also make a Cask-Strength Malt Whisky, which is a high 125 to 127 proof. This is the star of the Robert Burns cocktail, composed of Cask-Strength Malt Whisky, house-made vermouth, a cherry infusion, simple syrup, cacao bitters, and a walnut extract. It’s topped off with an orange twist. The Robert Burns is warm and nutty and packs a powerful punch; unlike other drinks, this one is limited to one-per-customer because of the proof of the whisky.

The drink was created on Robert Burns Day, a holiday celebrating Scottish poet Robert Burns. That day, Spirit Hound had Burns’ poetry lying around the bar and gave customers a free drink if they read one of his poems aloud in a Scottish accent. They aren’t doing this promotion now, but it wouldn’t hurt to recite some Burns poetry at the bar and see what happens.

DV8 (Deviant Spirits)

Photo: Alisa Meraz-Fishbein

DV8 Vodka, 40% ABV, $25 for 750 mL bottle

DV8 is a party. The inside is colorful and inviting, with custom-painted walls and a stage hinting at performances to come. This distillery is welcoming to all, even those who are gluten-free, thanks to their vodka and single-barrel whiskey made out of 100% rice. Rice has a sweeter and softer profile than wheat or barley, making DV8’s rice spirits unique.

Of their vast array of mixed drinks, the Thai martini is one of the most memorable. It features DV8’s house-made spicy Thai vodka, their regular vodka, basil, lime juice, and simple syrup. The Thai vodka is infused with bird’s eye chili, which delivers a gentle spice. The basil adds a fresh and savory profile to the martini.

Japango Sushi Restaurant

Photo: Alisa Meraz-Fishbein

Kakuhido’s Revenge, $18

Japango is more than a restaurant. “I see us as a high-class bar that offers sushi,” one of their bartenders said. The sleek yet inviting inside, full of wooden accents and warm lighting, sets the scene for an appetizing evening.

The drink menu offers unique takes on classic cocktails, such as Kakuhido’s Revenge — a mashup between a paloma and a tequila sour. This drink features bold ingredients including Japango’s house-made strawberry- and habañero-infused tequila, yuzu citrus, shichimi togarashi, and an egg white, and New York float. The drink is beautiful to look at, and when you take a sip, don’t be surprised if your pinky suddenly begins to rise — it’s that fancy. However, for such a delicate-looking drink, it packs a punch. The strawbañero-infused tequila coupled with the spicy togarashi on the inner rim of the glass adds a powerful spice to the otherwise fruity drink.

Erie Social Club

Photo: Alisa Meraz-Fishbein

ESC French 95, $14

Erie Social Club has an impressively extensive spirit and cocktail menu for being such a new business; owner Nick Varnadoe opened its doors in February of this year. It also offers a small food menu with many vegan options and serves as a space for weekly and monthly events to unify the community.

Erie Social Club has already developed a strong following. By the bar, a woman was ordering the ESC French 95. She said she suddenly craved the cocktail, so she drove all the way from Brighton to get it.

The ESC French 95 lives up to the hype. Created by mixologist Kelley Graham, it features Jones House gin, lemon, rosemary, simple syrup, and champagne. Aquafaba gives it a foamy top. “This is a twist on my mom’s version,” Kelley said. “She used to make it in a blender with an egg white.”

Boulder Spirits 

Photo: Alisa Meraz-Fishbein

Boulder Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey Bottled In Bond, 50% ABV, $69 for 750 mL bottle

Boulder Spirits is the oldest distillery in Boulder County and is a leader in American single malt whiskey. They are distributed in 10 countries and 20 states, and have won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. All that is to say, they know what they’re doing.

Currently, Boulder Spirits is only open for private events and tours, as is their tasting room. However, bartender Ryan was nice enough to whip up an old fashioned with Boulder Spirits’ American Single Malt Whiskey Bottled In Bond, smoked orange bitters, and housemade ginger syrup. They adhere to the “keep it simple, stupid” idea, according to Ryan, “but that being said, we have fun.” This motto reigns true in the drink; it is well-balanced while highlighting the rich, lightly fruity whiskey.

The Corner Bar

Photo: Alisa Meraz-Fishbein

Burnt Orange Old Fashioned, $13

The Corner Bar, opened in 1980, is full of statement pieces gathered from across the country. The beautiful wood frame of the bar, for example, was salvaged from a bar in Oklahoma that was going to be torn down. The chandeliers came from New Jersey and had to be transported on a steam train and then a horse and carriage. Maybe most striking of all, a stuffed moose named Bruce hanging above the bar came from Montana. Coincidentally, it was a bartender named Bruce who shared this information. “People will ask if the moose was named after me,” he said, laughing.

The drink menu is composed of beers, wines, and cocktails. With a new season around the corner, the cocktail menu is expected to change; however, the Burnt Orange Old Fashioned is here to stay. Made with grilled orange- and cherry-infused bourbon and bitters, the drink is satisfyingly sweet and citrusy. It’s meant to be sipped slowly, over a long conversation with Bruce (both the bartender and the moose).

The post Crafted Cocktails: Local spirits that are sure to delight | Indulgence Issue 2022 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Salmon. Photo credit: Faith Elizabeth Hale

Though it’s not in an old town shopping area, or part of a group of mall stores, Collision Brewing on Highway 119 just outside of Longmont, has become a bit of a destination. Hungry diners visit the garage-themed restaurant for delicious food and exceptional beer. It’s the type of place that quickly becomes a favorite, one you spend Saturday nights with your friends at and tell your family about.

Burger. Photo credit: Faith Elizabeth Hale

Eric Blythe is Collision’s founder, co-owner, and has a deep passion for food. We had a few minutes to talk to him after enjoying a resonant and hearty orange maple bourbon salmon with jasmine rice. We also got to sample a few of their beer tasters, most notably a refreshing blueberry lime goose and a dessert-worthy (though we’d have it anytime) banana peel out, with smoky bacon, chocolate and banana notes.

Collision is a family business. Blythe owns the business with his brother who also produces the beer after starting his career brewing for his family’s pizza business, Nicolo’s Pizza.

“My brother and myself have been in the restaurant industry since we were fourteen years old. So that’s where we started. As a waiter, I started working at Pepperoni Pizza Kitchen as a cook and slinging pizzas back in the day as we kind of got out of high school. But my parents had an opportunity to open the pizza over on Pace,” he said.

Though Blythe started brewing beer as part of the family business, opening Collision was an opportunity to take brewing and pizza to another level. It was also an opportunity to work together as family again, and to give their parents a break from the rigor of day to day restaurant operations.

But getting Collision going was anything but easy.

A few false starts kept Blythe and family from getting to where they wanted to be. Their first focus for a location was in Old Town Mead, in the building that currently houses Ziggi’s headquarters. “We started working with the developer who owned that property as a build-to-suit. We started working with them and kept submitting things to the city of Mead and they would turn them down, drag their feet, wouldn’t move forward with it because they literally wanted a drive-through coffee shop there. That’s what they told us.”

Once they moved on from Mead, they still didn’t find their location right away. They looked into a place in Firestone, but that didn’t work out. After a long search, they finally found their current location as well as an investor to make it happen.

“My dad had the first conversation,” he shared. “They sat down and started talking and it led into where we could kind of build our dream. That’s where Collision is a giant concept. It’s a collision of all of our passions under one roof.”

And in the end, for Blythe it really is about a melding of passion and family. “We have absolutely loved what we’ve done since day one. Not just your Collision but Nicolo’s Pizza as well. Big thing was really working with our family home every single day, day in and day out and having fun.”

Cocktail. Photo credit: Faith Elizabeth Hale

Peach and greens summer salad

We asked Blythe what he cooks when he’s not at the restaurant and wants a nice meal. Without much prompting, he shared his recipe for a peach and greens summer salad. Though it’s not on the menu at Collision you can still enjoy it in your home kitchen. Enjoy!

A cup of washed arugula per person
Light vinaigrette
1 oz. Haystack mountain goat cheese
1 tsp sliced almonds
1/2 peach per person, sliced.

Combine the greens and vinaigrette, lightly tossing them together. Crumble the goat cheese on top, and follow with sliced almonds. Add peaches to the top. If desired, grill peaches using a light oil prior to slicing and adding to the salad.

The post Off Menu with… Collision Brewing appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Boulder County’s distilled spirits are standing tall in some of the best competitions in the world. Case in point: earlier this spring Spirit Hound, the nearly decade old distillery, in Lyons took home Whisky of the World for its single-malt whisky at this year’s London Spirits Competition. It scored 96 points and earned best in show for the competition which is known for highlighting the best spirits worldwide. It was the only US-based whisky to win gold. 

We talked to Co-founder and Head Distiller Craig Englehorn and Spirit Hound’s new Chief Executive Officer Brad Stevenson, who was the former COO of Founders Brewing. Englehorn shared about the night he learned they won the award.

“I was up in my office and my events coordinator was with me. I got a congratulations email from a UK magazine. I turned to her and asked if we got notified that we won whisky of the year. She said she didn’t think so. We started doing internet searches and I saw an article headline that said ‘US Wins Big in London spirits competition.’ Turns out, the competition announcement went into spam and we didn’t see it right away.”

There’s been a lot of activity at the brewery since that fortuitous notification. Stevenson said they’re now getting visits from people who had often driven the distinctive brown sign that marks Spirit Hound’s entrance on Ute Hwy/Hwy 36 just before Lyons’ downtown. More liquor stores and distributors are calling.

Overall, the distillery said the award drove 125% sales growth. Even before the win, the Spirit Hound team was looking at expansions and are even planning to add on to the building and expand. Now there’s even more exciting growth.

Photo by Deborah Cameron

When we stopped by the distillery, the prize winner was out of stock, but we had a close version of the award winner. “All of our malt whisky is made from the same recipe and are aged single barrel,” said Stevenson, “Very similar profiles.”

When we sampled the single malt and noted some peat profile, smoothness and some oak. We also tried it in a Robert Burns cocktail with Spirit Hound vermouth, a cherry infusion, cacao bitters, walnut extract and orange peel. We recommend both.

Avery Brewing Reunion Collab at Call to Arms

Chris Bell, former Avery Brewing Company brewer and founder of Call to Arms Brewing reunited over a dozen former Avery friends and co-workers for a collaboration last month.

“I began to work at Avery in 2011. It was an amazing experience,” Bell said. “We brewed in the Avery alley and the best thing about that location is the people. My former boss there is now our production manager. We talked about what it would be like to get everyone together. Things went from there.”

Bell estimated that there may be as many as a half dozen breweries that have been founded by Avery alumni. In addition to Call to Arms, participating breweries for the collaboration included current Avery Brewing staff, Denver Beer Co, Ska Brewing, The Rayback, Rocky Mountain Barrel Co., Harmonic Brewing, New Belgium Brewing, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Stonecloud Brewing, and Station 26 Brewing.

Photo by Deborah Cameron

“This was a great opportunity for all of us to get back together, make beer together, reminisce about making beer in several storage units in the Alley, which is what we did. We even had people flying in from both coasts, California and Vermont. Adam [Avery] was able to make it. It was amazing.”

The group brewed a 6.3%, fruit-forward, tart, tropical IPA. It was made with citra, waimea, galaxy, cashmere, and riwaka hops. The beer is currently available in 16 oz cans and in draft at breweries. Craft beer fans can view a video of the day at: https://f.io/pf1bIOGX

The post Spirit Hound Colorado Whisky Wins Worldwide Honor / Avery Brewers Reunite | In the Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

Summer time is camping time in Colorado. For many of us, camping time is drinking time. We’ve got our canned, craft beer and seltzer for hiking and water sports, and many of us stock our camping site for after hours with a nice clean whiskey, a dark, roasty stout, or a portable cocktail kit that makes anyone a rustic mixologist.  

We’re here to help make sure you don’t wind up camp drinking the same way you’ve been doing it for years. Sure, it’s easy to break open a can of something you are used to, but we have three ways to shake up your routine. 

Put a Hot Poker in Your Dark Beer

If you think beer is always supposed to be served cold, we’re asking you to reconsider. Immediately. Throughout history, there’ve been many instances where beer has been served as a hot drink, and that trend is on the way back.

As you set out to camp this year, consider bringing a four or five-foot, relatively clean and heat-safe, metal poker along with your camping supplies. If the night is a little chilly at altitude and you’re camping where a fire is allowed (and please be careful about this given the state’s well-warranted fire bans), heat your metal poker in the fire for 15 minutes or so. Once you’re sure it’s heated through, pour a strong, dark beer halfway up a thick metal or glass cup. Let the head settle, rest it on a table or tree stump, and then place the poker in it. You won’t need to hold it for more than a minute or so. When a thick foam rises at the top, it’s done.

We tried this last fall at Longmont’s Primitive Beer and were amazed at the experience. The flavor of the beer tastes different, sweeter or with a more-forward maltiness, and the foam tastes like marshmallows. We’ll say it again – marshmallows. We were also surprised that the beer didn’t get that hot. After the foam settled we repeated the poker-ing process two more times. By the third time, the beer was at its most hot and flavorful.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

Use Snow Like Hawaiian Shaved Ice 

We know it’s the middle of summer and that it’s hot, but one of the things about Colorado is that it’s possible to always be around snow. If you’re camping or hiking, or on a river at altitude and there is snow around, it can be a really fun drink ingredient. Either collect fresh and clean snow in a cooler when you’re out and bring it back to camp or pack some drink supplies on your day’s adventure. 

Once you’ve collected the snow, you have a lot of options for how to work with it. Firstly, know that just about any drink that uses ice can use snow. You can firmly pack it into snowballs and substitute it for ice cubes, or you can leave it nice and loose to make a frozen margarita or your favorite adult slushy. If you’re making a slushy, keep the airy snow in the glass first, mix your cocktail ingredients separately, and then drizzle them over the snow. We tried it last year and found it was hilarious. Full disclosure, we had a tough time working with the snow because it melted pretty quickly. but this year is going to be different. We’ll bring a better cooler and work faster. We’re going to get it down.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

Replenish with a Cocktail

If you live for adrenaline adventures, you probably had an active day while camping. Even though you may want to relax after with some nutritious food and an adult beverage, the right mixer can help you combine your alcohol with more functional ingredients. 

An example of one of these, made here in Boulder, is Mortal Power. It’s a sparkling beverage from the makers of Mortal Kombucha with varieties that include electrolytes, magnesium, and collagen that help you replenish while you relax.

Aside from these benefits, it’s delicious and lower in sugar than other similar products. Be aware though, the mixer’s probiotics are often negated by alcohol. If you want to fully take advantage of its benefits, Power or other mixers work just as well in a mocktail or as something to sip on its own.

The post Camp Drinking: Three New Ways to Fill Your Cup Outdoors | In The Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Summer is coming and with it the craving for something flavorful to sip on under the sun or in the air conditioning. For everyone 21 and over, cocktails are an indulgence that can satisfy that thirst. At Bear Creek Distillery in Denver, owner David “Dbo” Baker and bar manager Megan Heenan are the masterminds behind the cocktail menu, and they really understand the components necessary to mix a drink with summer vibes. 

With Colorado being a hot spot of fresh, organic, local ingredients, these high quality components are found in drinks, too. Heenan commented that at Bear Creek, “We make everything in house that we use. We use all fresh ingredients, all fresh juice. The bell pepper juice, we’re cutting up bell peppers and juicing them. Turns out you can do that. We really like to focus on what we can get fresh and local.”

Red Panda Bear Cocktail. Photo courtesy of Bear Creek Distillery (Left of Frame Photography)

Heenan also thinks seasonally when it comes to creating Bear Creek’s drink menus. “We’ve switched to quarterly menus, and that’s because we want to use the freshest ingredients that we can. Strawberries in December,” she shrugged, “they’re not great, so we don’t put that cocktail on our menu.”

Strawberry Balsamic Smash Cocktail. Photo courtesy of Bear Creek Distillery (Left of Frame Photography)

During the summer however, the Strawberry Balsamic Smash is a taste sensation. With strawberries, cucumber, lime, and balsamic vinegar accompanying Bear Creek’s own rye vodka, it’s 100% refreshing. Sticking with a fruit base, “Salinity Now is a salted watermelon vodka cocktail with Himalayan pink sea salt,” explained Heenan. “We make our own saline solution for it,” added Dbo. Their summer cocktail menu highlights more rum and vodka. With the winter menus, Heenan noted, “we go more whiskey and bourbon forward.”

Salinity Now Cocktail. Photo courtesy of Bear Creek Distillery (Jake Pedroza Photography)

Something else Heenan looks for in a summer drink is that it’s light. “We do a really great version of the Painkiller called Feeling No Pain. Sometimes Painkillers use that cream of coconut that is really heavy. Ours is a lot lighter, so it’s kind of a twist on that.”

Feeling No Pain Cocktail. Photo courtesy of Bear Creek Distillery (Jake Pedroza Photography)

In a similar vein, Heenan noted, “I love our version of a mojito because it’s not too sweet. I feel like we’ve all gotten those crappy mojitos that are, like, way too sugary and way too sweet. So it’s really nice and light.”

One of Dbo’s favorites is the Tiger Shark, “that particular cocktail was one of those things where it was seasonally appropriate as a tiki cocktail and kind of has that ocean vibe to it that can be carried all the way through the year. There was something about just trying to hone in on a shark and water for me.”

Tiger Shark Cocktail. Photo courtesy of Bear Creek Distillery (Jake Pedroza Photography)

“One of the silver linings of the whole pandemic thing, is that we’re now able to sell packaged, to-go cocktails. Everything that you need is in there, all you gotta to do is shake it up and pour over ice. Sometimes, depending what you get, you might have to add some soda water or some ginger beer, but we’ll give that to you too.”

Dbo reflected that to-go cocktails are much more convenient than trying to help people mix their own Bear Creek cocktails at home, “Here’s a bottle and a bunch of complicated ingredients to go home and try and make on your own. Nine times out of 10, you don’t want to go home and coconut fat wash a bourbon … or juice a bell pepper.”

How long does a to-go cocktail last? “That kind of depends on the cocktail.” Heenan explained. “Obviously, the ones that are more spirit forward, like our Bold Fashion, any kind of Old Fashioned-style drink that’s mostly whiskey is gonna last a lot longer than, say, the Red Panda or anything with a lot of fresh juice. That will probably only last a couple days versus like a week or so for the other ones. You’ve still got a little bit of time. You can always kind of freeze them too.”

Dbo expressed, “We’re excited to be able to share this space again with everyone. Honestly, this month of April has felt more normal than the last few years.” Stop by Bear Creek Distillery’s tasting room or pick up cocktails to go, which are available until 2025 under HB21-1027.

Bear Creek Distillery Bar. Photo courtesy of Ashley Kay Mauer

In addition to Bear Creek, distilleries are popping up all over Colorado, many of which are also creating their own concoctions. Pay a visit to DEKI Spirits, formerly On Point Distillery, in Lafayette, Spirit Hound Distillers in Lyons, or Mad Rabbit Distillery in Westminster, just to name a few.

Drops at Hops n Drops. Photo courtesy of Hops n Drops.

If you’re looking for something a little more family-friendly, Hops n Drops in Broomfield has unique cocktails, some of which are served to you in a glass made of ice, or you can pay one of our 2022 Best of the West East Boulder mixologist winners a visit; Jennifer at 24 Carrot Bistro or Hannah at Piripi.

If alcohol isn’t for you, there are bars for the sober-curious, such as Awake Denver. Some restaurant and bar menus already feature mocktails, but if they don’t, feel free to ask your server or bartender what they can put together.

If Heenan and Dbo have inspired you, sign up for a mixology class or two and invite your friends or make it a date night. They aren’t just for people interested in a certification for bartending, they can be a fun way to better understand how drinks are formulated and can be taken in person or online. You’ll be able to mix your own drinks at home for yourself, or for your guests, to get your perfect summer flavor combo.

The post Summer Drinks: Our picks for the most delicious local beverages you can put in your glass appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Quench your thirst this summer! Plenty of establishments in and around BOCO are waiting for customers. Support these local businesses!

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The post Libations Map 2022 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

Did you resolve to cut back on alcohol for your New Year’s resolution? How’s it going? If you need something to further your resolve, maybe a new approach or a fresh start, then the options for where you can socialize are growing.

If you’re sober-curious or determined to cut back on alcohol even just a little, it doesn’t have to be deprivation-filled and difficult. It’s getting easier to find at many bars alcohol-free, interesting cocktail options that are consciously designed for taste. Not just sugar and fruit juice bombs with a little seltzer or souped-up slushies but carefully created specialty alcohol-free drinks.

Options made with nuanced recipes, carefully crafted for your glass, have been out there for a while now. We tried one a few years ago at Black Cat Bistro that was so delicious, we didn’t miss alcohol a bit. But until recently, you had to know where to look.

Now, it’s getting easier to find alcohol-free establishments with music and other adults–something that feels more nightlife-cultured than a coffee shop. One of these is Awake, a sober bar and coffee shop in Denver’s Jefferson Park neighborhood that’s been so successful, it has announced plans to expand through franchising efforts. 

Owners Billy and Christie Wynne were inspired by their time in France where they experienced a growing non-alcoholic social scene. It was alcohol-free, sophisticated, and fun. When they came back to the U.S., they couldn’t find anything that quite replicated it, so they made their own place. They wanted it to be something that would present living alcohol-free as a positive experience – healthy and in the moment, not framed by loss and denial. 

Awake opened as a coffee shop in November 2020 and expanded to an alcohol-free bar – AF in Awake’s shorthand – on Mother’s Day weekend the following year. Now they have an AF bottle shop too. The space is elegant and adult – somewhere you’d like to linger. Drinks are made with carefully selected alcohol-free spirits like whiskey and tequila, which you can enjoy by the glass or purchase by the bottle in their shop. 

The cocktail names alone promise a good time. There’s Love Point No. 9 with Sexy AF Amar-Oh, For Bitter or Worse Saskatoon, rose, lemon, and Anima Mundi Euphoria. Further down on the drink menu is the New Fashioned with Kentucky 74, bitters, and an orange twist. There are plenty of choices for AF beer, wine, and spirits on the rocks too.

We talked to General Manager Grace Mestecky Davis about her job.

“I never liked drinking, and it felt hypocritical to build these cocktails with alcohol,” she told us. “When I heard they were looking for a mixologist, I was so excited.” 

Mestecky Davis said that customers are appreciating what Awake has to offer.

“We knew this concept was new and niche in the market, but we could never have anticipated the response. Ever since we’ve been open, we’ve been pretty busy. But since Dry January, it’s been really strong.”

How busy is busy? Mestecky Davis said that while their fire code allows for 45 people on Saturday nights, they can turn that over multiple times, serving 300 people or more.

Some differences in this bar: What’s in your glass doesn’t have to be just non-alcoholic, it can actually be healthy.

“Butterfly pea flower, raw honey, mugwort. Anything that has a nutritional value. Many of the spirits even have a healthier herbal component to them.”

Another difference: last call. It’s at 10 p.m., and it’s calmer than last calls at spots that pour alcohol. 

“It’s easier not to have to kick as many people out of the bar,” she said. “It’s calmer. For sure.

Awake’s Light and Stormy

Combine 2 ounces of Three Spirits Social Elixir and non-alcoholic ginger beer over ice in a Collins glass. Garnish with a lime wedge, and enjoy the uplifting, euphoric effect of this herbal play on a Dark and Stormy.

The post Yes. There ARE bars for the sober-curious | In The Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Ok, fine. This is not a bar tool at all, but a mixer. Well… it’s not even a mixer, but a drink for casual days, on warm afternoons, or to chase down a meal. Yellow Scene connected with the CBD Seltzer drink community recently; lucky me. I’ve been drinking a lot of CBD drinks lately and I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the offerings.

CBD, if I’m honest, came slowly to me. First as a tincture after an injury (I began adding it to coffee) and later in the form of flower and pre-rolls. I also got some really excellent CBD muscle balm from the good folks over at CO Lift Hemp Company. The flower was also from them and I’ve been in love with their products since day 1. But I digress…

James and James Craft Sparkling Hemp Beverage

First on deck, James and James Craft Sparkling Hemp Beverage comes with 25 mg of full spectrum CBD. It’s non-GMO, caffeine free, gluten free, and pesticide free. It’s non-alcoholic with no sugar, calories, or carbs. I feel healthier just typing that. J&J comes in two flavors – Cherry Vanilla and Cucumber mint – to start. Will they expand? I don’t know. I settled on Cucumber Mint, a combination of two of my favorite flavors. J&J is crafted from hand-harvested flowers in Longmont, Colorado, by Founder James R. Ott and his team.

Truth be told, I drank one and was loving it. Halfway through my second I was so thoroughly enjoying the relaxation that I didn’t realize I had consumed 50 mg of CBD and was feeling rather chill. I did try it as a mixer with some whiskey, which didn’t really work out, but it definitely worked out with my current favorite choice of vodka, Russian Standard, which was introduced to me by one of my favorite neighbors. I do have a great fondness for locally produced vodka but it’s really hard to beat high quality – and inexpensively bottled and available – Russian vodka.

OhHi flavor line-up

The last CBD beverage I got was the OhHi, randomly shipped to me, though accepted with eager appreciation. The marketing sheet says that they bottle this goodness “in the mountains of Southwest Colorado where outdoor sports and the lifestyle culture that accompany them aren’t passion pursuits, they’re daily activities.” SOLD!

They see this line of CBD seltzers as “healthy, alternative, and delicious additions to [the] outdoor lifestyle. It’s an alternative, and alcohol- free, though easily used as a mixer as I figured out. These are low sugar (5g of pure cane sugar), low calorie as opposed to the sugar-free James and James. It’s “guilt free, THC free, non-intoxicating meaning no hangovers, with all natural flavors and terpenes.” I can attest to all this after pounding three and feeling fantastic.

OhHi beverages are packaging these sparkling seltzers with 20 mg of CBD. They come in Ginger Basil Limeade, Lemon Lime, Grapefruit, and Pomegranate. I can tell you before you’ve been tasting them all that pomegranate was my favorite. One sec… Ok, I just finished tasting them all and Pomegranate was my favorite.

We’re sold here at YS. We want this In The Cups that we serve ourselves and our friends. We want this in our mixers. We want these stocked up for warm days and nice hikes (please remember to pack in and pack out everything you bring). That all said, CBD beverages are definitely, undoubtedly, 100% the current wave and the wave of the future. Get on deck with these because they will definitely be making their way into our kitchens and bars.

The post CBD Sips: My New Favorite Multitask Bar Tool | In The Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Libations that make our lives worthwhile

We raise our collective glasses to toast the vintners, the distillers, the brewers, and the baristas who spend their lives, their love, their money, and their energy on keeping us libated, liquored up, awake, and loose. We love a summer sip, to dance under stars when the wine hits, to shoot vodkas with strangers in random bars, and to recall it all over a cup of coffee.

As F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “Here’s to alcohol, the rose-colored glasses of life.”

(All photography by De La Vaca unless otherwise stated.)

Image by Joshua Smith

BOCO Cidery – English Style Cider

I’m told this is their flagship cider. It’s Washington Apple Juice pitched with English yeast. Their official drinking notes say that it’s “delicious apple with hints of pear and notes of caramel.” We agree that it’s delicious. Because it’s so good, it’s foundational to many of the other ciders they make. They use it as a base cider. For example, the Mango Tango, which has “a peck of peppers including Poblano, Anaheim, Habanero, and Jalapeño to create a hot dance between sweet and spicy.” Surprisingly, given I tend to dislike pepper drinks, the blending here is nuanced and definitely delicious.

The Sink – Passion Fruitini

“It’s a little sophisticated, sweet-savory drink,” my favorite bartender tells me. “It’s got passion fruit, lime, citrus vodka, a splash of simple syrup, and topped with a champagne floater.” Our bartender has created this cocktail himself, so you can’t find it anywhere else; he’s only been bartending for three months and already a mixologist. Some people are born for the bar life. It’s a large drink, at 10oz, and gorgeously presented. Take a date for the casual bar fare – or a fancy burger – then spice it up with this high-level libation. Everything about this drinks screams “yessss, please enjoy me and then order another.”

Mountain Cowboy Brewing Company – Sassy Sarsaparilla

“This take on a White Russian is a hand-crafted cocktail made with our house root beer” – yes, they make their own in house – vodka, coffee liqueur, and a splash of cream. It looks like a root beer float with the heavy cream floating on top, and it tastes like you’re getting a buzz at a 1950s soda fountain. Ron (the co-owner with his wife) tells me they may get to canning it one day after I joke that I want it at home on a warm movie night. All the concoctions are made in house. They’re definitely killing it in Frederick, CO.

West Side Tavern – Paper Plane (Bada Bing, and Old Fashioned)

Some people are born to entertain. Wes is an old school cocktail guy, having won awards in Vegas for his creations. He guarantees his Old Fashioned is the best you’ve ever had, but starts with a Paper Plane. It’s a classic 1940s libation, equal parts rye, Aperol, lemon, and amaro. Shake it, serve it up, lick your lips, and wonder why you’ve been missing out. Wes also folded a paper plane, put it on a skewer, and laid it on top. I could tell you about the Bada Bing, but I’m not going to. This place is delectable and your visit is required.

The Old Mine – Cider Flight

These, I’m told, are the core ciders that are always going to be around. The Handlebar started it all and is enough to hold down the entire shop. It’s “a burst of refreshing apple fruitiness and a hint of tartness… liquid gold.” My flight is rounded off with Crisp Pear (same process as Handlebar, different fruit). And lastly we have Colorado Sunshine. Citra hopped, like a smooth, apple-infused IPA, it’s the cider of choice for discerning craft beverage drinkers. It’s my favorite. Lastly we had a hibiscus citrus pear. They’re all fantastic.

Image: Western Pine Photography

24 Carrot – Farmer’s Daughter

I know – living in the country – a few farmer’s daughters. Few I like as much as this drink. This huckleberry-infused vodka, cucumber, lemon, balsamic, and agave godsend is the cocktail that started it all when they opened six years ago. The manager told me, “It’s a little sour, a little sweet, and really balanced, really refreshing with the cucumber. A great patio drink.” I concur, sir. I was loving the muddled cucumber and I have to say it’s one of the few drinks I finished in this round of reviews.

DV8 Distillery – The Pride (and an Espresso Vodka)

I first had a Pride during one of their massive parties. Maybe the bartender was tired? This one was fantastic and changed my mind. It’s a party drink but it also speaks to the identity of DV8, which is openly queer-friendly, a safe space. Pineapple vodka, lemonade, and a splash of a few other things and voilà… delicious. The Espresso Vodka is a perfect sipper. I want to put it in a mug (with a single large cube) and watch a movie with the fire crackling and now that we’re in fall I can. Note that this is an authentic, natural infusion. This is real.

Grossen Bart – Chin Curtain IPA

I surprised GBB with my drop-in. They weren’t ready with a favorite drink. The bartender spotted a regular and yelled, “Tyler! He’s a regular. Tyler, what’s your favorite beer?” And Tyler knew, deep in his soul. Not a moment of hesitation and he says: The Chin Curtain. I must’ve looked bewildered. The name is funny and I didn’t expect it. It’s an IPA named after a beard, with an UnTapped rating of 3.8 out of 5. It’s not overly hopped, which I liked. It’s not overwhelming. It’s smooth AF. Plus, I just love the vibe of this place.

Dry Storage – Sonoran and Soda

Using Dryland Distillers’ Light Wheat Whiskey (same Sonoran grain as their bread baked), this cocktail is completed with sparkling water. Simple, elegant, hydrating. The simplicity (and whiskey style) recalls Japanese whiskeys and the grain harkens back to the bakery, making the use of Dryland for these cocktails a perfect choice. This is light, there’s water – good drinks and good nutrition matter, keeping you hydrated matters – so you can session these and drink with friends all day. We suggest the patio. It’s wonderful.

Giovanitti Coffee Roasters – Latte, Nitro Cold Brew, & Coffee Slushie

It’s a fantastic espresso, I’m told. Having lived in Europe I expect my espresso served as a shot. I do love a latte though, and this double shot had me living my best life in a matter of minutes. I followed with a Nitro Cold Brew tasting. These have never been great to me but this one is done right. Lastly, and most fun, is the Coffee Slushie. Cold brewed coffee, organic oat milk, topped with hazelnut flavoring. I took this one to go.

Bookcliff Vineyards – Malbec Reserve

“Our Malbec Reserve is different from our regular in that it is aged longer in Oak (18 months), comes from our most prized vineyards – that is the Hawk Ridge region of the valley – and is one of our most popular wines.” Malbec grows well in CO and Bookcliff is doing a fantastic job cultivating it. It’s to the drier side, full-mouthed with a softer nose than I expected. Excellent tannins and legs for days. It’ll cellar well so you can grab a few bottles to spice up a meal. It took silver in San Francisco at the International Wine Competition 2020.

INJOY Tavern* – Till the money runs out

The bar manager/mixologist/genius at INJOY told me it’s a “nod to some musicians that reference green chartreuse.” It’s a smoked glass, rye whiskey (they use Woodford Reserve Rye), green chartreuse, and sweet vermouth. The floral herbaceousness of the chartreuse stands out, as does the smoke that magically lingers. I wasn’t even at INJOY for a cocktail review but had to include this. It’s a perfect drink and officially my new favorite whiskey cocktail. *INJOY was not on my review list but it was so good I bumped one to include it.

The post 21 BOCO Drinks: Libations That Make Life Worthwhile | The 2021 Indulgence Issue appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

As the weather warms, bars and restaurants are inspired to look towards the dirt to source garnishes and cocktail ingredients.

Summertime is green time and what’s floral and herbaceous in your backyard, planter, or farmers market stall can translate to an unexpected ingredient or colorful accent in your cocktail glass.

We’ve talked to restaurants, mixologists, a distiller, and a cider maker throughout Boulder County to ask them to share their knowledge of close to the dirt garnishes and ingredients. Turn up the flavor and style profile on your favorite home based cocktails with these garden goodies.

Kendal Lew

The Wheelhouse, Niwot

This gathering spot opened at the end of 2020 and shares a wall with Wheel Works, Niwot’s popular bicycle repair and sales shop on 2nd Avenue. Plenty of Boulder County cyclists stop there after their ride, with good cause. When bar manager and mixologist Kendal Lew greets customers, she’s not afraid to suggest something grown to enhance the alcohol.

Lew said that sage is one of her favorite herbs to use because it adds unique depths to what she’s serving. “While sage may seem like a winter garnish, it pairs beautifully with cucumber. A sage and cucumber vodka lemonade is incredibly refreshing on a hot summer day.”

According to Lew, another common herb, basil, can bring out an unexpectedly versatile flavor range when paired with cocktails. It complements the sweetness in strawberries, the herbal profile of gin, or the tart of citrus.

She reminds home mixologists to always bruise herbs before garnishing with them. Her technique is to place the herb in one hand and slap it with her other hand a few times. “The act of bruising the leaves releases their aromas. It is incredible on the nose when you go to sip your cocktail. It makes a HUGE difference.”

Ashley Milikin

West End Tavern, Boulder

Drinkers know that West End Tavern has a lot going on behind the bar. One of the restaurant’s most requested summer selections is their Galactic Lemonade. It’s a far cry from the kind of mass-produced, Mike’s Hard Lemonade-styled drinks found in a tub of ice at a backyard barbecue. (No disrespect to Mike’s. Our editor loves PBR and we just don’t get it.)

While the freshness of the citrus and sugar gives the drink a sought-after flavor profile, in addition to taste, it features one of the most interesting grown garnishes available in a summer drink.

“We infuse vodka with butterfly pea flower,” said General Manager Ashley Milikin. “This gives it an incredible blue-purple hue that’s known to shift in tone. It also has a slight earthy flavor that complements fresh lemon juice and lavender syrup. It also looks great perched on top of the glass rim.”

If you want to use it at home, butterfly pea garnish isn’t something easy to find at grocery stores, though you can try scouting it at some specialty retailers in the area or order it online. You can also grow it at home in the spring. Just make sure your drainage is good and amend the soil so its a bit acidic. Once they’re going, be warned — these plants love to climb. A trellis is a must. Once grown, flowers should be dried before using.

After you’ve sourced the flower, you can use it in alcohol, food, and even tea. It’s fascinating to experiment with how it changes color based on other ingredients you pair it with.

Fabio Stefani

Jax Fish House, Boulder

Jax Fish House has been a beloved Boulder seafood destination since it first opened on Pearl Street in 1994. The site of many oyster-filled happy hours, the bar has always been an important part of coming to Jax.

In the last decade, lots of restaurant drinkers have asked for the Coin Margarita when they place their order. Lots of reasons exist, but this is one: the aromatic garnish of cucumber and orange plays with the senses and completes the drinking experience in a gorgeous and unexpected way.

Jax GM Fabio Stefani talked about why he thinks this drink is one of their top summer requests. “A blend of silver tequila, fresh muddled cucumber, orange, triple sec, and lime; it’s a refreshing and crisp take on the classic marg.” We love a good update to a staple cocktail.

Kelly Dressman

Dry Land Distillers, Longmont

You can find lots of great stops in the alleys behind Longmont’s Main Street in Old Town, including one of the city’s standout hard alcohol makers, Dry Land Distillers. The short, broad sign over a modest door gives entryway to a building that used to be Valley Farm Dairy in the late 1930’s. Now it’s a gathering spot for adults who want to relax with friends.

Kelly Dressman talked about one of the most herbaceous options they offer. “One cocktail that we are featuring currently is the Highlander. It features our light whiskey, thyme simple syrup, fresh squeezed lemon and a house-made chamomile liqueur. We garnish with a sprig of thyme needled through a fresh lemon rind as a finishing touch.” That’s layers of garden garnish, all of which is easily grown or found in the neighbor’s yard. Go ahead and grab some. We’ll give you a boost.

Bobby Mitchell

Centro Mexican Kitchen, Boulder

Mexican restaurants along the front range can offer a varied experience, from expected standards to boundary pushing innovation. Whatever you’re looking for in that spectrum, you can find and if you’re headed to Centro, you’re going to find a more unique twist.

That spirit is more than represented at their bar, which puts an herbaceous twist on their typical margarita. Going beyond lime, sea salt, tequila and sugar, Centro offers a herradura blanco margarita with cucumber, jalapeno, fresh basil, and agave topped by a spicy jalapeno.

General Manager Bobby Mitchell talks about why it’s a happy hour favorite. “A little bit spicy and a little bit herbaceous, it’s what people want in their glass when they’re looking for a work break at the end of a hot, still Boulder summer afternoon.”

Tristan Chan

Stem Ciders Acreage, Lafayette

With a huge bar, easy entry to an oversized patio overlooking Lafayette, and tons of room to spread out at picnic tables and Adirondack chairs, Acreage by Stem Ciders is one of our favorite summertime hangout spots. While plenty of the ciders there naturally feature botanicals, the bar also features cocktails where grown herbs kick up the beverage’s flavor profile.

Acreage spokesperson Tristan Chan shared some of what their mixologists said work best for subtly highlighting their cocktails. One example is how they use sugar to candy fennel, and then add it to a drink they call a Hoped Kicker. They also combine raspberry cider, rosemary, thyme, sage and lemon for a refreshing spritz. The garnish for this drink couldn’t be simpler – a rosemary sprig.

For drinkers who want something more traditional, it’s hard to talk about herbs in the summer without including a mint julep. Stem’s ‘cider julep’ includes their Banjo Laws, which is a whiskey barrel-aged cider with crushed ice and mint simple syrup. An expected mint leaf is the garnish in this case. 

The post Grown Garnishes | Summer Drinks appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

We’re going to state the obvious first: If Willy Wonka (the Gene Wilder version) made a liquor store, it would be The Candyshot. It’s a shop staffed in colorful uniforms, ice cream and soda cases full of alcohol, and shelves brimming with other adult beverages.

We can’t imagine that there’s a happier place you could go to for party prep or to stock your bar at home. We also wouldn’t be surprised if short, green Oompa Loompas showed up to grab an alcoholic juice box or raid the bathtub full of travel-sized liquor bottles.

Melding the fun of childhood and 1950’s nostalgia into a purely adult-focused retailer is what The Candyshot does best.

According to owner Austin Martinson, the idea was pure creativity from the start. “The concept began with imagining access to a thousand different flavors of shots where you could try everything around the world. It evolved and evolved until it became a 50’s-themed ice cream shot with all sorts of unique craft flavors.”

The Candyshot opened on January 10th in Englewood and it took a lot of work to create such a bright, unusual space. “We painted everything, brought in fixtures, put the sign up. We did everything to make it happen.”

Martinson is no stranger to making a business run on his own sweat. A serial entrepreneur, he’s been in the cannabis, car rental, and real estate industries, among others. “I’ve been an entrepreneur my whole life. This is probably my 15th business. Now I’m going to see if I can put some smiles on faces with my unique little concept.”

Martinson said that while there have been a lot of walk-in customers who enjoy the space, calls for service to parties and events have made up a substantial part of his revenue. The day after we talked with him, he had to supply drinks for a corporate party adjacent to Red Rocks. He’s also fielded calls to supply beverages for black tie events and home-based parties throughout the Front Range.

Like any good retailer, when called on, Martinson or his staff can become drinks consultants for his customers. Party hosts can work with them to learn more about unique cocktail recipes or create a signature drink that makes their event memorable.

Sales Associate Taylor Patterson started with the company as the store opened. He works mainly behind the counter, explaining the store to customers. When he’s not talking about liquor or ringing up sales, he spends a fair amount of time on more creative tasks, like applying glitter to the tops of champagne bottles by hand.

“Believe it or not, they’re a fairly good seller. They’re something a little different. If you bring them to the party, it adds a little bit more pizazz,” Patterson said.

Patterson is also passionate about supporting local alcohol makers. “We’re trying to support local as part of our mission. Buying things that are made in Colorado and developing relationships with local craft adult-beverage makers, like Family Jones or Woods Whiskey.”

They’re also not afraid to stock more interesting versions of alcohols. Such as a banana bourbon. Some say it goes well with Dr. Pepper, or with Crème de Cacao and Hazelnut Liqueur. Alternatively, Candyshot customers can find an Old Fashioned mix made with Lapsang Tea for a smoky flavor.

Delivery service factors into the store’s plan as well, serving those that are too far to head to the store regularly. Martinson said that they’ll supply alcohol to parties throughout the Denver Metro and Boulder County, and that any orders of $100 or more qualify to meet delivery to areas up north – psst: that’s you, Boulder County. Orders and inventory can be found on their website.

In the end, though, after a strong start and multiple ways to serve customers, Martinson is excited to see how the business evolves.

“It’s a great little spot. We can’t wait to keep serving customers – whatever they need – and see how we can make people’s lives more fun.”

The Candyshot
4107 S. Broadway Englewood, CO
www.thecandyshot.store

The post The Candyshot: this 1950s-Themed Boutique Liquor Store is the Playful Side of Imbibing | In The Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Kundali Kombucha is Killing It!

If millennials love one thing, they love kombucha, and one of the area’s most dedicated kombucha brewers is Kundali Kombucha. They are focused on brewing the utmost high quality kombucha with only the best ingredients.

A “Kundali” is a birth chart drawn up when a child is born to predict their life path and Kundali Kombucha was founded under the belief that each individual has innate potential within just waiting to be realized.

Ben N. LeVine is a well known herbalist who is quoted on Kundali’s website saying that Kundali Kombucha is “a balanced, not too sweet, not too acidic, kombucha. My favorite things: That you can actually taste the herbs.”

Kundali Kombucha’s authentic flavors provide a sense of enlightenment and well being from the inside out. Flagship flavors include varieties Harmonize, Awaken, and Transmute. The Harmonize contains a refreshing citrus flavor paired with an herbal body, and cereal grain. The Awaken plays with tastes of hibiscus, mint, and a slight bitter taste. Transmute is a digestion based recipe featuring a delicious rose and grapefruit flavors.

Kundali Kombucha also offers a couple options in their Artisinals and seasonal flavors, the blackberry ginger lemonade and the blood orange blueberry sage. The blackberry ginger lemonade gives off hints of fresh lemon, green tea blend, blackberries, and ginger. The blood orange blueberry sage features green tea blend, blood orange juice, blueberries, and sage.

No matter the flavor you choose, you won’t go wrong.

Boss Lady Pizza Has the Options

Boss Lady Pizza is a local female-owned pizza joint with a marvelously unique menu. The quirky restaurant has two locations: one in Superior and the other in Boulder.

Owner and menu curator Whitney Hart is clearly the boss behind Boss Lady. She created the concept after a series of realizations about the restaurant workforce and its lack of women’s presence.

After graduating from college, Whitney was working 40+ hours a week in a pizza shop and she absolutely fell in love with the fast-paced and messy nights in the kitchen. At age 26 Whitney opened the doors to her very own pizza shop dubbing it Boss Lady Pizza.

This isn’t your run-of-the-mill pizza place. Boss Lady Pizza has an incomparably unique menu.

Feast on one of Boss Lady Pizza’s red pies like the Spicy Chicken Taco Pie featuring spicy chicken, jalapeno, red onion, tomato, and sour cream. Give the Tropical Sausage Pizza Pie a try with sausage, pineapple, asiago, and bacon. Another great choice is the Ron Swanson, decked out with sausage, ham, pepperoni, seasoned ground beef, and bacon.

Not much of a red sauce fan? Not a problem! Boss Lady Pizza also has a large selection of white pies! For starters, you have a choice between the bad mother clucker with spicy breaded chicken, jalapeno, and ranch. You could also catch a taste of the Mattyterranean with garlic and olive oil, spinach, tomato, feta cheese, mozzarella.

If you’re still looking for options, give the Philly a try. It’s topped with shredded mozzarella, ground beef, green onions, and green peppers. Lastly, we recommend the Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese pizza with macaroni noodles, breaded chicken, cheddar, franks hot sauce, and parsley.

There are so many more pies that weren’t mentioned, make sure to go on down to the Boss Lady Pizza shop and give them a try.

The post Kundali Kombucha & Boss Lady Pizza | #YSFoodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

We spent twenty years covering all the things that make a community tick, that make a community cry, that make a community grow, and  we think we deserve a drink. Good news is you do, too!

Lucky for us, we not only know communities, we know community libations. Boulder County is a premier drinking region and we’re glad to be able to get out to sample, sip, swish, and swallow glasses of goodness from our local genius concoction community. Are you ready for a badass list of badass drinks? Below are twenty of the tastiest drinks from BOCO’s top mixologists, distillers, brewers, baristas, meaderies, and cider makers in the area.

Night Warden  |  Avery Brewing

As 2020 drags on and the months move closer to winter, you’re going to want darker beers (and also whiskey, but darker beers). This beer fits the bill. Strong notes of vanilla and caramel from fresh whiskey barrels complement a roasted malt bill, making it a smooth and full-bodied stout.

Crescendo 2017  |  Bookcliff Vineyard

This bold blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Suasao grapes lead to just one place – a boldly balanced, medium-full bodied wine. Once you have it in your glass, you’ll experience aromas and flavors of ripe fruit, cigar box, and chocolate with flirty acids, a velvety mouthfeel, and a lingering finish.

Oktoberfest  |  Gravity Brewing

Oktoberfest beers are a fall highlight, and Louisville’s Gravity Brewing has a good one. A rich color with a ton of malt and a touch of hops, it is the right way to say “Prost” to the season. Enjoy it with friends at a gathering, with a meal, or at the end of a cool weather hike.

TOCO ToUCAN   

Birdhouse

Once cold weather strikes, you can find a little bit of summer if you go to Birdhouse. Crafted cocktails have helped to grow the popularity of this tiki-themed restaurant and  the Toco Toucan is a favorite. It boasts lots of alcohol: Family Jones Gin, Grove Street orange liqueur, key lime juice, and house made cane syrup.  Once mixed, the drink is served in distinctive glassware that adds to the fun.

Old Fashioned

Boulder Spirits by Vapor Distillery

One of the most popular cocktails in the Boulder Spirits by Vapor distillery tasting room is their classic Old Fashioned. This will be a great choice once bitter winter weather sets in, and it is also ideal for holiday celebrations or drinks meetings. Make this at home with fairly standard ingredients – it’s the quality of the locally distilled bourbon that makes it stand out.

Smoky Margarita
(featuring cactus spirits)

Dry Land Distillers

We all know that amazing things come out of the desert. This cocktail is one of them. This Colorado cocktail is made with smoke-forward cactus spirits that were distilled in our state and awarded the bronze medal at the London International Spirits Competition. To make it, Dry Land blends the spirits with fresh lime and orange juice and simple syrup.

Blonde Stout

Industrial Revolution Brewing

Until recently, when drinkers ordered a stout they expected a rich, dark,  malty beer. Then brewers experimented with the style and created blonde stouts. Typically made with a lighter beer base and coffee to darken the color, the new beer upended everyone’s expectations. Industrial Revolution made one of the earlier versions and it’s become a great representative of the standard.

Sour IPA

New Belgium Brewing

IPA’s are one of the hottest and most innovative categories in craft beer. Sour IPAs continue this trend and New Belgium’s version is a standout. It’s a Citra and Amarillo hopped IPA that’s blended with the brewery’s wood aged golden sour. The wood takes the fruity and juicy qualities of the brew to the next level.

Rusty Peach

Niwot Tavern

When locals and out of town visitors find themselves at the Niwot Tavern, more often than not they find themselves ordering a rusty peach. It’s both classic and different. Bartenders muddle a peach slice with brown sugar, add 2 oz of Leopold Bros peach whiskey with ice, and top it with ginger beer.

Signature French 75

Piripi

This drink is said to have been created by legendary bartender Harry Mac Elhone at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, then further developed in the 1920s. It’s evolved somewhat since then, and this classic one is made with Tanqueray Gin, lemon juice and sparkling wine. It is perfect for celebrations, date night, or just starting off a nice dinner.

Beer/Kombucha cocktails

Twisted Pine

For some people, the blend of kombucha and craft beer is unexpected. Two of Twisted Pine’s offerings are craft beer cocktails standouts. The OG is a classic blend of the brewery’s Trail Blazer’s Blonde Ale with Upstart’s berry black kombucha. Alternately, there’s Rosy Rice, a blend of the brewery’s Rice and Shine rice lager with Upstart’s rose bud kombucha.

Milkshook

The Kitchen/Upstairs Cocktail Lounge

This is the drink for people who never want summer to end, or who never get tired of finding ways to satisfy their ice cream fix. It’s a mix of Kahlua, amaretto, vanilla ice cream, and coffee whipped cream. The combination makes for a decadent treat or a rich end to a meal.

La Matcha

Trident Booksellers and Café

A lot of people have enjoyed Matcha, the green tea that’s stone ground into a fine powder. But how many people have enjoyed it whisked to frothy perfection and then slow poured over chilled lemonade? That’s the beauty of this drink. It is different, rich, and delicious. It’s made with tea that’s imported directly with Japan and can impress even choosy Matcha fans.

Swillin’ Swine

24 Carrot

Designed as a fun riff on an Old Fashioned, this is one of the most experimental cocktails on our list. Peach black tea syrup and Angostura bitters are combined with bacon fat washed bourbon which has a subtle flavor and velvety texture. Peach tea balances the bourbon’s dryness, the fat of the bacon and the stringency of the bitter.

Ska Street Mule

Ska Street Brewstillery
(Ska Brewing and Peach Street Distillery) 

Ska Street Brewstillery offers three versions of a classic Mule, made with the  peach, pear or apricot brandy. The apricot and pear versions are mixed with lemon juice and ginger beer. The peach version swaps the juice for a classic Italian limoncello. All of them are delicious.

Apple Pie Cider

The Old Mine

Cider is the perfect way to bring some alcohol-fueled warmth to crisp fall days and evenings. This variant is especially seasonal. It’s made with the same spices that the owner of the  Old Mine’s grandmother used in her apple pie filling. The result brings you the taste of harvest apples seamlessly blended with nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.

100% Blue Agave Rocks
Margarita

Jefe’s

Margarita fans want to head to a place that knows the nuances of the beverage because they make them all. the. time. People that drink margaritas know margargitas. No names – SHAVONNE – but some of us make a mean one at home and we’ll walk out of a place not absolutely killing it. Jefe’s Rocks Marg fits the bill all. the. time. It’s a straightforward, no fuss, “this is how this is supposed to taste” example featuring 100% blue agave tequila and fresh lime juice. That’s it. That’s what works. You’re welcome. And if you get it with the jalapeno you’re on our “oh woww” list.

Black Raspberry Nectar

Redstone Meadery

If you think you know what mead tastes like and you want to stretch your palate, give this drink a try. Its unusually refreshing mead is carbonated, light, and crisp. It’s also pretty versatile. Blend it with a wheat beer, stout, or sour. Or turn it into a “Meadmosa” for a perfect brunch cocktail.

Sazerac

West End Tavern

The Sazerac is a classic cocktail created in New Orleans, and this Colorado version is one you should try. It’s close to the Old Fashioned but uses rye whiskey instead of bourbon and Peychaud’s bitters instead of Angostura. Then, West End adds Leopold Brothers absinthe verte to give it delicious licorice notes.

Spiked Snowmelt Juniper and
Lime Craft Seltzer

Upslope Brewing

In 2020 no drinks list would be complete without including hard seltzer. Upslope’s Spiked Snowmelt makes some of the most loved variants out there. There’s a range of flavors to choose from, but our favorite is probably the juniper and lime kind. It’s a flavor combination that you just don’t get all that often – and it works.

The post 20 Years, 20 Drinks: Raise a Glass to YS and the BOCO Drink Scene! appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Every fall the Governor’s Cup wine competition takes place in Denver as fifteen of the nation’s top wine experts are flown in specially for the judging. In the course of an afternoon, they evaluate hundreds of bottles from more than 40 Colorado wineries. Their picks tell wine geeks, chefs, and tastemakers what wines to seek out at restaurants and for their own tables.

Of course, this year is different. Because of concerns over COVID-19, the Broomfield-based Colorado Wine Industry Development Board that produces the competition announced that they postponed it until spring of 2021.

Everyone was disappointed but no one was really surprised. With a judging process that involved glassware, a need for spitting, and more than 30 volunteers, organizers couldn’t find a way to safely host it. 

While winemakers and the wine community will have to wait for the next judging, let’s look back at the winners of the 2019 competition that were then selected for the Governor’s Cup Collection of Double Gold Medal competition winners. They remind us of how fulfilling and varied our state’s options for wine can be. And they’re an excellent summer roadmap for outdoor adventures this summer. Let’s support wine country as we get outside, socially distance, and drink very, very well.

Best in Show

Govern’s Cup Best in Show Winner Kyle Bennet, Quotiri Wine, with Doug Caske and Roberta Backlund

1 – Qutori Wines,

Paonia

qutoriwine.com  –

 in-store only

40823 CO-133, Paonia

2017 Syrah

Founded just two years ago by the Bennet family, Qutori generally focuses on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir which they age in a variety of ways including in bourbon barrels. This was the first year they participated in the Governor’s Cup and their festival success put them on the map.  They earned Best in Show award with their 2017 Syrah, a wine that deviates from their traditional list. After production the Syrah was aged for 18 months between one new milder Hungarian oak barrel and then in French oak barrels with American oak staves. 

Red

2 -Bonacquisti Wine Company,

Denver | 

bonacquistiwine.com

4640 N Pecos St unit i, Denver

2018 Tempranillo Franc Reserve 

Based in the Sunnyside neighborhood in Denver, Bonacquisti Wine Company is led by second generation Colorado winemaker and Italian American Paul Bonacquisti, a Sommelier who is passionate about both the barrel aging process and creating blends. While the 2018 Tempranillo is no longer available, this year’s vintage showcases luscious vanilla, berry, chocolate and espresso flavors that come out in the wine’s long finish. Other offerings on their extensive list focus heavily, but not entirely, on red wines including both table wine and finer vintages.

 3 – Bookcliff Vineyards, 

 Boulder  | 

bookcliffvineyards.com

1501 Lee Hill Dr UNIT 17, 

Boulder

2016 Ensemble 

2016 Graciano

Boulder’s Bookcliff vineyards produce wines from 14 grape varietals that are grown with sustainable farming practices on their 37 acre vineyard in Palisade. While their 2016 award winning Ensemble isn’t available, the 2017 vintage exemplifies what can be done with their grapes. The Bordeaux blend showcases flavors of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with younger tannins from Malbec and Petit Verdot grapes. If you’re interested in a second and different taste, try their Graciano. The Spanish wine showcases deep black cherry, tar, and tobacco flavors. While their 2016 bottles are sold out, 2017 bottles are available.

 4 – Colterris Winery,

 Palisade

colterris.com

3907 N River Rd, Palisade

2017 Petit Verdot

Colterris produces a range of wines grown from their estate on the Western Slope of Colorado. Their award winning 2017 Petit Verdot was created by winemaker Bo Felton after spending time in both California and New Zealand vineyards. It’s still available for purchase and once poured, has proven to be a deep, rich wine with notes of dark fruit and earth, with fine tannins and a long finish. 

 5 – Plum Creek Cellars,

 Palisade

plumcreekwinery.com

3708 G Rd, Palisade

2016 Cabernet Franc 

Owners Sue Phillips and her husband, former green beret Doug Phillips, founded Plum Creek Cellars in 1984.  Today it stands as one of the state’s oldest wineries. The Phillips’ make a range of red, white, and dessert wines, all produced from grapes grown in their 55-acre vineyards in Palisade and Paonia. Their award winning Cabernet Franc was the result of the expertise held by winemaker Jenne Baldwin. It was aged for just under a year in both French and Hungarian oak barrels so that while it starts with flavors of dark fruit, think black currant and raspberry, it finishes with oaky tones.     

 6 – Red Fox Cellars,

 Palisade  | redfoxcellars.com

695 36 Rd, Palisade

2017 Nebbiolo 

This family owned winemaker prides itself on bending the rules to make the most unique and interesting wines possible from their Palisade farm. Their robust and strong 2017 Nebbiolo won at the Governor’s Cup and the previous year’s vintage is available online. Alternatively, their bourbon barrel Merlot is one of the winery’s best sellers. Initially dry and dark, it ultimately fills the palate with notes of vanilla, mushroom, dried fruit and spice.   

 7 – Snowy Peaks Winery, 

 Estes Park

snowypeakswinery.com

292 Moraine Ave, Estes Park 

2016 Petit Syrah 

This Estes Park winery has become a staple of the tight-knit resort community. While their downtown tasting room showcases their own wines, they make room for other colorado wines and artisan crafted foods there too. Their 2016 Petit Syrah is the highlight of an extensive production list. Still available for purchase, iIt has notes of caramel, cherries, and raspberries with a coffee and cream finish. 

 White

 8 – Carls on Vineyards,

 Palisade

carlsonvineyards.com

461 35 Rd, Palisade

2018 NSFW White

Another of Colorado’s oldest wineries, Carlson Vineyards got its start in a vintage 1930s fruit packing shed, by owners Parker and Mary Carlson. Since its founding, Parker has become known on the western slope for his wine knowledge and his contributions to the community. The winery’s NSFW white, still available for purchase online, is a blend of Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, and Gewurztraminer grapes. It has a medium body with crisp, green apple and tropical fruit notes and medium finish.

A second they have is the Cherry wine, 100% Grand Valley Montmorency Cherries / Double Gold. Carlson Vineyards’ second Double Gold medal winner of the competition was their luscious dessert wine entry. The cherries contributed a tarter aspect to the wine so that it turned out not overly sweet, but more complex than a lot of other dessert wines can be. By its nature, the cherry wine would pair especially well with dark chocolate to finish a meal.

 9 – The  Cellar, 

 HotStormchkiss

stormcellarwine.com

14139 Runzel Gulch Rd, Hotchkiss

2018 Dry Riesling

2018 Riesling 

It’s safe to say that The Storm Cellar’s Rieslings were standouts at the competition, despite the fact that 2019 was the first year they released their wines. Founded by Sommeliers Jayme Henderson and Steve Steese, the winery has enjoyed national attention. While the 2018 Dry  Riesling has sold out, the base Riesling is still available online. Made with grapes from one of the oldest plantings in the vineyard, it has notes of peach and starfruit with a balanced acidity. 

 10 – Whitewater Hill 

 Vineyards, Grand Junction 

whitewaterhill.com

220 32 Rd, Grand Junction

2018 Moscato

Whitewater Hill Vineyards’ tasting room and production facilities are located near their expansive Grand Junction vineyards. If you’re looking for a lightly sparkling wine to serve at the end of a meal, their Moscato is a strong choice. It offers notes of honeysuckle, melon, and asian pear with a finish of citrus and clove. It was still available for purchase and shipment on their website. 

 Other

 11 – Vino Salida Wine Cellars,

 Poncha Springs

vinosalida.com

10495 Co Rd 120, Poncha Springs

NV Vermouth Rosso / Double Gold

Vino Salida isn’t afraid to do things that other winemakers shy away from, as is evidenced by its location in the Arkansas Valley rather than on the Front Range or on the Western Slope. Whie the winery sources grapes from the Western Slope, its Central Colorado production facility and tasting room fits in naturally with the area’s outdoor and tourist economy. Its Governor’s Cup winning Vermout represents another bold choice. Few Colorado wineries make Vermouth, but this one was a standout at the competition with its richly spiced presentation. It can be served on its own or as a summer spritzer. 

The post Governors’ Cup: Puts a Spotlight on the Best Colorado Wines appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Boulder County loves to sip a little something. These creative concoctions are exactly what you need for a splash of indulgence.

Erie

Injoy restaurant

Drink name: Tip Toe Through the Tulips

Ingredients: Hendricks’ less well-known Midsummer Solstice Gin, Elderflower, Campari, grapefruit juice, and was garnished with some lovely botanicals.

Review: It’s an alliteratively named cocktail and drinking this drink, at this place, you’ll know that you’re drinking at a level worthy of your palate. The cocktail was a bit sweet for a barstool compatriot, but I found the grapefruit juice bitter enough to bring down the sweet and balance it overall. Lovely texture, excellent color, and great flavor make this drink highly recommended, especially on that glorious northwest facing patio of theirs.

24 Carrot Bistro

Drink name: The Spritz 24

Ingredients: Becherovka, watermelon shrub, grapefruit, and sparkling wine.

Review: They said it’s a staff favorite. An unusual and magical concoction, the Spritz24 absolutely took me by surprise. As someone who hasn’t historically enjoyed grapefruit, this drink was the perfect balance of flavor and texture and internal movements. The herbal liqueur, a Czech Republic aperitif and local tradition, is usually consumed neat or mixed with tonic. This drink is an original brainchild of the geniuses at 24 Carrot in Erie.

Longmont

Bin46

Drink: Colorado Paper Plane

Or, the Vance Brandt Last Waltz (so named by Susie at Bin46)

Ingredients: Cocktailpunk (all Palisade fruit) smoked orange bitters, aperol, red vermouth, Last Waltz bourbon.

Review: The Colorado Paper Plane is one of the simplest drinks that we’ve had this year, but don’t let the simplicity fool you. Four ingredients. No garnish. Elegantly presented. As you sit there, sipping it in the gorgeous surroundings, you feel like your future partner is about to walk up and sit at the bar, then wink flirtatiously after noticing you’re drinking like a serious adult. It was a tad more bitter than I expected, but not bitter in a bad way. Clearly delicious. All local spirits. And a feeling of badassery will have you coming back for another round.

Longtucky

Drink: St. Elmo’s Fire

Ingredients: Longtucky Fire Spirit. Arancha campari style bitter. House made vermouth, brandy style.  Smoked with whiskey barrel chips.

Review: The most shocking of concoctions, in my pallet’s opinion. Operating on a level antithetical to my historic opinion, the fire liquor, built on a combination of ginger and cinnamon, layering the ingredients, is surprisingly drinkable. Obnoxiously so. I had to leave the bar because I was afraid I would drink it all and not be able to make it anywhere else the rest of the evening. I highly recommend this incredible drink, at this unique location, where they focus more on the cultivation of spirit then on the adornment of a drink.

The Roost

Drink: Coffee and Cigarettes

Ingredients: Redemption Rye. Campari. Coffee hooch (in house coffee liqueur). Singed cinnamon sticks. Ozo Coffee ground sprinkle.

Review: Not unlike the movie of the same name, this drink is an oddity, but one you can’t seem to get enough of. Awkwardly recalling my childhood, not as an alcoholic, but because of the coffee sprinkles on top of ice cream my mom would give me, the warmth of the C&C envelops your palate, the singe of the cinnamon wafting across senses, all of it combining to incredible effect to create a truly original and magical concoction. I’ve had this before, because I like the name and I’m a Rye guy;it’s definitely one of my favorite drinks in the state. Hands down.

Dry Land Distillers

Drink: Dry Land Oasis

Ingredients: Dry Land Cactus (a brand new liquor, literally), fresh lime juice, pineapple juice, jalapeno, and DB’s honey ginger syrup

Review: Surprisingly spicy, but delicious if you go for that sort of thing. This cocktail is a baby cocktail. No, not for your babies, but less than a year old. It was developed last Halloween as a part of Haunt Longmont. It’s green color was purposefully picked to be ghoulish and it was named the Goblin. It’s popularity – much like a geeky kid in high school who became way sexy later – led to its renaming and rebranding. Also, in what can only be described as epic goodness, Dry Land also has a program called Distilling Dames, where women interested in learning more about mixology, the distilling process, and other aspects of spirited beverages. Badass.

Broomfield

The Burns Pub and Restaurant

Drink name: Literally Literary

Ingredients: Rye, Fiorente, lime, agave nectar, The Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas’ Own Decanter Bitters, and a splash of Gerstacker Cherry Gluhwein.

Review: The favorite drink of the summer, Literally Literary is scheduled to be discontinued soon but they’re considering keeping it because of its popularity. It’s surprisingly smooth with all ingredients balancing perfectly and that Gluhwein acting like a little cherry bomb drop at the base of the drink (see picture) hitting you in the last sip or two. The owner, Johnny, surprised that I was familiar with gluhwein, said that the reason it’s so popular is people drink it a little quicker than they probably should to get to that cherry splash. The evolution of this former tea house to a top 5 Yelp reviewed whiskey house in America means the drinks, and the 400-odd whiskeys on offer – are sure to satisfy.

Boulder

Sushi Zanmai

Drink name: CBD Mango Spritzer

Ingredients: Vodka, mango puree, CBD extract

Review: Not sweet, not tart, the Reef operated somewhere on the orangesicle continuum. When you drink it, you get the hits of sweet mango and the vodka tinge, but it all works so well together that this drink becomes immediately dangerous. We’re almost glad we didn’t discover this earlier in the summer, as all we want now is a trough of this on our patio at home. Absolutely delicious, with a decidedly summer delivery, complete with lime, cherry, and cheery straw, making you feel cute and tipsy at the same time. Rush over and get one before this limited time offer expires.

License #1

Drink Name: Penicillin

Ingredients: Dewar’s blend scotch, house ginger cordial, fresh lemon juice, honey, Laphroaig 10yr float

Review: It’d be way too simple to dismiss a classic drink as not magical enough for this list, but here’s the thing: it’s magical to make old timey drinks as well as License #1 does. Even where speakeasy’s and whiskey joints across the county pull off generally good Manhattan’s and Old Fashioned’s, it’s less common to see this particular cocktail on offer. Making it special is both the house made ginger cordial and the Laphroaig float. We’re not a huge citrus fana so this did take a sip or two to acclimate but, by the time we were done, we were swigging with ease.

Vapor Distillery

Drink: Peated Manhattan (by Bar Manager Britt Eisel)

Ingredients: Peated single malt, salted maple syrup, Cocktailpunk smoked orange bitters, orange peel.

Review: My face shook with rage, or maybe it was ecstasy, or confusion. One of these emotions, possibly all three, overtaking me as I realized I’ve never had a Manhattan as good as the Manhattan in my hand. Let me be clear that I love a good Manhattan. It’s the only drink that I keep all supplies for at home so I can make it myself. And here I was, thanks to Britt, re-evaluating my understanding of this cocktail. The in-house vermouth substitute and bitters, the understated presentation, including the orange peel instead of a cherry…life-changing. In the interest of full disclosure, I literally had to buy the smoked orange bitters to recreate this at home.

Louisville

Waterloo

Drink: Blueberry Habanero Margarita

Ingredients: Sauza Blue (habanero and blueberry infused), Leopold Bros. American Orange liqueur, agave nectar, lime, orange juice.

Review: When I walked in, I didn’t see Frank, my usual bartender. I was sent me upstairs to Caitlin, who was nervous about my request and passed me to Ivan, a friend of the magazine and former bar genius at Empire. I didn’t expect to be given a habanero blueberry habanero Margarita as their cocktail of choice, but here I was drinking it, enjoying the fire, enjoying the blueberries, and wondering why I’ve never tried it before. Truth be told, I’m not really a margarita guy, but the interaction of hot and sweet, tempered with a salty rim, on that glorious patio of theirs… I’m calling it good.Nailed it. A truly wondrous iteration of the ever popular margarita.

Empire Lounge

Drink: The 12 @ Empire

Ingredients: Mescal, canton, grapefruit juice, basil simple, watermelon-campari ice, chili salted rim.

Review: This holdover from the new owners’ 12@Madison restaurant in Denver is one that has to be tried to be understood. The watermelon-campari ice, a glorious cube of ever dissipating melodic chill and flavor, constantly changing the imbibement, makes for an evolving, eclectic, and one of the most original cocktails we’ve ever had. We can’t say enough about this cocktail, except that it was one of few cocktails in this review we needed to finish.

Lafayette

On Point Distillery

Drink: On Point Sour

Ingredients: Amaretto liqueur, bourbon, egg white, organic lemon juice, simple, luxardo cherry.

Review: Every sour I’ve ever had has been more sour than I wanted, citrus forward. This sweet iteration was pleasantly surprising. Not unbearably sweet, but the Amaretto liqueur, luxardo syrup, and the egg white foam made for an incredibly luscious on point sour iteration. This is the only sour that I’ve come across that I would happily have again. Apart from the awkward barstool conversation and the surprising quietude inside the establishment, this is one place in Lafayette that you should pop into for original spirits and great bar service.

William Oliver’s Publick House

Drink: Smoked Old Fashioned

Ingredients: Smoke (from the staves that aged the whiskey), A.D. Laws Four Grain Bourbon, bitters, simple

Review: The glory, hallelujah in this cocktail is enough to make an atheist a believer. I should know, I’m an atheist. Burning wood (instead of a cop out smoke machine) to fill the glass that is then filled with the old fashioned (which they will only make with A.D. Laws), fills the cocktail with fragrance and flavor that stays with you long after the cocktail is done. I chased it with a Swizzler (recommended by a barstool friend), which was delicious, but not nearly enough to move my palate past the Smoked Old Fashioned. A truly gorgeous use of smoke and Colorado bourbon.

The post Potions & Elixirs: The Magical Cocktails of BOCO Bars appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

There’s no going out for a meal without drink considerations. We imbibe because, as Benjamin Franklin noted, god loves us and wants us to be happy. And YS want you to be happy, too. We want you to indulge. So we went out for a drink or two so we could tell you where to wet your whistle with the area’s sexiest sauces. Cheers!

Bitter Bar   

835 Walnut St, Boulder

GM Dan Maguire’s take on the venerable Manhattan is a lovely and refreshing take on a bar classic. Made with Rittenhouse Rye, French peach liqueur (instead of sweet Vermouth) and a dash of Regan’s Orange Bitters #6 it is a righteous take on this uptown cocktail.

Bohemian Biergarten

2017 13th St, Boulder

If you’re wondering what a traditional Oktoberfest (Marzen) beer tastes like, check out the Warsteiner version. Rich, malty with just a touch of hops to counter the cloying sweetness.

The Kitchen Upstairs

1039 Pearl St, Boulder

Clear the air with an El Camino. Refreshing fresh lime and mulled cucumber dance perfectly with the tequila and Lillet. A dash of habanero tincture and ground black pepper garnish make this lip smacking tasty.

St. Vrain Cidery

350 Terry St #130, Longmont

Just down the alley from Longtucky Spirits, St. Vrain Cidery includes a quartet of its own dry ciders among the two dozen Colorado ciders on its constantly changing tap list. The Dry Chokeberry has a beautiful red hue and light, faintly fruity aroma that complements the crisp cider bite that refreshes with every sip.

Arcana

909 Walnut St, Boulder

The new kid in town nails it with its Beyond the Wall rum cocktail. A dash of Ancho Reyes Verde poblano liqueur brings a hint of heat while floating dots of basil and chili oils lend an earthiness.

Anvil Distillery

117 S. Sunset St #G1, Longmont

Anvil keeps pulling in the accolades for its vodka, gin and rum. But treat yourself and stop by the tasting room for a Zeus Juice. The Grumpy’s Vodka infused with onion is garnished with rosemary sprigs, lemon peel and feta-stuffed olives. By any other name, it’s a martini, but this flavorful libation is certainly deserving of its godly moniker.

License #1

Basement of the Hotel Boulderado, Boulder

A Manhattan says a lot about the bartender and the establishment. And for License #1 (formerly the Catacombs), this classic is everything it should be. Redemption rye whiskey, Carpano Antica vermouth, Angostura bitters and a house brandied cherry combine in flawless execution. Sure, you could make your own bitters, but apart from top shelf craft spirits and vermouth, why mess with 100 years of greatness?

Wild Cider

11455 County Rd 17, Firestone and 1501 Lee Hill Dr, Unit 14, Boulder

The source is in Firestone, but you can tuck into a wide selection of Wild Cider offerings at their cider bar in Boulder, too. The current summer favorite is the Bee Hoppy, a crisp, dry cider with a hint of Cascade hops that lend a hint of aroma and flavor without the bitterness. A touch of honey gives a faint sweetness in the finish. Ahhhhh.

The Roost

526 Main St, Longmont

Rich, complex and full of flavor, the Coffee and Cigarettes cocktail blends Redemption rye whiskey, compari and Richardos Coffee Liqueur over an iceberg size ice cube and shaved coffee. A cinnamon stick is added for garnish. The result is a dense blend of flavors that balances the bite of the rye with the sweetness of the liqueur that could be habit forming.

West Flanders Brewing Co

1125 Pearl St, Boulder

Brewmaster Brian Lutz has been dialing in Belgian style beers for decades and you can taste his malty mastery in the Trippel Lutz. A sweet, yeasty banana nose gives way to a clove and coriander finish. Ahhhh.

24 Carrot    

9999 Western Ave, Boulder

The Representative From Naboo is from the Star Wars Cocktail List Takeover now playing at 24 Carrot in Erie. Made from a Cognac and rye milk punch foundation (ask D.J.; it’s a process), the Naboo is a bit on the sweet side, but the orange oil and fall spices lend it a refreshing flavor and aroma.

Open Door Brewery

2030 Ionosphere St, Longmont (Prospect)

Light, crisp, smooth and perfect with pizza, Open Door’s Libertas Cream Ale does the style proud. Brewed as an ale, finished as a lager, Libertas has flavor galore without being excessive.

The post Drinks You’ll Love – From Old Fashioned to New Fangled: Mixology and Magic in BOCO appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.