I've always been big on road trips, so the long Thanksgiving weekend seemed like a great time to make the 12-hour drive home to Loveland, Colorado, a smallish city just outside Fort Collins and home of the CSU Rams (who just barely pulled one over on the Rebels a couple weeks ago). Since my friend Sarah had never been to Colorado, and I constantly talk about how great it is, she decided to come along for the ride.
It also seemed like an opportune time to visit one of my favorite places in Fort Collins, the New Belgium Brewing Company, which finally made its beers available in Las Vegas about a month and a half ago.
Since visiting the brewery was a top priority during my four days home, Sarah and I ended up there twice, the first time just for a tasting, the second for the brewery tour, followed, of course, by another tasting session. (Mom and Dad were so proud of my dedication to work-related "research.")
The brewery, which started out in 1991 in a basement, expanded into its current impressive, log-cabin-esque building in 1995, and in 1998 became the first wind-powered brewery in America. The company's commitment to the environment is impressive, but what really gets me are the beers, inspired by the Belgian-style suds owner Jeff Lebesch experienced years ago while biking around Europe.
On our first trip, Sarah and I tasted the NBB's eight current brews. I also encouraged my parents, who came along but don't drink, to get a round of tasters as well, and then sneak them over to me.
Although Fat Tire, the NBB's most popular brew, has a delicious, hoppy crispness and goes down smooth, the Sunshine Wheat, with its refreshing blend of citrus and spice, has always been my favorite. The Abbey Belgian Style Ale, a rich, spicy beer with hints of fig, caramel, cloves and coffee bean, and the 1554, a black beer that's full of flavor but lighter than a porter or stout, are also excellent choices. I'd been on the tour and done the tastings before, but most of the NBB brews were new to Sarah, and the tasting mat, which explains beer basics, and the bartender were helpful in filling in the blanks. (If you're not lucky enough to get to Colorado, you can get more information at www.newbelgium.com).
My sister Charlye, a University of Northern Colorado student and dedicated 1554 fan, came along the second round. The tour detailed the NBB's brewing process (shiny equipment!), the company's philosophies (proto-hippie!), and the story of St. Arnold, patron saint of beer (fun history!).
Afterward, we headed to the bar for the tasting session, and I wound up getting a pack of NBB's Transatlantique Kriek, one of two special releases the brewery is offering. (The other is the tasty Frambozen Raspberry Brown Ale.) The Kriek, a spontaneously fermented lambic ale made from a combination of kriek beer brewed in Belgium and a golden ale brewed at NBB, has a crisp, light cherry flavor with a sweet finish.
I've seen NBB beers at Trader Joe's, Smith's, and Lee's Discount Liquor stores around the Valley. While I haven't seen it in a lot of bars yet (bar managers, take heed), the Freakin' Frog Beer and Wine Café on Maryland Parkway has Fat Tire and Sunshine Wheat on tap, as well as a good selection of other NBB beers by the bottle. New Belgium beer is practically a Rocky Mountain institution, and has a dedicated fan base in 12 other Western states. Try it now, then get a friend to try it; if they like beer, they'll thank you. Otherwise, tell them to pass it over to you.
Maria Phelan sets a new bar for drinking. E-mail her your favorite watering hole at [email protected].