Sam Smith Nut Brown

For imports, you just can't go wrong with Sam Smith. Okay, so this has a little bit of the skunkiness that characterizes British imports, but it's really tasty nonetheless. Definitely recommended, especially as a winter beer. I'm not a big fan of brown ales, generally, but this one is great.

Tumbler

This is an okay stout. Drinkable even for someone who's not a stout fan (like me).

Sunshine

It used to be I couldn't stand this wheat beer from New Belgium, but now it doesn't seem so bad. A decent wheat beer.

Lemon Pepper Saison

A nice little saison from Sam Adams' Longshot series. A decent saison.

Avalanche

Breckenridge Brewery is my most local brewer, and Avalanche is my standby beer from them. Not necessarily anything too remarkable, but still good and tasty, especially if you like malty beers.

Boont

An okay amber ale.

IPA Nouveau

This IPA is a delicious surprise from Tommyknocker, the first really good beer I've had from them, and a really distinct hoppy flavor, sweet, strong, and spicy. This is a highly recommended beer--if you can get it, definitely try it.

Dead Guy

This is a light, tasty beer. Not as flavorful as I wished, but decent, and probably a really good summer beer.

Warrior

I'd been looking forward to this bomber for quite a while. Left Hand's IPA made with local hops, sounded like a good idea, but the actual beer is just okay.

Glacier

This lager from Tommyknocker is okay. It's not anything I'd really recommend over even corporate lagers.

Ruination

Another great IPA from Stone. I'm often tempted to diss on Stone, but on beers like this they sure know their stuff. Delicious, hoppy, without being out of control, and strong without being overly so--a glass will give you a good, clean-feeling buzz. Highly recommended.

Levity

When they say this is a light amber ale, they're right. It is almost like you're about to float away after drinking it, not from high alcohol (it's only about 5%), but from the incredibly light flavor. A refreshing beer for a summer day.

Mama's Little Yella Pils

A great name, but just an okay beer. A drinkable pilsner.

Jubelale

My second winter warmer. Nothing quite so memorable as the last one.

Silverback Pale Ale

This is my second beer from Wynkoop, and a much better one. I'm glad they decided to make a pale ale version of this charitable beer, since I don't think I'd drink the smokey porter one. This is a really nice beer, a nicely balanced pale ale that provides a good backdrop for the grains of paradise, a really unique-tasting spice that makes this a tasty beer. Plus, research shows that the spice reduces the rate of heart disease in the gorillas that make it a part of their diet. There's no research to show that it does the same in humans, but there's no research to show that it doesn't, either, so drink up for your heart!

Did I mention that this is a charitable beer? Fifty percent of the profits from this beer go to support the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund.

So, a tasty beer that saves gorillas and just might be good for your heart? Sign me up!

Railyard

Now this is an unusual idea: malts and hops of a German Marzen, but with English ale yeast. The result? Well, just as mixed. Not bad, and definitely worth trying if you find yourself in LoDo, but I wouldn't go too far out of my way.

Utica Club

This is a surprisingly refreshing and tasty pilsener. It boasts that it was the first beer licensed and sold after Prohibition, and it has an unusual, old-timey feel and taste to it. It makes me feel like there is some truth to what people say. If this is what an everyday beer was like, maybe beer did have more taste in the days before I started drinking it. This is a good beer that feels mainstream but yet has so much flavor--for me, one of the better examples of the pilsener variety.

Naughty Scot

After the bad experience at Hops, I was a little wary of trying a pub brew, but this one was really pretty tasty. Definitely will not steer away from Rock Bottom next time. It also makes me eager to try Free State again.

Sierra Nevada Porter

Sierra Nevada just seems to be very uneven to me, and this one definitely lost me.

True Blonde Dubbel

This is an okay dubbel, but it didn't seem like anything special, certainly not after the Little Sumpin. My enjoyment might also have been diminished because it came out of a can--why are so many craft breweries starting to put their beers in cans? I guess a can is more portable and recyclable, but I love my bottles, dammit!

A Little Sumpin Wild

Wow, this was really a great beer, combining the best elements of a Belgian and IPA. Extremely drinkable and refreshing, despite its relatively high alcohol content (just shy of 9%). Pale in color, sweet in smell and taste, this immediately became one of my favorite beers. With every sip I marveled at the complex flavor, especially at how well the yeast came through with an extra-delicious undertone. From first blush to the last lingering aftertaste, I enjoyed everything about this beer. A limited offering, so I may have to run out and grab another before it's gone. Highly recommended.

Bully!

This is a pretty fair porter from Boulevard. I guess I've come around to a lot of porters.