Local beer shines at all Colorado beer festival

On Saturday November 6, hundreds of beer aficionados filled the Mr. Biggs Event Center  in Colorado Springs. Twenty-eight Colorado breweries brought their samples in for tasting, CSU Pueblo taught a beer-tasting class, and ticket sales benefited local charities. Below are some of my opinions for some of the stand-out brews.

Trinity (Colorado Springs) Café Blanc Farmhouse Saison: A well-made light Belgian white beer, sour and slightly spicy. Supposedly made with lightly-roasted “white coffee,” but has no detectable coffee flavor.

Colorado Mountain Brewery (Colorado Springs) Ole ‘59er Amber Ale: A little bitter but balanced, with what I would call a roasty and nutty malt flavor and a hint of Dr. Pepper spice.

Phantom Canyon (Colorado Springs) Breakfast Stout: Dark, bitter, earthy, and roasty. Made with oatmeal and coffee for a strong peppery and bitter coffee flavor.

Black Fox (Colorado Springs) La Noche del Diablo Black Saison: Made with cinnamon, cayenne, chocolate, and cherries. Most of the flavors blend together into a pleasant dark sweetness, with spiciness appearing at the back of the throat. My favorite of the bunch.

Twisted Pine (Boulder) Hoppy Boy IPA: Honey sweetness, wonderfully strong fresh hop flavor, yet not too bitter.

Bristol (Colorado Springs) Winter Warlock Stout: Smooth, balanced, rich, sweet, roasty, strong alcohol flavor.

Rock Bottom (Colorado Springs) Pumpkin: Spicy cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice with roasted pumpkin, and brown sugar. Tastes very much like pumpkin pie or pumpkin muffins.

Grand Lake (Grand Lake) Rebel Pale Ale: Roasty, nutty malt sweetness, almost like an ESB.  Combination of citrus and fresh hop flavors.

Grand Lake (Grand Lake) Plaid Bastard Strong Scotch Ale: Wow! Strong alcohol taste, with thick, syrupy malt sugars. Bitter, and strong in every way.