Avery Brewing (Boulder, CO)

7/13/12

Another Friday night stop on our tour of Boulder, Avery should be a list topper for every beer drinker: iconic, widely-distributed Colorado brewery the consistently delivers great beer.

However, if you're expecting a taproom that rivals Stone World Bistro because of the big name, you'll be disappointed.  Instead, Avery is a small, crowded local with an extensive selection of their beers to try, well beyond anything I've been lucky enough to find in stores over the years.

On this stop, we jumped right in with a Lilikoi Kepolo.  Lilikoi is passionfruit and we remembered having a fantastic lilikoi beer at Kona Brewing years ago; I didn't think this one matched up, but Gloria liked it. Excellent drafts of Nineteen and Dry Hopped Salvation followed.  Drinking these on-site-only variations defines the very purpose of drinking local.  We finished with Samael's, a 15.6% ABV beer that could've been a wonderful end to our evening in Boulder (or wouldn've been if not for sharing snifters) if we hadn't hit Avery early on our tour.

Any fan of Avery would do well to plan a little time at the tap room to sample their extensive list, including the regulars that are distributed plus several extra special beers just for showing up.  As warned on the website, the taproom isn't big and most of the seating is outside, so dress accordingly if the plan is to settle in.  Food and smaller draft samples are available so that the excitement of so many options doesn't overwhelm.    

Eighteen (Avery Brewing, Boulder, CO)

Picked up a bottle of Eighteen at Top Ten Liquors in Woodbury recently.  Ironically, I drank Nineteen a few days ago on site at Avery during our trip to Colorado.  While I try to keep up on beer happenings, I do lose track of some of the details for breweries not local.  Buying a anniversary ale a year late would fall into that category, but that will teach me to trust the Top Ten bottles a bit less--especially those on sale.  I should know better, but life happens.  It's just beer and it's still Avery.

Eighteen is (was) a dry-hopped rye saison, but the hops are missing in the nose this late in the game.  Light white head falls quickly over the cloudy, ruby ale.  Rye and yeasty spice are clear in the nose and pleasant.  Taste is heavy, flat and a bit muddled, but guessing time has taken the shine of this ale.  Still pretty good and fine for tonight.

Eighteen Anniversary Ale (Avery Brewing, Boulder, CO)

Copper ale with shiny gold highlights along the edge of the beer. Very thin off white head that melts immediately. Nose is promising with lots of clear hop and yeasty saison spice mixed in. Can clearly smell the dry hop. Pepper and spice strong in the mouth, but singular and a bit overwhelming and seems to clash with the nose. Mouthfeel is light with a dry bite in the aftertaste. Sounds great reading the bottle, but just doesn't seem to come together. Fine for the night, happy to give Avery the benefit of the doubt on any special beers, but I won't be seeking this one out again.