This weekend I decided to reacquaint myself with Greeley’s OG microbrew; Crabtree Brewing. As my friend and I sat on the sun soaked and extremely unseasonably warm patio at Crabtree’s beautiful patio in south Greeley Colorado I could not help but be taken away by the beautiful copper color of my favorite Crabtree beer; Extra English Pale Ale. Upon pouring the Pale Ale it forms a small, semi dense off-white head with a slight tint copper brown that is due to the perfectly copper-red hue of the beer itself.  The midday sun perfectly illuminates the whole table in a golden red glimmer as it pierces this extremely well balanced beer. Extra English Pale Ale drinks like a hearty pale ale but with the lingering slight bitterness of English yeast and the semi pronounced hop profile that accents the palate by adding depth of flavor without overpowering the other notes. Crabtree’s Extra English Pale Ale finishes extremely crisp yet with a bit of complexity, perfect for the cooling afternoons of late autumn.

I must admit my bias; I live in Greeley Colorado and this undoubtedly influences my opinion of the beer scene here, but I truly believe that we have one of the best emerging microbrew cultures in all of Northern Colorado if not the whole of the West. Between Wiley Roots, Weldwerks, and Crabtree Brewing Greeley has some of the best beers being produced in Colorado today and if you are ever in town you must visit the one that started the Greeley brewing revolution; Crabtree Brewing Company.

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The two brews I am most excited about are going to be released bottle only and are truly spectacular; ‘Jam the Radar’ from their Barrel Stack Series and the ‘Funk yo Couch’ Brett Saison are incredibly tasty and unlike anything I have ever had. Jam the Radar is a creative beer blend made out of two of their creations; 18.5% of the blend is a golden sour beer fermented and aged in neutral wine barrels with an amazing two pounds of raspberry puree added for every gallon of beer, and the other 81.5% is a dark sour fermented and aged in second use whiskey barrels. The result is something wholly unique and satisfying; the puree results in a huge raspberry centric nose but allows for the other characteristics and darker notes of the brew to reign supreme on the palate without the raspberry overpowering the other flavors. Sour notes are complemented by the sweetness of the raspberries resulting in a crisp and clean beer that is easy to drink on a hot summer day. Bottles are only guaranteed for the first 225 customers (limit 2 per person) so they will not be around for long.  

The Wiley Roots Brett Saison ‘Funk Yo Couch’ is something truly unique since the head brewer Kyle refused to use commercial yeast for it, instead he captured the strain himself via open fermentation. Funk Yo Couch is something special and is only available in 750mL champagne bottles meant for sharing with a loved one. Since the bottle is only $12 dollars for such a large amount (Wiley was able to save money on yeast since they captured it themselves) and this is such an impressive and unique beer I highly recommend getting a bottle while you can.  

After the anniversary releases Friday and Saturday Wiley Roots caps off their celebrations on Saturday evening from 9pm to 11pm with a guided cigar and beer pairing event; this is an opportunity to have an intimate evening with the head brewer and those passionate for great beer, you can find more information and get tickets here. Be sure to experience some of the best and most innovative beers Northern Colorado this weekend by joining Wiley Roots at their 3rd Anniversary Celebration.   

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The first beer I enjoyed was the 5.4% abv Puesta del Sol Vienna Lager, the perfect refreshing beer to enjoy on a sunny day outdoors. Vienna and Pilsner malts create a light biscuity base that has a mild sweetness and the light hop profile coupled with the tame lager yeast creates a delicate and refreshing brew that is finishes clean and dry. The second beer I had won Weldwerks the Silver at the Great American Beer Fest; their 5.5% abv Hefeweizen. This beer is one of the best Hefeweizens I have ever had; the wheat and Pilsner malts give the body a malty and wheat fullness that at times make the beer feel more like a meal than a drink. The german inspired yeast gives the beer a subtle fruitiness and the light hoppiness adds notes of citrus.

The final beer was my favorite, their 6.5% abv Juicy Bits New England Style IPA. A strong bouquet of hops leads to a very hop forward palette dominated by citrus and tropical fruit notes. As I was enjoying this flavorful IPA the head baker of Junk Food Cakes and Confectionaries Christina Schneider approached me with a cupcake that changed the way I look at sweets. Christine has been creating a series of cupcakes that pair with Weldwerks Brews and Juicy Fruits cupcake is out of this world. The citrus and tartness of the cupcake paired extremely well with the beer that inspired it and washing down a bite with the beer itself created a medley of complimentary flavors that is one of the best food pairings I have ever had. Weldwerks is constantly teaming up with local restaurants, food carts, bakers, and even other breweries to create some of the best collaborations out there.  

If you are in Northern Colorado do not just focus on the stereotypic brew based cities of Denver and Fort Collins, make sure you make your way to Greeley and visit the best new brewery in the country; Weldwerks Brewing Company.  

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The first taster I had was of Sugarfoot, a Belgian Style Table Beer that won Spangalang gold at Great American Beer Fest last year. This beer is everything that the gold medal promises as coriander and citrus notes characterize this easily drinking beer that I could see complementing nearly any dish you could think of.The Protocat is a traditional Gose that is true to form salty with a slightly tart palate that makes it extremely refreshing. Beatrice is a clean and crisp Saison that has predominant spice notes and a slight bitterness that makes this beer incredibly fun to drink. The D-Train IPA is a fairly standard IPA that has a fresh hop-forward profile that is not overly intimidating and quite accessible.

Now for my two favorites; these two beers are now in my top five local favorites and they are something truly special. Volume II is their Kettle Soured Pure Funk except it has been dry hopped with a pound of hops. Cherry notes dominate a tart and sour base that has amazing depth due to the superb Brettanomyces yeast, it finishes dry and extremely clean. Finally, their Barrel-Aged Nightwalker Con Alma is an Imperial Stout that has been aged in bourbon barrels. Chocolate and coffee dominate the first sip and are further opened up by notes of berries and grape. The 9.75% ABV is hardly noticeable in this extremely complex and smooth beer, making it dangerously palatable and warming to the soul.

Sadly Spangalang does no bottling or distribution whatsoever, making it a true local diamond in the rough. If you are ever anywhere near Denver Colorado it is imperative that you make your way to the heart of Five Points and indulge in the wonder that is Spangalang.  

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