5280 Summer 2014 Six Pack

A few times I have mentioned the 5280 Six Packs. 5280 is a Denver magazine and every so often they put out variety packs of local beers. They just pick 6 beers. I'm not sure what their criteria is. I believe they do it every season, but quite often I miss their release, so I don't know for sure how often they actually do it.

As far as I can tell, they are pretty bad at documenting these on their website, making it even more difficult to know when they come out. 

When I see these six packs, I pick them up.

5280 pre- #IPADay ... Odell's IPA

Recently, while in the liquor store searching for ideas for #IPADay I came across the 5280 Summer Seasonal 6 Pack. Of course I had to buy it. 

I have blogged before about beers in these 5280 6 packs (see such classics as Drinking Ellie's Brown Ale, 471 Double IPA, Flashback India Brown Ale, and of course The Beer Clinic). 5280 Magazine, in collaboration with the Denver Zoo (of all places) puts out these 6 packs every season. The editors of the magazine pick the 6 Colorado beers that they think best represent the season and package them together.

When I remember and see them, I try to get them. When I think about it while drinking the beers, I blog about them. It appears that I missed the winter and spring six packs. Oh well.

It is just how I roll.

35 Best Bars in Denver

 I got an email from my Contact Me form.

The email was from an employee at 5280 Magazine letting me know that their February issue contained an article about "The 35 Best Bars in Denver". I forget where exactly I read about it, but I do think I knew about the article. Well, I know I must have read it from one of the Denver area beer bloggers. I just don't remember which blogger.

You'll have to read the article to get most of the content. I'm embarrassed to say that I've only been to three of the 35 bars. I'm going to get this issue of the magazine, so maybe I'll use the article as a check-list and attempt to get to some more of the bars.

Drinking Ellie's Brown Ale

While grilling some brats Saturday evening, I drank my third beer from the 5280 Seasonal Six Pack. Avery Brewing Company's Ellie's Brown Ale pours deep dark brown with a nice tan head. I do not know if I may have just been in the right mood for a brown ale, but I thought this beer was absolutely fantastic.

471 Double IPA

So, remember last week, I mentioned the 5280 Magazine seasonal six pack? Sunday (yes, the day after GABF), I decided to use my new grill and while doing so I tried my second beer of the 6 pack. This beer was Breckenridge Brewery's 471 double IPA. 471 IPA is one of BB's small batch series. It is a year-round beer, but as a small batch beer, it is also in limited edition. I do not think I've ever had this one, although it is possible that at some point I've sucked one down at some point at the Breckenridge Brew Pub. It is a 9.2% ABV beer with 70 IBU's.

The aroma is full of wonderful American citrus hops, although I do detect a bit of an English ale feel to the finishing hops. The beer does use Fuggles hops and I don't know if the English feel is a function of the fuggles or the grain bill or a combination of the two. The malt does smell rich and full. Very nice.

Flashback India Brown Ale

Here it is ... #GABF week. Aren't you excited?

5280 Magazine recently came out with a seasonal six pack. Back in March I mentioned their Colorado Best Beers, and I guess that was such a success that they followed up with a seasonal six pack. I grabbed mine a few weeks ago.

The Beer Clinic

One of my favorite beer blogs is Billy Broas's BillyBrew.com.  His blog is interesting and informative.  He updates it regularly, so you can almost always see a link to his blog up high on the "Blogs I Read" section to the right of my blog  (FaceBook readers will not know what that means unless you go to http://blog.ericshepard.com).

He was the one who alerted me to 5280's Colorado's Best Beers Six Pack.  I have purchased the six pack, but have not had any of the beers from it yet.

Shrek and I might have to give the 5280 6 pack a try next week.

His most recent post (as I write this, anyway) is Improve Your Homebrew with The Beer Clinic.  You can (and should) read the post and/or watch the video interview he included with Marty Nachel of The Beer Clinic, but just as a quick summary, Marty has started a service to help home-brewers by allowing them to send him beer.

Hmmm... let me say that again.  You can send Marty your beer.

Yes, as I typed it, I said to myself, "This guy is an evil genius.  He is starting a business where you pay him so that you can send him beer!"  You may ask, "now why would I want to send this guy my beer?"  Well, the reason is pretty simple.  He will objectively evaluate your beer and give you feedback on how to improve the beer.  Again, you can read Billy's post or go straight to Marty's site if you need a better explanation than that.

I personally think this is an awesome idea.  Forget about the evil genius aspect of the business.  There is a lot of value in getting your beer objectively evaluated.  Personally, I love the beer that I brew, but I am certainly not the most objective person when it comes to my own creations.  How could I be?  Even if I could be completely objective, I'm not really enough of an experienced beer taster to really focus in on various aspects of flavor, aroma, and all the other details that go into beer evaluation.

And, I do share my beer with quite a few people, but none of my friends, family, or co-workers are beer judges.  Most of them are either non-beer drinkers or BMC drinkers.  Even from my craft-beer-drinking acquaintances, the most "objective feedback" I ever get is "I don't like this beer as much as that other one." 

Anyway, at some point, I may give Marty a try.  Thanks, Billy, for blogging about the service.