To begin, let me say that yes, beer doesn’t really have anything to do with the outdoors, especially in the alcohol-illiterate State of Utah. But for many people (myself included) enjoying a cold beer after a trip in the mountains or desert goes hand-in-hand. So let’s categorize this article as a “gear review.”
High country beer drinkers seem to universally have a fondness for the ever-popular Fat Tire, that wonderful brew from the folks at New Belgium in Fort Collins, Colorado. Of course, as we all know, New Belgium beers are not sold in Utah. So it was with great happiness that Callista and I spent Christmas in Loveland, Colorado, just south of New Belgium’s brewing operation… so we took a tour.
Like kids at the chocolate factory, we walked through New Belgium’s facility with wide-eyed wonder. We were dizzy from everything there is to see in that hoppy heaven, although the feeling was more likely from the free samples of beer they handed us the whole time. Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554, and Abbey Ale were passed around at various points of the tour. In addition, special samples of small-batch brews were given away at the end, including Dandelion Ale, Fall Wild Ale, and Le Fleur Misseur. Surprisingly, we didn’t drink a single Fat Tire, and that was okay since so many hard-to-find beers were on tap for us to try.
A feast for the eyes and nose alike, the New Belgium Brewery showed the tour group everything, from the tasting room, to the brew house, fermentation towers, and packaging center. The entire brewing process was on display. Hell, they even have a “tasting lab” where beer is consumed to make sure it tastes okay. Whoever scored that job is the luckiest man on earth. For an added bonus, the tour ends with a ride down the twisty slide installed by New Belgium’s “Director of Fun.” After the ride, they gave us more beer.
At the end of the educational (yet fun) tour, we bought beer we never before tasted, stocked up on hats and posters, and left with full bellies, swimming heads, and a reaffirmation that beer is among the best substances on earth. I also took away an appreciation for the hard yet delicate work of the brewmasters, who strive the create excellent beers for us to enjoy.
So next time I pop the top off a bottle of Fat Tire or Mothership Wit after a day-long ski tour or sweltering mountain bike ride, the memory of touring New Belgium’s House-O’-Fun will linger, and the beer will taste all the better.
Now if only we can convince New Belgium to ship their beer to Utah…
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