Boulder Beer Company - Due East

Hazy New England-style IPAs are all the rage these days, and we have to admit we're on the bandwagon too. Boulder's foray into the style started off as a limited small-batch offering but quickly became a crowd favorite and was upgraded to full production status. Pouring a bright golden hue with plenty of haze (we stirred up our can during the pour), Due East offers up quite a vibrant aroma profile. Look for very juicy grapefruit-like citrus notes bolstered by touches of tropical and stone fruits, hints of melon, and some spice overtones. We found it super satisfying in the flavor, too, with big juiciness, tart citrus fruits, touches of papaya and pineapple, and some pine character. Boulder didn't release the IBU number for Due East, but this double dry-hopped IPA delivers a ton of hop flavor while keeping the bitterness firm but in check. We loved how smooth it was on the palate, as well, thanks in part to the use of some flaked oats. Food pairing possibilities include lemon-spritzed shrimp skewers, grilled teriyaki chicken with pineapple and scallions, and lemongrass chicken pho. Cheers!

Boulder Beer Company became Colorado’s first microbrewery when it was founded in 1979, blazing a trail for all of the other great breweries that have sprung up across this famous beer-loving state in succeeding years. At the time, they were only the 43rd brewery in the U.S. (there are well over 4,000 now, not counting brewpubs). Founded by two Colorado University professors, David Hummer and “Stick” Ware, the brewery was originally situated on a small farm outside Boulder. Their single barrel brewing system was famously forced to share space with the resident goats! (The brewery itself notes that “When a company is founded by guys named ‘Hummer’ and ‘Stick’ in a goatshed, you know it’s gonna be crazy.”) Within five years, Boulder Beer’s following had grown dramatically and they had outgrown the capacity of the farm, so a proper brewery building was built in Boulder to house their expanding business.

The company went public in 1983, but by 1990 it had fallen on hard times. Out of bankruptcy it came into the ownership of a private group of investors, including Rock Bottom Brewery’s owner, Gina Day, who brought on brewmaster David Zuckerman from Portland, Oregon’s well-regarded Bridgeport Brewing Company. Various upgrades were implemented throughout the brewery, including the transformation of their diminutive tasting room into a full-scale brewpub and restaurant. New beers were introduced, old recipes were tweaked, and brewing methods improved. In 1993 the company changed its name to Rockies Brewing Company, but they embraced their roots in 2005 by switching it back to Boulder Beer Company. It was also in that year that they introduced their annual “Goatshed Revival” beer festival, an outdoor summer celebration that is equal parts company birthday party and charity fundraiser, and celebrates their very humble origins among the nation’s first craft breweries and their contributions as one of the most influential breweries in Colorado’s rich brewing culture.

To learn more about the brewery, the brewpub, and scheduled tours, call 303-444-8448 or check out their web site at boulderbeer.com.