Boulder Beer Company - Planet Porter

Planet Porter is one of the oldest American porters. In 1992 it took home the Gold Medal from the Great American Beer Festival as well as the Silver at the World Beer Championships in 1997. Expect roasted malts, chocolate, and hints of espresso on the robust nose. Also note the hop aromas that gently mingle with the roasted malt aromas and subtle plum-like notes, which expand with warmth. Note flavors of dark chocolate, toasted malt and biscuit, especially in the aftertaste. It is mildly bitter in finish, but this is very smoothly executed. In fact, the hop bitterness provides a nice interplay with the coffee and chocolate notes, giving the tang of espresso. Enjoy!

Now in their 3rd decade of operation, in 1979 the Boulder Brewing Company was established, giving Colorado its very first microbrewery. A true rarity among US microbreweries, they're currently celebrating their 27th anniversary. Founded by two college professors, David Hummer and Stick Ware, their principle goal was to produce beers in the traditional style of the robust European ales. And these folks weren't afraid to move a few goats around in order to achieve their dream, neither! (The original brewery site was a small goat shed on a farm northeast of Boulder). Five years later they moved their one-barrel brewing system to their current facility in Boulder, where they now have the capacity to produce 43,000 barrels of award-winning brew every year! And since 2004—their 25th anniversary—they've been hosting their "Goatshed Revival" which celebrates the first party held at their original brewing location back in 1979. In 1990, the publicly traded Boulder Brewing Company went private when purchased by Gina Day and Diane Greenlee, who renamed it the Boulder Beer Company (there's just something cool about the use of the term "Beer Company", don't you agree?) These two local women, along with their newly hired Brewmaster, David Zuckerman, decided to upgrade the entire brewery. Among other things, this included expanding their small tasting room into a full service restaurant and pub. Since 1992 this microbrewery has received more than 40 awards and citations for excellence in brewing, packaging and business. In 1993, the brewery acknowledged the regional influence of its brands by officially changing the company name to Rockies Brewing Company, but in spring in 2005 they returned to their roots by officially changing their name back to Boulder Beer Company. For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (303) 444-8448 or check out their web site at www.boulderbeer.com.