Boulder Beer Company - Sweaty Betty Blonde

This wheat beer pours a bright straw color with a crisp white head and tons of haze from the yeast in suspension. You’re likely to have a significant layer of yeast sediment on the bottom of your bottle, which is normal for the style; you can pour carefully to avoid it, or not – it’s a personal preference and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. On the nose, expect big tangy wheat aromas, implying a touch of tartness, with some herbal, clove-like phenolic notes. Look for a prominent, earthy, yeast quality with the hops providing a bit of a grassy and mildly hay-like note, with some spice and a touch of citric juice. On the palate we found this curiously-named brew quite bright and a bit fruity, with a zesty, lemony, citric note taking center stage backed up by an underlying earthiness joined with some notes of clove, and hints of white pepper and banana. A touch of wheaty tartness that builds into the finish, along with some bright, spritzy carbonation contributes to Betty’s refreshing nature. Many American wheat beers are rather timid, but Boulder brews theirs in more of a classic Bavarian style with almost a bit of a Belgian witbier twist. An excellent pairing for warm weather and BBQs, try pairing with grilled shrimp, spicy scallops, creamy cheeses with juicy summer grapes, or green salads with light vinegar dressings and fresh herbs. 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 the state in succeeding years. 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 1980, but in 1990 it came into the private ownership of Gina Day and Diane Greenlee 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.  Boasting a 50-barrel brewing system, the brewery can produce upwards of 43,000 barrels of beer each year.  In 1993 the company changed its name to Rockies Brewing Company, but they embraced their roots in 2005, 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 www.boulderbeer.com.