Rockies Brewing Company - Planet Porter

Almost an extinct style of ale in this country, The Rockies Brewing Company helped revive the category and this is now one of the oldest American porters. Though bottled under a different name at the time, in 1992 it took home the Gold Medal, Great American Beer Festival as well as the Silver Medal at World Beer Championships in 1997. This is a big beer that everyone can enjoy. As they say on their website, “Don't be afraid of the dark; this beer is very drinkable and remarkably smooth.” It is a deep dark brown, nearly black, with reddish highlights when held to light, imparted by their selective use of tasty malts. Like their Hazed and Infused Ale, this malty nectar has an amazing nose. Look for roasted malts, tons of chocolate, and hints of espresso. Also note the hop aromas that gently mingle with the roasted malt aromas and subtle plum-like notes that expand with warmth. We can’t say enough about the nose on this one; in addition to the appealing characteristics we already mentioned, it is slightly venous, similar to a very dark full bodied red wine. Expect a flavor full of dark chocolate, toasted barley malt and biscuit, especially in the aftertaste. It is mildly bitter in finish, but this is very smoothly enacted. Note that the malts are not sweet, but the body is firm enough to support the chocolate and balance the mild hop bitterness. In fact, the hop bitterness interplays nicely with the coffee and chocolate notes giving the tang of an espresso. Enjoy!

Like our first featured brewery, these folks are also Hop Heroes in our eyes. But like other great brewers of the world, they know how to create a variety of different styles with accuracy and creativity. The Rockies Brewing Company was established in 1979 under the original name of the Boulder Brewing Company. It was Colorado's first microbrewery and one of the oldest microbreweries in the country, receiving the 43rd brewing license ever issued by the federal govern-ment. They are currently celebrating their 25th anniversary, an extremely atypical occasion in the world of microbreweries. Originally started by two college professors, David Hummer and Stick Ware, their primary goal was to produce beers in the traditional style of the robust European ales. They did so by originally introducing Boulder Bitter, a classic ESB, Boulder Porter, and Boulder Stout. In 1990, the publicly traded Boulder Brewing Company changed ownership to the privately held Boulder Beer Company, owned by Gina Day and Diane Greenlee. These two local women, along with their Brewmaster David Zuckerman, decided to upgrade the entire brewery including reorganizing their well known yeast management program as well as their on-site pub, which includes a full menu and bar. In 1992 the brewery received its first gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival for Boulder Porter, and in 1993, the brewery's name was changed to the Rockies Brewing Company to reflect the regional popularity of its beers. The Rockies Brewing Company now brews a number of fantastic ales, including Buffalo Gold Premium Ale, Sully’s Light Lager, Singletrack Copper Ale, Pass Time Pale Ale, Sundance Amber Ale, Planet Porter, MoJo India Pale Ale and a few others. One of their most impressive beers is called Hazed and Infused Dry Hopped Ale. Dry-hopping refers to the addition of additional hops beyond those used at the beginning or end of the boil, which are the traditional times that sources of bitterness and floral hop aromas are contri-buted to the brew mix. This gem of a beer is made from a blend of three malt grains and five total hop varieties, including Crystal and Centennial for the dry hop supplement. Dry hopping is performed in order to heighten the aroma and the flavor, both of which are pleasingly evident in Hazed and Infused! For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call 303.444.8448 or check out their web site at http://www.boulderbeer.com/.