A Friday Drive -- Pateros Creek Brewing Company

With a Living Social deal I had purchased way back in October set to expire, Connor and I took a road trip north to Fort Collins on February 24, 2012.  Slightly more than an hour's drive, Fort Collins offers about 9 or 10 breweries.  Connor and I left around 10:45am, following his mid-morning bottle.  Little Man was a champ, sleeping the whole way.  We arrived at Pateros Creek Brewing Company (http://www.pateroscreekbrewing.com/) shortly after midday and grabbed a seat.

The Entrance

The Patio/Beer Garden

I started off with a sampler consisting of:
          Old Town Ale--Kolsch.  A light-bodied, easy-drinking beer style from the Northern German town of Cologne.  The hops are very low and of noble variety with a light malt to keep the beer refreshing.  1.042OG, 22IBUs, 4.5%ABV
          Stimulator Pale Ale--Rye Pale Ale.  Made with 20% rye malt, this pale ale is a bit different than your average pale ale.  The rye adds spice and lends to a dry finish to make this beer extremely refreshing.  The malt sweetness balances the Cascade hops that round out the beer.  1.053OG, 48IBUs, 5.3%
          Car 21--Best Bitter.  The younger brother of an ESB made with all English malt, hops, and yeast, Car 21 has a sharp but spicy hop bitterness up front that finishes caramelly with toffee undertones.  1.047OG, 28IBUs, 4.5%ABV
          SnowMelt--India Wheat Ale.  Five different hops go into this one for a nice twist on a classic American style.  It starts with a wheat base that pushes the limits using Galaxy, Chinook, Citra, Amarillo, and Cascade hops to fill this beer with citrusy hop flavor and aroma but finishes clean.  If you like IPA, you love our IWA!  1.045OG, 58IBUs, 5.0%

My Sampler:  SnowMelt, Car 21, Stimulator Pale Ale, and Old Town Ale

Connor hanging out at Pateros Creek

Following the sampler, I decided to use my Living Social deal, which called for a pint of beer in a souvenir pint glass and then a growler of beer to take home.  I asked if I could try a specialty beer and pay the difference for my pint, and that was fine.  For my pint I enjoyed:
          Snowy River--Vanilla Porter.  Made with local vanilla from Custom Blending in Fort Collins, there is just enough vanilla to balance out the chocolate and roasted flavors found in this wonderful libation.  You will enjoy this beer from the first sip but will want more after the last.  Easy to drink, and easy to understand that balance is key in this seasonal beer from our brew house.  1.052OG, 24IBUs, 5.0%

Snowy River

Having forgot to bring a bottle with me, I knew my time was limited so after finishing my pint I got a growler of Old Town Ale and a rain check for a pint glass, since they had run out.  Connor and I then drove about 3 minutes to New Belgium Brewing Company, where I filled a growler of Lips of Faith Valentine's Ale.  Getting back in the car, we headed to Odell Brewing Company for a growler fill of State Tree Stout before driving back home to Denver.