Beer Calendar: Stout Month and Firkin February Take Over Taps

A new documentary about beer, which debuts this month on the Untappd social beer app, includes guest appearances by a few Colorado legends, such as Julia Herz, former craft beer director at the Brewers Association, and Peter Bouckaert, the former New Belgium brewmaster who now owns Purpose Brewing.

The film, called BEER! A Love Story, "weaves together the stories of thirty international protagonists across multiple countries who speak the universal language of beer, the world’s most consumed fermented beverage," the producers say. It bridges "the gap between Europe and America...to show the panorama of beer styles now replicated across the globe. For any foodie, movie buff, and beer or beverage fan, this is a must-watch film.”

BEER! A Love Story is available for viewing exclusively on Untappd; users can pay to stream the movie now through February 28. More information is available at beermovie.org.

Keep reading to see beer tappings and releases through late February.

Wednesday, February 3
Spice Trade Brewing will be showcasing stouts all month for Stout Month, including its Chai Milk Stout and King Montezuma Mayan Chocolate Stout, along with some special small-batch releases. Today it will have Coconut Hazelnut Montezuma and Aspen Aged King Montezuma.

Cerebral Brewing brings back two of its hoppy beers in cans. Arguing Semantics is a double IPA that was double-dry-hopped with El Dorado and Idaho 7. Rare Trait is the brewery's flagship hazy IPA made with Citra, El Dorado and Mosaic hops. Both beers will also be on tap.

Firkins are back at Copper Kettle Brewing, which is focusing on cherry- and raspberry-flavored brews for the month of February. This week's firkin is Helles Bavarian Lager with cherry added.

Thursday, February 4
Since the annual Firkin Rendezvous festival in Colorado Springs had to be canceled this year because of the pandemic, a wide variety of breweries around the state are participating in a new concept called Firkin February, which, like the Rendezvous, will be a fundraiser for the Colorado Brewers Guild. Station 26 Brewing is one of the first to get things going, with a series of four firkins it will tap each Thursday this month. The first is Dry-Hopped Helles Lager. That will be followed on the ensuing Thursdays by Mocha Milk Stout, Juicy Banger IPA and a hazy IPA (more details to come on this one).

Baere Brewing has put together mixed four-packs of stouts for Stout Month. They come with Chocolate Black Ryeday Imperial Stout, made with caraway seeds; Raspberry No Line and Chocolate Pomegranate No Line, which are both fruited versions of the brewery's flagship imperial stout; and Blueberry Moonlight Magic.

At 9 a.m., Cerebral Brewing releases bottles of Last Scion Barrel-Aged Dark Sour to online shoppers. Aged twenty months in bourbon barrels on "a blend of microflora," this 9.3 percent ABV sour ale was then aged an additional four months on spent Viognier grapes, along with apricots, nectarines and radish honey, the brewery says.

The Ice Cream Truckz line of beers returns to Wiley Roots Brewing in Greeley, which releases three brand-new variants of these smoothie-style unpasteurized pastry beers online at 7 p.m.; they will sell out quickly, so be warned. The variants are Turtle Powered Van, made with blackberry, pecan, chocolate fudge, caramel, vanilla, marshmallow and milk sugar; Australian for Ice Cream Truck, made with banana, cinnamon, brown sugar, marshmallow, vanilla and milk sugar; and Strawberry Coconut Snowmobile, made with strawberry, toasted coconut, vanilla, marshmallow and milk sugar.

Friday, February 5
Epic Brewing is joining other Colorado Brewers Guild members this month for Firkin February, which will take the place of the Firkin Rendezvous, a CBG fundraiser held each year in Colorado Springs. Epic will tap a new firkin each Friday this month, starting with Strawberry Milkshake IPA. The brewery also debuts its newest beer in its rotating series of sixteen-ounce cans. Creamsicle IPA is also a milkshake IPA.

Joyride Brewing is also participating in Firkin February by releasing a unique ten-gallon batch at 4 p.m. each Friday this month, with some proceeds going to the Colorado Brewers Guild. Today's beer is Orange Creamsicle Kölsch. It will be followed next week by Doontoon Scottish Ale with Apricot. After that, it's DDH Ah, Ale Yeah! #10 Hazy Pale Ale and Doontoon Scottish Ale aged on Amburana wood.

Strange Craft Beer Company is going big for Stout Month, which is celebrated each year in February by a wide variety of breweries. Strange will tap at least five different stouts this month, starting today with The Vaccine, a 10 percent ABV Russian Imperial Stout. "Time to get vaccinated," the brewery says. "Get your first shot today... and then come back for your second shot three weeks later. We'll make sure we hold enough back in reserve."

Little Machine Beer Company will bring out some of its Vintage Whiskey Barrel-Aged Mig-21 Russian Imperial Stout on tap. Brewed in April of 2016 and aged in small Deerhammer casks for a year, "this is vintage beer in its finest, rarest format — on tap from a keg aged in the best possible environment," the brewery says.

The Empourium Brewing taps the Rattling Ark Doppelbock at noon in honor of First Friday on Tennyson Street. "Finishing at 7 percent ABV, this amber lager has had us awaiting its arrival for eight long weeks," the brewery says. There is also a keep-the-glass deal, and there will be a food truck on hand.

Burns Family Artisan Ales releases New Love & Strawberries, a 10.75 percent ABV imperial stout made with seven pounds of fresh strawberries per barrel. The beer was brewed in collaboration with Bottleshare, a nonprofit organization that supports industry workers and their families when they experience adversity outside of the workplace.

Briar Common Brewery + Eatery brings back its Broken Bridge Hazy IPA when it opens at 11 a.m. Brewed with blood orange, the beer is a hoppy citrus bomb, according to Briar Common. It will also tap a brand-new IPA called The Hoptimist. At 7 percent ABV, it was made with Centennial, Lemondrop, Madrina and Summit hops.

Copper Kettle Brewing brings out Snowed In Cherry. This is the brewery's classic barrel-aged oatmeal imperial stout infused with tart cherries. It's available in 19.2-ounce cans to go.

Lone Tree Brewing is combining Firkin February with Stout Month by tapping a different firkin of stout each Friday, starting with Irish Dry Stout with vanilla beans. On February 12, it will be Imperial Stout with coconut and pecans, followed by White Irish Coffee Stout on February 19 and Cookies & Cream Stout on February 26.

4 Noses Brewing brings out the Flatiron Fog, a hazy IPA "inspired by the mystical haze that looms around our iconic Flatirons," the brewery says. "Brewed with Citra and Centennial hops, each sip is saturated in juicy citrusy flavors." It is available on draft and in cans to go.

Rail's End Beer Company in Broomfield is tapping a Bavarian-style hefeweizen, Hoss's Hefe. The brand-new 5.4 percent ABV wheat ale with a sturdy malt backbone has "a strong banana flavor with a hint of clove spice created by the yeast during the fermentation process," the brewery says.

New Terrain Brewing in Golden releases two brand-new beers in cans and on draft. North Star V.27, the latest in the brewery's rotating IPA series, is a New England-style double IPA with Barbe Rouge and Azacca hops. The second beer is Terra Firma V.18, the latest in New Terrain's sour series; this is a crisp sour dry-hopped ale made with Wai-iti, Hallertau Blanc and Nelson Sauvin hops.

Saturday, February 6
Bucket of Bolts is the first traditional English-style barleywine that River North Brewery has brewed, and it debuts today at noon in 375mL bottles in both of the brewery's taprooms. "With a reddish, caramel-colored body, you will find this smooth drinking barleywine to have super subtle hints of cinnamon, pepper and clove while being a tad sweet but not overwhelming with any of the flavors," River North says. The 12.2 percent ABV beer will also be available on tap. Both taprooms will have food trucks today, as well.

Black Sky Brewery is celebrating Stout Month in February and has several stouts on tap, including Fallen Angel, a 7.1 ABV oatmeal stout; Stout of the Sorcerer, a 7 percent bourbon barrel-aged honey stout; Peppermint Stout; Blackberry Chocolate Stout; and Heaven & Hell, a 5.3 percent stout made with habaneros and chocolate.

Westfax Brewing releases three new beers on tap and in cans. Strata Outta Colfax is a 9.5 percent ABV hazy double IPA brewed with Strata, Cashmere and Simcoe hops for notes of pineapple, peach candy, mango and tangerine. Lemons Be Crazy is a kettle sour brewed with Meyer lemons that "is tart, crisp and refreshing," the brewery says. Cherry Chocolate Cinnamon Stout is a pastry stout.

New Image Brewing has two new beers in cans. Coffee & Donuts is a 10.5 percent ABV imperial coffee stout with sprinkles, powdered sugar, lactose and coffee from Traction Coffee Roasters. All You Need Is Love...And Dogs is a double-dry-hopped double IPA that is part of the brewery's continuing work with the Denver Dumb Friends League.

Tickets for WeldWerks Brewing's February bottle release of three different beers go on sale via Eventbrite at 10 a.m. and will sell out very quickly. The beers are Tawny Port Medianoche, a blend of imperial stouts aged for twenty months in ten- to twenty-year tawny port wine barrels; PB&J Tawny Port Medianoche, which is the same beer conditioned on peanut flour to accentuate the peanut brittle and walnut notes; and Symphonize, an imperial stout aged for 21 months in several five- to ten-year-old bourbon barrels.

Monday, February 8
Spice Trade Brewing will be showcasing stouts all month, including its Chai Milk Stout and King Montezuma Mayan Chocolate Stout, along with special small-batch releases. Today's is Girl Stout Cookie Chai Milk Stout.

Tuesday, February 9
To celebrate the Colorado Brewers Guild's Firkin February fundraising month, Strange Craft Beer Company taps Ain't-Cho Mango Stout on cask. This 7 percent ABV beer was conditioned on ancho peppers and mangos.

Wednesday, February 10
The latest round of the F*CK COVID four-pack and livestream includes Joyride Brewing Czech the Rhime Czech-style Pilsner; Left Hand Brewing Bittersweet Nitro Imperial Milk Stout with coffee; Pikes Peak Brewing Ocean of Clouds Hazy IPA; and Upslope Brewing Oatmeal Stout. You can pick up a four-pack with one of each beer at any of the breweries listed in the days leading up to today. The online event takes place at 7 p.m.

Thursday, February 11
Station 26 Brewing is excited to announce the release of Eternal Lovibond Mocha Milk Stout along with insulated camping mugs. Pre-sale for four-packs of Eternal Lovibond and the mugs goes live on February 11; pick-ups are February 13. Each twelve-ounce mug is made of vacuum-sealed stainless steel with a matte black finish and comes with a Press Fit lid. The beer is a 7 percent ABV milk stout made with Emergentia coffee and chocolate "for an irresistible mocha flavor," the brewery says.

Friday, February 12
Fiction Beer Company has teamed up with The Word | A Storytelling Sanctuary on a collaborative beer-and-poetry project called Poetic Ales. The brewery will release three canned beers in a limited-edition boxed set (as well as on draft and in sixteen-ounce four-packs; each can will feature a poem by a BIPOC poet who is a member of the Word, a nonprofit organization that "fights for cultural equity through the literary arts" and "promotes voices from underserved communities and diverse backgrounds." A portion of the proceeds from the beers will go to support the Word. Here are the planned releases: Small Gestures of Vibes, a hazy IPA made with Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy and Wai’iti hops, with poetry from Franklin Cruz; Phazed Brew, a molé milk stout brewed with Mexican chile peppers and spices, with words by Kerrie Joy; and Cure Your Ales, a purple ale made with elderberries, Hallertau Mittlefrueh and Sorachi Ace hops, with a poem by Deborah Yang. The poets are all responding to the theme of "the In Between, reflecting this middling period of the pandemic and this time of conscious awakening on equity issues," according to the brewery.

Cheluna Brewing, in Stanley Marketplace, taps a brand-new Xoco Fresa Lager, which was brewed to taste like chocolate-covered cherries — in time for Valentine's Day.

Strange Craft Beer Company taps its annual Valentine's Day beer, Belgian Chocolate Raspberry Love Stout. First brewed in 2012 with John and Stacy Turk of Walter's 303, the stout weighs in at 10.5 percent ABV.

Epic Brewing continues its Firkin February tappings in support of the Colorado Brewers Guild by tapping a firkin of its Escape to Colorado IPA dosed with Sour Patch Kids.

Burns Family Artisan Ales releases three beers for Stout Month. Imperial ’Nanana is a 10.5 percent ABV bourbon barrel-aged vanilla milk stout. A View From the Top of Gogebic is a 10.1 percent ABV maple milk stout named for Gogebic County in Michigan, which holds the largest stand of silver maples in the U.S. Stolen Kiss is a 14.5 percent ABV imperial brown ale aged in rum barrels.

Little Machine Beer Company taps Hittin’ Switches Apple Cider, a millet-based beer that is as close to apple cider as a brewery is legally allowed to get. Brewed with fresh-pressed apple juice from Talbott Farms in Palisade and fermented with Champagne yeast, the beverage has a "naturally tangy, dry finish of a millet-based fermentation" that is "a perfect companion to the mild, fruity touch that comes from being 49-percent apple juice," Little Machine says. "All combined and rounded out by the unmistakable character of Champagne yeast."

Seedstock Brewery is joining forces with Alma Kitchen & Catering for a $25 beer-infused dessert package that includes a Crowler of your choosing, Scotch ale brownies made with Seedstock’s Scotch Ale, Bohemian Ale salted caramels made with Seedstock’s Bohemian Ale, and chocolate-covered pretzels. There are a limited number of packages available until February 14, so reserve in advance.

Coal Mine Avenue Brewing has again teamed up with its friends at Peak View Brewing and Chain Reaction Brewing on a "salty sweet and tart surprise" called Salted Apple Caramel Gose, Coal Mine says. The beer will be available at all three taprooms.

Sunday, February 14
Dos Luces Brewing, in collaboration with Cultura Craft Chocolate, is once again celebrating its South American chicha and pulque with a chocolate-and-beer tasting for Valentine’s Day. This year, there are two options: Come to the brewery anytime between 5 and 10 p.m. and enjoy four four-ounce beers per person and chocolate paired with each (there is very limited seating), or take the beer home in bottles, along with the chocolate. For more information on times, pricing and details, go to the Dos Luces website.

Black Sky Brewery has been celebrating Stout Month, and it taps a new black beer today. Hazelnut Porter is a robust-style porter with fresh roasted hazelnuts. Get a slice of cheesecake to pair with it.

Spice Trade Brewing will be showcasing stouts all month, including its Chai Milk Stout and King Montezuma Mayan Chocolate, along with some small-batch releases like today's Chocolate Cherry Chai Milk Stout.

Monday, February 15
Spice Trade Brewing will be showcasing stouts all month, including its Chai Milk Stout and King Montezuma Mayan Chocolate, along with some small-batch releases like today's Horchata King Montezuma.

Saturday, February 20
River North Brewery celebrates its ninth anniversary by releasing Anniversary 9, a whiskey barrel-aged coconut imperial stout. Both taprooms will have some food trucks on hand.

Factotum Brewhouse celebrates its anniversary with several circus-themed sittings. Each one involves different music and entertainment, anniversary glassware and food and beer. Make reservations here.