Here's the premise: Everyone meets at a particular Colorado Springs bar
at a specified time and drinks/socializes for one hour (or whatever
length of time), then everyone migrates to the next bar on the list (or
a bar of popular choice), for perhaps a total of four hours (that would
be a total of four venues for this example). Everyone gets to visit
bars/pubs they may otherwise have not visited. It could be a monthly or
quarterly event.

There is an open forum set up to discuss this at:
http://www.mylifeisbeer.com/forums/i...ct=ST&f=7&t=82

This is just an idea I've had after participating in similar events in
Austin, Texas and St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.

The only thing wrong with this scenario is that 99.9% of the bars here
in the Springs have the following on tap: Bud, Miller, Coors, token
Bristol offereing most likely Laughing Lab and token New Belgium
offering Sunshine Wheat or Fat Tire.

I've lived here for a year now and outside of brewpubs and breweries
you'll find no good beer bars. I've looked and looked although I would
be extremely happy to be proven wrong. Outside of Old Chicago where the
food is barely edible and the beer selection seems pretty good upon
first inspection but is really just a lot of ho-hum choices the only
places I can think of that do not fit my initial description are
Kinfolks in Manitou and The Stagecoach which only has three taps but at
least they are Oasis instead of Bristol.

_Randal

The only thing wrong with this scenario is that 99.9% of the bars here
in the Springs have the following on tap: Bud, Miller, Coors, token
Bristol offereing most likely Laughing Lab and token New Belgium
offering Sunshine Wheat or Fat Tire.

I've lived here for a year now and outside of brewpubs and breweries
you'll find no good beer bars. I've looked and looked although I would
be extremely happy to be proven wrong. Outside of Old Chicago where the
food is barely edible and the beer selection seems pretty good upon
first inspection but is really just a lot of ho-hum choices the only
places I can think of that do not fit my initial description are
Kinfolks in Manitou and The Stagecoach which only has three taps but at
least they are Oasis instead of Bristol.

_Randal

So there is no Gingerman-like pub in Colorado Springs? Bummer...

Nope. AFAIK the only Gingerman-like pub you will find on the whole
front range is Falling Rock in Denver. When I went there it was quite
un-Gingerman-like even though it was started by former g-man employees.
They were out of a good 1/4 of their 40 or so taps, although they
didn't bother to cover the tap handles with anything and the surly
bartender grew surlier as I somehow managed to ask about most of the
beers that they were out of (the good ones).

Last weekend I went to The Yard House in Lakewood, a suburb of Denver.
They have 130 taps and make the Saucer look like Applebees. Be sure and
go there between 3 & 6 though when all of their beer is only $2.75 a
pint. I will DEFINITELY be back, hopefully this weekend!

If you are in the Springs be sure and visit Bristol's tasting room and
Kinfolks in Manitou. Kinfolks is tiny - it's a mountain outfitter store
with a surprise bar in the back with 8 craft beer taps. I find it very
relaxing and cozy.

_Randal

I'll be sure to check those out.

I just moved to Colorado Springs from Austin and figured Colorado would
have a much better beer scene. While the store selection is better, or
perhaps just different than you might find at HEB Central Market or the
Grapevine Market in Austin, the pub scene leaves something to be
desired here.

In rec.food.drink.beer Randal wrote:

: be extremely happy to be proven wrong. Outside of Old Chicago where the
: food is barely edible and the beer selection seems pretty good upon
: first inspection but is really just a lot of ho-hum choices the only
: places I can think of that do not fit my initial description are
: Kinfolks in Manitou and The Stagecoach which only has three taps but at
: least they are Oasis instead of Bristol.

Old Chicago has over 115 beers available - you call that "ho-hum"? Now
I know it's _you_ that has the problem, not the C. Springs beer scene.

wrote:
In rec.food.drink.beer Randal wrote:

: be extremely happy to be proven wrong. Outside of Old Chicago where the
: food is barely edible and the beer selection seems pretty good upon
: first inspection but is really just a lot of ho-hum choices the only
: places I can think of that do not fit my initial description are
: Kinfolks in Manitou and The Stagecoach which only has three taps but at
: least they are Oasis instead of Bristol.

Old Chicago has over 115 beers available - you call that "ho-hum"? Now
I know it's _you_ that has the problem, not the C. Springs beer scene.

It's been awhile since I've been in an Old Chicago, but
IME he's right-- the selection may seem adventuresome to a
beer neophyte but to the exeprience beer hunter it certainly
leaves a lot to be desired.
--
Joel Plutchak "Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes
plutchak at [...] your time and it annoys the pig." -anonymous

"Joel" wrote in message
...
wrote:
In rec.food.drink.beer Randal wrote:

: be extremely happy to be proven wrong. Outside of Old Chicago where the
: food is barely edible and the beer selection seems pretty good upon
: first inspection but is really just a lot of ho-hum choices the only
: places I can think of that do not fit my initial description are
: Kinfolks in Manitou and The Stagecoach which only has three taps but at
: least they are Oasis instead of Bristol.

Old Chicago has over 115 beers available - you call that "ho-hum"? Now
I know it's _you_ that has the problem, not the C. Springs beer scene.

It's been awhile since I've been in an Old Chicago, but
IME he's right-- the selection may seem adventuresome to a
beer neophyte but to the exeprience beer hunter it certainly
leaves a lot to be desired.

That was my unfortunate experience at the newly opened OC by me. Went in
last week with high hopes of a good multi-tap near the house, but out of 40+
taps, there were 6 that were worth the time -- and you guys know me, I'm
pretty open-minded -- and the first beer I ordered, a Rogue Santa's Reserve,
was stale. Not good.

--
Lew Bryson

www.LewBryson.com
Author of "New York Breweries" and "Pennsylvania Breweries," 2nd ed., both
available at www.amazon.com
The Hotmail address on this post is for newsgroups only: I don't check it,
or respond to it. Spam away.

wrote in :

In rec.food.drink.beer Randal wrote:

: be extremely happy to be proven wrong. Outside of Old Chicago where
: the food is barely edible and the beer selection seems pretty good
: upon first inspection but is really just a lot of ho-hum choices the
: only places I can think of that do not fit my initial description are
: Kinfolks in Manitou and The Stagecoach which only has three taps but
: at least they are Oasis instead of Bristol.

Old Chicago has over 115 beers available - you call that "ho-hum"?
Now I know it's _you_ that has the problem, not the C. Springs beer
scene.

115 crappy beers available is still 115 crappy beers. It's not the
number, it's the quality. --
************************************************** ***************
Dan Iwerks thinks that the beer you're drinking probably sucks.
The fundamental problem with Solipsism is it makes me
responsible for the fact that you're a complete idiot.
************************************************** ***************

On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 wrote:

In rec.food.drink.beer Randal wrote:

: be extremely happy to be proven wrong. Outside of Old Chicago where the
: food is barely edible and the beer selection seems pretty good upon
: first inspection but is really just a lot of ho-hum choices the only
: places I can think of that do not fit my initial description are
: Kinfolks in Manitou and The Stagecoach which only has three taps but at
: least they are Oasis instead of Bristol.

Old Chicago has over 115 beers available - you call that "ho-hum"? Now
I know it's _you_ that has the problem, not the C. Springs beer scene.


C'mon.
Old Chicago sucks ass.
115 beers, 85 of them are variants of the same old light lagers, but ooh,
there's one from China!
The rest are very commonly available things like Samuel Smiths, Sierra
Nevada, Anchor, etc. Not to say those beers are slouches, but when you go
into a real beer bar, you often find yourself gasping at seeing a few
things on tap that you've only read about, and never thought you'd get to
drink.
Not to at Old Chicago. (not to mention their ice cold servings and frosty
mugs)

"Lew Bryson" wrote in
om:

know me, I'm pretty open-minded -- and the first beer I ordered, a
Rogue Santa's Reserve, was stale. Not good.

Yup, same experience here. At first glance, a seemingly beergeek-friendly
place, but a lot of the good stuff is old and/or served ICE cold, and in a
frosted mug, no less. Even had a fruitless argument with an OC bartender
about the beer being served much too cold...he was convinced that was
exactly how it should be served, despite my pointing out that no one in
England, Germany, or Belgium serves it at such a tasteless temp. And I've
had many an import in bottle that had the telltale cardboard waft of
oxidation.

So, no...not worth your time if there's a decent brewpub around. I applaud
OC's effort to offer a good selection, but they need to work harder on
insuring the beers are in good condition. I'd rather have things be out of
stock occasionally than expect what I'm getting is going to be nearly
undrinkable. I just don't patronize them anymore, it's not worth it.

Cheers,
Ern

"Lew Bryson" wrote in
om:

know me, I'm pretty open-minded -- and the first beer I ordered, a
Rogue Santa's Reserve, was stale. Not good.

Yup, same experience here. At first glance, a seemingly beergeek-friendly
place, but a lot of the good stuff is old and/or served ICE cold, and in a
frosted mug, no less. Even had a fruitless argument with an OC bartender
about the beer being served much too cold...he was convinced that was
exactly how it should be served, despite my pointing out that no one in
England, Germany, or Belgium serves it at such a tasteless temp. And I've
had many an import in bottle that had the telltale cardboard waft of
oxidation.

So, no...not worth your time if there's a decent brewpub around. I applaud
OC's effort to offer a good selection, but they need to work harder on
insuring the beers are in good condition. I'd rather have things be out of
stock occasionally than expect what I'm getting is going to be nearly
undrinkable. I just don't patronize them anymore, it's not worth it.

Cheers,
Ern

Dan Iwerks dan_iwerksatyahoodottcom wrote in
:

115 crappy beers available is still 115 crappy beers. It's not the
number, it's the quality. --

You have to keep perspective, though...how many other chain restaurants
give you a choice like that? Granted, a lot of them are crap lagers, but I
at least give them credit for offering something better than Rolling Rock
and Fat Tire. There are reasons to knock OC (the fact that a lot of it is
stale and ice cold), but I don't think we should be comparing them to the
Toronados and Falling Rocks either.

My local OC offers Celebrator and Fullers London Porter among other things,
which I wouldn't call crappy personally. Try getting either of those at
another restaurant. Granted, they're not served properly, but that wasn't
the issue. ;^)

Cheers,
Ern

: 115 crappy beers available is still 115 crappy beers. It's not the
: number, it's the quality. --

Pilsner Urquell, Pyramid Apricot, Lindeman's Kriek are crappy beers? You
must be a Bud drinker...