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Seventeen years ago, the Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery in Boulder had a brilliant idea to feature all sorts of local, regional, and national stouts during the month of February. The celebration spread to the Southern Sun Brewery and Restaurant, its Boulder sibling brewery, and now it’s also being revered at its newest offshoot, the Vine Street Pub in Denver.
When I lived in Boulder, Stout Month was a standing-room-only affair, and I have no doubt it’s going to mean Vine Street will be a beer-drinker’s destination. Both house and guest beers will rotate throughout the month, says head brewer Brian Hutchinson. If you want to know about the latest beers on tap, follow his updates on Twitter at twitter.com/mountainsunpub.
Ready for your mouth to start watering? Let’s take a look at the house brews we’ll get to sample this February.
On nitrogen (which makes the stouts even creamier), expect Belgian Dip Chocolate Stout, Korova Cream Stout, and Old School Irish Stout. Served using traditional fizzy CO2 are the Yonder Mountain Stout, Thunder Head Stout, and Cherry Dip Stout. If you’re looking for a higher-octane imperial stout, try the Usurper, Nihilist, and a Coffee Imperial Stout.
The guest list is impressive, too: Sixteen stouts will rotate through in February, including Port Brewing Company‘s Santa’s Little Helper, Golden City Brewery‘s Java-Peno Imperial, and Deschutes Brewery‘s Obsidian Stout.
Events are scheduled at all three locations throughout the month. The Southern Sun is hosting a stout class on February 2 at 4 p.m., as well as a free vertical tasting of Avery Brewing Company‘s “The Czar” on February 9 from 4:20 to 6 p.m. Over at the Mountain Sun, there’s a free Usurper vintage tasting from 4:20 to 6 p.m. on February 16, and at Vine Street on February 22 there will be a free Nihilist vintage tasting from 4:20 to 6 p.m.