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Return OF THE Can

There was a time when only cheap beer came in cans. . . . Even so, the aluminum can, introduced to this country’s beer drinking public in 1935, became iconic—even if the beer it contained was often unremarkable. Quality notwithstanding, the cssffft sound that issued forth upon opening each new can was a harbinger of good things, especially on a hot summer day.

But today the humble can is new and improved and experiencing a renaissance: since the release of Dale’s Pale Ale in a can in 2002, dozens of American microbrewers have started packaging their finest stuff in aluminum. Thanks to special linings, there’s no interaction whatsoever between the metal and liquid. More importantly, there’s less “head space” between the top of the can and the brew, meaning less beer-spoiling oxygen remains in contact with the beer. What’s more, cans offer benefits that bottles don’t: harmful UV light rays are blocked, sparing the beer from the dreaded “skunk” effect (avoid green and clear beer bottles when you can; brown glass blocks more UV rays). Today, well over a hundred American craft brewers have adopted cans. They’re easier to carry (especially on camping trips), less likely to break and cut someone, and more quickly cooled. Crack one open as soon as you can.

OSKAR BLUES

HOMEMADE

LIQUIDS & SOLIDS

1555 S. Hover Rd. • Longmont, CO 80501

(303) 485-9400 • oskarblues.com • Established: 2009

SCENE & STORY

Think: bayou-on-the-Front-Range. Equal parts shiny taproom, soul food smorgasbord, and juke joint blues bar, this excellent spot is a must for anyone on the Colorado ale trail. The smell of apple-wood smoke greets you before you reach the door; that’s thanks to the “Midnight Toker,” an in-house smoker used for slow smoked North Carolina–style BBQ pork, spare ribs, beer-can chicken, salmon, and turkey. Inside, there’s a mouth-watering display of shrimp and other shellfish, scores of interesting pieces of folk art from the Deep South, and the sounds of good music, including live blues, alt country, rockabilly, and bluegrass five nights a week. “We made a commitment early on that we were going to do good music,” says founder Dale Katechis of the atmosphere. “We weren’t just going to book $200 ‘Mustang Sally’ bands.” There’s even a line of Oskar Blues hot sauces, based on five different beers. Try the Ten FIDY Imperial Stout version, made with the world’s hottest pepper, Bhut Jolokia, or “ghost chile,” if you dare.

PHILOSOPHY

A rising tide lifts all ships. This Oskar Blues location features scores of guest taps from other Colorado and American brewers, making the forty-three-tap pub a great place for an all-Colorado beer tasting.

KEY BEER

The clean and crisp Mama’s Little Yella Pils, at 5.3% ABV, makes a great quencher for spicy ribs and other dishes they do so well here. But don’t miss other OB rarities like Smoke on the Water, a lightly smoked, 7% ABV winter warmer.

OSKAR BLUES

TASTY WEASEL

TAPROOM

1800 Pike Rd., Unit B • Longmont, CO 80501

(303) 776-1914 • oskarblues.com • Established: 2009

SCENE & STORY

The Tasty Weasel is a cozy little taproom within the massive new Oskar Blues brewing facility, a behemoth headed toward a 70,000bbl annual capacity. Expect an industrial yet intimate setting (corrugated metal walls, folk art) popular with beer fanatics and locals, an up-close view of massive, beer-filled fermenters, cool music on the hifi, British-style casks called firkins, and oak-aged beer tappings on Tuesday and Friday nights.

PHILOSOPHY

No risk, no reward. “I grew up in the restaurant business and I always had a dream of opening my own restaurant, and Lyons seemed to be about the riskiest place to do it,” recalls founder Dale Katechis. “When I moved there it was Mayberry in the mountains.” That roll-the-dice business model has proved a savvy strategy, but the results have presented challenges of their own. “It’s just 100 percent growth year after year,” he says of the entire operation. “The job now