Our next Denver brewery quest took us to a place recommended by a friend of my daughter. This friend is an assistant brewer for Pizza Port Brewing and has proven to be a great source of beer knowledge and suggestions in the past. Hence, we sought out Crooked Stave Brewery and Taproom.

Chad Yakobson started Crooked Stave in Ft. Collins, CO in November 2010. Crooked Stave focuses on creating innovative barrel-aged sour ales. Brewing started in January 2011 and the first Crooked Stave release was in July 2011. Crooked Stave ales are generally only available in Colorado at this time, although I have seen it available at good craft beer stores in California. Chad’s credentials include a degree in distilling and brewing from Heriot Watt University’s Centre for Brewing and Distilling in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Crooked Stave’s new Brewery and Taproom in Denver had just opened 2 days before our arrival for the Denver Beer Fest. This new facility is located in a building known as The Source. The Source is a reclaimed and refurbished building that is also newly opened and now houses local artisan businesses. One example is Boxcar Coffee. Boxcar was test brewing some Ethiopia Dry Roast coffee when we entered The Source. My wife had a cup and was in coffee heaven. No doubt I’ll be ordering online from these folks when we get back home.

The bar at Crooked Stave is modern and stunning. The woodwork and steel are pieces of art. All the taps appear to be computer controlled.

Six barrel-aged sour ales were on tap during our visit. Below are my tasting notes.

Crooked Stave Vieille Artisanal Saison (4.2% ABV): Vieille pours a slightly hazy straw color with thin white foam. The beer has a floral, straw, grass, and citrus aroma. Vieille is light-bodied with mild carbonation. This sour ale tastes of tart apples, earth, some hay and grass, and lemon citrus and zest. Vieille has a dryish finish. Serve this beer between 46-54 degrees F and enjoy drinking it with aged cheese, prosciutto, portobello mushrooms, or Thai green curry shrimp. This sour ale is delicious and displays more subtle application of delicate flavors than most American made sour ales!

Crooked Stave Surette Provision Saison (6.2% ABV): Surette pours a slightly hazy gold color with orange tinge and has a fleeting white foam. The ale smells of citrus zest and white grapes with hints of fruits and mild spice. Surette is medium-bodied with mild carbonation. The ale has a delicious flavor of sour/tart apples, citrus zest, some malt grain, and has a tart dry finish. Serve this beer between 46-54 degrees F and enjoy drinking it with a spinach salad with cranberries, walnuts, and feta cheese. Surette is outstanding!

Crooked Stave St. Bretta Citrus Wildbier (5.5% ABV): St. Bretta is made with 100% Brettanomyces yeast during primary fermentation. This ale pours a hazy straw color with white foam. St. Bretta has a lemon and grapefruit citrus aroma with underlying smell of mango, papaya, and mild spice. The ale is light-bodied with mild carbonation. St. Bretta has a Valencia orange and citrus flavor with some malt and a dry and tart finish. The flavors are complex and amazing. Serve this ale at 46-54 degrees F and try drinking it with steamed mussels. St. Bretta is delicious!

Crooked Stave Hop Savant 100% Brett Indie Pale Ale (6.7% ABV): This ale pours a hazy goold color with white foam. Hop Savant has an amzing aroma of pine resin, grapefruit and other citrus, orange blossoms, papaya, and mango. The ale is medium-bodied and creamy with mild carbonation. Hop Savant tastes of pine resin followed by assertive peach, citrus zest, grapefruit pith, mango, earth, and a amazing hops bitterness that is subtle. Serve this ale at 46-54 degrees F and try drinking it with some sharp cheddar cheese. Absolutely unique and amazing!

L’Brett D’Or Golden Sour (6% ABV): This ale pours a hazy gold color with white foam. L’Brett has an aroma of tart white grape with floral and citrus notes. The ale is luscious on the palate, medium-bodied, and has mild carbonation. L’Brett has a mild tart apples and grapes flavor followed by mild malt and a dry finish. Serve this ale at 46-54 degrees F and try it with brie cheese. It is very hard for me to describe how exquisite and very skillful this world-class ale actually tastes.

Crooked Stave Origins Batch 2 Burgundy Sour (6.5% ABV): Origins pours a very dark brown color with reddish hue and thin beige foam. This ale has an aroma of grape and chocolate. Origins is medium-bodied but lush and has mild carbonation. This ale has a sour grape flavor with hints of wood, grapefruit, and other citrus. Origins finishes mildly dry. Serve this ale at 46-54 degrees F with some peppery cheese. How many times do I have to say world-class?!

What an amazing brewery!

Later that evening, my family and I dined at Euclid Hall. In addition to having a large and impressive selection of craft beers, Euclid Hall serves innovative and delicious food. I highly recommend you try the Chips and Dip. I know what you are thinking now. Chips and Dip!!!!! Euclid Hall’s Chips and Dip consists of lemon goat cheese, oolong tea smoked rare duck breast, duck confit, Kennebec potato chips, and baby dill. Trust me now and praise Euclid Hall later.

There are lots more about the Denver Beer Fest. Stay tuned for Denver Beer Fest – Part 3, which will have some British flare.