Colorado Road Trip: Just A Little Bit Boulder (Pt. 2)

Part 1 of our Boulder day trip can be read at this blog post link:

Of course, we couldn't not visit Boulder without sampling some of the city's eateries. Our experiences in this mountain town includes an eatery bringing a touch of South America to Colorado and a space that combines coffee, cheese and charcuterie.

Rincon Argentino: Empanadas and all their hand pie cousins are something of an underrated culinary commodity. While the general concept (baked dough with some savory filling) is the same, the slight variations in preparation make cross-cultural and cross-border comparisons viable, not unlike another dough-related construct (the donut...or should that be beignet? Malasalada? Paczki?) Opened in 2012 in The Village shopping center, Rincon Argentino has been providing their country's version of these portable eats as well as other staples of Argentine cuisine to the residents of Boulder to much success.

Two things stood out as we made our way into the eatery and to the front counter to order. The first was a small chalkboard sign outside that invited folks to join them for mate; indeed, Rincon Argentino brings their country's tradition to the forefront, offering a "Mate Power Hour" every afternoon. Diners who partake in this ritual will get their of yerba mate tea served in a traditional gourd. For those not into mate, the usual fizzy beverages are available as well as select Colorado craft beer taps (on our visit, beer selections from Upslope, Odell and Avery were on draft.)

The second was the main chalkboard, detailing not only their numerous empanada varieties but also other Argentine specialties such as their milanesa (basically, a breaded and fried protein of some sort) and lomito (steak) sandwiches.

Top Left to Right: A collection of Rincon Argentino's empanada; a menu
board that makes it hard to decide; a shrine to Argentine sports stars,
including lengendary Maradona; tubs of their "Super Dulce de
Leche" ice cream; and an invitation to diners for Mate time

As tasty as the sandwiches sounded, we were here this day for the empanadas. We decided to order a swath of these pockets of deliciousness and were not disappointed; out of the six, the standouts were the two spicy steak (Carne Picante) and ground beef (Criollo) empanadas as well as their wild mushroom (Hongos). The two accompanying green and red sauces both had a nice kick to them; it was fun figuring out which sauce went best with each empanada variety. For locals, packs of frozen empanadas are available for taking out and preparing in their own home.

We did not indulge in any desserts during our stay, but it wasn't like we weren't tempted. This eatery has tubs of "Super Dulce De Leche" ice cream in the freezer case, as well as a delicious Pasta Frola tart (made with quince paste.)

As we sat down, we noticed a shrine to various Argentine athletes across all sports. Being Boulder, it was cool to see the race bib of an Argentine triathlete on the wall, as well as one of the first names I became familiar with when I started paying attention to the sport of tennis (Guillermo Vilas.) However, it was not surprising to see most of the display devoted to soccer and Argentine legends Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

Rincon Argentino

2525 Arapahoe Avenue
The Village - A05
Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 442-4133
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The entryway to coffee, cheese, charcuterie and a whole lot more

Boxcar Coffee Roasters/Cured: We were here actually to visit Boxcar Coffee, based on a tip from some of the folks who work at Columbus' own One Line Coffee. What we discovered upon arrival was that their Boulder-based space (their home city; they also have a location in Denver proper)  was co-shared with Cured, a local provider of cheese, charcuterie and a lot more.

On one side of the space, Boxcar Coffee brews their coffees. Opened up in 2011, Boxcar specializes in small batch single-origin bean roasting, using a German-manufactured machine built around 1930. They also have adapted their preparation of coffee to account for the lower water boiling temperatures caused by their city's altitude and the requisite lower atmosphere pressures that result. As stated on their website, their "Boilermakr" is inspired by traditional so-called "cowboy coffee" preparation and allows maximum extraction from every brewed cup.

Clockwise from Top Left: A dapperly-dressed Boxcar barista runs their
their "Boilermakr" brewing device; yes, we "heart" cafe au laits;
some of Boxcar's pastry noshes as well as their tea and coffee menus

Boxcar's baristas know how to make a visual impression, attired in a dapper combination of long sleeve shirts, vests and dress pants. The staff was also as accommodating as they were nattily dressed - they were happy to oblige my spouse's off-the-menu request for a cafe au lait, Meanwhile, with the warm day ahead, I was in the mood for something iced and went with their latte. Both drinks were well made and quite tasty.

Similar to One Line Coffee, Boxcar's coffee and tea menu is fairly select, with a selection of single-origin brews, basic espresso drinks and teas along with a selection of pastries and other sweets. They even have a cold brew that they bottle in the form of their "Bottlerocket."

Cured's offerings go beyond just cheese and charcuterie

Meanwhile, it is Cured which occupies most of the interior of this co-shared space (both business share a guest seating area.) Cured's main focus lies in its cheese (I spied a few familiars in their cheese case, including Cowgirl Creamery and Oregon's Rogue Creamery) and charcuterie, with the usuals like coppa, chorizo, pancetta and lardo available for purchase.

However, they also offer a pretty decent selection of gourmet food products, freshly baked breads and pretzels and variety of wines to the visitor. They also provide lunch-time eats, with a daily menu of various sandwiches and a couple of sampler cheese plate options. If you are inclined to grab something for an outdoor outing, Cured offers partially-customizable picnic platters that will feed various-sized groups.

While we did not indulge in any Cured's wares on this visit (lunch today would be at the previously mentioned Rincon Argentino), we liked and were tempted at times by the plentiful culinary eye candy they provided. In a way, the space was something like cramming Columbus' North Market vendors Stauf's, Brezel, Curds & Whey, Omega Artisan Baking and The Barrel & Bottle into a space roughly the size of where Hot Chicken Takeover now resides.

Boxcar Coffee Roasters
1825 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 527-1300
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Cured Cheese Shop
1825 B Pearl Street
Boulder, CO 80302
(720) 389-8096
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Colorado Road Trip: Just A Little Bit Boulder (Pt. 1)

In the center of downtown Boulder Colorado's East End.

Boulder Colorado, perched roughly one hour (depending on traffic) northwest of the Denver city limits, wears several faces. One face is a sweaty one: the city has over the years become a top residence and training destination for pro triathletes and other elite endurance athletes. In general, the Boulder population is highly geared toward outdoor activities, not surprising in an area where mountains, rivers, hiking trails, and roads friendly to bicycle traffic abound.

Another face is the academic type: many of the pedestrians we saw on the street the day of our visit were students, most of whom are associated with the Boulder-based University of Colorado. In a city of approximately 100,000 people, the roughly 45,000 students who attend this state university have a big effect on the goings-on around town.

Lastly is Boulder's political face: this city is one of the more liberally minded populaces in the state, with the more exclusive parts of the town reminding me a bit of Marin County in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their moniker as "The People's Republic of Boulder", and all the pros and cons that this entails, reminds me a lot of how the city of Berkeley is perceived.

On the day we visited, these and any of Boulder's other faces seemed just in perfect working order, a lot this of attributable to the gorgeous weather. All manner of people were out to walk, bike and run through and outside of town, often accompanied by their pets or their toddlers in tow. Students were also evident everywhere, but their thoughts seemed more focused on the weekend ahead rather then upcoming academic challenges. Even the bicyclists putting in some hard miles seemed to have smiles on their faces, as if that it was a mandate from the city for the day.

The tiny dip we took into this town's charms this day proved to be a perfect way to while away a Friday.

Just a few of the sights you'll see along Boulder's main strip

Pearl Street: Boulder's main downtown district is anchored by Pearl Street, and, perhaps not surprisingly, has a West End and East End. This street bears some resemblance to High Street through Columbus' Short North neighborhood in that it has a host of eateries, art galleries and plenty of shopping opportunities. Like the Short North, the area acts as a destination for locals and visitors alike through numerous events; however, the mountain setting really distinguishes these two respective destination areas, from the surrounding mountains themselves to the various wilderness-related public art works and play areas for the kids.

One's attraction to stay long hours in the area will be tied to how much of a shopping fiend you are (at the time of this post, the Downtown Boulder website listed around 170 places to shop); my spouse are not much as much into this aspect as others, but we did find a couple stores that drew our attention.

Into The Wind, operating for over thirty years, offers a cornucopia of the most colorful wind-riding kites you can imagine. The interior is lined with these wind-riding constructs overhead, offering a multi-hued tapestry as you walk through their space. They also have a neat collection of toys, similar to the offerings you'd find at German Village's The Book Loft and the Short North's Big Fun.

Meanwhile, Zuni offers up some really beautiful Native American art, fetishes and other crafts mainly from the southwestern portion of the United States, within their quaint store at what seem to be fair prices. My spouse, who has a small stock of native arts and crafts, picked up a pretty little basket to add to her collection.

Into The Wind
1408 Pearl St
Boulder, CO 80302
(800) 541-0314
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Zuni
1424 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 443-9575
Website

Boulder offers numerous hiking and walking trails both in and outside
of town, including the North Foothills Trail and Boulder Creek Path

North Foothills Trail/Boulder Creek Path: We love going out for hiking during our excursions, but we unfortunately forgot our more rugged hiking shoes and walking sticks. Thus, some of the more challenging trails around the area were out of the question. However, Boulder offers enough trails to allow even the regular couch potato to burn off a few calories and/or grab a view of the mountains.

The North Foothills Trail, located on the northern outskirts of North Boulder, isn't that terribly long in distance (a trail that traverses higher up into the foothills is available for those looking for a longer excursion) but actually offers a bit more of a rocky pathway than its "easy" rating suggests. Other than the crest line of the nearby foothills, the trail gives the hiker a view back down toward Boulder itself against on what was this day a clear blue sky. It also shows clearly where civilization has bumped squarely up against nature; right next to the houses are fields full of prairie dogs. Some of thee critters looked to be quite wary of our presence and sending off alarm chirps; however,  many seemed idly curious as we hiked by, as if they were saying, "Oh, it's another human again. Whatever..."

The Boulder Creek Path, on the other hand, plays the same role as does the Olentangy Trail in Columbus. Just south of the downtown area, this paved path provides an easy way for walkers and bikers to get across Boulder east to west and passes by the elegantly constructed Boulder Library as well as the University of Colorado campus. Numerous places to hold a picnic or setup a pickup football game abound; artwork and information about the creek can be found scattered along its length as well. The creek itself is accessible in numerous places and, on this fairly warm day, quite a few people took the opportunity to dip their feet into its cold flowing waters.

Crafty Colorado (Pt. 3): Funkwerks and Equinox Brewing (Fort Collins, CO)

"We had joy, we had fun, we had saisons in the sun..."

As horribly punny as that line is, it sets us up perfectly for detailing the next stop in our daylong Colorado craft beer tour.

Funkwerks: Officially incorporated in 2009, the folks at Funkwerks seem to have a wry view on life and themselves. Hints of this are found all over, from their unique twist on the "About" section on their main website (where they make their various beer and business accomplishments and failures at various failures at various non-beer competitions almost indistinguishable from one another) to the taproom chalkboard, which not only lists the  "beertender" of the day, but also contains a quote or similar (the brewery's social media pages hashtag a regular #wednesdaywordsofwisdom.") Finally, the beer menu is filled with little shots of wit, using identifiers such as "Doesn't pair well with Ryu" (their Blanka Double Wit) and "0% of proceeds will go to NLRF, the National Leprechaun Reintroduction Foundation" (Funkwerks' Belgian Stout) with more standard beer descriptors.

However, there is nothing wry or to be laughed at with their selection of beer. Similar to Lancaster, Ohio-based Rockmill, Funkwerks has carved out a reputation of brewing some of the best of the Belgian and Saison beer styles in the country.

The brewery's taproom is a fairly cozy and quietly stylish affair, marked by wood paneling and floors, a little sheet metal, and a small bar area framed by their trademark shade of green you can find on their logo. Along with other tables and chairs, the interior can probably handle up to 20-25 people comfortably. Funkwerks doesn't have any regular food operations, but does offer a cheese and crackers plate if you need a little food while sipping their brews.

Funkwerks' cozy yet stylish taproom, which included a barrel
aging room towards the back of the facility

Funkwerks offers half and full glasses of their beers as well as two series of flights in their Funkwerks Flight ($9 for 5 samplers of their regular beers) and their Specialty Flight (5 of their more limited releases) for $2 more. We had thought about grabbing a flight each, but decided to play it safe by ordering the latter flight first; this turned out to be a good thing, as we received some very nicely-sized pours of some of what turned out to be their higher ABV offerings. They were all quite unique and excellent, with different taste profiles that made picking a best-of somewhat difficult. If we had to pick just one, we would probably to their Quad, with plenty of darker-fruit notes (plums and raisins) and a bit of chocolate before its nice crisp finish.

The Specialty Flight was indeed quite special

Thanks to our brother-in-law, we got to compare that with Funkwerks' Quad they had aged in bourbon barrels, which was delicious in its right with its hints of bourbon and vanilla. Since we were taking home some of their regular Tropic King, an imperial saison, we had to grab a pint of their Tropic King aged in peach whiskey barrels before we left. It was quite easy to see why Draft Magazine named this one of their Top 25 Beers of 2014 - this was definitely one of the more uniquely refreshing beers we have ever tried, something like a very fruity wine spritzer but with much, much more going on. I could imagine this being a perfect pour on a hot summer day, reclining on a shady patio while watching the sun go down.

Funkwerks

1900 E. Lincoln Ave
Fort Collins, CO 80524
(970) 482-3865
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Equinox Brewing: In many ways, the last stop on any food or beverage tour is bound to suffer; as participants are often a little burned out by the end of the day. Equinox Brewing, which started operations in 2010 and is located somewhat off the main strip in downtown Fort Collins, actually provided a perfect atmosphere to ease down from our fairly epic beer touring day.

Equinox sports a very informal atmosphere, with distractions for the visitor such as a shuffleboard game, a little cutout board where you could make you and a friend into foxes riding a tandem bicycle, and a Biergarten patio that allows a view inside their brewing operations. The dimly lit interior of Equinox we found this night lent itself to what we exactly wanted to do before heading back home - grab a pint, find a table, and slowly wind down the evening with a little casual conversation. I spied several groups and couples that seemed to be taking that same approach as well.

With downtown Fort Collins within walking distance, plenty of lunch and dinner options are within easy walking distance; however, Equinox does have a small food menu with some mostly chip and dip style snack items.

Equinox's space is pretty informal, with geek-appealing beer names,
distractions if you need them, and space to seclude and settle
down with your group or date during the evening hours

The beers have a bit of a science and/or science-fiction factor attached their names (which appealed to our more geeky natures quite well); in some ways, the concept attached to beer was a factor as much as the beer style itself. My spouse couldn't resist getting a pint of the Space Ghost IPA, while all the stars I had seen in the night sky over Colorado made the Orion Irish Red my choice. Aftter the more complex taste profiles that Funkwerks' Belgian-style beers gave us, these more straightforward brews from Equinox were a perfect wind down.

Equinox Brewing
133 Remington St,
Fort Collins, CO 80524
(970) 484-1368
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B&B Accommodations: Brazenhead Irish Pub

The outdoor seating area at Brazenhead Irish Pub in Grandview

Most people have that restaurant or two where you order something by default. In a sense, this was set up very early when it comes to Brazenhead Irish Pub. During our long-distance dating phase, my spouse had decided a perfect meal after one of my earliest visits to Ohio would be the half-price burger at Brazenhead's location in Dublin. Indeed, the burger was a perfectly satisfying meal after the long flight over, and since then Brazenhead has become basically a B&B (burger and brew) spot for us.

Based on the original Brazen Head Pub, built in 1198 in Dublin, Ireland, the locally-based Brazenhead Irish Pubs (part of the Historic Dublin Restaurants Group) got their start in 1998 appropriately enough in Dublin, Ohio. A second location soon followed in the Grandview neighborhood a year later, and despite squabbles by the original three owners about various business matters over the years (the partnership broke up officially in 2011) these pubs have continued to attract diners and bar-goers in large numbers (the cozier Dublin location tends to get more cramped and hectic compared to their more spacious Grandview cousin) since their opening.

Brazenhead's interior tries to evoke its namesake's vibe
across the pond in Ireland, while its menu is burger- and
sandwich-oriented with a nice selection of beer and liquor.

Both locations do their best to evoke what it might be like at the original Brazen Head across the Atlantic within their interiors, but unlike its Irish counterpart, these locally-based pubs mostly stay away from Irish standards, basing their offerings mostly around hamburgers and sandwiches. Being a pub, the back of their main menu is dedicated appropriately to "Liquors and Libations", which includes a good inventory of Irish Whiskey and Scotch selections. A separate menu details a select beer menu, which includes several Ohio-based and Irish beer brands on draft.

While burgers & brews have been our standard order, we were
nicely surprised by other menu items like those featured during
2014's Restaurant Week to benefit the Mid-Ohio Foodbank

While burgers and brews have been our main go to here, we found that you can go beyond those choices at Brazenhead and find some good eats. While this pub isn't normally the place you'd necessarily go for a three-course dinner, we found they did a pretty credible job with their side salad, pretzel sticks and creme brulee dessert during their special Restaurant Week menu.

However, even on this special menu day, we both ordered a burger off their menu - no sense breaking from tradition, right?

Brazenhead Irish Pub

1027 W 5th Ave (Grandview)

Columbus, OH 43212

(614) 737-3738

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- and -

56 N High St
Dublin, OH 43017
(614) 792-3738
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Crafty Colorado (Part 2): Big Beaver Brewing (Loveland)/Odell Brewing (Fort Collins)

Colorado has more craft breweries than you can
shake a giant rodent at, or so it seems

To paraphrase a familiar children's book, Colorado has all breweries great and small. This proved true with the first two breweries we visited after leaving Falling Rock Tap House in downtown Denver.

Big Beaver Brewing - our initial intent this day was to cruise around Fort Collins, roughly one hour north of Denver on I-25. This plan was derailed a bit by a freeway accident, but this is where our chauffeur/my brother-in-law's knowledge of the area came in handy.

"Don't worry, you can't swing an empty growler around without hitting a brewery or two around here," he said as we got off the freeway in Loveland and ended up at Big Beaver Brewing, located in what looks at first glance to be a small office complex that is very easy to drive by if you're not paying attention.

Two things immediately came clear as I entered the space and surveyed the interior of this brewery. Firstly, this brewery seemed to be busting at the seams, with more general "stuff "(tables and chairs, beer-related equipment, an informal bar area, etc.) than you would think would fit in this compact and in spots cobbled-together space. This thought also applied to the number of beers available: for what seemed to be a relatively new and modestly-equipped brewery, Big Beaver sported 16 options on their beer menu this day.

We learned later that this brewery has been a rousing success since its opening in October of 2010, undergoing several expansions of their facilities to the point where they have maxed out their current space and capacity. In addition, we learned that the brewery has operated with a sustainability mantra since its opening, focusing strictly on growler sales of their beer.

Secondly...or should that be doubly?...the beer names are pretty much all double-entendres for certain human anatomical parts; even their logo has a certain suggestiveness that is hard not to notice.

Big Beaver has integrated their suggestively-named (and tasty)
offerings into a fun atmosphere where the locals flock.

As I figured out, these names aren't meant to be offensive (though I am sure some would find them such) but rather reflective of the generally fun atmosphere that has been built over the brewery's existence. Big Beaver just seems like a nice place to hangout for awhile. The bar staff greeted everyone with big smiles, and gave us newcomers good explanations as to what was on tap. A calendar on the wall detailed brewery-related promotions attached to each day of the week. Even the smell of bratwurst (Big Beaver serves bratwurst boiled in their Wonder Wiener Wheat Beer and offers two versions of house-made mustard along with the typical condiments for interested patrons) is in itself a welcoming sensation. Perhaps the banner we spotted overhead sums up the general aura here well: "There are no strangers here, only friends who have never met."

As for the beer, we found our choices pretty drinkable and easy for, well, hanging out for an hour or so. Perhaps the standout for all three of us was their Pucker Up Sour Brown, an ale with a winning tart plum profile through its use of lactobacillus and brettanomyces. My Whiskey Dick Stout had subtle bourbon and oaky hints, while my brother-in-law's Amber Was Her Stage Name reminded me of a cream ale in texture, with alternating hints of bitter and sweet.

Big Beaver Brewing Co.
2707 W Eisenhower Blvd
Loveland, CO 80537
(970) 818-6064
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Odell Brewing's facility in Fort Collins reflects its status as
a top-fifty craft brewer in the United States

Odell Brewing: from cobbled-together and cozy, the next brewery we stopped by was just the opposite: sleekly-designed and expansive.

Out of the breweries on this day of touring, Fort Collins-based Odell Brewing was the must-visit, especially for my spouse. Odell's St. Lupulin ranks in my spouse's top five beers she has ever tasted; the fact that they do not distribute out to Ohio also contributed to this visit. Being in road trip mode allowed us to bring back a collection of their brewed goods, and we were hoping we'd be able to find a few releases you couldn't find in the local bottle shops.

Odell's current facility is something of a just result of the brewery's longevity and success, being the second microbrewery to open in the state of Colorado, as much as their willingness to expand beyond their base brews and push the boundaries over its 25 years of existence. Their Fort Collins production facility is large, with 45,000 square-feet dedicated to production plus a spacious tap room. In terms of size, it reminded us of New Glarus Brewing's facility in Wisconsin. Other smaller touches, such as the Odell-logo bike racks in front, help further their brand as well as their philosophy toward environmental sustainability, an especially prominent credo for this area of the country in general.

While Odell's interior is fairly contemporary and sleek, the
overall atmosphere is fairly laid back.

While size-wise the facility was on the scope of New Glarus, the taproom inside was its own entity, with plenty of seating both within and on the patio outdoors. While we did not order any food at the brewery, Odell Brewery does offer snacks for its taproom visitors as more substantial sustenance in the form of regularly scheduled food trucks.

But of course, the main focus here is the beer. As we discovered, Odell offers three select flight trays consisting of their Classics (including 90 Shilling, Levity and 5 Barrel), Locals (with three of Odell's IPA brews such as Myrcenary and Runoff Red) and their Pilot tray, brewed on their special pilot system. With all these brews generally available only at the taproom, this flight was a must share between the two of us.

Out of the five beers in the flight, the definite winner for us was the Fifty Niner Golden Brett, a fruit-laced (hints of pineapple and pear) beer with hints of oak and vanilla and that familiar funk only brett can lend. The Fernet Aged Porter (porter aged in Leopold Bros. Distillery fernet barrels) and their Legal Rye Rye IPA (nice interplay with the spicy rye and fruity notes) were also quite enjoyable as well.

We both decided we needed a little bit of a palate cleanser from the more unique flavor palettes from the Pilot Tray; a pint of Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout, brewed with milk sugars and actual milk chocolate, proved to be a smooth, creamy finish to our beer sampling adventures at Odell.

Of course, we couldn't leave without a few bottles to take back with us to Ohio, and the folks at Odell were only happy to help us out with that endeavor.

Odell Brewing Co.
800 East Lincoln Ave
Fort Collins, CO 80524
(970) 498-9070 -or- (888) 887-2797
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