Saturday, January 19, 2013

A Taste Of The Rockies: The New Belgium Brewing Company

     This week I am at The New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado.  This is the third largest craft brewery in America, supplying twenty nine states with their absolutely amazing products, and a true Mecca for beer fans everywhere.  New Belgium is the birth place of Abbey Ale, Ranger I.P.A., the iconic Fat Tire, and a plethora of other incredible offerings.  These Belgium inspired beverages are the brain child of Jeff Lebesch.  Back in 1989, Jeff was on a self-guided bike tour through Belgium, when he found his life's calling.  He was completely blown away by the incredible beers that he encountered.  They were so different from what was on the market at the time.  These  amber beauties had suddle fruit flavors and impeccable depth. Things that mainstream beers completely lacked.  When he returned to America, he pursued his new found destiny and fulfilled every American man's dream, by creating a micro brewery in his basement!  From these humble beginnings, began this Coloradan institution.

     Over the last two decades, the brewery has grown like a tomato on Miracle Grow.  It currently produces over 750 bottles and 300 cans per minute and employs over 400 fun loving beer enthusiasts.  If you ever wanted to see the beer making process close up, than take their free and highly enjoyable tour, which is rated by Trip Advisor as the best brewery tour in America.  How could it not be?  With charismatic and knowledgeable tour guilds, six free beers to savor and a two story corkscrew slide to ride down to conclude the tour; what more could you ask for!  If you are planning on taking the tour, call ahead and make reservations.  It is so popular, that they have a waiting list of six weeks to get in.

     So if you ever wanted to see how a bike ride through Belgium turned a beer enthusiast's dream into a life changing reality, or if  you simply want to enjoy some incredible beer for free, than come to The New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado.  You will be glad you did!

The official site for all things New Belgium:

http://www.newbelgium.com/glass-that-gives.aspx

New Belgium promotional clips created by those truly fun loving beer crafts men and women:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE6FbZyO39M&list=UUmExxFgFUa8S8K4-RlJvO8g&index=6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKImb25b3M8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd3DdXSfwK8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxPxsbZw-8M

No comments:

Post a Comment