Hops and Pie

It’s still rare these days to find a craft beer restaurant that takes the right approach with the beer they serve and the food they create. Often times the food is okay and the beer selection not much better than the typical bar around the corner. One establishment that has successfully combined a good beer selection with great food is Hops and Pie in North Denver, Colorado.

Owners Drew and Leah Watson opened Hops and Pie just over a year ago with a goal of having not just a great craft beer selection, but also creating artisan pizzas that paired specifically with the beers they served.

They bring a combined 23 years experience in the fine dining industry and were looking to take their destiny into their own hands when they chose to re-locate to Denver from the San Diego area.

In fact, it was while they were in San Diego close by to beer giant Stone Brewing Co, as well as Green Flash, Ballast Point, Lost Abbey and Alesmith, that their appreciate of what beer could be was born. Denver was a logical choice for opening up their own place.

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Home brewing — the fine art of making your own beer in your garage or basement — has been gaining in popularity in suburbs across America over the last several years. Also gaining ground? Family vacations focused on finding the best beer, or at least the best brewery. Make the rounds of the samplers at local breweries in these three destinations.

Portland, Maine – your grandparents might have come for the leaf-peeping, but today Portland is making a name for itself as a hotbed of fermentation. Half a dozen craft breweries are found in this New England town, including the Peak Organic Brewing Company. Book your visit for February and you can catch the Bartenders Bash.

Portland, Oregon – same name, different coast, an equally impressive collection of microbreweries to tour. The beer scene is hopping in the Pacific Northwest and wannabe brew masters can often find local events centered around tastings and competitions. Check out PortladBeer.org before your trip to get current updates.

Denver, Colorado - home of the Great American Beer Festival each fall, Denver is the domestic holy land for beer lovers. Take the Denver Microbrew Tour to take in all the sights with a designated driver. Reward the kids for good behavior (and patience) by taking them on an epic bike ride along Denver’s miles of gorgeous trails before heading home.

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It’s always good to try something new, especially when it comes to a new ale house. While in town for the 30th annual Great American Beer festival in Denver, Colorado, I had the opportunity to stop by a place that was new to me: The Ale House at Amato’s.

Located in the Lower Highlands area of Denver’s downtown, Amato’s is a part of the Breckenridge Brewing Co’s family of brewpubs and alehouses and is easily accessible to many of Denver’s downtown hotels and attractions such as Brown Palace Hotel and 16th Street Mall. Breckenridge Brewing has had a wide variety of beers since 1990 when they opened their original brewpub in Breckenridge, Colorado. In 1992, they branched out and opened another brewpub in Denver.

Photo Courtesy of Bloomspot

My stop at Amato’s was a part of an arranged brewery tour that afternoon, with the second stop at the newly opened Denver Beer Co. Although just a 30 minute stop, there was a lot to see and taste.

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A trip to Denver, Colorado would not be complete without a trip to the nearby Rocky Mountains and all the cool little towns spread throughout the mountains. One such town is Idaho Springs, just 25 miles outside of Denver and within easy access of several ski resorts, such as Winter Park and nearby Echo Mountain. A favorite destination of mine when in Idaho Springs is the Tommyknocker Brewpub in downtown on Miner Street. The brewery takes its name from the legends of mischievous elf like creatures that the miners, who immigrated from England. According to these legends the Tommyknockers lived in the cracks of the mine. Some Tommyknockers helped the miners, while others played pranks on them.

The day I came here, my kids and I were treating my grandmother for lunch and she instantly loved the place. The warm inviting mining feel that still envelopes Idaho Springs is very present when you walk into the brewery. Dark wood and brass adorn the restaurant and perfectly compliment the brewing equipment visible to patrons as they eat. The brewery is located in the building formerly occupied by the Placer Inn, which also served as an Assay office for miners.

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