07 October 2008

Outlet Malls and Craft Beer - GABF Trip 08

The next stop on our roundabout trip to this year's Great American Beer Festival in Denver was the Silverthorne/Dillon area, where we took in some outlet shopping and a bit of medal winning craft beer.



Dillon Dam Brewery is located just north of Interstate 70, just past a packed jumble of strip malls and gas stations. Dam Brewery wasn't originally on my agenda - we had stopped in Silverthorne for some shopping - but one of the great things about Colorado is that a quick look at the area on beermapping.com usually turns up something.

In this case we were in for a brewpub that had walls covered with awards. I chose the Sweet George's Brown - a Gold Medal World Beer Cup 2002. This beer was a brownish red brew that left light lacing on the glass. No discernible nose came out, but a smooth and balanced brown that finished a little fizzy or lively on the tongue was a nice reward.


Gina went with their McLuhr's Irish Stout, a deep brown/black beer with a tan head and light lacing. A roasty caramel/malt nose and flavor and medium mouthfeel was true to style and quite tasty.

A quick look at the balcony level of Dillon Dam revealed a brewery overlook with labeled brew tanks and a walk through self-guided tour that explained how each piece of equipment was used in the brewing process.


While they're not doing anything unusual at Dam Brewing, it's the sort of place that serves great beer to an audience that wants a better brew with a nice meal. We left happy and full, and ready for a night of rest before a scenic Monday drive through Rocky Mountain National Park and stops at Oskar Blues in Lyons and Left Hand Brewing in Longmont.

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