Black Friday beer releases and tappings in Denver
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Bourbon County Brand Stout series. Photo courtesy of Goose Island
Black Friday is beer Friday — an unofficial industry holiday that features special stout releases at local breweries and beer shops.
What to know: Copper Kettle Brewing in Denver is releasing its Snowed In series all at once — five imperial oatmeal stouts aged in bourbon barrels with different flavors, including cherry, vanilla, coconut, mocha and maple.
- Wiley Roots in Greeley is releasing four stouts in its Midnight on the Run (named after the brewery’s pet cat. One features coconut, and another is inspired by Mexican hot chocolate.
- Fiction Beer in Denver will tap eight different stouts ranging from chai espresso and eggnog to Nutter Butter and lavender.
- Station 26 will pour stouts based on the Spumoni dessert and Turkish coffee, among others, at its popular Black Friday party.
Of note: One of the most coveted beers being released is Bourbon County Brand Stout from Goose Island.
- This year, the Chicago-based brewery owned by Anheuser-Busch is releasing seven variants, including the return of a coffee edition for the first time since 2017 and a 30th anniversary reserve aged in four Jim Beam-brand barrels with bottles offering different blends.
- The lineup "keeps one foot forward while ... giving a little tribute to the past," Goose Island president Todd Ahsmann tells us.
John's tasting notes: The Bourbon County reserve is a special journey in bourbon barrels, but the Sir Isaac's Stout featuring figs and graham cracker flavoring is the most intriguing — a display in both big flavor and restraint to keep it from becoming too sweet.
- Featuring 10,000 pounds of Black Mission figs, it is aptly named an "adult Newton" after the cookie it evokes.