Drank until Sundown
Mountain Sun is one of the most Boulder breweries we have experienced thus far. It is such an eclectic and cozy environment that is so welcoming to everyone who walks in. You will automatically be mesmerized by beautiful artwork plastered all over the brewery. Some of the pieces were even commissioned by local artists. The brewery is run on a team approach, meaning all the employees have each other's backs. Our waiter, John, was so awesome and really showed us the uniqued aspects of the brewery. Mountain Sun is a cash only establishment. If you are someone who never carries cash, don't worry Mountain Sun not only has an ATM, but also has a KARMA program. The KARMA program is very unique in that the brewery will send you home with your bill and a stamped envelope for you to mail back the cash, plus tip of course. (:
"Because we brew over 75 different beers throughout the year with new releases happening every month, we've become well known for our creativity and originality." - Mountain Sun Crew
Brew Babes Featured Beers
F.Y.I.P.A: 7.5% ABV
John is an IPA drinker and suggested the F.Y.I.I.P.A because it is his favorite and their most popular! Alisa is always thrilled for an IPA and Stephanie is definitely getting there, although she will always love her Amber Ales. We are definitely becoming more skilled beer tasters! Before we even tasted the beer, we could smell the citrus aromas wafting from the foam. The combination of fruity and citrus took over the initial sip and flowed into a hoppier bitter aftertaste. When visiting Mountain Sun, be sure to try this fun and flirty IPA with tones of flavor.
Big Krane Kölsch: 5.3% ABV
This beer reminded us of the holidays: sugar, spice, and everything nice! When your home for Thanksgiving and the kitchen smells delicious...this beer has all those fall flavors you would want. At first, we smelled a sweet scent of apples with a little bit of spice, almost like an apple pie. This beer was light and the floral scents do stand out. As you drink you get a sweet taste due to the malts which balances out the hops' bitterness. There is a light spice that stands out as you continue to drink.
Colorado Kind Ale: 6.2% ABV
Want to taste a medal winning beer? Well you are in luck because Mountain Sun's Colorado Kind Ale won a Silver Medal at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival. Although Colorado Kind is an amber ale, it almost disguises itself as an IPA because of the hoppy finish. There is also a sweet aspect at the beginning of your sip, so you end up having a nice approachable beer.
Nitro Bine Bash IPA #1: 6.7% ABV
We had to try this beer because Alisa has a dog named Nitro! Nitro was hoppy-licious with a surge of energy and a tangy finish. This beer is infused with nitrogen, versus the standard carbon dioxide, which makes this beer more cold, crisp, and fresh. The freshness of this beer is comparable to that first sip of water on a hot summer day. To us, every flavor of this beer hits you with that rush of energy! (Also reminding Alisa of her crazy pitbull back home). Not biased to the name at all, this was Alisa’s favorite beer here!
Dropkick Stout: 7.3% ABV
Our first stout on our Boulder Babe Brewery Tour and it was impressive! Stephanie again nailed the scent of this beer, she immediately smelled a roasted aroma. At first, describing a beer as "roasted" did not make any sense to us. John explained that stouts will often include a bean, coffee, or chocolate which produces that roasted scent. The malt gives this beer a smooth and thick consistency. Tying in with the roasted smell, the aftertaste reminded us both of coffee, but without the coffee. This beer made us want to pair it with biscottis on a cold winter day.
Java Porter: 5.8% ABV
Ugh, another Monday morning and you need your coffee? Time to go into the fridge and pull out Mountain Sun's Java Porter to get the week going and put some pep in your step. The first sip is everything you needed to make it through the week. Okay, we wouldn’t really drink a beer first thing on a Monday morning, but with the equivalent of a full cup of coffee, it had us feeling energized and rejuvenated after trying the other five beers! Were we in a coffee shop or a brewery? The Java reminded us of drinking an espresso martini. We would definitely substitute a dessert for this beer at the end of a night.
Want to visit Mountain Sun?
Main Boulder Location: 1535 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO 80302
Website: http://www.mountainsunpub.com/