Craft Beer / Colorado

My teenage years, the years before I went away for college, were spent in South Texas. It's funny to hear which towns people automatically guess at when I say South Texas.  They say places like Victoria, Corpus, San Antonio.  When I say South Texas I mean head down Hwy 281 'til you hit Mexico then reverse into a parking spot.  That's South Texas. That's the Lower Rio Grande Valley - you gotta be able to smell the river or you're not really in South Texas.

That to say ... my misbehaving days were not about acquiring a taste for beer.  By our senior year it was perfectly legal to have a wine cooler with lunch at the local Pizza Hut, which I occasionally could splurge on, but by then the potential for truly enjoying a  beer seemed remote.  And, I'm grateful - carbs don't sit well on old ladies.

Then (past several days), we visited Colorado.  Craft beer.  Rocks.

My son thought a visit to Ft. Collins should include a tasting of "local" beers.  We stopped at CRAFT BEER CELLAR and they sent us over to Tap and Handle which was within walking distance.  The guys both ordered something from the menu while I asked for just water.

My son offered me a taste of his Crooked Stave Petite Raspberry.  Now I get it.  Interesting. Fun.  Delicious.

I asked for "a taste" of a couple of their beers ... Ballast Point's Thai Wahoo (I'm a fan, it was exactly what the menu indicted I should expect) and Broadside's Salted Caramel Stout (also yummy).

I had a sip of my husband's beer as well, a pilsner which I thought tasted "like beer".

Then, slightly better educated, we walked back to the beer cellar and had fun looking at their selection.  Three chose a few for his pantry and I got to choose a few to bring home.  I'm looking forward to "reading up" on mine and then pairing them with something yummy for little dinner parties.

Thai Wahoo really is the bomb if you like Thai flavors.
Crooked Stave's Craft beer was simply - exquisite.

I'll be looking for what Texas has to offer Craft Beer wise.