Rocky Mountain High

Was in Denver for the past week for a conference. Travelling with a carniverous colleague who is also married to a vegetarian, we set out to make the most of the local delicacies, such as these Rocky Mountain Oysters.

Have to say there wasn't that much of interest on the wine front, nothing on the sake front, but lots of noise about being America's micro-brew capital, the "Napa Valley" of beer. So, we tried a variety of the stuff.

Big Nose Red Apparently a "contract" brewer from Denver - Boring, inoffensive, technically beer. Not beer flavoured water, but boring. Not a stellar kick-off. With buffalo sliders.

2006 Garfield Estates Cabernet Franc - Grand Junction, Colorado. Made by ex-Netscap-ees who cashed out before the net-boom. A bit of the salad stuff, but very heavy, pruny, murky chocolate, and not much acidity. With Thai chili and sake marinated lamb ribs. Oh, those ribs were excellent.

2006 Two Rivers Syrah - also Grand Junction, Colorado - Nice fruit, nicely balanced, not at all over the top or jammy. Drinkable, and surprising for that. With hanger steak and chimichurri.

Steamworks Brewery Colorado Kölsch - light and crisp, refreshing. Takes me back to my time at Dom Kölsch - a friend lived nearby their pub (which was next to the Cathedral in Köln) - great place - as soon as your glass is half empty, they bring you another one. Ok with my steak frites.

There was one pub nearby that brewed on premises, and it turned out to be our anchor in Denver.

Wynkoop McKenzies Milk Stout - super smooth, like a dry chocolate milk. A surprising 6%. Danger Will Robinson, Danger.

Wynkoop Silverback Porter - Smoky, very complex, served at room temperature. Super porter, and a deceptive +7%

On to the main event. Unsurprisingly, it's only "foreigners" who want to try the "oysters", as there was basically only one place within the city limits that served it - the Buckhorne Exchange, allegedly Denver's oldest taxidermy one-stop-shop, I mean steakhouse.

While waiting to be seated, we took in a little cowboy music (you know, real Indian and whatnot), and had a couple more local brews:

Great Divide Samurai Rice Ale - unfiltered, cloudy, definite rice and corn flavours, surprisingly clean, and refreshing...

Boulder Beer Buffalo Gold - crisp and hoppy, with a nice bitter finish.

Seriously, stuffed animals everywhere.

Rocky Mountain Oysters - so important I have to show the picture twice. Bull's testicles. Seriously though, once they've battered and fried them, and coupled them with mindlessly dull marinara and horseradish, this was, well, a non-event. One piece had a very mild liver-y flavour, but that was about it. Our other selections for the evening included rattlesnake (tastes like chicken, feels like fish), Buffalo prime rib (very lean meat, horribly marinated in some sort of orange madeira vinaigrette), Elk steak (nice flavoured meat, though we had to request an extra, unseasoned piece to figure that out), Colorado lamb (eh), and bbq'd free-range pork ribs (very dull flavour). All in, I can't much recommend the Buckhorne, not for the food at least.

Another evening, it was to the Rodizio Grill, a Brasilian churrascaria, because, well, we'd been good little vegetarians so far, right? Well, it isn't the greatest churrascaria, but hey, endless supplies of picanha, linguiça, and one big surprise, assado - pot roast... never seen that on the menu before... cool. To match the occasion, we went with a Brasilian wine (from an otherwise forgettable wine list), the 2002 Peterlongo Cabernet - it was ok though, only 12%, dry, perhaps a little thin, but not vegetal, decent structure and fruit. Not offensive (the standard on this trip was not set very high - there was one pitiful event at the conference where the choices were Beringer White Zinfandel or Chardonnay).

So, back to the Wynkoop Brewery (several times, actually.)

Wynkoop Patty's Chili Beer - a very unusual chili beer - you know how most are just spicy and artificial? This was very vegetal, like chomping on some poblanos. Not spicy, just very, very green.

Wynkoop B3K Schwarzbier - Lots of dark roasted coffee and malt, peppery, with a faint beef bouillion finish. Tasty, and much lighter in weight than the stouts.

On our last day in Denver, a free day, we made a point to check out a friend's dining recommendation - Pete's Kitchen.

On the way, we passed this sign. Didn't realise Denver was such a hotspot for dissent. Shortly afterwards, we were accosted by this guy who claimed that jet contrails were really the government dumping strontium in the atmosphere. No, really.

I prefer this philosophy better - make absurd breakfasts, not diet food. Good work!

Make way for Pepto. I preferred the red chili over the green, but glad we ordered both.

Finally, one last turn at the Wynkoop (thank goodness for their sampler offerings, there's no way I'd get through this much beer):

Wynkoop Light Rail Ale - very mild, smooth, a little innocuous.

Wynkoop Railyard Ale - a fuller bitter, cherries, nice slate and funk (rock and roll)

Wynkoop Anniversary Oak-aged Barley Wine - Cloudy and intense, very creamy, lots of cocount and barley flavour.

Wynkoop Mile HI.P.A. - overwhelming lychee notes, very fruity, and intensely bitter. Not my favourite.

Wynkoop Tiger Root Beer - couldn't resist. Not very fizzy, with a strong licourice flavour. Nice. And time to go back to the hotel, check out, and go home.

But... on the 16th Street shuttle, we spied Boney's Smokehouse, and just had to stop for some beef brisket, pulled pork, and smoked sausages. Very, very good, and upon later research, turns out to be a venerable local institution.