Going to Outer Range was a bit of a dream come true for me. I first noticed posts on Instagram with their beer about a year and a half ago. They featured killer hazy IPAs, but what you might not know until visiting is that they make a KILLER farmhouse as well. Owners Emily and Lee started out wanting to make only Belgian style beers and took a bit to get on the hazy IPA train. As beer drinkers, we are all lucky that they did get on that train because the hazy IPAs they produce are top notch.
In the days of google, it's really easy to look up the history of the brewery and even of Emily and Lee themselves. So what I want to talk about is how they created a craft beer community from a small mountain town of 3,000 people. Frisco, CO is just outside of the famous Breckenridge ski resort, but you wouldn't know that there is fantastic beer lurking in the parking lot of a Whole Foods just down the road from there. When we visited Outer Range, it was overwhelming to see the enthusiasm of other customers as well as the staff. Workers were there on their day off...which I feel is a great indicator of liking your job a lot! Everybody had nothing but fantastic things to say about the beer as well as the general atmosphere at Outer Range. You truly feel like you are being welcomed into a family.
Without further ado, I'll get into the beers that I tried but I really wanted to highlight the unique atmosphere of this mountain town brewery.
In the Steep
NE IPA
6.9% ABV
This beer is a beautiful showcase of citra hops. It has won multiple awards in the company of other fantastic breweries and in my opinion really stands up to those "classic" NE IPA breweries. I was getting really nice orange and lemon flavors. Super approachable!
Sibirica (Collab with Bearded Iris)
Double NE IPA
9.9% ABV
I had heard awesome things about Bearded Iris so I was really excited to give this beer a try. Its made with Nelson and Barbe Rouge hops...I had never even heard of, let alone tried Barbe Rouge hops. This variety of hops comes from France and gives strawberry and currant flavors. Yum! Love how smooth it is for 9.9% too!
Final Summit
French Farmhouse
6.7% ABV
This beer completely blew me away. If they had cans of it, it definitely would have been brought back to Chicago! It actually kicked while I was there and didn't get to try more than a few sips :( I'm a sucker for Farmhouse ales but this was a breed of its own. Nice and yeasty followed by a slight funk and a delicate, dry finish. Don't get completely distracted by all the awesome NE IPAs and try this one. You won't regret it!
Yokels
Belgian Dubbel
8.2% ABV
This is where Lee gets to show off his love and knowledge of Belgian beers and he does not disappoint! It has that classic Belgian yeast flavor that I really can't describe....you just have to know it, and a hit of molasses that is deeelicious! This beer is dangerous at 8.2% ABV. Definitely a great one for desert!
It was so difficult to choose which beers to highlight because I honestly enjoyed them all. Next time you are in Colorado, make the trip out to Frisco and visit Outer Range brewing. If you come in the winter, you might just be lucky enough to see Yurt Reynolds....we were there on his last day (what a treat!) The Mexican restaurant next door has awesome quesadillas so if you're there for the long haul pick up one of those! Also, if you go...please let me know how you liked it! And maybe bring some beers back for me please! :)
