Fort Collins is one of the greatest places in all of Northern Colorado, and actually, the entire country. And one of the things that Fort Collins is best known for is the explosion of local craft breweries over the past few years.

We all know about New Belgium and Odell’s, but how much do you know about Horse & Dragon, Snowbank, or the Gilded Goat? How much do you know about Rally King, Black Bottle, and Funkwerks?

If you live in Fort Collins, you’re probably familiar with some of these names, but it can be very difficult to keep up with what each Fort Collins brewery has to offer. Every week, there are new local beers to experiment with, and if you’re not out there exploring, you’re likely to miss out on all of the great craft beers that Fort Collins has to offer.

So we’ve put together a couple tips to make sure that you stay on top of the local Fort Collins craft beer scene:

Go on a brewery tour. Even if you live here, and even if you have done it before.

Fort Collins has a ton of options when it comes to brewery tours. There are some tours that will take you to multiple breweries in a single day, and new breweries are being added to local tours all the time.

The most well-known tours are those at New Belgium and Odell’s. Even if you have done these tours before, it’s always fun to go through the tour again as the tour guide will usually key you in to what the company is currently working on, and you might even get to taste a sample of something exclusive that hasn’t hit shelves yet.

In addition, there are multiple local bus and limo companies that offer comprehensive tours of the breweries in town, and there’s really no better way to spend a Saturday than cruising around in a limousine with friends drinking beer all day!

Make it a point to visit a new local tap room each week.

There’s always something new to discover in Fort Collins, and when it comes to craft breweries, this has never been more true. The single best way to discover new local beers is to visit the source.

Fort Collins is home to over 20 small craft breweries, and most of them have a tasting room where you can go in, sit down, and see what unique brews that brewery has to offer. Often times, you will be able to order the brand’s most popular beer, but there will also be a selection of seasonal or limited beers that you would have never known about had you not gone into the tap room.

Grab a friend, a coworker, or a sibling and make a point to try a new place each week. After a few months, you will know who your favorite breweries are and which beers you like the best.

Ask the staff at your local liquor store if there is anything new from local breweries.

If you’re like most people, you walk in to a liquor store and see what is on special or what is in the beer cooler. Your mind rarely ever goes very far beyond what you see.

However, one of the best ways to learn about new local Fort Collins beers is to ask the staff at a Fort Collins liquor store. After all, these stores are constantly on the search for new beers themselves, and often times are in direct contact with local suppliers. This gives liquor store owners and staff members the inside track to what’s new in town, and what is yet to come.

At Mulberry MAX Liquor Store, we keep our ear to the ground with all local breweries and will be able to tell you which craft beers are selling well. All you have to do is ask!

Hopefully these tips are helpful to you as embark on your exploration or everything that the Fort Collins craft beer scene has to offer!

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Mulberry MAX Liquor Store
460 S College Ave g, Fort Collins, CO 80524
(970) 484-8795
www.mulberrymax.com
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At some point in time, you will inevitably be invited to a formal event or party (such as a work holiday party, an upscale Super Bowl party, etc.) where you will be expected to bring some sort of drink or side dish for everyone to enjoy. While your first instinct would probably be to go to the nearest liquor store in Fort Collins to pick up the first bottle of wine you see on sale, you could be the star of the event by following the simple wine and cheese pairing guide that follows.

Pairing wine and cheese

There is an apparent consensus on what wines pair well with what cheeses. The accord is not universal, however. Case in point: many "experts" cite that Gouda is best with a fruity white. Perhaps, but what variation of Gouda? With a smoky or spicy Gouda, for example, a better pairing would be a Pinot Noir or a Cabernet. It boils down to personal taste.
 
To help channel you on your quest to the proper wine and cheese combinations, Mulberry MAX Liquor Store put together this general guide to make that perfect pairing:

The wine

Here are the wines that from experience, and trial and error, complement an array of cheese types. Please note that yes, there are some wines that go with more than one type of cheese. This is because of cheese taste variation and complexity, as well as vintage distinction. For example, Beaujolais can stand in with a hard cheese like Emmenthal or a soft crumbly feta. So take this for what it is: a general guide. The ultimate decision is yours to make.

Soft Cheese: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Champagne, Cabernet, White Zinfandel, Vidal, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Chianti, Sancerre

Hard Cheese: Bardolino, Tawny Port, Madeira, Sherry, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre, Côtes du Rhône, Rioja, Cabernet, Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino, Ribera del Duero, Chardonnay, Chianti Riserva, Beaujolais, Dark Beer, Sangria, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir

Semi-Soft Cheese: Chardonnay, Champagne, Riesling, Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara, Bordeaux, Rioja, Fleurie, Beaujolais, Chinon, Bourgueil

Semi-Hard Cheese: Chardonnay, Champagne, Riesling, Cabernet, Sancerre, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chianti Riserva, Barolo, Tawny Port

The cheese

Here are the major types of cheeses to choose from for the event or party that you are attending, with some examples of each.

Soft Cheese: Blue Castello, Boursin, Brie, Bucheron, buffalo mozzarella, Camembert, feta, goat cheese, Gorgonzola, Limburger, Mascarpone, Muenster, Neufchatel, Pave Affinois, Teleme

Hard Cheese: Asiago, Blue, Derby, Edam, Emmentaler, Grana Padano, Gruyere, Jarlsberg, Manchego, Parmigiano, Pecorino Romano, Raclette, Reggiano, Swiss, Wensleydale, Zamarano

Semi-Soft Cheese: Bel Paese, Baby Swiss, Colby, Fontina, Havarti, Kasseri, Madrigal Baby Swiss, Morbier, Port Salut

Semi-Hard Cheese: Cheddar, Chesire, Cotija, Danish Blue, Double Gloucester, Gouda, Graddost, Panela, Provolone, Roquefort, Sonoma Jack, Stilton
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Of course, there are always more options for what to bring with your wine and cheese if you so desire.
 
Wine and cheese accompaniments

Here are some suggestions:

Crackers: Good crackers; not the cheap generic brand. Most wine selections in liquor stores should have a small cracker and cheese area nearby.

Bread: See above. Not white bread, but a crusty, hearty, whole grain variety. Go to a bakery and grab whatever is most fresh. Just keep in mind that strong olive bread, for example, while fantastic, may detract from the cheeses.

Fruit: Sliced stone fruit like plums and nectarines look good, as do Japanese pear slices, grapes and apples.

Nuts: Walnuts are an excellent complement to many cheeses. Toast them and serve warm. Others that work well are pine nuts, hazelnuts and Brazil nuts.

Chocolate: There is one kind of chocolate to serve with wine and cheese. Very strong, dark chocolate. Other varieties do not pair well with wine and cheese.

And there you have it. So next time you are invited to an upscale event or party, you have a simple wine, cheese, and other accompaniment guide to help you decide what to bring to be the star of the party.

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Mulberry MAX Liquor Store
460 S College Ave g, Fort Collins, CO 80524
(970) 484-8795
www.mulberrymax.com
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