When Bobby approached the table, the first thing I asked him was, “What’s the freshest beer you’ve got on tap?”
He paused only momentarily before pointing to a brew called Homeslice, at the very bottom of the beer list. A cream ale made with fresh cucumber juice and a “touch of citrus hops,” tapped on July 5th. I nodded, and Bobby nodded back. Dude knew what was up.
Images courtesy of Twisted Pine.
Twisted Pine Brewing Company. You won’t find any of their beers on the shelves of any liquor store near you. They stopped distributing back in June of 2016. Why? To focus more on in-house quality than distributive quantity.
I respect that.
(But, goddamn sometimes I wish I could get a sixer of their Agaveras IPA, brewed with Madhava agave nectar, at a liquor store — that’s some good stuff.)
Alas, the only place you or I or anyone else is going to be buying that, or any other Twisted Pine beer, is at their ale house, on 3201 Walnut Street in Boulder, Colorado.
The place has got a laid-back local vibe, the kind that can only flower from true authenticity. Because Twisted Pine is so close to The Spot climbing gym, and Easton’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it’s a favorite post-workout place to pop in and grab a beer or some grub. There’s also a lot of offices in the vicinity, making this a prime lunch spot for many a’worker-bee seeking refuge from their work.
And the food is awesome. The pizzas are killer (el “Señor” all the way!), sandwiches like the Gobbler, a bomb ass turkey club with mozzarella and spinach, are as filling as they are delicious. But, in my humble opinion, it’s Twisted pine’s mac-n-fuckin-cheese that steals the show on that menu. Creamy, thick, gooey cheese and bomb-ass, big ol’ noodles just put that dish on another level.
It’s not exactly the kind of place to take a gluten-free love interest on a first date (although, they do advertise that most of their beers are “gluten reduced”).
Images courtesy of Twisted Pine
Bobby brought over my Homeslice and set it on the table. “Freakout” was jamming over the bar speakers.
“Enjoy,” he said, before walking off to serve another beer to another local, who was hanging out at 1:23 on a Thursday. The place was full.
Homeslice is definitely a summer beer: Sweet on the verge of tart, light, hoppy and very refreshing. Tastes and tingles almost like an alcoholic cucumber lemonade. I drank it down quick. If you like tang and enjoy the cool smack of cucumber, you will very much enjoy this beer.
But, in all honesty, I liked Bobby’s favorite beer on the Twisted Pine menu little better. While Homeslice may be fun, experimental and fresh as hell, my pallet much preferred the Intercept IPA, which Bobby recommended for round two. It’s got some melon/tropical fruit notes, but it’s much more hoppy and more bitter than Homeslice.
Both are rotating beers, so if you want to try ‘em, get in there sooner rather than later.
Images Courtesy of Twisted Pine
On the first Monday of every month, Twisted Pine hosts their monthly “Board Game Night” (6 PM to 9 PM). And on the third Saturday of every month, they host “Yoga on Tap” with Jackie Peller (10 AM – 11 AM). Happy hour is every night from 9 PM – 10 PM and all-day Monday and Tuesday; also from Wednesday to Friday from 4 PM – 6 PM.
And, right now, they’re doing some fundraising for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, hosting a sign-up station for the hospital’s annual walk/run.
Twisted Pine Brewing Company is a Boulder staple. Hell, it’s a Colorado staple. Between the hearty food and the excellent brews, there’s no reason not to stop in and see what’s up if you’re in the area.
(And if you do, be sure to grab the latest copy of Rooster as you walk inside.)
Images courtesy of Twisted Pine
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