Feliz Cinco de Mayo, amigos!

This holiday really feels like it snuck up on the world this year. One minute it was ski season, snow was falling; people were wearing down jackets and winter boots, drinking stouts and winterfeist beers. Then we got warped through this strange COVID wormhole, and now, suddenly, almost unexpectedly here we are: the 5th of May — el Cinco de Mayo!

A signal that summer is fast approaching. And a signal that a whole new season of craft beer is upon us!

And what better way to wile away the days of this historic quarantine, than with some of the freshest, most spring and summer-friendly flavors coming out of Colorado’s craft breweries? It's not like there's much else to do, anyway…

Which is why, Rooster has brought you this exclusive spring/summer Colorado Craft beer guide! Cinco de Mayo marks the beginning of a new season of beer, and we’re here to help steer you towards some of our favorites that just came out, fresh off the canning lines. Hopefully you’ll enjoy them as much as we do…
 

A plethora of Piñatas – Emporium Brewing Company

It would remiss of us to start a Cinco de Mayo beer guide off with anything else, besides a Mexican lager. And lucky for Denver, Emporium Brewing Company just released their Plethora of Piñatas Mexican Lager — a beer that pairs perfectly with some summer sunshine action.

Crafted with actual flaked corn, this super light, super crisp and clean brew has got a soft mouthfeel and just a flash of malt sweetness off the end. A nod to the classic western comedy, The Three Amigos, A Plethora of Piñatas is the perfect beer to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with. They are crushable, delicious, and will undoubtedly bring a little Latin flare to the party you’ll be throwing at home all alone by yourself.

Pink-I Raspberry IPA – Bonfire Brewing

There aren’t many brews out there that will refresh you like this raspberry IPA from Bonfire Brewing in Eagle.

It’s a summer classic in the Vail Valley. And, while not a new recipe, it’s one that thirsty locals wait for through the winter and then crush all through the summer: hiking, mountain biking, fishing, paddle boarding, kayaking, you name it, this beer goes well with whatever summer activity you pair it with.

Brewed with traditional Falconer’s Flight hops and Citra hops, this beer delivers a classic, bitter IPA punch, accented by an explosive raspberry finish. It’s bright pink — and so foggy you can hardly see through it when you hold it up to the sunshine you’re chilling out under. And the flavor… you’ll quickly understand why this is such a highly anticipated spring/summer brew in the Rockies.
 

Paws and Claws IPA – Avery Brewing Company

Times like these can be stressful and divisive. But they don’t have to be either, with Avery’s new Paws and Claws IPA. They brought the east and the west together, into a single harmonious dank and juicy IPA. The masterminds at Avery combined East Coast haze with West Coast hops to create a fusion of peace, love, and hoppiness that defies borders and coast lines.

The debate over whether East Coast or West Coast IPA’s are better, is over — and it was settled by this brilliant fusion of styles. Grab a sixer from your local liquor store and taste for yourself.
 

Pineapple Sour – Lone Tree Brewing

If there’s two things in beer that simply scream “summer” it’s pineapple flavors and sour beers. And Lone Tree Brewing has brought the two together to create the ultimate summer sour. It’s crisp, it’s light, it’s low ABV and crushable with a tinge of tartness and a subtle pineapple finish.

Lone Tree’s Pineapple Sour is technically a summer blonde ale, but it tastes more like boozy pineapple juice when you start sipping. It’s one of their most sought-after summer brews, and when you crack a cold one on a hot day, you’ll quickly understand why.
 

Chili the Kid – City Star Brewing

With the dry heat of summer rolling in, chili pepper season is here. Beers like City Star’s Chili the Kid celebrate that by fusing an American Pale Ale with the spicy, and aromatic spirit of Sandia hot chilis. It’s not an overpowering flavor, but a nice subtle spice and chili aroma underlying the beer’s pale ale body.

Chili the Kid is one of City Star’s summer staple’s and at 6% ABV it’s not quite as “light” as some of the other summer crushers on here. A few of these chili ales and your inner cowboy is gonna’ get lit.
 

Pitter Patter Pils – Denver Beer Company

When in doubt, and when it’s hot out, a good pilsner is just the ticket. And this particular Pitter Patter Pilsner from Denver Beer Company is a paragon of pilsner perfection. It’s light, clean, crisp, it quenches your thirst and at only 4.5% you can crush a few of these without getting blasted or feeling too guilty about carbs.