The Perfect Porter for the Next Polar Inversion
After our record setting snowfall in February most Coloradoans are probably starting to think about the end of the white stuff. Yes, the skiing has been pretty damn good—Berthoud Pass was fantastic the other day. With the days getting longer it is natural to start dreaming about shorts, sandals, and sunshine; but don’t be fooled Mother Nature has at least a few more immersions back into the arctic chill in store for us. And you need to be prepared.
Since you are reading Elevation Outdoors chances are you are quite equipped in outdoor gear, hell most Coloradoans are, so I won’t bore you with the multi-layered shell or newest backcountry pack. No you need something much more sublime. I am talking about sustenance for your soul, manna for your mind, sweetness for your soul—you know, beer.
Ritual Rivers Cocoa Coffee-Coffee Porter is another beer to add into your rotation of go to beers.
The main force behind this excellent beer, 4 Noses Brewing Company, has been crafting fresh brews in Broomfield since May of 2014. The family run business (it is a collaboration between two sons and their parents, hence the 4 noses moniker) was envisioned as an incubator for full flavored brews. Their mission is to craft unique and classic styles of beer. With a roster of over twenty beers to rotate through in their taproom it seems that they are well on their way to success.
To make a great coffee porter you need excellent go-go juice to give it a full-bodied flavor. Enter Two Rivers Coffee of Arvada, this local roastery has long been known for their excellent java. To add sweetness they turned to Ritual Chocolate, a Front Range chocolatier that unfortunately recently relocated to Park City to live in the mountains.
To say that 4 Noses has been successful would be understating it, their taproom has been packed—the fact that there rotating schedule of food trucks in their lot each night does not hurt. The elegant yet comfortable tasting room is a perfect place to unwind after a day of fun, or work. Luckily for the rest of us who can’t make it to Broomfield on a regular basis they recently started canning their beer for sale in local liquor stores.
Making Ritual Rivers one of their first two beers released was an excellent choice. The beer is a perfect blend of coffee, fresh cocoa nibs and a slight hint of hops. Upon cracking a can you get a slight hint of espresso, just enough to perk your senses up. Even though it is quite dark it goes down smooth, leaving you wanting more. “It is one of the better first attempt coffee porters I have seen in awhile,” says Derek Ridge the manager of the beer department of Hazel’s Liquors. “Subtle and nuanced.”
So prepare yourself for that inevitable cold snap and grab a sixer of this fine product, and then watch it snow knowing you have the perfect gear for it.
