Gunbarrel Brewery

boulderbaker
Jun 22, 2017
3 min read

The Ride

· Mountain Bike

· Gravel trail

· 8 miles

· 1 hours

The Brewery

· Where: 7088 Winchester Circle, Boulder CO 80303

· What: Brewery

· When: M-T 3-7, W 3-8,Th 3-9, Fr & Sa 2-10, Su 11-8

· Website: http://www.gunbarrelbrewing.com/

Ride Details

Summer is finally here. On a wonderful June Saturday with temps approaching 90, we take on one of our local trails. Luckily there is a new, highly anticipate brewery celebrates its opening weekend. Gunbarrel Brewery has been renovating space in the Gunbarrel Tech Center for many months now and we're super excited to give it a try. More about the brewery later!

We take the Niwot loop trail to prehumously work off our beers. There are several trailheads (marked with a P) on the loop (see the map below) or come out the LoBo trail from either Boulder or Longmont. Also other breweries easily accessible off this trail as noted in the map. You'll find today's directions pretty lengthy because there are so many connecting trails in the area, great to explore.The trail is entirely crushed gravel and about 6 ft wide. Great for the kids or a burley or even a cross bike. We catch the trail from an access point in Gunbarrel and head north toward Niwot. Much of the trail follows the duel ditches coming from the res, so there is lots of big trees and vegetation. After crossing under Hwy 52 we take the right fork and head east. The trail crosses 79th street (to one of the trailheads) and over a couple of ditchs where we make another right to take on the hill. A shorter more scenic route can be had by going left! At the top of the hill, the trail crosses Somerset Drive and continues east. Eventually it loops around to the north around one of Niwot exquisite neighborhoods. Just as the trail starts to go west again take a right to continue north. You'll be rewarded with a big hill that ends on Niwot road. Look closely and slightly to the east and the trail continues behind Niwot High School. Stay next to the ditch unless you want to see their baseball field. After the school property the trail goes north again down another hill. At the bottom of the hill you'll finally go west. The trail rolls through a few neighborhoods and end up at the Lefthand Grange Park. We head south under Niwot Road and back over 79th street again. The trail forks, but stay along the ditch. The trail crosses another road but it's clear where to go. As you approach Hwy 52 again keep left over the ditch and complete the loop. However to get to Gunbarrel brewery you'll have to go under 52 via the under pass and up the hill, rejoining the twin ditches. Stay between them until the trail meets 71st street. Unfortunately 71st is getting a new bridge and is closed to cars, but not bikes. They even have a workaround to head north. You only have to go a couple of block to get to the Tech Center where Gunbarrel Brewery sit on the SW corner. Plenty of bike parking in front.

Brewery Details

Gunbarrel Brewery is created by a local couple who have enjoyed home brewing for many years. They have an impressive 10 beers on tap for opening weekend. The brewery is obviously originally a warehouse, but they are adding ambiance. Lots of room for tables and they have outdoor space too. They seem very dog friendly as well. Looks like the have lined up food trucks for a snack. Ten beers seems like a lot to tackle by I try several. Tasting notes to follow.

Tasting Notes

Sweet Jane-Wheat beer with straw like coloring, but not to cloudy. Slightly sweet with a small hint of hops.

Long Haul-A golden and clear amber. Balanced and straightforward. Very drinkable.

Edna- A saison made with proprietary yeast. Golden with a slight orange tint. Sweet and effervescent.

Bogan- An IPA. Golden and slightly hazy with a strong hop odor. Starts hopping, but finishes smooth.

Begbie- A scottish ale with a distinctive reddish brown color. Malty and finishes sweet.

Harpoooah- An unusual Oatmeal IPA. Amber in color and clear, but a strong hop fragrance. Malty with a hop bite.

Midnight Rider-Traditional porter. Their very first commercial brewing success. Almost black and smells deliciously like roasted malt. Strong dark chocolate overtone with a little hop kick. Not too sweet either (not that it's ever a problem for me)

Milo of Croton-Export style porter. Smell like caramel-owee. Sweet and smooth, my kind of beer.