There Once Was a Town Whose Air Was Riddled With the Scent of Hops

Available at: Akinz.com

On the first day of touring my true-love said to me: have a fat tire and let's cheers sustainability! (that's New Belgium Brewery, yo!)

On the second day of touring my true-love said to me: O'Dells is our favorite, so let's get mercenaries and cheers craft breweries!

On the third day of touring my true-love said to me: This basket looks so empty let's free-growler-fill-Tuesday at Black Bottle Brewery, O'Dells is still our favorite, and dangit - just plowed this cruiser into Snowbank Brewery!!!

On days four through twelve we ditched the rhyming and leisurely meandered among Coopersmith's, Ram Brewing, Equinox, Patero's Creek, Fort Collins Brewery, Funkwerks, Zwei Brewing, 1933, Rally King Brewing, Horse & Dragon Brewing Company, and (because we needed the mileage for tour gnar points) Anheuser-Busch.

We probably missed one or two: rumor has it we're up to 19 breweries these days with more breaking ground!

New Belgium Brewery: Always a Selection, Always Well-stocked!

So, what makes the brewery experience in Fort Collins unique?

Apollo: from Fan Photo Friday - Puppy Edition!

• Breweries have formed, for the most part, a "district" that is easily biked or walked allowing residents and tourists to explore the breweries safely at their leisure. Why drink at a bar when you can go straight to the source... with excellent patios, games, and occasionally music? Oh: many are dog-friendly, too!
• New Belgium and O'Dells were the micro breweries who started it all here in the Fort in 1989. You may have heard of Fat Tire Ale? Easy Street? 
• ...And just down the street situated along Interstate 25 is Anheuser-Busch: home of Budweiser, American Eagle Distribution, and... Clydesdales? Rumor has it they're bringing the ponies home to stay!

Budweiser: Yes, They're Here in Fort Collins as Well!

• Why it's worth mentioning: A-B is one of the economic drivers in Fort Collins and while it's easy to turn up a nose at their global domination through lager beer (they have a fourth step called "disillusion" roughly meaning "adding water")... They're arguably the most family-friendly brewery with access to the famous Clydesdale stables, a polished and professional tour, beer school, charming boutique, and freshly re-finished biergarten.
• Cooper-tition: a strange mix of cooperation and competition. Cooperation in the form of collaborative blends and temporarily borrowed brew-masters. Competition to see who gains favor with flavor in fermented bliss.
• Any outdoor festival featuring a beer garden is sure to be three things: 1. locally brewed, 2. award-winning, and 3. an easy, drinkable favorite.

And yea, there's probably a tour or two for that *wink*

Cheers for now,

Adventure Jes

Tour, anyone?! (O'Dells)

We are go for launch - no joke!

Springtime is the embodiment of all that is brand new and full of hope, just like Leisurely Pedaling! March has been quite the whirlwind, and while not the standard interpretation of "in like a lion, out like a lamb" referring to weather... the month proved to be just that. In like a lion: the deafening roar of business deals, purchasing, marketing, coordinating, re-researching, and (finally!) launching. Out like a lamb: now we're in that deceptive lull where the news slowly spreads, grows, and expands into something beautiful, perhaps like the cherry blossoms in Washington DC, or the daffodils hesitantly rising to colorful life in my neighbor's yard.

The Leisurely Pedaling launch party was a smashing success! The Laboratory provided endless plates of delicious delights and a brilliant atmosphere. Akinz, The Parlour, Kilwins, and Old Town Spice Shop donated truly generous and wonderful door prizes embodying the character of Fort Collins. One lucky winner even walked away with a two day tour for two of Fort Collins! In all, about 80 people joined in the festivities, and several friends were showing their support with Leisurely Pedaling T-shirts in Idaho, Washington, and California.

Here are a few fun pictures from the event!