In 1993, Adam Avery launches his Avery Brewing Company in a garage off an alley in Boulder, making him one of the pioneers of Colorado’s craft beer scene. At first, consumers were apprehensive when it came to the new tastes Avery introduced to the market place. In 1996, Avery was among the first breweries in Colorado to offer an IPA. Many of the deliveries were returned because the beer tasted too bitter. Pushing the limits in the brewhouse, they began experimenting with barrel aging in 2003 and barrel-aged fanatics throughout the nation seek the results out. Many of the big beers post ABVs of two touchdowns and a field goal. Avery also is dedicated to making the leap into complex and wild beers, as well as ramping up its barrel-aging program in order to distribute nationally. After 22 years, they moved out of “Avery Alley’” and built a world-class brewing compound in Boulder — a $30 million investment that has created numerous opportunities for the expanding business. Today, Avery is represented in Peaks and Pints beer sample flight, Craft Beer Crosscut 12.18.17: A Flight of Avery Brewing.

Avery Liliko’i Kepolo

5.4% ABV, 10 IBU

The Liliko’i Kepolo (hard to say, easy to drink) is an unexpected delight! We don’t typically expect witbiers to be this interesting, original or surprisingly tart. It looks like your average Wit, with minimal, fine white foam over a hazy straw body, but lean in for a whiff and up wafts strong passion fruit, a little citrus and banana, coriander, and some creamy wheat malts. To taste, there’s an underlying spice throughout, but it starts off with a tart, citrusy bite, possibly due to the Bravo and Sterling hops. The passionfruit is evident, though not as heavy as on the nose, and the fuzzy mouthfeel reminds us of biting into a peach. We love everything about Liliko’i Kepolo — its glowing gold color, frothy white head, and each aspect of its delicious, exotic flavor. Mahalo!

Avery Anniversary Twenty Three

7.9% ABV, 12 IBU

In 1993, Adam Avery’s brewed his first professional beers in a garage off an alley in Boulder, Colorado. In 1996, Avery was among the first breweries in Colorado to offer an IPA. Twenty-two years after launching Avery Brewing Co., Avery and his dad, Larry, built a $30 million production facility with the goal to brew upward of 70,000 barrels a year. Twenty-three years later, Avery brewed a 100 percent Brettanomyces fermented dark farmhouse. Inspired by Brabant and the goodness of its marriage of Brettanomyces fermentation and Belgian dark malts, the Colorado brewery crafted this celebratory wild ale using three strains of Bretts bringing loads of ripe stone fruit aromas to the mix, rustic aspects of a traditional wild ale and tropical fruit essences to the flavor party. Add some beautiful, dark and robust Belgian specialty malts for caramel, chocolate and fig elements and you have Avery Anniversary Twenty Three.

Avery Expletus

5.9% ABV, 18 IBU

In spring of 2016 Avery added another sour ale to its Barrel-Aged Series; this one inspired by the Tequila Sunrise cocktail. Expletus is a 5.9 percent ABV ale that has been aged in fresh Suerte tequila barrels with cherries for six months. In addition, the beer incorporates a combination of saccharomyces, brettanomyces drie, lactobacillus and pediococcus. Funky wet hay and soil meld with sweet cherries in the top of the aroma while layers of curacao, noyaux and little buttery vanilla center the scent. The flavor kicks off with sweet cherry fading to agave and molasses, while the finish is all red apple and tongue-twisting tartness. While the impact of tequila is just a bit subtle for our tastes, the brew’s gorgeous tart cherry character pulls out smooth oaky tones that makes this 35th release in Avery’s barrel-aged series one of its best.

Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale

5.5% ABV, 28 IBU

T’was 24 years ago that Adam Avery (blessed be his name), smiled upon Boulder, Colorado and the world at large by opening Avery Brewing, which begat White Rascal Ale, which begat Out of Bounds Stout, which begat Ellie’s Brown Ale. This beautiful, deep russet brew has the sweet and somewhat nutty character of Avery’s late (1992-2002) Chocolate Lab, for which it is named. Avery adds Cluster hops at the beginning of the 60-minute boil primarily to add bitterness. Cascade and Fuggles hops are added at the middle and end of the boil respectively for their aromatic contributions. Ellie’s Brown has a rich maltiness with a complex caramel and roasted combination in the flavor profile for a lovely, balanced beer. Overall, a flavorful and sweet brown ale, almost too much so for an English Brown — more of an American Brown in flavor and English brown in its malty balance.

Avery Tweak

17.5% ABV, 65 IBU

This monstrous brew starts as a stout with Ozo Coffee Co.’s Organic Isabelle Espresso beans cold-brewed right in the beer. It was then aged in freshly used bourbon barrels for four months, picking up notes of oak and vanilla, and finished fermentation at more than 17 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). Surprisingly, it’s sweet but not overwhelming, with coffee and chocolate, a rich fudgey backbone and big booze. Delicious.