Beer calendar: Try spruce tips, sushi rice and malted milk in your beer this week

Boulder History Museum

As the birthplace of Colorado's craft beer revolution, Boulder has had a love affair with bubbly brews since the late 1970s that continues today: The city is home to the Brewers Association, a national trade group; the American Homebrewers Association; the second-oldest brewery to have formed after World War II; and, of course, a bustling beer scene that includes everything from Coors-loving college students to at least twenty tap rooms and brewpubs -- with plans for new ones being announced nearly every month. You can explore that history in Beer! Boulder's History on Tap, which opens March 1 at the Boulder History Museum and runs through October 27.

See all of this week's craft beer events on the next page.

Sarah Cowell

Our Mutual Friend will be open on Wednesdays.

Wednesday, February 27

Scott Witsoe and Brian O'Connell have brewed up a whopper of a beer -- and, yes, it's made with malted milk, in homage to the candy that inspired the name. Witsoe, who owns Wit's End Brewing, and O'Connell, who owns Renegade Brewing, made a ten-gallon batch of the beer -- dubbed Judge Whoppner -- a couple of weeks ago at Renegade; they will serve it today at 6:30 p.m. at Renegade. In a couple of weeks, they'll tweak the recipe and make a second batch at Wit's End.

Our Mutual Friend Malt & Brew will open for Wednesday hours for the first time today, from 2 to 10 p.m. The Quiero Arepas food truck will start serving at 6 p.m.

The Copper Kettle will tap a firkin of what it calls its Japanese Pale Ale, made with sushi rice. Hours today are 3 to 9 p.m.

Thursday, February 28

The Cheeky Monk Belgian Beer Cafe on Colfax Avenue, will tap a sixtel of Russian River's famed Pliny the Younger triple IPA today at 6:30 p.m. The rare beer only makes it to Colorado once a year and only to a few select locations where it is poured on tap and sells out with hours -- if not minutes. A glass at the Cheeky Monk costs $10 and be served on a first come-first serve basis.

Friday, March 1

Hops & Pie hosts its monthly Firkin 1st Friday today at 6 p.m. with Just the Tip, the Wynkoop Brewing Company's Belgorado Belgian IPA that has been "dry-spruced" with locally-picked spruce tips. Belgorado is brewed with almost all Colorado malt and yeast. The spruce tips were hand-picked in a Wynkoop employee's back yard.

Sold Out: Avery Brewing's annual Strong Ale Fest kicks off today at the brewery from 5 to 11 p.m. serving big, bold and beautiful beers. It continues tomorrow from

Saturday, March 2

The Copper Kettle Brewing Company will release its Barrel Aged Old Ale today during taproom hours from noon to 10 p.m. The Eighty Eight food truck will be there at 4 p.m., while the Statue of Liberty Live Band will play at 6 p.m.

For more craft beer events in March, turn the page.