Tidbites | Week of October 10, 2013

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Crowds at the 2012 Great American Beer Fest.

Clash of the tahini titans

It’s time to answer the paramount question: Who makes the best hummus in Boulder? Fifteen local restaurants and chefs will participate in the Hummus Throwdown at 4 p.m. Oct. 13 at Shine Restaurant on 13th Street. Contestants from Shine, Cured, Volta, Organilicious, Arabesque, Riffs, OAK at Fourteenth, Cafe Aion, The Kitchen and Udi’s, as well as Arik Marcus, a private chef, will have their best hummus creations judged by a panel of three Boulder judges. Along with the judges’ choice, there will also be a popular vote. The Hummus Throwdown is a part of the Chow Down: IFS Food Film Festival, taking place Oct. 9-13 at the Boulder Public Library and CU’s Muenzinger Auditorium.

Great American Beer Festival is here

The Great American Beer Festival will take place from Oct. 10 through Oct. 12 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. According to the Brewers Association, the festival represents the largest collection of U.S. beer ever served in a public tasting event and a private competition.

Breweries are gearing up to bring their best to the fest. There will be four sessions in which breweries will pour featured brews from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a members-only session 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

But that’s not all GABF has to offer. There will also be several “unofficial events” that don’t require GABF tickets (they’ve sold out anyway).

Durango’s Ska Brewing Co., Washington, D.C.’s DC Brau, and Beer Advocate will be hosting The Pietasters, a ska-revival band, at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at the Marquis Theater in LoDo. The event will also feature the release of a collaboration beer between Ska Brewing and DC Brau named Taster’s Choice (a song by The Pietasters). According to Ska Brewing, Taster’s Choice is a medium-bodied doppelbock with coffee flavors and aroma that increase as it warms.

Avery Brewing Co. will be hosting events Friday, Oct. 11, and Saturday, Oct. 12.

On Friday afternoon, Avery invites beer and bike for a “Barrel-Aged Bike Ride” around LoDo. Riders will start their tour at the Falling Rock Tap House at 11 a.m. then stop by at Lucky Pie Pizza & Tap House, Euclid Hall Bar & Kitchen, Highland Tap and Burger and finally end at Star Bar. Along the way, riders will receive a four-ounce pour of a rare Avery barrel-aged beer, a six-ounce pour of a palate-cleansing beer and a playing card that can win them prizes. The cost is $45 and bicycles will not be provided.

At 10 p.m., Avery will be hosting a free “Hardcore & Softcore” party at Star Bar. Eight signature beers will be featured, with both “hard” and “soft” ABVs ranging from 4.2 percent to 17 percent. “Hardcore” beers include: Double Dry-Hopped duganA, Samael’s, The Kaiser and Tweak. The “softcore” beers include 4Point2 Pale Ale, Bolder Weisse, Lilikoi Kepolo and Joe’s Pilsner.

Avery will be teaming up with Freshcraft to throw the “Robe One Out” party at 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at three locations: Freshcraft, Lucky Pie LoDo and the Pour House Pub. Attendees are encouraged to “let it all hang out” in their bathrobes at the end of a long day. There will be a limited supply of Avery embroidered robes at all three bars (one beer included), and Avery will give a free beer to the first 30 robe-clad people through the door.

Meanwhile, in Boulder County, breweries will be hosting events timed to match up with GABF. Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids & Solids will hold a Hangover Brunch at 11 a.m. Oct. 13. This year, Oskar Blues will co-host the event with Green Flash Brewing Co. of California. The hangover brunch caps off the Oskar Blues Ordeal, the brewery’s day-long bus tours Oct. 10 and 11 that take riders to the Oskar Blues brewery, Tasty Weasel, as well as Homemade Liquids & Solids and the Hops and Heifers Farm. More information is available at www.oskarblues.com.

Upslope, meanwhile, is using the weekend to tap rare beers, like its Cabernet IPA, a rum barrel-aged oatmeal brown ale, an oatmeal stout and the famous pumpkin ale. Information is available at http://upslopebrewing.com.

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