“Sorry, but we’re kind of in a dark beer season,” our server tells us as he set five tasters of brew on the table. He’s correct, Powder Keg certainly is — only one of the five samples featured a pale color — but there’s no need to apologize for that. Dark beer is what we came for, and dark beer is what we get.
Powder Keg Brewing Co., opened in 2014, is situated along Niwot’s Second Avenue historic district amidst the post office, small shops and welcoming small town vibes. Niwot is home to 4,000 residents, and though this medium-sized brewery is the town’s second, it is by no means pulling up the rear.
Powder Keg’s digs sport plenty of table and bar space, even a stage for live music. As my associate points out, Powder Keg is well prepared for the clang and bang designed to soothe a savage breast as their ceiling is lined with noise-dampening material. It’s a small gesture, but a considerate one; especially for those whose blood pressure rises anytime those bass drums start going haywire.
This is Niwot after all and they are, by and large, a considerate town. Heck, the office next door belongs to archietech Thomas F. Zimmerman and sports the slogan: “Second best architect in Niwot.” That’s humility at its finest.
But while courtesy and kindness will net you plenty of brownie points, it won’t help one damn bit if the beer is subpar. Thankfully, Powder Keg features some stellar brews, including our lone pale, Seize One Saison (4.2 percent ABV), a highly carbonated and pleasantly dry wheat ale with a bright nose and a flavor to match.
The saison’s bouquet isn’t the only aromatic winner; all of Powder Keg’s beers feature magnificent noses that coax drinkers deeper into the glass. Totes McOats (5.8 percent) is an oatmeal stout with a nice crisp aroma of flaked oats. And if that isn’t enough, Powder Keg has two variations on the Totes theme — Dream Stealer (5.8 percent), a coffee stout, and Twilight Rendezvous (14.8 percent), a Russian Imperial Stout — both boasting equally impressive profiles.
My associate gravitated to the Dream Stealer because, “It doesn’t taste like coffee and it doesn’t taste like beer, it taste like a coffee beer.” She goes on to explain that far too many coffee stouts taste like someone poured the morning drip into the brew and gave it a swirl. Not here. Here, the Dream Stealer, which features Stella roast from Denver’s Boxcar Coffee Roasters, tastes like a proper coffee beer.
The Twilight Rendezvous proves to be too tough for her, which is music to my ears as it allows me the illustrious pleasure of quaffing a beastly Russian Imperial Stout all by myself. This syrupy and viscous beauty is aged in Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels, which give the beer its welcome kick.
While Seize One and Dream Stealer perfectly complement our suds-soaked panini and pretzel dog lunch, the Twilight Rendezvous proves to be the perfect nightcap at one o’clock in the afternoon. They ought to set up cots in the back.
On tap: Powder Keg Brewing Co. 101 Second Ave., Niwot, 720-600-5442, powderkegbrewingcompany.com.
