Southern Sun’s hopping
The brewers at Southern Sun, a Boulder brewpub, take their hops seriously. Every October they celebrate their favorite flower with Hop Harvest, a month-long smorgasbord of hop-happiness from the brewmasters at Southern Sun and microbreweries around the country. These hopmeisters even make a few batches using the “wet hop” method, meaning they use fresh-picked hops in their beer, instead of dry hops. Standout beer: FYIPA, a wet-hopped India Pale Ale. Get there early; Southern Sun packs ’em in every night of the week. 627 S. Broadway, Boulder, 303-534-0886 Douglas Brown
ink!
Who knows how many more perfectly crisp-sunny fall days we have left this year? Take advantage while you can with a long lunch outdoors. Your plan: Walk across the pedestrian bridge from downtown to the Platte Valley, grab a prosciutto or tuna sandwich from ink!, supplement with a fizzy lemon soda and have an ad-hoc picnic in Riverfront Park. Before the snow starts to fly. 1590 Little Raven St., 303-214-1111. Tucker Shaw
Savory Spice sale
This good-smelling shop with locations in Denver and Littleton has begun its annual holiday gift box sale. Through Nov. 4 get 15 percent off each boxed set of spices and seasonings when you buy five or more (all are under $45 and more than half are under $20). The sets range from Bloody Mary seasonings and hot cocoa ($14.95) to the 10-jar Deluxe Curry ($44.95). 1537 Platte St., 303-477-3322, and 2650 W. Main St., Littleton, 720-283-2232; Kristen Browning-Blas
