After a day in the freezing cold, what do you want to drink? Red wine’s a hit. Whiskey is prized for its warming effects. Siberians swear by vodka.
But beer may not be high on the list — unless it’s stout.
Rich, dark and often strong, stout is the burly, wintertime opposite of a cold lager on a summer afternoon.
It’s fitting, then, that Boulder-based Mountain Sun Pubs chose February for its annual Stout Month.
“Being so hearty, stout pairs perfectly with winter weather,” says Paul Nashak, managing partner at Mountain Sun. “February is now the favorite month for many of our customers.”
This year marks the 18th Stout Month for the Sun’s pubs and breweries, when the bar taps suddenly begin pouring a torrent of dark beers.
As usual, the special stouts include plenty of Mountain Sun’s own brews: Belgian Dip Chocolate Stout, Korova Cream Stout and Yonder Mountain Stout, plus some special-occasion treats like Cherry Dip and Trickster Stouts. The list is long and will change throughout February.
Other breweries are taking a turn at stout, Expect a mix of offerings by national microbreweries and fellow locals, like Avery Brewing’s Czar Imperial from Boulder and Donnybrook Stout from Pennsylvania’s Victory Brewing.
Stout Month gets even more micro with its fifth annual Homebrew Competition. Colorado homebrewers have submitted their takes on stout for a chance to whip up six barrels of their recipe on Mountain Sun’s equipment.
This contest is for keeps: Past winners have become Mountain Sun regulars like Girl Scout Stout and Stoked Oak.
The 2011 celebration goes on at all three of Mountain Sun’s locations: The original Sun (1535 Pearl St., Boulder), the Vine Street Pub (1700 Vine St., Denver) and the Southern Sun (627 S. Broadway, Boulder).
“Last year, due to the enormous interest in the celebration that had grown over the years, we added the Southern Sun,” Nashak says, “So now all three pubs are participating.”
And if the staff looks a little more, um, hirsute than you’d expect, don’t be surprised. Adding to the February frenzy, the pubs have declared February to be Chop Month — as in Elvis-style mutton-chop sideburns on the guys’ faces. (It’s also Mullet Month, so that the facial-hair-challenged can participate.)
Later in the month, chop- and mullet-growers can join together at one of two parties to see who created the best styles during the month. Presided over by “The King of Chops” and a band of bagpipers, the competitions go down Feb. 27 at Vine Street and Feb. 28 at Mountain Sun.
That’s a lot to do in a month that’s typically a time of hibernation. But what a fantastic way to while away the winter nights — with sips of stout and kooky hairstyles.
For more information on Stout Month and the Mountain Sun pubs and breweries, visit .
Of course, this weekend’s biggest party possibility is the Super Bowl.
If there isn’t a house party happening, the bars will be waiting with open arms, hot wings at the ready.
A couple of thoughts for LoDo lovers: Oak Tavern (1416 Market St.), Lotus Clubs’ man-cave, hosts a party featuring $3 Coors Light Drafts, $8 beer-and-a-shot specials and prize giveaways.
The Sports Column (1930 Blake St.) is throwing a Super Bowl shindig too. This one’s got lots of silly games to keep up interest, like five-minute drink specials after touchdowns, missed field goals and other game developments.
Anywhere you go on Sunday, the drinks will be flowing. The Broncos didn’t even make the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself.
There’s always next year, right?
