The whole Happy Hour Guy crew gets involved in our yearly tradition of looking back over our favorite stops of the previous year. And as we're on the threshold of our 300th episode (which will drop in 2015) this one, which is OUR SEVENTH (!!) is pretty special.
Press play for a look at where we've alighted in 2014, with special guest appearances by rock star brewers, the Amish, and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper. Cheers, Happy New Year, and here's to a great 2015!
This summer, The Happy Hour Guys had the good fortune to sit down with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper in Aspen; they drank a beer or two and covered quite a few interesting subjects. During that interview, Governor Hickenlooper mentioned the special additions he and his team had made to the Boettcher Mansion (which is the Governor's residence) in Denver - and he invited us to stop by sometime. As luck would have it, Mark and Jimmy made it to Denver for the 2014 edition of the Great American Beer Festival, and well, they took him up on the opportunity. Click play for a look at what may be THHG's coolest bar yet!
Enjoy!
Jimmy and Duncan Clauss (Ben Liebert on camera).
We started following the Aspen Brewing Company in just after they opened their doors in this swanky Colorado ski town in 2008; we then returned each summer for 3 straight years, following their ups and downs as they grew into a 7 barrel brewery/taproom space 'down by the river' away from Aspen Mountain. Then we took a 4 year break to focus on the East, and returned this summer - has anything changed?
Well, let's put it this way: Owner Duncan Clauss shows us around the new production brewery, the canning line, and the new 'uptown' tap room. Growth? Leaps and Bounds. Change? Indeed. Rockin' and rollin'? Sing out, y'all. Sing out.
Enjoy!
Our Beer Heroes documentary series continues: Welcome Brewer, Geologist, former 2-term Mayor of Denver and current Governor of Colorado, John Hickenlooper!
The Governor, Duncan Clauss (owner of ABC) and Jimmy
Our latest Beer Hero couldn't be more deserving: The first Brewer to occupy a State Governorship since Samuel Adams in 1793, Governor Hickenlooper's involvement with Craft goes back a long way. From humble beginnings as a homebrewer, to becoming an owner of a brewpub that helped rebuild the defunct LODO section of Denver, the Governor has always known that Craft Creates.
So after finding that the Governor would be in Aspen for the Ideas Festival, we contacted his communications staff and asked for an interview. Initially we were told that we had 5 minutes; the Governor ended up staying nearly a half hour.
Click play above for seat at the Aspen Brewing Company's production facility just outside town, and a past, present and future look at this talented politician and downright terrific guy. Cheers!
The Maroon Bells - some of the most photographed mountains in the world.
One of the greatest things about The Happy Hour Guys has always been that the show is so very portable. As Actors, Mark and Jimmy are always traveling around then world for various projects, and where they go, The Happy Hour Guys inevitably follows.
This summer, while Mark holds down the fort on Broadway in NYC, (Newsies, The Musical) Jimmy will be spending 10 weeks in Aspen, Colorado doing the musical The Full Monty at Theatre Aspen. And there is much to cover in and around that frontier outpost! (But can a town with a Prada flagship store ever truly be called an outpost?!?!?)
These require more study. And camera angles.
Be sure and drop us a line or leave a comment if you're interested in seeing us at your place, or are looking to do a fun event - either in CO or NYC.
Its going to be a terrific summer!
Back in 2010 we had a chance to do a beer making PROCESS SHOW with our friends out West at Aspen Brewing Company, in their old space. Things have changed mightily for them since (they've grown a ton, have moved their taproom and brewery to new, larger spaces, they package their beer now, etc etc etc...) but the process of brewing beer is still the same. And Rory Douthit is a masterful teacher. Now LETS MAKE SOME BEER. Cheers!
PART ONE:
PART TWO:
How awesome is it to have a local store that stocks great beer and bourbon? This awesome.
Dark Horse Brewing Too Cream Stout
it's gonna be a happy weekend.
