12-Pack Principles: A Dozen Reasons to Drink Upslope

Tour Upslope’s brewery and emerge with far more than a tasty twelve pack.  Tapping insights from brewmasters and bartenders proves the glass is more than half full here in Boulder.

Active Junky came, saw and sampled, savoring Upslope in-house exclusives like the Jalapeno Lager (complete with chunks of fiery peppers).  Between knowledge and hoppage bubbled 12 reasons to crack open an Upslope.

1. Cans Only

Aluminum cans crush easily, encouraging outdoor imbibers to pack ‘em out and leave no trace. Outdoor lovers own Upslope and employees explore the nearby Flatirons before their shifts. “Cans only” embodies the company’s environmental ethos.   

2. Patagonian Hops

Upslope’s head of brewing is from Argentina. One of his central missions is introducing Patagonian hops to Colorado craft brews. With fewer and purer ingredients employed in craft brewing, all elements matter even more. Delicioso.

3. Two Brew Houses

After adding a second facility, Upslope’s original Lee Hill brew house centers on experimentation. The original location focuses on test batches, sours and the patience-promoting art of barrel aging.

4. 1% for Rivers

This is why Active Junky visited Upslope in the first place: 1% of revenue from the popular Craft Lager goes directly to non-profit Trout Unlimited. TU aims to conserve and protect watersheds, a cause to cheer even if you’re not a fly fisherman.

5. A Splash of Snowmelt

Upslope’s main ingredient? Snowmelt. The Colorado brewery claims to be the first to use snowmelt rather than well water, one of many reasons they cast their line and lot in with Trout Unlimited. 

6. Recycling CO2 Blowoff

CO2 blowoff, a common by-product in brewing, isn’t classified as waste at Upslope. Here, CO2 fuels a one-of-a-kind algae greenhouse. Sustainability with sincerity? Check.

7. 24 Taps

Tasting is encouraged as patrons negotiate their way through 24 options. Taps rotate seasonally, with flagship beers pouring on a year-round basis. For best results, enter with an open mind and clean palate.

8. Great American Beer Fest Victories

In six years, the Boulder brewery has won 6 medals at America’s biggest beer festival. This odds-defying performance makes every sip a celebration as patrons predict the next champion.

9. Putting Craft on the Map

When it opened in 2008, Upslope was the first new Boulder brewery in 12 years.  Upslope is expanding their production line, adding a second facility and exporting their goodness to Wyoming, Texas, Arizona and beyond.

10. Daydreaming in Class

Upslope started from a college assignment in 1996. The resulting business plan sat for 11 years until it resurfaced. Active Junky proposes a toast to the college instructor responsible for this bevy of beers; prost to the prof.

11. The Perfect Storm

 The name originates from “Upslope storms” that form on Colorado’s Front Range. Warm air from the east and cold air from the west converge on the foothills. Upslope replicates this upheaval as they brew clean, pure, high-caliber batches.

12. No-Name Brews

Brews are named after the style. Pale ale = “Pale Ale. IPA = “India Pale Ale.”  Upslope continues this exercise in simplicity as they package a growing flight of traditional, seasonal and specialty styles.

Twelve reasons make every can a shared commitment: To craft and keep amazing beer – and clean rivers – flowing for generations to come.