The Ultimate Spring Skiing Guide

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Colorado is our home. It’s where we work, and it’s where we play. And the kicker?? Our work is fun…and we love it! As Coloradans, we hold a few things to be sacred, and when you live as close to the Rocky Mountains as we do, one of those sacred things is skiing. And snowboarding. When the flurries start to fly in October and November, we’re getting our skis and boards turned, our edges sharpened, and we’re plotting out our first tracks and last calls. In honor of all of those who love to ski and ride, we’ve put together the New Planet Spring Skiing Guide. Complete with best places to enjoy your aprés and lesser-known secrets of the resorts, this guide is your Spring Skiing best friend!

BYOM: Bring Your Own Meat

Vail

You read that right. Bring your own meat. As the days get a bit warmer and as spring storms continue to drop the fluffy white flakes, lunchtime on the slopes tend to be a bit more elaborate than the standard PB&J-on-the-lift that happens earlier in the season.

Tucked away high up on Vail mountain are some free gas-powered grills for guests to enjoy. Two such grills are located on Parker’s Deck, just below Buffalo’s Lodge at the top of Lifts 4, 5, and 11. Offering spectacular views of the Vail Valley, Parker’s Deck is the perfect place to take a longer lunch.

Whether you’re throwing on a few burgers and dogs or getting fancy with a steak that’s been marinating in your day pack since breakfast, these grills offer an excellent alternative to the pricey lodge meals and run-of-the-mill granola bars. Just be sure to bring your own utensils and clean up after yourself.

Arapahoe Basin

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate A-Basin’s laid back culture and top-tier terrain?

Wait….

Wait…

Okay we’re good. We love A-Basin. Typically the first mountain to open after the summer and the last one to close (it’s not unheard of to see skiers and riders Pond Skimming as late as the 4th of July), A-Basin as it is affectionately known, is home to the epic “Beach Day.”

For those of you unfamiliar with this, Beach Day is any day at A-Basin. A section of the parking lot always has a tailgate-like atmosphere: people breaking out camping grills, canopy shades, outrageous costumes, drinks, and dogs running around. Oh, and skis. People make the trek to A-Basin early to stake their claim on the coveted spots between the Exhibition lift and Pallavicini (aka “Palli’) lift. Even though the lifts don’t usually open until 8:30 or 9am, you’ll see die hards lining up as early as 6am or 6:30am to kickstart the grills, crack a few beermosas, and get in line for first tracks.

The atmosphere on any given Beach Day is spectacular and an absolute Must if you’ve never been.

Aprés Me!

After a day of skiing, nothing is as rewarding as taking off those stiff boots, throwing on your sneakers, and sharing a cold one or clinking cocktail glasses with friends. Sore legs are ignored as you lounge by an outdoor firepit or watch the game with your new best friends. Ski towns are excellent hosts and know how to treat their goggle-tanned brethren when it comes to aprés ski options.

Breckenridge

The town of Breckenridge (Breck) is full of excellent restaurants and bars ready to cater to your every whim. One of our favorites is the Kenosha Steakhouse. With a great beer and cocktail list, their back patio is tough to beat on a warm spring day. Facing the mountain, keep your shades and beanie nearby, because this deck gets plenty of sunshine. Their nachos are killer and so are their steak cuts (duh).

Vail

When in Vail, there are plenty of places you can grab that post-run drink or three. Because it’s Vail, you can cozy up to a hot toddy at the Four Seasons or hit up the basement bar, The Georges, in the Vail Village. Another great spot in the Vail Village is the Red Lion. Easily spotted by its bright red umbrellas, this joint has everything you may need to sate your thirst and appetite after a great day on the slopes.

Eldora

Small but mighty, Eldora Mountain is a quick 40 miles outside of Boulder, and it is the perfect place to take a few weekday runs before lunch. And whether you’re looking for a place to grab a beer during lunch or after a full day of skiing, look no further than the Timbers Tap Room. This cozy cabin feel has great beers, excellent bloody mary’s and isn’t huge, which gives it an intimate, comfortable vibe.

And even though Eldora is only a short drive from us in Boulder, it still feels like you’re “getting away.” That’s why our go-to beer when we’re skiing the slopes at Eldora is Seclusion IPA. Conveniently packed in cans, this smooth IPA is the perfect pairing for a day on the slopes.

Of course, Colorado is big and full of other mountains and haunts that we haven’t mentioned above…that’d take pages and pages! But we do hope that you find yourself somewhere up in the high country this spring, and if you’re not sure where to spend aprés, grab a six-pack of New Planet Beer and make your own aprés wherever you go. Drink and ski responsibly!

Summer Getaways with New Planet Beer

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Waiting for summer is always bittersweet. Here in Colorado, a late-May snowstorm was quickly followed by 90°+ heat and before we knew it, the kids were out of school! And here we are, just days away from the beginning of July, figuring out how to best spend those precious days and weekends of warm weather. At New Planet Beer, we love the outdoors, and in that spirit, we’ve compiled a list of outdoor themed activities for you and yours to tackle in the last few months of summer.

Camping

Everyone has a different definition of camping. To some hardcore enthusiasts, it isn’t “camping” unless you’re backpacking 10+ miles into the wilderness with nothing but dried beans and a water filter for survival. If that’s your MO: good for you! We’d just encourage you to pack in an extra 12 ounces of our mountain-ready Seclusion IPA to keep you company and reward you once you set up camp!

For others, it isn’t camping unless it is “glamping.” That’s right: the combination of glamour and camping. Why leave behind the comforts of showers and running water if you don’t have to? For those of you who prefer the RV, bring the whole family with you to our amazing National and State Parks. These gems are perfect for families to explore the best of what mother nature has to offer.

Lastly, you may be an inbetweener, and you don’t mind sleeping on the ground in your tent, but you don’t want to hike for miles and miles to get there. Many weekend warriors are more than happy to car camp: break out the tent, sleeping bag, and lantern, and just sit by a campfire telling stories with friends as you listen to the nearby water and look up at the cloudless, star filled night.

Fishing

Another summertime favorite, fishing is a great way to while away the summertime hours. Bait fishing or fly fishing? People swear by both, so we’re not going to choose sides here! Whatever your passion, grab your rod and reel or pole and tackle box and hit the rivers and lakes near your home.

If you’ve got kids, fishing is a great way to teach them about local ecosystems, aquatic animal life, and (if you dare!) the peace and quiet that comes with being silent trying not to “scare the fish.” (Author’s note: I’m a lot older now, and I still don’t know if noises actually do scare fish away or if I just talked too much as a kid and it was a trick my dad invented to get some silence out of me…)

Water Parks

Getting away for a night or two or even a long day to fish or camp isn’t always feasible for everyone, so on those hot days, find a local swimming pool or water park. With waterslides and  rides, kids of all ages can cool down and have a ball splashing through the parks. Before you go, call ahead and ask if they have group discounts or see if local grocery stores offer any coupons for the parks. You’d be surprised how many offer deals to families in the summer time. Most places also let you bring in food for snacks and lunches, but be sure to leave those glass bottles at home!

Craft Brew Festivals

It wouldn’t be summer (at least in our minds) without one or two craft beer festivals! Summertime offers an endless array of brew fests, both large and small. We’ve seen advertisements for Belgian Beer Fests, festivals for breweries 5 years old or younger, local neighborhood fests, the list goes on.

Why do we love them so much? It combines two of our favorite things: beer and being outside in the sunshine. There is something really fun and unique about walking around from tent to tent with a small tasting glass and shooting the breeze with brewers and festival attendees. Friendships are made, people have smiles on their faces, and the beers are flowing! So hitch a ride and find a beer fest that interests you this summer!

No matter what you decide to do with your summertime hours, we hope that you enjoy the most of it with the people you love and with a cold beer in hand. And if you do find yourself in the Great Outdoors this summer, don’t forget New Planet Beer’s insanely portable six-packs of Seclusion IPA and Tread Lightly Ale!

New Planet Beer summertime getaways

New Planet Beer Events in April

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New Planet Beer April Events

Cavalier Distributing Trade Show

Florida Retailers Come Join Us!

Orlando April 19th, 5:30 – 8:30PM
Orlando Science Center
777 E. Princeton Street
Orlando, FL 32803

Tampa April 20th,  5:30 – 8:30PM
District 3 Arts Events
802-812 E.Whiting St.
Tampa, Florida 33062

Microbrews for the Environment

April 28th, 7PM
Boulder Theater
Boulder Colorado 80301

Spring Flours Gluten Free Gala

The University of Chicago
Celiac Disease Center
April 28th, 6pm
Preston Bradley Hall
Chicago Cultural Center
78 East Washington Street
Chicago,Illinois

Beer Braised Country Ribs

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The recipe below was our summer kick-off recipe for Memorial Day Weekend. It is based on a little over a pound of ribs (3 huge ribs) and has rough measurements, but is easily adapted for a larger quantity of ribs. We hope you enjoy:

Beer Braised Ribs

Protein – Pork Country-Style Ribs

Beer – New Planet Pale Ale 

Mix the following rub ingredients in a ziplock bag:

Garlic Powder – Tablespoon

Onion Powder  -Tablespoon

Brown Sugar – 1/2 cup

Kosher salt – Teaspoon

Coffee Grounds – Dessert spoon

Sage & Celery Salt TSP each

Add ribs to ziplock, shake and let them sit for a long as you can be patient.

Quick Grill for marks, then into shallow pan. Heat oven to 225 degrees

– add 1/2 cup of Pale Ale + 1/2 Cup of OJ  – increase liquid based on # of ribs

Cover with foil & cook till ribs fall apart. Use 2 forks to “pull” the pork (shred).

Serve with Rice or Quinoa and some steamed Veggies.

Enjoy

4/12 & 13 – GFAF Expo – Chicago, IL

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GFAF logo

What:  Gluten and Allergen Free Expo with hundreds of certified gluten-free vendors, resources and, of course, Beer! 

We will be pouring all six styles of beer & we will have coupons too!!

When: April 12th & 13th – 9am to 3pm

 

Where:   The Schaumburg Renaissance Convention Center
                  1551 Thoreau Drive North
                  Schaumburg, IL 60173

 

Event Website: http://gfafexpo.com/

02/21 – 23 – Winter Wonder Grass – Avon, CO

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WWG-poster1

 

What: Love Bluegrass? Love Gluten-Free Beer? Well this one is for you! We will be the featured Gluten-free beer at the 2014 WinterWonderGrass event!

Gluten-free Beer on Draft!!!

We will be pouring our Pale Ale, Belgian Ale and Brown Ale

When: Festival Days;  Friday, February 21st – Sunday, February 23rd.

            Tasting hours are 3-6 pm daily on all three days

Where: Nottingham Park, Avon Colorado

 Event Website: http://winterwondergrass.com/

Show Us Your Beer-B-Q! New Planet Beer Fan BBQ Recipe Competition

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 We Want YOU to share your favorite

Gluten-Free BBQ recipe with the Nation!

 

 

 

 

Plan: We are asking our fans – YOU – to submit their favorite gluten-free BBQ recipes & beer pairings featuring New Planet Beer.  Submissions will need to be received via email by June 27th, and will be posted on Facebook and our website as the featured recipes for July.

3 winners will be chosen. Winning entries will need to feature a New Planet Beer either in the actual recipe, or as a “perfect pairing.” Pictures to accompany the recipes will be welcomed.

Winning recipes will be posted to the New Planet Beer website the week of JULY 4th – for all to see – with a quick Bio on the Recipe Author, and then shared on our Facebook and Twitter network.

Winners will also receive a custom prize pack featuring a New Planet Beer Apron, T-shirt, Bottle Opener and Baseball Cap as well as a Four-Pack of the Beer of their choice! Lastly, winners will also receive a personally signed copy of the best selling book, Defeat Wheat, by Brian Gansman.

 

Recipes to be emailed to peter@newplanetbeer.com by 11:59pm 6/27/13, Winners will be notified by email and posted 7/1/13

Rules:

Must be 21 years or older to enter

Participants can submit as many GF recipes as they want

Recipe must be Gluten Free and either feature a NPB or be paired with a NPB

Questions? Please email Peter@newplanetbeer.com

“BeerMosas” at the Celiac Disease Foundation Expo – California

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A great time was had by all at this weekends CDF Expo in Los Angeles. The star of the weekend was our Raspberry “BeerMosas”, so we thought we would post the “recipe.”

So here you go:

Take one bottle of nicely chilled New Planet Raspberry Ale and pour into wine glass, then add 1oz of freshly squeezed orange juice. Sip & Enjoy!

Best served at brunch, but makes a wonderful breakfast beer. 🙂

Even the L.A.Times dropped by. Read the article HERE

Find our Raspberry Ale near you by clicking HERE.