1/2c brown sugar
1 can TenFidy
1lb bacon
Pinch of black pepper

Pour 1-2oz beer into sugar and whisk. Consistency should be a light syrup.

Set oven to 350F and lay bacon out on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, drain grease, flip, then bake another 10-12 minutes. Brush glaze on bacon strips and bake about 6 minutes until sugars begin to caramelize. Flip and brush the other side. Repeat until both sides have been glazed twice and bacon turns a deep, caramelized reddish hue.

Once they cool, it will harden and hold form. Serve in a pint glass.

Lou, our new beertender from upstate New York, has been missing home sumpin’ fierce & who are we to deny him the finer things of his home state? He’s invited John from Brewery Ommegang, the top Belgian-style brewery in the US, to come to Oskar Blues in Longmont on Thursday, February 9th to talk about the old country & sample some of Ommegang’s best beers.

Ommegang’s bringing 3 Philosophers, Seduction, Adoration, & Hennepin & we hope you’ll love getting all four of these great beers in one place at one time. You can also sample the likes of Oskar Blues’s Red Eye Rye Pale Ale, Columbian Supreme Coffee Porter & Deviant Dale’s IPA (all three only available at Oskar Blues at this time).

It’s all going down at 6PM on February 9th at Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids & Solids at 1555 S Hover Rd in Longmont. Corner of Hover Rd & the Diagonal Highway.

The three new Berkshire pigs are enjoying their new accommodations- you can tell they are happy because their tails are always curly! We built them an enclosure for those chilly nights full of fluffy straw and an insulated floor! They are also figuring out their own water tap system. Healthy pigs require lots of available fresh water, so we’re givin’ it to ‘em!

The Goats are chillin’ like villains, and have done a great job eating down the summer garden.

The Cows are all on new pasture filling their bellies with lots of grass and enjoying the warm mash breakfast served daily. The mama cows are all pregnant and will begin calving in early spring.

This year is going to be full of exciting events, please feel free to look us up at www.oskarblues.com. We are now on twitter @hopsandhefers, or via old school email, farmergeoff@oskarblues.com. Thank you for supporting craftAculture! Keep the brown side down!– Farmer Geoff

We’re teaming up with Old Chicago restaurants during their “I Love Beer Tour,” and will be offering a very limited and exclusive release of the farm raised, strong ale born on the brewery’s Longmont, CO based farm.  The tour kicks off on Wednesday, January 25th at all Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, Oregon and Wisconsin Old Chicago locations. The beer will be flowing while the limited amount lasts.  For a complete list of Old Chicago locations, check out www.oldchicago.com

“HGH (Home Grown Hops) Part DUH” is a 7.5% A.B.V and 70 I.B.U. Strong Ale brewed with hops locally grown at our Hops & Heifers farm.  The home gown, high-potency, home run hitter is dry hopped with Amarillo, double dry hopped with Centennial, Summit and the last of our first crop of whole Cascade Hops.   This farm-raised strong ale injects more HGH than the 1998 home run race.

Our 50 acre Hops & Heifers Farm was reborn by Dale Katechis and Farmer Geoff Hess in an area hosting views of Boulder’s Flatirons and Haystack Mountain, and sits just down the road from the brewery and our Home Made Liquids & Solids restaurant, creating an opportunity for a true farm to table experience.  The farm hosts 2 acres of hops planted in celebration in May 2011 by the Oskar Blues employees.  The initial Hops & Heifers work day saw 3,500 hop plants laid in on 2 acres of land across 181 hop poles.  The hopyard menu includes Centennial, Columbus, Nugget, Chinook, Willamette, Mt.Hood, Cascade and Sterling.

The farm also hosts 100% Oskar Blues-raised Black Angus cattle, Berkshire pigs and goats that are part of the sustainable model.  Our cattle are grass fed on our pasture grasses and alfalfa in addition to spent grain and water reclaimed from the brewery, while Berkshire pigs are fed a mix of high protein grain, brewery spent grain and restaurant kitchen scraps.

This is not the first collaboration we’ve done with Old Chicago.  In 2011, Old Chicago was the exclusive launch of Deviant Dale’s IPA during the same “I Love Beer” tour.  Deviant went on to win a Silver Medal in the 2011 Great American Beer Festival American India Pale Ale category, the most competitive category in the competition’s history, with 176 entries.  Deviant Dale’s will be released in March- our first 16 oz. tallboy can!

In addition, the companies share much in the way of history.  Dale Katechis, our heart & soul owner at Oskar Blues, gained experience within the Old Chicago group of restaurants & was the General Manager at the Longmont Old Chicago location, just a few blocks away from Home Made Liquids & Solids.  Dave Chichura, our head brewer, worked at Rock Bottom Brewery, a sister concept to Old Chicago, for four years.

Set in the heart of Colorado craft beer country, our original brewpub in Lyons began canning its beers in November of 2002 with a hand-canning line in the 60- year-old barn next door to our funky little brewpub.  Celebrating our 10^th CANiversary this year, we now have a full- throttle canning operation that is quickly expanding our cult-like following across the nation!

Check out which Old Chicago’s locations we’re hosting “I Love Beer” Tour Events:

January 25th

Old Chicago- Tejon, Colorado Springs, 7-9pm

Old Chicago- Powers, Colorado Springs, 6:30-8:30pm

Old Chicago- Woodman, Colorado Springs, 6-7:30pm

Old Chicago- Academy, Colorado Springs, 6pm

Old Chicago- Arapahoe Crossing, Parker, 6-8pm

Old Chicago- Lodo, Denver, 6pm

Old Chicago- Boulder, 6pm

Old Chicago- Loveland, 6-7pm

Old Chicago- Old Town, Fort Collins, 7:30-9pm

Old Chicago- Silverthorne, 6-8pm

Old Chicago- Westminister, 5:30-7pm

Old Chicago- Thornton (#9), 7:30-9pm

Old Chicago- Thornton, 7-9pm

Old Chicago- Longmont, 6-8pm

Old Chicago- Grand Junction, 5-7pm

Old Chicago- Chandler, Arizona, 6-8pm

Old Chicago- Tucson, Arizona, 7-9pm

January 26th

Old Chicago- Iliff, Aurora, 6-8pm

January 27th

Old Chicago- Lakewood, 6-8pm

February 1st

Old Chicago- Harmony, 5:30-8pm

Old Chicago- Southlands Mall, Denver, 6-8pm

Old Chicago- Glendale, Arizona, 6-8pm

Old Chicago- Superior, 6-8pm

February 2nd

Old Chicago- Lakewood, 6-8pm

February 8th

Old Chicago- Broadway, Littleton, 6-8pm

Old Chicago- Silverthorne, 6-8pm

Old Chicago- Cheyenne, Wyoming, 6pm

Old Chicago- Tucson, Arizona, 6pm

A lot happened around here in 2011- we announced the opening of our sustainable Hops & Heifers Farm, began building our own bikes with REEB Cycles (www.REEBcycles.com), rolled out our Bonewagon Food Truck, and posted a 40% increase in national beer sales.

We grew from 42,000 barrels in 2010 to 59,000 barrels in 2011 — the 17,000 barrel increase is nearly equal to what we produced in 2008- thanks to you guys!

Why do we have so much going on, and what does all of this have to do with craft beer in a CAN? Dale commented that “the farm, the bikes, the music are all an extension of what this is all about; doing what you love. It’s important to stay hands-on and passionate. We just hope everyone has as much fun with it as we do.”

In addition to all of the CANdimonium listed above, we just doubled-down our commitment to providing you with more beer with a $4 million  brewery-improvement project. What’re we adding to the brewery? Fourteen 200-barrel fermenters, two 400-barrel bright beer tanks, and a new canning line that will allow us to double our canning speed (300 cans per minute!) and send some 16oz cans your way (Deviant Dale’s IPA  in 16oz cans is coming out mid-March!).

For those who haven’t had the chance to try Deviant yet, it’s been a restaurant favorite for the past few years, and took silver at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival in the American-Style IPA category, the most competitive category in the history of the event, with 176 entries. Mama’s Little Yella Pils also won a silver and “Best in Class” in the Bohemian Pilsener category, and Old Chub Scotch Ale was awarded a bronze metal in the Scotch Ale category.

We’re excited about this last year, and want all of you to know that we couldn’t have done it without you, our loyal fans who make our dream possible! Thanks for all of the Oskar Blues love you share with the world. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

“When Dale saw that over 60 women gathered to hear about and drink our beer he was inspired and suggested right then that the Ladies and I design and brew a special beer just for them. This is a great, enthusiastic group of women who appreciate and are knowledgeable about beer.” said head brewer Dave Chichura.

“It makes perfect sense for women to enjoy beer and Oskar Blues is a superb brewery to feature in their beer-explorations. Everyone likes flavor, especially women, and Oskar Blues Brewery beers deliver on that…” – Ginger Johnson, founder/Women Enjoying Beer  An article on Craftbeer.com states that women are one of the biggest growth drivers for the craft beer industry, and in 2010, 27% of women said they enjoy beer over wine or liquor, up 6% from 2009.

During the Great American Beer Festival in September, Highland Tap & Burger hosted an Oskar Blues event involving the launch of a new firkin called “The First Lady,” a GUBNA Imperial IPA and Mama’s Little YELLA PILS blend that expired in 38 minutes. They served the beer alongside Oskar Blues’ popular Beer Can Chicken.  “There are so many great events at Highland Tap & Burger with both the Crafty Ladies and with Oskar Blues throughout the year!  The active promotion of local craft brews by both the Tap and the Crafty Ladies Beer Club makes trying new beers really easy…”  - Nicol Winkler, HTB – Crafty Lady  http://twitter.com/ThirstyGerman

The Highland Tap & Burger “Crafty Ladies Beer Club” started in early 2011.  Twice a month the group meets to learn about a different brewery and their beers. “The more I talk to women about craft beer, the more I realize how underrepresented they feel as a voice in the industry.  I have been thoroughly impressed by how many of our Crafty Ladies are home brewers, work in the craft beer industry, and are often times more knowledgeable and opinionated about what beers they enjoy than their male counterparts. That is why it means so much to the Crafty Ladies to be asked to collaborate with Oskar Blues… It really is an honor, and there are many women and men alike that can’t wait to taste the results!”  - Katie O’Shea Padro, Director of Crafty Ladies

For those who haven’t heard, we’re re-launching our “Can Can Girls Club” in January 2012.  The club is a place to explore and learn about craft beer in a fun, friendly and social environment.  The gatherings are scheduled to include beer education in all aspects while engaging with the local community through various beer related activities.

Stay tuned for information about the release of the Crafty Ladies brew!

Sunday, November 13- Whole Foods Houston One-Off Beer Tasting

Tuesday, November 15- The Bottle Shop’s Oskar Blues Growler Night & Taste of Great Brewers, Dallas

Wednesday, November 16- Common Table Oskar Blues Firkin and Gubna Tapping

Thursday, November 17- Ginger Man Plano Oskar Blues Brewery Night

Thursday, November 17- Kegs & Barrels Oskar Blues Tasting, Dallas, 5-7pm

Friday, November 18 – The Libertine Tasting & Music, Dallas, 6pm

Saturday, November 19- Dallas Beer Festival, 12-6pm

Click on the links for a complete listing of Dallas Beer Week and Houston Beer Week happenings.

Highlights:

Unveiling of THE BONE WAGON, our new Barnstormin’ Smokateria on Wheels where you can get some Rubs & Tugs such as Voodoo Bone Smokin’ Wings and a  Hops & Heifers Farm Burger with all the fixins.

HAND CAN your own Oskar Blues specialty brew using our ORIGINAL canner- free when you buy a 6-pack of HGH Part DUH from the Tasty Weasel. Available only at the brewery, while supplies last.

Play in our BrewSkee Ball Tournament for a chance to win 2 ski tickets, a $50 gift card to our restaurants, or a $25 gift card to the Tasty Weasel

Catch a brewery tour, Jam out to some live music, Enjoy all of our beers, as well as some specialties

And, if you’re feeling extra ambitious, join the Bicycle Longmont Cruiser Ride from Dickens Tavern in Downtown Longmont to the brewery. Best lit-up bike wins a gift card to the Oskar Blues restaurants! Riders leave at 6pm.

AND, if you’re feeling extra giving, bring in an old bike to donate to Bicycle Longmont’s Holiday Bike Program. For each bike you donate, you get a free PINT.

CANniversary cake-cutting at 7:30pm

Essential info

1)  The movie is Stephen King’s Maximum Overdrive starring Emilio Esteves and a bunch of ass-whooping Peterbilts

2)  Costume contest!  Both Nights!!!  Dress as a movie character, win $100 bucks, MHSF tickets and other prizes including Oskar Blues beer!  Last year first prize was a bottle of Stranahan’s whiskey but we are not doing that this year because a) last year some asshole stole both bottles; AND b) because Stranahan’s was purchased by the pencil dicks at Proximo Spirits who completely fucked up the whole company, drove out all the cool people like Jake Norris and Jason Lippa and dropped their sponsorship of MHSF because we didn’t fit into their precious little marketing strategy.  [INSERT JERKING OFF HAND MOTION HERE]  So fuck those fucking fuck-faced fuckers.

But I digress…

3)  EVERYONE wearing a costume gets free popcorn!!  Trick or Treat, baby!

4)  Harrison is single, horny and ready to settle down.  No joke, he held my baby the other night and looked at me and said, “Man, I really want one of these.”  And then the baby shit his diaper and he backed off a bit, but still.  He’s not looking for some cheap trick – he wants the real deal.  He wants to hold hands and watch Pretty in Pink.  Are you the one?

God he’s going to murder me for this.

See you this weekend, goblins!

Check out their website for more details: http://milehighscifi.com/