CyclHOPS Bike Cantina

Where: 600 S. Airport Rd 

Web: http://eat.oskarblues.com/cyclhops/

Hours: 11am-midnight, seven days a week

The geniuses at Oskar Blues Brewing continue their takeover of Longmont with this inspired blend of a taco joint and bike shop. And I for one, welcome our new craft beer overlords. After all, they haven't let us down yet, from CHUBurger to the Tasty Weasel, from Homemade Liquids and Solids to the Bonewagon. CyclHOPS, located in the western part of town, doesn't break OB's streak. The tacos are extremely fresh and flavorful (the carnitas option with pickled onions was the clear winner the first time around), there's a wide array of tequilas to choose from and the Dia de los Muertos-inspired decor is fun and unique. And perhaps it goes without saying, but there are great beers on tap, too (both from Oskar Blues' arsenal and elsewhere).

The interior is spacious and family friendly with plenty of natural light pouring in. And it'll be even more appealing in the warmer months, thanks to its very inviting patio. Then you've got the bike part of the equation -- CyclHOPS is the official retail location for Oskar Blues' line of very cool, very customized REEB mountain bikes and offers a full-service bike shop to boot. Tacos, tequila, craft beer, and bikes? It's about as Colorado as it gets. 

Longmont 100 at ArtWalk!

Remember when I was all sad and mopey, bemoaning the high flood waters in Longmont? That is so several days ago! Now I am pleased as punch to be telling you that Longmont 100 will be at ArtWalk this Friday, September 20th!

 

My food photography partner-in-crime and business partner-extraordinaire (she's the same person, her name is Sarah, and she's pictured above) and I have put together a series of photos depicting the farm-to-table scene in Longmont. We were lucky enough to get behind-the-scenes tours of Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy, Harold's & the Bayonet Room, and Oskar Blue's Hops & Heifers Farm. These three awesome businesses embody the artisanal food scene in Colorado that gets us excited - plus, it is right here in our own backyard. We will also have Colorado Crafted gift boxes and treats for sale. Good stuff.

Come out to ArtWalk and say hello. Our photos will be on sale, and every last cent of profits will go to the St Vrain Flooding Relief Fund via Longmont Community Foundation. 100% of the proceeds from the St. Vrain Flooding Relief Fund will go directly towards helping the community recover from the devastation of the recent flooding.

After you visit us at ArtWalk, you should walk over to Roosevelt Park and enjoy Oktoberfest (also going on noon to 10pm on Saturday.) Since Left Hand Brewing took over this event, it has become truly awesome, and this year all the proceeds to go flood relief! So if you ever needed a reason to drink a beer with friends, there you have it. It is for a good cause, people.

Downtown Summer Concert Series

Where: Corner of 4th Ave and Kimbark Street
When: Fridays at 6 p.m.: June 7, June 14, June 21, June 28, July 5, July 26, 2013
Web: www.downtownlongmont.org

The streets of downtown Longmont are filled with the sound of music on several Friday nights over the summer, as locals gather for these very fun and very free concerts. We caught the first show last week and it was a blast, with Chris Daniels and the Kings providing the swinging soundtrack, beer from Longmont's own Left Hand Brewing and Oskar Blues, BBQ from the great Georgia Boys and a festive street party atmosphere. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy some tunes on a hot summer night.

 

 2013 Lineup

June 7 -  Chris Daniels and the Kings
June 14 - Retro Sonics
June 21 - Something Underground
June 28 - Chris Thompson & Coral Creek
July 5 - Quemando
July 26 - Girls On Top

The Tasty Weasel Tap Room / Oskar Blues Brewery

Where: 1800 Pike Road

Web: www.oskarblues.com/restaurant/tasty-weasel-tap-room

When: 12-8pm daily

Deep in the heart of south Longmont's nondescript warehouse/office park district, you'll find the place many craft beer lovers consider paradise: the Oskar Blues Brewery. Oskar Blues is known nationwide for making cans cool again -- but who cares what container they use, the brewery's beers are phenomenal, from the flagship Dale's Pale Ale to the malt-tastic Old Chub Scottish Ale. Those two examples are just the beginning of beer nirvana at OB's tap room, The Tasty Weasel, which serves as the testing ground for the brewers' latest creations. Any time you visit, there will be beers that are available nowhere else on the planet -- nitro taps, firkins, oak-aged selections, weird/wild experiments, you name it. We recommend visiting. Often. The Tasty Weasel's patio, with picnic benches and plenty of sunshine, became one of our favorite afternoon weekend spots this summer. For a brewery, it's extremely kid-friendly -- get the kids a B. Stiff & Sons Root Beer, fix them up with quarters for skeeball and some free peanuts and they'll be happy for hours. There's also usually some folky/rootsy live music happening in the late afternoon, along with a friendly crowd of locals and beer tourists. The Tasty Weasel doesn't serve food, but oftentimes Oskar Blues' food truck, the Bonewagon, is parked right out front. Their cheeseburger may just be the best cheeseburger in the universe.

Tip: Go behind the scenes and see where the magic is made -- Oskar Blues offers free tours of its brewery Friday, Saturday & Sunday at 2, 3, 4 & 5pm and every day at 4pm.

Your Place Or Vine

We are sad to report that Your Place or Vine has closed. (Looking for a Longmont locale to get a good drink? Check out Sugarbeet or Harold's and you will not be disappointed.)

Never mind the cringe-inducing name of this wine bar/restaurant tucked away in Longmont’s Prospect neighborhood. Your Place Or Vine is an underappreciated gem – an extremely worthy date or ladies’ night destination. With 25 wines available by the glass or bottle, a small-but-well-chosen selection of craft beers on draught, and delectable, Mediterranean-inspired small plates, Your Place is classy without being pretentiousness, stylish but still casual. 

We like the wine flight option – three individual pours for one low price. We can also highly recommend the Sunday brunch, with some extremely tasty flatbread spins on traditional breakfast items, like the YPOV Benedict and the pesto-licious Green Eggs & Ham. The maple syrup-drizzled bacon is a nice touch, too. 

Sun Rose Café

Where: 379 Main Street

Hours: Monday: 7am - 5pm, Tuesday - Friday: 7am-9pm, Saturday: 7am - 5pm, closed Sunday

Web: www.sunrosecafe.com

Even though it’s located right in the heart of downtown on Main St., Sun Rose still has the feel of a hidden gem, a well-kept secret amongst Longmont-ians in the know. A breakfast/lunch/dinner spot that doubles as a gourmet food market, we end up here at least a few times a week, whether enjoying a killer breakfast panini, cooling off with their signature Lavender Lemonade, or picking up farm fresh (and free range!) eggs from Berthoud’s Long Shadow Farm. We’re also absolutely hooked on Sun Rose’s pesto – it’s pretty much ruined us for all other pestos. 

The setting is fantastic, with exposed brick, high ceilings and art from local artists adorning the walls. Oh and did we mention that they serve a nice selection of microbrews and mix a helluva cocktail? It’s a nice, family friendly place for a drink that’s not a sports bar setting – a rarity in Longmont. Can you tell we like this place? Now if we could only convince them to stay open on Sundays… 

G'Knight Ride

More Info: http://www.gknightride.org

For the month of June, Longmont was officially re-christened “BikeMont.” Seriously! Perhaps the biggest public display of this deep love of all things two-wheeled took place last weekend during the second annual G’Knight Ride, when more than 2,000 cyclists young, old and in between took to the streets of the city for a scenic evening ride. 

Put on by Bicycle Longmont (with sponsorship from Oskar Blues Brewery – it’s named after one of their brews), you have three route options – one mile, three miles and 10+ miles. We were ambitious and chose the 10-mile route this year – though we hopped off when we cruised past our house in Old Town. 

The ride is really just the beginning of the fun, however. Before and after in Prospect, there’s a big festival, with kids’ activities, live music and food trucks. Proceeds go to Bicycle Longmont, so you’re just helping a bike-friendly town get even bike-friendlier. See you there next year!

Left Hand Brewing Company

Where: 1265 Boston Avenue

Hours: Monday-Thursday: 3-8pm, Friday-Saturday: 12-8pm, Sunday: 1-8pm

Web: www.lefthandbrewing.com

For beer snobs around the country, Longmont is simply a name on a label, thanks to the presence of two major craft breweries in town -- Oskar Blues and Left Hand. Left Hand, having set up shop along the banks of the St. Vrain River in 1994, is the original Longmont beer-maker, known for its Sawtooth Ale and Milk Stout. In case you haven't heard, craft beer is booming these days; in Colorado alone, brewers added a hefty $486 million to the economy in 2011, and Left Hand is now distributed in 29 states, a number that will have undoubtedly increased by the time you read this. But the place to get their excellent beer at its absolute freshest is the Longmont headquarters. 

In a seemingly eternal state of expansion, the Left Hand Tasting Room is now actually several good-sized rooms, not to mention two outdoor patios, all furnished with rugged red Colorado sandstone tables and bars. Order a pint or two of your favorite brew, or try all 12 of the Left Hand concoctions on tap in sample sized portions. A word to the wise -- Left Hand doesn't serve much food, just pretzels (which are free), beef jerky and chips (which are not). You might want to eat beforehand, since some of the beers you'll be trying have exceptionally high alcohol content. Afterwards, walk it off along the St. Vrain Greenway, just on the other side of Left Hand's parking lot.

Tip: Homebrewers take note! Left Hand's tours (1 and 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays) go behind the scenes at the brewery -- but don't expect them to reveal their top-secret Nitro Milk Stout formula. Well, they could tell you, but then they'd have to kill you.