This Week’s Brewery:
Triple S Brewing
Triple S Brewing was founded by Steve Stowell, a retired Army Special Forces Officer, with a very specific goal in mind in October of 2015. The namesake of the brewery stands for sip, savor, and stay. The brewery is designed as a meeting house where one can drink coffee, homemade sodas, or most importantly a variety of beers. Also available is a food menu designed to be paired with the beers and local colorado spirits offered by their certified “beeristas”. The brewery features its staple beers and a rotation of delicious seasonal beers that are focused on using local Colorado ingredients and water, and also a system that assures purity with beer being served straight from the brewing equipment to your glass. This brewery is thriving in its first year and has very unique goals besides serving delicious beers. Check out the events they sponsor and the brewery itself for delicious food and a pleasant atmosphere.
Topher’s Pick: Colorado Strong Ale
A selection from the rotating taps, this ale fits its name. It is 7.2 percent alcohol by volume, a 74 on the IBU scale, and a 27 on the SRM. It has a gorgeous dark amber color with nice transparency. The beer gives off a fruity yet malty aroma making you desire that first sip. It has a thicker medium body but is still very drinkable with a medium mouth feel. Initially the flavors are smooth and malty but there is a hoppy, bitter aftertaste. The bitterness directly correlates to the use of wet Cascade hops grown very locally in Monument. Another dark and heavy beer, this is worth a try for fans of IPAs and other stronger ales.
Julian’s Pick: Jones Park Porter
While this beer is not quite as strong as the other two it is still a dark beer and a good portrayal of this style. This porter comes in at 5.3 percent alcohol by volume, a 27 on the IBU, and a 39 on the SRM (very dark). It is about as dark as they come with an opaque black color. The smoky aroma is strong yet there is also a hint of a nutty scent. It has a light body feel for a porter and is a smooth drink. The flavors progress quite nicely beginning with a sweet, roasted, nutty, spicy flavor and finishing with a strong smoky and malty taste. As a very characteristic Porter this beer is one of Triple S Brewing’s staples and lives up to their reputation of producing delicious beer with local ingredients.
Brandon’s Pick: Brain Penetrator Belgian Dubbel
This seasonal tap packs quite the punch. It comes in at a 7.8 percent alcohol by volume, quite high for this style. It is a 28 on the IBU scale and a 28 on the SRM. Since we have not used SRM before, a quick explanation is due. SRM stands for Standard Reference Method and is a scale used to determine color. A low SRM such as a 2 would be a light beer, an example being a pale lager or pilsner, while a high SRM such as a 40 would be a very dark beer, an example being a stout. This belgian has a hazy dark brown color than it traditionally would and smells characteristically like a belgian should with yeasty and banana esque aromas. Initially the belgian flavors come out mildly and heavy, yet the beer has medium body and a nice mouth feel. While the flavor profile is not super complex; it is plain yet satisfying and very drinkable for the high ABV. It has a little bit of bite but is a delicious beer all around.
Other Triple S Brewing Beers to Try:
The Chutes Wheat, Pipeline Pale Ale, Buckhorn Amber, Cap’n Jacks IPA, Sexy Summer Saison, and a Citra Kolsch. Notice many beers are named after popular local mountain bike trails.
Where to Buy/Drink:
While available at some restaurants around the Springs, the best option would be to visit the downtown brewery site, since they are not currently bottling or canning. Located at 318 E Colorado Ave, this meeting house has it all. A great place to do work, eat, or drink, the “beeristas” are very informational and can answer all your questions about the different beer styles and what menu options they would pair best with. Triple S is an up and coming brewery we definitely recommend checking out in the near future. They have affordable pints, flights, and you can get your growler filled. On Wednesdays, they test out new beers.
You can find their bombers in 12 local liquor stores including Weber Street Liquors while supplies last, as they are switching from a bottling to canning system in the coming months. Keep your eyes peeled for this new and growing brewery!