RE-PRINT: Views, 2012
As a huge fan and regular visitor to Breckenridge, Colorado, I am not always satisfied with my options when it comes to grabbing lunch or dinner - especially with young kids. Breck is a great resort and mountain town with much to offer, though the restaurant choices can sometimes be mediocre food for resort prices. And, I just have a hard time with restaurants who can't be just a little better, a little more high quality for the price. However, a recent trip to Breckenridge Brewery on Main Street did not disappoint.
Though I've been a fan of Breckenridge Brewery's Vanilla Porter, Avalanche Ale, and Agave Wheat for years, I have never visited the Brewery. And, I'd been wanting to sample the Oatmeal Stout and Summer Ale for a while now. So, on our annual summer trip to Summit County, I made sure one of our days in Breck would include a day at the Brewery. We spent the day biking and hiking and playing in the Blue River before heading up Main Street to the home location of Breckenridge Brewery. We arrived in the four o'clock hour, so we could catch the end of the lunch menu, but still hit Happy Hour for some three dollar drafts. Alas, we were a bit disappointed that the online menu is different in the mountains than the locations in Denver. That meant my wife couldn't have the tuna sandwich she'd been planning. But we found many other options.
We ordered an Avalanche Ale and the Oatmeal Stout and were not disappointed. The Avalanche has a refreshingly full flavor with just a bit of tang in the finish. A great beer to relax on the patio with after a day of biking. The Oatmeal Stout was malty richness, evoking a great cup of coffee. The "oatmeal" isn't as present as the vanilla in the porter, but it's smooth and surprisingly refreshing stout. Though I enjoyed it for a July afternoon, it's much better as a fall or winter beer, sitting around the fire pit or just relaxing on the couch. The Summer Ale wasn't available - a strange reality for the middle of July - but I'm sure to check it out later.
For an early dinner, we were pleasantly surprised at just how well this pub does food. The kids absolutely devoured the wings with an Asian sauce, as well as a healthy order of edamame. They also ordered the pulled pork sandwiches - though we brought one home, as a single sandwich cut in half was good for both. The fries looked to be fresh cut, and were excellent. My wife had the black bean soup - which was really more of a vegetarian, black bean chili - and it was outstanding. Rich and full of flavor, the soup is meal unto itself, though the soup and salad is a great option. I was drooling over the portabella mushroom sandwich with a basil pesto and grilled red peppers, and I was rewarded with one of the best pesto sauces I have ever had on a sandwich - rich and full of basil and pine nut flavor, this pesto is not to be missed. The sandwich was also not a single portabella, but one cut in pieces and grilled with the peppers. It worked very well. And the sweet potato fries - Oh, goodness. They were thin cut and prepared to perfection.
The visit to the Breckenridge Brewery was a resounding success with the family, and I am glad to have another dining option in Breck that will not disappoint.
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