All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Do you live in Niwot? Do you like beer? Do you like a social atmosphere? Are you over the age of 50? If you answered "yes" to all of these questions, then you should check out the Niwot Community Connection's (NCC) subgroup "The Brewhop." Brewhop is just one of the many subgroups that have stemmed from the NCC. The NCC started as an informal organization in the Fall of 2021, providing a social forum for engagement with the target demographic of those over age 50 living in Niwot. During a time...
On Saturday, Nov. 11, Niwot residents will have the opportunity to honor United States military veterans, and especially those with a community connection. The fifth annual veterans banner ceremony will be held in front of the Left Hand Grange at 11:00 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month, marking what was originally known as Armistice Day at the end of World War I in 1918. The Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band will be on hand beginning at 10:30 a.m. to perform music as the...
Niwot and Gunbarrel-connected brewers were well represented in the slate of this year's medal winners at the Great American Beer Festival. Out of the 40 medals that Colorado brewers took home this year, 11 winners came from Boulder County. No brewer in the state won bigger this year than Wibby Brewing, whose founder and brewmaster, Ryan Wibby, grew up in Gunbarrel. Wibby Brewing was named Brewery of the Year in the 5,001 - 15,000 barrels per year category. The brewer also received a gold medal...
The Colorado Press Association announced that three Left Hand Valley Courier writers have received awards for the 2022 Colorado Better News Media Contest. Kristin Alger, Jack Carlough and Mary Wolbach Lopert have won awards for their work on the Courier. Alger has been writing for the Courier since 2022, though she has a wealth of experience in journalism. Carlough, a Silver Creek High School graduate who earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado, College of Media,...
The usual Thursday modus operandi of "rain, rain, and more rain" certainly held true on Thursday, June 22. But Mother Nature also seems to be a fan of Rock & Rails, and the weather only temporarily halted the fun at last week's Rock & Rails where it was all about the blues. Deborah Stafford and the Night Stalkers got the evening started at 5:00 p.m. Stafford has been a staple of the Colorado blues scene for several years but put the band together in its current form in 2021. Deborah Stafford and...
It is not uncommon to see similar businesses in fierce competition with each other. All it takes is 15 minutes of TV to see the competition between grocery stores, car companies and yes, even lawyers. But the world of independent brewers is a bit different – congenial and downright cooperative. That spirit of cooperation was on display at a recent Thursday night Rock & Rails concert when there was a problem with one of the beer lines. "Dan (Hawk) came up to me and told me that one of the tap l...
Rock & Rails' second complete season following pandemic interruptions was a notable success. A full slate of musical acts played each Thursday between Jun. 2 and Aug. 25 and included 26 musical groups split between main stage and opening acts. Talent included long time performers who return each year, new performers, Colorado Music Hall of Fame members and newly appointed Colorado Country Music Hall of Famer, Gunbarrel resident Dean Himes. Business numbers also point to a strong season....
Two local breweries recently medaled in the coveted U.S. Beer Cup. Niwot-born Bootstrap Brewing took home gold for its often awarded Wreak Havoc Imperial Red and a silver for its Chillax Pineapple fruited beer. Gunbarrel's Beyond the Mountain Brewery took home two medals, a silver for its Klaus' Kolsch, and bronze for its Headspin, a New England IPA. Eleven other Colorado breweries also medaled, including three from Liquid Mechanics in Lafayette. The championship is one of the largest...
Rock & Rails, Niwot's signature summer concert series, kicks off the 2022 season on June 2 with popular local guitarist Kevin Dooley opening for Funkiphino at Whistle Stop Park, located at the intersection of 1st Avenue and Murray Street. Satir DeMarco, who has booked the bands for Niwot's summer concert series since its start in 2006, announced the lineup. Funkiphino is a 13-member band, based out of Longmont, which performed in Washington, D.C. for the 55th Presidential Inaugural Ball in...
For the third time, Bootstrap Brewing Company's Wreak Havoc Imperial Red took home a bronze medal at this year's World Beer Cup in the strong red ale category. Beloved in our area, the south Longmont brewery is owned by Niwot residents Leslie and Steve Kazceus, and was previously located on the back side of Cottonwood Square, at the site that now houses Fritz Family Brewers. When asked about the win, Leslie Kazceus was as excited as she was succinct. "We're so stoked about this," she responded....
"Late November back in '96...' (to paraphrase an old Four Seasons song - December, 1963), seven of us got together to talk about creating a newspaper in the Niwot-Gunbarrel area. In alphabetical order - Karen Copperberg, Ron Goodman, Selene {Luna) Hall, Lori Lindemann, Mary Wolbach Lopert, Vicki Maurer and Bruce (Biff) Warren. None of us had any real newspaper experience beyond our high school years. We reached out to several people to see if they were interested in joining us, but in the end,...
This New Year's Eve will see many celebrating the start of 2022 by staying in with friends. If you're one of those who are planning a Niwot night at home, three of our area's local drink masters have suggestions for holiday cocktails. These drinks will keep things festive and help you celebrate the season. Farow Restaurant's Alcohol-free Cranberry Spritz Niwot's newest restaurant has provided its recipe for a celebratory, beautiful winter cocktail. Lighter and fun, it's a festive way to start...
Blood Orange Kolsch, brewed by Crystal Springs Brewing Company in nearby Louisville, took home gold at the recent Great American Beer Festival awards ceremony, held earlier this month in Denver. Often served, and appreciated, during the Rock & Rails concert series, it's the second craft beer with a Niwot connection to take home top prizes in its category. The other medal winner was Bootstrap Brewing's Sticks Pale Ale, another crowd favorite at Rock & Rails. This was the first GABF win and first...
Niwot-born Bootstrap Brewing has once again medaled at this year's Great American Beer Festival awards. The brewery received a gold medal for Stick's Pale Ale, a win which placed it among 20 other GABF gold, silver, and bronze medal winners in Colorado. Although the festival portion of this year's event was canceled due to pandemic-related concerns, the awards portion of the ceremony proceeded in person. Brewers, many of whom were already in town for the Craft Brewers Conference, carefully...
After months of renovations, upgrades, and minor bureaucratic hassles, the beer is finally flowing at Fritz Family Brewers in Niwot. On July 23, owners Kelly and Cory Buenning opened their doors at 6778 79th St. for a grand opening celebration, and settled in to meet their new neighbors. "We're excited to finally be open," Kelly Buenning said. "We thought it was a long time coming...but it was actually pretty fast considering the remodel that we did." Indeed, the Buennings didn't just update...
The taps are shined, the kegs are chilled, and even the cuckoo clocks are synchronized as the staff at Fritz Family Brewers (6778 79th St., Niwot) prepares for its long-awaited grand opening on Friday, July 23. "We're excited to be opening up to the public and having people come in and enjoy the space and enjoy the beers," owner Cory Buenning said at a 'soft' opening for members of the Niwot Business Association on July 17. Buenning and his wife Kelly purchased the taproom and brew house in...
Niwot's popular summer concert series Rock & Rails kicks off its 15th season on Thursday, June 3, with local duo Pacheco & Bower at 5 p.m. followed by headliner Mojomama at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free, and gates open at 4 p.m., but before you fold up your camping chair and head to Whistle Stop Park, organizers from the Niwot Cultural Arts Association are asking guests to be courteous and exercise reasonable COVID safety precautions. "We're strongly encouraging people to be safe," NCAA officer...
Last week's unexpected spring storm may have snarled traffic, but it didn't stop Cory Buenning from showing up at his future brewery, Fritz Family Brewers. Under bright blue skies and snow-heavy trees, Buenning was there doing something that's become familiar to him - managing the myriad details that need attention before he can open his doors this summer. We first talked to Buenning last November on the day he bought the former Bootstrap Brewing space in Cottonwood Square. At the time, Buenning...
Boulder County's newest commissioners Claire Levy and Marta Loachamin got a crash course in the history of the Niwot Local Improvement District when the BOCC met with members of the LID advisory committee on Feb. 25. They also got an earful about some missteps by their predecessors, as well as some still-lingering conflicts that arose from the NRCD building moratorium from two years ago. But the meeting ended with an optimistic tone, and an agreement from both boards to work more cooperatively...
This past month, Niwot's Bootstrap Brewing received some positive news to finish out its year. The brewery medaled three times in a pair of some of the most well regarded beverage competitions in the country: the U.S. Open Beer Championships and its counterpart, the U.S. Open Cider and Beverage Championships. In the beer competition, one of Bootstrap's most well-known beers, Wreak Havoc Red, took home gold in the Imperial Red Ale category. As more of a welcomed surprise, the brewery's newer...
Pints will be brewed and poured in Cottonwood Square again. Last week, co-owners Leslie and Steve Kaczeus closed on the sale of the former Bootstrap Brewing location on 79th Street. New owners Cory and Kelly Buenning plan to open a family brewery in the building. They aim to start serving customers sometime next spring. The location will be known as Fritz Family Beer, and will offer the varied range of beer styles that Buenning produced while head brewer at both Snake River Brewing in Jackson...
In 2020, the public receives news from an enormous number of electronic as well as traditional sources. The information onslaught is relentless, can be frustratingly inaccurate, and isn't always able to portray what occurs in a localized area. Local journalists have an important role to fill in this kind of potentially confusing environment. Community newspapers such as the Left Hand Valley Courier tell stories about businesses, schools, parks, open spaces, neighborhoods, local infrastructure,...
On Sept. 17, as Niwot finally enjoyed the cooler temperatures of a late summer afternoon, the doors opened at The Wheel House bar and café at 101 2 nd Ave in Niwot. The new gathering spot is an extension of Wheel Works bicycle shop, founded three years ago across the street. "Business in our old location did really well, and we made the decision late last year to move across the street," Eric Bergeson, who co-owns the Wheel House with his wife Tammy, said. "We actually started the move in Februa...
In a year when many business headlines aren't positive, Bootstrap Brewing Company, founded in Niwot, recently made a significant staffing and financing announcement. Geoff Hess, former Regional Director of National Accounts at CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective, will join Bootstrap's staff as the director of sales. In addition, Dale Katechis, founder of Oskar Blues Brewery, will join Bootstrap as an advisor and investor. The amount of his investment hasn't been specified. The good news spilled...
In April, the Niwot Business Association had record attendance for its first ever Zoom meeting, due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Amongst the lively discussions, Josh Morin from We Love Trees asked how we could help businesses circulate gift cards. NBA Vice President Deborah Read Fowler suggested a central location in Niwot Market, and owner Bert Steele instantly agreed. There, the idea was born, and Fowler volunteered to lead the project and bring the idea to life. "This is a...
A big part of Niwot's charm lies in its unique retail and dining options, which consistently deliver an experience unlike any other in Boulder County. An oasis amidst the large neighboring cities of Boulder and Longmont, Niwot provides a tranquil haven for visitors who want to slow down and enjoy some retail or gourmet therapy at a relaxed pace. To help spread the word about the town's special offerings, and just in time for spring, the Niwot Business Association has launched the Shop Niwot...
Award-winning Bootstrap Brewing, headed by co-owners Leslie and Steve Kaczeus, recently branched into something new-a line of hard seltzers. Their recently released Sparkalicious line features three flavors, made with real fruit and designed as a play on favorite cocktail flavors-with a cranberry and orange Cosmo, a cherry and orange Sunrise, and a grapefruit Greyhound. Owner and brewer Leslie Kaczeus spoke of the inspiration for the new line coming from their customers. "Over the years we've...
The first Rock & Rails concert of 2019, produced by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA) and the Niwot Business Association, drew quite a crowd. Guests arrived early to grab spots in the shade and close to the stage. The sky set a pretty magical backdrop, its gentle sunset mingling with an approaching evening storm, which held off until after the 9 p.m. end of the event. There was a major difference between this year’s Rock & Rails and prior seasons, felt by volunteers and attendees a...
Calling it “an emotional decision,” co-owner Leslie Kaczeus confirmed that she and husband Steve will be closing Bootstrap Brewing Company’s Niwot taproom as soon as they are able to find a suitable buyer for the property. “It’s time for us to pass the torch to a new owner to reinvent this space,” she said. “We’re hoping to get a brew pub in there that can have a full liquor license and still serve our beer, make their own, serve other products—that would be the ideal situation.” Kacze...
It’s no secret that college is expensive, but these days even planning for a post-secondary education can be pricey, between exam fees, application fees, and college visits. Unfortunately, these costs can sometimes keep an otherwise deserving student from taking advantage of every opportunity. In 2018, the Niwot High School Education Foundation (NHSEF) partnered with the school’s counseling department to found the Adopt-A-Cougar program, which helps Niwot families with these costs. “What peopl...
Let’s face it. For some, Valentine’s Day is a thrill--what will my sweetheart buy me? What fantastic restaurant will we indulge at? For others, it’s a stressful minefield of procrastination, uncertainty about gift choices and inadequate feelings about available finances with which to buy said gifts. Those minefield veterans often walk through the door with last-minute mylar balloons, a sheepish smile, and are often met by a cold-shoulder welcoming committee. And for others, it’s just plain l...
The most substantial update in more than a decade took effect in Colorado’s oft-lamented liquor laws on Jan. 1, 2019, when the sale of full-strength beer and wine was finally allowed in grocery and convenience stores statewide. Though welcome by most, especially chain retailers and mass-market brewers, the new law is largely regarded as a blow to independent liquor stores, who stand to lose a big chunk of their daily sales. Bridging the uneasy gap between the two are independent craft b...
Retired Niwot social studies teacher Douglas Duffy was recently diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, and now his friends and family are inviting the community to come lend their support. On Friday, Oct. 26, Bootstrap Brewing Company (6778 N. 79th St., Niwot) is hosting Drafts for Duffy to honor the longtime educator and coach as well as raise funds in anticipation of upcoming medical expenses. “We knew the community would want to support him in a fun way,” Niwot High counselor Leah Mes...
The accolades just keep coming for Bootstrap Brewing Company. At last month’s Great American Beer Fest in Denver, its 1956 Golden Ale was awarded a silver medal in the Golden or Blonde Ale category, beating out 125 other entries for the prize. With a “crisp, dry” taste, the Golden is the Niwot brewery’s lightest and most drinkable beer, and serves as the base for it popular pineapple-infused Chillax. When Bootstrap co-owner and chief brewer Steven Kaczeus created the brewery’s signature...
Bootstrap Brewing Company’s beer, Wreak Havoc, claimed its second bronze medal of the year at the 2018 US Open Beer Championship, held earlier this month in Oxford, Ohio. Bootstrap is based out of Niwot, with a second location in Longmont. Open to both professional and home brewers, this year’s competition included more than 6,300 entries in 117 categories, judged by a “blind” panel of experts from the U.S., Canada and England. Bootstrap’s “smooth and delicious” amber was awarded third place i...
The Longmont Downtown Development Association (LDDA) cordially invites alumni from all graduating years at Longmont, Skyline, Silver Creek, Niwot, Erie, Mead, Frederick, Lyons, Olde Columbine and the St. Vrain Online Global Academy to come downtown and enjoy food, music and old friends at the fifth annual St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) High Schools Reunion on Friday, June 8. Festivities kick off at 4th and Kimbark at 6 p.m., when SVVSD student band Bad Choices hits the stage, followed...
The 13th-annual Rock & Rails summer concert series kicks off on June 7 and organizers are gearing up for another great summer of live music and family fun on Thursday nights at Whistlestop Park. Opening acts take the stage at 5 p.m., for an hour, followed by a headliner, with music resuming around 6:30. There is no charge for admission, and seating is “bring-your-own” on a first-come, first-serve basis. Leading things off this season is longtime local guitarist Dean Himes in the early show, foll...
Niwot’s Bootstrap Brewing Company added another accolade to its already long list when long-time customer favorite Wreak Havoc was awarded a Bronze medal in the Imperial Red Ale category at the 2018 World Beer Cup. “We are absolutely thrilled about it,” Leslie Kaczeus said. She owns Bootstrap Brewing with husband Steve Kaczeus. “The World Beer Cup is one of the most prestigious blind beer tasting competitions in the world.” Hailed as the “Olympics of Beer,” the biennial competition ...
When Niwot student Jackson Cloud’s eponymous band beat out Golden-based Thunder and Rain in the final round of the Oskar Blues Battle of the Bands contest last month, it is fair to say he was a little awestruck. At the tender age of 17, Cloud and his blues-infused classic rock combo band outplayed five other competitors to claim the 2018 crown and will perform on the Oskar Blues BolderBOULDER Expo Stage during the iconic race, which commemorates its 40th anniversary in May. “I was surprised jus...
The abrupt closure of Powder Keg Brewing Company earlier this month may have been a shock to its Niwot neighbors, but industry insiders have seen the signs of a plateau in the craft beer market for a while. After years of red-hot growth in brewery openings and sales volume, the demand for new craft beer is leveling off and brewers are starting to feel the pinch as consumers increasingly spend their recreational dollars elsewhere. “Absolutely, the market is tightening,” Odyssey Beerwerks’ Jeff...
Longmont-based Brewhop Trolley has announced plans to expand service to nine breweries in the Niwot and Gunbarrel area beginning next month. The new Brewhop Tour, which is scheduled to launch on March 24, will depart from the Tasty Weasel Tap Room on Sunset Street and stop at Beyond the Mountain Brewing, Asher Brewing, Avery Brewing, Finkel & Garf Brewing, Vindication Brewing, Gunbarrel Brewing, Bootstrap Brewing, and Powder Keg Brewing. “There’s six breweries in Gunbarrel and two in Niw...
Niwot resident and independent filmmaker Dennis Hefter wrapped the shooting of his comedy, Army & Coop! in December. The script took two years to write and four weeks to shoot, and was filmed with an all-Colorado cast and crew using local venues, including Lefty’s Gourmet Pizza on Second Avenue. Most of the scenes were set at Mudrock’s Tap & Tavern in Louisville, where the story’s love triangle plays out, as well as the Karing Kind dispensary in Boulder and the Sports Stable in Superior, where...
Steve and Leslie Kaczeus have added to their list of awards for their brewery in Niwot. Steve, owner and chief brewer of Bootstrap Brewing, along with Leslie, “Chief of Stuff,” won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival for their Stick’s Pale Ale, and yet another gold for Wreak Havoc, an Imperial Ale. Stick’s Pale Ale was in the American Pale category, and rose to the top of 157 entries across the country. “It’s a highly drinkable pale ale,” Leslie Kaczeus said. “It’s got a n...
The Rotary Club of Niwot’s annual Oktoberfest was met with beautiful, sunny weather on Saturday, Oct. 1. Although it might not have felt like fall, people were in the mood to celebrate the new season with good music, food and fun. The day-long event saw a good crowd even in mid-afternoon. But Rotary club member Margaret Hix said she expected even more people as the day turned into night. She was not disappointed as the 5 p.m. crowd appeared on schedule. Event goers enjoyed traditional German m...
The Rotary Club of Niwot is bringing it’s Oktoberfest fundraiser back to Niwot for its eighth year. The event, which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., is one of the biggest fundraisers the club puts on each year. “It gets more popular every year,” Niwot Rotary Club member Margaret Hix said. “I think more and more people are [attending], and it’s now become a community event. People come over, they stay, they hang out, they have a great time.” The event will feature the...
Owners of Bootstrap Brewing Company, Steve and Leslie Kaczeus, are gearing up for big changes at their brewery in Niwot, located in Cottonwood Square. The couple recently signed on with Coors Distributing Company (CDC), after months of negotiations with the company, to expand their reach.“That’s the beauty of having a distributor like Coors,” Steve explained. “When we were self-distributing, there was only a particular area that we could go to just because it stressed our system.” With only...
With only five Thursdays left in the season, Rock & Rails is enlisting a noteworthy lineup to end the summer with a bang. Headliners such as Chris Daniels and the Kings with Freddi, The Hazel Miller Band, and Face are expected to attract plenty of fans to Niwot’s popular summer concert series. Since its inception in 2006, Rock & Rails has grown to be one of Niwot’s most well-known summer events, with locals and visitors alike filling Whistle Stop Park every Thursday evening. Attendance has bee...
Breweries, home brewers and craft brews have become immensely popular very quickly, especially in Colorado. Bootstrap Brewing joined the movement about four years ago when it opened in Niwot, in Cottonwood Square. Owners Steve and Leslie Kaczeus have strived to be Niwot’s neighborhood brewery and make the best beer they can. They recently won a bronze award at the World Beer Cup, which takes place every two years, and was held in Philadelphia this year. “It’s kind of the Olympics of beer,...
