COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO

Owned by Wynkoop Brewery of Denver, front-patioed PHANTOM CANYON BREWING, visited August ‘07, resides at a historic building nearing East-meets-West railroad juncture. Dimly lit with prominent stain-glassed L-shaped mahogany bar, sidewinding dining space, exposed ducts, and windowed brew tanks bedecking busy restaurant, its left red brick-walled section provides fine dining while second floor billiard hall and third story banquet room add further eloquence.

Lemony grapefruit-fronted raw-honeyed wheat-dried peppery-hopped Queens Blonde Ale, fizz-spiced banana-sweet lemon-dropped mandarin orange-dabbed Hefeweizen, dry-hopped honey-dipped soft-grained Railyard Amber Ale, and kindling-hopped barley-toasted orange-burnt tobacco-dried tea-like Cascade Amber Ale were routinely standard.

Enjoyed grapefruit rind-embittered piney-hopped orange-tart The Phantom IPA, peaty Band-aid-wafted, oily coffee-dried, fig-soured, black chocolate-finishing Peated Porter and coffee-chocolate-centered Stonehead Stout a bit better. Worthy seasonals were dry ginger-profiled eucalyptus-spearmint-lilac-freshened raisin-tinged East Meets West Ginger Beer and lemon-bruised white-peached corn-starched hop-fizzed Demolition Cream Ale. Best bet: startling Oak-Aged Imperial IPA, a sharply alcoholic digestif with peach liqueur sweetness bulging grapefruit, baked apple, and curacao orange illusions.

www.phantomcanyon.com

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO

Home to Air Force (ten miles north of downtown) and formerly a mining-milling site, Colorado Springs fronts altitudinous Pikes Peak an hour south of Independence Pass traveled August ‘07. Within one midtown block are two conservatively tantalizing brewery/ restaurants. On left side of colossal Antlers Hilton hotel, upscale sports bar JUDGE BALDWIN’S BREWING had beautiful mahogany bar and furnishings, several televisions, exposed rear kitchen (near brew tanks), and elegant Classical appeal inforced by Victorian ceiling.

Short Americana menu included delicious pita and vegetable dip (with hummus). Though light-bodied lemon-wedged raspberry-sweet clove-coriander-bubblegum-tinged Raspberry Wheat, tangy lemony grapefruit-fronted white-breaded Kolsch-styled Champion Wheat, and buttery Scotch-flecked lemon-limed grass-hopped #3 Lager only registered ethereally, the final three brews made a great impression.

Wellington Pale Ale had honey-sweetened caramel-marzipan fortitude increased by tart berry and dry-hopped grapefruit twist while dried orange tang soothed toasted caramel malting of Cascade Amber Lager. Perfecting bastardized Belgian styling, Flemish Oud Bruin brought spiced banana theme to candi-sugared cotton-candied rum, cocoa, vanilla, and marshmallow warmth.

www.antlers.com