Old Friends, Old Barrels & a Hazy Reunion: Beer #4988 in Littleton
From the Desk of JT, the Beer Logger (B-Logger)
- Mission: 50 Beers to 5000
- Beer #: 4988
- Location: Littleton, Colorado
- Beer: Highliner Hazy IPA
- Brewery: Avery Brewing Company
- Vibe: Reunion beers with longtime friends
- Mood: Nostalgic, grateful, Colorado-proud
🍺 Beer #4988: Highliner Hazy IPA (4.0)
Some beers are about the beer.
Some beers are about the people.
Beer #4988 was definitely the second kind.
After living in the Denver area for 12 years, returning always feels a bit like stepping back into a highlight reel of life memories. Many of the nearly 5,000 unique beers on this journey were enjoyed with great friends around the beautiful state of Colorado.
This day was about reconnecting with those friends — and doing it in a proper craft beer setting.
The stop: Jake’s Brew Bar in Littleton.
🍻 Jake’s Brew Bar: A Draft List for Legends
Jake’s Brew Bar is easily one of the best beer bars in the Denver metro area.
The draft list is ridiculous in the best way possible:
- Rotating craft beer from across the country
- Hard-to-find specialties
- Imports
- Deep local Colorado representation
It’s the kind of place where you scan the tap list and immediately realize:
“Okay… this might take a minute.”
Which is exactly the point.
🌫️ The Beer: Highliner Hazy IPA
For Beer #4988, I went with Highliner Hazy IPA from Avery Brewing Company.
JT Hazy Breakdown:
- Drinkability level: High
- Juice factor: Smooth and balanced
- Setting synergy: Perfect for a reunion pint
- JT rating: 4.0
A really solid hazy — approachable, flavorful, and a great reminder of how consistently good Avery beers can be.
🛢️ The Avery Barrel Story
Avery Brewing actually holds a special place in my personal beer story.
When I lived in Colorado and had a brewery project underway, I needed barrels to turn into tables for the taproom.
I reached out to Avery to see if they had any available.
They didn’t just help — they made it easy.
I ended up buying 10 barrels for $25 each, drove up to Avery Brewing Company in Boulder, by myself, to pick them up, loaded them onto a friend’s flatbed trailer, with Avery’s help, and began the interesting 1.5 hour journey. The barrels fortunately stayed secure and I made it back to Fandraught all in one piece – me and the barrels.
Those barrels became brewery tables that helped create exactly the vibe I wanted at the brewery.
A note about Avery Brewing. My son, Logan, and I made a memorable trip to Avery Brewery together several years ago. It’s a massive space. We took the self-guided tour, sampled some excellent beers, bought some merch, and treated ourselves by splitting one of the 16% beers Avery has available in the taproom only. Wicked good brews available up there. After lunch and hydration, we made our way safely back from Boulder. Love to remember my days like that, with Logan.
Excellent brewery.
Great people.
Cherished memories.
🎩 The Crew (and the Hats at Jake’s)
A reunion beer deserves a proper crew.
For the video, my friends fully committed to the moment by rocking the funky hats provided by Jake’s Brew Bar.
Huge thanks to:
- Sean
- Brian
- Jenny
- Blaine
You made a great beer moment even better.
(Side note — wearing my Caledonia Brewing shirt. A must stop when in Dunedin, Florida.)
🏔️ Colorado: A Huge Part of This Journey
Colorado played a massive role in the 50 Beers to 5000 journey.
Many of the beers logged along the way were discovered:
- In Denver breweries
- In mountain towns
- On patios with friends
- On road trips across the state
Returning always reminds me just how much those years meant to me.
🍺 JT Final Thoughts
Beer #4988 earns a 4.0 rating.
But more importantly, it represents something bigger:
- Friendship
- Shared history
- The Colorado craft beer scene
- And the memories that built this journey
Sometimes the beer is the star.
Sometimes the people around the table are.
Cheers! 🍻
#cheers #50beersto5000 #craftbeerlover
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