First opened in the summer of 2012, TRVE Brewing (pronounced “True Brewing”) is Denver’s one and only heavy metal-inspired brewery. Brewing housemade beers ranging from sour beers to clean beers, the brewers here are self-proclaimed “style blasphemers” and “category agnostics”—TRVE beers don’t adhere to any particular guidelines, but are always guaranteed to be tasty.

We sat down with TRVE founder Nick Nunns to talk about heavy metal, his favorite TRVE beers on tap, and the Colorado craft beer scene. 

A can of TRVE or "True" Brewing beer with a skull on it.

Wines Off Wynkoop: How did TRVE Brewing and it’s radical heavy metal theme come to fruition?

Nick Nunns of TRVE: Heavy metal has been a part of my life almost as long as I’ve been listening to music. I wanted to marry the two things I love, and the spawn of that is TRVE. 

W.O.W.: What does a night at TRVE Brewing look like? What can someone expect when they walk in the door?

NN: You can be guaranteed to hear heavy metal in our taproom, but we keep all the music focused on the area near our bar so people can escape from it should it not be their favorite. One of the things I love the most about our taproom is that the clientele is fairly broad; you’re as likely to see folks in the taproom coming straight from their office gig in business casual attire as you are to see fully-tattooed metalheads.

W.O.W.: What are your favorite beers on tap?

NN: Right now my favorite beer on tap is Hellion. We call it a throwback crusher as it’s a recently resurrected beer of ours that doesn’t really fit into any particular bucket. It’s a 4.5% slightly hoppy amber brewed with a bunch of golden naked oats. It’s almost like an American ESB? Whatever it is, it’s delicious.

W.O.W.: What do you think of the Colorado craft beer scene?

NN: Colorado is crazy to me. I’m lucky enough to travel around the country quite a bit and there is absolutely nothing else like Colorado out there. We’re lucky to have a longstanding craft beer scene here where craft beer is basically the state’s signature food. This longevity does mean that the market is a lot tougher than others, and breweries have to really fight to get their name out there. I’m thankful we’ve been received so well, and that we routinely seem to make the bucket lists of places to visit. 

W.O.W.: Anything else you’d like to share about TRVE Brewing?

NN: We appreciate the support of our local fans and those who make the pilgrimage to come see us! Thanks for making the past eight years rip!


Want to taste the deliciousness of TRVE Brewing for yourself? Visit their taproom at 227 Broadway #101, Denver, Colorado.

Today, we’re excited to dive into the story and bottles of Blanton’s, one of our favorite distillers of bourbon. Produced in Kentucky, the bourbon capital of the world, Blanton’s is known for its Original Single Barrel, a citrus and oak-tasting bourbon with notes of vanilla. Blanton’s Original Single Barrel was once designated for ambassadors, dignitaries, and Colonel Blanton’s family and friends—but is now available to all. In this post, we’ll take a look at Blanton’s rich history and some of its other world-class bottles.

The Story of Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon

Blanton’s is the originator of Single Barrel Bourbon, which was first produced in 1984 by master distiller Elmer T. Lee. Elmer T. Lee recalled the earlier days of his career in the late 1940’s, when he worked under the president of the distillery, Colonel Albert B. Blanton. Colonel Blanton would handpick “honey barrels” from the center cut of Warehouse H and have that bourbon bottled one barrel at a time while he was entertaining dignitaries and other important guests. Calling on this tradition, Elmer T. Lee did the same and named this new bottle “Blanton’s Single Barrel”. He retired a year after its creation.

Many bourbon aficionados believe Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon revolutionized bourbon, creating the industry’s “super premium” category of bourbon with the world’s first single barrel bourbon. Today, most distilleries offer one or more single barrel bottlings, but Blanton’s was the first, (and one of the finest) single barrel bourbons on the market.

blanton’s bottles of bourbon

While Blanton’s is best known for its Single Barrel Bourbon, the distiller also has a few other bottles. Blanton’s Gold Edition is on par with the world’s finest whiskey, and was created for discerning bourbon aficionados who appreciate exceptional smoothness and complexity in their bourbon whiskey. This bottle has notes of oak, honey, rye, and tobacco. Blanton’s Gold Edition is only sold to select non-U.S. markets and some domestic duty-free stores.

Similar in taste profile, Blanton’s Straight From the Barrel has enormous depth of flavor only found in the rarest of spirits. This bourbon has notes of dark chocolate, caramel, and butter with earthy undertones of walnut and hazelnut. Its high alcohol content is powerful, yet inviting, creating flavors that make for a legendary bottle. Blanton’s Straight From the Barrel is also only available in select non-U.S. markets and some domestic duty-free stores.

Last, but certainly not least, Blanton’s Special Reserve is ideal for those who are new to single barrel bourbons. It has notes of vanilla and cedar, and its smooth consistency is ideal for mixing into a premium cocktail. Blanton’s Special Reserve is only available in select non-U.S. markets and some domestic duty-free stores.

A picture of Blanton's bottle tops with various horses

Before we go, we’ll leave you with one final fun fact about Blanton’s: its bottle stoppers feature a horse and jockey in different strides resembling the stages of a horse race, from beginning to end, and spell out Blanton’s when the set has been completed. We’ll be pulling special bottles of Blanton’s Single Barrel bourbon onto the floor at Wines Off Wynkoop this holiday season. Come stop by and see which bottle stoppers you can spot!


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Whether you’re a new wine drinker or a seasoned connoisseur, you may have noticed that there seems to be just as many shapes of wine glasses as there are wines. And, newsflash: there certainly is a reason for it all. While you’re free to drink wine from whatever vessel you’d like, certain glasses work well for certain types of wine if you’re actually looking to taste your wine. In this post, we’ll explain how to choose the proper wine glass for your wine—so you can look like a pro in front of your fellow wine drinkers.

White Wine Glasses

White wines should be served in glasses with smaller bowls (bowls are the rounded receptacles in which wine can be poured and held). These smaller glasses preserve floral aromas, maintain cooler temperatures, and express more acidity—all great attributes for bringing out the nuance in your white wine. Full-bodied white wines and orange wines are better with glasses that have larger bowls, while light-bodied white wines are better with glasses that have smaller bowls.


Source: Wine Folly

You can also enjoy rose wines in white wine glasses. Narrower bowls are better for bringing out the fruity aromas of rose, and glasses with long stems will help maintain the cool temperature rose should be sipped at.

Red Wine Glasses


Source: Wine Folly

Red wines should be enjoyed from glasses with a wide opening. This helps mitigate the bitterness of tannins and spices to deliver a smoother, more pleasant tasting wine. Use a large, Bordeaux glass (pictured as #1) for bold red wines. The large surface area of the glass lets ethanols evaporate so you can taste and smell more aromas (rather than the burn of ethanol). 

The standard red wine glass (pictured as #2) is perfect for medium to full-bodied red wines with spicy notes or high alcohol content. The smaller opening of the glass allows spices to soften as the flavors hit your tongue.

Lastly, the aroma collector “Burgundy” glass is a great choice for lighter, more delicate red wines with subtle aromas. Its round bowl is the perfect shape for collecting and showcasing all the aromas of a lighter wine. 

Sparkling Wine Glasses 

Similar to still wine glasses, the shape of sparkling wine glasses will shape your perception of how different sparkling wines taste. Glasses with smaller openings and bowls are less expressive than glasses with a larger bowl shape. This means you should drink more affordable sparkling wine in a flute-style glass (which will hide flaws and make the wine taste more spritzy), and more expensive sparkling wine in a tulip-style glass (to bring out the nuance in the flavors).


Source: Wine Folly

Dessert Wine Glasses 

Last, but certainly not least, port wine should be enjoyed in port glasses, which have a small and slender shape. The design of this glass brings out the fruit, oak, and spice flavors of port wines, and lessens its heavy alcohol flavors.

For ice wines and dessert wines, use a dessert wine glass with a highly tapered rim. This rim makes for easy swirling, and helps to keep the wine to air ratio balanced. This glass also emphasizes the acidity of the wine, preventing its sweetness from being overwhelming. 

Overall, there are countless options of glasses to choose from for consuming your wine—a few glass manufacturers even offer “universal glasses,” a good option for practical wine enthusiasts who don’t want to bother with all the different wine glass shapes. However, if you’d like to show off your wine knowledge, or appreciate the best, most detailed flavors in your wine, we recommend choosing glasses that suit your wine. We hope you learned a thing or two about choosing proper stemware in this post. Happy sipping!

IMPORTED RED WINE

Wednesday, April 17th Wine Sale!

All Imported Red Wine is 15% off when you buy 2+ bottles. It’s a perfect time to come grab those bottles you have been eyeing. How about a little Barolo from Elio Altare or Clos des Papes, Chateauneuf-Du-Pape? Or maybe just a refreshing New Zealand Pinot Noir from Sineann to accompany you in the sunshine.  We have an amazing selection of wines from all over the world and would love to talk more about them. Come in and let’s talk wine! Cheers!

Sineann
Sauvignon Blanc 2016 
Awatere Valley, New Zealand
Grape Varietal –
Sauvignon Blanc

Owner and winemaker, Peter Rosbeck, has been making delicious and beautiful wines since 1994. Well known for sourcing fruit from only the best vineyards, Peter carefully crafts wines from vineyards throughout the Pacific Northwest, from Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills to Oregon’s Willamette Valley. In the spring, Peter travels to New Zealand to make Sauvignon Blanc (Awatere Valley) and Pinot Noir (Central Otago).

Wine Maker’s Notes

“The particular qualities of the 2016 Sineann Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc that captivates are the sheer intensity of fruit on the palate, the mid-palate creaminess and the richness of the finish – along with the beautiful natural acidity.

We attribute the remarkable fruit and lengthy finish to the special care the fruit receives. This is a rare, hand-harvested New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, cluster-sorted. It makes a difference! 

The 2016 Sineann Sauvignon Blanc is one of the best we’ve made and is a great example of how special Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc can be.”

Domaine Moulin-La-Viguerie 
Tavel 2017 
Southern Rhône, France
Grape Varietals –
50% Grenache Noir, 30% Cinsault,
10% Syrah, 10% mix of Mourvedre, Bourboulenc, Clairette 

A gem from the Southern Rhône!  Tavel is a unique appellation that focuses on only making rosé wine.  The Petit-Roudil family has been producing Tavel wines since the 16th century when the monks were making the local wines. These rosés tend to be more full-bodied, with a greater intensity of flavors.  Powerful notes of dark cherries, wild strawberries, and dried herbs are enjoyed with a long dry finish.  A perfect rosé for all occasions, Tavel is easily paired with any meal. Think of it as a light red wine and try it with your next cheese and charcuterie plate or grill up your favorite fowl or seafood. Cheers!     

IMPORTED WHITE WINE

Wednesday April 10th Wine Sale!

All Imported White Wine is 15% off when you buy 2+ bottles. It’s a perfect time to come grab those bottles you have been eyeing. How about a little Premier Cru Chablis or Grand Cru Champagne? Or maybe just a refreshing Vinho Verde or Soave to accompany you in the sunshine (after the “Winter Vortex” that is).  We have an amazing selection of wines from all over the world and would love to talk more about them. Come in and let’s talk wine! Cheers!

Wednesday April 3rd Wine Sale!

All Domestic Red Wine is 15% off when you buy 2+ bottles. It’s a perfect time to come grab those bottles you have been eyeing. We have an amazing selection of wines from all over the USA and would love to talk more about them. Come in and let’s get nerdy! Cheers

Some amazing new Trve Brewing beers in today!!!

Collaborations with Other Half NYC & New Belgium

SEITAN is a collaboration done with the incredible brewers from Other Half out of NYC. This beer is a blend of hand-selected, barrel-aged mixed culture brews and spontaneously fermented stock, that is then dry-hopped with Hallertau and contains No Seitan! 16oz single cans available!

WHERE I LEAVE is a collaboration done with our local sour OGs, New Belgium. It is a blend of hand-selected mix culture ales from New Belgium & Trve foeders! Don’t miss out on these truly wonderful new brews!!!

Follow our Instagram for the latest releases WinesOffWynkoop #beersinthealley

And our current beer list at BeerMenus

BLACK FRIDAY SAVINGS!

Make sure to add Wines Off Wynkoop to your stops this Friday. If you’re one of the few that can survive this day without a glass of wine or a winter beer at the end of it then we salute you.

Black Friday:

Spend $50 or more on Wine, Beer, or Spirits, in the store and receive 20%off your total purchase along with a commemorative 21st Anniversary WOW bag (while supplies last). Offer valid on Friday, November 23, 2018 only.

Small Business Saturday:

Remember to shop small this holiday season.  Come in on Small Business Saturday, November 24, and receive 15% off your purchase of anyWINE.  If you spend $50 or more on wine, you will receive your choice of a “Shop Small” tote bag, or a WOW 21st Anniversary bag (while supplies last). Offer valid on Saturday, November 24, 2018 only.