A couple years ago for the Colorado game the wife and I went early and went up to Ft. Collins and went through the New Belgium Brewery tour. Was really one of the better brewery tours I've ever been on. I'd rate it just below Guinness and the Heineken Experience.
The story on how Fat Tire got its name is great. The founder of NB had graduated from Colorado State with an Engineering degree and was about to go to work for one of the local companies. He asked for and received a month or so before he had to start so he could fulfill a dream which was to ride his bike from brewery to brewery in Belgium. This was the early 90s and he brewed in college as a way to make quality beer drinking cheaper.
This was when the mountain bike was a new idea (remember it was invented in the Rockies) so he had his bike shipped over and he would ride it from place to place. He always wanted to talk to the brew masters and they would see his bike and always ask about the "bike with the fat tires." It allowed him to get more information and hints than he would have otherwise.
Fat Tire is a great beer, but I can't handle just drinking it day after day. I also don't like coffee or chocolate so most of the winter ales, porters, and stouts don't taste good to me. I still love me some Guinness on a cold day though.
When it gets closer to time if you need me to bootleg you something in from Missouri, let me know.
David Harrell - Pokes
dwh