Colorado is well-known for the state’s craft beer industry. Bristol Brewing Co., New Belgium and other popular craft breweries, along with Falcon’s own JAKs have been brewing beers that are often compared to fine wines in complexity and creativity. However, in the past few years, wine and high-end spirits are moving in on beer breweries.Social media meme images showing wine as a cure-all for parenting stress are common on Facebook and Twitter. But the rise of wine in America pre-dates the onslaught of social networks. From 2000 to 2007, the number of wineries in the U.S. roughly doubled, from 2,904 to 5,958, according to the Wine Institute. From 2007 to 2014, the number increased again to 10,417. Over the same period, the average U.S. resident’s consumption increased from 2 gallons per year to 2.83 gallons.ìëWine-iacsî have always been here; but, somewhere along the line, alcohol mommy-breaks stopped being judged,î said Kathleen Saltmarsh-Voss, owner of Sip and Splatter in Colorado Springs. ìWine is acceptable because people sip and savor; unlike college life and pounding kegs, which is not so acceptable for mommies.ìAt Sip and Splatter, men and women get loosened up enough to unleash their inner artist, but not enough to wake up in the neighbors front yard with a bicycle tire print on their forearms, though I’m probably giving away too much of my college experience.îThe wide array of wines on the shelf of the local liquor stores can be overwhelming, but a large number of blogs, magazines and podcasts are devoted to helping people choose the right wine for the right occasion, meal, taste and budget. ìWine Two Five,î one of the leading podcasts on wine, is based in the Pikes Peak region and hosted by Val Caruso and Stephanie Davis, two certified wine educators. The podcast often opens with the hosts explaining what wines they are drinking while recording the show.ìThrough social media, availability of wine information is more prevalent than ever,î Caruso said. ìThey can understand wine better than they could before. Itís not just for the elite. Wine is losing its snottiness.îBetween 60 to 80 percent of wine purchase decisions are made by women. The difference between the reasons men buy wine compared to women is the reason there are no commercials with a bunch of men at a tailgate party drinking a Cabernet, Caruso said. ìThere’s an obsession with pairing wine with Girl Scout cookies or halloween candy or god knows what,î Caruso said. ìWhereas, men tend to not think about the occasion value, but the ‘impress your buddy’ value of the wine.îFor those who may not have time to invest in reading or listening to wine-themed media, there are local resources, from staff at liquor stores to the neighbor who is known for enjoying a good bottle of vino. ìMy resource is to buy and try, though I love the ratings the stores are putting on the shelves,î said Janet McMonigal, who has become a common social media wine resource on Falcon’s Facebook pages. ìI just got a private message on Facebook today asking me to help someone pick out a wine for a retiring doctor.îDemographic changes are also helping to bring beverages with a story to the top of the market, Caruso said. ìEven when talking to wine experts in places like Armenia, the ‘millennial’ demographic is always part of the conversation because of the way they’re looking at wines,î Caruso said. ìWine has a story attached to it that can be told. Some people just want the giant glass of wine, but a lot of time millennials want to be able to tell a story about the wine they bring to a party. They’re not big on things; they’re big on experiences.îWine isn’t the only beneficiary of the movement toward high-end adult beverages. Craft distilled spirit sales increased in Colorado by 5.4 percent per year, according to the Distilled Spirits Council.Other specialty alcohols are making a comeback, including mead. The fermented honey beverage was once only common at Renaissance fairs. It is becoming more common as hobby beekeepers look for a way to create value-added products with excess honey.ìMead is very simple to make, and it pairs with foods differently than wine or beer does,î said Doneil Freeman, who keeps bees at his Calhan farm to make the fermented honey beverage. ìIt’s kind of a nostalgic thing as well because it was the drink of the Vikings.îHome-brew and micro-brew beers continue to be popular because of Colorado’s long history in the industry. ìI home brew as a hobby to save money over the cost of craft beer, and I can change a recipe to suit my tastes in craft beer,î said Andrew Metzger. ìI always like to try new things, I enjoy tinkering and learning new culinary hobbies.îAs social gatherings over wine or craft beers grow in popularity outside the usual bar scene, it is important to remember drinking and driving limits. Wines tend to have about twice the alcohol by volume as beer per ounce. Many craft brewed beers tend to be higher in alcohol content than their mass-produced cousins. While a completely sober designated driver is always the best option, the Colorado Department of Transportation’s ìR-U-Buzzedî smartphone app can help social wine, beer and spirits drinkers make sure they and their fellow party-goers stay safe.The app is available on iTunes, Google Play and at http://codot.gov/safety/alcohol-and-impaired-driving.
