Local beer bar closes down this weekend

Unfortunately today we have learned that a beer spot in Colorado Springs is closing down. We received official confirmation just now and we are very saddened by the news. I'm posting all the information below.

This morning we confirmed that our friends up at Another Pint are closing their doors. This news is a bit difficult to hear. It was just over a year ago that Tony and Stephanie Hockemeyer bought the business, previously called A Second Cup, and had visions of turning it into a craft beer paradise. I really think for a while it was happening and it was all very exciting but it just didn't work out in the long run. I imagine Tony and Stephanie are heartbroken over the decision and our thoughts go their direction. I asked Tony if he wanted to say anything and he prepared a statement:

"I'm deeply, deeply saddened by the decision to shut [Another Pint] down. Best times of my life. It turned out to be too much to bounce back from past mistakes. I got to live out my dream for over a year and it was everything I hoped it would be and more. It's time to make a decision based on my family and my amazing, supportive wife. I'm gonna miss that place as it became a staple in my life since 2008. I'm gonna miss all my loyal customers I've met along the way, that's who this was all for, all of you. Thank you so much for the good times and wonderful memories. I am trying to stay in the industry and perhaps start a career as a beer rep. So hopefully I will still get to see everyone! God bless."

Tony mentioned that Another Pint will attempt to throw a Last Hoorah this weekend. I'm not positive that it will happen but he said he's trying to get some final product there. So, you should stop by if they are open. Another Pint / 13860 Gleneagle Dr  Colorado Springs, CO.

Finally we would like to say a big THANK YOU to Tony and Stephanie for all their hard work. Even though Another Pint didn't work out, we know you two will be able to do some great things again soon. 

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Another reason why this weekend may be the best beer weekend ever in Colorado Springs...

And we thought our two events were looking awesome...we just talked to Tony over at Another Pint and he's also putting together a fantastic looking beer event to celebrate the 1 Year Anniversary of Another Pint! This event will be on Friday, Dec. 07th and will have some great beers on tap. So thankfully it's a day before our events and we'll be able to hit it up. Should be a ridiculously great beer weekend. Let's take a look:

Another Pint 1 Year Anniversary
Dec 07th / 6pm till Late / 13860 Gleneagle Dr., Colorado Springs

We'll see a good looking tap lineup with special beers from Oskar Blues, New Belgium, and Trinity. Live music from BB3 Trio starting at 6:30. There will be some prizes and crazy beer specials as a thank you to the customers. Come out and help these guys celebrate, it should be a great time! Here's a list of beers:

From Oskar Blues:
Port Barrel Aged G'Knight
Cedar Aged Dales Pale Ale
oSKAr the G'Rauch (Ska Collaboration)
Tanked Economy (White House Porter Recipe)
Whiskey Barrel Aged Old Chub

New Belgium:
La Folie
Lost Abbey/New Belgium Collaboration
Brewery Vivant/New Belgium Collaboration
Peach Porch Lounger
Snow Day

Trinity Brewing:
Secret special beer

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Ska Brewing Dinner at Another Pint

Another Pint has another good looking beer dinner coming up on February 6th. Five courses to be paired with five Ska beers. The beers will be the True Blonde, True Blonde Dubbel, Buster Nutcracker, Decadent, and a special brewer's pick announced a week in advance. That's four special beers that aren't normally available, and True Blonde, which is just a great beer. You'll get to meet the Ska beer rep, get some free stuff from the brewery and as much beer as you can drink. Seats are limited, and you must RSVP, so act quickly.

Ska Beer Dinner at Another Pint
February 6th / 6:30 starting, dinner at 7pm
Cost: $39.99
Call to reserve: 719.481.6446
Another Pint is located at: 13860 Gleneagle Dr. Colorado Springs

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Meet the Brewer: John Schneider of Black Fox

We all love Black Fox Brewing and we just can't get enough of their beer. They are indeed a mysterious brewing operation, every now and again we hear stories of broken bones, crazy collaborations, coffee caramel saisons, malt liquor, surgeries, chocolate pepper saisons, shirts that have been banned in other drinking establishments, skateboarding, punk rock, and beers that disappear much too quickly.

So, Another Pint is doing a good thing by hosting a Black Fox Meet the Brewer night. I'm not totally certain what beers will be on tap. As you may know, Black Fox contract-brews out of Bristol, and the beers don't come out on a regular schedule. Nonetheless, it will be nice to get to hang out with John Schneider and have him talk about his beer. I would also suggest asking him about the photo for this poster: we see him with crutches, a PBR, skateboard, and photos from his reconstructive surgery...

Meet the Brewer: John Schneider of Black Fox
When: Saturday Dec. 10, 7pm
Where: Another Pint / 13860 Gleneagle Drive, Colorado Springs

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A New Look at Another Pint

This month, the ownership of A Second Cup has transferred over to the hands of Tony and Stephanie Hockemeyer. The new name is now officially, and fittingly, Another Pint. Tony has worked there since 2008, including a short break, and Stephanie has been there for about a year. A few months ago they decided to get serious about buying the business off the founder, Jeremy Diggins, as they gained a new vision for it and have really fallen in love with the place.

For starters the new name, Another Pint, seems like a good decision. Previously customers haven't been sure if the business was called A Second Cup or Another Pint, but that won't be a problem anymore. The new name seems to suggest that it will be a beer-centered operation. They've already cut early morning hours from 6am to 8am and are keeping the bar open later in the night. Tony has seen craft beer sales really pick up lately. Just about a year ago, they added ten new taps to the lineup, they've seen the popularity of beer dinners increase, and last month's dinner had an unprecedented reservation list of 70+ people. The first beer dinner of the new ownership will be Stone Brewing, whose marketing campaign is in your face and seems quite fitting for a pub who just made their major focus craft beer (Stone says, 'Fizzy Yellow Beer is For Wussies.')

60, 90, 120...It's a Dogfish World This Weekend

We designed Another Pint/A Second Cup's beer menu. We were putting it together this week and we noticed some pretty insane beers that we thought we should mention. They're gearing up for Monday's Dogfish Head Beer Dinner so they've put a number of the Dogfish Head beers on early so you can try them this weekend. It's not often that you get to drink a 60 Minute IPA, a 90 Minute IPA, and a 120 Minute IPA (15-20% ABV, 120 IBU!) all right next to each other (in fact it's quite rare), but that's what you're going to get if you head up there now.

Also,  they've got Dogfish Head Punkin (pumpkin), Black and Red (mint stout), Midas Touch (ancient recipe), Chateau Jiahu (with berries, honey, and grapes) and then on deck they've got the rare Palo Santo Marron (aged on handmade wooden brewing vessels). It's going to be an awesome weekend, and you likely won't see a line up like this again for a while.

There are still a couple tickets for the Dogfish Head Beer Dinner for Monday night too, check out the information here.

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We've started organizing events...and we want to knock your socks off...

UPDATE - The date/time has been changed to Oct 22nd at 6pm.

We've started organizing events...and we want to knock your socks off...

Focus on the Beer is super proud to present to you Meet the Brewer Night with Chad Yakobson, the owner and brewer for one of Colorado's newest breweries, Crooked Stave. This is the first time that any of Crooked Stave's finished beers will be available in Colorado Springs, so come celebrate! We've mentioned Chad numerous times on this blog and have been really excited about his beer so it is only fitting that he be involved in our first Meet the Brewer event. All of Crooked Stave's beers are aged or soured, often using various strains of Brettanomyces. There will be a number of different specialty beers for purchase at Another Pint/A Second Cup, he'll give a little talk about his beers and the unique things he's doing at his brewery, and he'll be available to chat with you if you want to ask him any questions or make small talk. There is no cover charge, but the beer is available for purchasing.

This event will be the first of many that we organize. We're really excited to be an active part of the beer community here in Colorado Springs, and we have many more ideas/plans that are in the works. If you enjoy reading this blog, then you can support us by attending this event.

Meet the Brewer: Crooked Stave
Fri. Oct 22nd / 6pm
Another Pint (at A Second Cup) / 13860 Gleneagle Dr., Colorado Springs

Also, check out the Facebook Event Page for this.

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Welcoming Our First Sponsor - Another Pint!

Big thanks goes out to Another Pint, a fantastic alehouse in Colorado Springs that recently became the first official sponsor of Focus on the Beer. We wanted to encourage you all to support these guys, they've made some big changes recently, and they're trying to turn their place into a real beer destination. They've got 33 constantly rotating taps, they've got a 30+ bottle selection, a lot of their beer is very hard to find, and they're now open till 2am on Friday and Saturday.

We've put an ad up on the blog for Another Pint and we'll be blogging about more of their special events. Additionally we're going to help them develop their beer menu, and we're going to have a few tap handles dedicated to Focus on the Beer. So, we'll be choosing some of the beers that come in, and I'm also thinking we can take polls to see what beers you want to see there. What I want to make sure you know is that just because we have sponsors, that does not mean we will compromise our writing. Lastly, I wanted to let you know that we'll be creating some special events at Another Pint. I don't want to give away too much, but it looks like the first special event will involve Crooked Stave! Stay tuned...

A short list of special beers available right now at Another Pint:
- Dogfish Head Black and Blue
- Russian River Damnation
- Firesone Walker Double Jack
- Lefthand Octoberfest
- Avery Octoberfest
- Firestone Walker DBA
- Dogfish Head Punkin
- Anchor Steam
- Ska's Modus Hoperandi
- Elysian Jasmine IPA
- Bristol B6000 (bottle)
- Boulevard Collaboration White IPA (bottle)
- Dogfish Head Theodroma (bottle)
- Russian River Supplication (bottle)
Coming Soon:
- Stone Anniversary Double Black IPA
- Great Divide Hercules Double IPA

This is just a short list, they've got a lot of great stuff on tap, and more on board. So, head on in there this weekend and support us by supporting them! Another Pint is the bar that's a part of A Second Cup and they're open till 2am on Friday and Saturday so you can have a late night out there.

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