Month: October 2017

Denver’s 4th Annual bRUNch Run

Events

brunchrun_us

By Jessica H. | Written in Conjunction with Bloody Mary Tour

We like running but have never run an official “race.” I used to slay cross country races in my high school days and Matt schooled kids on the neighborhood block… But the 4th Annual bRUNch Run was our first official race as adults. The bRUNch Run is hosted by bRUNch Running, a running club in Colorado, Arizona, and Texas that meshes the enjoyment of running with the sport of brunch. They host 5K and 10K runs throughout the year followed by mouthwatering brunches at a variety of local restaurants.

brunchrun_medals

We chose to run the 5K for good measure and surprisingly finished faster than we imagined. The runner’s high at the finish line almost made me wonder if we could even stomach brunch, or better yet, drink alcoholic beverages. To stimulate our appetite, we stretched for 10 minutes and listened to Scott Brooks Band serenade the runners with classic rock covers. Then we made our way over to The Real Dill Bloody Mary stand to drink a spicy Bloody made with Tito’s Vodka, The Real Dill Bloody mix, and some briny pickled okra. Nothing is more rewarding than a savory cocktail in the morning.

brunchrun_bloodybar

We explored the various food stands and loved the variety of dishes offered. Our favorite brunch plate was the smoked brisket taco from La Sandia. We also loved the charcuterie-style avocado toast from Hoof Wing & Fin, a food truck we had never heard of but are now trying to find on the Denver streets. Other food items included Quality Italian’s polenta pancakes with lemon ricotta and blueberry compote, Just Be Kitchen’s coconut cream chia seed pudding with grainless granola and fresh fruit, and Hi*Rise Bakery’s bagel sandwiches along with their biscuits and gravy. We also scored some Noosa Yoghurt and Naked Juice to take home.

brunchrun_avotoast

brunchrun_qualityitalian

After replenishing all of our burned calories with food, we stopped by the Barefoot Wine mimosa bar to get fruity mimosas. Barefoot offered various flavors of champagne, topped with a splash of OJ. Bloody Mary Tour and Best Booze Denver get boozy, so we headed over to the beer stand to score a can of Stem Cider. Great Divide brews were also on deck for beer fans.

If you love running, a community of active folks, and brunch, be sure to check out bRUNch Running’s Facebook page to stay tuned for upcoming events!

Bloody Ciders and Creole Cravings: Stem Ciders, The Real Dill, & The Post Pop-Up Brunch

Events

By Jessica H. | In Conjunction with Bloody Mary Tour

popup_mainbloodyshot

Stem Ciders is hosting a series of pop-up events featuring local businesses and restaurants. We attended the recent Creole brunch pop-up featuring The Real Dill and The Post on a sunny Sunday in Stem’s RiNo taproom and patio. Included in each brunch ticket was an all-you-can-eat assortment of food items from The Post and two drinks– whether you chose a Bloody Cider or a cider of your choice.

popup_food

Stem Ciders is one of our favorite places to grab a drink in Denver. Cider is currently one of our top three preferred boozy beverages and Stem offers an unparalleled array of options in their taproom– and truth be told, they make a mean cider. We have been visiting their RiNo location weekly since we moved into our Five Points row house a year-and-a-half ago. The cozy taproom is adorned in wood and filled with barrels, board games, and oftentimes, live music.

popup_brunchbloody

In May, Stem partnered with local pickle company The Real Dill to craft a collaboration cider for The Real Dill’s 5th Anniversary. Thus, the Salted Cucumber Cider was born. The Salted Cucumber Cider is an innovative cider, with light crisp cucumber notes intertwined with subtle hints of apple. At the pop-up brunch, The Real Dill’s Bloody Mary mix was on hand to create Bloody Ciders made with ¼ Bloody Mary mix and ¾ Salted Cucumber Cider. The resulting Bloody Cider was similar to a Michelada, only way better. You can thank the cider’s cucumber touch for that!

We are avid fans of The Real Dill and have been indulging in their pickles and Bloody Mary mix for years. Their Bloody Mary mix is made from cucumber water leftover from the pickling process and showcases The Real Dill’s commitment to being a zero-waste company. A Bloody Mary bar full of The Real Dill products was available to top-off the breakfast cocktails– think specially-made cider pickles, Creole okra, garlic green beans, ginger carrots, and pearl onions. popup_bloodymarybar

The Post provided the delicious Creole food spread; all of it was gluten-free! We munched on shrimp and grits, scrambled eggs, biscuits, and spicy collard greens, which we covered with Bloody Mary hollandaise sauce. Any good bruncher knows you have to top off your savory dishes with something sweet, so The Post baked an assortment of breakfast desserts made with Stem Ciders and The Real Dill products. This was the first time we have ever indulged in a chocolate cider breakfast muffin.

We love how this event focused on collaboration between Denver small businesses. After all, this is why Denver is “Denver”: big city dreams with small-town love. Stay tuned for future pop-up events at the Stem Ciders RiNo taproom!