Southern Sun Pub & Brewery

While in Boulder, Colorado for Spring Break I managed to stop by a few breweries in the area.  The first was Southern Sun.  Southern Sun was opened on the south side of Boulder as a second location of Mountain Sun.  It offers up more space than the original, and offers up the same delicious beers.  There is also a third location, the Vine Street Pub, in Denver.


Southern Sun is located near the intersection of Broadway and Table Mesa in the upper level of a very nondescript building in what amounts to a strip mall development.  However, do not be fooled!  This place is very good.

My first trip here was with my friend Jon and his housemates to celebrate my arrival the day before and the end of Stout Month.  I had the Girl Scout Stout, which tasted like a Thin Mint.  I talked with some people who claimed it was far more minty than the year before (and worse because of it), but I found it to be more subtle.  The mint complemented the bitter hop character and sweetness of the beer well.  Plus, any beer that tastes like an already delicious cookie is good in my book.

I made a second trip to Southern Sun Friday night as my week in town was drawing to a close.  I grabbed some dinner and a couple of beers.  For dinner I had one of their specials of the day, the Phryday Phish Phry.  A couple of pieces of fried Alaskan cod with slaw was delicious, but the kicker was the hand cut fries.  They were top-notch.

As for beers, I had a XXX Pale Ale, an FYIPA, and a taster of Blackberry Wheat.  The XXX Pale Ale was pretty straightforward.  Much like many other pale ales there was a slight citrus aroma and taste to it along with decent hop bitterness.  Next, the FYIPA had one of the most pleasant aromas of any beer I can remember.  It was fantastic, and it hid the fact it was an IPA - until you drank it.  It. Was. Hoppy.  From one of the most pleasant aromas to some of the harshest hop bite encapsulated in one beverage was phenomenal.  I haven't tried all of their beers, but if you plan on only getting one, I would recommend the FYIPA.  Finally, I had a taster of Blackberry Wheat, which I was not a huge fan of.  It was a little sad to end on a lower note, but I also chalk it up to not having much experience with Blackberries in general.  It tasted similar to other fruit beers, but it came off a little odd to me and I probably wouldn't get it again.

At this point I remembered what drinking at a higher elevation entails, so I finished up and called it a night.

Overall, I really enjoyed my two trips to the Southern Sun Pub & Brewery and would recommend people try it out.  I think either here or the Mountain Sun is a must-stop while visiting Boulder.

Three Floyds Alpha King

Commercial Description:

Alpha King is an american pale ale (APA) with a bold citrus hop character. We brew all our beers for our own demanding tastes. If you're unwilling to compromise on your beer, we urge you to try it.

This brew pour a beautiful orange/amber color with a great head. It definitely smells of hops and citrus. My first sip is great. Hops are much more subtle than I expected, as the smell is much stronger than the taste. Tastes like an APA should and perhaps one of the most refreshing pale ales I've ever tried. Initial citrus and hop flavor dominate as I drink with a ever so slight sweetness, and a mild bitterness kicks in as it goes down. A perfect balance of bittering, flavor, and aroma hops are used in this brew. As I continue to enjoy Alpha King, the head diminishes as it should and the lacing is evident all the way down to my last sip. Tastes like it should be around 4 to 5% ABV, but is 6.5%. If you can get your hands on this beer, invest in it and you won't regret it.