June 6th, 2012 at 1:28PM
Well Built, Like a Lifelong Friendship Justin Jaramillo This past Saturday I stood in a tuxedo under an expansive Colorado sky listening and watching as one of the best friends a guy could ask for entered into marriage.  I felt a bit of emptiness in my stomach, as I knew that this one was special.  Jose always reminded me of a brother that I never had, a guy that I considered to be my family. My buddy Jose is a great guy, he is one of those guys who no matter how long you have been away from him you can always pick up a conversation and have a good time. We both went to the University of Colorado, yet our paths never crossed during our four years in Boulder (most likely a good thing for the city). I have known Jose since we both started working together at our first “real” job. During these past 8 years of friendship, Jose and I have had the opportunity to experience life in ways that would make others envious. We have traveled to great locations, spent many days lounging around drinking and telling ridiculously unfunny jokes, and pontificated on a myriad of topics. I am sure there are many people would who say the same things I could and would say about him. He has shared his time and lent his talents to all his friends, and in a pinch he even lent his crotch to a lonely mouse (an inside story!) In all of those moments, I acted as any young friend would; I took them for granted.  Not wanting to take for granted the last few moments of Jose’s bachelorhood, I decided to share my specially procured bottle of Breckenridge Well Built ESB. This beer is produced by my favorite brewery, Breckenridge Brewery. This beer was aged in Stranahan’s Colorado whiskey barrels and exudes the unique and enjoyable spirit of Colorado craft brewing. Breckenridge Brewery has teamed with Stranahan’s distillery to help produce an incredible brew. I can’t do justice in describing the flavor of this beer. It has a smoothness that I have not experienced while drinking a beer. The fullness of flavor and the distinct yet mild whiskey undertones gave each of us a reason to continue sipping. You did get a taste of caramel, vanilla, even coffee.  The aftertaste was dry but still held that refreshing quality.  To me this was the perfect bottle to share between friends.  As the sky started to cloud over and the wind started to pick up, I was left standing there wondering how my life, and the friendship I had built over the last 8 years was bound to change. Nearly every one of my friends has married over the last 10 years. Jose had stood as the last bastion of the life I had before I “grew up”. Yet, as he slowly turned to the groomsmen after he had laid that obligatory first kiss on his bride, I saw that same goofy smile I had come to know, and my uneasiness calmed. In that moment I understood that my life has changed, but the well-built and strong friendships I have will continue. I was also glad that I was able to share one last great memory with Jose before his life changes as well. Facts: IBU: 55 ABV: 7.8% Flavor: Complex hopiness balanced with traditional English Ale maltiness Availability: Quarterly Release Rating: Highly Recommended http://www.breckbrew.com/ Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/BreckenridgeBrewery Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/BreckBrew (@breckbrew)

Well Built, Like a Lifelong Friendship

Justin Jaramillo

This past Saturday I stood in a tuxedo under an expansive Colorado sky listening and watching as one of the best friends a guy could ask for entered into marriage.  I felt a bit of emptiness in my stomach, as I knew that this one was special.  Jose always reminded me of a brother that I never had, a guy that I considered to be my family.

My buddy Jose is a great guy, he is one of those guys who no matter how long you have been away from him you can always pick up a conversation and have a good time. We both went to the University of Colorado, yet our paths never crossed during our four years in Boulder (most likely a good thing for the city). I have known Jose since we both started working together at our first “real” job. During these past 8 years of friendship, Jose and I have had the opportunity to experience life in ways that would make others envious. We have traveled to great locations, spent many days lounging around drinking and telling ridiculously unfunny jokes, and pontificated on a myriad of topics. I am sure there are many people would who say the same things I could and would say about him. He has shared his time and lent his talents to all his friends, and in a pinch he even lent his crotch to a lonely mouse (an inside story!) In all of those moments, I acted as any young friend would; I took them for granted. 

Not wanting to take for granted the last few moments of Jose’s bachelorhood, I decided to share my specially procured bottle of Breckenridge Well Built ESB. This beer is produced by my favorite brewery, Breckenridge Brewery. This beer was aged in Stranahan’s Colorado whiskey barrels and exudes the unique and enjoyable spirit of Colorado craft brewing. Breckenridge Brewery has teamed with Stranahan’s distillery to help produce an incredible brew. I can’t do justice in describing the flavor of this beer. It has a smoothness that I have not experienced while drinking a beer. The fullness of flavor and the distinct yet mild whiskey undertones gave each of us a reason to continue sipping. You did get a taste of caramel, vanilla, even coffee.  The aftertaste was dry but still held that refreshing quality.  To me this was the perfect bottle to share between friends. 

As the sky started to cloud over and the wind started to pick up, I was left standing there wondering how my life, and the friendship I had built over the last 8 years was bound to change. Nearly every one of my friends has married over the last 10 years. Jose had stood as the last bastion of the life I had before I “grew up”. Yet, as he slowly turned to the groomsmen after he had laid that obligatory first kiss on his bride, I saw that same goofy smile I had come to know, and my uneasiness calmed. In that moment I understood that my life has changed, but the well-built and strong friendships I have will continue. I was also glad that I was able to share one last great memory with Jose before his life changes as well.

Facts:

  • IBU: 55
  • ABV: 7.8%
  • Flavor: Complex hopiness balanced with traditional English Ale maltiness
  • Availability: Quarterly Release
  • Rating: Highly Recommended

http://www.breckbrew.com/

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/BreckenridgeBrewery

Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/BreckBrew (@breckbrew)

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