Summer sipping starts now in Greeley, with WeldWerks Invitational, 4th of July specials and more

Courtesy photo.

By Emily Kemme

Managing the summer heat often means devising the best means of cooling off — there’s not much better than downing a chilled brew or coffee drink blended with ice and experiencing that trill up and down your spine as your body shouts, “Thank you!” 

But sometimes, a situation calls for sipping and evaluating flavor nuances.

Whatever fits your need, the NoCo Optimist has a few thirst-quenching ideas as we round the corner onto the hottest, and hopefully most laid back, time of year. 

WeldWerks Invitational returns on June 25 

After a two-year hiatus thanks to pandemic-driven cancellations, WeldWerks Brewing Co. brings back its collaborative invitational event on Saturday, June 25 at the DoubleTree at Lincoln Park, 919 7th St. in downtown Greeley, with 47 craft breweries from around the country pouring more than 150 beers.

Tickets are $110 per person and include a commemorative tasting glass, along with the opportunity to sample highly sought-after and limited offerings like DM (Derivation/Medianoche), a Bourbon Barrel-Aged Coconut and Vanilla Imperial Stout, created in a collaboration between WeldWerks and Side Project Brewing from Maplewood, Missouri, according to a news release. 

Other unique pours include Prescott, Arizona’s Superstition Meadery’s Bunny Stacks, a bourbon barrel-aged Mead with blueberry, maple, cacao nibs and marshmallow fluff notes, and Timbo Pils, an intermingling of German Pilsner and West Coast IPA, thanks to a collaboration between Denver’s Amalgam Brewing and Highland Park Brewery in Los Angeles, the release said.

Attendees can choose between afternoon or evening sessions, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., respectively. Tickets are available for purchase on Eventbrite.

Aligned with WeldWerks’ Brewing Better Communities program, 100 percent of the event proceeds are designated for local charities through the WeldWerks Community Foundation. The cause for 2022 is housing stability, highlighting Weld County’s ranking as the 4th most unaffordable housing market in the nation, according to United Way of Weld County. In 2019, the last year the Invitational was held, the event raised over $50,000 to provide grants and resources to 13 different local nonprofit organizations.

The Invitational debuted in 2018, selling out that year and in 2019.

“To be able to bring the best beer from some of the country’s best brewers to little ol’ Greeley is very surreal,” WeldWerks Head Brewer Skip Schwartz said in the release. “Especially after the two-year hiatus, I can’t put into words how much it means to us to have our brewery friends take the time and hang out with us and pour their wares. It’s going to feel like the most awesome family reunion,” he said. 

Along with a mix of barrel-aged beers ideal for savoring, Schwartz said the 2022 Invitational is seeing more lagers than in past years.

To check out the full pour list for the Invitational, visit the event website or Untappd. For event updates, follow WeldWerks on its social media channels.

Ziggi’s Coffee Fresherz, Infusions and the Firecracker Blender

Courtesy photo.

For those looking to cool off with non-alcoholic options, Colorado-based specialty coffee and drive-thru franchise, Ziggi’s Coffee, has added a new Fresherz lineup to their summertime roster. 

Fresherz start with a base of your choice — tea, lemonade, club soda, Red Bull or coconut milk — and then add a refreshing mix of ingredients to zing up your day.

The new line features Melon Berry Tide with juicy watermelon, cucumber, a hint of mint and sliced strawberries. Citrus Sunburst invigorates with citrus, a zip of ginger and creamy coconut topped with orange slices, and Dragon Fruit Splash combines the mild tasting dragon fruit, sweet lychee and pieces of dragon fruit.

If the temperature outside has you dragging, Ziggi’s Red Bull Infusions add a coffee-free energy burst to keep the fun flowing. Available iced or blended, in addition to flavors like Cherry Blossom, Smashberry and Beach Bum, their newest flavor is Riptide, a limited-time beverage infused with orange, pineapple, strawberry, apricot and white chocolate for a radical buzz.

To enhance your 4th of July festivities, Ziggi’s Firecracker Blender is offered only from July 2 through the 4th. According to a release, “This festive treat features a vanilla blender combined with white chocolate and strawberry flavors, topped with whipped cream and popping candy.”

Wiley Roots Brewing Co. Slush Season 

Courtesy photo.

Summer highlights Slush beer at Wiley Roots Brewing Co. in downtown Greeley, 625 3rd Street, Unit D, Greeley, CO. This non-serious beer is a fruited sour ale made with at least two fruits and is served up at Wiley Roots as quenchers, frozen slush and soft-serve ice cream, like the Strawberry Lemon Lime Beer Ice Cream or Guava Lime Coconut Beer Ice Cream currently on tap.

Fruits for the slushee machine are hand juiced on site and differ from Slush versions in cans, which are made with puréed fruits, owner Miranda Carbaugh said. “Every Friday before noon we’ll prep the batch for the week. It’s not a keg run through the slushee machine.”

You can enjoy frozen beer slushes and beer ice cream on Wiley Roots’ 5,000 square foot astroturf patio that’s outfitted with string lights and a sea wall honoring Miranda’s and her husband and co-owner, Kyle’s trip to Scotland. 

If you like chilling on your home turf best, a large selection of fruited sours are available in cans to-go. Frozen slush is available to-go in single servings, half and full bucket sizes.