One thing we will definitely miss about living in Colorado when we move to Puerto Rico are the quality micro-breweries here. It is almost like a passtime for some people. While we have some moderately strict alcohol laws (no sales after 12 at liquor stores, separate liquor stores and the former blue law of no sales on Sundays), we do have a lot of microbreweries (and some that I wouldn’t call micro anymore). Some of the good ones include: New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins (this is probably the most well-known), Left Hand Brewery in Longmont, O’dells in Fort Collins and even Crabtree Brewery right  here in Greeley.

I would have to say, if there is an unofficial drink of Colorado, I would give it to New Belgium even though Coors is from the Rocky Mountain water. They definitely have a lot of Coors in Puerto Rico, whereas we don’t have any Medalla Light here. I also like New Belgium because, while it is a growing company, it is not a huge conglomerate Corporation like Budweiser (also in Fort Collins) or Coors. They are also into sustainable energy supplies, bicycling and generate all of their electricity from wind power. They also come up with seasonal drinks like Frambozen in the winter which is one of my favorites. Frambozen is a sweet, dark beer made with raspberries. They have other specialities as you can see in the picture, but they are probably best known outside of Colorado for Fat Tire.

2 Below, Mothership Wit (Organic), Frambozen, Cherry Ale, 1554, and Fat Tire

I never really used to like beer until I met Britton, and now I can handle the occasional beer if it is sweet or light. Britton really likes it, so we have limits on how much we buy. One thing I always liked, however, are pina coladas! And guess what? Pina Coladas are Puerto Rico’s official drink! I didn’t realize this, but I guess it makes sense. Colorado has lots of micro-breweries and Puerto Rico has lots of rum (or Ron) distilleries. I definitely think Puerto Rico is much prouder of its rum history -Bacardi, Don Q, Malibu (is Malibu from there?), etc- than they are of their beer (Medalla is just a party beer like Bud Light or something).

Apparently, as the story goes, some bartender in San Juan, Puerto Rico experimented with pineapple juice, coconut juice, and ice and called it Pina Colada. Then, of course, he added some rum and a cherry on top and it has become the drink that it is. If you are in Puerto Rico you will notice that when you order a Pina Colada that they will ask if you would like it con o sin ron (with or without rum). This goes back to that history! Puerto Rico is so proud of the Pina Colada that apparently they have rum festivals featuring it and they play that cheesy 80’s Pina Colada song over and over.

Anyway, so while I’ll miss the occassional beer here, I would gladly trade it in for a few pina coladas, sin o con ron. For Britton, it may be a little harder to give up his great beers for Medalla Light (and an aside- there is no Medalla, only Medalla Light, is that weird or what?), but I’m sure he’ll manage.

Pina Colada Receta (Recipe)

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