Wings Over the Rockies: Hops in the Hangar

Denver has long been a hotbed of new microbreweries that produce customized, flavored beers of all kinds and for every taste. The state of Colorado is home to four of the top-50 brewing companies in the nation, and, at last count, had about 200 breweries statewide.

With more than 50 breweries in Denver metro and a history of early American brewing dating back to the mid 19^th century, it’s nearly impossible not to have tried at least some type of Colorado-based specialty beer of any flavor imaginable. (And, yes, today there is even a cannabis-flavored beer.) Every October Denver hosts the Great American Beer Festival, dubbed the largest of its kind, and celebrating its 35^th anniversary this year. It’s already sold out!

Meanwhile, over in Denver’s Lowry neighborhood, the folks at Wings Over the Rockies have produced their own beer bash. And they know how to throw a party! Since it’s for a good cause there’s no excuse for beer lovers from all over town to not drop by to savor some of the Mile High City’s best suds.

As part of this year’s 4^th annual Hops at the Hangar fundraising event, Saturday, August 12, the Wings museum featured 32 beer brewers and four food trucks to entertain aviation enthusiasts and beer lovers across the metro region. Besides the iconic aircraft — F-111 Aardvark, A-7 Corsair II in the hangar– classic cars of decades past like the Mustang, Corvette and Thunderbird were featured in the reception area or party zone. Food trucks and stations were available from Summit Tacos, Pacy’s Food Truck, and Rocky Mountain Slices.

Wings Over the Rockies Director of Sales & Corporate Events Keisha Makonese presided over the informal beer bash featuring the ‘90s cover band The Junior Varsity 3 and more than 30 beer brewer stations and eateries. A crowd of more than 800 sampled beers and waited patiently for their pizza slices, custom gourmet sandwiches and specialty tacos.

The annual event benefits Wings’ educational programs, events, and year-round activities for children and families recognizing aviation heroes, technology, and history.

The Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum is located on the former Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado. The museum preserves the history of Lowry AFB’s operations from 1938 to 1994 in its collections, archives, and research library. For more information on future events, to become a member or ticket prices please visit wingsmuseum.org or call 303-360-5360 or email: info@WingsMuseum.org