Enjoy the sounds of great music paired with great craft beer

By Steve Graham

Editor’s Note: Thirst Colorado is republishing a few stories that will help keep you entertained as we continue to move forward.

Here’s a little reminder as to why we’ve all ended up in the great state of Colorado. We curated a Colorado craft beer mixtape (listen to it on Google Play here) that will keep you entertained while you enjoy a beautiful summer day.

1. S.O.B. by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
We have to start our mixtape with one of the biggest and greatest hits to come out of Colorado this decade. It’s all about a long session of drinking, so we recommend pairing it with the easy-sipping Odell Loose Leaf Session Ale.

2. Ruby Soho by Rancid
Turn it up a notch with a ska-punk classic and the namesake of the refreshing, tart and creatively spelled Rue B. Soho Grapefruit Lager from Durango’s Ska Brewing.

3. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
Did I say classic? Now here’s a serious classic. Such a classic that a lyric within the song inspires an instantly recognizable beer name. The Tramps Like Us East Coast IPA is an appropriate homage to New Jersey’s favorite son at Intersect Brewing. Get a crowler to go, or enjoy one at the bar with owner Will so he can show you his photo snapped with The Boss.

4. Impossible Germany by Wilco
Soak up this obtuse dad-rock masterpiece while you consider how Prost managed the impossible: A German beer perfectly executed 5,000 miles from Berlin. The Weissbier is both a gold and silver medal winner at the Great American Beer Fest, and a citrusy traditional wheat beer.

5. Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash
Here’s another namesake classic for a full-on Colorado beer. Phantom Canyon Brewery in Colorado Springs makes its Ring of Fire green chile ale with a bushel of Pueblo-grown chiles in each batch. You’ll fall for it like a child, but if you have sensitive tastebuds, the fire might go wild.

6. Colorado Girl by Townes Van Zandt
This is my favorite song about this state. As a transplant, I lucked out and married a rare Colorado native. I’ve got a soft spot for any homage to Centennial State girls and any beer dedicated to Colorado girls, like the skier on the label for This Season’s Blonde from Aspen Brewing Company.

7. The Latest and Greatest Blueberry Rubberband by SHEL
Speaking of Colorado girls, four Fort Collins sisters comprise SHEL, and they would be massive stars in a just world. Not all their tracks are as bubbly and poppy as this track, but it would pair perfectly with the High Hops Blueberry Wheat.

8. Bicycle Race by Queen
This silly but wonderful Queen track serves double duty. It’s a great way to prepare for the upcoming Freddy Mercury biopic. Also, I almost always get this song in my head at some point during a road bike ride. And at some point in each ride, I also start thirsting for a Roadie Grapefruit Radler from Great Divide Brewing. This hazy sessionable ale is the perfect recovery drink (but then again, I could say the same thing about almost any beer).

9. Dazed and Confused by Led ZeppelinIt’s never been clear to me whether Boulder Beer Co. named their Hazed and Infused brew as a play on the movie “Dazed and Confused” or the famed Led Zeppelin track. As a fan of both, I like to think it’s a mix of the two. Either way, even though the beer’s name has officially been shortened to its nickname of Hazed Hoppy Session Ale, the soundtrack is still perfect.

10. Rocky Mountain High by John Denver
Finally, we close out the mixtape with a pair of Colorado classics. Who hasn’t been backpacking across the state humming this unofficial anthem and carrying some Dale’s Pale Ale, the groundbreaking canned hop bomb that also became the unofficial beer of Colorado’s backcountry.