today was about two things

Drinkin' and drinkin'.  And we met our goals.

We thought about taking the narrow gauge, but decided instead to hang around town and explore the two breweries we had not previously visited.  Good decision.

After a delicious breakfast at the Durango Diner, we did a bit of shopping (okay, I did a bit of shopping) and covered the lower west and east sides of main street.  I love this sculpture.

Around noon, we decide that we needed to go to Ska brewing before embarking on the rest of the day.  Mainly because it requires one to get in the car and drive.

Ska was as it always is, delicious.  And Joe and I both had beers we'd never checked in to Untappd, AND we both found swag we liked.  Good day.

We got back to town and went in search of Animas Brewing.  I wish I could say it was worth it, but it seems like it just hasn't come of age.  I'm hoping that when we make it back here next year that it has refined the character of the beers, and brought some game to the table.  The location is lovely, the tasting room totally befitting a laid back brewery setting, their service was great.  But their beer just wasn't that good.  Yeah, I'm a beer snob, but...it just wasn't on par with what I come to expect from Colorado breweries.

We left there and took a major detour...to the Spoiled Doves Distillery.  Here, the locally distilled vodka ruled!  Joe had a version of a moscow mule and I had a blood mary...a really good bloody mary!  They had a mercantile full of swag...I really loved this sign:

Next we headed to the Brew Pub and Kitchen.  My goodness what a great brewery and restaurant.  So good...like, damn good!  What I like about this brewery is that they never brew the same beer twice - hence the black sheep on their logo.  They are the black sheep of the Durango breweries and don't follow any rules...I really love that.  After trying all the beers on tap, we learned that they had bottled a recent barley wine...so we bought two bottles.  I'll be drinking on and cellaring the other.

We capped off the day at the Derailed Saloon (the Pour House).  The beer selection was adequate, but the dueling piano talent was terrible.  Terrible!  Shitty, in fact!  OMG it was horrible.  Horrible.  So horrible it's funny.  But not really.  Did I tell you it was horrible?  I thought so.

Tomorrow we head to Flagstaff for two days.  Beer and the Grand Canyon await!