A very branded brew
Fossil Brewing wants The 719 Pils to be The Beer of Colorado Springs; I lose my shit over AI slop with online food & drink content + news briefs and upcoming events
“What’s the significance of the number 719?” I ask Fossil Craft Beer Brewer/Owner Josh Mater and his recently hired Sales and Branding Consultant Travis Flett.
We’ve just sat down to begin an interview in their taproom about their freshly branded 719 Pils beer and I let the awkward, pregnant pause build into truly uncomfortable territory, watching the guys squirm as they try to deduce if I’m actually that thick. (I’m a decent actor when it comes to deadpan.)
“Um, it’s our zip co…” Josh sheepishly begins to say as I jump in to cut him off: “Guys, I’m fucking with you.”
They give a hearty and relieved laugh, and now you know how I like to ice-break my interviewees and set a relaxed tone for conversation. (Dad jokes also work.)
Ahem. Now back to the story: Mater bought the brewery from another guy named Josh 10 years ago, after it had only been open a little over a year. He came from a brewing gig at Houston, Texas’ respected Saint Arnold Brewing Company. And he’s largely been a one-man show in the brewhouse since that time, earning a solid reputation locally for his beers, but too pinned down in the day-to-day to grow the company beyond its taproom and a couple wholesale accounts (503W and Pub Dog Colorado).
Enter Flett, whose distinguished beer career included a long stint at the early-years New Belgium, time with powerhouse Firestone Walker and work with Goat Patch locally. (He’s interesting enough that we did a whole podcast episode with him talking shop about the brew industry.)
Coming on the heels of hiring a couple brewers to assist on the beermaking, Mater says he’s brought in Flett to help take Fossil to the next level. “I’ve reached this point where I want to give it a go,” he says. “We’ve always been a local neighborhood spot, and we’ll keep that… I was too overwhelmed to do what Travis does, and everything has aligned at the right time.”
The timing was due to Flett herniating two disks in his back, ending a very physical delivery job he’d started in recent months with his van that he’d been living out of for the past couple years while on the professional disc golf circuit. (Watch the aforementioned podcast; it will all make sense.)
“Fossil is one of my watering holes, and I was in here one night and said to Josh ‘well, it looks like I’m coming back into the beer business.’ After I told him the story he said ‘you want to come work for me?’ That’s the crazy thing about timing. Two months later I signed on. This is the first summer in 20 years I’m not out playing disc golf.”
And now that Flett’s refocused on the beer biz, he’s extremely excited about The 719 Pils and its potential. (I say this having known his general demeanor over many years now.) He sees The 719 Pils like a calling card as powerful as one of Colorado’s most famed brews ever: “People used to come up to me and say ‘oh, you work for Fat Tire,’ — I’d say ‘no, I work for New Belgium.’ That’s when you know a brand is so strong that it’s become synonymous with a company,” he says.
He also tells a story about Firestone Walker’s iconic 805 blond ale, a beer with a brand that’s become so sticky in the marketplace that it’s entrenched in a surfer lifestyle. (Back to my opening joke, you’ve probably guessed the number refers to a Central Coast California zip code.) When he took a job out there, he says he was initially “shocked by the strength of the brand. It targeted the adventurous, like motorcyclists, surfers and athletes. It captured whole demographics. It blew my mind.”
Of course branding alone and counting on consumers to identify with a trio of numbers does not a great beer make. It must be approachable and satisfying and appeal to a broad subset of craft beer drinkers. Simply put, it has to be a damn good pilsner at day’s end. Not necessarily in the checks-every-box-at-the-GABF-judge’s-table kind of way.
More so in the you-drink-a-pint-and-you’re-happy-and-you-want-another-and-you-come-back-and-do-it-again-and-you-tell-a-friend-and-sip-blather-repeat kind of way. (I was once buying dog food and a sales rep at the pet shop told me his brand had a great “call to the kibble.” I laughed, but never forgot the phrase, and always wanted to use it in a writeup, so here we are. Point: The 719 Pils has to have a great call to the kibble.)
Mater explains that for his take on an Italian Pilsner, The 719 is “hoppy in a flavorful kinda way” and not a bitter way like Czech pilsners are. He uses a similar grain bill and the same yeast, but says “it comes down to how you hop and what hops you use.” He mixes old world and new world varieties and pays homage to a couple breweries who make great modern pilsners: Cerebral and Westbound & Down, the latter of which did win a Gold at the 2025 Great American Beer Festival for its Westbound Italian Pils.
Fossil’s utilizing the same hops. And Mater’s been making and refining the recipe that’s become The 719 dating back to 2021. He’s brought an Italian-style pilsner on and off the menu at least a couple times a year, inadvertently testing it for its capabilities to become a year-round flagship brew. It’s crisp, light, a little floral and totally sessionable.
The 719 Pils fits perfectly into Fossil’s portfolio. When I ask Mater to describe his and the brewery’s style, he says “we’re a patio beer place — all our stuff is clean and bright.”
Flett chimes in to say “we have a beer for everyone,” and I mockingly shoot him a look for sounding like a TGI McFunsters huckster trying to sell a catch-all menu for every picky eater in the family. But, in his defense, it’s true. Fossil operates on a 7-barrel system and there’s 16 beers on tap at a given time, plus a kombucha and a seltzer.
The guys place a tasting paddle in front of me and I sip through a seasonal strawberry cream ale, West Coast IPA, lemongrass-strawberry summer saison and the Red Rock Amber Ale. Everything’s exceedingly on-point. (FWIW: Fossil is the local favorite brewery of one of the most beer knowledgable people I know.)
I commend the elegant fruitiness in the saison and Mater acts demure by saying “the yeast does all the work.” By contrast, the strawberry cream ale tastes berry-strong (not trying to pun there), with 150 pounds of strawberries in the batch and a sweet edge from corn in the mash. Mater emphasizes he doesn’t like to brew with extracts and prefers real fruit. We talk through his preferred style of the West Coast beer, which he likens to the mid ’90s era, aiming for less maltiness and a drier finish.
We wind back around to New Belgium because Fossil’s Red Rock Amber ale is something Mater modeled after the original Fat Tire recipe — he brewed it in competition with the renowned Colorado brewery during his time in Texas. But he’s altered it slightly since to lighten it up and again finish drier; he also subbed in domestic hops in place of German.
Flett, who spent the better part of two decades with New Belgium, is floored by it, swearing that it’s the closest thing to the OG Fat Tire he’s ever had. (Today’s Fat Tire is a far cry from what I remember drinking way back in college when I got to Colorado in the late ’90s.) Mater accepts the compliment.
Then, before I go, Flett tries to sell me on the new tagline that he’s come up with for Fossil, saying it encapsulates all that they are about, from dog-friendliness to their running and biking club and nonprofit giveback nights.
Mind you Fossil’s old motto is “Unearthing remarkable beer.”
He wants to make that “Unearthing world-class beers through community engagement.”
I tell him it’s overly wordy for my tastes. But what do I know. Hell, I didn’t even know the significance of 719. (Insert my deadpan face here.)
Opinion: People are eating up AI slop with online food & drink content and I’m calling bullshit
In my briefs section last week I wrote a blurb about Allusion Speakeasy’s announcement that it would no longer use AI for its marketing content due to a particularly poignant backlash it recently experienced.
Surely you’re noticing regular comments online that people are posting in response to just about any image that’s AI generated that they come across. Restaurants and bars should take heed, because these folks are swearing they’ll never patronize these places, with some saying they’ll encourage their friends not to. The fuss they create online (à la Allusion’s experience) can be damaging enough that it’s not worth the risk of using AI to post a menu, announce a special, etc.
Relatedly, people are in meltdown mode over the construction of data centers in their communities. Look no further than Project Taurus here.
And yet, because we are contradictory creatures, most people are using AI daily, even if it’s just through a basic Google search if not a convo with Claude or something. They like the convenience, but not the backend of what it takes to utilize the service.
I’ve paid attention to the fact that many people are also seemingly happy to consume AI Slop (poorly not-human-written, wannabe articles) in place of real journalism. I notice nonsensically chosen lists which get lots of likes and shares. (Not everything is a “hidden gem” people, especially shit located right on main streets.)
Why are we effectively upvoting this garbage so it continues to populate our feeds and encourage the offending content creators to create more of it? (Ostensibly for payouts from Meta.)
Allow me to unpack a recent example: This article titled 13 Must-Visit Restaurants In Colorado Springs Flying Under The Radar In 2026. (I am loathe to share it for distaste of giving it more traffic, but I want you to see it for what it is… er um, isn’t.)
It’s “written” (my quotes for emphasis) by a company named ever after in the woods, based out of Sheridan, Wyoming. Their “team” of more than 50 writers appears to be a list of AI-generated pseudonyms with ephemeral bios like “Gabriel dives into the heart of food and travel, highlighting the flavors that tell a story. His writing captures the spirit of discovery in every journey.” (In case you didn’t know: human writers have proof of life in their bios and evidence of their existence scattered across the internet via MuckRack pages, social media profiles, etc.)
Where the post has most of its traffic is on Explore Colorado’s Facebook page, which follows nobody but has 115k followers. The “media/news company” produces slop content almost hourly, yet has no website, and articles link back out to ever after in the woods and its stable of faux writers. It’s almost like a shadow site, and nobody seems to care. (Where is the righteous rage from the people who can’t even stomach a simple AI-generated advertisement from a real business?)
So back to this post in question. Nothing explains what makes these 13 chosen spots “under the radar” — which is clearly just another overused AI phrase that sounds punchy and means nothing.
Do you believe this opening line is written by a human?: “The best meals are often hiding in plain sight, served without fanfare to people who already know exactly where to go.”
Is nobody other than me infuriated by the fact that the #10 pick is for Taste of Jerusalem Cafe at 15 E. Bijou St., a place that hasn’t been open since late 2023 when it a fire put it out of business? It’s so “under the radar” it’s not actually open! (Seriously, fuck off with this non-edited, non-fact-checked AI slop you clown asses.)
Yes, Taste of Jerusalem briefly pivoted to operate Gyro Express out of Avenue 19, but that’s no longer operating either. I text owner Abdul Nasser to ask if he’s cooking anything at all, anywhere right now, just in case I missed something, and he confirms that he doesn’t “have anything going on in town.” (I didn’t even mention that the photo under Taste of Jerusalem’s blurb is credited to Heart of Jerusalem Cafe … a whole other business with similar words. Way to go clanker — you suck!)
I am curious how the AI was prompted to generate this list, because some spots on it are genuinely great, though in no way “under the radar.” Shah Kabob House is the shit, as I’ve recently detailed here in relation to offshoot Skewer & Slice’s opening. My favorite line in the AI blurb: “Shah Kabob House… has been building a quiet reputation among Colorado Springs residents who know that finding genuinely good kabob in a landlocked American city is not something to take lightly.” (Landlocked? WTF? Does the AI think a kabob is seafood? Idiot.)
The Chuckwagon 719, a former Side Dish Dozen member, is rightfully legend, as well. I can’t fault them for sharing a link to this article on their Facebook page because to businesses the “all press is good press” motto generally rings true. It looks good for them, even if the article source is a hot barrel of festering simian poop that no amount of smoking could improve. (I think my blood pressure has elevated as I’m writing this.)
I notice current Side Dish Dozen member Stellina Pizza Cafe also share the link, as they’re #3 on the list. At least they actually are kinda “under the radar” as they are situated in a residential neighborhood and an island unto themselves.
I call my contact at parent company Blue Star Group, who’s a good friend and damn smart business person, and ask her why she shared the slop. We discuss my aforementioned “all press is good press” factor and talk shop for a while (read: I groan like a little bitch and she graciously allows me to vent). After a while, she tells me something that surprises me, that I hadn’t thought about.
She says many months ago she made sure all the language on their website was sharp and up-to-date so that when AI bots crawl it and extract the info for whatever word salad they end up producing it will at least be accurate. She counts on this happening more and more and was ready for it.
So, let that be a potential concluding lesson for you other business people out there: get your digital house in order because you will have company. Maybe don’t use AI for marketing, as Allusion has resolved, but “use” it (again, my quotes for emphasis) to your advantage when it comes to passive messaging through highly questionable “media” sources.
These people are not real journalists; these lists are BS clickbait; and AI slop is making the experience of being online increasingly distasteful. Be discerning and reward real content with the likes and shares that the lazy bot taskmasters don’t deserve. Eat real food, not highly processed garbage.
Bites & Bits
• The Denver Gazette reported on the high number of heat-related illnesses, including seven hospitalizations, that occurred over the weekend at the Tacos & Tequila Festival. The national traveling event spotlights “throwback hip-hop and R&B.” There’s a certain irony to the festival having been held at UCHealth Park. And the optics aren’t great either on the farewell message written on the festival’s Colorado Springs page; it reads: “If you were there, you felt it. If you missed it, you definitely heard about it.”
• Between the Sips, the tearoom and romance bookshop that I told you about back in June, here, announced that it will be opening its doors on Aug. 22.
• Doki Doki Food Truck announced it will be closing after service on Aug. 22. The business cites a “hectic” family schedule and says it may “attempt lunch service after taking a break of undetermined length.”
• KOAA reported that Solid Rock Community Development Center’s Aquapod Farm needs more than 10 new volunteers “to grow fresh greens for Harrison School District 2 schools and local food centers” that include Food to Power and United Way Pikes Peak’s Family Success Center. An Aquapod manager quoted in the writeup notes the aquaponic facility can grow 700 heads of lettuce weekly. “Volunteers ages 10 and older can help with tasks including seeding, transplanting and harvesting” and no experience is needed.
• Axios Colorado Springs reported last week that “More than one in 10 residents in El Paso County struggle to consistently access enough food.” Axios was citing Feeding America’s annual Map the Meal Gap report (with 2024 data, the latest available). The writeup notes 791,000 people statewide went without access to adequate food and it would cost $570.5 million to address the problem. As well, “47% of food-insecure residents in El Paso County earn too much to qualify for SNAP benefits based on income, highlighting the role food banks play for families outside the federal safety net.” (For a deeper dive on SNAP’s fate, as seen through the lens of a current conundrum in Arizona, read this poignant New York Times article published July 20: “Faced With Piles of New Paperwork, People Are Losing Food Stamps.”)
• Otis’s BBQ posted on Facebook to say it passed its health inspection and should open soon at new location 935 Manitou Ave.
• The Manitou Springs Arcade launched new Snack Bar service with a ribbon cutting over the weekend. The menu includes fresh-squeezed lemonade or limeade, smoothies, panini sandwiches and “the creamiest soft serve ice cream.”
• Monse's Pupuseria recently posted to warn other businesses to stay vigilant regarding building vandalism. They advise checking rooftops, monitoring cameras and jointly keeping an eye out for others in the community. They claim that in the past year, “multiple incidents” between their locations have resulted in upwards of $80,000 in damages to air conditioners, equipment and electrical systems.
• According to a not-too-long-ago post by celebrity food personality Andrew Zimmern, restaurant influencers are losing their power: “Advertising isn’t journalism. There’s nothing wrong with sponsored content. The problem starts when paid promotion is presented as independent recommendation. Transparency shouldn’t be optional when trust is the product… Trust is becoming more valuable than reach.” (Insight: This is why I have a button for my Side Dish Dozen on this site and disclose my sponsorship support.)
Side Dish Dozen happenings
Gold Star Bakery: Enjoy fresh bakes from Gold Star Bakery through August’s end. Pie Flavors: Summer Peach, Tart Cherry, Key Lime, Dutch Apple and Bourbon Pecan. Plus cookies, brownies and bars! Visit us at Ivywild for a sweet treat or order ahead.
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar: In honor of Colorado’s 150th Anniversary we’re hosting Colorado Month, featuring a special Colorado-sourced dish all month long: Alamosa Striped Bass with Munson Farm Corn & Rocky Mountain Fresh Tomatoes.
Goat Patch Brewing: Soapdish performs for our Summer Music Series from 5-8 p.m., Aug. 16 at Lincoln Center. And from 2-5 p.m. that day, catch a show by Annette & Doug Conlon in Monument. Paint & Sip with Stone Meets Clay at Northgate: noon to 2 p.m., Aug. 15.
Allusion Speakeasy: Dig the awesome food menu at our downtown location for our current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme, with dishes like artisan flatbread with guanciale, anchovy and pineapple hot honey; and the 50 Shades of Green pineapple upside down cake with pandan “ooze” and mint chantilly cream.
Kangaroo Coffee: Music on the Patio is back again this Sunday. Join us from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at our Hillside Coffee House for a relaxing morning filled with great music, good vibes and even better beverages! We’re excited to welcome Saxel to the patio for a live performance. Grab your friends and enjoy the sunshine and tunes.
Evergreen Restaurant: Join us for lunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays-Saturdays, and brunch during those same hours on Sundays. We serve dinner from 5-9 p.m., Tuesdays-Sundays. Come for espresso drinks, our viral mousse cakes and Eastern European-inspired flavors on our eclectic cafe menu.
Hoppenings of the week
Beer Events
The Odell Experience Colorado Springs Pub Crawl at Pub Dog. 3 p.m., Aug. 14. Bring your pup and enjoy $1 off all Odell drafts, swag giveaways and more.
Brewster Palooza at Whistle Pig Brewing. 2 p.m., Aug. 15. A music and smash burger festival benefiting the Colorectal Cancer Alliance.
Movie Sunday at Dueces Wild Brewery. Noon, Aug. 16. Weekly movie screenings.
Beer Releases
Czech Pilsner at Red Leg Brewing. A perfect balance of malt sweetness and hoppy bitterness.
Oktoberfest Lager at Goat Patch Brewing Co. Malty, bready, biscuity, and smooth with low bitterness.
Pit Stop Shandy – Orange Tang at Mash Mechanix. A citrusy and refreshing shandy made with orange zest, OJ and a touch of Tang.
For full listings of events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.
Use promo code SIDEDISH for $5 off a ticket
Upcoming events
Aug. 15: Small Brew Saturday at Local Relic. Noon to 4 p.m. Beer releases and a special menu of small bites.
Aug. 15: Pasta in the Park. 6 p.m. $120 benefits TESSA. (I’ll be co-judging.)
Aug. 16: 8th annual Smokin’ the Ute Pass Summit at Paradox Beer Company. Noon to 2 p.m. $15-$35 includes tastings and a drink ticket.
Aug. 17: The Cocktails After Dusk 2-Year Anniversary & Industry Olympics. 6-10 p.m. Step into a chill, glowing neon tiki jungle for a high-octane night of fast-paced competition, festival vibes and community love. A portion of proceeds benefit the Rocky Mountain Field Institute.
Aug. 18: KRCC Live: Michelin in the Springs with Side Dish at Ivywild School. 6:30 p.m. A live recording with special guests to discuss the Michelin Guide’s potential impact on C. Springs’s culinary scene ahead of statewide award announcements later in the fall. $25 tickets include small bites; drinks available for purchase. Use promo code SIDEDISH for $5 off a ticket.
Aug. 21-22: 2nd Annual Polaris Pour - Bourbon at the Gate at Hotel Polaris. Bourbon and cocktail seminars, culinary pairings, grand tasting and much more.
Aug. 23: 4th annual 719 Battle of the Food Trucks outside Norris Penrose Event Center. Featuring samples from 45 area trucks. 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Beer Garden, live music and more.
Aug. 27: Tails, Tunes & Tastes at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. 6-9:30 p.m. $64.75 tickets include two drinks and unlimited food samples. (Event repeats Sept. 24.)
Aug. 30: Goat Patch Sip with Schnip in Monument for John Denver Day. Noon to 9 p.m. Food trucks, maker market, kids activities and live music from 2-5 p.m. (David Chapa) and 6-9 p.m. (Cowboy Brad and the Tropicowboys playing John Denver favorites). Special Schnip’s Garden Goodies infused peach kettle sour firkin release.
Parting shot(s)
Weenies & ‘tinis is upon us again!
This year’s hotdog and cocktail pairing tour through downtown runs Aug. 14-30. Downtown Colorado Springs’ Kelsee Swenn and I have already been out to document some of the pairings.
We kicked off at The Brit Pub last week, where Chef Phil Griffin showed off his English-style duck and foie gras brat with Sauternes-onion marmalade, pickled cherries, English mustard aioli and brandy-apple ketchup on a broiche bun. (Wow!)
To drink: The Botanist Islay dry gin, dry vermouth, maraschino liquor and orange bitters. Garnished with a Luxardo cherry and orange peel.
Download your free pass now so you’re ready to hit the streets this weekend.