New Belgium Brewing Co. is the largest and most recognizable brewery in Fort Collins. Their beers are sold all over the country, and although there is an ongoing (and fierce) debate about which brewery in Fort Collins is the best, there is no debating that New Belgium is the largest.
There’s also no debating that the brewing company has done quite a bit to put Fort Collins on the map. They sponsor the Tour de Fat costumed bike parade in late August which originated in Fort Collins and has since spread to dozens of cities and towns across the US. New Belgium has made bikes an essential part of their brand identity as well. Fat Tire Ale, one of the brewery’s most popular beers, features a cruiser bicycle on the label; an iconic image that the company decided to make its main logo in 2006.
New Belgium hasn’t just used the image of the bike in order to sell beer, however. They have also taken it upon themselves to promote bike riding as a means of sustainable transportation through Tour de Fat and other events, including a series of ‘bike-in movies’ that the company hosts in the fall. These events feature hundreds of bicyclists who ride to an outdoor theater connected to the brewery to enjoy a classic movie and some frosty brews.
It’s a pretty cool experience and a great way to make some new friends while helping to raise the profile of biking in Fort Collins. As an added bonus, the proceeds of the film showings (admission is $2) go to support Bike Fort Collins, a local non-profit that supports bicycling awareness and safe biking practices in the Fort Collins area.
The movies shown last year (2012) included an eclectic mix of comedies, dramas and cult favorites. While the lineup for this year hasn’t been announced yet, you can be sure that it will be coming out soon. Best bet would be to stay tuned to the official New Belgium Brewing twitter for more details.