Of course you can score beer and wine flights, but from coffee to pancakes, there are so many more options when it comes to the art of the flight in Fort Collins! Life is too short to try just one. That’s the spirit in which the beer flight was almost certainly created and, in Fort Collins — Colorado’s craft beer capital — there’s no shortage of flights to be savored! Buckle your seat belt, put your tray table up for take-off and check out this list of some of our favorite ways to Take Flight in Fort Collins.
Bacon
Over at William Oliver’s, the menu is certainly bacon-centric. And the thick hand-cut, applewood smoked meat is so good you can get it as a Pint of Bacon; five thick cut strips are served in a pint glass with a shot glass of maple syrup for dipping alongside.
Beer
It’s not surprising you can opt for a flight of beers at almost any of Fort Collins’ 20-plus breweries. Did you know you can also score a flight of beers at some of the town’s award-winning beer bars, too, like Choice City Butcher & Deli? Likewise, The Mayor of Old Town offers up 100 beers on tap; and Tap and Handle, one of Draft Magazine’s Top 100 Best Beer Bars in the Country, offers 74 rotating options that often include some uber-rare finds.
Cheese
With more than two dozen types of cheese from which to choose, it’s easy to create the perfect flight of cheese at the Welsh Rabbit Cheese Shop. Choose a Welsh Cheddar made in the beautiful Celtic countryside of Wales, a Havarti Dill for a flavored cheese, and a fresh Honey Goat Chevre to round out your flight! MouCo Cheese Company, a Fort Collins based cheese manufacturer, combines Bavarian cheese making with Colorado creativity to make their cheese. You can find their cheese at Welsh Rabbit and local farmers markets!
Chocolate
Score a flight of chocolates at one of two spots in town. Nuance Chocolate sources cacao beans from around the globe and roasts it in small batches to make its treats – rich truffles to single-origin bars. Choose from milk, single-origin dark or flavored. At Kilwins make your own flight of chocolate treats by choosing a signature turtle, a rich truffle and a silky cream. You can also make your own fudge flight by picking a few of their may fudge options, including seasonal flavors!
Cider
Scrumpy’s Cider on North College Avenue in Old Town, serves its own Summit Hard Cider with flavors including apple strudel, strawberry basil and chocolate cherry! Locust Cider on Walnut Street also serves a variety of ciders, including Honey Pear, Juicy Peach, and seasonal favorites such as Dark Maple. They also boast a completely celiac-safe menu.
Coffee
Much like the beer scene, the craft coffee scene is brewing, too. While flights aren't traditionally on the menu at coffee shops, there's nothing that says you can't make your own! Grab a friend or loved one and try a flight of coffee at Harbinger Coffee, where there are generally three to six varieties of coffee from which to choose. The beans are roasted at their south location (3581 E. Harmony Road). Or opt for a flight at Bindle Coffee, which purchases all of its coffee from direct trade relationships and roasts it in house for the best flavor. Nosh on an organic pastry while you’re at it.
Cupcakes
At The Cakery, there's a slew of cupcakes from which to choose from. Gather friends and order a half-dozen cupcakes and sit down for your own flight. Flavors rotate regularly and are posted on The Cakery's Facebook page.
Pancakes
Over at Urban Egg Eatery, you can choose three different types of pancakes for your flight, including options like Hawaiian (with pineapple, toasted coconut and vanilla cream anglaise) or the Strawberry Cheesecake (cheesecake chunks, strawberry compote and whipped cream). Snooze an A.M. Eatery also offers a three-pancake flight. Just be sure you include the Pineapple Upside Down Pancake with caramelized pineapple chunks, vanilla creme and cinnamon butter.
Photo by Jimena Peck
Spirits
Whiskey lovers look no further than The Whisk(e)y, a pub on south College Avenue that has six whiskeys on tap, 2,400 whiskey selections, and literally more than 1,700 bottles behind the bar. With numbers like that, the flight combinations seem almost endless. Blue Agave Grill has a rotating margarita flight, which is sure to appease tequila lovers. Social also has a seasonal whiskey flight on their menu that currently pulls three distinctive drams.
Be sure and try the Falernum Liqueur, a spicy Caribbean-influenced offering, as part of your flight at Elevation 5003 Distillery’s tasting room.
Wine
Ten Bears Winery, nestled in the foothills just north of Fort Collins, in Laporte, offers a relaxed atmosphere with a rural setting. It’s a great spot to sip on fantastic wines while sitting on the patio and enjoying the great outdoors. Ten Bears even grows their own grapes, a rarity in Northern Colorado. They're known for red wines, especially the smooth bodied Poudre River Red. Welsh Rabbit isn't only for cheese. They also have curated wine flights. If you find a wine you can't live without, bottles are available for purchase as well.
THE MORE LITERAL INTERPRETATION
Feathered Friends
To see animals that take flight up close and personal, take a tour of the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program, which rehabilitates and releases injured birds of prey, like eagles, owls, hawks and falcons. The private, behind-the-scenes tour might include the opportunity to meet an educational raptor or two. Allow at least two weeks to schedule the tour, which lasts around an hour; the maximum group size for the private tour is 6. Visit the website to see events around town featuring the raptors.
Did you know that Rocky Mountain Adventures used homing pigeons to help capture visitor’s river adventures? The birds were outfitted with special Lycra backpacks. Following some rafting trips, the birds would fly between 20 and 40 miles back to the outpost in 20 minutes — much faster than you can drive out of the Poudre Canyon. That way the film was developed and the photos ready to view when participants returned from their adventure. Stop into the Rocky Mountain Adventures headquarters to see these friendly birds!
Hot Air Balloons
If you’d rather literally take flight, sign up for a hot air balloon ride to see spectacular views of Colorado from an entirely different vantage point. Spirit of Colorado, based in Fort Collins, offers a flight over Fort Collins. At Flights of Fancy, based out of Loveland, pilot Pamela Fancy can take up to four passengers on a tour and the flight ends with a champagne toast.
Kites
Celebrate all things kites at the annual Kids in the Park Festival (previously Kites in the Park), held at Twin Silo Park in Fort Collins. This family-friendly event encourages kids of all ages to play in the park, dance to live music, enjoy snacks from local food trucks, and of course, fly kites. This event is usually held in April.
