Mixology: The Goosetown Tavern, Denver, CO2

by Annarose

A column which highlights some of SG’s fave watering holes and the house specialities served up in them. This week we pull up a stool at Denver’s Goosetown Tavern…

From the outside, The Goosetown Tavern looks like a typical old-fashioned sports bar with nothing more to offer then cold beer and bar nuts. Not the case. It’s actually a late night hot spot for music lovers, drinkers, and minglers. It’s dimly lit and decorated with dark wood and brick walls. On display behind the bar, black & white photographs of classy ladies making far-from-standard faces add a certain je ne sais quoi. Apparently the artwork around the tavern rotates every so often, adding to the captivating aura of the bar.

Goosetown Tavern is located on the corner of Colfax and Filmore in Denver, Colorado, which conveniently puts it directly across the street from the Bluebird Theater. The Bluebird is Denver’s premier concert venue, showcasing all of the latest contemporary rock bands. Goosetown Tavern therefore thrives when bands are in town, supplying rocker chicks, artistic fellas, and regulars with awesome happy hour deals. If talking at the bar isn’t your thing, there’s a jukebox so you can jive to some of your favorite tunes. There is a back room that has two pool tables, video games, a classic and a pinball machine. The entertainment continues in the bathrooms, where there are chalkboards in the stalls in case you’re there long enough to get bored!

Barb, the bartender, made me a Tina Louise while I was hanging out checking out this new find of mine. I asked her to make me something delicious and she went to work mixing and shaking. When I asked why she thought I’d like the Tina Louise she simply stated that I would because it was everyone’s favorite, no doubt about it. Barb explained to me that someone found tin mugs at a garage sale and learned that they were used to serve ginger beer in. The owner of Goosetown Tavern thought they were cool mugs, but since they didn’t carry ginger beer, the bartenders came up with a custom drink that would go well in them. The Tina Louise is Goosetown Tavern’s own unique spin on ginger beer. It’s a nice, easy cocktail to drink while listening to some music and scoping out the bar scene. The vodka is masked by the ginger ale, and while there is a touch of Tabasco in it, it isn’t a spicy drink at all. It’s a simple one to make too, if you feel like experimenting:

The Goosetown Tavern’s Tina Louise

Mound the glass (preferably a tin mug) with ice
1 1/4 ounce of ginger-infused Vodka
1 teaspoon of sugar
Splash of tabasco
Fill with ginger Ale
Garnish with a lemon wedge

Enjoy!