Finding the perfect Father’s Day gift is just like pairing the right beer or wine with a meal. The key is finding the complementary style. If your dad is a beer lover, then local craft beer makes a perfect gift. And Phantom Canyon Brewing Company’s head brewer, Brian Koch (pronounced Cook), has put together a beer guide to match your dad’s style with just the right beer.
When it comes to beer, Koch knows his styles. As a certified cicerone and beer judge, licensed by the Beer Judge Certification Program, he’s an expert at pairing flavors and evaluating the nuances of beer styles. And since coming to Phantom Canyon last year, he has emphasized a data-driven focus on details to ensure consistent quality and tweak or create new styles. “I would say I am a nerd. I’m focused on the science side of it,” he says when we ask about his brewing philosophy.
Koch is also a father of two daughters. (His Father’s Day plans center on taking one of them to the Post Malone and Jellyroll concert at Empower Field at Mile High.) So he understands that every dad has his thing, his style, that brings him joy and keeps him being, well, him. So Koch put together a brewer- and dad-approved guide to matching just the right beer styles with classic Father’s Day activities and meals. We talked with him to gather some details, so we can all raise a tall cold one to Dad with just the right beer from Phantom Canyon and beyond.
The Official Phantom Canyon Father’s Day Guide to Dads and Beer
The Yard Work Warrior
Bold citrus and pine notes meet a savory bite, rewarding a full afternoon of mowing and trimming.
- Beer: West Coast IPA
- Food: Spicy bratwurst with grilled onions
- Phantom Canyon Pick: Equip Pintglasses — “The recipe was written by my assistant brewer, Andy; it’s kind of a passion project for him,” Koch says. “It has citrusy and piney hops. There’s a little bit of bitterness there, and there’s a little bit of alcohol as well. Its about 7%,ABV (alcohol by volume), so it’s a little bit higher octane than a lot of the other beers that we have on tap right now. And it works really well with food.”
The Fisherman
A combination that keeps one hand on the rod and the other wrapped around something salty, satisfying and easy to sip.
- Beer: American light lager or Mexican lager in a can
- Food: Jerky or a cold cut sandwich wrapped in foil
- Beyond Phantom Pick: Cerberus Brewing ’s The Drake High End Lager — “Probably my favorite beer is The Drake, just because I used to work at Cerberus, and it was the beer that we drank when we were done brewing every day,” Koch says. “It’s just a fantastic beer. It’s super easy and fits in that fishing trip or going on a hike category.”
The Grill Master
A malt-forward beer with a toasty edge that stands up to char, smoke and a hot grill.
- Beer: Amber lager
- Food: Ribeye steak or barbecue ribs
- Phantom Canyon Pick: “We have an amber lager on tap right now called El Borracho Feliz,” Koch says. “It’s actually a Mexican dark lager, so if you think of Negra Modelo or a beer kind of in that range. It has a little bit of color to it, but is still light and approachable and works really well with food — especially if you’re pairing it with anything that’s grilled because some of the malts in it are kilned. It’s a similar process to roasting or grilling something like ribs or chicken in the backyard.”
The Garage Guy
Dark and roasty with enough complexity to make a solo break in the garage feel like a well-deserved escape.
- Beer: Porter
- Food: Salted peanuts or leftover pizza
The Sports Enthusiast
A juicy, flavorful pairing built for four quarters and a full plate of snacks.
- Beer: Hazy IPA
- Food: Buffalo wings or nachos
The Soccer Dad
A balanced and sessionable option (meaning easy to drink, lower in alcohol and great for sipping over time) that lets you cheer from the sidelines without missing a beat.
- Beer: Pale ale in a discreet vessel
- Food: Orange slices that may or may not be shared with the team
The Hiker
A crisp and clean classic that refreshes without weighing you down. Perfect for celebrating at the summit.
- Beer: Kölsch in a can
- Food: Trail mix or a peanut butter and banana sandwich
- Phantom Canyon Pick: 1871 Kölsch — “It’s a nod to the year Colorado Springs was founded, and Kölsch was also being developed in Cologne, Germany, right about that same time period,” Koch says. “It’s really light, really easy. We could serve it to you in a crowler, which might be a little heavy for climbing a mountain or going up the Incline. But it’s definitely something to drink after your hike when you’re back down in town.”
- Beyond Phantom Pick: Urban Animal Leviosa Kölsch — “I really love the Kölsch at Urban Animal. That’s a fantastic Kölsch,” Koch says.
So what type of dad guy is Koch? “My wife would say not the Yard Work Warrior. I don’t do a whole bunch of yard work,” Koch says. “So I’m probably the Grill Master or the Fisherman. My big hobby besides hanging out with my family and brewing is fishing. If I’m not at the brewery or camping and hiking with my family, I’m probably on the Arkansas fishing.”
More New Brews on the Horizon at Phantom Canyon
One of the beauties of craft beer is its varied styles and changing flavors. Here’s what Koch says we can look forward to on the horizon at Phantom Canyon (one of our Best Breweries in Colorado Springs).
An Updated Dos Lunes Mexican Lager
The Phantom flagship is light and easy-drinking and Koch says it’s the most popular brew in the Phantom pool hall. “I’ve been trying to make it a little bit more clean and crisp and easier to drink in quantity,” he says.
A New Two-Headed Zombie Dog
Remember Phantom’s old-school classic Double IPA, the Two-Headed Dog? “We’re calling this one the Two-Headed Zombie Dog because it’s being resurrected,” Koch says. “I looked at all the old recipes that the brewers used years ago and updated it with our current ingredients — so some newer hops, a little bit different grain but with the same spirit as that original beer: piney, resinous in the aroma but firmly bitter and pretty high alcohol.” The Zombie Dog releases in time for Father’s Day and will be on tap for …
House Party Beer Fest 2025
Phantom Canyon is hosting its annual collaborative House Party Brew Fest on June 21. “It’s ’90 themed, so we’re going to have a DJ playing ’90s music and costume competitions,” Koch says. “Right now we have 11 breweries including us that will be set up on on the pool tables on the second floor.” That includes all the downtown breweries — Brass Brewing, Mash Mechanix, Urban Animal — plus other Colorado breweries, such as Wynkoop, Station 26 and Evergreen Brewing. For $30, you can sample as much beer as you want; the $40 VIP ticket gets you food and early access for an additional hour.
Check out the current tap list and get more details at phantomcanyon.com.
