Every Thursday Golden City Brewery unveils a small, stainless-steel barrel on its front counter. The barrel, called a firkin, holds just over 10 gallons of beer, and the brewers use it to try out new recipes. An even better incentive to try the quirky beers: Pints go for just $2.50. Recent flavors include an English Mild and a Vanilla Porter. For updates and previews on upcoming flavors, become a fan of Golden City on Facebook. Here, the brewery is also good about answering questions about when their upcoming seasonal beers will be released, and recently they let on that we’ll soon see an Imperial IPA that features malted oats. I’ve been up to Golden City a few times recently, and its homey backyard patio is quite popular. It’s dog-friendly (kudos to the pup who inexplicably donned goggles a few weekends ago) and baby-friendly. Also, expect to share a picnic table with amiable patrons. 920 12th St., Golden, 303-279-8092