Weenies & ‘Tinis 2026
The assonant phenomenon is back in Colorado Springs for its second year in a row.

 

In what I can only admit as being influenced by an acquaintance of mine after seeing her eat a couple of test bites in the weeks leading to the return of Weenies and ‘Tinis, I figured this event would be a fun thing to have my completionist ass attempt to get through. 10 pairings over the course of 16 days seemed doable. 

The main issue I ran into when attempting to loosely put together my plan of attack was that most places either opened after I was already at work or closed before I got out. After some creative pivoting and some very speedy closes at work, I did manage to hit all 10 places, with no time to spare. Not that you asked, but I was gonna tell you anyways. OH, and there was also that one place that I had to go to on three. separate. occasions. which resulted in precious time being wasted but ultimately was sooooo worth it. More on that later.

Anyways, without further ado, here is my ranking of the Weenies & ‘Tinis this year:

 

1. The Brit Pub

Number one belongs to the best thing I’ve eaten in years, the Duck & Foie dog from The Brit Pub. A duck and foie bratwurst, served in a brioche bun and topped with onion marmalade, apple ketchup, pickled cherries and Coleman’s aioli. Incredibly rich and savory, cut with the sweet and tartness of the multiple toppings, it was the most delicious thing I ate over these two weeks. It did take me three attempts to get it, and whether or not that had any influence on my ultimate enjoyment of it I cannot say. The Rouge Royal (Botanist Islay dry gin, dry vermouth, maraschino liquor and orange bitters) was great on its own, although maybe a tad too sweet for this pairing. Still on top, though.

 

2. Chiba Bar

The Wagyu Dog had so much going on: a Wagyu hot dog on a brioche bun, toasted with Wagyu butter, topped with a yuzu kosho aioli, crispy onions, beni shoga, black sesame and nori. It was savory, a little sweet, a little briny, and oh-so-satisfying. The Noodle Bowl had rum, coconut, pineapple, cucumber, sesame and lime, and legit tasted like a cold noodle dish distilled into a drink. Arguably the most creative pairing on this list and executed flawlessly. 

 

3. Counterfeit Cowboy

The Brown Sugar Burnt Tip dog is an all-beef hotdog topped with burnt tips, brown sugar BBQ sauce, and crispy fried onions. It was a little on the sweet side, but the crispy onions provided some nice textural contrast. Deeply satisfying and comfort-food-adjacent. The Sweet Tea Martini was a simple mix of Deep Eddy’s sweet tea vodka, black tea syrup, and lemon juice. I would have preferred something less sweet all things considered, but I also can’t think of anything else that would have gone as well for this pairing. 

 

4. Colorado Craft Social

As someone who is not a big chili fan, I left this pairing for the very last. And oh boy was I wrong. Monterey Jack cheese sauce, green chili pork bomb, roasted green chilis, and cotija cheese on a pan sobao bun, this hot dog was so. freaking good. I’d never had pan sobao before, so the crispy texture was quite surprising in all the good ways. The chili was savory and filling, and the mix of cheeses was to die for. And the ‘Tini? Breckenridge gin, jalapeño-infused dry vermouth, local grapefruit bitters, and a celery salt rim. I was equal parts terrified and impressed. And it was strong, too. The strongest one of the bunch. Damn near knocked me out of my seat.

 

5. Golden Hour

The bartender was not amused when I ordered this. I couldn’t tell if she was just tired of the promo or what her deal was, until I realized she was scurrying around trying to find the recipe card for the martini. Which would also explain why it came out looking quite rushed. In the time it took her to figure out how to make it and serve one to me, four other people ordered one. Womp womp. In theory, this was supposed to contain gin, heirloom tomato oleo, lemon, arugula oil, and a tomato-thyme rim. It had sounded like the most unique of the ‘Tinis on this list. In practice, it was sweeter than I anticipated but an ok drink. The Little Dipper was a beef hot dog on an Italian hoagie roll, cream cheese, Provolone, Swiss, French Onion jus for dipping, and a side of chips. The weenie itself was very good, but the jus was amazing.

 

6. Jack Quinn’s

A case of sometimes simple really is best: a snappy, juicy beer brat served on a locally made hoagie bun, topped with beer mustard and sauerkraut. No notes. And the chips were delicious too. The beer ‘tini is a fun, but also simple, play on the classic espresso martini: Guinness, vanilla vodka, and Shanky’s Whip. Just as sweet, but lighter and a little malty.

 

7. Red Gravy

Probably the pairing on this list closest to things that would exist outside of the scope of this event, but no less delicious. The biggest Weenie on this list, the Italian sausage dog is topped with caramelized onions, sweet peppers, and marinara sauce with a touch of Marsala. Too much for me to eat in a single sitting, it was a little spicy and a little sweet. I could eat the toppings on their own for days. The filthy dirty martini was classic vodka, olive juice, a touch of balsamic, and gorgonzola-stuffed olives. I don’t even like blue cheese, but this savory drink was phenomenal.

 

8. Bird Tree

Routine need not mean bad, and that is the case of this kolache that can be found year-round inside Bird Tree Cafe’s pastry case. A simple dog, stuffed with cheddar, and wrapped in croissant dough. Technically served with jalapeño slices, which I chose to omit. It’s satisfying in its simplicity. The espresso martini was the best presented in this entire bunch, and it was also the best espresso martini I’ve ever had. Which isn’t that many, but still.

 

9. Rebel Rebel

Why hot dogs are sometimes called “Glizzies’, I have no idea. And I wish I’d never heard the term. But if I had to, so do you. The Corn & Cilantro Daisy is more similar to a whiskey sour, featuring corn and honey whiskeys, cilantro distillate, roasted corn syrup, and lemon. As a cilantro die-hard, I would have loved for that flavor to be more prominent, but it was still a solid cocktail. The hot dog is topped with a lime aioli, roasted corn salad, cotija cheese and flamin’ hot Cheetos. The toppings were creative, but both the bun and dog tasted like something from the supermarket. Which is not a bad thing (not trying to be elitist here) but does affect my rating accordingly.

 

10. Shame and Regret

The Argentine Choripán was, to me, the biggest disappointment of them all. A Mexican, not Argentinian, chorizo that tasted straight out of the plastic wrapping from the supermarket (and I’m even half tempted to guess the brand, but whatever) that was quite dry, on a bun that was also pretty dry. Salsa criolla and a line of coke’s worth of chimichurri. The Espresso Martini was made with fernet, and topped with cola foam. This I liked more than expected, but as a pairing, it must sit squarely at the bottom of this list.

 

Did you try any of these Weenies and ‘Tinis? How would you rank them?