Brewery Rickoli – Wheat Ridge, CO

Brewery Rickoli Logo

Brewery Rickoli is located in Wheat Ridge, CO. on the Southwest corner of Wadsworth Blvd. and 44th Ave., just west of Denver. Brewery Rickoli opened up in November 2012, becoming the first ever brewery in Wheat Ridge. The idea behind opening Brewery Rickoli was to provide the local neighborhood a place to enjoy a fresh pint close to home. While the brewery has only been open a short time, it has already made a big impression in the community.

Brewery Rickoli is the creation of Rick Abitbol, a seasoned brewer with 10+ years of professional brewing experience. Rick has a unique brewing story. He started out in homebrewing, and entered his first contest at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo. His Cream Ale did very well and was highly regarded among judges at the fair, it was even a finalist for the “Best of Show” award. Rick decided to approach a local brewery to see if they would be interested in letting Rick brew his cream ale. He was able to convince the owner of Shamrock Brewing to give him a shot, and Rick was able to get his first experience brewing in a brewery.

Later on, Rick joined Hop, Barley & the Alers, a well known homebrew club in Boulder. This club happened to be the same club Charlie Sturdavant (Owner of Golden City Brewery, and Tommyknockers), was also in. Rick met Charlie and basically begged him to give him an opportunity to help out at GCB. Rick started out doing anything he could to help, and eventually began helping brew. After gaining more experience, and the departure of the head brewer, Rick took over as head brewer at GCB. Rick worked at GCB for two years, then gained additional experience brewing at Rock Bottom, Denver ChopHouse and finally Renegade Brewing.

Over the years, Rick learned a great deal from his time brewing in several types of breweries. He developed tastes and methods that grew his love of brewing, and he began dreaming of starting his own brewery. With a bankruptcy looming, Rick began to make plans to open his own brewery. Thanks to financing from Rick’s dad, and the Sam Adams Brewing the American Dream Program, Rick was able to realize his dream. Rick officially opened Brewery Rickoli on November 28, 2012. Since then, locals have been enjoying fresh pints – some have visited as many as 80 times in the roughly 150 days Brewery Rickoli has been open!

Rickoli Black and Tan

A Black & Tan served especially for us!

Beer List: For a small brewery, Brewery Rickoli offers a ton of beer choices! Not only are all of Brewery Rickoli’s beers Gluten Reduced, they are great tasting. There are beers for every taste, and all levels of beer geekdom. From the lighter Cream Ale, to the hoppy Double IPA, the beers at Brewery Rickoli are very good. My personal favorites are the Aldo Red and the Black Pline! Although, it was a tough call to pick any favorites. Rick said it best, “Brewery Rickoli brews big beers to compensate for their small equipment!” Of course this is in reference to their small homebrew setup, that produces outstanding, consistently flavorful beers. Rick is proud to be able to produce the beers he does with what he calls, “the smallest brewery setup in the state.”

  • M.E.H. (Most Excellent Homebrew) Cream Ale – This is a very refreshing and light ale that is very similar to Genesee Cream Ale. This beer is only 4.3% ABV, so you can relax and have a few after work and still get stuff done. A malty leaning beer that has just the right kiss of hops! 4.3% ABV, 20 IBU’S.
  • ALDO RED –  (Named after Rick’s Dad) This is a very flavorful derivation of a German style called ALTBIER. A little fuller boded than the German version, this beer has the depth of flavor of an Irish Red, but finishes cleaner.  This beer is 5.3% ABV and uses Munich, Vienna, and Pilsner malt with a little noble hop to give it character. 5.3% ABV, 30 IBU’S.
  • Totally EYE-P-A  –  Everybody has an IPA and we have a great one! Pale malt and a touch of Munich malt combine to provide a clean and sturdy base for the intense hop flavor and aroma in this beer. At 6.8% abv, This beer falls in line with the new wave of IPA beers on the market. 6.8%ABV, 65 IBU’S.
  • Rickoli’s Rye Stout – This is a hearty Rye Stout that satisfies the soul! Roast and coffee notes are combined with rye spiciness and the full body sweetness of malt to cradle the gentle American hop flavor that this beer takes advantage of.                 7% ABV, 45 IBU’s.
  • Social Lubricant – This is traditional Scotch ale.  Golden Promise malt with a touch of roast barley, boiled extensively to concentrate the caramel flavors with just the stingiest amount of English hops! 8% ABV, 30 IBU’S.
  • Disturbed Reflection Double IPA – This is our double version of Totally Eye-P-A! It reeks of pungent hops and alcohol and has a wonderful creamy mouth feel that lays the lupulin goodness across all of your senses.  9.7% ABV, 190 IBU’S – Whew!
  • The Black Pline – This is a very intense Imperial Black IPA! Extreme hop nose and flavor supported by just a kiss of dark malt that gives a subtle smoke in the profile. 9.8%ABV, 70 IBU’S.
  • Session IPA – Our second offering in our Single-hop Pale Ale Series.  We make a nominal Pale Ale recipe and change out the featured hop variety.  This month we combine Summit with 2 experimental hop varieties. 5% ABV, 65 IBU.
  • VannFaw Red Hefeweizen –  Inspired by the awesome folks in our homebrew club, the VannFaw Hefe uses a darker shade of caramel to compliment the banana-like esthers and reminds one of Bananas Foster on the palate while still light and refreshing! 4.55% ABV
  • Thrilla in Vanilla –  Rickoli’s Rye Stout spiked with vanilla!  The heartiness of this very approachable stout is balanced and softened by the subtle vanilla flavor.        7% ABV, 45 IBU’s.
  • Elke Brown – (Named after Rick’s Mom) An American-style brown ale, with an array of medium to dark caramel malts. Accented with English chocolate malt, which gives a full-bodied sweetness that cradles the Williamette hops used throughout this brew. 6.8% ABV, 45 IBU

Brewery Rickoli serves all of their beers from the tap. If you would like to purchase beer to take home, Growlers are available. I personally grabbed a growler of the Aldo Red, and can’t say enough about the great quality of the beer, and the freshness. Brewery Rickoli is working on distributing kegs to local restaurants and bars that specialize in providing quality craft beer from the great State of Colorado.

Events: Here are a few local events where you will be able to try Brewery Rickoli’s beers.

I had a great visit with Rick Abitbol at Brewery Rickoli. He’s created a nice local brewery and taproom, which is perfect for beer lovers in the Wheat Ridge area. Of course, Denver is only a few minutes away, so it is a short trip down to Brewery Rickoli from around the metro area. Rick brews awesome beers and the vibe in the taproom is positive and laid-back. Brewery Rickoli provides good music, fresh beer, and a simple, fun environment to relax and enjoy a pint. I highly recommend making a trip to see Rick and enjoy a beer at Brewery Rickoli. Keep an eye out as Rick has plans to add a beer garden area behind the taproom. His plans include a 4-tap system and live music! Thanks again for the hospitality, and keep up the good work Rick!

Brewery Rickoli
4335 Wadsworth Blvd
Wheat Ridge, CO. 80033
303-344-8988
www.BreweryRickoli.com

Renegade Brewing Company – Denver, CO

Renegade Brewing Logo

Renegade Brewing Company is located in Denver, CO. near the intersection of Sante Fe Dr. and 9th Ave. The area surrounding Renegade Brewing is an eclectic mix of industrial and residential buildings. Denver’s Art District on Sante Fe is around the corner, and creativity seems to be in the air in and around the brewery.

Renegade Brewing Company was started in 2011 by Brian and Khara O’Connell. Brian was a full-time statistician, and a part-time a homebrewer that loved to make beer. He started learning how to make homebrews after his wife Khara bought him a homebrewing kit. Khara thought Brian’s love of beer would simply be a hobby. She had no idea that after about three years of experimenting and training, Brian would decide to turn his hobby into a business.

Brian’s scientific mind and experience with statistics had an effect on the types of beers he brewed. Brian analyzed the ingredients he used and played with recipes a great deal. He developed brewing strategies from studying, researching, and even interning at another brewery. Once Brian developed his beers in his backyard, he brought his offensively delicious brews, developed in his backyard, to Denverites to encourage social interaction and friendship. Renegade Brewing Company’s slogan is ‘offensively delicious’, as they strive to brew beers that are creative, packed with flavor, and don’t necessarily align with traditional styles or trends.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Laura Vande Zande, Ambassador of Enjoyment for Renegade Brewing. Laura explained how Renegade has created a neighborhood pub atmosphere that encourages visitors to have genuine conversations. Ultimately, Renegade strives to be a relational brewery – they want to foster a sense of community, and to provide a place for friends to meet, or for strangers to engage in a conversation. The taproom at Renegade Brewing Company does not include a single TV. Instead, you will hear good music playing in the background, and see people sitting together, enjoying conservation.

Many visitors at Renegade Brewing appeared to be stopping in on their way home from work. Most patrons knew their way around the taproom, and were farmiliar with either friends or neighbors that were enjoying beers. The sense of community really stuck out, and the crowd at Renegade was a happy bunch (the beer may have had something to do with that)! The success of Renegade’s ‘relational brewery’ atmosphere is evident as they are planning to open a second location in 4-6 weeks. The new location will be located at University & Evans in Denver.

Beer List:

  • 5:00 (Afternoon Ale): We did not try the 5:00, but will next time.  5% ABV
  • Ryteous (Rye IPA): This was the original beer for Renegade, and was originally a homebrew recipe for Brian O’Connell. He brought the recipe to the masses when he decided to open up Renegade Brewing.  7% ABV
  • Elevation (Triple IPA): Don’t let the high alcohol content scare you away. This beer has a really unique, excellent flavor. The taste includes a grape-fruity flavor with a sort of piney finish. Elevation is very smooth, and great tasting!  11.2% ABV
  • Silas (White Stout): Beer drinkers may be confused by this one. How can a stout be white? Not sure, but this one is outstanding. It’s light in color, but has a taste similar to Guiness. Definitely one to try while at Renegade.  6% ABV
  • Midnight in Bruges (Belgium Black IPA) We did not try the Midnight in Bruges, but will next time.  8% ABV
  • Hammer and Sickle (Russian Imperial Stout) We did not try the Hammer and Sickle, but will next time.  9% ABV
  • Sunday Morning (Coffee Infused Strong Ale) This is a tasty ale with a coffee finish. The coffee smell is stronger than the taste. Overall the beer is smooth and the hint of coffee is a great touch.  6% ABV

If you want to find a place that sells Renegade’s beers, check out their beer locator: http://renegadebrewing.com/find-us/. Renedage’s beers are available in 4-packs of pint cans. To read Renegade’s blog about why they use cans, click here: http://renegadebrewing.com/we-can-can/

Awards:

  • Best New Brewery – 5280 Top of the Town
  • Best Neighborhood Brewery – Westword
  • #2 Best Bar in Denver – Westword
  • Elevation Triple IPA – #2 Best Beer in Colorado – Denver Off the Wagon

Renegade Brewing Company has created many great tasting beers that are far from typical. Renegade bucked the traditional beer do’s and don’ts in order to brace creativity and to push the envelope of what craft beers can be. We enjoyed all the beers we sampled, but the Silas White Stout, and the Elevation Triple IPA were the favorites. Both will surprise you with their flavor and smooth finish. We encourage you to visit Renegade Brewing Company to try out some really unique beers. Thanks to Laura for a great visit! We enjoyed sampling Renegade’s beers, and finding out more about the company.

To find out more about Renegade Brewing Company, check out their website: http://renegadebrewing.com

Renegade Brewing Company
925 W 9th Ave / Denver, CO
720-401-4089
info@renegadebrewing.com