The 4th Annual BrüFrou: Craft Beer + Culinary Pairing

The 4th Annual BrüFrou: Craft Beer + Culinary Pairing Event will showcase 125 Colorado brewers, chefs, mixologists, 80+ unique pairings and live music featuring national touring artists. This fun event will take place on July 16, 2017, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. at the Tivoli Quad, 1363 E 9th Ave, Denver, CO 80218.

The country’s finest chef + brewer pairing event comes to town on July 16th for the 4th annual pairing festival. After three years of chilly April showers, BrüFrou takes on summer with a who’s who of chefs, brewers, mixologists and musicians! Continuously innovating the craft beer & culinary event scene, BrüFrou expands to BrüFrouFEST (BFF) with two ticket levels, 50% more pairings, specialty tents and live music. The event will take place on the redesigned Tivoli lawn in the heart of downtown Denver.

New this year– 2 ticket types for even more accessible goodness. BFF will provide an expanded experience appealing to both aficionados and those new to local craft beer.

  • The VIP package amplifies classic BrüFrou– extra special culinary and brewed pairings under the VIP tent. Perfect for the foodies among us. Samples from all 125 partners.
  • The GA entry provides craft beer + food fans a starting kit- 8 one-bite pairings and a show for $40 with the ability to add-on as you go. Samples from 80 partners.

Both experiences offer connections with top chefs, master brewers, award-winning mixologists plus live music; specialty tents featuring bacon, cheese and chocolate pairings; beer cocktails from some of Colorado’s best craft cocktail bars and a vendor marketplace, too! Adding some flavor to the day, national touring artists including: The Mowgli’s, Zach Deputy and Horseshoes & Hand Grenades will bring music from Coast to Coast with Bossa Nova, Gypsy Jazz, Bluegrass, Island-infused Drum & Bass and Sunny West Coast Indie-Rock.

Craft beer, food and music lovers over 21 are invited to join the fun. Come toss your favorite festival blanket, relax with your first pairings as you peruse the menu of more than 80 delectable offerings. Play your favorite lawn games, dance with the bands, stroll through the marketplace in between bites and beer until you are fat & happy. Play with us on July 16th at BrüFrouFEST 2017.

Featured Colorado Breweries:
• Vail Brewing Company (New to BrüFrou for 2017)
• Westbound & Down (New to BrüFrou for 2017)
• Gaijin24886 (New to BrüFrou for 2017)
• Odd 13 (New to BrüFrou for 2017)
• Spice Trade Brewing (New to BrüFrou for 2017)
• Spangalang Brewery (New to BrüFrou for 2017)
• Cerebral Brewing (New to BrüFrou 2017)
• Ska Brewing
• Weldwerks Brewing
• Prost Brewing
• Wibby Brewing
• Four Noses Brewing Co.
• Ratio Beerworks
• Little Machine Beer
• Sanitas
• Odell Brewing
Featured Colorado Eateries:
• Blackbelly
• Departure
• Cart-Driver
• Euclid Hall
• Hooked (Beaver Creek)
• To the Wind
• River & Woods
• Work & Class
• Toscanini (Beaver Creek)
• 24 Carrot Bistro
• Rhine Haus
• Boxcar (Avon)
• Next Door

How we pair partners:
Breweries and eateries are paired based on compatible flavor profiles, style and brand—we look for mutuality & contrasts. Sometimes partners have previously collaborated or are seeking new partners for an infusion of creativity; sometimes it’s
pairing French cuisine with French farmhouse beers. Sometimes, breweries are
looking for new tap placements while eateries are seeking the latest beer styles to
complement their cuisine. No matter the specific reason, the goal is to bring Colorado
communities—brewers, chefs and diners—together.

Music Line-up:
• The Mowgli’s: With hits including “San Francisco” & “I’m Good,” they are known for their laid-back mix of sunny West Coast pop, garage rock & 60’s Laurel Canyon folk sound.
• Zach Deputy: A multi-instrumentalist & songwriter based in Savannah, GA, Zach is best known for his live looping shows. He describes his style as “island-infused drum n’ bass gospel ninja soul.”
• Horseshoes & Hand Grenades: While strongly rooted in bluegrass, old-time, and folk music, the five Wisconsinites that make up the band, produce a sound that will make your toes tap from sundown to sunrise.
• Banshee Tree: Originally from upstate New York, the group plays a mix of standards like “On the Sunny Side of the Street” and mellifluously joyful originals like “Make it Rain” with a surprisingly original and enticing mix of gypsy jazz, folk pop and swing.
• Flatirons Jazz Quintet: From Bop to Bossa Nova to Funk to Mainstream, the jazz
quintet plays a wide cross section of favorite standards & original compositions.

Wynkoop Brewing Hosts Grand Re-Opening – Friday, April 22

Wynkoop Lightrail AleAfter undergoing a major remodel of the restaurant, brewing facilities and equipment, Wynkoop will celebrate it’s grand re-opening this Friday, April 22 with a showcase of the full range of updates and a host of new seasonal brews in rotation. From 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. guests can enjoy a beer and tour the new brewery; the re-opening falls on the same day as the launch of the Train to the Plane and will take part in the festivities going on at the 22nd and Wynkoop DIA line launch.

In honor of the A Line, attendees can try a throwback batch of the Light Rail Organic Ale made with organic pilsner malt and a blend of New Zealand grown hops. Pints of Light Rail are $4 all day Friday; public brewery tours are free and will run every 30 minutes. In addition, attendees can taste Saison done three ways—Saison de Seigle, the kettle-soured Necessity Saison, and the Forethought Saison, a barrel-aged sour—plus the limited-run Rye-Teo Old Chap, an imperial rye stout aged in Laws Whiskey House Secale rye whiskey barrels.

“We’ve taken the best of what’s classic about the Wynkoop and added a state of the art brew house,” explains Bess Dougherty, Barrel Troll (and Lead Brewer) at Wynkoop. “The new brew house means that we have an even better ability to develop complex taste and aroma profiles in our beers.  In addition, we have more capacity and are excited to be able to dig more deeply into experimental and barrel-aged beers, including high ABV selections. We’re making even better beer, a more diverse range of styles and we’re doing it all at the heart of Denver.”

Wynkoop FermentersAbout Wynkoop Brewing Company
In 1988 LoDo had no ballpark, no valet parking, no farm-to-table restaurants: just four guys who wanted to make really good beer. Those four guys were John Hickenlooper, Jerry Williams, Mark Shifler and Russell Scherer. They opened the first craft brewery in Denver on Skid Row in the century-old J. S. Brown Mercantile Building. Beer drinkers across the state braved the sketchy ghost town that was LoDo in the late 1980s for billiards and pints of Russell’s unexpected beer styles. He was one of the first professional brewers in the country to try his hand at mead-making, doppel alt, and cream stout. He was honored by the Brewers Association when he passed with the Russell Scherer Award for Innovation in Brewing, awarded each year at the Craft Brewers Conference to a brewer who knocks down doors.

Almost thirty years later, Wynkoop remains a Denver institution. We are still known for
innovative, ballsy brewers who put just about anything in the beer, including Rocky Mountain oysters, gummy bears and green chiles. It is known as the brewery that brewed a neighborhood because—without exaggeration—the Wynkoop helped spark the revitalization of LoDo. Today, our neighborhood is the heartbeat of the city, surrounded by iconic landmarks like Coors Field, Larimer Square, and the recently renovated Union Station across Wynkoop Street. We may be a bit biased, but we like to think that it all began with really good beer.

BrüFrou Craft Beer & Food Pairing: April 30, 2016

BRUFROU

BrüFrou is the marquee craft beer & culinary pairing event of the year. Featuring 80 local brewers & chefs collaborating on 50+ unique pairings, BrüFrou [broo-froo] will excite your epicurean senses! On Saturday, April 30th, experience BrüFrou with friends & family at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum [directions], a WWII-era hangar in the Lowry community of Denver. Full Pairing Tickets are on sale now: $65-$95 (see chart below brewery list).

The 2016 BrüFrou breweries represent Colorado adventure– from Summit & Eagle County skiing, river running on the Arkansas, to mind-bending scientific endeavors across the Front Range. Bright minds in brewing science from School of Mines, CU, CSU and entrepreneurial homebrewers are here in force.

Many of this next generation of brewers have branched out from larger organizations, growing and developing their own styles, brands and neighborhood hangouts. Embracing the past and creating the future, breweries are the modern day town hall. They are a leading indicator of revitalization and a nexus of community spirit. Where there is delicious Colorado beer and tasty eats, there are hungry, thirsty, appreciative lovers of craft and culinary to support them and the hoods they occupy.

This class of brewers is confident in their innovative approaches and collaborative efforts. Serving up dry hopped, wet hopped, red, black, tawny, extruded, stressed and nucleated beer experiences; get out there and check them out (we’ve included these photos from our own brewery adventures).

Here’s a list of all partnering 2016 BrüFrou breweries:
Beryl’s Beer Co.
Black Shirt Brewing Co
Brewery Rickoli
Bristol Brewing Company
Call to Arms Brewing Company
City Star Brewing
Colorado Cider Company
Copper Kettle Brewing Company
Crazy Mountain Brewery
Declaration Brewing
Denver Beer Co.
Diebolt Brewing Company
Elevation Beer Co.
Fate Brewing Co
Finkel & Garf Brewing Co.
Four Noses Brewing Company
Great Divide Brewing
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse
High Hops Brewery
Horse & Dragon Brewing Company
Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery
Liquid Mechanics Brewing
Little Machine Beer
Locavore Beer Works
Lone Tree Brewing Co
Mockery Brewing
Mountain Sun Breweries
Odell Brewing Company
Oskar Blues Brewery
Pikes Peak Brewing Company
Ratio Beerworks
Sanitas Brewing Co.
The Post Brewing Co.
Trinity Brewing Co
Verboten Brewing
WeldWerks Brewing Co.
Wibby Brewing
Wild Woods Brewery
Wit’s End Brewing Company
Wynkoop Brewing Company

TicketingGrid

Gunbarrel Brewing Company’s first release party: January 24, 2015

Join Gunbarrel Brewing Company for their first tapping party at Grandma’s House on Broadway in Denver, Colorado on January 24 at 4:30. Gunbarrel Brewing will be pouring a limited release of Salt Lick Gose and Rosemerry Pale Ale. Salt Lick is our interpretation of Gose (pronounced “Gose-uh”), an ancient unfiltered wheat beer from Germany. With a cloudy yellow color and refreshing lemony twang, Salt Lick is brewed traditionally with coriander seeds, and has a pleasant sharpness from the addition of salt. The finish is dry, tangy, and effervescent. Rosemerry is Gunbarrel’s signature pale ale and boasts a flowery hop character, with hints of citrus and pine and a crisp finish. Dry hopped with fresh organic rosemary, this brew evokes memories of merriment.

The Tony Guacamole food truck will be there serving up tasty grub.

GBC_release1_1.24.15_v3_websiteGrandma’s House
1710 South Broadway
Denver, CO 80210

About Gunbarrel Brewing Company
Gunbarrel Brewing Company is a gypsy brewery based in Boulder. Crafted with passion by brewer Jamie Fox and his wife Marie, Gunbarrel Brewing Company is to be located in Boulder County, Colorado. While we seek out the perfect home for our brewery, we are gypsy brewing at a partner brewery in Denver. This relationship provides the creative freedom and facilities to brew beers that we can share with you until we have a taproom of our own.

Jamie has been brewing for the past fifteen years, and earned a Ph.D in neuroscience along the way. Marie has a background in marketing, hospitality and web development. Together, they share a passion for exploring the nuances and endless possibilities of craft beer.

We chose the name Gunbarrel for our brewery to pay homage to the rugged independent freedom of the West, and to honor the little slice of it that we call home. We look forward to pouring you a pint!

2nd Annual Fermentation Festival: August 9-10, 2014

Fermentation FestivalThe 2nd Annual Fermentation Festival Descends Upon Denver On August 9th and 10th at Denver’s Highlands Masonic Center. Fermentation Experts from across Colorado will gather to share their knowledge with the eager ears of attendees at the 2nd Annual Fermentation Festival & Market. The event will feature unlimited tastings from craft brewers, distillers, sauerkraut makers, Kombucha brewers and much more. Education is the main goal of the organizers with home fermentation classes offered on every subject from lacto-fermented veggies to how to make sake. Nowhere else will you find this many fermentation gurus gathered at one event.

This is not your typical festival. The event is open to all ages with fun activities for kids as well. Debuting this year is a fermentation “petting zoo” where kids will be encouraged to experience fermentation with all their senses – think Halloween where grapes turn into eyeballs and spaghetti noodles act as worms. Back this year is the ever popular pickle toss, where contestants will fling, toss and throw pickles into their teammates’ mouths from varying distances for a chance to win serious bragging rights, a gallon of pickles and $50 cash. “Fermentation is fun and we want the general public to gain insight to this vast and ever expanding world. We’re talking about a process that has been around since the beginning of time and is one of the oldest forms of food preservation,” says Mike Burns, one of the festival organizers.

Guests from all walks of life will have the opportunity to eat, drink and experience fermentation at its finest. This year’s event will benefit First Descents, a non-profit who offers young adult cancer survivors and fighters a free outdoor adventure experience designed to help them climb, paddle and surf beyond their diagnosis, defy their cancer, reclaim their lives and connect with others doing the same.

Event Details:
When: August 9th and 10th 2014 General Admission 3:30-7:30pm, VIP 2:30-7:30pm Where: Highlands Masonic Center, 3550 Federal Blvd, Denver Co 80211
Tickets: GA – $35 Advance, $40 Door, VIP – $60 Advance, $65 Door Tickets and more info can be found online at www.fermentationfestival.com

Promo Video: http://vimeo.com/76070571
Participant Info Sheet (For Brewers): Fermentation Fest Participant Sheet

Black Sky Brewery: Ale of Yoto Release Party May 13th – 7 PM

Decorated Author Set To Release Book Themed Brew with Black Sky Brewery

Denver, CO – 13-time award-winning sci-fi/fantasy novel The Bane of Yoto, published by FiXT, is setting its sights on beer lovin’ taste buds. Author Joshua Viola has partnered with Denver’s Black Sky Brewery to create The Ale of Yoto, a blueberry wheat beer crafted by master brewer Harry Smith. Black Sky Brewery logo

According to The Bane of Yoto Author Joshua Viola: “The concept of creating a beer seemed like a natural fit amidst the crazy things we were doing in the world of Yoto. The idea originally came to me when a friend — Groovey of Groovey.TV — had a custom brew developed for his online personality. It was received well and I knew then, after a fan suggested a Yoto beer, I had to do it.” “Groovey introduced me to the wonderful people at Black Sky Brewery and the rest is history. Their talented brew master, Harry Smith, concocted the most amazing beer I’d ever tasted. Harry came up with the blueberry wheat idea after reading the book; paying tribute the protagonist’s blue skin tone.”

A release party for the The Ale of Yoto will be part of the American Craft Beer Week celebration in Denver which showcases only the finest efforts from master brewers. Early taste testers have agreed that Black Sky’s Harry Smith knocked it out of the park. The Ale of Yoto has a smooth finish with just the right hint of blueberry and is perfect for the upcoming Summer season as well as for enjoying the blockbuster novel it was inspired from.

Ale of Yoto Release Party Tuesday, May 13th – 7 PM @ Black Sky Brewery
490 Sante Fe Drive | Denver, CO 80204

For More Information: 
http://baneofyoto.com 
http://www.blackskybrewing.com 
http://www.fixtonline.com

Colorado Winners: 2014 World Beer Cup

The World Beer Cup is put on every other year by The Brewers Association, which is headquartered in Boulder, CO. The World Beer Cup is a popular event among brewers and brewing companies, as it brings together the best and brightest in the brewing industry. The 2014 World Beer Cup and Craft Brewers Conference took place in Denver, CO, and included a whopping 4,754 beers, 1,403 breweries from 58 countries and 94 styles of beer! Colorado brewers fared well at the World Beer Cup, bringing home 24 medals (10 Gold, 5 Silver, 9 Bronze).2014-world-beer-cup-banner

According to The Brewers Association, “The mission of the World Beer Cup is to create greater consumer awareness around the world about the quality and diversity displayed by the various beers of the world. The World Beer Cup is dedicated to recognizing both the traditions and innovations shared by the entire brewing industry as well as those customs unique to specific countries and regions. The World Beer Cup also promotes the responsible consumption of beer as an alcohol-containing beverage and urges beer producers and distributors to encourage beer enthusiasts to savor the flavor of beer responsibly.”

Colorado Winners @ The 2014 World Beer Cup:

  • Fruit Beer (57 entries) GOLD: Cherry Kriek, Strange Brewing Co, Denver, CO, SILVER: Apricot Blonde, Dry Dock Brewing Co Aurora, CO
  • Chocolate Beer (51 Entries) GOLD: Shake Chocolate Porter, Boulder Beer Co Boulder, CO
  • Coffee Beer (109 Entries) GOLD: Big Shot Espresso Stout, Twisted Pine Brewing Co – Boulder, CO
  • Indigenous Beer (37 Entries) GOLD: Wild and Crazy Rye, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Boulder,CO / Huntington Beach, CA
    BRONZE: Got Beer, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Boulder, CO / Huntington Beach, CA
  • Wood & Barrel-Aged Strong Beer (112 Entries) BRONZE: Bourbon Barrel Aged Mountain Man, Verboten Brewing – Loveland, CO
  • Baltic-Style Porter (44 Entries) SILVER: The Baltic Gnome, Rock Bottom – Denver, CO
  • American-Style Lager / Light Lager or Pilsener (53 Entries) GOLD: Coors Light, Coors Brewing Co Golden, CO
    BRONZE: Coors Banquet, Coors Brewing Co – Golden, CO
  • American-Style Amber Lager (34 Entries) GOLD: Winterfest, AC Golden Brewing Co – Golden, CO
  • Australasian-Style Pale Ale / International-Style Pale Ale (33 Entries)
    SILVER: River Runners Pale Ale, Eddyline Brewing Buena Vista, CO
  • French & Belgian-Style Saison (91 Entries) GOLD: Saison, Aspen Brewing Co – Aspen, CO
  • Belgian-Style Blonde Ale or Pale Ale (46 Entries) BRONZE: Jean-Claude Van Blond, Wit’s End Brewing Co Denver, CO
  • Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale (41 Entries) SILVER: Deceit, Funkwerks – Fort Collins, CO
  • Ordinary / Special Bitter (37 Entries) GOLD: Sawtooth Ale, Left Hand Brewing Co – Longmont, CO
  • English-Style Brown Ale (49 Entries) BRONZE: No Name, Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co – Glenwood Springs, CO
  • Oatmeal Stout (57 Entries) SILVER: Pure Imagination, Verboten Brewing – Loveland, CO
  • British-Style Imperial Stout (42 Entries) BRONZE: Weapon of Self Destruction Imperial Stout, Riff Raff Brewing Co – Pagosa Springs, CO
  • Irish-Style Red Ale (46 Entries) GOLD: George Killian’s Irish Red, Coors Brewing Co – Golden, CO
  • Foreign-Style Stout (38 Entries) BRONZE: Devil Dog Stout, Red Leg Brewing Co – Colorado Springs, CO
  • American-Style Pale Ale (122 Entries) BRONZE: Featherweight Pale, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co – Golden, CO
  • American-Style Amber / Red Ale (90 Entries) GOLD: Runoff, Odell Brewing Co – Fort Collins, CO
  • World Beer Cup Champion Brewery & Brewmaster – Large Brewing Company
    Coors Brewing Company, Dr. David Ryder – Golden, CO

Factotum Brewhouse: A homebrewer’s dream come true

Factotum Brewhouse Logo

Factotum Brewhouse will be the first brewery to cater to homebrewers when it opens this fall in Denver, Colorado. Guest brewers will have the opportunity to brew their recipe on Factotum’s seven barrel system and the beer will then be served to thirsty taproom patrons. With help from headbrewer Christopher Bruns, homebrewers will learn the steps of commercial brewing from recipe creation to the brewing process to the taproom release of the beer. This concept was originally designed for serious homebrewers who wish to receive honest, unbiased feedback from the public but recreational brewers, new brewers, and small groups are also welcome to use Factotum’s services. Christopher will act as quality control and to ensure the tap lineup isn’t dominated by any one style: “If six people come in wanting to brew an IPA, they can either wait in line or decide to brew something else,” says Christopher. Six of Factotum’s eventual eight taps will pour homebrewer beers while the remaining two will pour beers made by Christopher.

Brother-and-sister team Christopher and Laura Bruns conceived of the Factotum model over dinner with their other two siblings and have since graduated from Denver’s Small Business Development Center’s business start-up class, as well as Tom Hennessy’s renowned Brewery Immersion Course at the Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery in Ridgway, Colorado. Christopher and Laura’s Midwestern, German-American upbringing has instilled in them a passion for beer and they’re mutual background in education compels them to make Factotum a school as much as it is a brewery; Factotum isn’t just a place to drink great beer but also a place to learn about beer. Located at 4735 Lipan Street in the Sunnyside neighborhood, Factotum is moving into an already established craft beer community with Stomp Them Grapes homebrew supply store two doors down, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project ½ mile away, and the upcoming Diebolt Brewing Company one mile away.

Christopher and Laura Bruns hope local beer lovers will use the close proximity to ride their bicycles and safely visit all these fine establishments. Factotum’s setting, like so many in the Denver area, is an industrial one and the taproom ambiance will complement that setting with a rustic, factory, wood-and-metal atmosphere. However, this location means Factotum is lacking somewhat in natural light. Please visit Factotum’s Kickstarter.com page so that Christopher and Laura may make improvements to the taproom including the purchase of a glass-paneled garage door to bring sunshine into the brewery.

Factotum Brewhouse
4735 Lipan Street
Denver, CO. 80211
303-303-3003
www.factotumbrewhouse.com 

(Factotum Brewhouse is still working on their website. To find them online, visit their facebook or twitter pages)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/FactotumBrewhouse

Twitter: www.twitter.com/FactotumBrew

 

Coors Field ranked #1 baseball stadium for craft beer

Coors Field

Coors Field is widely considered one of the nicest stadiums in Major League Baseball. The facilities are fan friendly, and the atmosphere at Coors Field is always fun for fans to enjoy a game. With a name referencing one of the largest breweries in the country, it is a bit ironic that Coors Field would be #1on a list of Top 10 Baseball Stadiums for craft beer. Welcome to Colorado, home to one of the nation’s largest breweries, as well as a mecca of smaller craft breweries.

Visitors of Coors Field can enjoy beers from New Belgium, Breckenridge Brewery, Oskar Blues, and Odell Brewing. Of course, one of the coolest parts of Coors Field’s beer offerings is that the Sandlot Brewery is located on site, and provides fresh Blue Moon from the tap. It is a sign of how the beer landscape is changing when a fan can visit Coors Field and get a beer from a craft brewery. Looking back 10-15 years ago fans were not able to order anything other than Coors or Coors Light at a Rockies game. While there are many fans that will always stick to Coors, there are a growing number of fans that want to enjoy a craft beer, and Coors Field offers a great opportunity to do so.

Coors Field Ranked #1 on FoxNews.com’s list of Top 10 Baseball Stadiums for Craft Beer.  FoxNews.com states “Several ballparks are featuring better and better beer — you just have to know where to find it. With that in mind, we explored Major League Baseball stadiums across the country to find the 10 best spots for beer.” Here are the rankings according to FoxNews.com:

#1 Coors Field – Denver, CO (Colorado Rockies)

#2 Miller Park – Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Brewers)

#3 Citi Field – Flushing, NY (New York Mets)

#4 Comerica Park – Detroit, MI (Detroit Tigers)

#5 Camden Yards – Baltimore, MD (Baltimore Orioles)

#6 Petco Park – San Diego, CA (San Diego Padres)

#7 PNC Park – Pittsburgh, PA (Pittsburgh Pirates)

#8 Citizens Bank Field – Philadelphia, PA (Philadelphia Phillies)

#9 AT&T Park – San Francisco, CA (San Francisco Giants)

#10 Safeco Field – Seattle, WA (Seattle Mariners)

Wit’s End Brewing Company – Denver, CO

Wits End Brewing logo

Wit’s End Brewing Company is located in Denver, CO, and is a self proclaimed “Impossibly small Denver nanobrewery fueled by dreams and inspired by the limitless potential of craft beer.” Wit’s End was started by Scott Witsoe, a transplant from Seattle, WA. After coming to Denver, Scott realized there was a beer culture similar to Seattle, and the dream of starting a brewery was born.

The moment the light bulb turned on for Scott Witsoe was when he first attended the Great American Beer Festival (GABF). Scott had seen the event on TV, but always thought it looked gimicky, basically like an informercial. There was no way this event was as great as advertised…well maybe it really was. Scott couldn’t believe the amount of brewers, the different types of beer, and all the people that were so passionate about craft beer! The wheels started turning, and Scott began dreaming about becoming a brewer.

As Scott became more familiar with Denver, he quickly found great local craft beers. Great Divide became his favorite craft brewery, and happened to be in Scott’s neighborhood. Avery, another local brewery, turned Scott onto Belgian style beers. After getting some ideas and trying different types of beers, Scott began tinkering with his own recipes via a homebrew kit he acquired from his father-in-law. The kit had been collecting dust, so Scott simply needed to dust it off and pick up ingredients to make his first homebrew. Scott’s hombrewing quickly got him excited about opening up his own brewery. As Scott describes it, “opening the first beer, hearing the sound, and smelling the first beer, I knew what I wanted to do.” By his 5th homebrew batch, Scott filled his first keg. Scott’s friends tried his beers and the response was great…it was time for Scott to realize his dreams. 

Scott was laidoff from his job in the MMA industry in March 2011. It was at this point that Scott, and his wife Heather decided it was time to pursue his dream full-time. They made the decision to go through the difficult process of starting a brewery with no back up employment to fall back on. As Scott put it “Without the support of my wife, I would not be doing what I am. She has supported me completely, and she deserves a ton of credit for that!” After months of paperwork, planning, inspections, licensing, painting, construction, and a lot of long days, Scott and Heather officially opened Wit’s End Brewing in September 2011! Immediately, Scott realized how much he enjoyed watching people build relationships at Wit’s End, and he knew he was finally doing what he was meant to do.

Wit’s End is a small taproom that offers up fresh beer, and a neighborhood feel that is hard to find these days. Scott has placed an emphasis on fostering conversation instead of sitting and staring at TVs like at a typical sports bar. Each person that came to Wit’s End during our visit was personally greeted by Scott, and made to feel at home. If you want to enjoy a beer at a fun, friendly taproom, Wit’s End is a great place to go.

Scott has creativity that shows in his beers. With names like “Jean Claude Van Blond” and “Mick Jaggery” the beers at Wit’s End offer options that are a little outside the box. Standards are not necessarily followed, and are not meant to be. Scott has made an effort to do things his way, and does not worry about following institutionalized “style” guidelines. It’s more fun to do something different, and to create a unique recipe.

Beer List: Our favorite beers were the Wilford, and the Green Man Ale! The Wilford won an Award at the Colorado State Fair. The Green Man Ale is Scott’s oldest recipe and was modeled after the 1st craft beer he had in Seattle (Redhook). Wits End 40sIf you head down to Wit’s End, you can try many different beers from the tap. Availability changes from time to time, but there are always some great options to choose from.

If you want to purchase beer to take home, Wit’s End has a really cool option. They have 40oz. stainless steel “40s” that are very popular. In fact, Westword awarded Wit’s End with the “best new beer to go idea” for their 40s. You can even find Wit’s End’s 40s in the A-Z exhibit at the Colorado History Museum in the beer section. Wit’s End will also fill any seal able container with the beers they have on tap, so bring in a growler, Nalgene, or any other seal able container.

  • Jean-Claude Van Blond: Inspired by the action hero in all of us. It features a Belgian yeast strain and is built on a lighter malt profile with just a touch of oats for a silky body and some additional depth. You will find this beer intriguing and hard to define—which is just the way we like it.
  • Wilford: Introducing the Belgian Oatmeal IPA! Flaked oats play a major role in this Belgian-American porridge. Pungent spicy noble hops, citrusy American hops, and a Belgian yeast all wrapped up in a silky blanket of oats–yes please! We will not make any claims as to the health benefits of using oatmeal in beer, but if there are any, then…it’s the right beer to drink, and the tasty way to do it!
  • Super FL I.P.A. : A no nonsense Black IPA—can you dig it? This bad-ass beer features nine different malts, as well as a combination of Columbus and Cascade hops. After the fermentation, it is then dry-hopped and rests on just a touch of real cedar wood chips. The game it plays it plays for keeps!
  • Green Man Ale: Inspired by the malty and hoppy beers of the Great Northwest, Green Man Ale is a rich and layered beer that lies somewhere between an IPA and a Red Ale—not exactly radical, but not quite the conformist, Green Man Ale just is.
  • Kitchen Sink Porter: What started out as a basic porter recipe evolved by adding a little bit of this and a little bit of that, using a wide variety of malts not typically seen in a porter. This includes various types of rye and a dash of smoked malt. The result—a roasty, spicy, chocolaty glass of goodness. We just threw in the Kitchen Sink moniker for good measure.
  • Experimental Beers: There are many of them…probably too many to list here! Check out the beer list or see what is available when you visit. The experimental beers are available from time to time. To view Wit’s End’s beer list, click here

We had a great visit to Wit’s End Brewing, and were impressed with the beers, and the passion behind the making of them. Scott Witsoe has created a great environment to enjoy a beer, or as he puts it “slow beers for fast times.” Wit’s End is all about personality, and making it enjoyable for people to visit. If you’re looking for an unpretentious environment, and are open to exploring new types of beers, Wit’s End would be a great taproom to visit. Thanks for the hospitality Scott!

Wit’s End Brewing Company
2505 W 2nd Ave. Unit 13
Denver, CO 80219
http://www.witsendbrewing.com/

Taproom Hours
Thursdays
4:00-8:00pm

Fridays and Saturdays
2:00-8:00pm

Sundays
2:00-6:00pm