Gravity Brewing

It used to be that when driving along Highway 36 in search of great craft beer there was one destination in mind, and that was Boulder, Colorado.  But, just outside that beer rich community, lies the small town of Louisville.  In September of 2012, they became part of the craft beer scene as well. With a group of two CU graduates: John Frazee and Ryan Bowers along with brew master Julius Hummer, son of Boulder Beer co-founder David Hummer, along with high quality, high alcohol, and high gravity beers in a wide array of different styles, Gravity Brewing became Louisville’s first microbrewery.

Located of the beaten path behind an appliance store and next to the American Legion, the tap room is surprisingly large. The two tone wood bar top zigzags across the entire wall which leads to an outdoor beer garden. Above the bar, lanterns with hop leaves keep the area illuminated and there are also a lot of tables to accommodate large groups. Unlike most breweries where the brewing equipment is separated through a wall, at Gravity, it is directly behind the bar where guests are extremely close to the brewing process. With up to twelve beers on tap in a wide array of styles, it can be difficult to choose which one to try first, but here is a quick breakdown of some of the best.

For fans of Belgian style ales, there can be as many as four different styles including one not often seen at many microbreweries and that is the Abbey/Dubbel. A rich and malty Belgian Abbey style ale that has a very subtle spice note, and subtle hints of fruit this is a very refreshing beer that is easy to drink. But what happens when you take that same Abbey style ale and add 44 pounds of fresh raspberry puree to it? Then you get a Framboise, a rich dark red ale that has a very prominent fruit flavor but is not too sweet. There is a nice balance between the tartness from the fruit, but the spice and malt note from the ale is not lost and balances out the whole beer. Also available are a Orange Blossom Saison and a Belgian Blonde.

For fans of the hoppy beers there are plenty to choose from at Gravity but the most unique is the Ebb and Flow, a double red rye ale. A rich red ale, this beer is very hop forward in both aroma and taste due to being dry hopped, but because of the rye it has a much more complex flavor than a standard IPA. The addition of caramelized Rye malts imparts a subtle sweetness to the beer, but also a spice that helps cut the bitterness of the hops. The beer leaves a lingering aftertaste but the flavor profile is so complex that it is very easy to drink. Other IPAs available at the tap room are the standard IPA, Double IPA, and Belgian IPA which was a collaboration beer with De Steeg Brewing in Denver. In addition, there are various other styles available at the beer parlor which includes a cream ale, ESB, Weizenbock, Russian Imperial Stout, and a barrel age program.

Sometimes the more enjoyable brewery visits come when they are least expected. That is exactly the case at Gravity Brewing. Located in a town that most people drive by, far enough away from the trendy craft beer scene in Boulder, and not the easiest place to find in Louisville the small journey is worth it. Within the building lies a relaxing tap room with a friendly staff, and a lot of full flavored beers to choose from. Whatever style you prefer there is something for you at this tap room, so the next time you find yourself driving on Highway 36 don’t have just one destination in mind. Check out the small towns along the way with the hidden gems in it, and enjoy some high quality craft beer in the process.

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