The Year Ahead

2013 was a great year for craft beer with an abundance of new breweries opening their doors all over the state. Denver, Boulder, and other established towns continued their expansions with great new breweries like Jagged Mountain, J Wells, and Sanitas. Also 2013 saw small suburbia towns getting their first microbreweries. Lafayette was home to two, Westminster opened one with another one in the works. As the year wraps up and 2014 is right around the corner the number of breweries slated to open up continue to grow, and here are some to look forward to in the year ahead.

38 State Brewing Company: With all the breweries in Colorado there are some towns that still don’t have an expansive craft beer scene, one of which is the small suburb of Littleton. That will change early in 2014 with the opening of 38 State Brewing Company. Founded by Colorado natives this urban rustic brewery with a patio will be located on 8071 S Broadway in Littleton. This small batch brewery will start on a 1 BBL system from Ruby Street, and once opened they will feature six flagship beers. Those beers include a Chocolate Bourbon Stout, Golden Lemon Honey Wheat, Two Buttes Double IPA, Great Plains Scottish Ale, ColorAmber Ale, and a brown ale which they are still working on a name for. If all goes as planned look for their doors to open in late January. With a Colorado name, Colorado inspired beers, and a great location this brewery will be a great addition and definitely one to look forward to opening in 2014.

Factotum Brewhouse: Factotum will be a very unique addition to the ever expanding craft beer scene in Denver when they open. Why? Because this brewery will embrace and pay homage to the home brewers who have dreams of opening up their own brewery. Brother and sister owners Chris and Laura Bruns will brew two of the seven beers available on their 7 BBL System. The other five taps will be run by home brewers who not only want to learn brewing on professional equipment, but also want honest feedback on their recipes. This will be on a waitlist system so that the same style of beer does not dominate their tap list. While their first location fell through they are currently in the process of finding a new location, and with a successful kickstarter fundraiser they are ready to go and get open. Despite the few setbacks they have faced this will be a very unique brewery that is sure to be popular for all the varieties of beers for craft beer drinkers and home brewers alike.

Kokopelli Beer Company: After months of anticipation one of the breweries we are most looking forward to will also be one of the first to open in 2014, and in a town still growing in craft beer. That will come on January 3 when Kokopelli Beer Company opens their doors on January 3. Not only will this brewpub offer artisan pizzas and sandwiches to compliment their beer but they will also offer six flagship ales. These include an American Pale Ale, an English Pale Extra Special, a Belgian Wit, American Amber, IPA, and sweet Milk Stout. The flagship beers will be more on the traditional side, while their rotational and seasonal ales will be more experimental. While this brewery has been in the process to open for a while they have been staying busy brewing beer and getting their name out, most recently doing a collaboration beer with Caution Brewing out of Denver. Once this brewery opens they will join Westminster Brewing Company as the second microbrewery in this small suburb, making it one of the most to look forward to next year.

Blue Spruce Brewing: In another brewery that was supposed to open in 2013 but will open their doors in early 2014 comes out of the town of Centennial, Blue Spruce Brewing. Located at the corner of County Line and Colorado this brewpub will feature 8-12 beers on tap from brewer Rick Kane and will feature Mazatlan style Mexican food that pairs with the beers along with other food options. The 7 BBL system will brew plenty of beer to serve to the thirsty masses and include diverse lineup that features a golden strong ale, pecan pie brown, and IIPA which will be poured at the annual Vail Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywine festival, plus many more great offerings. Look for this brewery to officially open their doors sometime in January, and expect it to be a great addition to a neighborhood still establishing its craft beer scene.

So what other breweries are there to look forward to next year? Aurora will expand with 2 new microbreweries in Demon Spawn and Mu. Denver will continue to expand at a rapid rate with other breweries like Fiction and Zephyr. Also expect more suburb breweries to open up and small town breweries including a new one in Breckenridge, Manitou Springs, and more. No matter how you look at it and no matter where in Colorado the number of breweries opening up will be enough to keep all of our pint glasses full, and all of our thirst’s quenched. Cheers to the year ahead and what 2014 will bring.

What breweries are you looking forward to next year? Let us know at https://www.facebook.com/MileHighBrews