Colorado’s craft beer scene enjoyed a memorable year, with an ever-growing list of new beers and new breweries.
To mark the year in beer, the Denver Post surveyed dozens of brewers and industry experts from across the state and asked them to name the best beers and breweries in 2016 – and offer predictions for what to expect in 2017.
The 6th annual Beer in Review survey collectively shows that Colorado beer sits at the forefront of industry trends and offers overflowing options for the state’s craft beer fans. (To see individual submissions from brewers and craft beer experts, visit http://ift.tt/2iNpWwD.)
About 50 craft beer pros answered the survey – and here are the results for 2016:
Beer in Review: Bierstadt Lagerhaus’ Slow Pour Pils is officially a hit.
Best Colorado beer: Bierstadt Lagerhaus Slow Pour Pils
Denver’s Bierstadt Lagerhaus opened a mere four months ago, and its traditional German pilsner made an immediate impression in an arena where bigger and crazier are often considered better. But this is no fizzy yellow beer you can find in 30-packs, either.
“Simple, yet authentic and delicious,” said Brian O’Connell at Renegade Brewing.
Crisp and easy drinking, it takes 30 hours to brew and then ferments at cold temperatures for what seems like an eternity. Slow Pour Pils is served with a tall foamy head that extends above the rim of the glass.
This beer is at the forefront of the movement toward lighter beers that we will see in the coming year. The “attention to detail and uncompromising attitude on how beer should be made absolutely shines in this beer,” said Sam Scruby at Upslope Brewing.
Colorado brewery of the year: Black Project Spontaneous and Wild Ales in Denver
Once under the radar, Black Project made its formal debut this year on South Broadway in Denver, replacing its sister operation Former Future. James and Sarah Howat’s brewery specializes beer that is spontaneously fermented with microbes in the open air, creating beer with complexity and a sense of place. Other yeast strains are isolated in the lab to make unique saisons and India pale ales.
Black Project “continues to push boundaries with their methods of harvesting and isolating wild yeast from their Denver rooftop and their marketing decision to solely focus on native microflora for fermentation,” said Chris Marchio, the former brewer at Joyride Brewing.
The unique approach gave Black Project the nod, but this category was close, with a dozen breweries in contention. Four of the state’s IPA masters finished tied for second place: Cannonball Creek, Cerebral, Comrade and Odd13 are redefining styles and pushing hop flavors to new places with each brewery hitting a new level in 2016.
Best new Colorado brewery: Bierstadt Lagerhaus in Denver
Long anticipated and worth the wait, Bierstadt Lagerhaus won rave reviews when it opened in Denver’s River North neighborhood in August. The masterminds behind the project, however, are far from newcomers. Bill Eye and Ashleigh Carter are veterans of Dry Dock Brewing and helped launch Prost, another German-style beer specialist, in 2012.
The brewery makes three beers – a pilsner, a helles and a dunkel – on an 84-year-old copper brew kettle from Germany. Bierstadt’s ethos is clear: “We are ones for tradition,” the brewers proclaim on the website. “We have brewed a lot of beer over the years, and it is our belief that traditionally brewed lagers are classics for a reason.”
Carter said the Slow Pour Pils came “after more than 2 ½ years of working and waiting. … It was the culmination of a lot of work, and a little bit of weight lifted off our shoulders.”
Other newcomers to put on your must-visit list: Cheluna in Aurora; New Image in Arvada; Little Machine in Denver; Wibby in Longmont; Mountain Tap in Steamboat; and Zwei in Fort Collins.
Colorado brewery to watch in 2017: Brewery Liberati in Denver
The brainchild of Italian brewer Alex Liberati, who moved to Colorado from Rome two years ago, Brewery Liberati is expected to take craft beer in new interesting directions with wine-beer hybrids. The addition of grapes is seen in a few commercial examples but remains a relatively unexplored arena.
“I don’t think anybody’s being anticipated in 2017 like Liberati,” said Chris Black at Falling Rock Tap House. “Alex Liberati and his crew of Italians should bring in some new blood to the scene. Their focus on food and food-friendly beers will be interesting to watch.”
The brewery is expected to open with a restaurant in fall 2017 at 2403 Champa Street in downtown Denver.
WeldWerks and Wiley Roots in Greeley and Baere Brewing in Denver are three other breweries that are expected to become bigger players in 2017. So keep an eye on them, too.
Most notable craft beer trend in 2016: The hazy IPA
The craze for the haze hit Colorado in 2016. Cloudy New England-style IPAs became popular at a dozen or more breweries. Instead of bitter bombs, these IPAS are “juice bombs” – exploding with softer, fruit favors from the huge dose of hops late in the brew process.
The style is not without controversy, as many brewers consider them inferior because of the hazy appearance. “They were the topic of many debates,” said Alan Simons at Dry Dock Brewing. “It was fun to watch the passion expressed with these beers. People love them, and it will be interesting to watch how the style evolves.”
The best examples of the style in Colorado are available at Odd13, WeldWerks, Cerebral and Fiction. And it’s only expected to grow in popularity in 2017.
Craft beer trend to watch in 2017: Market pressures
The year ahead in craft beer is dominated by predictions (and fears) of market forces redefining the landscape. The concerns include the possibility of layoffs, brand overhauls and even more sellouts to mega beer companies like Anheuser-Busch.
The entrance into the craft market of so-called “Big Beer” and the ever-growing list of new breweries will only increase competition.
“Unfortunately, I fear the AB InBev infiltration of craft beer will not slow down,” said Scott Witsoe at Wit’s End Brewing in Denver. “The heart of this industry is strong, but they are a powerhouse and have the resources to permanently change things as they see it. I’m not sure how everyone is going to fare in their wake next year.”
One sector facing particular pressure are breweries in the middle – big enough for regional distribution but not big enough for a national footprint. “I strongly believe there’s room for a brewery in every neighborhood, but (the competition) is starting to get real for those with more regional goals,” said Brett Williams at Little Machine Beer.
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