Aspen Brewery

Back in September 2008, the state of Colorado achieved a rather remarkable milestone. The Centennial State overtook colossal California as the biggest beer-producing state in the United States. According to the independent National Beer Institute in Washington D.C., the state of Colorado brews 23.3 million barrels of sudsy goodness last year compared with 22.8 million barrels brewed and produced in California. The State of Colorado also claims the largest concentration of microbreweries in the country, much to the delight of beer enthusiasts statewide.

The Aspen area has its own proud heritage with independent breweries in making this hoppy mile marker. Long time Woody Creek resident, cattle rancher, printer, heroic eccentric, and philanthropist George Stranahan with Richard McIntyre started the nationally distributed Flying Dog Ales with a brewpub in downtown Aspen in 1990.

Recently, the torch was passed to a quaint and unassuming Mill Street establishment started with plenty of bohemian appeal. The Aspen Brewery is the brainchild of three college friends turned entrepreneurial prospectors from the University of Colorado at Boulder who decided to go west and mine for microbrew gold. The Aspen Brewery is currently distinguished with holding the honor as the only local brewery in Aspen.

Aspen Brewery’s recipe for success is simple: no food, no bottles, no themes, no cheesy music - just beer. Not just any type of beer; delicious, homemade, full-bodied, and well-crafted beer in a variety of different brew styles. Because of current zoning laws and the Aspen Brewery’s emphasis on a quality microbrew, you’re not going to get too much more than plenty of smiles, ski stories, and few pints or a growler of fresh-brewed beer. What else could one want? The Brewery’s simplicity is much to the delight of patrons who enjoy a mellow, laidback atmosphere for thoughtful conversation. The taproom is cheerful yet simplistic, with aluminum kegs and burlap sacks of hops and yeast scattered haphazardly in the creative fury of artistic brewing.

Don’t be fooled by the brewery’s exterior. It may look like a highway roadwork construction office on the outside, but the interior contains a few tables, a bar, and massive steel kettles that pump out about 50 gallons of fresh brewed beer a day. The blackboard behind the bar announces the beers currently served on tap. A sign scribbled on the chalk board invites guests to “Ask Questions, ” and the trio will be more than ready to give a tour of the brewery procedure with hospitable “yeah, bro!” friendliness. No matter when you go, the brewers are sure to be behind the bar, warmly welcoming your questions about the process of creating their lovingly-made craft brews. Currently, selections on tap include the delicate Ajax Pilsner, a light Smuggler Wheat Ale, a thick Conundrum Red ale, a hoppy Independence Pass IPA, the thick-malt Brown Bear Ale, a hearty Pyramid Peak Porter, and a homemade root beer. For a true beer flavor expedition, try the six beer flight sampler, served in taster glasses racked into a pair of Rossignol mini skis retired from use on the mountain.

Proprietors Duncan Clauss, Rory Douthit, Brad Veltman, and brew master Jason Courtney of The Aspen Brewery are the new kids on the block in the Aspen bar scene, even if their brewery is only open until 9 P.M. They are making a bold and noble effort at trying to re-conceptualize the glitzy Aspen area’s need for a gritty, elbows-on-the-table microbrew where everyday Joes can relax. The crowd is amicable mix of off-duty Aspen Ski Company employees and thirsty, year-round locals basking in the sudsy solace of a lively microbrew. It is a beer Shangri-la where the bartender knows your name and is more than willing to yap it up about town gossip and tasty beverages. This may be Aspen Brewery’s best asset: in many ways, it’s still off the radar for visitors to the Rocky Mountain high country. Even if you’re merely a pauper in a town gentrified by the modern cream of global society, it’s important to remember what Shakespeare wrote in A Winter’s Tale: "A quart of ale is a dish for a king.” When you leave Aspen Brewery smiling with a belly full of Brown Bear Ale or Pyramid Peak Porter, you’ll understand what The Bard meant, no matter your place on the social ladder.

Aspen Brewery
557 North Mill Street
Aspen, CO 81612
970.920.BREW (2739)
www.aspenbrewingco.com