New Breweries that Can and Bottle too soon

I have noticed with the influx of new breweries popping up lately, how many want to get a fast return on their investment with bottling and canning their beers right away.

I have talked to many sources and what I've learned is that the saturation point is all ready here but not where you think. It's saturated in the liquor stores with a limited amount of space availability in the cooler doors. Many of these breweries are starting out with state of the art equipment which means finance loans that have to paid.  Sam Scruby, head-brewer at Upslope Brewing commented that the neighborhood breweries was a way around that cooler door limitation.

I asked an acquaintance who is opening a brewery, Jesse Brookstein about what were their plans and he said that Call To Arms Brewing will be a neighborhood place for locals to hangout. He also commented that if they do bottle or can, it was likely that they would sell them on site not distribute.  Jamie Wells, of J Wells brewing hand bottles bombers than self distributes as a way to get customers into his taproom. Which for him was a smart move, since his brewery is in an industrial park not close to a neighborhood in Boulder. Front Range Brewing in Lafayette bottles speciality beers quarterly and sells them on premises. They also self distribute to a some liquor stores as J Wells Brewing does in Boulder, for the same reason to get their name out.

I'm not saying that a brewery can't sell their beers for distribution, I'm saying maybe wait until your beers are the best. What I mean is, craft that beer to be able to compete with what's all ready on the shelves.  I have drank some really okay beers that I wouldn't buy to take home. Some breweries hit it on the mark really fast like Niwot's Bootstrap Brewing with their Insane Rush IPA, the local liquor stores can't keep them on the shelves for long. 

I think that there are some people in the brewing industry that are in it for the future prospect of financial gain but those who are up on top got there with a great product like Adam Avery founder of Avery Brewing.  Like others, he started when the industry was in it's infancy but it took him over 20 years to finally build a state of the art brewing facility.  The industry has grown up since then and the beers out there are fabulously crafted, it's a different industry now with that influx of breweries selling their beers for distribution.

If you're going to distribute, the beer had better be killer because this is becoming a very competitive business.  Craft beer drinkers are getting more knowledgeable everyday that putting mediocre beer on the shelves will give a new brewery a bad name and word of mouth spreads fast.

These are of course one person's opinion, so please take it so.

Front Range Brewing Beer Dinner featuring Chef Connie Ruel

Beer pairing dinners can fall between fabulous to mediocre with a few exceptions, Front Range Brewing exceeded expectations for this blogger.  It was very close to fabulous except that one of the courses wasn’t my favorite but everyone else seemed to enjoy it.

Chris Dutton, co-founder and brewer of Front Range was on hand to explain the beers and Chef Connie Ruel was also there to talk about the food she prepared for the dinner.

Chris Dutton

Connie Ruel

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t was a quite elegant table seating with plates, utensils, water glasses, and name cards. It was different to be seated next to strangers but on the other hand it helps make new friends.

The first course was an Acorn squash ring that was stuffed with apple-fennel sausage on a roasted raspberry chipotle reduction which was paired with a Holiday Cranberry-Apple Saison. The Saison paired well with the acorn squash, the spices complemented each other.

First course.

Second course was one that I was on the fence about since the entree and beer wasn’t a favorite of mine. Red and Golden Beets and Kale with Clementine-coriander vinaigrette, goat cheese, dates, and roasted pepitas that was paired with a Summer Kolsch.

Salad course.

The third course was a Braised Pork Hock and Red Potato Stack, pecan-chocolate picada sauce. The beer was a rich Doppel Bock that complemented the richness of the pork hock.

Third course.

The last course was dessert and it was a wonderful concoction.  White Chocolate Decadent Pyramid, dried apricot-currant compote, anise creme anglaise, and a macadamia nut brittle that was paired with a White Chocolate Cream Ale.  This course with dessert and beer was well balanced, the sweetness was contrasted with the cream ale.

Dessert!

My overall impression of this dinner? I thought it was well executed from start to finish even though one course wasn’t to my taste.  The beers were very good and the food was prepared well, both with much thought.

Connie Ruel is the author of "Passions of a Restaurateur" which is now available on Amazon!

Front Range Brewing to drown our sorrows

After to USA lost in the World Cup, we're at Front Range to drown our sorrows! Trapper Lake Tripel barrel-aged at 8.8%ABV.

Potluck meet up at Front Range Brewery in Lafayette, CO

Barley's Angels CO organized a meet up for new and existing members at Front Range Brewing in Lafayette. It was a potluck pairing with the brewery's beers.

















The potluck ranged from KFC chicken, tortilla chips and guacamole, meatballs, and fruit kabobs. There were many familiar faces and some new ones but we had a good time pairing the potluck snacks with Front Range's beers.  We paid separate for our beers some of the members who hadn't been to Front Range before bought taster sets to give a better feel for the pairings.
















The folks at Front Range were very nice and gave us a tour of their small brewing facilities.  The brewery is situated in a mall in Lafayette where there are many restaurants. The taproom has menus for take-out where they deliver the entree to you. The beers are solid with a list including an IPA, a Saison or Farmhouse Ale, and until recently a milk stout.

Patio.

Brewery tour.