Colorado's Playground Is Now Brewing Hotbed
Brewpub's popping up on 'the Summit' landscape
April, 1998For decades Summit County, Colorado has been noted as being the ski capitol of the Rocky Mountain State. Being home to Copper Mountain, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Arapahoe Basin Mountain Resorts this county has more ski/snowboarding resorts within its boundaries than any other county in this colorful state. Within the past two years however, residents and visitors to this popular mountain destination have recognized a new feature on "the Summit's" rapidly developing landscape. Brewpubs have been popping up one after the other. Summit County is currently home to five brewpubs, making them the county with the most brewpubs per capita in the nation, as well. "Not a bad place to live", you say. That's why I call it my home.
Breckenridge
It all started in 1990 when ski bum turned entrepreneur, Richard Squires convinced some investors to help him build and open a brewery in the town of Breckenridge. His plan was to expand his already popular homebrewing operation into a profitable business venture. Soon after gathering up enough investors, he put together his brewery and started distributing locally until his beers' popularity carried his beer out of Summit County. First to Vail, then to Aspen and eventually to the huge market in Denver. His success early on in Colorado's brewing renaissance was practically instantaneous. Within just a few years the high demand for Breckenridge's brews eventually forced them to open two more breweries in the greater Denver area and subsequently, several others across the nation.
All of the beer presently produced at Breckenridge Brewery's Breckenridge location is consumed there, sold directly through their taps to their patrons. Just a few kegs are shipped out to local bar accounts in and around Summit County. The vast majority of their beer that is produced for distribution and sale in bottles is brewed and bottled in one of their two Denver breweries. Their most popular beers include their Avalanche Amber, IPA, Oatmeal Stout, and Mountain Wheat, most of which are available in twelve-ounce bottles in liquor stores throughout Colorado and many other states across the nation. Specialty seasonal ales available only at the brewery while supplies last include Young John's London Bitter and their Anniversary Ale.
Four other brewpubs have since opened their taps in Summit County and in their relatively short existence are seeing the same high demand for their hand-crafted beer, turning barley and hops into a healthy, steady cash flow.
Frisco
The first brewpub to follow in Breckenridge's footsteps opened in the town of Frisco, in the summer of 1996. The Backcountry Brewery came into being primarily as a result of the efforts of long time local residents Woody and Melinda Van Gundy, and Brewmaster Anthony Carestia, formerly a brewer at Tommyknocker Brewery in Idaho Springs, Colorado. After they pooled their resources and gathered a few more investors they began to build, from the ground-up, their grandiose brewery and restaurant that sits on the corner of Main Street and Summit Boulevard in this bustling resort community. About one and a half years later, the Backcountry Brewery is seeing great returns from locals and visitors to "The Summit" year round. Their combination of good food, live music, and apres ski specials continue to keep the place busy with customers who enjoy choosing from their variety of handcrafted beers including a porter, pilsner, stout, amber and an India pale ale. Presently, The Backcountry Brewery's beers can only be purchased at the brewery to be enjoyed by the pint, pitcher, or in a take home gallon growler.
Dillon
The next brewpub to serve its own hand-crafted ales at "The Summit" was Pug Ryan's Steakhouse and Brewery in the town of Dillon. This establishment had already had great success as a fine restaurant in the area, and seeing how the microbrew trend was taking off around the country, they decided to expand their operations to include a brewery on premises. Head brewer Warren Rosencranz brews up some fine ales to complement the restaurant's gourmet menu selections. They include a brown ale, a pale ale, a porter and a German-style Blonde. With great happy hour specials and a central location relative to Summit County's ski slopes, you're bound to find a good apres ski crowd on hand any day of the week.
About one month after Pug's served its first pints in Dillon, The Dillon Dam Brewery opened just a couple miles away at the base of the dam on the north end of Lake Dillon Reservoir. The two men behind this venture where Michael Reed, who had been brewing for Breckenridge Breweries at their original location for several years prior, and George Blincoe, who had several years experience as a restaurant manager at another one of Summit County's popular dining establishments. Together, the two found all the right ingredients necessary to make the Dillon Dam Brewery the great success that it has proven to be in its relatively short history. Beers brewed by Michael and his assistant John Androsky, who also previously brewed for Breckenridge Breweries, include an oatmeal stout, a brown ale, an extra pale ale, and a lager not to mention a variety of specialty seasonal ales that come out at various times during the year. Nearly one year after they first opened for business, the place is always packed. Locals and tourists alike come to hear live music, shoot pool and just to enjoy a great meal and some exceptional brews. Their beer is only available at their brewpub to be enjoyed on the premises or sold in growlers and kegs to be enjoyed at home.
Keystone
Finally, Great Northern Tavern and Brewery opened in March of 1997. Summit County's latest brewpub is located at the base of the Skyway Gondola at Keystone Resort. This venture was undertaken by the Denver-based company Basic Food Group who have shaped their pub and restaurant into a place where visitors to Keystone resort can come to enjoy an atmosphere of casual elegance. Bar Manager, Brian Lantzy explains, "Great Northern is the type of place where you can come in clad in ski boots and ski wear to enjoy a filet mignon accompanied by a '47' port or single malt scotch, or where you come to just enjoy one of our handcrafted beers, all the while experiencing the quality service you would expect from any fine dining establishment." Great Northern's convenient location in the River Run Plaza at Keystone Resort makes it an ideal location for an apres ski cocktail or for an elegant dinner after a long day of skiing or snowboarding on the runs of Keystone or Arapahoe Basin.
Year Around Beer and Fun
Even if winter mountain sports aren't your thing, Summit County, Colorado is popular with tourists all year round. As any local will tell you, there is no such thing as "the off season" at "The Summit", as once was the case. With great camping, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, sailing, hot air ballooning and a variety of other activities to take advantage of in the Spring, Summer, and Fall, this popular mountain destination is happening year round. That is precisely why it is easy to see how so many brewpubs have opened and found such early success in this area that is so appropriately called "Colorado's playground."
