Rockyard Brewing:Colorado's Newest Brewpub Opens In Castle Rock
Brewery fine alternative for those headed to outlet stores
August, 1999by Tony Todd
Castle Rock, Colorado is home to Colorado's newest brewpub. The Rockyard Brewing Company. Situated just south of Denver and north of Colorado Springs, the brewery's location is ideal for those who travel along I-25 between Colorado's largest two cities. Locals, as well as the tourists that flock to the factory outlet stores that have become Castle Rock's leading industry during the past decade or so, have been taking advantage of the high quality brews that adorn the Rockyard Brewing Company's beer menu.
"Construction workers who work in the area have been among our best customer's for the lunch rush as well as employees of the various businesses in the area. During the dinner rush, we get more families and locals and during happy hour and late night, we get a nice mix of both", Brewmaster Wayne Waananen explained. Their large dining room and bar area has plenty of seating for lunch, dinner or just a brew or two. There are two championship size pool tables at the front of the building and a brand new deck with awesome views of the Rockies in the rear where patrons can sit and watch the sun set over the mountains while enjoying one of their favorite brews and/or food selections.
In terms of beer selections you can choose from one of their five mainstays or two seasonals that they usually have on tap. The mainstays are their Double Eagle Ale-a golden colored interpretation of a German-style Helles. They use their house ale yeast, European Pale Ale and Munich malts and Pacific Hallertau hops imported from New Zealand.
The Bullseye Brown Ale is a smooth, malty-sweet, English-style brown ale. It is made with European Pale Ale, CaraMunich, Kiln Amber, and a touch of Chocolate malts. English Kent Golding hops are used to give an authentic British flavor to this beer.
The Redhawk Ale is amber colored, complex, full-bodied and malty. It is brewed with European Pale Ale, CaraWheat and two types of CaraMunich malts. English Kent Golding hops add a slight touch of bitterness and flavor that balances the sweetness of the malts.
Hopyard Pale Ale is a copper colored, hoppy version of an American Pale Ale. Wayne uses European Pale Ale, Cara Amber, and Munich malts to balance out the massive quantities of U.S. grown Amarillo hops.
Lightning Strike Stout, so named because Castle Rock is one of the top five places in the United States for recorded lightning strikes every year. In fact, the brewery was struck within their first week of operations. This very dark and smooth ale is made from European Pale Ale, CaraMunich, and Chocolate malts alongside the roasted wheat, roasted rye and rolled oats as well. Amarillo hops are used to impart bitterness and the beer is dispensed from the serving tanks using a nitrogen gas blend that gives this beauty a thick and creamy mouthfeel.
Depending on the time of year that you visit the Rockyard, you may also choose one of their seasonals that include (but are not limited to) their RyePA, a unique version of a classic IPA that uses 15% flaked rye in the recipe, their white ale and an occasional porter.
Wayne speaks very highly of the ingredients he gets from Malteries Franco-Belge (MFB) through their American importer Grain Millers. They offer a complete line of brewing grains, from standard Pilsen malt through the dark roasted malts and unmalted grains.
These malts are produced from grains grown in France and processed in malthouses in Champagne, Lorraine, Beauce-Gatinais and Bourgogne. They keep tight controls over the process from the seed to the final shipment, assuring consistent quality. Distribution in the Western U.S. is through Five Star Products and Services, based near Denver. You can check out the MFB website at http://grainmillers.com/brewing.htm.
Wayne takes great care to brew high quality brews that represent their classic style well while maintaining some degree of uniqueness through the ingredients he selects and the proportions he uses in his recipes. His are truly flavorful ales that are worth making a special trip for. I'm glad I did.
If you're hungry, their food menu is immense. Choose from classic appetizers such as wings, jalapeno poppers, and nachos to more unique starters like their Yardichoke dip. They have several sandwiches, burgers and rollups to choose from as well as salads, soups and entrees such as their New York strip, surf and turf and ribs. Several pastas, pizzas and burritos complement the menu as well.
As for souvenirs you can purchase, t-shirts, golf shirts, sweatshirts, pint glasses and other items with the brewing company's logo on them. For the kids or non-alcohol consumers, Wayne also brews up an orange cream soda and a root beer that have as much flavor as his hand-crafted ales. Party pigs and growlers are available for purchase for $25 and $9 or $7 for refills, respectively.
Rockyard Brewing Company 880 West Castleton Road Castle Rock, Colorado 80104 303-814-YARD (9273) www.rockyard.com
