In all the meat frenzy that resulted from last year's string of barbecue openings (we counted ten), one of our favorites got lost in the shuffle. Brewshine BBQ & Tap House had opened in late 2014 at 3109 Federal Boulevard with an outdoor barbecue pit that provided smoky depth to its ribs, brisket and wings. The place made our list of the ten best barbecue joints in Denver last summer, but a difficult location — in a bungalow-like structure without much street visibility — made drumming up customers a challenge.
Sadly, the lights went out at Brewshine at the end of last month with a farewell party from owners Kristen and David Lewis. In addition to tasty 'cue, the place had featured a big selection of moonshine and a bar bristling with tap handles (hence, the name Brewshine).
This address hasn't been kind to restaurants over the past few years; before it was Brewshine, the space quickly gobbled up Pizza Public and then Illegal Pizza.
But in other parts of town, the city has definitely stepped up its barbecue game over the past year or so, with the likes of Wayne's Smoke Shack, Roaming Buffalo Bar-B-Que, GQue and Globe Hall proving that Denverites don't need to settle for mediocrity.