Downhill Brewing Takes Over Peak View Brewing
The Story: Starting February 1, the Greenwood Village brewery will change hands as Downhill takes over.
The Scoop: Downhill owners Jake Minturn and Doug Hyndman had been looking into expansion for a while. The duo tells Westword that they ultimately moved into an acquisition strategy, as a complete buildout would be very expensive. While Minturn and Hyndman have been in lockstep, a difference in views among the larger group of owners and investors at Peak View presented an opportunity for Downhill to step in and buy the space.
It took the better part of a year for the deal to move forward, but the team at Downhill is looking forward to taking over. Hyndman says that he doesn't expect much turnover, and to date, they've retained nearly all of the staff for the transition. "As long as the ship is sailing, we're not going to rock the boat," he notes.
The five-barrel system at Peak View will offer some opportunities and synergies between the breweries, as well. Expect to see more beers brewed at the Greenwood Village location to make their way down to Parker, and vice versa. "We're planning to expand our taps and our variety," says Minturn.
One thing that won't change, at least not immediately, is the pizza. While Downhill has a cult-like following for its Chicago-style thin-crust pies, Peak View had a deal with Rocky Mountain Pizza that is going to be honored. The team will also be experimenting with ideas like par-baking pies in the kitchen in Parker to potentially serve them in Greenwood Village in the future.
Zymos Brewing Opening February 2
The Story: Littleton welcomes another brewery to town as Zymos opens its doors at 5180 South Lowell Boulevard.
The Scoop: Zymos originally planned to open years ago in Westminster, but the pandemic interfered. Co-owner and head brewer James Coulter previously brewed at Colorado Plus. There he followed in the footsteps of the former head brewer Adam Draeger, who also went on to start his own brewery, Inventors Brewpub in Port Washington, Wisconsin.
Zymos's opening-day lineup will include a cream ale as well as a Nordic ale that uses heritage wheat from local Root Shoot Malting along with spruce tips. A Kolsch, an American brown ale and an IPA round out the inaugural list. Four guest taps from Goldspot Brewing will also be available.
Upcoming Events
Ratio Beerworks Genius Wizard Release Party
February 2, 7 to 10 p.m.
Mercury Cafe
2199 California Street
With a mix of barrel-aged stout variants, local food and immersive performances, Ratio's Genius Wizard releases were some of the best parties pre-COVID. Back for 2024, the latest installment at the Mercury Cafe is not to be missed. Tickets start at $25 and include four-ounce tastings of each stout variant, four different 1.5-ounce tastings of Laws Whiskey House bourbon and rye variants, a full pour of the OG stout, and small bites from Uptown and Humboldt. Ratio also promises a few tricks from art partner Shadows Gather. A $50 ticket includes a four-pack of Genius Wizard to take home, which alone is a $40 retail value.
Mountain Sun has been the motor behind Stout Month in Colorado for years.
Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery
Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery
1533 Pearl Street, Boulder
From the brewery that started the trend, Stout Month continues at Mountain Sun. Since Vine Street in Denver remains closed, fans of the brewery will have to visit Boulder to get their fix. With free music every Friday and stout releases throughout February, Mountain Sun isn't holding back this year.
Hops & Pie
3920 Tennyson Street
Hops & Pie is really bringing it for this year's Stout Month with an impressive lineup of dark beer makers. Breweries being featured during February include La Cumbre Brewing, Fremont Brewing, Prairie Artisan Ales, Telluride Brewing, WeldWerks Brewing, Westbound & Down Brewing, Amalgam Brewing and Casey Brewing.
Bull & Bush Brewery
4700 Cherry Creek South Drive
The Bull isn't messing around when it comes to Stout Month, either. With four beers of its own on tap as well as three vintages of the Legend of the Liquid Brain — not to mention a small army of guest stouts — it'll be worth stopping by for some dark beers throughout the month. Cannonball Creek Brewing, Comrade Brewing, Avery Brewing, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Firestone Walker Brewing, Stone Brewing, Alaskan Brewing and Great Divide are just some of the guest taps, many of which will include vintage beers from 2011-2018. There will also be a Coffee Blueberry Stout Burger on the menu made with Stonehenge Stout syrup, onion rings, blueberry aioli, blueberry cheddar cheese and a coffee-rubbed half-pound patty.
Beer of the Week: Clock Maker from Coda Brewing, German pilsner, 5.1 percent ABV
From the Brewery: German-style pilsner decocted with German heirloom malt, German Tettnanger and German Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops, boiled in copper.
From the Glass: Soft, floral hops on the nose follow into the taste, with a light cereal grain revealing itself mid-sip. Prickly carbonation accents a clean, dry finish. It's not often you can try a beer that has been lagering for over four months, and when you do, it's usually a higher-ABV lager like a doppelbock — not a German-style pilsner. This beer is worth going out of your way for.
Availability: On draft and in cans at the brewery.
