Big Changes at Bierstadt Lagerhaus in RiNo, Including Can't-Miss Patio

Denver’s popular Bierstadt Lagerhaus has had a busy year, and recent changes were just capped off by the opening of a permanent, quarter-million-dollar patio in front of the brewery. “It’s going to be something special,” says Bierstadt co-owner Bill Eye. The orange patio spans most of the building — it’s a can’t-miss if you’re walking by on Blake Street.

In January, Bierstadt took over the space previously occupied by Deep Roots Winery, which found Denver to be too expensive and moved to Golden. Bierstadt is doubling down, however, with an estimated $500,000 of investment between its permanent patio, an expansion of the downstairs space, and taking over the entire building’s lease.

Bierstadt is also changing up how its customers experience the brewery. Previously, the downstairs games were only open at select times. “Some people would come into the brewery, see the games weren’t open, and just walk out,” says Eye. Now, the downstairs games are open seven days a week, and the upstairs area is open Thursday or Friday through Sunday, depending on the time of year.

Fans of the iconic upstairs bar don’t need to fret, though: a replica, complete with white tiles, was built downstairs. The move will allow customers to more seamlessly integrate with both the games and the outdoor patio, all on one level. The upstairs area will handle overflow and private events.
Bierstadt has increased in popularity over the last few years. From out-of-towners flocking to this mecca of German lagers to a steady stream of public and private events to a strong core of regulars, Bierstadt continues to grow its base. Eye says that the brewery produced roughly 1,800 barrels in 2023, 2,400 barrels in 2024, and is expecting to be close to 3,400 barrels this year. “We’re hoping to edge closer to 4,000 in [2026],” says Eye, noting that the maximum capacity of the brewery is about 4,000 barrels.

Reaching maximum capacity isn’t something Eye is too worried about — and fans shouldn’t expect Bierstadt to continue to expand beyond that. “It doesn’t break any of our hearts,” he says. “If we can sell 4,000 barrels and most of that is in our space, with a bit of cans and draft circulating around, we’ll be happy with that.”

Bierstadt also houses a separate fermenter used by Amalgam Brewing. Bierstadt assistant brewer Phil Joyce runs Amalgam with Westbound & Down Brand Director Eric Schmidt. Joyce and Schmidt’s innovative IPAs are often available on draft at Bierstadt, along with wine, cider and an up-and-coming cocktail program.

A rotating mix of cocktails continues to be a source of growth for the brewery, too. For a brewery that values consistent, patient, German-technique-driven lagers, it has a surprisingly diverse number of options for patrons. Bar manager Chuck Harris has been working with some of his favorite cocktail bars to develop seasonal collaborations on the cocktail front. The current menu features drinks in partnership with Death and Co, Yacht Club, Dirty Laundry and Hell or High Water Tiki.

That wide range of drinks allows Bierstadt to host many varied events and entertainment. Whether it’s live pro wrestling, queer markets, oyster shucking pop-ups or happy hours, Bierstadt is a magnet for events. Beer is still king at Bierstadt, representing about half of all sales according to Eye, but cocktails and liquor represent a growing 15 percent.

Another roughly 30 percent of sales comes from food. The menu was redesigned by co-owner Chris Rippe a couple of years ago and Eye says it’s been very successful. There's also a small shipping container area behind the lower bar at Bierstadt where Eye is hoping to add to the food options, perhaps even offering his favorite late-night snack when he visits Munich: kabobs. In the short term, there will be some collaborations with chef Justin Brunson — think burger and steak nights.
With the new changes, the brewery is seeing more families, especially on weekdays. The giant cornhole bags and barrel toss games are still in a 21+ section, but having an array of arcade machines on the ground floor has drawn more family groups this summer.

"We took a risk," says Eye, who notes that the results are mixed so far. The early part of the year was rough, especially after Bierstadt took over the entire building's lease payments during dry January. But the last couple of months have been strong.

Concludes Eye: “People want to come play games and drink a yellow beer as big as their head."

Bierstadt Lagerhaus is located at 2875 Blake Street, and open from 2 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday,noon to midnight Friday and Saturday, and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday; get more info at bierstadtlager.com.