Westbound & Down Acquires Aspen Brewing & Capitol Creek Brewing

It has also hired Matt Husted, the former director of hospitality and partner at Id Est Hospitality, the group behind Michelin-starred Brutø and the Wolf's Tailor, to oversee all brewpubs.

By Ryan Pachmayer

December 1, 2023

Image: Brewery photo with outdoor seating.

Westbound & Down started in Idaho Springs, but has now expanded to five public-facing locations. Westbound & Down Brewing

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On December 1, Westbound & Down Brewing, which was founded in Idaho Springs in 2015, announced that it has acquired Aspen Brewing and Capitol Creek Brewing from High Country Brewing LLC.

The deal includes Aspen Brewing's 7,000-barrel-capacity production facility. It also includes two brewpubs: the Aspen Tap location in downtown Aspen, and the Capitol Creek brewpub in Basalt.

The news brings some internal changes, with current Westbound & Down chef Casey Taylor now overseeing the culinary program at both new brewpubs, in addition to his current duties overseeing the Idaho Springs and Lafayette locations.

click to enlarge

food on a plate in front of a glass of beer

Westbound & Down is now operating additional brewpubs as part of the deal.

Courtesy of Westbound & Down

Westbound & Down has also hired Matt Husted, the former director of hospitality and a partner at Id Est Hospitality, the group behind Michelin-starred Brutø and the Wolf's Tailor, to run all four brewpubs. In 2022, Westbound & Down opened a mini-taproom at the Dairy Block in Denver, in a space that Brutø had previously used to run an à la carte taco pop-up during the pandemic shutdowns.

This year, Westbound & Down has continued to cement its place as one of the top breweries in the state, winning a gold medal at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival for its Westbound Select IPA, as well as a silver for its Spirit of the West IPA and a bronze for its Coloradan lager.

In a year when people are quick to discuss the breweries that are struggling, Westbound & Down is a clear bright spot.

Ryan Pachmayer is a beer writer living in Arvada. He has written for publications such as Craft Beer & Brewing, Zymurgy, Porch Drinking, Homebrewing DIY and Punch. He is also the former head brewer at Yak & Yeti Brewpub, marketing director at New Image Brewing and a BJCP Certified Judge.

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