Dolores River Brew Pub

 

Stopped in at this place while I was staying in nearby Cortez, CO. Rustic appearance from the outside and the inside mirrors that too. Small bar with about a dozen tables and a few couches. Pretty small beer menu, and a bit weird. I can't say that I've ever seen a seasonal barley wine on tap in June. Nonetheless, good beer. I had the pale ale and ESB. I asked the bartender if they ever make an IPA, and she told me that they weren't into the "trendy" IPA thing. That's cool... I guess. Kind of a disappointment. The two beers I had were pretty good. I bet they'd do well with an IPA too. Good pizza. Had the White Marg'za. Reasonably priced. I'll be back for sure.

Dolores is a small town in Southern Colorado, with an equally small population. However the brewery there is a place of big flavors, both in beer and food. It is one of the best examples of great brewing that is taking place in this part of the country.

The last time I was there they had 7 beers on tap. All represent their style well. The ESB is one of the standouts, it is above average, great taste and aroma. They also had a couple of seasonal brews this past fall which were pretty good. The brown ale I tried was was also good. I couldn't leave without a growler of the ESB though.

The food was really good. Everyone in my party was very happy with their food. The pizzas are cooked in wood fired oven behind the bar, the crusts were thin and crisp, perfect.

This and other breweries in the four corners area, such as Ska Brewing are worth planning a trip for.

Dolores is in an oft-overlooked corner of the Montezuma Valley, but if there's any justice in the world, both Dolores and the Dolores River Brewery will gain worldwide reknown. The brewery sits on the town square, next to a general store, and is open five days a week at 4 PM.

They've got a small pub that has a wonderful coffeehouse feel. There are a fair number of tables along the edge of the main dining room, the bar squarely in the middle, and some couches with low tables in one corner. They've done their best to represent the Four Corners region in their decor, all of which has a pleasant southwest motif. Additionally noteworthy is the story behind the decor (and architecture). As they explain on their beer menu, everything used in the brewery and pub is reused, recycled, or reclaimed and rebuilt: nothing was bought new.

Our bartender/server was friendly and enthusiastic about their beer, and he poured free samples of every tap for us before we chose.

They had six beers on tap during my visit--four mainstays (ESB, pale ale, mild ale, dry stout) and two seasonals (barleywine, schwarzbier), and all six of them were full-bodied, clean interpretations of their styles.
The ESB and pale ale were especially good; the seasonals a little rough around the edges but worth trying nonetheless.

Pizza is the most prominent dish on the menu, and, according to the menu, they strive to make the best pizza in the world. Though they may not quite have achieved that yet, their pies are original and tasty. I had a traditional Hawaiian with the not-so-traditional addition of chipotle chiles and it was delicious!

Dolores River Brewpub is a hidden gem--well worth a side trip from Durango, Grand Junction, Telluride, Moab or anywhere else in the Four Corners region. For beer geeks, it's worth a trek from much farther away. Highly recommended.