New Colorado Breweries

They should share the space with Blue Moon... No?

 

$20 to the first person to finish the whole tap list of Blue Moon and Shock Top varieties in one day.

 

Stopped into Lariat Lodge Brewing Company in Evergreen a couple of days ago. The space is incredible - an old conference center/lodge that has been updated and turned into a brew pub. It's perched up on a hill overlooking downtown Evergreen. Food is great - all made from scratch, and you can tell they've put a lot of thought into the menu items. The beer still needs work, but I believe the brewmaster is a former Tommyknocker guy, so it will likely improve - they're only three months old, so certainly in their infancy. Definitely give them a go next time you're in Evergreen and want a tasty lunch or dinner with a great atmosphere. I'll definitely be going back to give the beers another try - at the very least it's a great spot for a bite.

 

I am very much digging this place. The tequila barrel pale is fantastic, and they just tapped their red ale aged in red wine with brett. Solid stuff.

 

I had the opposite experience when I went. I thought the IPA was solid and hop heavy which is what I look for (not a big malty type of beer drinker). My wife ordered a salad with chicken around noon:30 and they extremely overcooked it and somehow it was their last chicken breast in the house......at 12:30. I agree they are brand new and sounds like maybe they already worked out some kinks. Overall, def. recommend checking it out minus my random food mishap.

 

Was there last weekend. Agreed the tequila barrel pale is great. Aroma and taste that I didn't expect at all.

 

Every beer I tried was seriously undercarbed. They were out of "IPA #3," and I thought IPA #2 was less than memorable...hop impaired as opposed to hop heavy. But then again...I had a Superpower at Mercantile for lunch today, so maybe I've got unfair expectations? The winter ale was the best of the night, but also nothing I'd order again. I didn't try the stout. They have some guest taps.

If we combined our experiences this place would be gold Jerry!

But seriously, I will return to this place a number of times just for the location. It's awesome...and I live in Evergreen.

 

Yup, agreed about returning. I live in west Littleton so Evergreen is only about a 20-30min drive and I've been hoping for a brewery there for some time. I believe IPA #3 was what I tried so maybe that's where our disconnect is!

 

So you can walk from 10 Barrel to Breck? Or is that Breck near Coors field not going bye bye?

 

I would guess it stays. I don't see any reason why ABI would close it.

 

The Breck location near Coors Field and the Alehouse locations in Denver and GJ do gangbusters business. I can't imagine any of them full-on closing. Maybe a rebrand, but I doubt anyone would shutter them.

 

I meant more will Breck still be the main attraction or will that switch over? I know they do gangbuster business, but perhaps no longer Breck focused?

 

AB doesn't own it. They only bought the brewing properties.

 

Ahh..well then it might close down if AB controls the beer

 

I bet they'd change hands before they would close. Those 3 Breck locations are in spots plenty of other restaurants would kill for.

 

My guess is the beer menus at the Ale House and the LoDo/Coors Field Breck will de-emphasize Breckenridge Brewing Co. beers. I think this will be good as an awfully high percentage of the handles at the Ale House were Breck beers I wasn't necessarily interested in.

My further guess is they might rebrand the LoDo/Coors Field Breck? Maybe call it The Ale House at the Ball Park, or something?

Only guesses though.

 

That's a good guess. ABI will certainly keep the Breck brand, but if they don't own the restaurant that may create confusion. Serving 'Koop beers would seem redundant.

Hmmm...they may as well sell it

 

why would "they" sell a couple restaurants that are kicking ass?

By "they" I mean the "old" Wynkoop/Breck partners who (I thought) retained everything from the old partnership except Breckenridge Brewing Co and the Farmhouse. Did I misunderstand the deal? They have, or at one time had, all of this, that (I thought) didn't go with the ABInBev deal (though some have closed what remains is pretty high volume):

1. Wynkoop Downtown Brewpub 2. Breckenridge Blake St. 3. Ale House at Amato's 4. Session Kitchen (closed I think) 5. Ghost Plate (closed) 6. Wazee Supper Club 7. Cherry Cricket (ka-ching) 8. Goosetown Tavern 9. Gaetano's 10. Phantom Canyon in Colo. Spgs. 11. Breckenridge GJ. 12. MainLine Ft. Collins

I think they'll keep going with what they have left, and keep raking in the dough from the successful places--one of these is a gold mine and several others at least appear to be doing not just OK but EXTREMELY well--while strategically closing their mis-fires. But I have absolutely no inside info.

 

I'm just thinking of the name "Breckenridge". If ABI controls brewing and distro (taking that away from CDC), and the restaurant is still called Breckenridge, then ABI can maintain significant control over that venue---I mean, ABI are bullies.

If, on the other hand, the restaurant does not wish to continue carrying Breck beers, then ABI would certainly sue for name change on the restaurant. It would be interesting to see how a brand name affects business. Would a "Ale House at the Ballpark" draw as many people as "Breckenridge"? Who knows. But since ABI has very deep pockets, why not sell the restaurant for $50M (or whatever ABI is throwing around these days) and open another one?

 

Surely it's covered in the deal and nobody will be suing anybody. My bet is that there will be a name change but my certainty is that it won't be a "tied house," even if for some strange reason the BW partners wanted to keep the Breckenridge name and ABInbev was amenable to that (doubtful IMO from either side) as that-some sort of control by ABInbev which seems to be what you're hinting at--would be illegal. They'll just be another on- premise account going forward.

The answer to your last question is logically that AB didnt want the restaurants, or not enough to pay what the BW Holdings people value them at.