Where would you open a brewery?

Wednesday, Jun 8, 2011 at 12:11 pm by PJ Hoberman

For Lease, by daquellamanera on Flickr

There are a lot of new breweries opening in the next few months / years. Some just opened (Caution, Copper Kettle); some are just finalizing the details (Renegade, Denver Beer Co.); and some are in planning stages still (Wit’s End, Black Shirt, Black Sky, Mad Haven, TRVE).

These breweries choose their locations for a variety of reasons. Is the tap room going to be the focus, or an offshoot? Do the owners want the downtown crowd to walk by and come in, or is it more of a neighborhood thing? Is cheap rent more important than a great location? These questions, and about 297202653 more, enter a potential brewery owner’s head.

And then of course there are issues of zoning and timing. Can you legally open a brewery there? Is there a location available in that area?

Now that you’re an expert on all the ins and outs of brewery real estate, where in Denver would you open your new brewery?

About PJ Hoberman

PJ likes beer. A lot. And whiskey. Gin. Wine. Cocktails. Um.. what were we talking about?

Tags: beer, black shirt, black sky, Brewery, caution, Copper Kettle, denver beer co, mad haven, real estate, renegade, trve, wit's end

@ColoBeerMan

I think small, neighborhood breweries are the next thing in Denver. Wash Park, West 38th Ave., Stapleton, Park Hill, Cherry Creek, Five Points
http://tewsdaybrewsday.blogspot.com Jakemo

I was having a conversation just the other day about that very thought. It’s clear that neighborhood brewpubs and breweries have value, and there are so many great neighborhoods that would probably make a small brewery thrive…
Dry Dock, Bull & Bush, Pints Pub,.and Strange are all great examples of this.
Not just that, but owners are finding even better places to park their tanks; Denver Beer Co is probably going to get an absolutely insane amount of foot traffic, and Renegade is putting themselves in a great spot by the art district.
I do feel that small, neighborhood-centric breweries will become more and more popular, since there are already quite a number of established larger breweries already.
There is definitely something to be said about the allure of “destination brewpubs,” where the only way to grt their beer is to make a trip to their brewhaus. It makes for great dates, and a great reason to get out and explore the city we live in.
@schwendigity

Corner of Zuni and Dunkeld Pl. The name just calls for it, plus the first floor of the building looks like a nice spot for a corner brew pub.
Kyle

The industrial areas northeast of downtown, along the railroad tracks. There are lots of warehouse buildings with ample space, easy access to I-70, and eventually access to lightrail traffic – the DIA line will have stops at 38th and Blake, and at 40th and Colorado.
http://hoptopia.com Lee Williams

This is a great question, one I will be thinking very hard about over the next year or so when it comes to GBGH Brewing. Alternating proprietorship is definitely appealing, but so to then is opening a brewery with a food option and the additional revenue stream it provides. Choices. Choices.

Denver off the Wagon