The Steamboat Springs BrewXperience

Written by Winsome Lewis

​Living in Colorado has never been easier with the well-established and ever growing beer industry. In Colorado, distance from the city does not mean distance from good beer. Steamboat Springs is one small town with a big beer taste. The three breweries in the area (Butcherknife Brewing Company, Storm Peak Brewing Company, and Mahogany Ridge Brewery) are unique, providing locals and guests alike a small town feel with big taste brews. These breweries, though, are not all the town has to offer in terms of good drinkery. The Tap House on main street Steamboat Springs in addition to the BrauHaus (located conveniently near the ski slopes) provide a multitude of drinking decisions spanning across Colorado and the world. We’ll start on tap and move toward our brewery-specific experiences whilst in Steamboat Springs. 

Upon entering the BrauHaus, guests are greeted with a four-page, front and back (to be read in Ross’ voice from Friends when describing Rachel’s extremely long letter about Ross’ need to take responsibility for what happened while the couple was ‘on a break’), stapled, columned, user-friendly guide to the impressive 45 beers on tap. Organized in an easy-to-read fashion, by beer type (wheat, lagers, ambers, fruit beers, ciders, pales, etc.) beer enthusiasts have a very helpful way to make the hard decision of what to drink. The menu is very detailed with brief descriptions of flavors and hops found in each beer. The $2 tasters make it impossible to order a beer you won’t get along with.

The Brau Haus has Colorado proud breweries (including those from Denver, Aurora, Boulder, Cedaredge, Buena Vista, Fort Collins, Longmont, Edwards, Palisade, Loveland, Eagle, Colorado Springs), nationwide breweries (including those from Illinois, California, Missouri, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware), German drafts, and international brews (including Quebec, Canada; Dublin, Ireland; and Akureyri, Iceland). Drinking around the world was made easy; the decision of what to drink was not. I hung out in the wheat section of the menu and ordered 2 beers (one from Einstock Beer Company in Akureyri, Iceland and one from my hometown Aurora, Colorado: Dry Dock Brewing Company).
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The experience of trying a white ale was authentic and one I will not soon forget. The subtle coriander paired with orange peel and mild hops made for a refreshing beer that was super easy to drink (if you could get past the Paulander pilsner glass). Paired with a cheese soaked pretzel, the evening couldn’t get much better; that was until the German sausage platter and the Dry Dock wheat. The Aurora brewery is commonly known for its Apricot Blonde. I, myself, am not a huge fan of the brew (I would much prefer the apricot ale from Pyramid Brewery in Seattle, Washington); though it was listed on the menu, I ventured for the Sommer Weizenbock, a Colorado take on a German wheat which stimulated the taste buds and the taste buzz as the traditional banana flavor mixed well with vanilla, clove, and citrus. The 6.8% ABV will leave you a bit cloudy at an elevation of 6,700 feet. As always, when in Colorado you must hydrate while enjoying the delicious beers the state has to offer.

(Left to right: Epic Lil’ Brainless Raspberries, Dry Dock Sommer Weizenbock)

(Left to right: Einstok Olgero Icelandic White Ale, Hofbrau Oktoberfest, Prost Dunkel, Bonfire Fixed Grip Saison)

The breweries in Steamboat Springs did not disappoint in keeping with the ‘Colorado has the best beers’ mantra. The ‘rundown automobile repair shop’ aesthetic common in Colorado breweries extends beyond the city, over Rabbit Ears pass, to the rocky expanse of Steamboat Springs.
 
My first visit was to Storm Peak Brewing Company, located just off the main street. The single-bartended brewery was home to nine taps that evening. An atmosphere of ease and conversation was evident through the open spaced seating, the small televisions (so often we find televisions overpowering restaurants; the modest 32 inch screens were clearly not the focal point of the room), board games, and popcorn machine. Sampling a flight and a pint of their CitraLawnmower Cream Ale, I fell immediately in love with this brewery. 

The combination of citra hops and a cream ale mindset left me unprepared for the bite of the ale, followed by the cream ale smooth finish. This beer was definitely in the lighter genre, but gave you the sense of drinking something heavier through the use of these hops. A sample of their Kolsch demonstrated the craft of the brewery as this golden pilsner malt beer made famous in Germany quite contrasted the IPAs, gose, and sours brewed there. The spectrum of beers and hops used here allow a flavor for everyone in your party, including delicious cream sodas for your designated driver and/or kids.

Butcherknife Brewing Company was my next stop and the highlight of my beer experience in Steamboat Springs. Their beers are featured at Falling Rock Tap House near Coors Field in Denver and this is where I first experienced my favorite Heifenweizen. Knowing the banana goodness in store for me, I trucked the 4 miles to Butcherknife, a quaint brewery complete with patio and sliding glass garage doors; the telltale red “f” flags you from the street, and their giant chicken stands as a beacon to greet you. The brewery is a local favorite for sure (almost all guests knew the brewmaster by name and had their growlers (yes plural) filled.

A growler pour gets you a free pint while you wait, bringing locals back, giving them an opportunity to sample new beers while filling up an old favorite. With German beers in mind, I was pleasantly surprised to see Irish ideals (black and tan with Butcherknife’s Amputator and Rob’s Blonde), Denver crossovers (the Hoppen-Weizen was created by Butcherknife brewmaster Rob Swarz and Tivoli Brewmaster) with the intent of bringing the mountain town to the city and vice versa (you can find Butcherknife’s brews on tap at the Tivoli Brewery and Tap House in Denver), double IPAs, and new takes on old favorites (the Mango Heifenweizen combined my favorite banana wheat with mango juice and generated my new ‘tastes like summer’ beer set to give Leinenkugel’s summer and grapefruit shandies a run for their money).

​The brewery provides a variety of beer tasting options with flights from four to eight beers (which, considering they had nine beers on tap when I visited, you can taste their whole gamut of beer in an inexpensive fashion) served to you on endearing cleaver shaped flight trays. The well-educated bar attendants made my drinking experience richer as they informed me of their brew process which generated their various beer flavors. Various incentivizing deals make it easy to support this local brewery (if you buy a shirt or a hat, you get a free beer) and bike-to-brew promotions left you feeling proud to support a bike-friendly, eco-minded brewery. Local art was displayed with articles and summaries about the artist, completely immersing you in the craft culture of Steamboat Springs.  

(Left to right: Buzzcock English Mild, Butcherknife Mango Heifenweizen, Highway 40 Hoppen-Weizen)

(Left to right: Rob’s Blonde Ale, Butcherknife Black and Tan)

I didn't make it out to Mahogany Ridge Brewing Company and Grill. Their full menu and beer list of beers ranging from honey wheat to cherry to stout make me regret not making the drive out, but it does incentivize me to return to Steamboat Springs (like I need more reasons to go back). The mountain town provides a landscape not hard to fall in love with. Immense campgrounds, pristine lakes for fishing and watersports, hiking with waterfalls, winter and summer sports (including skiing, alpine slides, and tubing), the hot springs, and great beer define this town as a must visit for Colorado natives and out-of-towners alike. Low cell service does not equate to low beer quality. Cheers! #DrinkColorado #DrinkTheBoat