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While you were quaffing frosty Pilsners on the patio at the height of summer, the team at nine-year-old Bruz Beers was already thinking about sweater weather. “We plan our brewing schedule about a year in advance,” co-founder Charlie Gottenkieny says. Some of those beers spend months conditioning in cold lagering tanks before they’re ready to pour, while others rest in oak casks to create complex layers of flavor: vanillalike notes released by the wood, subtle hints of bourbon or red wine still present from the barrels’ previous occupants, and acidity from wild yeast.
The foresight of the crew—including co-founder Ryan Evans and head brewer Dave Olson—results in Belgian-style singles, dubbels, tripels, and quadrupels that are always on tap, plus seasonal styles such as a dark Czech lager, a dry, peppery rye beer, and lambic-style sparklers fruited with the likes of Gewurztraminer or Colorado-grown Marquette grapes. Each ale and lager has its own glass designed to complement its carbonation level; bring out the flavors of its hops, grains, and fruits; and hold a layer of foamy head, which projects its aroma outward. Get your hands on their varied shapes, from delicate tulips and flutes to sturdy chalices, at the brewery’s original location in north Denver’s Midtown development or six-year-old Bruz Off Fax in Capitol Hill. 1675 W. 67th Ave., Denver (Midtown); 1495 York St., Denver (Cheesman Park)
Read More: What Does It Take to Open a Craft Brewery in Denver?
