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Smack in the middle of Georgetown’s new Bighorn Crossing residential and retail development, Cabin Creek Brewing is, well, brewing a name for itself among suds and patio enthusiasts.
Five partners—including two Denver firefighters and the former mayor of Georgetown—back the expansive, chalet-inspired brewery and casual American restaurant. The founders came in strong when they opened Cabin Creek in May 2020, with successful backgrounds in hotel and restaurant management. Amit Patel, a native of Daytona, Florida, launched the project when he chose the prime real estate off I-70 to open a Wyndham Microtel.
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The sunny corner of Patel’s hotel land closest to the glassy Georgetown Lake Lagoon is where Cabin Creek Brewery sits, rounding out the new-build community of 64 townhomes and 72 apartments. “There are few locations in the state of Colorado for a brewpub that are more picturesque,” says owner and brewer Patrick Toland, who hails from Littleton’s Locavore Beer Works. Fellow brewers agree, voting Cabin Creek as the new brewery of the year in 2020 on Colorado Brewery List.
Seven days a week, hungry and thirsty guests fill the sprawling outdoor patio, which is equipped with overhead heaters, ice-fishing tents, and even a yurt that can accommodate up to 10 people. Refreshing house-made hard seltzers, creative (and stiff!) cocktails, and a long list of beers brewed onsite make up the extensive drink menu. The lake house brewery is designed to be reminiscent of a ski cabin, and names of the beers are tied to the local community, history, and geography. Cabin Creek’s five flagship beers include the malty Slinger House Lager, the Cobra 1 Saison with notes of white wine and ripe berries, and the smooth Cheaters Mocha Oatmeal Stout.
Of course, opening a brewery during a global pandemic has had its challenges. But, Toland says, COVID helped the team to launch slowly, beef up beer production, and fine-tune the layout and menu before opening last spring.
The kitchen’s approach draws from owner and executive chef Bob Bruso’s history of executing American and Italian menus. Homemade potato tots ($8) are filled with pepperoni, mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, and basil, while an artisan pizza is loaded with lamb bacon and goat cheese ($12). Colorado high-country twists are prevalent in the popular Mountain Burger ($15) made with bison, elk, venison, wild boar, and antelope and the Mountain Cheese Steak ($14), built around shaved ribeye and cremini mushrooms.
Other standouts include the brined and breaded fried chicken sandwich ($13) served on a squishy potato bun and the spiced up Thai chile chicken pizza ($12), which is drizzled with a sweet habanero sauce and topped with fresh arugula.
The next time you’re skiing at nearby Loveland Ski Area or ice fishing on Georgetown Lake, there’s no better place to top off your day with a brew and a bite amid high- alpine views.
If you go: Cabin Creek Brewing is open Monday–Thursday, 12 to 8 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for outdoor patio seating and limited indoor dining. Don’t miss happy hour, Monday–Friday, 3 to 5 p.m. for $5 appetizers and $1 off Cabin Creek beers. 577 22nd St., Georgetown, 720-619-7264
