E-Malt.com News article: USA, CO: High Hops Brewery to open in Windsor by fall

Northern Colorado’s newest brewery, High Hops Brewery, is ready to make some beer, the only hang up is a license, The Coloradoan reported on July, 12.

Patrick Weakland and son Zach Weakland, owners of High Hops Brewery, have a new 4,800 square-foot and a new 10-barrel brewing system with a 20-barrel hot liquid tank that will enable them to make beer non-stop.

While the pair would love to brew 24-7, Zach Weakland estimates they will brew 750 barrels in their first year at what will become Windsor’s lone brewery.

“You got to have good beer and we pride ourselves on good beer,” said Patrick Weakland, who is excited to try some unique small-batch brews using locally grown ingredients.

While the brewery will make all kinds of beer for all kinds of people, it will offer six beers to start: Honey, an American red; Dark, a stout; Power of Zeus, a pale ale; Golden, a lemon pilsner; Nobel, a Belgian ale, and Witty, a wheat ale.

The brewery, which includes a small tasting room that overlooks its own hop fields, will be part of High Hops, Hops Farm and Brew Shop. The homebrew shop grows its own hops on site along with a lot of the fruit that could be used in the brewing process.

Patrick Weakland started the homebrew shop as part of his Windsor Gardener greenhouse two years ago. Starting the brewery has been a dream of his since he started homebrewing.

The brewery had initially planned to open in August, but due to delays in the permitting process, the Weaklands expect to open in September or October.

The Weaklands said High Hops Brewery will set itself apart by using homegrown hops and berries. Unlike the majority of breweries in Northern Colorado located in industrial zones or downtown urban areas, High Hops is located on a farm where the ingredients for the beer are grown.

Patrick Weakland, a dentist in Windsor during the week, said response to the brewery has been good. He regularly has customers asking when they will be able to come get a beer.

The brewery puts Northern Colorado at nearly 20 craft breweries in operation or planning stages.

High Hops Brewery is just one of several new breweries looking to open in Northern Colorado. Along with High Hops, Black Bottle Brewing, Cactus Bend Brewing and Hoppy Dog Brewing are all looking to open. Loveland Aleworks opened on July, 4.


18 July, 2012