Nathaniel Miller, founder of Big Choice Brewing in Broomfield, gives us his picks for Beer in Review 2014.
As 2014 comes to a close, we’re once again asking the Colorado craft beer illuminati to reflect on the past year and look ahead to next. This next installment in our 4th annual Beer In Review features Nathaniel Miller, founder of in Broomfield. The brewery that started in 2012 has been growing steadily ever since, canning its Disconnected Red in 2013. Now, you can find West Portal Colorado Common, Poblano Stout and Hemlock Double India Pale Ale in cans around the metro area. Now, onto Nathaniel’s picks:
Favorite Beer of the Year: Definitely ’s gose. Itap sour, itap salty and itap delicious! I would also add Mama Koliakos, a gluten-reduced IPA that is just plain awesome!
Colorado Brewery of the Year: Thatap a pretty tough call because we have so many friends in this state who we’d love to call out. But ultimately, for me, it is the brewery that has done the best in keeping with the spirit of camaraderie in our industry, Avery will always lend a hand or help out other brewers if asked; itap like they always remember where they came from. Itap refreshing to know that there are leaders in the beer industry who still keep this passion everyday.
Colorado Brewery to Watch in 2015: I want acknowledge a brewery who has significant cultural and historical significance, By bringing back the historic brands of Tivoli and Zangs, as well as rebuilding the old brewery in the original Tivoli location down on the Auraria Campus, is great way to showcase the depth from which all Colorado breweries can pull. Breweries in Colorado have been around for a long time, and the Tivoli brewery and brand shows that beer in Colorado will be here for a long time to come.
Significant Craft Beer Trend in 2014: Was definitely the session beer. This type of beer with itap lower alcohol by volume really took hold this past year as a way to drink flavorful beers without the threat of too much alcohol. I always enjoy one, especially in the summer. I prefer to call them porch pounders, but whatever you call them, make sure you grab enough to share!
Craft Beer Trends to watch in 2015: I, like a few others I know, are looking to the gose style of beer as a new trend that many American brewers are picking up on. While I agree this is still a very young style for the United States, I see it making its way as a strong style in the next year or so. I also believe we will continue to see a bigger decline in the mom-and-pop, bootstrap-style breweries who have pretty much sold the farm to begin their dream of opening a small brewery. What we have begun to see in 2014, and I believe will become even more apparent in 2015, is a majority of the newer breweries bringing the big guns. It will be interesting to see when the next bubble may burst and who will be left standing.
Previous installments in this year’s series:
