Patrons fill Crazy Mountain Tap Room + BBQ Friday afternoon. (Photo provided by Molly Middleton)
A day came Friday as Crazy Mountain Brewing, the Vail Valley-based brewer that has won fans beyond Colorado’s borders, opened the doors of its tap room in Denver.
Breckenridge Brewery gave Crazy Mountain first dibs on its 50-barrel brewhouse space at 471 N. Kalamath St. as it prepared . Crazy Mountain started brewing last year in the space, which has a much larger capacity and already has become its main production facility for bottles. Crazy Mountain’s Edwards brewery and tap room still are open, but owners Kevin and Marisa Selvy have said they may shift to a more specialized focus there.
On Friday, after two nights of soft openings, the tap room and Texas-style barbecue restaurant opened its doors to the public.
Crazy Mountain Tap Room + BBQ is operated by Beaver Creek-based Group970 Restaurants, while Crazy Mountain will operate the brewing space and a “speakeasy” between the offices and the restaurant.
It’s still unclear when the speakeasy, which has a separate retail liquor license, will be selling cans and bottles and growler fills. But Molly Middleton, the marketing and events manager for Group970, said Saturday afternoons are likely the surest bet. Tours of the brewery also will begin there, and the speakeasy also may have beer and barbecue pairings.
In the restaurant, Middleton said Breckenridge’s huge smoker — left behind — is the centerpiece.
“It was running all night the other night, smoking ribs for 21 hours,” she said. “It’s definitely the pride and joy of our space. We’re doing a name-the-smoker contest, actually,” with the winner — keep an eye out — will receive free beer for a year.
The restaurant is incorporating Crazy Mountain’s beers. Most notably, Middleton says, in the chile recipe, “our chef pairs the beans with the Crazy Mountain Amber Ale before he cuts it.”
Group970 owner Brian Nolan has had a longtime relationship with the Selvys in the Vail Valley, Middleton said, and that continued as they planned out the restaurant. “We worked together to draft from all of our visions in this great little space,” she said.
The tap room and restaurant will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with a one-time closure planned this Sunday.
