Another longtime Denver-area brewery is getting ready to shut its doors.
announced that it will be closing on Saturday, June 27.
“What started as a brewery became something much bigger,” the post says. “A place filled with friendships, laughter, and countless memories. We’ve been beyond lucky to share pints, music, game nights, milestones, and personal losses with all of you; we truly consider you part of our family.”
The brewery — located just off Parker Road at 1338 Valentia St., Unit 100 — opened in April 2011 by husband-and-wife team Jeremy Gobien and Kristen Kozik. It quickly burst out of the gates, winning a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival for its Mexican chocolate stout the same year.
Gobien said he's seen a downturn in the craft-beer industry in recent years with declining sales and an increase in operating costs. A significant increase in rent in order to stay at the location was the final straw, he said.
"All the dynamics of the industry seem like they've all turned into headwinds. There are no tailwinds right now," he said. "When I was starting in 2010, it felt like it was all tailwinds. You could go as far and as fast as you could go — and now it just feels like everything is pushing you back.
"Cost of your ingredients, cost of employees. The cost of rent was just the final one that came up. Probably the last one that was significant that really forces your hand. But it's been brewing, so to speak, for a long time in our industry."
Gobien said that he'll miss the memories and friends he's made over the years.
"There's been so many significant things that happened here specifically that I don't want to feel they get lost. That will be the hard part," he said. "... I hope that doesn't happen with the business. If it's gone, people forget about it. Because it did mean a lot to a lot of people."
But Copper Kettle won't disappear entirely. Gobien added that he's in the middle of looking for a company to continue brewing and distributing the Mexican chocolate stout: "That's probably the No. 1 thing we've seen when we look on social media."
Copper Kettle still has one big celebration before it closes: its 15th anniversary party on June 6-8 — something to "help us send things off the right way."
"For the next three months, itap business as usual. Same beers, same events, and all the familiar faces. More than anything, we want the time we have remaining to be a celebration of the incredible community that has made the past 15 years so special."
