Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we give our opinions on the best that Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems.)
Of all of the -y bars in the world, to me, is the “Cheers”-iest.
Nestled between the west Aurora and east Denver borders just off Parker Road, the craft brewery that opened its doors in 2011 is special — not just for the beers, but for the people. It’s a welcoming community that’s come together and grown over the last 15 years.
My wife and I have been fans of their brews for some time, but after the pandemic, it became our stomping grounds. The space inside expanded, our visits increased and we got to know the regulars and the staff. Friendships were forged over sudsy beverages — often, for us, in the form of a Mexican Chocolate Stout or the Citrus Paradisi IPA. We were welcomed into a brewery community unlike any I had ever experienced. It became our go-to spot to grab a drink and talk the night away.
So when Copper Kettle said in March that it would close its doors on June 27 because of rising rent costs, it was a gut punch — another heartbreaking loss in the ever-growing list of breweries and restaurants that have shuttered in recent years. That night, many patrons — both regulars and those who hadn’t been by in a while — stopped by to commiserate.
“This is such a social community that they don’t have (at other places),” said Stephen Covieo, the brewery’s first mug club member. “This is a whole family vibe … and that’s the part that’s going to be lost.”
Fellow mug club member Gilbert Pineda added: “What really made me stay and come back is the people I would come and see here. I would walk in anytime … any day … and I would see somebody I know, and I would be greeted with a handshake or a hug and a big smile. And this place made me feel at home.”
Owner Jeremy Gobien, who opened the brewery with his wife Kristen Kozik, teared up as he reminisced: “We’ve had weddings, we’ve had wakes. We’ve had friendships. All the things. … We’ve grown old with people.”
One of those wakes was for one of Copper Kettle’s original mug-club members, Alex Teves. He was among those killed on July 20, 2012, in the Aurora theater shootings.
“They announced they were having a fundraiser. After that, this place was just jammed with people,” fellow original mug club member Larry Turner said. “I thought this was one of the first places that helped with the healing. … Kristen and Jeremy really went all out for that.”
Teves’ mug still sits in the display case to this day with his picture in the No. 28 spot.
The community grew and evolved over the years. It’s one that several patrons have shared with me as “special” and “unique.”
“Everything’s community-based for me,” mug club member Tim Hermann said. “… I could have moved out, way out, to Golden, and I probably would have found my way to make it out here on a regular basis.”
As Gobien said, “This was like a basement bar where you invited all your friends” that he’s turned into a business.
What happens with this community remains to be seen. As the clock ticks, the laughter and the fun energy is still there at the Copper Kettle. But that lingering thought in the back of that this will come to an end makes it all bittersweet.
“Where are you going to go?” has been a question that’s permeated among the brewery faithful since the announcement. I don’t know what’s next. There are many good breweries out there, but this one is truly special to me.
“CK is a building. The community is us,” newly inducted mug club member David Miller said. “The people. I can’t lose that. I don’t want to.”
I will remember many things about Copper Kettle. The rambunctious anniversary parties. The chaotic Christmas beer exchanges. The random jam sessions outside on warm summer nights. The boisterous crowds during the sumo watch parties.
Watching the regulars break out in song around the bar top on a laid-back Saturday night. The friendliest brewery dogs you’ll ever meet. And just sitting off in a corner and having long conversations about life over a tasty brew.
This is a community. This is a family. And these memories I have made here over the years, I will cherish for a lifetime.
Copper Kettle’s 15th anniversary party
Dates: June 5-7
Time: 2-10 p.m. June 5, noon-10 p.m. June 6, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. June 7
Where: Copper Kettle Brewing Company, 1338 S. Valentia St. #100, Denver
More info:
