A new beer on tap: Nederland’s only female brewer has been brewing at VNBC for six months and is excited to release her first creation.[/caption]

Nederland’s only female brewer, Ariell Ray, the assistant brewer at Very Nice Brewing Company (VNBC), will be releasing her first beer on Saturday, November 25, 2023, an English “strong” she has named “Beardless Ale.” The 28 year old Ray describes her creation as exactly what she wants in a beer.

“I was kind of being selfish when I decided to make this beer,” Ray told The Mountain- Ear. “It’s not often that you get the control to make what you want to drink, it’s the coolest thing ever that Jeff gave me this opportunity.”

Ray has been working alongside VNBC’s owner and master brewer Jeff Green for six months; under his tutelage she has gone from having no experience to learning the entire brewing process, and now crafting her own delicious beers.

“I’m like his Jedi in training,” Ray joked. “The first beer I ever brewed was with Jeff; he’s shown me every single step that it takes.”

“And we’re about to learn a whole new way. He’s about to have this whole new ten barrel system, and it will be so glamorous,” Ray said, mentioning the upgrade to VNBC’s operations with the construction of their new brewery in Gilpin County.

“I’m going to have to learn all over again, after I finally got this process down and can do an entire brew day by myself,” Though Ray’s words seem like complaining, there’s an obvious glint in her eye that shows she’s thrilled to learn more about the intricate chemistry of the brewing process that has drawn her into this new career path.

“My interest in brewing came from my interest in baking. I studied the science of baking in college and it seemed like brewing and baking just went hand in hand.”

“My interest in beer started with my Dad; he got me into drinking shitty beers,” she said with a huge smile, excitedly explaining her journey from experiencing her first watered down domestic beer to discovering, what she described as, more “headier” flavors.

“I started going to craft breweries and seeing what they could make. There is just a huge variety of beer that you can make with these same main ingredients. The spectrum of what you can make is amazing.”

An English strong ale is a dark, malt-centric beer with a “respectable” alcohol by volume (ABV) that is high in flavor and refreshment. Ray’s “Beardless Ale” boasts a 7.2 ABV, but is structured to taste like a lighter “session beer.”

“It’s really malty, kind of sweet, kind of dry, a little nutty,” Ray said. “And it’s a heavier, warmer flavor, which is awesome for the fall and winter.”

“We used a lot of darker grain and crystal 120 malt, which I love the color it gives beer so I was really excited to use it. It just gives a great mouth feel and body to a beer.”

As Ray describes her creation and the process through which it was concocted, it is clear that she is more than just a beer enthusiast, or hobby brewer.

“Jeff told me that he can tell that I love making beer, and that’s just the greatest compliment. He told me he wants to make me a better brewer than he is, and that really inspires me to do the best I can.”

“Beardless Ale” will be tapped at Very Nice Brewing Company on Saturday, November 25.

VNBC is located at 20 Lakeview Drive #112 in Nederland and is open Wednesday to Sunday every week. You can follow them online at www.verynicebrewing.com/ and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ verynicebeer/. You can contact VNBC at 303-258-3770 or through their website.