Monica LaSalle, Nederland. Walking in the door of the brewing room, I sidle up to the first vat of beer brewing and spy Assistant Brewer Jordan Lanter as he pulls his face out of the access lid and slams it shut, jumping down into my camera lens with surprise lighting up his eyes. Introducing myself and reassuring him that I was expected, he leads me around other vats, shiny reflective giants of stainless steel, huge vessels containing liquid art, love, creativity that which is the brainchild of owner, founder and brew master, Chris Marchio.
To the tap room we go, where I immediately see a familiar structure in the form of barrel racks. Tickled with pleasure and amazement, I realize that those barrel racks have been passed around this town quite a bit and am delighted to see them go to such a hedonistic purpose. Turning toward the tap room, I am confronted with the metamorphosis of what was once home to a long standing excavating company now completely transformed into a relaxing, tasteful and subtly inspiring gathering place.
Splashes of rich color blend with pinewood tables intermingling amongst framed art commemorating festivals and shows from times gone by. Chris Marchio is sitting at the bar negotiating with an online company over one of many wrong orders he has been forced to deal with in the course of getting ready to open. He tells me with a smile that they have also benefitted with some of the mistakes in that they have been given supplies as well.
Chris Kleine, operations tap room manager to Knotted Root, takes time out of cleaning to join us. I am told the story of how the two met at Backcountry Pizza where Kleine was a manager for a number of years and Marchio was a frequent patron. The two hit it off immediately over similar viewpoints to the art of beer craft so that as the idea of forming his own brewery evolved, Kleine was able to assist Marchio with legal paperwork and licensing.
As we discuss details of their soft opening planned for Saturday, June 29, 2019, Marchio begins by explaining that they are not by any means to be considered a bar, which is why he intends to keep early hours four days a week. “For me, craft beer is about community, fun and responsibility,” he says. “We are not a bar but more of an artistic endeavor than anything else.” He also doesn’t want to develop a reputation for being a music venue, though he hopes to get on the weekend route with Peaceful Rides between town and the Caribou Room. Marchio says he is very conscientious of his neighbors and wants to maintain good relations with them, so music will be kept at a minimum and acoustic whenever possible.
The two Chris’s begin to discuss beer and offer me some of the first samples being made to the public (along with bragging rights to that end). First, they offer me “Hello! Hello!,” a traditional German Kolsch that is also their first beer to brew. Sipping on this, they tell me that all their beer is unfiltered as part of an ethos towards more natural beer with no fining agents. My tongue still tingling from the first sample, I am next offered “Lux Fiat,” an Amarillo single hop pale meaning “Let there be light” and sure enough, my taste buds light up again.
I ask them about food; is this something they intend to branch off into or are they strictly a brew house? Marchio responds that they are looking at hosting food trucks from around the front range, but will intend to have the focus be on food that is not otherwise available in local restaurants because he is not only interested in having the food pair well with his beer selection but has no interest in competing with other local businesses.
To my delight, I am offered another sample; this time, “Cloud Hands IPA,” and I am treated to the smooth, yet edgy, complexity that IPA lovers look for in a beer. Struggling to pay attention to what the Chris’s are telling me about food, and pull my attention away from the sophisticated flavors bouncing around my mouth to hear them tell me they will be tapping their first beer at Crosscut Pizza and plan on working with them to offer charcuterie plates to their patrons. They also intend to offer binders to customers interested in food that will list all the local eateries, enabling them to place orders of food to be enjoyed in their taproom. There is even talk of the possibility of hiring a delivery driver to make runs around town to pick up to-go food. Marchio stresses to me that they want their brewery to be in the tradition of families enjoying time together, and not about people getting drunk.
The next sample I am offered is the Double IPA called Vast Cosmic Arena, and at this point I stop to ponder the wisdom of having another sample. The Chris’s reassure me that their beer mostly falls between the 6-7 percent alcohol contend range and since I had just eaten prior to my arrival, I happily concede to another sample. I am a person who typically will shy away from Double IPAs because they are known to have such high alcohol content as well as a very strong alcohol aftertaste, but this one was so aromatic and smooth I was left pleasantly surprised. Followed up by one called “Strawberry Smoothie” or “Goo,” and I felt truly blown away by the obvious pleasure, care and dedication to the art of beer making that these men have put forth.
Their official opening was held July 4, from noon to 8, with regular hours Thursday and Sunday noon to 8 p.m. as well and Friday and Saturday from noon to 9 p.m.
