Yes, we really are that spoiled

By now, all of our livers are clean, our eyes finally cleared and we are finally off the couch after GABF.  The problem, we still live in Boulder, a town of 21 breweries, per the website, fermentedlychallenged.com.  More importantly, if you look at the Brewers Association website, you will see that there are 6 more in the planning phase!

The census projections, while not perfect, show a 2013 Population of 103,166 with 86.1% of that being over 18, or roughly 89,000.  Meaning, we currently have a brewery for every 4,238 people over the age of 18.  Not 21, which would of course make that number smaller and even more incredible.

To put in perspective just how spoiled we really are, think that there were, per the Great American Beer Festival’s (GABF) website, “approximately 5700 entries from 1300 breweries”.  This is just for 2014.  268 winners were announced and Boulder won 5 of them this year (not to mention 4 last year and 6 in 2012).

The winners:

However, changes are happening in Boulder, Avery is moving out, Boulder Beer co is getting bigger and places like Wildwoods and Sanitas are becoming more popular than ever.  We have seen Upslope open a second location, but maintain the community feel and the original Lee Hill Taproom where, at any happy hour you will see some of the same people you’ve seen there before. Most importantly, there is something to be said when you see little places like JWells and unique institutions like RedStone Meadery doing well and staying busy.  The community loves and supports great beer and the people who make it.

Maybe the best part of Boulder culture, and its people, is evident at every brewery you go to. When you sit around you always here customers asking and talking about which beers they haven’t had, and not which ones they have.

Drew Knott