While perusing the aisles at Hazel’s Beverage World, I stumbled upon a local brewer that I had yet to try – Cellar West Artisan Ales. Their unique funky packaging popped, immediately catching my eye. Out of all their wonderful brews, it was the Aquarius, a recent addition to the Cellar West family, that peaked my interest. The Aquarius, a Saison whose Belgian roots truly represent in this aged ale, was introduced just this past April at Cellar West’s very own Tasting Room.

As I took my first sip of this craft beer centered around Spelt Malt, I was quickly drawn in. The fruit fizzled in my mouth, followed by a nuttiness carved from the wood of the oak barrels. Those fruity flavors shine through from the El Dorado and Huell Melon hops, which are blended with various malts before being aged in oak barrels, a signature style of Cellar West.

Aside from the aromatic Aquarius, Cellar West has plenty of other brews you can try at their Tasting Room, open Thursday & Friday 4pm-8pm / Saturday & Sunday 1pm-8pm. Simply travel up to the Dakota Ridge neighborhood of North Boulder, and you will find their Tasting Room with all their aged ales on tap. At Cellar West’s location, they also provide snacks, allow customers to bring their own food, and occasionally have local food trucks offer their tasty treats.

Zach Nichols, co-founder of Sanitas Brewing Company, established Cellar West a little over a year ago, in April 2016. He centers his focus around Belgian farmhouse-style ales, which you can find at a limited number of local vendors, including Hazel’s. Needless to say, Boulder has a strong beer community, and we celebrate Zach’s fresh take on an aged concept, all while encouraging locality and individuality.

Not only does Zach support his Boulder community, but he is a stronghold in the beer community as well. This Saturday, August 12th, Cellar West will be hosting Peace & Assist IV, a festival that celebrates the camaraderie between Colorado brewers. If you’re interested in Peace & Assist, it will be held at Cellar West’s Tasting Room from 1-9pm, and will represent various Colorado breweries, have live music, and local food trucks to boot. Check out Zach’s collaboration with other great Colorado breweries, and support your local community this Saturday! Hats off to this Boulder brewmaster. We can’t wait to see what Zach brews up next!

Bronwen Kalmes

Fresh to Boulder, Bronwen made the trek from the East Coast this past June. The decision to move westward came to her after exploring our magnificent country for two wonderful months on the road. Before moving to CO, Bronwen attended Roger Williams University, where she jumped at the chance to study abroad in Perugia, Italy for 4 months at the Umbra Institute. Her passion for the world didn’t begin there, but when she caught the travel bug on her first trip to Italy while attending Kent School. Now, she’s loving her new life in Boulder! Since the big move, she’s been taking advantage of every second of sunshine our beautiful city has to offer. Whether it’s pushing her limits on a hike or practicing yoga in her backyard, she thrives in the outdoors. Aside from traveling and enjoying nature, Bronwen is a huge movie buff, especially when it comes to LOTR and Batman. You can always find her photographing and writing about her adventures!