USA, CO: Smiling Toad Brewery opens new location

When doors opened at the new location last week, Smiling Toad Brewery officially lost bragging rights as the tiniest in Colorado Springs, gazette.com reported on September, 7.

"Yes, we're growing up. It's a good thing," said head brewer and co-owner Fred Davis. "It's a larger location, with more taps and more windows."

Homebrewer and founder Biff Morehead opened the original taproom in May 2013. The space was tight, with seating for about 10. "We were getting that every night," he said.

At first, a half-barrel system and twice-weekly brewing sessions provided enough suds to keep up with customer demand. A three-barrel system at the new location means more offerings - 10 beers on tap - and the renovated tasting area seats up to 50.

Even so, the Toad remains among the smaller brewing operations.

"Of the 10 in town, we're probably going to be number 8, but that's just a guess," said Morehead, who is sticking with the taproom format, which means no food.

There are downsides to maturing as a commercial brewer.

"Being the smallest brewery in Colorado Springs, we knew everybody. There was no TV, no radio. We talked beer. We knew each other and I'm going to really miss that," Morehead said. "We're going to try our best to maintain that sense of conversation and quiet intimacy that I like in a brewery."

10 September, 2014