E-Malt.com News article: USA, CO: Roaring Fork Beer Company opening in Carbondale this month

Chase Engel is head brewer and CEO of Roaring Fork Beer Co., a Carbondale brewery preparing for its grand opening later this month. He’s been planning for a month what brews he wants to offer, including one he calls Nitro Pub Ale, Aspentimes.com reported on March 6.

“It’s been in my head since I was a home brewer nine years ago,” Engel said. “There’s nothing on the market like it.”

It doesn’t follow any distinct, established style, but it is between an amber ale and a brown ale. Engel said he recently had a moment of inspiration on how exactly he wanted to make the Nitro.

Engel has been “marathon brewing” since last week after getting his state and federal licenses and the certificate of occupancy for his brewery from the town of Carbondale.

Two of his creations, Nitro Pub Ale and Freestone Extra Pale Ale, will be available year-round as Roaring Fork Beer Co.’s signature selections. The Freestone will appeal to “hopheads” who like a hopped-up brew. Nitro is maltier.

A cornerstone of Engel’s business plan is to offer seasonal beers throughout the year. That will keep him challenged as a brewer and his customers happy because of variety. The opening, for example, also will feature a spring India pale ale. Slaughterhouse Lager, which he describes as a crisp American lager, will be available from June through November.

The 3,000-square-foot brewing facility features nine tanks of varying sizes that are needed for a 15-barrel brewing system and a 2,000-barrel annual fermenting system.

“After today, we’ll have made 105 barrels of beer in one week, which is crazy,” Engel said.

His beers needed to ferment for two to four weeks prior to the grand opening, depending on the style, so he had to go all-out. The brewing will taper back a bit from the frantic pace of recent days, but numerous bars and restaurants already have agreed to serve Roaring Fork Beer Co.’s brews on tap, in cans or both. Several establishments in Carbondale are on board, as are Sure Thing Burgers in Basalt and the Wheeler Opera House and Finbarr’s in Aspen.

Engel’s wife, Aly Sanguily, will oversee the operations of the tasting room, which is separate but close to the brewing operations.

Engel said he is contracting a mobile canning operation from Longmont rather than canning himself. The Freestone will be offered in 16-ounce cans and sold in four-packs. Sopris Liquor and Wine has committed to buying the entire first canned batch of 100 cases.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on March 28.


14 March, 2014