USA, CO: Odell Brewing to open second Denver pilot brewery

There's a reason that Odell Brewing has stuck around for thirty years. The Fort Collins-based brewery has always made good beer, changed as needed and adapted to the times. On July 26, Odell announced the latest adaptation: It will open a second Denver pilot brewery and taproom, this one near Sloan's Lake, Westword reported on July 26.

The Odell Sloan's Lake Brewhouse — at 1625 Perry Street, in the new development that replaced the old St. Anthony's Hospital — will feature a ten-barrel brewing system and a scratch pizza kitchen. It will be part of the "repurposed" historic Kuhlman Building, which has served as a nunnery, nursing school, dormitory and administrative offices for St. Anthony's. The rest of the building is affordable rental housing.

Odell opened its first Denver pilot brewery and taproom fourteen months ago in another historic building in the River North Art District. The company says it has been very successful.

"As a Colorado-focused and employee-owned brewery, growing in our home market is first and foremost,” says Odell CEO Wynne Odell in a statement announcing the new project. “Investing in our own back yard creates more opportunities for our co-owners and aligns with our goals of pragmatic innovation.”

The RiNo facility has helped Odell develop several recent beers that turned into packaged releases, like Sippin’ Pretty, Cloud Catcher and Mountain Standard IPA. The Sloan's Lake Brewhouse will do the same.

Like the RiNo location, the new spot will have two bars with sixteen Odell tap handles and a rooftop patio. This deck will overlook Sloan’s Lake and the Rocky Mountains.

You may even be able to see Joyride Brewing's rooftop patio, which just opened this spring on the opposite corner of Sloan's Lake, at West 25th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard.

Several breweries have announced the openings of second locations in recent months, as the competitive landscape has changed in the craft-brewing industry. Breweries are trying to focus more on taprooms than on packaging because they earn a higher margin on their beer and get their names in front of more people.

Oskar Blues, Great Divide, WeldWerks, New Belgium and others have all done this. Opening taprooms runs the risk of alienating the bars and restaurants that already serve beers from these breweries, however, because their customers end up becoming their competitors.

Construction on the new Odell facility will begin in late 2019, with a grand opening planned for late summer 2020.

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