Great Divide Brewing Company’s 20th Anniversary in Denver Colorado by Morgan Forsyth
It’s hard to believe that Great Divide Brewing is still in the same building in which it started back in 1994. The structure used to be a dairy processing plant that was built in the 1920’s – which was also a time of prohibition in the United States. Therefore, it is a bit ironic that Great Divide is celebrating its 20th year in that very building. The owner, Brian Dunn, must have had a keen sense for prime location and craft beer, because Great Divide was one of Denver’s first craft breweries, which is now backed by global success. Regardless of the company’s worldwide accomplishments, Great Divide keeps its roots grounded in Denver with a uniqueness that is representative of the Colorado lifestyle.
To revel their 20th anniversary, Great Divide set out to create and master a brew to commemorate the past two decades of success in the industry. The 20th Anniversary, Belgian-style ale is a crisp, refreshing brew fermented with Viognier grape juice. With its bold personality and distinct flavor, it portrays the success of the company while adding a little something extra to commemorate the achievements Great Divide has had.
It is amazing to see a company grow over time, and Great Divide has an outstanding visual representation of their growth. What started as an employee parking lot on the side of the building has now been filled with 20 tanks (about 5 tanks have been added on a yearly basis). It’s no surprise that they are running out of space, which is why they purchased a warehouse that will also be the location for their 20th anniversary block party. The current tap house will eventually become more of an experimental brewery, while the warehouse will continue to brew and bottle the recurring drafts. The new warehouse will give them the space to keep expanding their business.
Currently, Great Divide has nine year round beers, as well as twelve seasonal brews. The seasonal taps rotate on a quarterly basis, and include a seasonal Yeti each quarter. Even though the taps rotate quarterly, Great Divide knows which seasonal brews to bring back by popular demand. The Hibernation Ale is the prime example. This beer was featured as a seasonal beer in 1995, and has been brewed each year since. The Hibernation is the oldest recipe Great Divide is still using – so it’s no wonder they are 20 years strong, and only getting stronger.
Great Divide Brewing Company
2201 Arapahoe Street
Denver, Colorado 80205
Phone: (303) 296-9460
www.greatdivide.com