The Boulder Beer Company was Colorado's first

microbrew Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis o ...

and the forty-third licensed

brewery A brewery or brewing company is a business that makes and sells beer. The place at which beer is commercially made is either called a brewery or a beerhouse, where distinct sets of brewing equipment are called plant. The commercial brewing of be ...

in the United States. It was founded on September 25, 1979 by David Hummer, Alvin Nelson, and Randolf Ware. Ware and Hummer were physics professors at the

University of Colorado Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder, CU, or Colorado) is a public research university in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a state, it is the flagship university of the University of Colorado sy ...

and home brewers. When the laws surrounding home brewing were relaxed, the brewery originally started on a farm in a "goatshack."

History

The Boulder Beer Company was originally known as the Boulder Brewing Company and went public in 1980, raising over $1.7 million. A decade later, in 1990, the company changed its name to Boulder Beer Company when Gina Day took the company private. In 1993 the company again renamed itself as the "Rockies Brewing Company." In 2002, the Rockies Brewing Company entered into a strategic agreement with Rock Bottom Breweries allowing Rock Bottom to brew and sell their Singletrack Ale. In 2005, the company again changed its name back to the Boulder Beer Company. On January 6, 2020, the company announced a plan to sell its brewpub and focus on contract brewing. On January 18, 2020, Boulder Beer closed its brewpub located at Wilderness Place and announced the site would be up for sale. In 2020, Sleeping Giant out of Denver, CO took over the rights of Boulder Beer, with original owners and brewmasters still being involved in decisions going forward. Osterman, a Boulder local himself, came of (legal) age on Boulder Beer and couldn’t imagine a world without beer from the Colorado brewery that started it all. Conveniently, Matt already ran a brewery silently famous for helping multiple Colorado brewers increase production beyond their current capacities. So taking the full reigns of Boulder Beer was an easy, full heart decision for him. At the beginning of 2021, Boulder Beer revealed a new brand design, logo, and look all created by fellow Boulderites. They brought back old favorites like Mojo, Shake, and Hazed and Infused as well as introducing new names like SKO (originally Buffalo Gold Beer) and new concepts like Bubbly By Nature, and one of a kind Bubbly IPA.

Activities

The Boulder Beer Company is also known for being civic minded. In 2008, it became a sponsoring partner in Boulder's "10 for a Change Challenge," a program designed to reduce energy consumption by 10% via eco-friendly improvements for increased energy efficiency. In addition to being a sponsor for the challenge, the Pub is already PACE Certified (Partners for a Clean Environment) using bio-diesel fuel, recycled/compostable "to go" containers, and recycling. The brewery uses 100% recycled 6-pack carriers and non-petroleum based inks. Every year, the Boulder Beer Company participates in "Beer 4 Boobs," a nationwide charity program raising money for the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. They also host an annual "Goatshed Revival" Beer Festival in honor of their first brewery that was in a shed shared by goats. Part of the planning of the revival is a homebrew competition wherein homebrewer compete to have the Boulder Beer Company brew and distribute their homebrew.2008 GOATSHED REVIVAL HOMEBREW COMPETITION
Accessed 1/6/09 Proceeds from the Goatshed Revival are donated to the Community Food Share, a non-profit organization feeding the community's poor.

Awards and accolades

In 1994,

Ernst and Young Ernst & Young Global Limited, trade name EY, is a multinational professional services partnership headquartered in London, England. EY is one of the largest professional services networks in the world. Along with Deloitte, KPMG and Pricewaterh ...

awarded Gina Day, the owner of the company, with their Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

References

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External links

Boulder Beer Company web site
Beer brewing companies based in Colorado Companies based in Boulder, Colorado

History

Activities

Awards and accolades

See also

References

External links