Boulder Beer Has a New Home

Like Mork and Mindy, the Flatirons, Pearl Street, or CU, there are defining cultural icons that make Boulder, well … Boulder, and craft beer has earned its place as one of them. It all started more than 40 years ago when Boulder Beer blazed the trail for future small-batch, creative Colorado brewers. And like any great success story, it all began in a goat shed. In 1979, David Hummer and Randolph “Stick” Ware, two CU Boulder astrophysics professors, were inspired to join the craft beer movement, and they began brewing Boulder Beer in a repurposed farm shed just northeast of Boulder. 

With the distinction of being the first microbrewery in Colorado, Boulder Beer has always been a trailblazer, and its invention and reinvention have kept it relevant decades later. Boulder Beer offered its then-renowned porter, stout, and bitter beers for sale when, to most Americans, beer meant a light, yellow lager (think Coors, for example, right down the road in Golden). After five successful years in the goat shed, Boulder Beer moved into its popular brewery and tasting room, complete with a dog-friendly patio on Wilderness Place. From 1984 until 2020, it expanded from a one-barrel to a 50-barrel system while retaining its inventive spirit and continuing to create new flavors and categories. In 2014, 35 years after getting started, its Shake Chocolate Porter won a gold medal at the World Beer Cup and has served as a flagship chocolate beer for craft breweries across the country.

In a significant and emotional turn, Boulder Beer closed its Wilderness Place doors in January of 2020, after ending in-house production and partnering with Denver-based Sleeping Giant Brewing to brew and distribute its beer in late 2019. This transition, while sad for tap room regulars, set the company up to survive.

And today, Boulder Beer is flowing again—this time from the taps at Boulder Social, which has 10 on-site barrels for brewing, including three legendary Boulder Beer recipes made in small, frequent batches: Shake Chocolate Porter, known for its incredible chocolate taste without being overly sweet; Buffalo Golden Ale, a pleasing session ale; and Sundance Amber Ale, originally named Boulder Amber back in the ’80s when it first arrived on the microbrewery scene.

Boulder Social filled the hole left by the closing of The Lazy Dog. There’s ample seating for big events and plenty of room to chill outside, all with the casual vibe endemic to sports bars. From burgers to wings, salads to cheese curds, the menu and extensive draft beer selection go hand in hand. The Nashville hot chicken sandwich and the prime rib sandwich are two notable Boulder Social favorites. Try the Buffalo Golden Ale with a rustic hand-tossed pepperoni pizza, a Sundance Amber Ale with the fish and chips, or perhaps a Shake Chocolate Porter with a prime rib sandwich. Then, find yourself a comfortable spot to watch the game while you sip an old favorite from the OG brewery that made Boulder synonymous with good beer. 

Learn more about events, place an order for takeout or delivery, or make a reservation at besocialcolorado.com.