Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Welcome New Assistant Brewer

Ian Hendry, Assistant Brewer:

Ian started as a home brewer many years ago, and that passion for quality beer brought Ian to a commercial brewery. In May of 2009 Ian moved to Silverton from Santa Fe, NM after completing a degree from University of New Mexico. Courses in Brewing Technology at the World Brewing Academy will assistant Ian in taking his technical brewing skills to the next level.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

2 GOLD MEDALS

Atlanta, GA – Breweries and home brewers worldwide have another reason to say "cheers!" WHY? The 2009 US Beer Open Beer Championship What is the U.S. Open Beer Championships? The competition will include professional brewers AND award winning home brewers. It’s open to more than 1,000 breweries from 30 countries, as well as the 29 National Homebrewing Champions from the United States and Canada. Fifty categories were judged. Winners will receive a medal in the shape of a beer stein for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Beers placing in the top 10 of each category and top 10 breweries overall will be featured in America’s Best and Top 10 as well as BeerInfo.com.
Silverton Brewery has won again! This is the second GOLD medal for the Ice Pick Ale brewed by the Silverton Brewery and the first GOLD medal for t he new Bear Ass Brown. The Bear Ass Brown just became available in cans at the local brewery. The IPA is available in 1/2 gallon growlers and will soon be available in cans as well. No other brewery in the four corners won a medal at the 2009 U.S. Open Beer Championships this year. A little about these GOLD medal beers:

BEAR ASS BROWN
Our English style Mild Brown Ale is the lightest of British styles: it features a lower alcohol content and is lightly hopped. Being ou r least alcoholic brew and slightly hooped, the Bear Ass Brown is very true to the Engish Mild style. It is an ideal beer when having more than one. It has a light amber hue accentuated by a lacy white head. One notices its clean, crisp malt profile that pleasantly lingers in your mouth and ever-so-slight hints of chocolate, biscuit, and caramel malts can be detected. High noon is high time to sit down and enjoy one of these tasty session beers. Whether you need a little nerve calmer before you drive over Red Mountain Pass, a little hydration before you hike a 14er, or just a beer before you get on the train, this style will satisfy your needs without putting you over the edge. ABV 4.9% IBU 14.2

Ice Pick Ale (I.P.A.)
I.P.A. India Pale Ale is a style from across the pond that came about when British brewers needed to find a way to send beer around the horn of Africa to British soldiers in India without having it go bad. Their solution was to use the natural preservative attributes of hops. They brewed with twice the amount of hops and then packed the barrels with even more hops (a.k.a. dry hopping). Our version of this style is more of an American I.P.A., which means even more hops. Caramel malts give this beer a bit of sweetness to complement the floral and bitter flavors. ABV 6.5% IBU 73

Sunday, June 7, 2009

North American Brewers Awards

The Brewery won GOLD yesterday at the North American Brewer's Awards for our Ice Peak Ale. The beer is on tap our pub in Silverton, and some other restaurants in Durango & Ouray, Colorado. Ask for it at your local watering hole!


ICE PICK ALE ABV-6.8%
A drinkable, yet hoppy, traditional India Pale Ale in the British style. This ale will not pucker your mouth, but will appeal to hop-heads simultaneously. Dry-hopping yields a distinctive nose, followed by a balanced body, and a notable hoppy finish. Malts are not ignored in this brew, merely subdued.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Next Brew Master

We are excited for welcome Colin Peterman to the BrewMaster Team.
Originally from the Pittsburg region, Colin began his brewing career close to a decade ago in Baltimore. Starting in an English Ale Pub then continuing his training in a traditional German microbrewery. Finally he ran an American brewpub before following his passion for snow to the mountains in Silverton, CO. Colin brings a wealth of diversity and experience along with the hard working “Pittsburgh” mentality to the Silverton Brewery. His brews will on tap at the brewery middle of this summer.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Spring Snow and Fermentation

All those dry warm days earlier this winter are finally catching up with us as we have been getting dumped on this April. It is a great time to get some skiing in and apre ski with a cold beer. Silverton Mountain is open until the end of the month and the snow has been unreal. At the brewery, we are still opening on Friday and Saturday afternoons, circa 4 pm. We have been busy brewing beer and doing some remodeling to the pub. Earlier this spring we exposed the old 1880's brick that was covered in plaster giving the bar a much needed warmth. As far as beer goes, we have our beer on tap in Durango, Ouray, Ridgeway, and Montrose. If you would like to have our beer on tap at your favorite bar tell your bartender. Currently, I have a helles bock fermenting which is going to be called To Helles and Bock. It will be light in color with a bready malt profile. It's ABV will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 7%. It is lightly hopped with SAAZ and Palisade hops. It should be on tap in mid to late May. Also, we are anxiously awaiting our can debut which will feature our Red Mountain Ale and our Bear-Ass Brown. If you are in Silverton stop in and drink a beer with me.

Cheers,
Brian

Monday, February 16, 2009

Things are rolling right along at the Silverton Brewery. Our beer can now be found in Ouray and Durango as well as our brewpub on Friday and Saturday afternoons. Currently I have six beers on tap at the pub: Red Mountain Ale, Ice Pick Ale, Mine Tailings Marzen, Kendall Mountain Kolsch, Coal Bank Stout, and the '08 Barley Legal BarleyWine (a.k.a. the "Rye-ly Wine"). We are also coming closer to our canning debut. We will be canning Red Mountain Ale, an Irish red, and Bear-Ass Brown, an English mild. So if you live in the Southwest keep your eyes open when you go to your favorite, local liquor store and ask your favorite bar to put us on tap. Not too many breweries can claim that their bartender is also the brewer so if you are ever in the area stop in a drink a beer with me. Recent snows and the opening of a rum distillery are also good reasons to make the trek down to Silverton if you live further away. Look forward to seeing.

Cheers,
Brian

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Meet the Beer Delivery Man...

Owner

Joel Harvie
Joel began home-brewing in 1989, while attending New Mexico State. While visiting Silverton, Joel and his wife Kate fell in love with the town. Determined to take brewing to the next level, Joel received training from the Siebel Institute of Technology. The Harvies opened the Silverton Brewery in 2005 and have been living the dream ever since.

Since we started servicing bars and restaurants in the near by towns of Durango & Ouray, Joel now only consults with Brian on brewing. Joel has become our salesman and the beer delivery man! Joel and Brian are working closely to produce innovative brews that are exceptionally smooth-drinking.

These men are passionate about beer and making people happy through beer, cheers!

Meet the Brewer...

HEAD BREWER

Brian Shaeffer
Originally from Edwards, Colorado, Brian attended college at the University of Oregon where he became interested in craft beers and homebrewing. Since graduating Brian has moved back to sunny Colorado to live and play in the mountains and brew high quality beer. While attending a beer festival in Vail, CO Brian became acquainted with the Silverton Brewery. When the brewer position opened at the brewery, Brian came aboard. Along with years of home brewing experience, Brian also attended formal training in Chicago, IL at the Siebel Institute of Technology and World Brewing Academy.

When not in the brewhouse Brian can be found skiing the backcountry of the San Juan Mountains.