By Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer
The Surveyor

Berthoud Brewing mugs.
Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer / The Surveyor

Berthoud Brewing Co. is so close to opening we can almost taste it.

Shawn Fitzgerald, owner of Berthoud Brewing Co., is anxious to introduce Berthoud to his new brewery, and it won’t be long. The tap room at 450 Eighth St., is nearly complete; the adjacent brewery space is done and there’s beer in the tanks.

Stickers, t-shirts and mugs sit in the taproom ready for customers. Fitzgerald is hoping to pour the first official beer on the last weekend of June during a soft opening. That same weekend, Berthoud Brewing’s beer will be pouring at Blues from the Top in Winter Park, so if everything goes as planned, it will be a date to remember in the brewery’s future history.

The tap room has a comfortable, already lived-in sort of feel. There’s reclaimed maple box-car flooring, a mahogany bar top, also made from reclaimed box-car wood, and barn wood on the walls from a barn west of Berthoud. Most of the reclaimed wood in the building came from Circle Goods Reclaimed in Berthoud.

Fitzgerald’s goal for the brewery has always been to involve the community, and so far he’s done just that, right down to the flooring. Even the collection of Colorado license plates on the bar column came from a local family who has lived in Berthoud for generations.

Beer making is underway at Berthoud Brewing Co.; with a raspberry and saffron ale on firkin, and four session ales; Fire Ban, Farmers Aid, Red Barn and Switch Track brewing.

“We had an open house during Berthoud Day and about 100 people came through. It was really fun,” said Fitzgerald. “I met a lot of people who I didn’t know were brewers, so we talked about a lot of potential local collaborations.”

Once open, Origins, the catering company next door to the brewery, will provide cold plates to hungry patrons at Berthoud Brewing, and Fitzgerald looks forward to other collaborations with the catering business.

Berthoud Brewing Co. is planning an official grand opening for the end of July or early August. Fitzgerald is going to throw a block party and invite other Northern Colorado breweries to attend.

“We’re all about the community aspect of brewing,” said Fitzgerald. “It’s not just about us opening, but about everyone coming down, hanging out as a craft community and having a good time.”

The best way to keep up with Berthoud Brewing Co. is via their Facebook page at Facebook.com/BerthoudBrewing.