Renegade Brewing Company is located in Denver, CO. near the intersection of Sante Fe Dr. and 9th Ave. The area surrounding Renegade Brewing is an eclectic mix of industrial and residential buildings. Denver’s Art District on Sante Fe is around the corner, and creativity seems to be in the air in and around the brewery.

Renegade Brewing Company was started in 2011 by Brian and Khara O’Connell. Brian was a full-time statistician, and a part-time a homebrewer that loved to make beer. He started learning how to make homebrews after his wife Khara bought him a homebrewing kit. Khara thought Brian’s love of beer would simply be a hobby. She had no idea that after about three years of experimenting and training, Brian would decide to turn his hobby into a business.

Brian’s scientific mind and experience with statistics had an effect on the types of beers he brewed. Brian analyzed the ingredients he used and played with recipes a great deal. He developed brewing strategies from studying, researching, and even interning at another brewery. Once Brian developed his beers in his backyard, he brought his offensively delicious brews, developed in his backyard, to Denverites to encourage social interaction and friendship. Renegade Brewing Company’s slogan is ‘offensively delicious’, as they strive to brew beers that are creative, packed with flavor, and don’t necessarily align with traditional styles or trends.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Laura Vande Zande, Ambassador of Enjoyment for Renegade Brewing. Laura explained how Renegade has created a neighborhood pub atmosphere that encourages visitors to have genuine conversations. Ultimately, Renegade strives to be a relational brewery – they want to foster a sense of community, and to provide a place for friends to meet, or for strangers to engage in a conversation. The taproom at Renegade Brewing Company does not include a single TV. Instead, you will hear good music playing in the background, and see people sitting together, enjoying conservation.

Many visitors at Renegade Brewing appeared to be stopping in on their way home from work. Most patrons knew their way around the taproom, and were farmiliar with either friends or neighbors that were enjoying beers. The sense of community really stuck out, and the crowd at Renegade was a happy bunch (the beer may have had something to do with that)! The success of Renegade’s ‘relational brewery’ atmosphere is evident as they are planning to open a second location in 4-6 weeks. The new location will be located at University & Evans in Denver.

Beer List:

• 5:00 (Afternoon Ale): We did not try the 5:00, but will next time.  5% ABV
• Ryteous (Rye IPA): This was the original beer for Renegade, and was originally a homebrew recipe for Brian O’Connell. He brought the recipe to the masses when he decided to open up Renegade Brewing.  7% ABV
• Elevation (Triple IPA): Don’t let the high alcohol content scare you away. This beer has a really unique, excellent flavor. The taste includes a grape-fruity flavor with a sort of piney finish. Elevation is very smooth, and great tasting!  11.2% ABV
• Silas (White Stout): Beer drinkers may be confused by this one. How can a stout be white? Not sure, but this one is outstanding. It’s light in color, but has a taste similar to Guiness. Definitely one to try while at Renegade.  6% ABV
• Midnight in Bruges (Belgium Black IPA) We did not try the Midnight in Bruges, but will next time.  8% ABV
• Hammer and Sickle (Russian Imperial Stout) We did not try the Hammer and Sickle, but will next time.  9% ABV
• Sunday Morning (Coffee Infused Strong Ale) This is a tasty ale with a coffee finish. The coffee smell is stronger than the taste. Overall the beer is smooth and the hint of coffee is a great touch.  6% ABV

If you want to find a place that sells Renegade’s beers, check out their beer locator: http://renegadebrewing.com/find-us/. Renedage’s beers are available in 4-packs of pint cans. To read Renegade’s blog about why they use cans, click here: http://renegadebrewing.com/we-can-can/

Awards:

• Best New Brewery – 5280 Top of the Town
• Best Neighborhood Brewery – Westword
• #2 Best Bar in Denver – Westword
• Elevation Triple IPA – #2 Best Beer in Colorado – Denver Off the Wagon

Renegade Brewing Company has created many great tasting beers that are far from typical. Renegade bucked the traditional beer do’s and don’ts in order to brace creativity and to push the envelope of what craft beers can be. We enjoyed all the beers we sampled, but the Silas White Stout, and the Elevation Triple IPA were the favorites. Both will surprise you with their flavor and smooth finish. We encourage you to visit Renegade Brewing Company to try out some really unique beers. Thanks to Laura for a great visit! We enjoyed sampling Renegade’s beers, and finding out more about the company.

To find out more about Renegade Brewing Company, check out their website: http://renegadebrewing.com

Renegade Brewing Company
925 W 9th Ave / Denver, CO
720-401-4089
info@renegadebrewing.com