(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Colorado Springs’ oldest and largest packaging brewery will celebrate its 30th anniversary on Saturday, June 15 with new limited edition anniversary beers, live music, discounted pints, and more.
According to a press release from the company, Bristol Brewing began 30 years ago this week, in an industrial complex off of Garden of the Gods Road. The brewery was started by Mike and Amanda Bristol on June 10,1994, one of a handful of small Colorado craft breweries in a landscape dominated by giants Coors, Miller, and Anheuser-Busch.
The couple’s original two offerings, Laughing Lab Scottish Ale and Red Rocket Pale Ale, were available only on draft in a couple of restaurants downtown and in growlers to go from their new brewery.
“It wasn’t always easy, convincing bar managers we weren’t brewing it in our basement, and explaining to customers that the bitter flavor they were tasting was supposed to be in there, and that it was hops,” said Mike Bristol. “But we loved what we were doing and people were pretty receptive.”
Through the years, Bristol Brewing has been well known for the high quality and consistency of their beers, including Laughing Lab, which is the only beer in Colorado with 11 medals from the Great American Beer Festival. Bristol is also a leader in giving back to the community through beer donations, their original concept of supporting local nonprofits with a per-pint donation each week, and their Benefit Beers, including crowd favorite Venetucci Pumpkin Ale.
On Saturday, June 15, the brewery will host an anniversary party from noon to 5 p.m. at its location inside Ivywild School. Patrons of the brewery can look forward to three new limited edition anniversary beers, live music, 94¢ pints for the first hour, tie dye, guest beertenders, and more. A full schedule of the days’ events can be found on the Facebook event page.
“We’re proud to be a part of Colorado Springs and we’re endlessly grateful to the beer drinkers of our town and all of the staff we’ve worked with over the years who’ve helped us build our brewery,” said Amanda Bristol.
The Ivywild School is located just south of Motor City, at 1604 South Cascade Avenue.
