 |
| Photo courtesy of Manitou Brewing |
As you all might have heard (or not!), Manitou Springs is getting their first brewery! I stopped by to get a preview tour of their space, and I am super excited for their opening later this year! Owner Kevin LeGrande said the brewery should be open by the end of the year. Manitou Brewing Company is going to be located in the back portion of the Promenade building at 725 Manitou Ave, while the front part of the building will continue to host Kevin's wife's LeGrande Accents.
 |
| Add caption |
Manitou Brewing is backboned by Kevin LeGrande. He and his wife own the building, so as a long time home brewer, he has been laying the groundwork for a brewery for a few years. After getting the necessary approvals from the town and the planning committees, he has started the transformation of the space into a fully functioning brew pub with a full kitchen and 12 taps.
When I stopped by, Kevin greeted me out front on the street and explained some of the signage options they were going to use to help guide people off of Manitou Ave and towards the brewery. The prominent "Promenade" lettering will be replaced with the Manitou Brewing logo, and additional directional signage will be used as well. Looking straight back through the patio, Kevin already has some barrels on display in the windows of the soon-to-be brewhouse. Inside, rows of stools, tables, and chairs are being fashioned from old barrels, leaving nothing to waste. Having never sat in a custom barrel stave chair, I have to say they are super comfortable! They are still in the process of building the interior, so no pretty pictures yet (soon!).
 |
| Photo courtesy of Manitou Brewing |
As for the brewing side, Manitou Brewing wants to do something eclectic, unique, and totally "Manitou." By enlisting the help of Curtis Bain, formerly from Cascade Brewing in Portland, they hope to offer a diverse selection of brews from standard styles to radical sours. Kevin knew he needed a seasoned pro to run the brewhouse, and through an ad on ProBrewer.com, Curtis' came on board. He talked with me about expanding on his experience with fruit sours at Cascade by using Brettanomyces and Pediococcus, as well as brewing some sours with different base styles (Sour Bock!).
 |
| Photo courtesy of Manitou Brewing |
 |
| Photo courtesy of Manitou Brewing |
The community's support has also been electrifying. During last Friday's Art Walk, Kevin hosted a band and the patio was packed! His 16 year old son told him that everyone seemed like "kids on Christmas" because of all the energy. This is an exciting time for beer in Manitou Springs, and as Kevin and Curtis get things closer, we'll continue to check in and provide you updates!
Check out Manitou Springs Brewing's website and Facebook page. Cheers!
- - -
Stay updated with our email updates and like us on Facebook. We're also on Twitter and Instagram at @focusonthebeer.
