Red Swing Brewhouse to Take Over FH Downtown This April
You heard it here first. In just a few short months, FH Beerworks’ Downtown location will change hands and become Red Swing Brewhouse. Look for the location to undergo a bit of a remodel, and don’t expect changes overnight—Red Swing has big plans for the space and their beer.
We talked to Travis and Niki about their thought process regarding the sale and transition and they had nothing but great things to say about the new stewards of their first location.
“Our downtown location served us well for 5 years. It was our foot in the door of this amazing industry that we get to be a part of. It allowed us to grow from a small tap room with 3 employees to a sustainable production brewery with a team of 14 and a rapidly growing distribution foot print. We are really excited for Red Swing, and we hope that this location can provide the same opportunities for them.”
March 28th will be FH Beerworks’ last day open at the Downtown location, and they’re throwing a party to celebrate. Along with some throwback beers that FH has planned, they’re also working on a collaboration beer with Red Swing to help welcome them to the neighborhood.
Read on for our interview with Claude Burns, co-founder of Red Swing Brewhouse—cheers!
First things first, can you introduce yourself and the crew behind Red Swing Brewhouse?
So I’m Claude and my wife is Sheril along with our two daughters (Lindsay and Ashely) moved here from Southern California in 1996. My job in law enforcement brought us out to the State of Colorado. I am currently a Sergeant at Aurora Police Department where I have been employed since 1996. Sheril worked in the Dental field for 25 years. We moved to CS almost 3 years ago. We figured if God moved us down here from Greeley, it was where we were to open a brewery. She has a deep passion for interior decorating and has a great vision for our brewery and will be helping with designing the interior of the brewery with the help of our architect, Bobby Hill.
That is where I really got inspired by breweries and the brewery community. We like the idea that the brewery industry is one of the few industries that help one another. We have the same mentality to do the same in Colorado Springs.
What is the inspiration behind the name?
The inspiration of Red Swing came from our Greeley backyard of a 2 acre plot.
While enjoying a beautiful afternoon in our backyard, Sheril was swinging on a Red Swing attached to our 50 year old maple tree and I was drinking one of my favorite cold beers. We were pondering ideas about brewery names when Sheril said “I got a name!” She said “how about Red Swing”. The term “Brewhouse” came from our Scottish heritage as well as the country feel we hope to bring to the brewery.
Will you be the one brewing or are you hiring a brewer?
I have been a home brewer for approximately 6 years and was part of the Weiz Guys Homebrew club, Loveland Colorado while we lived up in Greeley, but we’re looking to bring someone else in to handle the bulk of the brewing duties. The plan is to hire a brewer who has a similar inspiration of community and shares the same cultural ideals that we hope to create with our staff. Are you a brewer who is looking for a new opportunity?
What will make Red Swing stand out in Colorado Springs' local scene?
With so many breweries in the Springs, we really want to come alongside and collaborate with all the other breweries. From our experience in Northern Colorado and our friends up there, we feel Red Swing can stand out with its quality beer and comfortable taproom experience. We want to brew what the community wants to drink but will also have a “Two Rope Series” (referring to the ropes holding the swing) & barrel-aging project. With that said, our true desire is to stay small & quaint.
Do you have any themes that will dictate the types of beer you'll make?
Our family is very diverse in our taste for different kinds of beers
I love IPA’s and Red Swing will definitely be doing several of those. My wife prefers the lighter spectrum of beer like Hefeweizen, Kolsch, Wheat & Blondes but she’s also a fan of Stouts. Our two daughters are big fans of sours so you can bet on Red Swing brewing those as well.
Our mission statement is creating a third space concept where business people, students, and tourists can come and enjoy their time in our brewery while relaxing and enjoying quality beer.
I think there is a niche for barrel-aged beers in CS. With all the distilleries in the Springs, they will provide an awesome flavor profile to inspire our beers and we can’t wait to explore that part of the brewing.
What are some of your favorite breweries?
Our favorite Breweries are, Avery, Odells, New Belgium, Purpose, New Terrain, Cerebral, FH Beerworks, Cerberus, Goat Patch plus several others.
Do you draw inspiration from those breweries?
There is no one brewery that has given us inspiration, however living in Northern Colorado has given us the modern farmhouse feel, however Jessup Farm and Timnath are both good examples of where we’ve drawn inspiration. As for Colorado Springs, FH Beerworks gave us the same warmth as Odell’s patio — from the fire pits to the natural surroundings that make you feel like you’re still in nature. It truly makes us feel that nostalgia of being up north again.
When does FH become Red Swing?
It will become Red Swing in April when we begin our lease. Travis and Niki Fields of FH have been so awesome during this transition. We feel that not only did we buy a brewery, we established a wonderful relationship that we are hoping will last! It’s an added bonus they make great beer!
Do you have a "re-opening" date set?
Our reopening will be dependent on licensing and brewing the beers we want on tap. Depending on those details, we are projecting that you’ll be able to experience Red Swing around mid-summer.
