Pursuit of Hoppiness
It’s time to go back to Walter’s Brewery
A new general manager aims to have the Pueblo tap room be more than a one-visit nostalgia.
When was the last time you walked into Walter’s Brewery & Taproom? If it’s been longer than, say, six months, it’s time to go back.
A lot has changed for the sentimental brewery throughout 2016, when Andy Blumberg took the reins as general manager. He’s added a more spacious bar, a pool table, a popcorn machine that churns out “the best popcorn in town,” several TVs, extended hours, and along with head brewer Kevin Williams, committed to releasing a new beer every month.
Talking with Blumberg about the changes, he quickly admits the old atmosphere was one where a person would go to have a beer, reminiscing about the days when Walter’s was Pueblo’s pride and joy, only to never go back.
I visited Walter’s only a handful of times when it first opened. It was dark, if not uninviting. The beer was good, but not great. Part of that was my lack of appreciation for the styles on tap. I went in expecting hop bombs and trendy craft beer, only to be greeted with a beer my grandpa loved, the Walter’s Original Pilsner, and a handful of similar beers.
As my taste in beer has expanded, so has the atmosphere and tap list inside Walter’s. The taproom itself is still on the dark side, but that’s by design. Blumberg wants it to feel like Dad’s basement bar, albeit with far better beer and more TVs.
The tap list currently sits at eight beers: Walter’s Original, Steel City Steam, Coffee Bock, Ace in the hole (IPA), Strawberry Basil Wheat, Famous Chile Beer, Hazelnut Brown Ale, and Lemon Shandy. There’s also a homemade Root Beer on tap (the alcohol free kind). My personal favorite is the Ace in the hole, followed closely by the Strawberry Basil Wheat. (Fun story: The idea for a Strawberry Basil beer came after overhearing a conversation in which a lady described the strawberry basil water she was served at a spa.)
Walter’s has forgone any sort of traditional advertising approach, relying instead on the company’s Facebook page, word of mouth, and participating in various community programs, such as Brew at the Zoo and donating free growlers to fundraisers.
Oh, and if you happen to bump into any Walter’s employees while out and about, don’t be shy, they’re usually carrying free drink cards. Ask for one.
Talking with Williams about his approach to designing beers for a town that’s normally associated with Bud Light and Coors Light, he laughed. His face then lit up as he told me the story of someone once asking what his lightest beer is, to which he replied “We’ve weighed them all, and they’re all the same.”
When Walter’s first opened, Williams — a former home brewer whose biggest batch of beer before brewing on Walter’s 10 barrel system was 10 gallons — brewed up a “light” beer for the so called “Bud Light crowd.” To his surprise, the beer sat in kegs, ready to be served, but it barely moved through the tap lines. Eventually a second batch was brewed, only to sit just as long as the first. And that was the end of trying to cater to what amounts to be a mythological crowd.
Blumberg was quick to add, he still has people come in and ask for a Bud Light. However, after he explains just what it is that the taproom has to offer, and a small taste of the Walter’s Original, that brand name beer isn’t mentioned for the rest of the night.
With newcomers Brues Alehouse and PDub Brewing, Walter’s, and Shamrock Brewing Co. for that matter, have will be facing stiff competition in Pueblo. But Blumberg and Williams welcome the competition, in fact, they don’t even view them as competitors.
To Williams, the new breweries have only increased awareness in town for quality craft beer. And the more people learn about craft beer, the more they want to try different styles and breweries, in turn benefiting everyone.
Despite all of the changes and expanded tap lineup, there’s still one hurdle Walter’s needs to overcome — the lack of a kitchen.
Walter’s doesn’t serve food, but is perfectly fine with patrons bringing in food of their own or having a pizza delivered. Ideally, Blumberg says, they’d like to find a steady rotation of food trucks to serve food on the weekends.
Over the next few months you can expect Walter’s to tap a Vanilla Porter in September, a barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout in October, and a Pumpkin Beer in November. December’s recipe is still up in the air, but rumor has it a Cranberry Saison has a fighting chance to make its way into a fermentor.
After visiting with Blumberg and Williams, I couldn’t shake the symbolism of drinking Grandpa’s beer in Dad’s basement. There’s something to be said about the nostalgia Walter’s brings to our community.
Yet, fond memories will only get a brewery so far. And from what I’ve seen and heard, Walter’s is embracing its past while at the same time focussing on the future.
On Tap: 2x4 from Melvin Brewing. This double IPA is smoother than it should be for packing 9.9% ABV into a can. It hits all the right notes of an IPA, with floral, citrus, and a warm finish. Find it at Big Bear in a 4-pack.
CORRECTION: In September’s PULP Print version an incorrect headline was printed: Walter’s Beer, New Owner, New Direction. Andy Blumberg was referenced as the new owner but is the new general manager.
