New Brewery Spotlight: TwinHops Brewing
I get excited when I start thinking about all of the new breweries plugging away in various stages of opening in Colorado. While some are in the final stages, others are just getting started. This week, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the team behind TwinHops Brewing, which is shooting to open in the Aurora, CO area in early 2013.
The TwinHops Brewing team consists of identical twin brothers and Brewers Brad and Scott Burton, older brother Rick Burton and Creative Director, Colin Bridge. The guys sat down with me to share a few pints and fill me in on their last 18 months of progress as well as their future plans to get TwinHops up and running.
Like many other successful brewery stories, Brad and Scott began as homebrewers back in 2006. From there, they discovered a passion for the craft that helped them create and fine tune their own recipes for tasty brews. For TwinHops, they’ve created 5 beers that will represent their core lineup: Bad Medicine Oatmeal Stout, Golden Spike Pale Ale, Scantily Clad Blonde Ale, Salinger Rye IPA and a yet to be named IPA. They’ve also mastered a Green Chili Smoked Porter that could eventually serve as a seasonal offering.
While the guys are currently focused on getting their brewhouse and tap room secured, they’re not shying away from the possibilities of expanding into barrel-aging, souring and just experimenting with beer recipes in general. No style guidelines are safe!
I had the opportunity to try their Bad Medicine Oatmeal Stout and wanted to share some notes with you. The beer pours a dark brown, almost black color. Kind of initially looked like a glass of cola. A 1/2 finger, tan-colored head forms at the top of the glass and is fed by a slow, steady stream of moderate carbonation.
The aroma is roasted grains, malt, oats, a touch of coffee and biscuit. Smells really nice.
Taste is roasted grains, sweet oats (malted milk balls???), chocolate, toast, faint caramel and chocolate.
The mouthfeel is smooth, while the finish is a bit dry, and slightly bitter. A well-crafted beer and with a 5.5% ABV, it’s very approachable, flavorful and highly drinkable. Recommended!
In order for TwinHops to become a reality, they’re trying to get some financial help through kickstarter.com The guys want to upgrade from an all-grain, homebrew setup to a 7 BBL system and a space to call home for TwinHops. Obviously, that all takes money.
Through Kickstarter, supporters are able to contribute anything from $1 to more than $1000 and are awarded for each different level of donation. If TwinHops isn’t able to reach their goal of $20,000 by July 30th, 2012, you won’t owe anything, but that means they won’t be getting any financial help either. Get all the details and find out how to pledge by clicking HERE.
The guys have other plans if Kickstarter doesn’t work out for them. They’ve created a Founder’s Club that will reward members with a lifetime of benefits, including a custom 18 oz. stein, which comes with $3 fills. Other benefits include 20% off growler fills, invitations to special events and access to exclusive bombers. The club will get backers in on the ground level and is limited to the first 100 people who sign up. 1/3 of the Founder’s Club memberships have already been snatched up. Click HERE for more details and to enroll in the club.
At noon on Saturday, July 21, the TwinHops team will be making an appearance on the Colorado Craft Beer Show with Turk and The Gubna on AM 760. They’ll have a chance to talk about TwinHops and share some beers with the guys, so be sure to tune in.
On Sunday, July 22, they’ll be hosting an open brew day. For this unique event, the guys have invited beer lovers over to have a beer with them and taste their Blonde, IPA and Rye IPA. They’re also inviting homebrewers to bring their rigs over and brew a batch of beer with them. Think of it as a fun, educational afternoon that will give you a chance to hone your brew skills or just hang out and try some new brews. The day kicks off at noon and will be held at: 23891 E Alabama Dr, Aurora, CO 80018.
Update: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the brew day on Sunday, July 22, has been cancelled. I just got word from Scott that they’ll be rescheduling for a later date. I’ll keep you updated when a new date is set.
TwinHops is off to a great start. By offering your support, you’ll be helping them bring their vision to life. In turn, they’ll be enhancing our community and amazing Colorado craft beer scene. Check them out and I hope to see you at the Brew Day on Sunday!
Cheers!
Brewtally Insane! 
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