BeerVisits - UK - Europe - USA/Canada - World

Pub Visit - USA/Canada

Visited on: Sunday 3rd June 2018

Bob Thompson

Brues1When we first approached the Brues Alehouse I thought it looked like a typical large pub-brewery-restaurant. Well, I was a bit wide of the mark. It looked as if it been built specifically for the purpose and that is not the case.

Rather surprisingly it was the city’s Police Station and Jail House that was constructed during the 1940s. I suppose crime in Pueblo must have dropped….or maybe increased!

It is in an area known as Riverwalk, which describes itself well as the waterfront in Pueblo has been revitalised and now offers some pleasant walking experiences. It opened its doors in its present guise on 21st December 2015. The redevelopment also includes a seven bedroom boutique hotel, Station on the Riverwalk.

Brues2The entrance door is at the side of the building once inside we turned right. I was with Linda and John and we were using this visit as a stop-off on a road journey from Denver to Alamosa. We had arrived in a very large room. On the left wall was the long bar counter and we settled in front of it.

Looking around this room we could see a café counter which was a bit surprising. However it transpires that Brues is also a café (see early opening hours below) and what’s more a bakery too! The bread and cake counter was alongside the café counter. Further around the same room is a large stage area and the pub hosts a lot of bands. Along the back wall is the shining brewery itself, protected behind glass.

From the list of seven beers brewed in-house we had six. These were our thoughts on them. State of the Tart (5.0%) is a sour pale ale, which was fine if you like that kind of thing. Prohibition Lager (5.2%) is a Helles; in the southern German style. We found it smooth and pretty good. Valve 3 Amber Ale (5.2%) had a slight malt taste with medium bitterness yet quite a full flavour.

Black Vinyl Porter (6.6%), we weren’t mad on this as it just wasn’t bitter enough. Bourbon American Maibock (7.8%), presumably matured in a wooden Bourbon barrel. Usually Maibock is sweet yet this had some bitterness, excellent. Leadhead IPA (6.6%): not as bitter as expected yet well balanced; a good one. The one we passed on was Boneman Belgian Tripel (8.0%).

Brues3There were also some guest beers: Avery (Boulder, CO) Tangerine Quad (10.0%); Stone (Escondido, CA) Ripper Pale Ale (5.7%); Odell (Fort Collins, CO) Easy Street Wheat (4.6%); Ballast Point (San Diego, CA) Grapefruit Sculpin IPA (7.0%) and two from Ska Brewing (Durango, CO); Rue B Soho Lager (5.1%) and Mexican Logger Lager (5.2%).

If that was not all there were two flavoured ciders: C-Squared (Denver, CO) C² Ginger Cider (5.5%) and Finnriver Farm (Chimacum, WA) Blackcurrant Cider (6.5%).

There’s a lot going on at Brues, not least the brewing of some good beers. Well worth visiting.

Important Information:

Brues Alehouse Brewing Co., 120 Riverwalk Place, Pueblo, Colorado 81003 Tel: 719 924 9670
Web: bruesalehouse.com

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 8.00-22.00; Friday-Saturday 8.00-24.00

The pub is to be found in down town Pueblo. Pueblo can be reached by Greyhound bus from Denver.