Visited on: Thursday 7th June 2018
Bob Thompson
The story behind Rockslide goes back all the way to 1992 when Mike Bell, Scott Howard and Sean Forey were on a business trip to Utah. They visited their first brew-pub and were inspired by their discovery. They turned ideas into action and the Rockslide opened to the public in November 1994.
It helps to have the right setting and Rockslide certainly has that. It is to be found on a corner slap bang in the middle of Grand Junction’s Main Street, where it intercepts 4th Street. What’s more it looks right.
The building was built in 1890 as a bank. By 1895 it had become a men’s clothing store. In latter years it was a second-hand shop. It closed in the early 1990s for a renovation that lasted a year. Thereafter it became Rockslide. There are a great many rock slides onto roads in this area so the name is very apposite.
There was a reasonable range of regular beers as follows: Widowmaker Wheat (5.0%) which is made from 50% / 50% pale ale and wheat malts; Raspberry Wheat (5.0%) is a blend of the above with natural raspberry.
Also, Kokopelli Kölsch (4.9%); Rabbit Ears Amber Ale (6.0%) is an American amber; Cold Shivers Pale Ale (5.9%) is American pale ale; Horsethief IPA (6.7%) is an American IPA and finally there’s Big Bear Oatmeal Stout (6.0%).
There were also three specials: Wrangler Double IPA (9.2%) which has 100 IBUs; Wimpy American Strong Ale (7.8%) and in complete contrast to the other two there was Scottish 70/- Ale (3.8%), a low gravity Scottish Heavy. Coming soon was Apricot Berliner Apricot Weisse!
The pub itself is quite traditional with lots of fitted wooden furniture such as booths. There is a U-shaped bar counter with stools all around. The pub has a very “lived in” feel about and that is a complimentary comment.
It feels and looks like an ordinary community pub and it is not until you see the brewery behind its glass window that you realise you are in a brew-pub. Interestingly the pub is double ended as you can go in from the street or the car park (parking lot) at the rear.
There is a full menu and it is worth coming here for the pub atmosphere.
Important Information:
Rockslide Brew Pub, 405 Main Street, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501. Tel: 970 245 2111
Web: rockslidebrewpub.com
Sunday-Wednesday: 11.00-24.00; Thursday-Saturday: 11.00-02.00
Grand Junction has a Regional Airport. Its railroad station is served by Amtrak’s California Zephyr train daily. From the east this runs from Chicago via Omaha, Denver and Glenwood Springs to Grand Junction. Continuing west it runs to Emeryville (for San Francisco) via Salt Lake City and Sacramento.
There is a network of eleven bus routes in Grand Junction operated by Grand Valley Transit.
They operate from 05.00 to 20.00. Route 1 goes to the Regional Airport.
