Visited on: Sunday 10th June 2018
Bob Thompson
In a city a large as Denver with so many small brewers to choose from, a new opening will often have a unique selling point, say beers from a particular style or country. Well Factotum is one of those but I must emphasise that they do not intend to be different for the sake of it.
Brother and sister team Christopher and Laura Bruns had a dream of how their future brewery would function and have now succeeded.
Their idea was of a resident brewery producing a range of beers for a tap room. This is where it is different. The brewery would also be open to the public to brew on the plant. Christopher is the regular brewer and he is on hand to assist those wishing to brew. Previous experience is not an issue here. Other commercial breweries can use the facilities, and some do. Similarly it is open to the complete novice upwards.
Christopher is on hand to assist on all steps. He insists on an interview first. This is where the client explains what kind of beer he wants to produce along with other details such as strength. Christopher will then purchase the appropriate ingredients and a brew date will be set up.
They brew together on the seven barrel (bbls) brewery. Some of the beer is sold in the Brewhouse Tap Room, some goes to the customer, who can have a night at the pub with their friends.
Like many other suburban breweries this building was constructed as an auto repair shop. These premises are idea for the purpose, normally having no internal obstructions and for tap rooms there are the large glass doors that can be opened fully in the summer months.
Inside it is a large room with the bar counter at the far end. This area was professionally designed.
From the Factotum Brewhouse’s regular range of beers there were three: Soldier’s Reward Pilsner (6.5%); Glorieta Colorado IPA (6.3%) and Imperial Kentucky Common (7.6%), the latter being a collaboration with the Sunnyside Run Club.
Another company that brews on the plant is Lady Justice Brewing, a low profit company that assists women. The brewers are all women and they were represented by Merkel’s Thursday Hefeweizen with Lemon and Hibiscus (5.0%).
The rest were brewed by the great American public. Firstly there was C38 AM IPA (6.4%) by Aren Moore and Roger Haar; then Paradoxial (sic) New England IPA (6.7%) by BBK Productions; Regis American IPA (7.1%) by Regis U Brewing Program; Alternative Child Saison (8.4%) by Kaitlyn Reinan; Favourite Blonde (5.0%) by Holidaily Brewing, a 100% gluten-free beer and finally, there was English Porter (4.8%0 by Root Street Malting.
We tried three of them as follows: Soldier’s Reward Pilsner was a good strong pils with reasonable bitterness and was well liked.
Glorieta Colorado IPA seemed to be more like a pale ale. It was drinkable yet not very bitter.
Imperial Kentucky Common was very malty with just 21 IBU. Some will like it but it was too malty for us.
One of the great advantages of this pub is that you know you will always be offered a beer you’ve never had before and that is priceless.
Highly recommended. No food but there are Food Trucks.
Important Information:
Factotum Brewhouse, 3845 Lipan Street, Denver 80211. Tel: 720 441 4735
Web: FactotumBrewHouse.com
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 16.00-22.00; Friday 15.00-22.00; Saturday 12.00-22.00; Sunday 12.00-20.00
Monday Closed
The nearest bus stop is Lipan Street/West 38th Avenue and it is served by routes 19 and 52. If coming from the city centre continue to West 39th Street in the same direction along Lipan Street as the bus.
Factotum is on the left at this intersection. Turn left into 39th and you will find Diebolt a block further on.
Bus 19 runs from Denver Civic Center to Northglen Marketplace (104th Street) every 30 minutes on weekdays. It is hourly in the evenings and on Saturdays and Sundays.
It passes Union station on Wewatta Street.
Bus 52 runs from Almeda RTD Rapid Transit station via the city centre, passing Union station on 20th Street. It continues to Arvada Olde Town, running every thirty minutes during the day, weekdays and Saturdays. It is hourly in the evenings and on Sundays.
