Visited on: Friday 15th June 2018
Bob Thompson
De Steeg is a bit different from the other two brew-pubs at Berkeley as it is very hard to find.
And that’s not the only thing that’s a bit weird as although its address is clearly shown as being on North Tennyson Street, there is no access from it.
The only way in is from the alley. So I suppose the name of the pub is significant, as De Steeg in Dutch is “the alley”.
It was on 28th January 2013 that Craig Rothgery opened the tiny pub with a brewery of just 1.25 barrels (bbls) capacity. It was to have been called High Gravity Brewing, but his plans changed when the Gravity Brewing opened in Louisville the previous August. Thereafter he continued along a road of selling strong experimental beers. It is believed he upgraded to a 5 barrel (bbls) system later.
There was a change of ownership on 1st October 2017 when the brewery and pub were purchased by Ken Klispie and Tom Martinez. They were long-time friends who have always wanted their own brewery.
They kept the De Steeg name for the pub and some of the beers. They have also founded the Blind Faith Brewery with hopes to break into the retail market of other pubs and shops in Denver.
Linda and I arrived at the pub along the aforementioned alley, which doesn’t seem to have a name. We turned into the pub through a small outside terraced area. The bar counter was L-shaped and was to be found on the right. There were a number of stools in front of it and a few loose wooden chairs and tables. The room can hold thirty-three patrons.
The beer list was displayed on a blackboard behind the bar counter. Although 3oz samplers were available I found that the owners’ love of Belgian, sour and experimental brews a bit over the top for my taste at the end of a long day, so I settled for a short pour of the one beer that was of a conventional style.
The full range was: het Huis (8.9%), an American strong ale; French Saison (9.0%); Paloma Ale (6.3%), a Belgian Golden Ale; Belgian Golden Strong Ale (7.3%).
Plus Patersbier (6.9%); Dubbel Vision (7.9%), a Belgian dubbel; Third Eye Trippel (8.8%), a Belgian Trippel; Four Eyes Quadrupel (8.6%), a Belgian quadruple; Belgian Pale Ale (6.8%); Blackberry Milkshake IPA (7.8%); De Steeg IPA (5.4%); Coconut Lime Blonde (5.0%); Belgian Orange (5.8%), a Belgian pale ale with orange; Farmhouse Cherry (7.9%), a French Farmhouse ale with cherry and Kvass (5.5%).
I have never seen Kvass in alcoholic form. It is a fermented drink found across the Slavic states that normally has about 0.5% alcohol and is considered suitable for children. It is normally fermented from bread yeast and tastes very much like brown artisan bread.
Needless to say I had De Steeg IPA which I thought was a very good example of the style.
This is a good pub if you like Belgian and the more extreme types of beer. If you just want something like a US / British ale, you might find it better to go somewhere else, although the De Steeg IPA is OK.
Important Information:
De Steeg Brewing, 4342 Tennyson Street, Denver, Colorado 80212. Tel: 303 484 9698
Web: desteegbrewing.com
Hours: Wednesday-Friday 16.00-23.00; Saturday 14.00-23.00; Sunday 14.00-21.00
Monday-Tuesday: Closed
The 44 bus route is very useful as it travels through the RINO district with its many breweries and brew-pubs. It then goes through the city centre on 15th and 17th Streets then goes north till it reaches 44th Avenue. It continues along 44th in a westerly direction to the terminus in Wheat Ridge passing Berkeley on the way. The 44 runs half hourly on weekdays, hourly from 19.00, and hourly at weekends.
From the city centre alight at the West 44th Avenue and Tennyson Street bus stop.
Go back from stop, cross Tennyson Street. At the Oriental Theater cross 44th Street to the Grateful Gnome.
Take the alley on the right side of the pub and you find De Steeg on the right side.
