Odell Brewing Co. - Ft. Collins, Colorado
By Meghan Storey
07.20.10 – 11.30.10
Travel to: Fort Collins, CO
The fabulous new facade of Odell Brewing Co.
Hop cone bike racks.
Bottom of the tanks with room for expansion.
Main reception complete with bluegrass band.
A dreary cold Sunday in Colorado was quickly improved—Sabateur on tap—this was going to be a great afternoon exploring the Odell expansion and remodel! Odell had certainly left no stone unturned with their expansion and remodel, even the bike racks were iron cut-outs of hop cones. Let me tell you, the impressive and fun upgrade didn't stop in the parking lot!
After an important stop by the bar, we were whisked off on a quick tour around the state of the art facility. A few fun facts:
- Odell more than doubled their brewing capacity and left room to drop in more tanks in the future—through the retractable brewery roof!
- A barrel-aging cellar and 750ml bottling line were added, hence the fabulous Saboteur (a brett barrel brown) I was sipping.
- Along with porous pavers in the parking lot and a daylighting system, the new 76.8 kilowatt photovoltaic system can generate up to 40% of their peak energy demand.
Exploring the maze of rooms making up the brewery, we came upon the main reception, which felt more like an episode of Top Chef, with local area restaurants providing appetizers (some of which were created fresh at their stations). A bluegrass band enhanced laid back brewery vibe as they played nearly 20 feet in the air situated above a small operator's booth.
With small bars hidden throughout the rooms, one could not venture to far without finding something new to try or tasting one of their favorite Odell standards. Near the newly created barrel-aging cellar people had gathered around a foosball table—working here would have to be a pretty sweet gig!
As we left the amazing new facility—one fresh 750 ml bottle of Mountain Standard Time richer—everyone agreed the possibilities are endless for Odell and their future in Fort Collins.
Odell Brewing Co.
800 East Lincoln Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80524
www.odellbrewing.com
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