Thousands of cans sit stacked at Pikes Peak Brewing Co., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Monument, Colo. (Parker Seibold, The Gazette)
When Army veteran Chris Wright parlayed a handful of homebrew recipes and a grassroots fanbase into Monument's first and only craft brewery in 2011, professional brewing in the Southern Front Range was still a largely untapped and experimental market.
Wright's plan then for Pikes Peak Brewing Co. was to continue developing the property and brand, a kind of perpetual work-in-progress, based on the wants and needs of the patrons he calls "neighbors." Over the following decade, he and his wife and business partner, Judi, did just that, expanding the menu, brewing and canning systems, adding more community and rec areas, and even launching an ultimately ill-fated second location in downtown Colorado Springs, in response to customer craving trends toward lighter beers and lagers.
More than 13 years after opening the brewery, Wright is evolving yet again. This time, for himself.
He's retiring from brewing and handing over the keys and reins to the Springs' Goat Patch Brewing Co., in a brand merger and sale that's expected to be finalized in mid-December, Wright said Friday.
"I couldn't be more excited that we were able to make a deal with Goat Patch to carry things on," he said. "And I couldn't hope for a better company to take the brand to the next level."
Other than a change in licensing that will end wine and liquor sales at the brewery off Lake Woodmoor Drive, he said the passing-of-torch should cause few ripples: The Pikes Peak Brewing Co. name, its staff, iconic brews and the ethos that defines it as a business and gathering spot aren't going to change.
For all intents and purposes, "it really is business as usual," Wright said. "The values and the priorities between the two companies are very aligned."
Since its founding in 2017 as an anchor business at the Springs' Lincoln Center, Goat Patch has expanded its grazing zone by leaps and bounds, nabbing prestigious awards for its brews and recently embarking on a campaign that will vastly expand its reach. In July, the brewery announced a second location, with a bigger kitchen, is in the works in the city's Northgate area, ETA spring 2025.
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The acquisition of Pikes Peak's significantly larger brewing and canning systems will allow Goat Patch to continue that trajectory, according to a Thanksgiving Week press release from the company.
Goat Patch currently operates at a 3,000-BBL capacity, and the 10,000-BBL production facility at Pikes Peak Brewing Company "provides an exciting opportunity for growth."
The absorption of PPBC isn't only about growing the size of the Patch, the release went on to point out.
"This acquisition isn't just about increasing our capacity -- it's about continuing a story that has meant so much to the Craft Beer community in southern Colorado for over a decade," said Goat Patch co-owner Cate Baze in the release. "We see this as a baton being passed, and we're excited to carry it forward with the same passion and dedication that PPBC has always been known for."
A small celebration at the Monument brewery, and collaboration beer release, are planned for the coming weeks. Dates will be nailed down, and announced, soon, said Wright.
While he admitted the upcoming closure of such an important life and work chapter will be "bittersweet," Wright said he's looking forward to watching his creation and labor-of-love continue to grow and thrive -- from a different perspective.
"I'll still be around," he said. "The only difference is I'll be on the other side of the bar."