He goes by the nickname “Beef” and he grew up in the town of Mancos, located Southwest Colorado. Both of those facts tell you a great deal about Dave at Boggy Draw Brewery But they don’t say it all. He is a father and husband, a carpenter, an avid hunter, a rugby coach, a home brewer turned pro, a respected and esteemed member of the brewing community and a man passionate that his brewery is a safe and welcoming place for all walks of life.
Boggy Draw Brewery is tucked in a strip mall just off of Platte River Drive in Southwest Denver. When I arrived, Dave was busy with business affairs. So, I seized the opportunity to revel in the small town hunter’s lodge tenor of the brewery. Easy, simple, inviting. Boggy Draw is closed on Tuesdays and it was the best time to sit down with him and get feel for his life’s work. Once he was done with his business dealings I sneaked in to figure out the man behind the brewery. I could tell he has a multitude of tasks going on but his demeanor is still pleasant in the face of managing a ship that runs on only five people.
Beef’s love for beer runs deep in his veins. And he embodies the spirit of Colorado through adventures of all sorts. Hunting, brewing, coaching rugby and entrepreneurship. I have learned after living here for more than twenty years that there is a pattern to the madmen and women in Colorado. Many are seekers of something new both philosophically and physically. It’s a cluster of achievers. No wonder everyone and their goddamn third cousin is moving here.
Dave has home brewing since the mid-80’s and overtime this passion turned into something bigger. He graduated his seriousness level slowly but surely – eventually turning becoming a judge at the Great American Beer Festival. He participated in and coached rugby to keep active. As he flipped houses and built bars for other breweries, a vision formed, a place that would be an enclave for his passions just like the Boggy Draw that he hunts in down in Dolores, CO.
There is an interesting and diverse event focus at Boggy Draw Brewery. They have Jeep and Land Rover meetups where hobbyists can get together and geek out over supped up rides or a semi-regular basis. But they also have Canvas and Cocktails where you might just find Beef dressed up as Bob Ross. Their art is proudly displayed on the walls and even in their bathrooms. Yes, you read that correctly, Boggy Draw has windows painted in the bathrooms that show scenic meadows in them. Raise your hand if you like looking outside while taking a shit? I can’t see you but I know your hand is up.
I walked in while the Happy Hour crowd was easing into their seats. Regulars were the dominant source of patronage on that Thursday in the early evening. As I sat my happy ass down at the bar Beef built by hand, my eyes lit up like a child on Christmas at the enormous beer list in front of me. Sixteen beers on tap. That is a considerable sum of craft-beer to consume. Oh, the humanity!
On the wall in the brewery, it says “4 Ingredients, Infinite Possibilities” and their beer reflects that mantra. They remain true to English style beer but push for diversity from a simple ingredients list. With that in mind, I started out with the Trail #199 IPA (6.5% ABV) that was malty and light and went really fucking well with the easy conversation about sports that began with my co-drinkers as we watched the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
We carried on in the way that people will do exchanging names and talk about any and everything under the sun. There was politics. I opened up about my love of gin and Beef recommended I try the Gangsta of Love Gin BA Ale (6.5%) that is brewed with Vapor Distilleries gin. I obliged and enjoyed a faint hint of juniper berry on my lips and the silky smooth texture.
I was half inclined to play the deer hunter video game that remained in the corner of the room alone but I refrained because brewery reviews are not a time for games. It is a deadly serious situation for people that are extremely concerned about the ethics and morality of an experience. But I did indulge in one more beer and some pizza they offer in the absence of food trucks. My last beer was their heralded Lemon Drop Pale Ale (6.8% ABV) and it lived up to the name with just a touch of lemon in the background provided by the lemon hops. Balanced and delicious.
If you look for it, every brewery holds a noteworthy and distinct kind of story. It wasn’t hard to find the glory in what Beef is doing at Boggy Draw Brewery. He welcomes us all to join his story and have easy conversation and find a favorite out of his sixteen craft brews on tap along the way. That’s noble and that’s Colorado Craft Beer.
The Denver Hopper Notes:
Boggy Draw different events always happening. Sometimes they get out into the parking lot in the summer and party it up! Follow their Facebook for details!
Land Rover Meetups with Rover Riders
Social Media!
Give them a follow: IG: @boggydrawbrewery, Twitter: @BoggyDrawBrew, FB: @BoggyDrawBrewery
Boggy Draw Brewery
Website: boggydrawbreweryenglewoodco.com
3535 S Platte River Dr Unit L, Sheridan, CO 80110