Family Brewery Tests Waters Of Opening First Hard 'Seltzery' In Colorado
ARVADA, Colo. (CBS4) - Warren Wood was on a hike when someone handed him a canned hard seltzer. He had an epiphany that his family brewery needed to change course.
"Let's go ahead and start something new something that hasn't been done yet, there's other people making seltzer, but let's be the first seltzery," said Warren's brother, Hunter Wood.
The Wood family has owned Grand Lake Brewing Company for more than 15 years. It's had several locations. Now, they're all closed and the brothers are moving forward with Elevated Seltzer in Arvada.
It's the first of its kind in the state.
"It's almost a beer-wine hybrid. It contains 5% alcohol, it's still carbonated and it's brewed the same method as beer with some higher filtrations and different ingredients," said Hunter.
On Friday night, the bar and restaurant was constantly full of patrons.
"It's really delicious, it's very refreshing," said Danielle Porchetta who found out about the seltzery from a friend. "She's like, 'There's a seltzer place, let's go for dinner,' and I'm like 'Seltzer place? Yes!'"
The Wood's haven't completely given up on beer. They're still brewing a few beers under the new name of 5280 Beer, but their main concentration is now hard seltzer.
"It's been great so far, the community has been very supportive. People are coming in from all over to check out the seltzer and everything. The response has been phenomenal," Hunter said.
The Woods are hoping to be on the forefront of changing desires.
"It's a little bit of a gamble because you have no guarantee on a market ever, but it seems like a pretty good gamble," Hunter said.