A New Brewery in the Four Corners: Pagosa Pub Works
Pagosa Pub Works Brewpub is practically a stone’s throw away from Pagosa Brewing Company, located at 165 N. Pagosa Blvd., on the western most edge of Pagosa Springs, Colorado, I’ve noticed their sign, but never ventured inside. I’ve often heard that Pagosa Brewing Co. is Pagosa Springs’ only brewery, so I was a little confused, and even thought that Pagosa Pub Works was an old business that had closed up, with it’s sign still hanging.
A few months ago I met the proprietors of Pagosa Pub Works and found out that wasn’t the case. They’ve been operating as a restaurant and bar, with plans to brew their own beer and become an actual brewpub. It seems that day has finally come. Tonight at 5pm the Pagosa Springs Chamber of Commerce held an event and ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of the Pagosa Pub Works Brewery. Based on the information I’ve received it’s unclear to me what exactly this means, I’m not sure if this means they will now start brewing beer on premises (meaning you’ll have to wait at least a few weeks to enjoy one of their beers), or if they’re tapping the first beer they’ve made at their brewery (meaning you can enjoy one tonight). (And there’s always the possibility that there’s something I didn’t consider, or I got the story wrong when I met the owners a while back and they were in fact brewing beer.)
I have an email into the folks at Pagosa Pub Works Brewpub and will update this post if I hear back from them. If any of you readers know more of have been to the brewpub leave a comment below.
UPDATE: While I haven’t heard back from the folks at Pagosa Pub Works an acquaintance did go to the grand opening and reports that last night they did tap their own beer (meaning they qualify as an actual brewpub in my book) but he says that it was really bad, not just he thought it was bad but that everyone there did and it spoiled the night (there was a Pagosa Chamber of Commerce mixer going on). One complaint was that it was severely under carbonated. Again, this is second hand news but it’s what I’ve been told. I’m still looking forward to hearing from someone at Pagosa Pub Works Brewpub and stopping by there myself when I can get out to Pagosa Springs next.
I looked at their web site. They state they have a wide variety of craft beer on tap but they don’t mention that they brew any of it themselves. They don’t even list the brews they make (if any). Keep us posted as to whether they actually brew their own beer or not. I’d like to add them to my brewery list but only if they actually brew their own beer. Thanks.
Yes there beer at first wasn’t the best…but it’s the first round of beer for them so you have to cut them some slack. The place is much cooler and classier than Pagosa Brewing (with the restaurant being a trailer in the court yard-kind of scary!)
I think in time PubWorks might be the best brewery in Pagosa. Just give them time! ALL brewers have a bad batch a some point- even Tony at Pagosa. They will work out the “bugs” and everything will be ok.
Now don’t get me wrong Tony @ pagosa Brewing does make good beer! I like the Honey Ale! I am just happy to see another brewery in the 4 Corners.
I’m excited to try Pagosa PubWorks beer, and learn about their brewing process (I heard they use some sort of system that requires no boiling of the wort and the beer is fermented and served out of the same vessel) but I just haven’t been out to Pagosa lately.
I know every brewer can have a bad day, so I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt and give it a try. Tony makes some amazing beer so it will be hard for PubWorks to become the best brewery in Pagosa. And the trailer thing doesn’t bother me, although I do realize it’s not “classy”, but I kind of like it even more that way. They’ve got a fantastic beer garden.