WeldWerks Brewing celebrates 7 years in Greeley with anniversary beers, live music and food
A WeldWerks tasting flight. Photo by Emily Kemme.
By Emily Kemme
WeldWerks Brewing Company opened its doors in 2015 in downtown Greeley and soon after welcomed the first of many awards for its innovative, quality craft beer. Named the best new brewery in the United States in 2016, the brewery continues to reap medals at both the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup.
To celebrate the brewery’s 7th anniversary, the weekend of April 15-16 promises a jam-packed lineup. According to a news release, WeldWerks is going all out with anniversary beers, specialty tappings, bottle releases and live music.
To get the party underway, the brewery plans two Medianoche bottle releases beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 9. Tickets are exclusively available on Eventbrite, and must be exchanged in person at the brewery between April 15 and May 8 to retrieve bottle purchases.
The award-winning Imperial Stout series are aged in top-shelf bourbon barrels and are prized by serious beer collectors.
According to CraftBeer.com, WeldWerks’ production of Medianoche was in progress before the taproom doors even opened to patrons.
“It was the beer that kickstarted the Colorado brewery’s dark beer prowess. In just five years, the dark and decadent series has garnered a following that rivals some of the most established beers in craft,” said a release on Craft Beer.
Medianoche, the Spanish word for “midnight,” is highly boozy and relatively flat, pulling character from both the bourbon barrels in which a release rests, along with distinctive flavor elements characteristic of each batch. The resulting beer is heavy bodied with a thick mouthfeel that’s lingering and memorable.
So, what can we expect for those two Medianoche bottle releases?
Past Medianoche releases by WeldWerks include Blueberry Pancake and Medianoche Antique SAZ. Photo courtesy of WeldWerks .
Birthday Medianoche sourced highly desirable barrels from Old Forester, which had previously held the 20th iteration of its Birthday Bourbon commemorating the distillery’s 150th anniversary.
“After resting for 20 months in these highly coveted casks, the resulting Birthday Medianoche blend expresses notes of honey-drizzled Baklava, chocolate sugar cookies, cinnamon mocha latte and yellow cake batter,” according to the release.
It is available in 500 mL bottles to-go for $26 each, limited to 2 bottles per person.
There is also a 2022 Medianoche Reserve, a blend of Imperial Stouts aged for 21-30 months in freshly emptied 19-year Elijah Craig bourbon, 15-year Sazerac Rye whiskey, 13-year William Heavenhill bourbon and 10-year Old Forester Birthday Bourbon barrels, the release said.
The Reserve is a celebratory combination of toasted and raw coconut notes, hints of vanilla beans, and roasted cacao nibs enhanced by the residual flavors of these prized barrels.
Reserve bottles are priced at $32 each, limit 3 per person.
Other anniversary beer releases on-site in the taproom include Strawberry Cheesecake Berliner, Worldwide Contract, a Double India Pale Ale and Blueberry Crunchee, a collaborative effort with Other Half Brewing that brings Imperial Sour Ale lovers a taste of blueberry, almonds, coconut, toasted oats and more.
In case you’re wondering if there’s an anniversary version of Juicy Bits, the American IPA WeldWerks knocked out of the ballpark, don’t worry: Extra Extra Extra Juicy Bits features a Triple India Pale Ale brewed with Citra, Mosaic and El Dorado hops.
Along with new releases, look for special tappings of single barrel Medianoche from past variations.
On Saturday, live music is set to start at 11 a.m. with performances by Defeats the Porpoise, Mike Yob and Mike Fritz, Robin Lewis, Cary Morin & Ghost Dog, after which headliner, Strange Americans, takes the stage with the kind of music that’s “a little raw, a bit loud, unapologetic and honest,” according to the band’s Facebook page.
And what’s a party without food? WeldWerks has that covered, too.
The Annex is a new permanent space created for former food truck regular, Chef Tim Meador of The Tramp About. Meador brings his globally inspired cuisine drawn from years of roaming to celebratory highs with a focus on Juicy Bits. The menu includes Buffalo wings with Juicy Bits Buffalo Sauce from Oso Rojo, among other offerings.
Steamed buns filled with teriyaki-glazed pork belly and slaw are one example of what Chef Tim Meador brings to The Annex, WeldWerks’ new on-site restaurant. Photo by Emily Kemme.
There will be food trucks on-site, as well, including Georgia Boys BBQ and Edge Gourmet on Friday, Edge Gourmet with Pierogi Factory on Saturday and on Sunday, Sexy Sammies fries up their juicy fried chicken sandwiches and chicken tenders.
For coffee aficionados, pick up exclusive limited 7th anniversary blends of Mostra coffee beans, and you’ll probably want to grab a couple of the commemorative hot sauces, Oso Rojo Juicy Bits Buffalo Sauce and Extra Extra Extra Juicy Bits Hot Sauce.
The essential info
When: April 15 and 16
Hours: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Where: WeldWerks Brewing Company | 508 8th Ave. in Greeley