The Rise of Upslope Brewing, A Love of Craft

Together, the names Cutter, Pages and Wood sound like a fusion band, instead they are the trio who have orchestrated the success of Upslope Brewery from its humble nano-brewing beginnings into a Mountain West regional brewery.

Matt Cutter, Dany Pages, and Henry Wood opened Upslope Brewing in 2008 in a 1,800 square foot space on Lee Hill Road in a north Boulder industrial park. Their space in Unit 20 was not large enough to handle all the brewing functions: milling, brewing, fermenting, and canning – not to mention storage – so they carved out time and space inside and utilized space in back of the brewery as necessary. And like upslope winds the brewery rose quickly, spreading its tasty beers all along the Front Range and beyond.

Accessible Anywhere

Craft breweries come in as many shapes and sizes as there are brewing philosophies. Upslope decided from the start to brew great beer that was accessible and that meant a couple of different things to them. First, they set out to brew familiar styles but with their own personal flavor. They also made the decision to can all their beers, because if Cutter, Pages and Wood liked their beers accessible while they were hiking, camping or skiing, they wanted that for everyone. And so, leading the trail for many other brewers Upslope helped legions of Coloradans take along good craft beers on their outdoor adventures – from the summits of a 14er, to a favorite trout stream, and for a pre-show beverage in the Red Rocks parking lot. As they say, “packibility is key to the apres lifestyle. “

Brewing Familiar, Brewing with a twist

Upslope’s early offerings were styles familiar to most beer enthusiasts: Brown Ale, Pale Ale, Craft Lager and IPA. They focused on consistency and quality, getting the recipes nailed down batch after batch. But Cutter, Pages and Wood brew with a playful, experimental side as well, introducing beers such as: Lemondrop Kolsch, Thai Style IPA, and dry-hopped Honey Saison. Combining good business sense with their playful lifestyle helped Upslope grow and soon they needed more brewing space than Unit 20 could provide. In 2013 Upslope opened their brewing facility and tap room in Flatiron Park in southeast Boulder, right next to Ozo Coffee Roasters; an excellent neighbor for interesting collaborations such as the Upslsope Ozo Coffee Brown. They brew on a 30-barrel system at their Flatiron Facility allowing so they continue to brew in small batches while meeting their fans demands for access to their beers. The Flatiron’s taproom has 24 tap lines, many of the beers coming from their Lee Hill Road facility, where Upslope still brews many of its experimental beers. The Lee Hill brewery still maintains a tap room as well, a fun place to stop off and visit Upslope’s humble beginnings.

Beer of the Month

Molly’s Spirits is proud to offer Upslope Brewing as our beer of the month. Upslope Brewery is a Colorado company that not only exemplifies the Colorado lifestyle, they live it. Whether you are heading for the mountains or picking up some beers for the backyard, stop by Molly’s Spirits for some Upslope Brewing beers – on sale this July.

Upslope Brewing Beers of the Month Selections:

Pale Ale
The Pale Ale is Upslope’s first commercially produced beer. It balances malt and hops flavors and finishes with a crisp and dry. It does have a spicy hop character but it is a beer for all seasons and all adventures.

India Pale Ale
Upslope’s India Pale Ale appeals to enthusiasts who seek a bitter and hoppy character from their IPA. However, it is malted for a sweet copper color that also gives this beer a balance more like a traditional IPA rather than the west-coast hop-plosion beers.

Brown Ale
A Brown Ale brewed in the English tradition but with an assertive hop character that gives this beer a drier finish, more common among the northern English styled brown ales. It pours a rich dark color but it’s a more medium-bodied ale.

Craft Lager
The Craft Lager challenges its Pale Ale as Upslope’s true flagship beer. This delicious American lager is blonde in color, light in body and rich in taste with a slight hopped, dry finish. It is an easy drinking, session beer perfect for an afternoon around the house, on the town or in the mountains.