Big Choice Brewing moved from Broomfield to Brighton in 2017 and added a pizza kitchen so that it would stand out in a crowd of Colorado taprooms. But it didn’t change its name because beer was still the big draw at the time. The pizza just made people stay longer.
These days, things are different. Big Choice, at 21 S. 1st Ave., said Monday that it has added a few words — Pizzeria & Pub — to its name, in hopes that they will make a big difference.
“We have come to the realization in this ever-changing economic climate how important it is to let people know we do more than just brew our own beer,” the company wrote. In addition to pizza, Big Choice serves wine, margaritas, cider and non-alcoholic beers and cocktails.
Related: Hop water helps beer drinkers keep Dry January going all year long
“It expands our market,” added brewery co-founder Andrea Miller by phone. When people see the name Big Choice Brewing, “they think beer. It’s the perception.” And since Big Choice is also open for lunch, Miller wanted to make sure people were aware of everything on the menu.
It’s the same perception battle breweries all across Colorado are facing as the craft beer industry has matured from its status as the newest and coolest thing to just one part of the overall bar and restaurant landscape. Changing tastes have also meant a surge in interest for gluten-free or low-calorie alcoholic beverages as well as non-alcoholic beers, cocktails and seltzers.
The result is that many brewery taprooms offer all of the above and more. Others have changed their liquor licenses so that they can serve food as well as wine and mixed drinks.
At Milieu Fermentation, which opened on May 4 at 2101 N. Ursula St. in Aurora, brewery owners Rob Bessett and Andrew Bergeron designed their business plan around offering a wide variety of beverages.
“We called ourselves ‘Fermentation’ for a reason,” Bessett recently told The Denver Post. “We have a program that allows us to be inclusive to everyone, whether it’s something we make or ferment ourselves, or if it’s a seltzer, hard tea, kombucha or hop water from someone else.”
Bessett believes that offering alternatives from the start will help attract a wider audience. It’s something Milieu has to do in order to remain relevant at a difficult time in the beer industry.
How difficult? Total beer production in the United States dropped by 5% in 2023 over the previous year, and while craft beer production only declined by 1%, it was the second year in a row that those numbers went down, according to the Brewers Association, a Boulder-based trade group that represents independently owned — “craft” — breweries. In addition, while the number of new brewery openings is still outpacing brewery closings, that may not hold up in 2024.
In metro Denver, at least a dozen breweries have closed in the past 12-15 months, including Renegade, Alpine Dog, Grandma’s House, Dos Luces, Oasis, Mockery, LowDown, Peak View, Sunroom, Grist and Barnett & Sons. Still others have closed facilities or moved in with other breweries, including Dry Dock, TRVE and Barrels & Bottles.
“Times are tight, and beer absolutely brings people in but food brings more people in. That’s a part of why we added food shortly after we moved in 2017. And we are thankful we did because holy cow, I don’t think we would have survived during the pandemic with just beer,” Miller said.
As for beverages, Big Choice’s only non-alcoholic offering at one point was soda. But the brewery began adding other options, and in December, it started serving mocktails.
But not just for Dry January. “You have to create momentum with customers. So, mocktails might not be our biggest sellers, but we are sticking with it,” she added.
“Beer is great. That is our focus and there is a lot to do and be creative with. But there are constraints on it … and breweries are closing left and right. People want variety.”