Colorado craft beer is struggling. But a trio of local brewers think there is power in numbers.
Forty breweries closed in the state last year. Since 2020, that number sits at nearly 150.
But a new Denver concept aims to turn the taps back on.
“There seems to be this mentality that all you need is Edison lighting, reclaimed wood and a warehouse in some obscure part of town. And if they put the word craft above the door, then people will come out in droves,” said Jacob Sabo, the former head brewer at Briar Common in Jefferson Park. “But in reality, that’s not going to happen anymore.”
That’s why Sabo, GoldSpot Brewing owner Kelissa Hieber and GoldSpot head brewer Lex Laughman are launching Cheetah Coalition — a commissary brew that aims to help startup beer brands get off the ground.
Between equipment, materials and a space, the cost to start a brewery is often prohibitive. By having all of that and over 30 years of experience in house, the three hope to give brewers the chance to enter the scene on the cheap.
“I’ve had to destroy my personal credit and take every single dollar out I could. … So I’ve just been in this scramble since taking over GoldSpot in every single way,” said Hieber, who bought the Regis brewery four years ago. “Even before things got so tough in Denver, it’s really hard when your back is against the wall from day one.”
Cheetah Coalition launched Saturday out of GoldSpot with two labels under its umbrella: Sabo’s Flower Shop Beer Werks and Laughman’s Neon Buzz Beer Works. The trio also collaboratively brewed a cream ale called Lavender Resistance.
“It’s time for us to make the beer that we want and own the means of it,” Laughman said. “Craft beer generally has seen a decline since 2018, and I think it’s time we revive it in a different way.”
Combining the powers of several brewers and labels helps save on rising costs and allows prospective brewers to dip their toe into the scene with low overhead.
“Say you need to make a stout and someone else needs to make a sour and another needs to make an IPA, and, hell, I’m brewing Kentucky Common. So here’s how we can divvy this up to brew,” Sabo said as an example. “And boom, we all just saved $300 per batch.”
The model is based on similar incubators in Chicago and Milwaukee both called Pilot Project. They rotate in upstart brewers and help with recipes, distribution, marketing and scale to create an easier on ramp for aspiring owners.
Cheetah Coalition hopes it can do the same thing for Colorado.
“I just want to work for myself, but how do you do that without millions and millions of dollars?” said Sabo. He tried to start his own brewery several times in recent years, going so far as bidding on properties before getting priced out.
The trio plan to open up a Cheetah Coalition-branded facility and taproom in Sunnyside within the year. While GoldSpot, which opened about 10 years ago, has name recognition, low ceilings and lacking foot traffic are a hindrance.
Hieber has been wanting to move out for those reasons as well. She also said GoldSpot has had a lot of vacant tank space since covid, and more brewing projects through Cheetah will help cover those.
“I have been paying for the potential of this location since the beginning,” she said. Once they move, GoldSpot will become a brand under the Cheetah Coalition, joining Flower Shop and Neon Buzz.
They are targeting a spot between 6,000 and 10,000 square feet – an upgrade from the 2,500 GoldSpot currently has.
They hope to add another two or three brands after they find a spot.
The three are still ironing out a pricing model for those, but they will prioritize and expect flexibility. Things like who’s making the drink, their experience, rent and cost of goods will all factor in.
Since GoldSpot already contract brews, Hieber said that is a familiar option as well. Both Sabo and Laughman’s labels are paying contract fees while they operate out of GoldSpot, and each will own a third of the Coalition after the relocation.
Cheetah Coalition originally planned to open in Globeville this month before a deal fell through on a building in December. Since the concept is novel and financial projections are lacking, they’ve had issues securing financing.
“Our biggest hurdle is in the real estate side of it because lenders cannot wrap their minds around the concept,” Sabo said.
The priority now is to generate cashflow between Flower Shop, Neon Buzz and GoldSpot to have a more stable balance sheet.
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