Seedstock Brewery Tour

Denver’s Seedstock Brewery is a true beer connoisseur’s brewery. Rather than relying on flash and gimmicks, it is helping to push the American palate forward by taking it back in time. That time may vary from anywhere between the 1500s to the 19th century, when the Czech ancestors of owners and brothers Ron and Jason Abbott emigrated to Nebraska, bringing their recipes with them.

The Abbotts opened the brewery in 2016 as an homage to their ancestors' roots in the farming trade. “Seedstock” is a term that means saving the best of what you have now for planting tomorrow. The concept translates readily to the brewers’ ethos, taking lessons from the past and applying it to the present. The result is “straightforward beer for folks who like to drink it,” in their own words. Of course, straightforward beer is anything but simple.

Seedstock specializes in historical beers that you’re not likely to find at your local grocer’s beer aisle. Those styles include fredersdorfer, broyhan, polotmavy and gruit, among others. A trip to the brewery may net you special limited-release offerings like its Horner beer style, a fascinating all-oat beer which was all the rage in 1750s Vienna. Among its original proponents was none other than Mozart, who name drops the beer style in the lyrics to his ‘Bei der Hitz im Sommer ess ich’.

“Seedstock” is a term that means saving the best of what you have now for planting tomorrow. The concept translates readily to the brewers’ ethos, taking lessons from the past and applying it to the present.

By specializing in Old World Lagers, Seedstock is a unique counterpoint to American craft, as well as domestic lager. That position allows its beers to do the talking, as GABF (and BC) judges can attest.

The taproom itself has the comfortable vibe of a neighborhood joint, clean but in no way pretentious, like the beer it serves. On a typical day, you are likely to run into an owner, but if not, any employee will be able to fill you in on the backstory of what’s in your glass. Given the clean drinking styles, you’ll likely want to stick around for more than one pint. If you close your eyes, you may very well find yourself transported back across ages and oceans to a time when there were no Cocoa Puffs to be infused into cryo-hopped peanut butter porters.

Open your eyes on a special occasion like Oktoberfest, and you may find the entire staff in lederhosen, with guests engaging in a lively game of “hammerschlagen.” Simply put, hammerschlagen is a game where players compete to hammer nails into a stump, typically flipping the hammer before swinging at an opponent’s designated nail. The last nail standing wins. It’s a classic, traditional drinking game that goes great with beer. On such occasions, you’ll find heaven in Seedstock’s “Special Hell”, or Festbier, boasting a rich malty aroma balanced by a slight cracker sweetness that begs to be quaffed quickly.

The brewery also offers an annual Mug Club Membership, boasting an impressive list of perks that make it a no-brainer for regulars. The membership includes a free crowler every month, larger pours in an exclusive Mug Club mug, 3 exclusive Mug Club parties a Seedstock Shirt, first pint each day at half-price, year-round, half-priced pints every Monday, a free T-shirt and more.

Beers On Tap:

Czech Pilsner, 5.8% ABV
Straw-yellow in color, with a cumulus head topping a complex pilsner aroma. Balanced bitterness braces a clean, dry finish.

Bohemian Ale, 6.2% ABV
Pours a bright copper with a slightly tart and spritzy citrus aroma. Czech Kazbek hops provides an earthy spiciness combined with a mild citrus flavor. Finishes with a pleasant bitterness.

No Coast IPA, 6.2% ABV
Mosaic hops provide a generous aroma of tangerine and grapefruit. Medium body and tropical citrus hop notes with moderate bitterness combine to create a sessionable, hop-forward IPA.

Dusseldorf Alt, 5% ABV
Named the 38th Best Beer of All Time within our own pages, this beer is brewed in the ‘Dusseldorf’ tradition/style -- less sweet and more bitter than Northern German style alt. Clean, malty aroma mingles with a very slight hint of fruitiness. Assertive in hop bitterness and balanced by a clean, bready malt character. The long-lasting, dry finish makes it a very enticing beer.

Scotch Ale, 7.9% ABV
Caramel and toffee aromas supported with a subtle hint of smokiness. Its soft, rich mouthfeel is followed by a nutty, caramel sweetness. Finishes crisp and dry.

Bohemian Dunkel, 5.8% ABV
A personal favorite Seedstock beer, this lager is dark copper in color with a thick, off-white head. It has a slight chocolate aroma with a delicious peppery hop taste. Finishes fresh, crisp and clean.

Baltic Porter, 7.6% ABV
A traditional Baltic Porter brewed with the cold Baltic Sea in mind. Pours brown with reddish, copper hues. Boasts an aroma of dark cherries and figs, with a malty-sweet taste that finishes with an aged warmth.

Kölsch, 4.2% ABV
A true, traditional German-style Kölsch pouring a radiant light gold in color with a faint malty aroma. Its crisp bread notes play delicately with very slight fruitiness, capped off with soft bitterness.

Amber Kellerbier, 5.5% ABV
This German-style Amber Kellerbier is light copper in color with a rich, malty-sweet aroma. The initial flavor has a hint of sweetness but finishes dry with very slight bitterness. The Perle hops do an excellent job of balancing this deliciously malty beer.

Huckleberry Broyhan, 5.2% ABV
A slight twist on the Northern German beer style popular 300 years ago.  Pale yellow when poured, generous amounts of wheat deliver a nice mouthfeel balanced by slight tartness and a touch of huckleberry with a crisp finish. French hops provide a pleasant backbone for this refreshing beer.

Crop Circles Honey Cream, 6.3% ABV
A collaboration with Launch Pad Brewery, this bright and vibrant cream ale is brewed with a lager yeast at ale temperatures and a healthy addition of Colorado Wildflower honey.

You can find these beers and more on tap at Seedstock, located at:
3600 West Colfax Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80204
United States