Old 121 Brewhouse Announces Expansion with New Flagship Location

Old 121 Brewhouse is announcing that it is expanding its footprint by acquiring the property that has previously been home to Great Frontier Brewing Company in Lakewood. The location will serve as Old 121’s new flagship location with a planned opening date in Fall 2025. Katie and Sam Nicholson have led the brewery since 2022 and are adding a third owner, Bobby Rinehart, to the team with the expansion of operations.

The new location will help Old 121 Brewhouse expand both its taproom experience and distribution, adding the 15 BBL production system and 75 person taproom in addition to its 3 BBL system and 60 person taproom at the current location. The new location will undergo small renovations including expanding bathrooms, adding taps, and cosmetic upgrades in anticipation of the opening in Fall 2025 pending construction timelines.

While expanding the production of house favorites like the Old 121 Lager, West Coast IPA, and gold-medal-winning ESB, the brewery also plans to expand its beer offerings to include more soda (like Root Beer, Ginger Beer, and Coconut Cream), Hard Soda (like Hard Root Beer), and seltzers (like Booze Bubbles). The new location, located next to the City of Lakewood’s Cottonwood Park, will also be expanding its outdoor seating and adding a permanent food truck.

The brewery is doubling down on Lakewood with two locations. While the new location, located at 2010 S Oak St, will serve as the flagship location, the original brewery and taproom, which is located at 1057 S Wadsworth Blvd Ste 60 (on CO Highway 121) will stay open with a slight rebrand: Ye Olde 121 Public House. The 3 BBL brewhouse will continue to make small batches and each location will have unique beer offerings. The Ye Olde 121 Public House will also get a small cosmetic shift adding a pool table, darts, booths, and leaning into its dark and cozy feel. The Public House will also serve almost exclusively lagers on tap with reserved guest taps as well.

“We are beyond thrilled to expand our operations in Lakewood,” says Owner Katie Nicholson. “We consider ourselves extremely grateful to have seen success during a tough time for breweries in the Denver area and are excited to bring our beer to more Coloradans. We also want to thank Mike and Brian of Great Frontier for being cornerstones of the Lakewood beer community for the past 10+ years.”

When the new location opens, the brewery will also be partnering with The Pizza Bandit to offer a permanent food truck for patrons to enjoy during open hours of business. The pizza purveyor recently opened a stall in Avanti in The Highlands and is already making some delicious pizzas and one of the best root beer floats around (made with Old 121 Root Beer). Curious patrons can get a sneak peak of the new partnership as The Pizza Bandit’s food truck will be parked at Old 121 on July 26 and some TBD dates in August.

As part of the expansion, Bobby Rinehart is joining the leadership team at Old 121 as Co-Owner and Head Brewer. Bobby will lead the production in the 15 BBL Brewhouse while Sam Nicholson will lead production at the 3 BBL brewhouse at Ye Olde 121 Public House. Bobby is an alumni of the Regis University Applied Craft Brewing program (as is Sam) and also previously brewed at Barquentine Brewing.

“I am thrilled to join the Old 121 team and continue to help the brewery grow,” says Bobby Rinehart, Co-Owner and Head Brewer. “Old 121 has been a staple of the Lakewood community for the past 6+ years and we can’t wait to bring more beer and create more spaces to spend time with our friends, family, and neighbors.”

“This is an exciting new chapter for Old 121,” says Sam Nicholson, Co-Owner and now Director of Operations and Marketing. “Not only will you be able to find Old 121 at more restaurants and liquor stores around the Lakewood and Denver Metro area, but by creating two different experiences, there will be an Old 121 beverage for any occasion: a beer with the friends and family on a patio in beautiful Lakewood or maybe a cask ale during happy hour in a dark and cozy bar.”

Old 121 Brewhouse’s second location will help keep up with growth and demand the brewery has seen over the past 3 years. Since 2022, the brewery has seen double-digit growth year-over-year with nearly maxing out the current production space. The new location, which the brewery will own, will increase production capabilities by nearly 5X as a new outpost in Lakewood that offers more food, drinks, and activities.

The site at 2010 S Oak St had been home to Great Frontier Brewing for the past 10+ years, until the brewery’s last call on July 31. As one of the oldest breweries in Lakewood for the past decade, Old 121 Brewhouse will pay tribute to the former brewery throughout the space, including an expanded outdoor seating area lovingly dubbed “The Great Frontier Beer Garden.” The new location for Old 121 Brewhouse will also remain dog friendly inside the taproom (while the Ye Olde 121 Public House remains dog friendly on the patio).

About Old 121

Old 121 Brewhouse is a small brewery in Lakewood that was founded in March 2019 – and the 1st anniversary party was canceled due to the COVID shut down. Not only has the brewery served delicious and award-winning brews for six years, but has taken an active role in the community including Crowlers for the Frontlines, partnerships with the VFW, highlighting local artists, and partnering with local organizations like The Action Center.