When craft beer consumers speak of The Fort Collins Brewery (FCB), the words “smoked beer” usually don’t fall too far behind. To this day, emails and phone calls asking about the whereabouts of The Kidd (black lager) and Z Lager are frequent at the FCB front office. Although these smoked beers are no longer part of FBC’s usual lineup, the tradition of the beloved smoked malts roasting on firewood is still prevalent within the FCB brand.
Often described as an acquired taste, smoked beer holds a special place in FCB’s history and heart. In 2004, Tom and Jan Peters purchased The Fort Collins Brewery from then owner and head brewer, Sandy Jones.
What was once strictly a lager house now boasts a broad variety of ales as well. However, for years the Peters kept a hearty grip on what made FCB unique—their smoked duo, The Kidd and Z Lager.
As the craft beer scene boomed and the market of styles grew, FCB adjusted to demands and waved goodbye to its beloved smoked duo. The idea of giving up on a style that made the brewery unique for so many years did not settle well, and it wasn’t long before a smoked bomber series was born.
The Out of the Ashes Series (OOA), currently in its fourth chapter, is an award-winning series of smoked beers that have allowed FCB to continue to show their love for smoked beers. The most recent addition to the OOA series is their Smoked Märzen, which was released on March 14, 2014.
“Having a smoked beer on hand was kind of tradition since our start,” says FCB’s Operations Manager, Doug Smith. “It would have left a hole in who we are as a brewery if we would have stopped pushing the boundaries and exposing craft beer consumers to the intense flavors of smoked beer.”
FCB admits to hearing its fair share of “love it or hate it” when it comes to describing the smoked beer style, but rather than discourage them, the opposite is true. FCB’s brewers feel determined to share their love for smoked beer with craft beer consumers and be a part of those special occasions for enjoying the unique flavors and aromas of malt smoked over a wood-burning fireplace.
“Whether you’re King of the Grill or just like to have an educated palate, there are plenty of traditions that can be started with smoked beer,” says Smith, “and you can show off to a lot of your co-workers with some BBQ Ribs and a smoked beer.”
Just as important as smoked beer is to FCB, pairing it with handcrafted food is equally meaningful. Whether it’s pairing a smoked beer with ribs, or adding it as an ingredient to buffalo-style deviled eggs, FCB has made it a mission to provide resources and recipes for everyone to jump on the smoked beer bandwagon.
“As long as we have consumers who dislike smoked beer, then we still have work to do and recipes to create,” says Smith.
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Photo © Mike Barry at FortCollinsPhotoWorks.com
Kaylee Kulich joined The Fort Collins Brewery and Gravity 1020 Modern Tavern as their Marketing and PR Coordinator in December, 2013. Originally from Stevens Point, Wis. Kaylee gained her love for craft beer while working at The Hilltop Pub and Grill and growing up near the Point Brewery. Kulich obtained her bachelor’s degree in May of 2013 and has previous experience as a Marketing and Media Relations Coordinator for the Mankato MoonDogs Baseball Club.
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