I have been a fan of Denver Beer Company since it opened.  They have brewed several excellent beers I’ve gone out of my way to try and go back for, and they have a great space in a nice location.  So wouldn’t it be great if the one brewery in Denver that doesn’t offer Happy Hour would consider having specially-priced beers for an hour or two a day?  Yes, it would.  Is Happy Hour on the horizon at Denver Beer Company?  No, it is not.  Frankly speaking, Denver Beer Co. makes plenty of money as it is, so offering a lower price to its clientele would do nothing for business but lose money.  Oh and, (according to one of its employees) might cause everyone to suddenly go there only during happy hour.  Which, as we all know, has happened at every brewery that has happy hour, right? 

When Denver Beer Co. first opened in 2011, I wasn’t necessarily surprised that they did not have happy hour right off the bat.  New businesses need time to get on their feet, find their groove, (insert other cliché of your choice here).  After several months of doing seemingly well, I got curious as to whether or not they might consider instituting happy hour.  So last weekend I decided to inquire.  I approached Random Male Bartender (my apologies for neglecting to ask his name) in an attempt to get my question answered.  He informed me that Denver Beer Co. is not considering happy hour, as they feel they offer a quality product at a reasonable cost and that happy hour prices would simply mean less money for them.  While I do not argue their beers are high quality and most are reasonably priced, it seemed like somewhat of a cop-out answer to me.  Most businesses strive to offer quality products at fair prices, but that does not rule out occasional sales in retail stores or on food and drink at restaurants and bars, as that is the best way to say “thank you” to loyal customers.  So, as I proceeded to inquire further and bring up real examples of comparable breweries, the bartender was visibly annoyed.  He told me that, while he has not heard about an impending happy hour at DBC, I could go straight to the source and ask Patrick, the owner.  A bit later I saw Patrick behind the bar and noticed Random Male Bartender appeared to be (though, since I don’t have supersonic hearing, I cannot be sure) relating the situation to Patrick, as the body language and frequent looks in my direction tipped me off.  A few minutes later I approached the owner with my question, just to be certain I was getting the correct information.  He appeared to be ready for me and did not look happy.  He repeated to me what I’d already been told, and his tone and demeanor were extremely off-putting.  He was clearly not thrilled at essentially being called out for being the one and only brewery or brewpub in Denver that does not participate in happy hour.  It’s obvious they care far more about profit than building good relationships with their customers.

Though I will continue to like their beers, this situation has made me see Denver Beer Co. in a different light, and it left a bad taste in my mouth…figuratively of course—my beer was delicious but my opinion of this company took a major nosedive.