Crooked Stave

I have been here a few times. It’s tough to look past the high-​brow statement of their «artisan project» BS. This is a microbrew town, most grant the brewers creative freedom. Additionally, they are in a swanky conglomerate hipster Borg cube. Heavy on the sours, fruit-​infused, and barrel-​aged beers (of which the bartender couldn’t explain to me). You make the call. If you’re not please, some good margaritas 100ft away to your 6 o’clock.

(Insert puckered face here). They definitely specialize in sour beers, as advertised.
As someone who’s not entirely down with sour beers, I actually really enjoyed the beers I sampled here. I tried the St. Bretta, Surrette and Fleur de Leigh. I enjoyed the last one the most. It is inside of an industrial park «The Source» and there are a number of other places to eat and drink inside, all rather expensive and you can’t bring one place’s items to the other.

If you like unique tasting and sour beers, Crooked Stave is the perfect brewery to visit.
Located inside the Source, in the back.
Small seating inside the tasting room.
They take craft beers to another level.
Tasters are $ 2 – 3 each. The pours were pretty big.
Brewery stop #4!

Did a sample of the blueberries and raspberries… great beers especially if you like sours. Great service and atmosphere.

Crooked Stave should be a destination brewery for any serious craft drinker with taste that skews towards the barrel waged, wild, tart, fruit filled, and every part of the new craft beer revolution.
If you go on the weekend or during a beer centric busy time of the year (aka around Denver Beer Week or GABF,) it can get a little crowded at this part of The Source. But if you go during the week, you will have your pick of the litter as far as barstools, tables, and astute attention from your bartenders serving you that liquid gold.
The prices per beer here are pretty reasonable, considering the work that went into the concoctions. I would recommend doing flights on flights on flights, so you can full experience and appreciate all that is Crooked Stave.
Pro tip: And if you’re coming in from out of state like me, make sure to buy at least 2 bottles to check in your luggage on the way home. You’ll thank yourself later. Trust me.

You’ll have to visit this place if you love sours! If you’re sick of the IPA fad, you should definitely give sours a try!
I had a six beer flight: Raspberry Petite Sour, Serenata Notturna, Flor d’Lees, Blueberry Serenata Notturna, Fruity Cedarbox, Raspberry Origins. If I recall correctly, I liked the Blueberry Serenata Notturna the best out of the six. They were all good in their own little way. None of them were overly tart.
*Colorado Wild Sage*
My beer nerd friend recommended that I get the Wild Sage. I got a full pour of it once I was done with my flight. Too bad that I’m not a big fan of saisons. However it was not bad. I might learn to like saisons.
The atmosphere was pretty relaxed and it was a pretty industrial warehouse looking setting. You can either sit at the bar or find a table. Great place to relax and drink a few brews.

Really fantastic place for sour beers! Each beer was unique and had a great flavor profile. They were a bit pricey but well worth it. Sours are hard to make! The bartenders were super friendly and very knowledgeable. Don’t be thrown off by the parking lot. It is a real parking lot but just a bit rough looking.

Great location. Excellent selection for flights. Chill atmosphere was great to chat with friends and enjoy a drink. Cute swag too!

While waiting around for Acorn we decided to visit this place. They do not serve food but you can have food delivered from the nearby restaurants. We ordered about 4 different taster size beers and they were sour. I don’t believe there was any warning about the beers. The space were spacious and they also have bottles beers that you can grab from the refrigerator. But sour beers are not for us.

Wow what a neat place! Cool atmosphere with a decent selection of sour beers. I’m not a fan of sour beers but I did give it a try. Pretty good if you like sour beers. They also had a good selection of bottled sour beers as well.

This place should be without a question a 5. If you’re a sour beer fan, which we are, you will enjoy EVERY SINGLE BEER you have here!!! To be honest the sour beer game here in Denver is pretty weak and we had heard about Crooked Stave but hadn’t really gotten a chance to get down here, but last night it was fate! Tried to go to yoga at great divide (which we had no idea was right across the street) which was a bust so we said lets blow this joint and find crooked stave… we look it up on maps and low and behold it’s like 100 yards across the street. No brainer. So we roll over and immediately we knew we found a winner. It’s in the back of a hipster artisan market, which being from Portland I thought was pretty cool. The ambiance is very artisan and farm housey which matches the beer style perfectly. The beer signage is colorful and psychedelic. They have their co2 gauges right their on the wall so you know they take their beers seriously! The bartenders were very friendly and attentive ! I honestly wish I could move in! I love this place. God the beers were good. We tried 8 out of 11 tasters, and I would have been content with a pint of any of them! Each beer was just so wonderful and delicious. Ugh I could drink those sours every day! I seriously cannot wait to come back here

Not a fan. Didn’t really have any options other than sour beers, and the bare tender was an asshole.

I have been here several times and it’s just not my kind of place. It’s great that it’s often packed, but not that there usually isn’t enough seating. The beer is delicious, but they are often out of the one I have gone there to try. I would likely give them 4 stars if they would add more tables and chairs.

If you’re not a beer nerd here’s the lowdown: Crooked Stave has blown up recently because of it’s inventive takes on beers, specifically sours and a lot of yeasts that would normally not be welcome in breweries. I purposely made sure to come here instead of the brewery across the street because, well it’s better, but I do like sours so I’m biased.
Walked into The Source, which is also worth checking out, and walked all the way to the back where they’re at. The thing with breweries like this is that they experiment and it’s not all things to all people.
That being said, most of the beers I had there were enjoyable with the exception of one where I really, really did not like them. The sour Radler was good, and their saisons were pretty good but the American Wild Ale was honestly just not to my liking.
Service wise it was, okay. The bar was busy but it was hard to get the bartender’s attention, probably because it was so huge and there was only 1 person working the place the entire time.

Crooked Stave is nestled away in the back corner of The Source, which is an experience all by itself.
The brewery is clean, bright and knows how to make sour beer! My hubby and I shared a flight and added a taster of Nightmare on Brett Cherry. The Surette and Brett Cherry were my two favorites. The Surette was smooth and had a nice floral tone to it, while the cherry was dark and delicious.

Yeah… been here multiple times since the review and I wish I could give it 6 stars. Or maybe I should edit all of my other previous reviews so that this is the only 5 star.

A hidden gem of sour beer heaven.
That’s really the only way to describe this awesome brewery that is tucked into the back of The Source which is an old industrial building that has been converted into a hot spot with a few restaurants and shops.
My interest in sour beers has only recently begun to develop but this place blows me away. My two favorites were the bourbon barrel aged Sin Frontera and the Progenitor #3. Both were fantastic and made it really hard when I had to pick which one I wanted to bring a bottle of back to AZ with me (I went with the Frontera).
The prices are a bit higher than many craft beers but the quality shows through and many of the beers are higher ABV which helps justify it on top of the great flavors.
Even if you aren’t a sour lover they probably have something for you as some of them come off as just more of a dryness (think red wine) than a sour. The Surette was probably the one that would be the gateway for most.
The staff was also very helpful and nice.

I had never heard of this so called sour beer before! But I’ll try anything once, twice if I like it. And in this instance it might only be once… I will however commend the concept. I love sour candy and I love beer so I thought what a great idea! But sadly, I thought it was strange and I felt like if I were to drink a whole pint of this I would have one helluva tummy ache. I don’t get how anyone could drink more than 5 oz. of this. We tasted a few… very interesting. But not my thing.
Reason for the 5 stars is that the bartender was great. Very informative, gave me the breakdown and explanation of the process, the live bacteria, different kinds of sours, blah blah blah. When he asked if I liked it, I nicely but honestly replied I did not love it, and he took care of the tab. Which he totally didn’t have to do, for 4 tasting it’s only a whopping $ 8 ($ 2each).
I would totally suggest anyone to try it once. There are plenty of people who do like it and it has become quite popular. Just not for me. :)

I had never heard of this so called sour beer before! But I’ll try anything once, twice if I like it. And in this instance it will only be once… I will however commend the concept. I love sour candy and I love beer so I thought what a great idea! But sadly, I thought it was strange and I felt like if I were to drink a whole pint of this I would have one helluva tummy ache. I don’t get how anyone could drink more than 5 oz. of this. We tasted a few… very interesting. But not my thing.
Reason for the 5 stars is that the bartender was great. Very informative, gave me the breakdown and explanation of the process, the live bacteria, different kinds of sours, blah blah blah. When he asked if I liked it, I nicely but honestly replied I did not love it, and he took care of the tab. Which he totally didn’t have to do, for 4 tasting it’s only a whopping $ 8 ($ 2each).
I would totally suggest anyone to try it once. There are plenty of people who do like it and it has become quite popular. Just not for me. :)

Located in The Source (just go to the very back). It’s a cool place for sure! The go-​to brewery for all sorts of sour beers. Some are pretty tame and others are wild! Lots of different things to try (tasters are $ 2-​$ 5, glasses are $ 5-​$ 12). Some of the rarer stuff is pricey. It’s not beer to slam, it’s beer to savor. This place definitely is different. A must-​visit if you like sour beers!

Love Crooked Stave!
I’ve tried their beers many times at festivals like Strong Ales Fest and Great American Beer Fest.
I went to their tap room recently and had a great experience, it’s not the most comfy atmosphere. It’s pretty industrial like many tap rooms, could use some warmth! The staff was really firefly and helpful though!
Their beers are on-​point. Many of them are sours, which I love, but they have some more subtle options as well!
Some of my faves– Nightmare on Brette is Amazing, dark and super tart, Cherry Origins and Dialectic Materialism!

Denver is full of options for the bearded and flanneled, but Crooked Stave specializes in sour brewing.
For all the beer hating ninnies, this place may actually quench your pallet.
With a rotating tap selection and quality barrel aged sours, I’d recommend this to the snobs and the Sallys.

I am the biggest fan of sour beers, especially Bret. Well, FINALLY I’ve hit the Bret jackpot. Crooked Stave not only has a wide array of quality sours, but they are done well and noticeably different from one another.
I will be back.
I will spread the word.
I had to try every one… And they all are great.

I’ll start by saying at first this place was hard to find. It’s in a building called «the source». I was expecting a crooked stave sign or something to that effect but there is nothing outside that lets you know this tasty place is inside.
To start I got the beer flight. As you progress down the wall the beers get more sour.
This is a highly unique taste due to the bitterness of the beers.
My favorite was the beer called Nightmare on (I forget what he street was called).
Not to digress but the source was a pretty cool spot. It had a liquor store, a butcher, a bakery, 2 bars, a shop and 2 restaurants.
The vibe was a mix between Drake and lady Gaga… in a good way. I’ll be back

A great place for morning beer. Yea, morning beer, don’t judge. Sometimes you need to try eight beers before noon and this place has a great atmosphere for it. For one, you aren’t the only one drinking beer before noon and second, they offer many light beers so you can continue your day.
My husband and I split tasting seven or eight beers, the saison being my favorite and the one made from citrus hops was his. This place is in The Source and has plenty of seating and wifi is offered for all customers to the building. Service was super friendly, def will go back.

«I want to take you guys to a really funky brewery…» was the line I heard as a few of us were plotting a mini renunion of sorts between 4 chumps from grad school together in Denver. Oh good lord, here we go again was my thought… then I remembered it was Denver! So the chances of this being funky good were pretty high… and I was not disappointed.
This is a brewery that specializes in belgian style ales and mainly sour ales from what I could tell from the board. Open, irreverent and lively is the atmosphere of this place, and throw in knowledgeable brewers and bartenders who are willing to talk about beers, give you small sips/​tastes and help refine choices… and you have the makings of a great slim belly buster!
The beers were well conceived and executed with a few exceptions that were not there for me. One of my favorites was a collaboration between Jester King and another brewery! This beer boasted floral aromas of sage and lemon verbena with the earthy almost smoky bit of cumin in the mix! Talk about something that makes you crave barbecued meat! Other standouts included a sour ale with a touch of lavender and honey, one with rosehips and honey and of course their absolutely stellar farmhouse ale called the Surette which comes in various formats of aging.
An absolutely excellent and must go to place in Denver. Trust me, if you like sour ales, you will enjoy exploring the beers here (especially since its an easy Über ride home) and if you don’t like sour ales, be prepared to be educated and converted!

If you like sour beers, this place is for you! If not, I wouldn’t come here… If you have never had a sour beer before, the best way that I can describe it is like a mix between a Belgian/​Wheat beer, kombucha, and lemon or sour candy LOL. The brewery had tons of different types on tap. I preferred the fruit flavored ones, but all of them were pretty good. The brewery is located inside The Source in the River North District. I wish that I had time to explore The Source more because the stores and restaurants looked super cool. The whole building was packed and so was the brewery. The staff were super friendly and fun and it was one of the highlights to our trip to Denver

I’ve come here thrice with all 3 times due to the wait time for a table @ Acorn restaurant (also in the Source). It’s a great place to get a casual drink while you’re hanging out at the cool/​hip Source. They specialize in Belgian sour beers & offer a great variety of them! I find sour beers easier to drink than regular beers. I imagine that the invention of sour beers was due to incorrect production of regular beer but who cares!
Let the yeast run wild.
This place is open daily from noon to 11PM and is normally staffed by 1 – 2 people. Last time I came there was only 1 chick working which made the wait time to get my order taken kind of long. Each table in Crooked Staves has a glass of coffee beans so you can clear the fragrance of a previous sour before you smell (?) the next. I didn’t know smelling beer was a thing but apparently the coffee beans represent otherwise. I’ve tried their boysenberry sour, the nightmare & about 12 other sours here that I cannot remember the names of. All taste pretty different from one another with some more acidic than the other or some more bitter. This place offers fun events every now & then like beer & donut pairings. You can check their events on their website or their instagram/​FB.

Great and knowledgeable service, a hip location and very interesting brews. My boyfriend is a huge fan of sources so this place was top on his list. I love the open barn /​loft feel. We strolled right up to the bar and started in on our tasting.
First, we tried to locate the place late at night (close to their closing time), but we thought we could sneak in. The directions are a bit funky. They lead you to Brighton Blvd. but the star is placed on a different street. Do not be fooled! You enter from Brighton. The bar is located in the Public Market building with a few other shops and two pretty great restaurants.
You can work with their suggested tasting that will move you slowly through their wild yeast selections and ever so slightly will become more intense and sour. Do not go by what is on their website, not updated and they have so much more!
We picked our favorites from the list and went with the Vieille Cranberry & Spice, holy hibiscus! It was almost like drinking a hibiscus tea or Kombucha to me. We moved on to the HopSavan Amarillo, do not be fooled, do not hope for a hoppy beer, still sour! I enjoyed the Petite Sour Blueberry. This is one of the most sour but not a mouth-​pucker sour. Next up was the Motif Reserva, Belgian style sour, so do not expect too much sweetness. Then we went for the Nightmare on Bret, aged in red wine barrels. Yum! So much my favorite. I love the dark sour taste with the dryness the wine brings. There is no food in this joint and you cannot walk around the Market with your beer so plan accordingly.

I did not get what I expected from this inconspicuous warehouse. We drove by it twice before we figured we just walk in and explore. Once we walked in though, this place amazed my entire group. The meat aging on the left. the restaurant on the right. The sour beer at the back. Awesome, palate awaken and let’s do this.
We walked to the back and found Crooked Stave. I definitely am on the sour beer train so I started off with the flight and immediately found my favorites, the Wild Sage and Origins. The rest of the flight was just as good, and thus I was enticed to try more. I got to try all but two of the beers and even took some Origins home.
The bartender /​server was knowledgeable about their entire process and knew everything about their beers. He was insanely friendly and spoke in detail to our group about what they do there. Definitely on my wish list when I get back to Denver.