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Walking into TRVE Brewing Co. on South Broadway in Denver, the first thing you may notice is the metal music blaring from the speakers. That is, if you’re not already going there to enjoy one of the house-brewed beers paired with that specific soundtrack.
Since it opened in 2012, TRVE Brewing Co. has unabashedly been a gathering place for metalheads, both local and visiting. But because the beer has earned a reputation as well-balanced and dependably delicious, it’s also become a destination for drinkers of all musical preferences looking to expand their palates and sonic repertoire.
“At the time, looking around breweries in the country and in Denver, they all kind of generally looked the same. Even to this day, many are working through the same tropes,” said founder and CEO Nick Nunns. “I’ve been listening to heavy metal since I was a teenager, I’ve been a metalhead. I thought it could make us stand out.”
That identity, Nunns said, is part of what’s carried TRVE for 10 years, a milestone worthy of celebrating in today’s competitive craft beer environment. And TRVE is appropriately marking the occasion with its 10th Anniversary Bacchanal, a week’s worth of parties that culminates with a concert at the Gothic Theatre on June 25. Performers include Panopticon, Hulder, Vastum, and Dreadnought, and the brewery’s anniversary Kölsch, called Decade, will also be on draft.
While the ethos may attract customers, Nunns is quick to note the people behind the brewhouse and bar are what keep the business thriving. Head brewer Zach Coleman joined the company in 2013 and “helped make the beer good,” Nunns said. With Coleman at the helm, TRVE became perhaps the most esteemed sour beer maker in Denver. Today, the tap lists also boasts underrepresented Belgian and farmhouse styles, as well as clean lagers.
Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post
Denver, CO - JUNE 10 : COLD Kellerpils , 4.9%, is photographed at TRVE Brewing Co. in Denver, Colorado on Friday, June 10, 2022. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post
Denver, CO - JUNE 10 : Bartender Shane McCarthy, left, serve beers at TRVE Brewing Co. in Denver, Colorado on Friday, June 10, 2022. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post
Denver, CO - JUNE 10 : Canned SIREN, Belgian Saison, 7.0% is sold at TRVE Brewing Co. in Denver, Colorado on Friday, June 10, 2022. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post
Denver, CO - JUNE 10 : TRVE Brewing Co. apparels are sold at the bar in Denver, Colorado on Friday, June 10, 2022. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post
Denver, CO - JUNE 10 : Dining space of TRVE Brewing Co. is photographed in Denver, Colorado on Friday, June 10, 2022. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
In the last decade, TRVE’s impact has extended well beyond its taproom. According to Chris Schooley, co-owner/operator of Troubadour Maltings, it was among Colorado’s first craft breweries to advocate for using local ingredients – and not just in one-off recipes. Schooley and Coleman even started an initiative called Sown that sought to educate brewers about the benefits of leveraging locally grown malt, hops, fruit and yeast, and inspire them to reimagine their supply chains.
“There was a stigma attached in that it was ‘premium’ because of economies of scale,” Schooley said. Brewers felt if they used Colorado ingredients it had to be in a specialty beer, but “that’s not going to keep any of our lights on,” he said. “TRVE was unique early on in embracing it, not just buying it for local sake, but that engagement stance and have a say in that supply chain.”
It’s a concept that resonates now, more than ever, Schooley said.
“As supply chains fall into a chokehold worldwide and on top of environmental pressure, small brewers need to get involved and realize they have some true purchase power in all of this,” he said.
About 95% of the malt TRVE uses is locally sourced, Nunns said, as is most of the fruit – one thing he doesn’t plan to change in the next decade of business. Otherwise, TRVE is eyeing growth. The brewery recently contracted a distributor to help disseminate its beers further throughout the state and has additional expansion plans in the works, though Nunns declined to elaborate on them just yet.
In the meantime, he’s hoping beer drinkers will join the TRVE crew for the 10th Anniversary Bacchanal events in the taproom. On Tuesday and Thursday, TRVE is diving into its cellar and serving rare vintages of spontaneously fermented, sour and bottled beers. And on Wednesday, the brewery is honoring those that came before it and serving suds from the likes of Ashville’s Burial Beer Co., Texas’ Live Oak Brewing Co. and more.
That’s all pre-gaming for the Bacchanal concert finale on Saturday at the Gothic. Tickets are currently on sale for $27.50 at axs.com.
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