Ranking fourth in the nation with 468 craft breweries, Colorado is home to one of the most vibrant brewing scenes in the country. It’s also the birthplace of the Great American Beer Festival, the largest beer festival in the U.S. But beyond the numbers, what truly sets Colorado’s beer apart?
According to Kat Hess, head brewer at Wynkoop Brewing Company, and Brian Koch, head brewer at Phantom Canyon Brewing Company, the answer lies in the state’s unique altitude, climate, water and locally sourced ingredients — from the way altitude affects hop utilization to the dry climate’s influence on fermentation and the impact of the state’s mineral-rich water on flavor.
In addition, both breweries use Colorado-grown barley and hops to honor their commitment to quality and authenticity, making their brews unique to the region. Both brewers are available for interviews to discuss the science behind great craft beer and how Colorado continues to lead the way in brewing innovation.
As we kick off Earth Month, and while we still have an earth, we asked Kat and Brian to explain just a bit more about how Colorado’s climate (and climate change) influences their beers and the state’s brewing scene.
How does Colorado’s climate impact its brewing scene?
Kat Hess: The climate in Colorado influences brewing in several ways, including the quality of ingredients, fermentation and aging. Factors such as altitude, temperature, humidity and water composition all play a significant role in how beer is brewed and how its flavors evolve. Unpredictable weather patterns, such as fluctuating temperatures or extreme events, can also affect ingredient availability and consistency. At Wynkoop, we must constantly adapt to these environmental factors to ensure the quality and consistency of their beer.
Brian Koch: Colorado’s high altitude, dry climate, pristine water and locally sourced ingredients play a vital role in shaping the brewing process in Colorado, which gives our beers a distinctive character. For my team at Phantom Canyon, we must fine-tune our process to account for the effects of altitude on boil temperatures, hop utilization and fermentation due to our location in Colorado Springs at over 6,000 feet. The lower atmospheric pressure we experience, impacts boil temperatures, requiring adjustments in hop utilization and evaporation rates. The dry climate also influences fermentation, as yeast behaves differently in lower oxygen environments, often enhancing ester production in certain styles.
Let’s go one by one. What is different about Colorado hops?
Kat Hess: Colorado’s high-altitude climate plays a significant role in hop utilization during the brewing process. At higher elevations, brewers often need to use more hops to achieve the same bitterness and aroma that a brewer at sea level would naturally get. Some brewers in the Rocky Mountains even have to use twice as many hops as we do to reach the desired results. This unique challenge requires that our team makes careful recipe adjustments to ensure each beer maintains its intended balance and flavor.
What is different about the water across Colorado?
Brian Koch: Phantom Canyon benefits from Colorado’s naturally soft water, which is ideal for brewing a wide variety of beer styles. The mineral profile can be adjusted for specific recipes, but its clean, neutral base allows for precise control over malt and hop expression.
Kat Hess: Colorado is home to some of the best brewing water in the country. Thanks to its naturally neutral profile, Wynkoop doesn’t have to invest heavily in equipment, time or resources to adjust it for brewing. This blank slate is especially beneficial when crafting styles like IPAs, which require hard, mineral-rich water to bring out their bold hop character. Since our water starts in a neutral state, it’s easy to replicate the ideal profile, allowing hoppy beers like IPAs to truly shine. Think of it like white bread. You can pair it with anything, whereas something like multigrain or rye might not work for every flavor. In Colorado, we have the white bread of water, versatile, balanced and perfect for brewing.
How can climate impact fermentation?
Brian Koch: Colorado’s high altitude and dry climate have a direct impact on the fermentation process. Lower atmospheric pressure affects how yeast behaves, often leading to increased ester production in certain beer styles, which can enhance fruity or complex flavor profiles. Additionally, the dry climate means there is less oxygen in the air, which can influence yeast health and overall fermentation activity. Because of these factors, our team carefully monitors fermentation conditions to ensure consistency and achieve the desired flavors in every batch.
Kat Hess: Colorado’s unique climate plays a significant role in the barrel-aging process. The state’s dry conditions require that we store barrels in a well-conditioned environment to prevent evaporation and maintain quality. It’s especially important to monitor barrels kept in extremely humid or hot conditions, as fluctuations can lead to leaks. In more humid regions, this isn’t as much of a concern, but for Colorado brewers, careful barrel maintenance is essential to ensuring a successful aging process.
Has there been any noticeable changes in local climate over your years in the industry, that have impacted anything we’ve discussed today?
Kat Hess: Colorado’s unpredictable weather and declining precipitation pose significant challenges for farmers growing essential brewing ingredients like malted barley and hops. These crops depend on a strong snowpack and consistent rainfall, both of which have become less reliable in recent years. Our dry climate already makes it difficult for crops to thrive, and without sufficient moisture, producing a healthy yield becomes even more challenging.
Additionally, sudden and extreme weather events can be devastating. I recall a few years ago when a massive hailstorm hit just before harvest, destroying many farmers’ crops in an instant. These challenges highlight the resilience of our agricultural community and the importance of supporting local growers who provide the backbone of our brewing industry.
Are there any climate change trends you are monitoring in the region that might impact what we’ve discussed over the next decade?
Kat Hess: I’m personally monitoring our ever-changing snowpack and worsening hail season. Snowpack and snowmelt are Colorado’s main water sources. Over the last several years, our snowpack has been melting earlier than ever, which means less water for everyone, including brewers. That’s why it’s vitally important that we do everything we can to be good stewards of our water, invest in better water treatment and reclamation programs and practice sustainable water management in the brewing community.
Both a lack of water and a worsening hail season can have an immense negative impact on our local agriculture. This can include higher protein levels in our grain (not great for brewers), lower hop yields and poor hop quality or, in the case of hail, significant or total destruction of crops. Smaller hop and grain growers may not be able to absorb several years of climate volatility as well as larger growers can, leading to less choice and competition in the marketplace.
Brian Koch: Globally, climate change has had a noticeable impact on European hop varieties, particularly by lowering their alpha acid content, which is essential for bitterness and aroma in beer. Rising temperatures, unpredictable weather patterns and increased drought stress have disrupted hop growth cycles, reducing the concentration of alpha acids in traditional varieties such as Saaz, Hallertau and Tettnang. These changes not only affect the quality and consistency of hops but also pose challenges for brewers aiming to maintain the distinctive flavor profiles of classic European styles.
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