After nearly two years of COVID-related delays, Danico Brewing Company is finally moving forward with plans to construct a brewery in Denver. Danico Brewing owners Nikki Harwood and David Lotierzo closed on the land at 66th and Tower Road just last week.
Their plans to develop the idea of Danico Brewing started prior to the COVID pandemic. The project morphed from wanting a small retail space into building from the ground up on an open plot of land.
Harwood and Lotierzo began working on the architecture and with a bank to get a loan, but a month before the closing date, the bank denied the lending due to COVID. “We had to start all over,” Harwood said. They found a new bank, updated the business plan, and finally secured the loan. “It was definitely a lot of requests and additional hoops we had to jump through due to COVID.”
They broke ground on the land at 18490 E. 66th Ave., Denver, CO 80249 this past Monday and will work with BUILT. Construction as the general contractor to erect the 6,400 square-foot brewery and taproom. “It was like a weight was lifted off my chest,” Harwood said. “It finally feels real.”
The brewing process will be featured in the space. “Our big, beautiful, shiny fermenters will be behind the bar,” Harwood explained.
Danico Brewing will promote a family-friendly atmosphere with a special kids zone for children. “There’s a lot of outdoor seating available. It’s very good for us that it’s a large lot for that project, so we have room for future expansion whether it be more outdoor seating or a packaging hall.”
Spots will be available for two food trucks. “I think down the road we would love to maybe own and operate one of them, but we figured starting a new brewery was plenty on our plate,” Harwood shared.
Both Harwood and Lotierzo enjoy IPAs and sours, and they plan to create beers with unique ingredients such as rosemary, lavender, and tea. “We would like to experiment with those more savory flavors.”
Harwood said Danico Brewing will have something for everyone. “We plan to have a seltzer for the gluten-free people. We’re going to have root beer on tap for kids and our non-drinkers.”
Harwood and Lotierzo met while working at Anheuser-Busch in Fort Collins. “I really did the brewing and production side of the brewing industry, whereas Dave did the warehouse logistics side of the brewing industry. We have the whole range of everything needed in that process.” Both are also homebrewers, and Harwood has won a few homebrew competitions.
Discussions about opening a brewery together have been in the works for a while, and they initially thought Danico Brewing would be open by now. “Now that we actually broke ground, and they are starting construction, it feels like our dream is really happening.” They hope to open Danico Brewing in the fall of 2022.
