Founder John Flaherty is still unsure when and where Wanderment Brewing will launch. However, Flaherty, who will also serve as the company’s head brewer, told What Now Denver “Denver has been [our] focus for a while now…[it’s] obviously pricier than outside the city, but [has] more traffic so it’s all a trade-off. I’ve always liked the idea of a fairly small, cozy taproom with a patio that’s in a decently foot-trafficked area with food and other shops nearby.”
In 2016, on Flaherty’s 30th birthday, he traveled to Vermont and Maine where he partook in some serious sampling at a series of brew pubs. Inspired by the trip, Flaherty admittedly became “obsessed with creating beers from places he’[d] traveled and [still] hopes to travel to one day.”
Wanderment’s website aptly describes Flaherty’s beer mission as follows: “…[D]rinking our New England IPA should take you to the beautiful red and maroon foliage of the Northeast during Autumn when the air is just getting brisk. Maybe our Mixed-Culture Ale’s funk and slight tartness will make you think of being in a rural farmhouse miles away from anything with just a field as the view. Or perhaps our Stout brings you to a snow-capped cabin in the mountains during winter next to a fireplace.”
Naturally, as Wanderment is still in the incubation stage, the young company begs a plethora of questions. That said, we caught up with Flaherty to find out what’s to come and when we can expect to sip on some worldly suds:
WND: Since Wanderment is still a concept, tell us a little bit about yourself and this venture…
Flaherty: I’ve been in love with craft beer for the better part of 15 years now, and once I realized how easy it was to home brew beer just over a decade ago, I became obsessed with it; I usually make 20 to 30 beers a year! Sam Odom – my brewing partner – and I are going to focus primarily on mixed-culture ales (beer that has yeast and bacteria added) with the occasional hoppy and lager offerings for those who want a more traditional style.
WND: What’s your ultimate plan for Wanderment?
Flaherty: Originally, we had planned to open up in Spring 2022. But, obviously, that hasn’t happened for several reasons – mainly the pandemic and economic uncertainty. The eventual plan is to have a brick & mortar brewery of our own, at an unknown date.
WND: What can customers expect from Wanderment?
Flaherty: A sense of place.
WND: What has been the most rewarding part of the process?
Flaherty: Everybody [who’s been] willing to lend an ear, help out where they can, or refer someone that might know something. Also, having someone try one of my mixed-culture beers and seeing their eyes light up with genuine excitement over something I created is a feeling that never gets old; it’s the biggest reason I want to build a business around that.
WND: Will Wanderment also provide food?
Flaherty: No plan for food on-site besides the normal bar snack fare. However, we have thought about offering cheese and/or charcuterie boards one day. We would definitely do food trucks/vendors – relationships with other businesses are always a great thing.
WND: Favorite beer you’ll be offering?
Flaherty: That has to be one of the first mixed-cultures I created a few years back. It’s named “Lemongrass Fields.” It’s a dry-hopped mixed-culture ale made with lemongrass and lemon peel. It’s a nice, refreshing beer that has just the right amount of lemongrass with a slight tart kick from the culture and lemon peel.
