Our Monthly Meeting is This Week!
Join us on November 14, 2024, 6:45 PM at The Brew Hut in Aurora. We meet in their classroom, located adjacent to Dry Dock Brewing (South Dock).
New members are always welcome!
Be sure to bring your own homebrewed creations to share.
Stay informed about club happenings! Subscribe to our mailing list. We promise not to innundate your inbox.
Cheers to 16 Years!
The Rock Hoppers Brew Club is one of Colorado’s most recognized homebrewing clubs. Founded in 2008, our mission is to build a community of new and experienced brewers who have a passion for fermented beverages. We welcome new members, no matter how much or how little experience you have.
Our Mission
The Beginning
In late 2007, Jim Stinson, then head brewer at the Rockyard American Grill and Brewing Company, reached out to local homebrewers in the community. Desiring to have a local club and pay homage to his homebrewing roots, Jim was instrumental in securing sponsorship from Rockyard, who provided meeting and event space for the club for the first few years. Our first “official” meeting as a club was held there in March 2008.
Here are a few videos from the early years of the club – you might recognize some faces that have gone on to be professional brewers and/or brewery owners…
Big Brew 2008
National Homebrewers Conference 2009
NHC 2009 Club Night Interview with Basic Brewing Video (starts at 4:58)
National Homebrewers Conference 2012
More recently, two of our members, Chelsea Lamont and Eric Frazier, were featured in the Season 1 episode of Beerland entitled “Colorado.” Beerland is a Viceland network show featuring Golden Road Brewing owner Meg Gill traveling the country meeting up with homebrewers.
When Meg and her crew came to Colorado, she met up with Chelsea and Eric at our annual Biere de Rock competition and also spent a day at their house while they whipped up a batch of Irish Red. There are member cameos throughout the episode if you have a sharp eye. The Biere de Rock competition segment begins around 7:12 and continues on to Chelsea and Eric’s brew day.
Below are some stills – to watch the episode, you’ll need a TV provider log-in.
The Present
Today, the club continues to grow. Members come together once a month at our general meeting to share stories, plan events, and sample the fruits each others brewing labor. Check out our Facebook profile, events, and public group and say hi!
When and Where is the Monthly General Meeting?
We meet on the second Thursday of the month. Currently, our meetings are held in The Brew Hut’s classroom.
What We Do
We organize and participate in many events throughout the year. Check out our Events for details on upcoming activities, including:
- Participation in AHA events such as Big Brew Day and Learn to Homebrew Day.
- Intra-club competitions.
- Annual Fantasy Brewing Draft in August.
- Annual Buddy Brews where those newer to the club are paired with veterans to brew collaboration beers.
- Pro-Am collaborations with local breweries to compete at the annual Great American Beer Festival.
- BJCP Me! – a beer evaluation portal where members can submit their brews to be judged free of charge by fellow members who are ranked BJCP judges.
- Participation in the National Homebrewers Conference by officers and other members.
- A BJCP study group, meeting bi-weekly.
- Club barrel brew projects.
- Annual hosting of an AHA sanctioned competition, Bière de Rock, focusing on Belgian- and French-inspired beers.
- Annual brewery bus trip.
- Monthly Hopper Happy Hours at various breweries, brewpubs, and tap houses.
- Attendance and volunteer organization and participation at the Great American Beer Festival, Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival, and other events.
- Touring of local breweries. Thankfully Colorado is chock full of ’em.
Since the club’s inception, members have won awards in every major regional competition and the annual National Homebrew Competition. Many members have had their recipes brewed at the commercial level and entered into the GABF Pro-Am competition – in fact, in 2017, just over 7% of the GABF ProAm entries were Rock Hopper recipes, including the 2017 Pro-Am gold medal winner. In 2018, six members competed and in 2019, nine competed. In 2022, another four competed. That’s nationally, folks.
We’ve also had a few present and former members become professional brewers, brewery owners, and/or homebrew shop owners, hanging their shingles at these fine establishments:
- 105 West Brewing Company (Castle Rock, CO)
- Bruz Beers (Denver, CO)
- Castle Rock Homebrew Supply (Castle Rock, CO – now closed)
- CB & Potts (Highlands Ranch, CO – now closed)
- Denver Beer Company (Denver, CO)
- Dry Dock Brewing Company (Aurora, CO)
- Elk Mountain Brewing Company (Parker, CO – now closed)
- Ft. Collins Brewing Company (Ft. Collins, CO – now closed)
- Grist Brewing Company (Highlands Ranch, CO)
- Jagged Mountain Brewery (Denver, CO)
- Kettle and Barrel Brew Supply (Littleton, CO – now closed)
- Lone Tree Brewing Company (Lone Tree, CO)
- Peak Brewing (Winter Park, CO – now closed)
- Prost Brewing Company (Denver, CO)
- Rockyard Brewing Company (Castle Rock, CO)
- Two 22 Brewing (Aurora, CO)
Not that we’re bragging.
Actually, we are.
Cheers!
