Dear Twisted Pine Patrons,
As Twisted Pine Brewing Company is approaching its 21st birthday, we have made the life-changing decision to shed the shackles of wide-scale distribution and embrace who we really are: proud brewers who want to serve our Boulder community one pint at a time. From a brewer’s perspective, focusing solely on supplying our 24-tap alehouse is a dream come true because instead of packaging our core products, we are planning new recipes for our ever-rotating specialty taps. Furthermore, by serving every drop of our beer across the bar instead of in liquor stores near and far, we are able to ensure that our patrons are enjoying our beer the way we as brewers intended—fresh, unique, and of top quality.
To me, brewing is about control, creativity, and pride. We control our brewing parameters as tightly as possible to craft the best beers possible. Packaging and distribution rob us brewers of control because we don’t know if our beers are being cared for the way we cared for them in the brewhouse and in the cellar. We have no control over what our patrons’ experience will be once our precious creations leave our brewery.
Distribution hems creativity because it dictates the production schedule, leaving fewer opportunities to experiment with new ingredients, processes, and beer styles. Billy’s Chilies is one of our most sought-after beers, Ghost Face Killah is a one-of- a-kind creation, Big Shot Espresso Stout has won more awards than any other of our beers—all are wonderful in their own right—but those beers shouldn’t define us as brewers by virtue of their wide distribution. We’re hop heads. We adore lagers. We like to keep beers simple and sessionable.
We’re proud of all the beers we brew, but distribution has a way of eroding that aspect of brewing as well. For better or for worse, I consider beer to be extremely personal. It’s not only a personal expression of the brewer. Everyone’s palate is nuanced, people’s taste preferences can be just plain different, and sometimes the same beer will taste different based on one’s mood—seriously. Whether it’s praise or pooh-poohing, receiving instantaneous feedback from our patrons by exclusively serving our beers in the taproom makes us better brewers. As much as we, the brewers, love the beers we choose to brew and present to our patrons on tap, YOUR satisfaction is the lifeblood to the company and the key to a brewer’s heart. We take tremendous pride in our beers and the community we serve them to, and the best way to enhance both is by sharing as many pints and experiences in the cozy confines of our taproom as possible.
- Kay Witkiewicz, Head Brewer