Carbondale Beer Works

Patrice Fuller and Chachi Rodriguez had longtime dreams. The pair of longtime colleagues wanted to combine their food-and-beer experience by opening a brewery in Washington, but it fell through. They decided, instead, to look at existing breweries that were for sale.

After spending 36 hours in Carbondale, in 2016 the pair became owners of Carbondale Beer Works— and they say the reason was simple: the amazing Carbondale community.

The brewpub honors that whirlwind decision with its On a Whim IPA, a Pacific Northwest-style India pale ale named for its creators’ quick decision. It’s one of several reminders that, although Fuller and Rodriguez take their work seriously, they also have fun along the way.

That shows up in gatherings such as the Carbondale Beer Works Girl Gang brew, in which female staff brewed the Bitchin’ Brew IPA. It’s also evident in the customer service; a restaurant regular recently described the restaurant as Carbondale’s living room. “That’s the nicest compliment I’ve ever had,” Fuller says.

Fuller and Rodriguez have been hard at work, along with their staff, to bring the food and cocktail menus up to the same standards as the restaurant’s beer. (“Really killer beer comes out of that little space,” Fuller says of her business partner’s work.)

The bar uses small-batch liquors instead of those that are widely available. If a customer orders a drink made with Grey Goose, the staff will suggest Woody Creek Vodka instead. Want Kahula? Try the neighborhood distillery’s Marble Moonlight EXPresso.

That level of detail also shows up in the kitchen, where Chef Calder Morrison works to source as many local ingredients as possible. Everything is house-made, save for ketchup and bread, and 30 to 40 percent of the Colorado ingredients come from within 60 miles. A small herb garden adjacent to the patio includes plants from Osage Gardens in New Castle. Morrison experiments with the herbs, resulting in drink specials and other menu variations.

Fuller and Rodriguez have poured their passion for food and beer into Carbondale Beer Works, and they hope they’ve established new expectations within the community. The menu balances pub favorites, like chicken wings, with healthier options, such as avocado hummus.

“We just trusted each other,” Fuller says of her business partner.”