Great Divide Brewing Co.’s Barrel Bar as seen from Brighton Boulevard. (BusinessDen file)
Great Divide is shuttering its original taproom at 2201 Arapahoe St. in Ballpark alongside its RiNo Barrel Bar at 1812 35th St.
Both spots expect to stop serving beer by late June, founder and owner Brian Dunn said.
“We knew it would be sometime in 2025,” Dunn said of the closing. “I was wondering if we’d keep going through the end of year, but it finally got to a point where we decided to close it in conjunction with production ending.”
Brian Dunn
The production of Great Divide’s beer will move from the Ballpark location, which Dunn opened in 1994, to Denver Beer CO.’s 35,000 square foot facility in Sunnyside.
In April, Denver Beer Co., alongside Stem Cider, acquired Great Divide’s wholesale business and rights to future locations. Dunn retained ownership of the RiNo and Ballpark taprooms when he sold Great Divide.
“After 32 years, the time had come,” he said.
Dunn also owns the real estate at 2201 Arapahoe, which records show he bought for $538,000 in 2001. Great Divide sold the RiNo land to McWhinney, with one parcel going for $20 million in 2019 and another in 2021 for an undetermined amount.
“We’re not gonna let it sit idle,” Dunn said of the Ballpark land. “I can see two ways it will unfold: either listing it for sale or leasing it out.”
Dunn said that business has been steady the past few years, but not as busy as several years ago when Denver craft beer was booming.
Its four other outposts, in Castle Rock, Lone Tree, Lakewood and the Denver International Airport, will continue to be run by third-party operators, which license the name. Dunn said since he has the licensing rights for those, he will be loosely involved.
“The business is sustainable the way it is,” he said. “But from a simplicity standpoint, it just makes sense to stop.”
The two closures come during a rough stretch for Colorado breweries.
Last year, 41 spots shut their doors, up from 31 in 2023.
This year, Denver’s craft scene has already said goodbye to Blue Moon in RiNo, Tivoli Brewing at Auraria Campus and, most recently, Burns Family Artisan Ales.
Great Divide Brewing Co.’s Barrel Bar as seen from Brighton Boulevard. (BusinessDen file)
Great Divide is shuttering its original taproom at 2201 Arapahoe St. in Ballpark alongside its RiNo Barrel Bar at 1812 35th St.
Both spots expect to stop serving beer by late June, founder and owner Brian Dunn said.
“We knew it would be sometime in 2025,” Dunn said of the closing. “I was wondering if we’d keep going through the end of year, but it finally got to a point where we decided to close it in conjunction with production ending.”
Brian Dunn
The production of Great Divide’s beer will move from the Ballpark location, which Dunn opened in 1994, to Denver Beer CO.’s 35,000 square foot facility in Sunnyside.
In April, Denver Beer Co., alongside Stem Cider, acquired Great Divide’s wholesale business and rights to future locations. Dunn retained ownership of the RiNo and Ballpark taprooms when he sold Great Divide.
“After 32 years, the time had come,” he said.
Dunn also owns the real estate at 2201 Arapahoe, which records show he bought for $538,000 in 2001. Great Divide sold the RiNo land to McWhinney, with one parcel going for $20 million in 2019 and another in 2021 for an undetermined amount.
“We’re not gonna let it sit idle,” Dunn said of the Ballpark land. “I can see two ways it will unfold: either listing it for sale or leasing it out.”
Dunn said that business has been steady the past few years, but not as busy as several years ago when Denver craft beer was booming.
Its four other outposts, in Castle Rock, Lone Tree, Lakewood and the Denver International Airport, will continue to be run by third-party operators, which license the name. Dunn said since he has the licensing rights for those, he will be loosely involved.
“The business is sustainable the way it is,” he said. “But from a simplicity standpoint, it just makes sense to stop.”
The two closures come during a rough stretch for Colorado breweries.
Last year, 41 spots shut their doors, up from 31 in 2023.
This year, Denver’s craft scene has already said goodbye to Blue Moon in RiNo, Tivoli Brewing at Auraria Campus and, most recently, Burns Family Artisan Ales.
