Fate Brewing Company– Boulder, CO

Have you ever had a situation where the stars just seemed to align? Perhaps it was an “epic night”. In my circle of friends, when just the right group of people gather for a momentous night out we call it the “dream team”. Sometimes amidst the cacophony and discord, things just end up coming together to hit just the right sonorous wavelength to create the perfect harmony. This is Fate Brewing Company.

From the beginning Fate has been fueled by potential. When you pair owner Mike Lawinski’s culinary prowess from his previous gigs at Centro Latin Kitchen and the West End Tavern, along side Jeff Griffith formerly of Golden City Brewing anything seems possible. Golden City, a small but formidable brewery which operates from essentially a backyard in Golden, CO has produced an impressive array of brews with Griffith as a brewer, and now his creations get a chance to take center stage.

The only problem was that as late as a month ago when we toured the 7,000-square-foot location, which formerly house a Jose Muldoon’s, no tap system or even brewing equipment was in place. So to ensure that Fate would have beer to serve on opening day, Jeff teamed up with a number of local breweries including Crystal Springs, Twisted Pine, Wild Woods, Boulder Beer, Twisted Pine, Echo, Shine and Asher for a host of collaborations, and they didn’t disappoint.

We first got ahold of their Scotch Ale, made with Tom Horst of Crystal Springs Brewing, and their Eisbock made with Echo Brewing Company during the Vail Big Beers Belgians and Barleywines festival. Then we were treated to the Cocoa Punk’n Porter made along side Asher Brewing Company at the Denver Winter Brew fest last weekend. With more collaborations from Mountain Sun Brewery, Upslope Brewing, Big Choice Brewing and BRU handbuilt ales along the way, Fate has paid the ultimate homage to Boulder’s bustling brew scene.

While their initial beer offerings have all been solid up and down, to conclude at their beer would render this story incomplete. As a brewpub, Fate wouldn’t fully be able to complete the cycle without an equally impressive menu. Head Chef Tim Berry’s lineup features a number of “craveable innovative comfort foods” such as sticky ribs, pepper smoked salmon BLT, buffalo chicken mac ‘n’ cheese, a bbq plate, and blue corn cheddar girts. Friday night while attending their soft open we were able to sample a number of plates including their roasted baby carrots, the sugar snap peas appetizer, which was topped with bacon jalapeno marmalade, and as an entree we downed the pub paella and flatiron iron.  Even in the frenetic packed house setting, everything was cooked to perfection. The sugar snap peas stood out most and it’s plate appropriately was rendered clean first.

Thus far, Fate Brewing Company seems to have found the recipe for the complete brew pub experience, great beer, a mega beer-drool-inducing 30 draft tap wall which will feature a healthy supply of guest taps to accompany their 10-15 Fate brewed beers, an elegant but not pretentious food lineup, a stellar outdoor patio, an experienced and knowledgable staff, a beautiful space and a great environment. Don’t tell Jordan or Magic, but this may really size up to be the Dream Team of brew pubs.

While Denver’s Five Points area has quickly become an incubator for amazing breweries, Boulder’s Arapahoe Road is proving to be a contender with Fate now joining the ranks of Wild Woods Brewery and Avery Brewing Co. If there were ever to be a beer turf throw down, those two locations would anchor Colorado’s boozy bout.