New Belgium Brewing Co.

I'm a little late in getting this posted, but since returning from Vacation-Con 2011, I've been incredibly busy getting my house and head back in order for the real world. So, I love this company. The memory of the tour itself has begun to fade, and some of the details will surely escape me. But I'm going to give it my best shot, and hopefully convince you how amazing this place really was, and is, I guess. I knew it would be awesome when we drove up, and the place looked just like a little ski lodge. Aesthetics are important, and these guys do it right. It's one thing to work at a brewery, but quite another to soak in the "we're not a corporate sweatshop" view every time you ride to work.

Yes. Ride to work. I didn't realize how deep into bike culture these guys were. It goes way beyond putting a picture of an old cruiser on the label of one of your beers. Bike parts and themes were everywhere, as you will see later. Bikes were parked everywhere out front. One of the first of the many awesome things we learned that day is that the company actually offers perks to employees who ride to work. Living the values guys, living the values.

We did realize that this little place had gotten so big that tours required a 24-hour advance booking. So when we arrived, we talked to the guy in charge of coordinating tours, and got on a standby list, hoping we could just jump on the first one of the day if not everyone showed up. While we patiently waited, we took the opportunity to ridiculous photo-opportunity it up.

Bike-decor-o-rama

We were lucky in that they still had the Christmas decorations up. Here are Scott and I, under the "Get a Room" mistletoe.

A kitchy shrine to the Patron Saint of Brewers, Saint Arnold.

And me doing my best to be Patron-Saint-y.

One of the major themes that emerged during our incredibly educational experience was environmental responsibility. This place not only says they believe and support it, but evidence is everywhere. Check out the trash bins outside. It's subtle, yet incredibly powerful.


Also impressive was their offering to those who don't drink, or had been designated as the responsible driving party of the group. We tried this, too. And it was pretty delicious. Apple flavored seltzer. Good job, New Belgium.

After waiting patiently in hopes that we would be able to tour the brewery and not walk away with only pictures of the outside, we were told that there were exactly three spots open on the first tour, and we were able to join up right as the tour started. In the first brew room, we got a little history on how the owner started off in his basement, making Abbey Ale, which was our first sample. We also got the story behind the naming of Fat Tire. Before starting on the magical journey toward making some of the best beer in the US, our story's hero traveled to Belgium to learn what he could about crafting Belgian beer (my personal favorite style). It was the 80's and mountain bikes had just begun their rise to popularity in the states, and this guy was addicted. So he took his bike with him, and used it as his mode of transportation throughout much of the countryside while visiting breweries there. And all over, he was asked the same thing: "Where did you get that bike with the fat tires?"

We then proceeded to the second brew room, which was breathtaking. We found out that it's so beautiful, that at least two employees have had their wedding receptions in this room. And you can see why. Huge copper tanks with mosaic tile around each one. Vaulted ceilings with bike-rim mobiles, and a full service bar in the back. It was like a ski lodge meets beer heaven. Who wouldn't want to affirm their love for another person, and beer, in a place like this?

It was here that we were given our second sample, Sunshine Wheat. This was one of the first American-made beers that I tried years ago, and actually liked. It was also my introduction into the heaven that is wheat beer, and we've been in love ever since.
We then headed out to the bottling building, which was pretty standard, except for the massive light fixture in the lobby, that spiraled with the stairs all the way to the second floor. These are not actually beer bottles, but individually blown replicas made just for this thing. I was thoroughly impressed, to say the least. It was during this section of the tour that I truly fell in love with what this company does, and stands for. This is where we got the low-down on what it's like to work for New Belgium. As a new employee, you get a key to the facility on your first day, because you are now an owner. Every week, each person gets an "allowance" of one twelve pack, to be picked up whenever, on the honor system. Miss a week? No problem, grab a case next time.
On your first anniversary, you are given a personalized cruiser bike, similar to that which is on the Fat Tire label. After five years, you are sent to Belgium, for a week-long bike tour of local breweries with the owners. Not only is the trip paid for by the company, but you are paid your 40-hour weekly salary the whole time. At ten years, a fruit tree of your choice is planted in orchard behind the buldings, with a plaque showing your name and stuff. But that's not even the best part. The best part is, that you also get a one-month paid sabbatical. That's a month off work, to do whatever you want, and get paid to do it. You can also add vacation days to the time off. So you can tack on two weeks to that, and have a six-week paid vacation.
To wrap up the tour, we headed upstairs in the main brew house, to get a taste of the tenth value of the company: "Have Fun". This was a metal speed slide, playground style. And trust me, this thing was not messing around. It. Was. Fast. And awesome. The last guy down brought his six month old along for the ride.
We were then taken to the hospitality room, where we could write postcards to whoever we wanted, and were promised they would be mailed for us. For free. Cortney pointed out that it felt much like Bolvangar, where the kids wrote letters to their parents, which were promptly just burned instead of sent. As of today, we have not received the one I sent to our house. I'm beginning to think she was right.
Nevertheless, we were given two more samples, and sent on our way.


We left, not only pleasantly intoxicated, but supremely educated on the ability of a not-so-small company's ability to get it right. For the community, the employees, and the earth. I'm compelled to include more of their beer in my regular rotation. Not because it's the best, because honestly, it's not. But because they truly believe in what they do, and more importantly, how they do it. It's inspiring, and anything I can do to support a company that actually lives the values they profess is a small step in the right direction.

And any place that gets Scott to make a face like this is worth it.