By Jeffrey V. Smith
There is no question Buddy Schmalz is excited to take his beer to the Great American Beer Festival.
“It’s the greatest party,” he said. “You always want to win a medal, but just going down there for three days, four sessions, we feel it’s a ‘win’ no matter what.”
Schmalz, his father Bruce and other family members opened Dostal Alley Casino in 1991 in what was the family’s rock and T-shirt shop and were the first in town to open for gaming.
Gilpin County Commissioner and Dostal Alley brewer with his equipment.
Then, in April 1997, Buddy and his father attended a craft brewers conference in Seattle to explore brewing. They ended up purchasing a two-barrel system, and added a small brewery to the casino. Buddy’s love affair with brewing had come to fruition.
Demand for the locally produced brews soon prompted Schmalz to sell his equipment and purchase a seven-barrel system from the Bottoms Up Brewery of Pinedale, Wyo. The old system was sold and moved to the Blind Pig Brewpub in Champaign, Ill.
Schmalz began taking his beer to Denver’s GABF soon after he began to brew, and relishes the opportunity to return every year.
Schmalz loves that it’s “no hassle” for him to go to the event annually, and get his beer entered into the competition. Most breweries pay to ship their brew and risk disaster occurring along the way.
Going with a “long list” of beer to try that people have told him about throughout the year, but are not normally available in our state, is one of his favorite things as is all the beer enthusiasts who come into the brewery before the GABF.
“It’s a riot to hear their stories,” he said.
Schmalz is also proud they do not use volunteers to pour their beer at the GABF. Someone knowledgeable about the beer is always serving it, and no question goes unanswered. The brewery also gives away temporary tattoos to the ladies, which keep several employees entertained for hours.
Despite being mayor for six years, and currently serving as a Gilpin County commissioner, Schmalz still does most of the brewing although he added Dave Thomas, a 30-year Coors employee, to the team. The pair now brews a batch once a week producing about 14 kegs of beer.
The brewers currently have five beers on tap that are also going to the GABF. They include Dostal Alley’s signature Jacob Mack Mild Ale (made with local, wild hops), American City Pale Ale, Gilpin Gold IPA, Summer Wheat Ale and Shaft House Stout, which won a prestigious silver medal at the GABF in 2008.
