By Jeffrey V. Smith
Wild hops grow in several areas around Central City and its surrounding hillsides covering signs, fences, electric lines and walls.Photos by Jeffrey V. Smith
While Central City has done better than most at preserving its historic character, and historic buildings, there is no doubt things have changed since the legalization of gaming. A living reminder of wilder days long past, however, still grows in the city and on the surrounding hillsides: wild brewer’s hops.
According to Dostal Alley brewer Schmalz, the hops grow like weeds around the town and were likely planted more than 150 years ago by residents that sold them to local brewer Jacob Mack for his Mack Brothers Brewery, or any of the other area brewers. They have been regenerating throughout town ever since.
Schmalz said there were at least five breweries in Central City, six in Black Hawk and three in Nevadaville during the last half of the 19th century and between 1864 and 1880, four to six breweries operated simultaneously. Several locals took part in the growing and selling of hops to the breweries.
At Dostal Alley, Schmalz pays homage to former Central City brewer with his Jacob Mack Mild Ale – the only beer in the world brewed with wild Central City hops. Because it’s created with the hops found growing around town, they are never quite sure what to expect with each batch. According to Schmalz the hops are picked in different locations each growing season depending on where they are producing the best results that year. This year, for example, the gully in front of Fortune Valley produced a good patch of hops. The process leads to non-uniform, but very intriguing, results.
The brewers are not even sure what kind of hops they are using. Schmalz and his brewing partner Dave Thomas, a Coors brewer for more than 30 years, believes they are a cluster variety used by American brewers until about three decades ago. This type, in general, is thought to be a hybridization of varieties imported by Dutch and English settlers and indigenous male hops.
Schmalz says the local hops sets them apart from other micro-breweries in that they are wild, 150 years old, local, hand picked and discriminated over.
“We only pick the good ones,” he said.
The former Mack Brothers Brewery may be in ruins just outside of town, but its brewing legacy lives on in the wild hops of Central City, and the beers of Dostal Alley Brewery.
