This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
For thousands of years, human beings have been brewing and consuming beer, using it for nutrition, recreation and as a part of our culture. Brewmented, the homebrew supply store, brewery and tap house on Hover St. in Longmont, envisions itself as a part of that tradition.
Bill Campbell, president and co-founder, wants people to see Brewmented as a destination where they can be immersed in beer culture, whether they are experts or just starting out. One of their founding goals was to create a place that is welcoming to people who are interested in beer and brewing but may not know how to get started.
Since opening last year, Bill has found that curiosity is a common trait among Brewmented customers, but a more surprising thing he has found are the people who are homebrewing as a social activity. "If you make 5 gallons of beer, you're social because you're sharing your beers," Bill says, but the process of brewing the beer is something a lot of people do by themselves. Homebrewing by yourself may be the norm, but Brewmented has found that some of their customers, in particular some women and senior citizens, use brewing as an opportunity to do something interesting and creative as a group.
Brewmented has recently started building on this phenomenon by more actively reaching out to the senior community. In March, Brewmented held introduction to brewing events at both the Longmont and Mead Senior Centers. These events are intended to get seniors involved in brewing as a way to stay active and social.
Brewmented also regularly holds similar events for all comers in store, including introductory and more advanced classes on beer and brewing. They also host food pairings and Meet the Brewer nights, where people can meet the brewers of commercial beers on tap in the Brewmented tap room. A calendar of events can be found on the Brewmented website.
This Saturday, April 20, Brewmented will be celebrating its one-year anniversary with raffles, food trucks, live music, and a special beer release every hour.
