December 2009 - Ourayle House

On my annual homage to Ouray, CO for New Years with the family I got a chance to visit the Ourayle House brewery.

Ourayle House is the tap room for Mr. Grumpy Pants Brewing Company owned and operated by Jim Hutchinson, or Hutch. On the days I visited, they opened around 4 pm and I could tell the wood stove had just been fired up from the frost my breath made as I asked for a beer. It had warmed up to the high 50s by my second beer.

Ourayle House is an interesting tap room that was put together with a bootstrapped budget using local fire damaged pine and a lot of found available materials. The tap room is small, he has five taps and 15 or so seats. Hutch serves his hand crafted brews from and a horizontal sliding swing that allows him to access the entire bar while seated. He has two beer sizes, his and hers. His is around 16 oz where the hers is about 23 oz. His kayaks, climbing equipment and ski equipment are used to decorate the inside and add a living room feel to the tap room. As Hutch lives on premise, I think this is in fact true. On the walls a collection of beer posters, signs and warnings make for fun reading.

During my visit he had a bitter, brown, dunkel weizen, and pale ale on tap. I would not say any of the beers were award winners, or within style guidelines, but they were good and didn't have many flaws. I don't think Hutch is all that concerned with the style guidelines, he just makes beers that he likes, and he thinks his patrons will enjoy. He has created a good atmosphere for having several pints and talking with friends and making friends with strangers.

I got a chance to 'tour' his brewery a few years ago on an earlier trip. He has 80 gallon fermentors surrounded by Styrofoam with a space heater in the room to maintain temperature. He has a 1.5 barrel all grain brewing system from MoreBeer.

I imagine there were a number of small breweries like this back before prohibition messed up the local scene. A guy who likes beer, opens a small brewery where he lives and sets up a tap room.

He's been there a few years, so I think he is doing OK.

If you get to Ouray, it is worth stopping in.