Earthblog

The expansion is not about brewing more beer, necessarily, but about brewing beer in different ways. With new processes like barrel aging and bottle conditioning a focus for Odell’s, their existing building was too small. Odell’s potential capacity will increase, no doubt, and with the current expansion they’re looking 20 years into the future—thank God we’ll still have beer in 20 years!—but for now, they’re happy with their place in the still-expanding universe of craft beer. The new fermentation cylinders are a centerpiece of the expansion—huge stainless steel cylinders housed inside instead of out, in order to be less of a nuisance on the near-bye neighborhood, and soon-to-be surrounded by all that luxurious German tile. When completed, the room will glow with the words industrial and earth finally making sense together.

Outside the walls of the brewery, things are just as interesting. Odell’s spent a considerable amount of money utilizing porous pavers instead of paving their parking lot—pavers dispense rain and snow run-off more effectively, are more aesthetically pleasing, and make for a better space for outdoor events. Earthen berms were constructed around the parking lot and new south facing patio, and existing trees were saved during construction, and replanted on top of the berms. McGivney was quick to point out that with the expansion, Odell’s really wants to extend downtown, and by that I took him to mean the cultural happenings, the opportunities for people to interact and flourish in the bright sunshine. The culture surrounding beer in Fort Collins is vibrant and growing, a true cornerstone of the city.