Happy 6th Anniversary to High Hops Brewery! Venue Spotlight

Taggart & Silas, High Hops Greenhouse Stage, 2012ish.

This weekend High Hops Brewery in Windsor will be celebrating their 6th Anniversary, and I'm delighted to be one of the musical guests for the celebration. High Hops has been a special place for me. It was one of the first places that Taggart & Silas played as a duo, and over the past six years, we played there a whole bunch. The last time was in May of 2017 when we joined Josh Vogeler for the songwriter series that he became the host of after I had to let it go to take on new work.

High Hops started as a tiny home brew supply store tucked into the corner of the Windsor Gardener nursery and garden store. Dr. Pat Weakland, a local dentist, and his son Zach were passionate home brewers who grew their love for brewing into one of the premiere craft breweries in the country. In the process, High Hops put Windsor on the map as a destination with live music every weekend, and a wonderful place to spend and afternoon and evening with amazing beer, and an inviting atmosphere.

Taggart & Silas on the High Hops patio stage.
Photo: S. Casey Funderburk

It's been incredible to watch the growth of the business over the years. Starting with a small taproom, and expanding in the winter months to transform the greenhouse into a beer garden/music space, then adding a spectacular patio surrounded by a hops field and with an enviable view of the Front Range, then expanding the indoor taproom to many times it's original size. In the past year they've added a new venture called The Heart Distillery that has become yet another feature for the business, and the town of Windsor.

Zach Weakland oversees the operation with the help of his wife Katie, and Dr. Pat. Zach has become a world class brewer, and Dr. Pat's double IPA is an award winning small batch beer that his dad continues to tweak. They've built a burgeoning beverage empire with a small, but dedicated and hard working staff. They continue to grow hops on the adjacent property and on a couple of tracts in the near distance.

The bar in The Heart Distillery.

As a music venue, High Hops has created a few prime spaces in which music is offered. The new taproom has plenty of space for acoustic music, and the patio stage is a musician's dream with plenty of seating, and the best view in Northern Colorado. It's a perfect spot for a Summer evening or Autumn afternoon. On occasion, the original stage in the greenhouse gets a run, and the distillery has room for even more music. High Hops has become a desired stop for both regional and national touring artists, and the competition for  a slot on the calendar is fierce.

This weekend's celebration is well deserved, and I thank the Weakland family for all their support over the years, and I wish them all continued success. Please join me:

Saturday, October 13th
Sometime between 2 and 4:30PM(There have been conflicting reports on my start time)
I'll be followed by one of my favorite local bands, Madalynn and the Perennial Sound. This is going to be a whole lot of fun! More info here.