Walk into Beryl’s Beer Company, and it’s easy to see these guys are bringing the wood. And that’s by design. Beryl’s Beer Company has chosen to focus on barrel-aged beers—an interesting wrinkle in a Denver craft beer scene that has seen breweries specialize in traditional European styles or even sour beers. The business plan also manages to take advantage of the current rage of beer aged in wooden vessels, too.

For the uninitiated, aging a beer in barrels gives brewers a way to impart subtle—or profound—flavors to their brews. Obviously, beers can take on characteristics of the wood in which they’re aged, but they also can take on flavors of the beverage that was previously aged in the barrel—like wine, whisky and other liquors.

Drinkers who dig barrel-aged beers should always have a healthy selection at Beryl’s to choose from. While supplies of barrel-aged beers can be a bit tenuous—supplies are finite—the bartenders told me the plan is to always offer as many as possible. For the times when beers need more time in the shipping containers of yesteryear, Beryl’s will offer plenty of beers that haven’t had time on wood as well.

Taps rotate constantly, but my recent visit included three barrel-aged beers: Vila Wald, a Dampf beer aged in wine barrels; Elsie Mae, a saison aged in white wine barrels; and Riga Doms, a porter aged in brandy barrels. Regular beers included un-aged versions of the Wald, Riga and Elsie, plus Afternoon Delight Wheat Ale and Paper Moon Pale Ale.

Located in what appears to be a former industrial space off Blake Street in RiNo, Beryl’s boasts some eclectic décor—a couple of armchairs occupy a corner while other visitors could choose from a set of lawn chairs, and the walls sport Colorado-themed artwork.

Most of the barred-aged offerings are served in tulip glasses or snifters and ranged from $7–$8. Unaged beers cost $4–$5. Tasters ranged from $2–$3. If you’re a barrel-aged beer fan, there’s probably no better option for you in Denver. So roll in to Beryl’s for a barrel of fun.

Beryl’s Beer Co., 3120 Blake St.; 720-420-0826

Photos via Beryl's Beer Co.