The DU neighborhood, still reeling from the closure of  Fermaentra Brewing on Evans, has finally received some good news. Denver Beer Company (DBC), famous for their Graham Cracker Porter and a host of other award winning craft beers is coming to the area. In a press release Denver Beer Company announced the purchase of Maddie’s Restaurant on 2425 South Downing Street where it plans to open a third brewery and taproom room. According to the release, the Denver Beer Co. Downing Street location includes two separate buildings surrounding a communal patio and garden. The taproom will be housed in the larger 2,563 square foot building and will include a tasting room, restaurant partner to be determined, plus nearly 10,000 square feet of outdoor patio space in front of the building. The adjacent smaller 761 square foot building is slated for an additional restaurant partner or snack food purveyor to be determined.

“We hope this new taproom will become a community gathering place and hub for the surrounding south Denver neighborhoods including Platt Park, South Wash Park, DU area, and Harvard Gulch areas,” stated Patrick Crawford, co-founder for Denver Beer Co. “The space will be welcoming for all as it will have family friendly play spaces and food, yard games, and communal tables for hanging with friends after work or on the weekends.”

According to our friends at Westword ,”the final product will include a 2,563-square-foot brewery and taproom along with a unique 10,000-square-foot patio with a tiki bar, fire pits, yard games, a beer garden and bike parking. The owners of Lucky Pie Pizza and El Jefe, who operate a slick Airstream food truck called the Mighty Burger inside DBC’s Arvada brewery, will run a similar concept inside the Downing Street spot.”

Maddie’s Restaurant served breakfast and lunch  and closed October 22nd due to “personal/family/health reasons” according to the prior owner Gayor Geller. Maddie’s was a converted gas station located north of Porter Hospital. A small building to the north was a tiny breakfast dinette.

Denver Beer Co. started as a small local Denver start-up and has grown over the past 11 years. They prefer to make small batches of beer on-site so patrons can witness the brewing process. Their beer selections change with the seasons and they maintain a number of favorites, year-round. They have won a host of brewing awards  from local and national beer connoisseurs alike.

Patrick Crawford and Charlie Berger founded and run Denver Brewing Company. Patrick Crawford told LetsGoDU, “We have been looking in the area (south Denver). We do not have a start date because we have to get site plan approval from the City of Denver for a beer garden. We are hoping to finish work and open by late summer (September) but that time frame could change. We are going to be looking for staff prior to opening for part-time bartenders and other positions. We are hoping the University of Denver may have students who are interested in working with us.” Both founders are Colgate graduates and Crawford lives in Park Hill while Burger lives near Swedish Hospital, several miles south from the new location.