Factotum Brewhouse launches Kickstarter to complete facility

Sometimes, you just need a professional. At least that’s the idea Chris Bruns is taking up with the Factotum Brewhouse. Every weekend all over this city of ours dozens of homebrewers get out enormous pots and boil up grains, add hops, and casually enjoy the resulting five-ish gallons of beer over the coming weeks.

There probably isn’t a homebrewer out there who has taken a sip of their product and thought “Yeah, I could start a brewery.” There are just as many who take a sip and think, “there’s something not quite right about this.” For both of those types, there is the Factotum Brewhouse.

An idea brewed up by the Wagon’s own Chris Bruns, Factotum will cater directly to homebrewers by giving them the opportunity to brew their own recipes in Factotum’s seven-barrel system. The brew will then be on tap at the Factotum taproom. From there? Who knows! It could be reason enough to launch a new class of homebrewers into the world of commercial brewing.

By far, it is one of the more unique brewing concepts that’s come out of Denver lately.

Like all boot-strapped ideas, Factotum needs a few extra bucks to put the polish on their project. For that, there is Kickstarter. Jump on over to their page to drop a few bucks in their barrel. Incentives for donors include everything from branded swag, invitations to special events, and more. At the high end, supporting this project means that you could one day be brewing your own special recipe in a professional and commercial environment.

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Official Press Release

DENVER, COLORADO – Factotum Brewhouse will be the first brewery to cater to homebrewers when it opens this fall in Denver, Colorado. Guest brewers will have the opportunity to brew their recipe on Factotum’s seven barrel system and the beer will then be served to thirsty taproom patrons.

With help from headbrewer Christopher Bruns, homebrewers will learn the steps of commercial brewing from recipe creation to the brewing process to the taproom release of the beer. This concept was originally designed for serious homebrewers who wish to receive honest, unbiased feedback from the public but recreational brewers, new brewers, and small groups are also welcome to use Factotum’s services. Christopher will act as quality control and to ensure the tap lineup isn’t dominated by any one style: “If six people come in wanting to brew an IPA, they can either wait in line or decide to brew something else,” says Christopher. Six of Factotum’s eventual eight taps will pour homebrewer beers while the remaining two will pour beers made by Christopher.

Brother-and-sister team Christopher and Laura Bruns conceived of the Factotum model over dinner with their other two siblings and have since graduated from Denver’s Small Business Development Center’s business start-up class as well as Tom Hennessy’s renowned Brewery Immersion Course at the Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery in Ridgway, Colorado. Christopher and Laura’s Midwestern, German-American upbringing has instilled in them a passion for beer and they’re mutual background in education compels them to make Factotum a school as much as it is a brewery; Factotum isn’t just a place to drink great beer but also a place to learn about beer.

Located at 4735 Lipan Street in the Sunnyside neighborhood, Factotum is moving into an already established craft beer community with Stomp Them Grapes homebrew supply store two doors down, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project ½ mile away, and the upcoming Diebolt Brewing Company one mile away. Christopher and Laura hope local beer lovers will use the close proximity to ride their bicycles and safely visit all these fine establishments.

Factotum’s setting, like so many in the Denver area, is an industrial one and the taproom ambiance will complement that setting with a rustic, factory, wood-and-metal atmosphere. However, this location means Factotum is lacking somewhat in natural light. Please visit Factotum’s Kickstarter.com page (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/181768191/beautify-the-factotum-brewhouse-taproom) so that Christopher and Laura may make improvements to the taproom including the purchase of a glass-paneled garage door to bring sunshine into the brewery.

Factotum will also provide special discounted prices for beer bloggers, bicyclists, and teachers.

Mission Statement: Factotum Brewhouse assists homebrewers in creating a highly-drinkable product by providing professional brewing equipment, guidance and education, and a beer-loving community defined by mutual support, unbiased opinion, and a philosophy that anybody can brew.

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About David Pennington

Denver based writer and editor. Managing Editor of Denver Off The Wagon. Usually up to some kind of delinquency. Photos of dogs, beer, and gnarly knee scars over at http://bendandbrew.com