Littleton's Beer Scene Grows, With Jake's Brew Bar Leading the Way

Fortunately, it's not hard to find establishments all over the Denver metro area that serve a large array of great craft beer. So what sets a place apart from the rest? I'd say it's a combination of great service, excellent selection, and a certain element of charm or character. Jake's Brew Bar on Main Street in downtown Littleton has all of these, and it just added a lot more room as well. It's a coffee and craft beer bar, serving 38 rotating drafts and more than 40 bottles and cans of craft beer.

Jake's has been in existence for about two years, but I somehow just heard of it early this year. This past weekend Jake's celebrated an expansion and the addition of a beer garden, and I finally made it in to check out the place. The expanded bar, which houses the beer garden in the back, is next door to the original bar. The two spaces are connected by a front patio, and it fits in nicely among the boutique shops that line Main Street. Jake's decor is simple with white walls and craft beer signs, and sharp-looking wood floors and furniture.

A few minutes at the bar, and it just feels like home. Old black and white family photos are embedded in the bar, and bluegrass music plays over the sound system. To top off the charming, old-timey feel, the tap handles in the new bar space are a variety of old household and industrial tools. It's the perfect place to enjoy a glass or two of excellent craft beer and conversation with the bartenders or your fellow patrons.

The tap list is large and impressive, featuring beers from the east coast, west coast, and everywhere in between. There are several Belgian and German import selections as well. During my visit, I tried two beers from Colorado breweries that were new to me. One was a cask-conditioned glass of De Coup Wild Farmhouse Ale by Paradox Beer Company in Woodland Park. It's a delicious cask ale that has a rustic fruity character with a good deal of funk from the wild yeast. The other beer was Maiden's Kiss Maibock from Grimm Brothers Brewhouse in Loveland. This spring beer is a great example of the maibock style, with a pronounced malty sweetness and moderate earthy noble hop flavors.

There are plenty of other gems on the tap list that are more or less well-known, and that's a huge part of the appeal. I know that every time I go back to Jake's, there will be an eclectic selection of beers that I probably won't see elsewhere. The good folks at Jake's definitely know their stuff, they do things their way, and those who go in and explore are better off for it.