Now pouring: 2 new breweries launch in Loveland

Jacob Laxen | The Coloradoan

Show Caption Hide Caption The 11 Breweries of Loveland Here are the beer producers of the Sweetheart City.

A pair of longtime Loveland homebrewers graduated to the commercial level this month.

Rock Coast Brewery and Dratz Brewing have joined the Sweetheart City beer scene. There are now 11 breweries in Loveland, including three that have opened in 2018.

“It is amazing experience to scale up your homebrews,” said Rock Coast co-founder Dave Murphy. “The recipes have come out true to form.”

Rock Coast debuted on July 13 out of the old Adelita's Mexican Restaurant at 414 E. Sixth St. So far, the brewery has released a chili cream ale, a golden ale, a citra IPA and a Belgian blonde.

“The reception and reviews have just been awesome,” Murphy said.

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Rock Coast operates as a brewpub, with the full-service AKA Kitchen serving up brunch, small plates, burgers and sandwiches. The operation is open six days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays.

The restaurant portion of the business is run by Evan Shaffer, an accomplished chef who most recently worked at the prestigious Chimney Park in Windsor.

Dratz Brewing debuted to the public on July 20 at 965 E. 11th St. in the Redwood Business Park.

The brewery taproom will host a grand opening celebration this weekend, with discounts and giveaways.

“We are excited to introduce our beers to Loveland,” said Dratz co-founder Kerry Drake. “Loveland has been booming and growing so much.”

Dratz has debuted with a kolsch, a pale ale and a brown IPA. A special raw pineapple rosemary saison will be tapped at 3 p.m. Saturday as part of grand opening festivities.

The operation is named after Drake’s original family name — records indicate that his ancestor Josias Dratz changed his name to sound less Dutch when he immigrated to the U.S. from Amsterdam.

The Dratz taproom sells a few snack items, and customers are also allowed to bring food into the brewery. The taproom is open from noon to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and noon to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Rock Coast and Dratz aren’t the only breweries to open in Loveland this year. Tilted Barrel Brew Pub launched at 110 E. 29th St. in May — the brewery has tapped a pale ale, a New England-style hazy IPA and a vanilla porter.

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Laughing Leprechaun Meadery and Mechalore Mead Works are also scheduled to open in Loveland this fall.

“The local breweries all help each other out, and there’s a really great camaraderie here,” Drake said. “It is a great thing to be part of.”

Follow Jacob Laxen on Twitter and Instagram @jacoblaxen.

Loveland breweries

Rock Bottom Brewery, 2007

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, 2010

Big Beaver Brewing, 2010

Loveland Aleworks, 2012

Verboten Brewing, 2013

Buckhorn Brewers, 2013

Crow Hop Brewing Co., 2013

Big Thompson Brewery, 2015

Tilted Barrel Brew Pub, 2018

Rock Coast Brewing, 2018

Dratz Brewing, 2018