Elk Mountain’s licorice wheat packs a punch, is a taproom hit
By Steve Graham

*Photo: Angie Wright*
Red Fang
Style: Red licorice double red wheat
Brewery: Elk Mountain
Location: Parker
IBU: 45
ABV: 7.2 percent

Elk Mountain Brewing owner and founder Tom Bell has 25 years of brewing experience and notes his specialty is “German beers with a twist.”

This year, an unusually heavy and colorful wheat beer at his Parker taproom has a completely new type of twist — a red licorice twist.

Elk Mountain head brewer Shannon Madruga created Red Fang, possibly the world’s first red licorice double red wheat.

“I always like to push the envelope and try something new,” Madruga said. “You never know. You might stumble across something that’s absolutely fantastic.”

She said she wanted to make a heavy wheat beer — it ended up at 7.2 percent ABV, well above the typical wheat beer. The addition of red licorice was her husband Mike’s idea.

The licorice was added in secondary fermentation for a noticeable but not overwhelming flavor.
“It had a little bit of the sweetness from the licorice, and the wheat balanced it out,” she said.
Red Fang is named for a weasel character in the “Redwall” books, a series of novels for young readers that takes place in a world populated by rodents.

Madruga said the announcement of the Red Fang release was a draw for some new customers, and others tried it out of curiosity, but most appreciated the flavor.

The beer earned a 3.6 out of 5, and some good reviews from the loyal drinkers on the Untappd site. They were especially eager to post photos of the unusual dark red wheat beer.

“It went over really well,” Madruga said. “We sold out of it really fast.”
Of course, Madruga helped polish off that first batch.
“I drank my fair share of it,” she said.

She said she started learning about brewing before she could drink, when she worked in a restaurant and brewpub during high school. Although she was a hostess and server in the restaurant, she became fascinated with brewing.

She has been home brewing for 12 years, and has worked in the industry for five years.
Madruga is partial to drinking Belgian beers, but likes brewing and trying all styles of beer, so Elk Mountain isn’t confined to a certain niche.

“We do a little bit of everything,” she said. “If you’re into Belgian beers and your friend is into German beers, you will both find something you like.”

Madruga may brew Red Fang again, but is focusing on other new creations in the meantime. Elk Mountain recently released a mint kolsch and a peanut butter brown ale. Every Wednesday, the brewery taps a new and unique firkin of something creative and tasty.

Steve Graham is a Fort Collins writer who enjoys the outdoors and great beer.