By Kristen Kuchar

Walking into Stronghouse Brew Pub in downtown Telluride, customers are transported back in time. The building, built of stone and metal in 1892, is the last surviving intact building in the city’s historic Four Corners corridor.

It originally functioned as a warehouse, supplying the town with hay and produce. Since then, the building has housed the local newspaper, restaurants, and an art co-op.

It was important to owner Victoria Chapus to preserve that part of Telluride history, and to be true to the legacy. The addition of a warm and welcoming brewpub seemed like a perfect fit.

“You can kind of feel the soul of the building,” says Managing Partner Pam Cunningham.

The building underwent an extensive two-year restoration process to bring it back to its original state, wherever possible. The team even brought in a 20-foot mahogany Brunswick bar from the 1880s, which was also preserved as much as possible. “We didn’t want it slick and pretty,” Cunningham says.

The beer, however, is produced with the latest technology. General Manager Mike Hayes describes the beer list as balanced and approachable, with a variety of lagers and ales, mainstays and rotating seasonal brews.

The four staples are a German-style pilsner, a simple American-style pale ale, a rotating IPA, and a honey ginger blonde.

“It was meant to be a one off, but it was one of our best-selling beers,” says Hayes of the blonde brewed with honey and fresh ginger. The beer is all brewed in-house by Brewmaster Sam Enders, and is available on tap, in 16 ounce cans and 32 ounce crowlers to go, and on a few local taps around town.

The brews inspired the simple but intentional food menu, and everything is made in-house, according to Cunningham.

“The beer came first and food came after,” she says. “We wanted the sense of an alpine pub.”

The most popular items are the steak sandwich, Colorado-made brats, roasted beet hummus, and the Bavarian pretzel. Beer is incorporated into food throughout the menu – beer-brined chicken, hop salt, a coconut porter brownie, and beer cheese made with pale ale, to accompany the pretzel.

The pub has already received some impressive accolades – landing 4th on USA Today’s list of the 10 Best Brew Pubs in America, and earning shout-outs from Conde Nast Traveler and the Telluride Daily Planet.

Guests can dine in or sit outside on the dog-friendly patio.

“The idea is to be envisioned as a local hangout and to be there as much for the locals as the tourists,” Cunningham says. She wants everyone to be able to get a good meal and a beer for less than $20.

The goal is for customers to just walk in, see someone they know, and grab a beer and hang out. But if you don’t know anyone, the place feels welcoming, she says, so folks might just make a new friend.

Stronghouse Brew Pub is located at 283 S. Fir Street in Telluride. For more information, call 970-728-2890 or visit stronghousebrewpub.com.

Kristen Kuchar is a freelance writer covering food, libations, music and other Colorado gatherings.