Hop farm evolves into popular Meeker brewery

By Kristen Kuchar

Brothers Kevin and Kristopher Borchard couldn’t have predicted that a day of fishing would spark the inspiration for launching Smoking River Hops, but it did just that. The two noticed hops growing wild along the White River near Meeker and began to wonder if they could start growing hops here on a larger scale. Flash forward from that day in 2013 and they are now commercially growing 13 different varieties of hops on nine acres.

The organic hops are grown at an elevation of about 6,200 feet in the town of Meeker in the northwest part of the state. The hop varieties are alternated and include a wide variety – Comet, Galena, Nugget, and Yakima Gold, to name a few. Magnum and Mt. Hood seem to be the most popular variety for local breweries, Kevin says, and Glacier is the most popular hop that is shipped out of state. Wet hops are offered to breweries located in Northwest Colorado and the Front Range.

Flash forward again and the hops have another meaningful purpose – flavoring craft beer at the Smoking River Brewery in the same town. When Kevin was stationed in Italy while in the Air Force, he spent time around wine producers, where it was common for many of these artisans to make wine with grapes from their own vineyard. So, he thought, let’s give it a go with hops and beer.

“You have control from start to finish,” Kevin explains – from growing to harvesting to picking to brewing.

Smoking River Brewery opened in August 2021 and is a welcome addition to the town of Meeker. Growing and using their own hops, the Borchards offer the farm-to-mug concept that consumers have grown to love.

Head brewer Tyler Frye enjoys having immediate access to a diverse selection of hops when he’s ready to brew. The ability to use fresh hops provides unique aromas, he explains, that could potentially get destroyed during drying.

Each hop can lend totally different aromas and flavor profiles to a beer, such as Mackinac for example. “It’s been a really interesting hop to work with,” Frye says, pointing out notes of spiciness, pineapple, and tropical flavors.

Frye was raised in the craft beer mecca of Seattle, and after receiving a homebrew kit during graduate school, he ended up running with it. The talented brewer loves blending art and science, and the creative aspect of it all. And having a wide variety of hops grown so close to his fingertips makes it even more gratifying.

Patrons love the brewery’s fresh hazy IPAs and the robust porter. The biggest sellers are the hazy and tropical Two Headed Caddis Mountain IPA, Trout Sweater, which is brewed with fresh cashmere hops, the Vishaak Belgian Blonde, and the complex and toasty Reel Ripper Amber.

The team aims to offer beers that everyone can enjoy. Despite only being open a short time, there has already been quite a few seasonal beers brewed, too, including the Headless Trout Pumpkin Ale, an Oktoberfest beer, and Krampus Catch, brewed with three pounds of ginger snaps and molasses.

“We wanted to create a place where the community can come and hang out,” Borchard says. The brewery has an indoor and outdoor space and is family-friendly with non-alcoholic beverages available and rotating food trucks on the weekends.

The brewery interior has a true fishing lodge feel, down to local artist Ben Quinn completing a rendering of Trappers Lake on one wall, and a community fishing board with photos of friends and families fishing together. “It has a really quaint, warm feeling,” Frye says, adding that the whole community sometimes stops in to celebrate after high school games.

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