Brewing at 9,000 Feet: Inside Cloudcroft Brewing Company

Get to know Cloudcroft’s microbrewery behind the scenes.

Brewmaster Elliot Bell stirs a batch of Brown Ale at the Cloudcroft Brewing Company

Tucked into a renovated Forest Service tanker bay station that once housed wildland firefighting engines, Cloudcroft Brewing Company has become a cornerstone of the village’s food and drink scene.

With indoor and outdoor seating in a family-friendly atmosphere, CBC offers wood-fired pizza, house-made chips and salsa, soup, and salads alongside their craft beers—brews like Railspike Red Ale and Trainwreck IPA. The adjoining Distillery side serves pizza by the slice and craft cocktails in a 21+ setting.

But what makes a Cloudcroft beer? To find out, we spent a morning with head brewer Elliot Bell and Denver Weise as they fired up the brew kettle for a batch of brown ale.

Challenge of Altitude, Perks of Rainwater

“The higher you go, the harder it is,” Denver explains. At nearly 9,000 feet, brewing in Cloudcroft requires constant vigilance and adaptation. Water boils at a lower temperature here, which means the brewers have to modify nearly every step of the process.

“We actually have to dial the fuel down when it starts to get about 190 degrees,” Elliot adds, stirring the mash with a long paddle. “Any excuse it has, it’ll boil over. And we have to use more hops to get the same effect at altitude because it boils at a lower temperature.”

For Elliot, who spent 12 years brewing at Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery at 7,000 feet, high-altitude brewing is familiar territory. But Cloudcroft presented new challenges—and opportunities. “This is my 15th year brewing commercially,” he says. “I’ve tweaked the recipes here based on my experience. You’re always trying to make the beer better.”

One of Cloudcroft Brewing’s most distinctive features is its water source. “We use rainwater to make the beer,” Elliot explains, gesturing to a large storage tank. “That’s very unique. I’ve never experienced it before, and it ends up making a better beer because of the water quality.”

But rainwater presents its own challenge: it contains no minerals. “The rainwater has no minerals in it—none,” Elliot says. “So we add them back—calcium chloride, gypsum, magnesium sulfate, sodium bicarbonate—both for the health of the grain to let it convert starch to sugar, and for flavor.”

From Barley to Beer

The grain itself tells a story. “Ninety-nine percent of the grain we use is barley,” Denver notes, running his hands through bags of malt ranging from pale gold to chocolate brown. “We have chocolate barleys, pale chocolate—all presenting different colors and flavors.”

Denver Weise prepares to drop grain into the ale batch in the grain room above the microbrewery.

The roasted grains are particularly aromatic. “They go through a process called kilning,” Elliot explains. “They put them in a giant metal drum and heat it. I went to a maltster in Bamberg, Germany—the Weyermann company. They’ve been there hundreds of years, started in someone’s garage. Now it takes up three city blocks and provides malt for breweries around the world.”

When asked about customer favorites, Elliot doesn’t hesitate. “The light beers—the Cowboy Beer and the American Lager—are the most popular. Tourists usually want something light.” His own preference? “The American Lager.” Denver’s pick is their seasonal German Pilsner, available only in summer.

The Process: Hurry Up and Wait

As grain cascades down from the mill upstairs, mixing with hot water in the mash tun, the brewers explain their daily rhythm.

The process requires precision and patience. “It’s kind of like oatmeal,” Elliot observes, checking the consistency. “You don’t want it too thick and you don’t want it too loose.” Temperature is critical—too cold and the starches won’t convert to sugar; too hot and the beer will lack body and flavor.

“A lot of the day is hurry up and wait,” Elliot admits.

As the mash rests and the brewers set their timers, it’s clear that making beer at this altitude is equal parts chemistry, art, and mountain adaptation.

Elliot Bell (L) and Denver Weise (R) in their wheelhouse.

Open 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. most days (until 10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday), with Thursdays reserved for chili or Frito pie specials, CBC is closed Tuesdays. Follow them on Facebook for live music schedules.

This article originally appeared in the January 2026 Mountain Monthly.

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