StoryDearfield Strawberry Blonde Ale is a nod to the rich agricultural history of Dearfield, CO. The town’s name embodies the feeling that this land is “near and dear to our hearts.” Founded in 1910, residents would farm strawberries and barley which inspired us to create this special brew. Enjoy, knowing we hold this blonde near and dear to our hearts.
This beer was first created by partnering up with the African American History Professor at the University of Northern Colorado, George Junne. The idea behind the beer is to make something that the town of Dearfield would be able to create on their own, if they had made beer. In 2009, the year before the 100th anniversary of Dearfield, George Junne asked Crabtree to make a beer to celebrate the centennial of this signifitcant town. OT Jackson--the founder of Dearfield--and the culture of Dearfield inspired this beer. Dearfield was the largest settlement west of the Mississippi. The city was not granted water rights to the river less than one mile away, so the city was built using dry irrigation. OT Jackson was also a bootlegger, giving him a special place in our hearts. In order to create a beer that the people of Dearfield could have produced, Jeff researched what crops could be grown in Colorado pre-dust bowl era using dry irrigation. Barley grows well with these conditions, and strawberry grows naturally and wild in the area. After the centennial celebration, Dearfield proved to be incredibly popular and is now our best selling beer. Our Dearfield success is tied to OT Jackson--he worked for years and years to establish the city of Dearfield, and we have worked for years on polishing this best-selling beer. We brew thousands of gallons each month. |
SpecsWith its light, refreshing body plus a touch of real strawberry, it’s the perfect beer to sip after a hard day’s work.
Stats5% ABV
11.4 IBUs Pale Malts Black Malts Cascade and Hallertau Hops Strawberries |
A lovely Dearfield boil
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Moving Dearfield into a conditioning tank
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Dearfield fermentation in full swing
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KUNC did a wonderful story on the historical significance of Dearfield, CO, highlighting this forgotten piece of African-American history. The story includes some beautiful photos of this nearby ghost town.
