With limited taproom, Colorado Springs brewery stocks local, family-owned stores

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Breweries across the county have been impacted by the pandemic, and some have even had to dump out their beer that went bad during the government-mandated closures. 

FH Beerworks in Colorado Springs says they've been working to avoid a similar fate.

"We're actually going to be able to can those beers and get them on liquor store shelves 'cause that's where the most volume is happening right now," says Travis Fields, owner of FH Beerworks.  

But time is money, and both are of the essence.

"We're selling so little beer on draft that we still have all the winter seasonals. So we just have these beers sitting and at some time they're going to get too old," says Fields.

As of right now, Fields says taproom sales are down almost 80%, and he's anticipating another financial hit on the horizon.

"The secondary issue that we are going to be facing is 50% capacity. We rely on a full taproom and beer garden and the summer months are when we stockpile, so all the money we're losing from not being open is really affecting what carries us through winter," says Fields.

In order to get those seasonal beers canned and on liquor store shelves before they go bad, Fields says he's had to invest in some new equipment. Fields said they're hoping canning their beers and offering takeout and delivery services can keep them afloat until they reopen. 

But even amid all of the uncertainty surrounding the brewery's future, Fields said he's still focused on supporting other small businesses by selling his canned beer to family-owned liquor stores.

"We stick with that as one of our values: supporting local, supporting small," says Fields.

As of last week - Fields says FH Beerworks was approved for the paycheck protection program - but they haven't seen the funds come in from it yet.

More information on how to place a delivery or takeout order at FH Beerworks here.