User:Shepstan/Left Hand Brewing Company

The Left Hand Brewing Company is a craft brewery located in Longmont, Colorado.

History
Left Hand began in December of 1990 with a homebrewers kit founder Dick Doore recieved from his brother. According to Dick, "it was all downhill from there." By 1993, Dick had teamed up with college buddy Eric Wallace and they resolved to start a brewery.

In September of 1993, they incorporated as Indian Peaks Brewing Company, and purchased a former meat-packing plant next to the St. Vrain river outside downtown Longmont, CO. A few weeks after beginning production, it was discovered that the name Indian Peaks was already in use by another Brewery, so the name was changed to Left Hand, in honor of Chieft Niwot (the Arapahoe word for "left hand") whose tribe wintered in the local area.

Left Hand's doors opened for business on January 22nd, 1994. Their first batch of beer was Sawtooth Ale, which has since become their most popular brew. In October of that year, Left Hand took home two medals at the Great American Beer Festival, a Gold Medal in the bitter category for Sawtooth Ale, and a Bronze Medal in the Robust Porter category for Black Jack Porter.

1998 was a big year for the still young brewing company. In April, Left Hand merged with Tabernash Brewing, and doubled the size of their brewery. In June, they began packaging 12 oz. bottles for 6 packs (up to that point they had been bottling 22 oz. bottles and kegs exclusively). In November, they started their own distribution business, Indian Peaks Distribution Company.

By 2009, the Tabernash line has been phased out, and Indian Peaks Distribution Company sold. In their thirteen years, they have accumulated fifteen medals and one honorable mention at the Great American Beer Festival, eight medals at the World Beer Cup, a Gold Medal at the International Stockholm Beer & Whiskey Festival.

Left Hand produces approximately 35,000 barrels a year, and they currently distribute their beer in over twenty-seven states.

Feature Film
In September of 2009, Left Hand's brewery facilities were used as a location for the independent feature film The Frankenstein Brothers, and many of it's actual employees and customers used as extras. The story of the film centers around two young boys who are orphaned, and inherit Left Hand from their deceased parents. The Left Hand facility was not used as a substitute for a fictional brewery - it's actual name and logo were used in frequently throughout film. The Frankenstein Brothers is set for release in early 2010.

Beers
Year Round:
 * Sawtooth Ale
 * Black Jack Porter
 * Milk Stout
 * Polestar Pilsner
 * 400 Pound Monkey
 * Stranger Pale Ale
 * Wake Up Dead (formerly Imperial Stout)

Seasonals:
 * Warrior IPA
 * Oktoberfest
 * Fade to Black: Vol 2
 * Good Juju

Limited:
 * Barrel Aged Wake Up Dead
 * Chainsaw
 * SmokeJumper
 * Twin Sisters
 * TNT

Retired:
 * Fade to Black: Vol 1
 * Haystack Wheat
 * Jackman's Pale Ale
 * Deep Cover Brown Ale
 * Widdershins Barleywine
 * Oak Aged Widdershins
 * St. Vrain Tripel Ale
 * Oak Aged Imperial Stout
 * Oak Aged Imperial Stout (Brandy)
 * Rye Bock Lager
 * Smoked Goosinator
 * XXXmas Ale
 * Snowbound Winter Ale
 * Goosinator
 * Terra-Rye'ZD
 * Depth Charge
 * Oxymoron