A granddaddy of Denver’s craft brewing scene, 17-year-old Great Divide Brewing Company [2]’s taproom has long been a favorite watering hole for locals and tourists alike. But the quaint (read: itty-bitty) space often left us feeling like sardines. Thankfully, the brewer announced [3] last month that it would nearly double its capacity (creating space for 75 more patrons). The new 450-square-foot space officially opened last Wednesday, just in time for the Great American Beer Festival [4]. That gives us plenty of room to sip a Titan IPA without bumping elbows with our bearded brethren on the next stool.

Below, a look back at some of Great Divide’s major milestones:

May ’94: Great Divide Brewing Company opens in a former dairy building on Arapahoe Street in what would become the Ballpark neighborhood (the Rockies moved to Coors Field a year later). The brewery is a one-person operation helmed by founder and owner Brian Dunn.

July ’94: The first beer, Arapahoe Amber, is poured for the public.

August ’94: The brewery expands its operation, adding three more tanks to the original two fermenting tanks.

September ’94: Great Divide is awarded its first medal at the Great American Beer Festival—a silver for its White Water Wheat (discontinued in 2005).

June ’96: Only two years old, Great Divide goes on to win its first international brew award at the inaugural World Beer Cup [5] in Vail, a silver medal for its St. Bridget’s Porter (discontinued in 2010).

September ’96: The brewery begins distributing to markets outside of Colorado.

March ’07: Great Divide opens its first taproom, with space for 50 people.

September ’10: Great Divide nabs a GABF silver for its Colette Farmhouse Ale [2]. (Since opening, the brewery has earned 17 GABF medals and five World Beer Cup awards.)

December ’10: By the end of the year, the brewery’s production was at an all-time high—putting out about 19,500 barrels worth of beer, or 65 more barrels than the year before.

August ’11: Unable to produce enough brews to keep up with much of its demand outside of Colorado, Great Divide decides to pull back [6] from the last of 17 distributors in multiple states. 

September 28, 2011: The brewery unveils an expanded tap room. 

—Image courtesy of Great Divide