At 9:30am within the morning, my Lyft pulled as much as a constructing on a nondescript nook of Downing St and E. thirtieth Ave in Denver, CO. I noticed nobody round as I walked as much as the frosted glass door and pushed. However the door remained locked. For a second I stood there not sure: Was I in the fitting place? What was I doing right here? However I instantly silenced all these ideas as I heard an audible click on. Summoning my braveness, I took one final go searching, set free a deep breath, and walked inside The Beer Spa.
I’ll be sincere, after I heard the phrases “beer” and “spa” in the identical sentence, I panicked a bit.
What’s a beer spa? Am I going to be soaking in a bath of beer? Will this concept work?
Those that know me most likely received’t be shocked to listen to me say: I’m not one for magnificence regimens; I discover the considered one other human digging their palms into my again about as comforting as ingesting a barrel-aged stout on a one-hundred-degree day; and I spend much more time ingesting Bomb! than dabbling in tub bombs. (Though I’ll admit, I do love the occasional sizzling tub and a e book.)
However from my very first step inside, The Beer Spa whisked me away into a bit oasis. One which I’d by no means have identified existed if I used to be simply passing by on the road.
Inside this small slice of tranquil paradise, I discovered a spot as equally devoted to plumbing me with beer as primping and pampering me.
All in a beautiful house with extremely considerate touches.
So let me say, coming from somebody who has beforehand averted spas with a ardour, The Beer Spa in Denver is freakin’ superb.
Who Got here Up With the Thought for a Beer Spa?
Craft beer by itself: a thriving neighborhood.
Spas too have their very own place in virtually each tradition.
However collectively?
A beer spa isn’t one thing we’ve essentially seen usually right here within the U.S.
However you will discover them elsewhere world wide.
In truth, The Beer Spa house owners Damien Zouaoui and Jessica French first found beer spas whereas touring.
Each with former company careers, the duo give up their jobs in 2017, opting to journey the world in the hunt for a brand new enterprise thought.
After visiting twenty-five international locations in fourteen months, French and Zouaoui determined to mix the thought of the beer spas they present in Europe with inspiration from the spa cultures of Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia.
Collectively, they opened The Beer Spa in early 2021. And for the final 12 months and a half, the have been offering the nice of us of the Mile Excessive Metropolis with a watering gap not like any I’ve ever seen.
Beer First, Spa Second
Make no mistake, beer weaves its method by means of each step of The Beer Spa.
Instantly upon strolling in, I used to be requested two issues: Can you are taking off your footwear (and slip into these uber snug slippers supplied by The Beer Spa), and what beer would you wish to drink?
Leveraging their very own self-pour faucet wall from IPourIt, The Beer Spa encourages you to easily faucet your distinctive RFID card on the panel above a faucet deal with and replenish your individual The Beer Spa branded tumbler, uniquely insulated to maintain your beer chilly (extra on that later), with no matter beer, wine, cider, kombucha, and even NA choice you need.
Every month, The Beer Spa companions with a special native brewery to function upwards of 5 completely different beers on faucet.
After I visited in October, The Beer Spa featured Ska Brewing, even collabing on their very own beer referred to as Spa Sidekick.
A cucumber lemon gose brewed with freshly juiced cucumber, lemon zest, coriander, and Utah rock salt, Spa Sidekick appeared to imitate the everyday cucumber- and lemon-infused waters you may sometimes discover at a spa.
Making an attempt a bit style, I discovered the beer to be very refreshing and a bit zesty. However finally, for a bit hair of the canine, I went for the uber gentle, crushable Ska True Blonde Ale.
In spite of everything, I used to be right here to “detox” from an epic 4 days of ingesting and consuming round Denver.
A Spa Above
What you’ll discover instantly about The Beer Spa is this can be a spa above. Extra modern in intention and design, The Beer Spa is form of like a boutique taproom cum industrial nation membership.
It’s a contemporary method. One which means the taproom space in entrance has huge plush blue armchairs, velvety jungle inexperienced loveseats, and even an old-school claw-footed bathtub crammed with white and black balls.
Indicators all through the spa encourage you to take your individual wacky photographs within the tub, posting them on Instagram in your likelihood to win a free spa bundle.
Touches like that present how French and Zouaoui made The Beer Spa with extra of the Millenial in thoughts.
These little nuances will comply with you throughout, from the gender impartial restrooms encouraging a extra inclusive atmosphere to your individual particular person Remedy Room.
After ensuring I had a full cup, the tremendous pleasant workers gave me a tour and ushered me into my very own non-public Remedy Room.
For the subsequent hour, in my very own little paradise, I may leisurely stroll myself by means of their wellness expertise.
And whereas I had no downside pampering myself at The Beer Spa, it’s not unusual to seek out {couples} stress-free in one of many 4 beer remedy rooms collectively and even teams of buddies. French and Zouaoui designed the rooms with storage doorways in between them that may be lifted to accommodate events! Once more, one other well-considered contact.
As a result of right here, beer isn’t only a novelty. Moderately, the total therapeutic advantages of hops and barley are on full show outdoors of your glass in three completely different phases.
You’re Not Fairly Soaking in a Tub of Beer…However Shut
First, your “Beer Remedy Circuit” begins with a twenty-minute schvitz in a Sunlighten™ sauna. A kind of infrared remedy that may attain as much as 150 levels, this particular sauna gives a detox that’s seven to 10 occasions better than a standard sauna.
Whereas in a standard sauna the common individual sweats out three % toxins and ninety-seven % water, in a Sunlighten™ sauna one sweats out twenty % toxins and eighty % water. (I realized this reality from a useful laminated sheet The Beer Spa conveniently gives.)
Tip the preset hourglass over, sit again, and watch the sands of time slowly pour out as sweat and toxins depart your physique.
After a twenty-minute sojourn within the sauna, you meander over to the “Bathe Beer,” the place you’ll get a fast ten- to fifteen-second dunk in a chilly bathe (bathe beer!). Wash away the sweat and emerge clear and refreshed.
For the third and ultimate step of your journey, you get to soak in a sizzling tub that’s stored only a skosh cooler than regular to be sure to can totally take pleasure in your dip with out getting overheated or dehydrated (one other considerate contact).
Inside you’ll discover an fragrant bag of malt and hops from one of many native beers on faucet for the time being. This go to was Ska’s Pin Stripe crimson ale that includes Columbus hops and English Caramalt plus The Beer Spa’s personal addition of an herb of the month: Dill Seed, identified to spice up pores and skin firmness and clean superb traces and wrinkles.
Tack on a Zero Gravity Therapeutic massage
I emerged from my hour-long beer sweat and soak totally relaxed. Beer in hand, I cooled down of their lounge space. (Once more, stored only a tad bit colder to maintain you from overheating). The workers provided me extra water to maintain me hydrated and I simply sat in a second of silence and bliss.
I didn’t examine my telephone for Slacks.
I didn’t see if I had any unread emails.
And I definitely didn’t scroll by means of Instagram.
I simply sat down sipping my still-cold Ska True Blonde Ale and loved being totally calm.
In the event you’re on the lookout for the sprinkles on high of the proverbial sundae, add on a Zero Gravity therapeutic massage the place you sit in a chair and let this superb contraption roll, squeeze, and press your physique like a ball of dough.
And I assumed I couldn’t get any extra relaxed.
It’s All of the Little Touches
All the things at The Beer Spa has been thought out. As an example, the custom-made tumblers that hold your beer chilly even within the 100+ diploma sauna. Or the supplied robes and slippers and the gender impartial restrooms.
You’ll be able to even hit the non-public bell by the door in your private room to have somebody drop by to high off your tumbler with extra beer.
From the second you stroll within the entrance door, French and Zouaoui have curated The Beer Spa with one factor in thoughts: to create an unbelievable expertise with beer in your glass and beer out of your glass.
The Beer Spa is the right place for a date, a celebration with buddies, or to chill out by yourself.
Run, Stroll, or Lyft to The Beer Spa Proper Now
I admit, I wasn’t positive what to anticipate right here. However I left The Beer Spa able to hit the airport feeling a bit extra rested, relaxed, and detoxed (with, in fact, only a tiny hair of the canine).
That is an extremely distinctive expertise you received’t wish to miss if you happen to’re in Denver. Simply ideally go to after you’ve spent a weekend reveling within the Mile Excessive Metropolis.
