Bold Character: Meet Depew

Bold Character is more than just a catchphrase at Great Divide, it’s the philosophy behind what we brew, how we think, and what we believe. We’d like to introduce you to another Bold Character around here, Chris Depew.

How long have you worked at Great Divide?

I’ve been with GDBC for just over 5 glorious years!

What’s your position at GD?

Well, since I started this brewery back in ’94…just kidding. I guess you could call me a Brewing/Cellar Production Specialist (which is a fancy way of saying I get covered in beer and clean things for a living), but I like to refer to myself as the brewery “Jack of All Trades.” I’ve done just about every job and operated almost every piece of equipment in the brewery and that’s something I take a lot of pride in.

Have you always had that position at GD? 
I began my GD career just like most brewers begin theirs – on the bottling line. I also helped run the keg machine when it was needed. My stint in packaging lasted a little over a year before I made the move into the cellar and to running the DE filter. After about a year of cellaring, I finally got to climb the stairs of the brew deck and mash in my first Titan. From then on the rest is history.

What is your favorite GD beer?

Ah, heck…it changes constantly. “Slam-urai” (or Slammie for short) is my go-to post-work beer of choice, but I love to drink/cook with Hoss, Hercules always gets the party started and I do enjoy a Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti on a Sunday morning. But if I had to choose only one I’m going with my girl Orabelle.

And your favorite GD Icon?

I’d say either Colette or Orabelle…both are beautiful but make no mistake, either one could kick your ass.

We heard you used to be in a band called Single File, what kind of music did you guys play?

Ha, how did I know this question would be on here!? To me, I think we were the perfect blend of both kinds of music: country AND western (a little shout out to the greatest movie of all time – if you don’t get it you’re not bluesy, nor are you a brother). Nah, in all seriousness I guess you could have called us “pop-alternative.” A few of our biggest influences were Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Motion City Soundtrack, and The Beatles.

What was the largest audience you ever played in front of?

Well, we did play the Reading and Leeds festivals in the UK which was pretty rad, but I’d say Channel 93.3’s Big Gig at Fiddlers Green in 2009 was probably it. I think there was between 18-20,000 people there that year.

Do you still play music?

I have some friends that I jam with on occasion, but it’s just for fun. I’ll bring a case of beer and we’ll spend the evening drunkenly slaughtering Tom Petty tunes.

We also heard you like to get a little adventurous in the kitchen. Tell us about one (or some) of your cooking and baking adventures.

I do love to cook. Can’t lie, I make a pretty mean chicken wing, but I think my specialty would probably have to be pizza. New York-style thin crust, Chicago-style deep dish, it doesn’t matter. I like to have a “pizza party” at home at least once a month (sorry Papa John)! But I digress. About a month ago we were having a pizza party at the house and I was SO excited. I got all the dough ready, the first pizza built, went to throw it in the oven and…I forgot to turn the oven on. There may have been beer involved…excellence is in the minor details!

Word on the streets is that you like to fly-fish, what’s your favorite area to fish around Denver?

There are SO many great places here in Colorado to fly-fish, but the South Platte at Deckers has always been my “home water”. I’ve also really gotten turned onto some other great places within an hour or two of the Metro area. South Boulder Creek is great for dry-fly fishing, and you can never go wrong with the Dream Stream or Eleven Mile Canyon.

Rainbow or Cutthroat?
Greenback Cutthroat – it’s Colorado’s state fish!

It’s no secret you’re a bit of a romantic. What’s the craziest/most extravagant thing you’ve ever done to impress a lady?

Well, aside from the go-to Applebee’s 2-For-$20 and an Adam Sandler movie on laserdisc, I’m a big fan of suiting up. I like to throw on a suit, bring some flowers and have surprise reservations at a very nice restaurant. I’ve also put a mixtape together and stood in a girl’s yard with an old boom box (NO, I didn’t steal that move from John Cusack).

Do you ever get your lip piercing caught on things?

All the time – on other girls’ lip rings.

Do you know what you’re wearing to this year’s Christmas party yet?

Oh yeah. Just have to get everything to the cleaners. I can expense that right!?