Denver Craft Beer Meets Denver Home Styles | September: IPAs & Bold Architecture
Written by Brian Trampler, Broker Associate and REALTOR® with Corcoran Perry & Co., Denver, CO.
Bold choices, on tap and on the market.
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Colorado has more breweries per capita than almost anywhere in the country, and Denver's housing stock is just as varied. This is Denver Craft Beer Meets Denver Homes, a monthly series that pairs a beer style with the Denver home style that shares its personality. It's not a serious methodology. It's a fun way to look at Denver's neighborhoods, and a reminder that whatever you're drinking, the house still needs a good inspection.
If you searched IPA Denver, Denver architecture styles, or you're just curious what your neighborhood's houses are actually called, you're in the right place. Knowing the difference between a Craftsman and a Victorian is more useful than it sounds once you actually start house hunting in Denver.
About the author: Brian Trampler is a Denver REALTOR® and Broker Associate with Corcoran Perry & Co., holding the Pricing Strategy Advisor (PSA) designation. He works with buyers and sellers across Denver and the Front Range, and writes about local neighborhoods, home styles, and market trends most agents don't bother covering.
IPA drinkers tend to know what they like and aren't shy about it. This week we're pairing four IPA styles with the Denver home styles that share the same personality.
Beer Style: West Coast IPA | Home Style: Modern Contemporary
West Coast IPA doesn't hide anything. Clean bitterness, clear hop character, no sweetness to soften it. Modern contemporary homes work the same way. Exposed steel, floor to ceiling glass, a floor plan that doesn't apologize for itself.
These homes started showing up in Denver in the 1950s and picked up steam again over the last two decades of infill construction. They tend to suit buyers who want the structure of the house to be part of the design, not something hidden behind drywall.
Worth knowing: Flat and shed roofs were considered a strange choice when these homes were new. Now they're one of the most recognizable silhouettes in parts of Denver.
Beer Style: New England IPA | Home Style: Craftsman
New England IPA trades bitterness for haze and fruit, built for people who want flavor without a fight. Craftsman homes, common in Denver neighborhoods built between 1900 and 1930, have that same approachable warmth. Built-in bookcases, window seats, real wood trim.
These are neighborhood houses. Front porches close to the sidewalk, modest lots, details that reward slowing down to notice them. If you like a beer that takes its time to get to you, a Craftsman probably will too.
Worth knowing: A lot of original Craftsman built-in china cabinets and buffets are still intact in Denver's older neighborhoods, and they're usually one of the first things buyers ask to keep.
Beer Style: Double IPA | Home Style: Victorian
Double IPA doesn't do subtle. High ABV, heavy hop load, a lot going on in one glass. Denver's Victorian homes, most built between 1870 and 1900, have the same energy. Turrets, gingerbread trim, asymmetrical rooflines.
These houses take commitment. Multiple stories, older systems, maintenance that never really stops. But the people who love them tend to love them completely, the same way Double IPA fans don't apologize for the choice.
Worth knowing: Original stained glass shows up in a surprising number of Denver Victorians, and it's one of the details that's genuinely hard to replace if it's damaged.
Beer Style: Session IPA | Home Style: Bungalow
Session IPA gives you hop character without wrecking the rest of your day. Bungalows, popular in Denver from 1900 to 1930, work on the same principle. Real character, sensible size, nothing you can't manage.
Built-in storage, efficient layouts, a front porch made for actually sitting on. These homes were built for people who wanted a full life without a house that demanded all their time and money to keep up.
Worth knowing: A lot of Denver bungalows still have original built-in ironing boards tucked into hallway cabinets, a small detail that says a lot about how these homes were designed to be lived in.
Brian's Non-Alcoholic Pick This Month
Sober curious? Here's the non-alcoholic brew that fits this month's theme: There are lots of great-tasting NA IPA options, but for me, it's Easy Dust IPA from Elysian Brewing. It's a nice, clean, refreshing IPA that just happens to be NA. They describe it as "a smooth ride on a dusty trail."
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Whether you're drawn to the clean lines of modern contemporary or the character of a Victorian, there's a Denver neighborhood built with your beer's personality in mind.
Brian Trampler is a Denver native and Broker Associate with Corcoran Perry & Co. He holds the Pricing Strategy Advisor (PSA) designation and works with buyers and sellers across the Denver metro and Front Range.
Before real estate, Brian spent over 20 years in IT product management and product marketing. He has coached boys' gymnastics in Park Hill for 20 years and has performed in Colorado theatre for more than 50 years. He brings the same instincts from coaching and performing - connection, timing, and helping people feel confident through the process - to every transaction.
Send Brian a message, or you can reach Brian at 303.638.1633 or email btrampler@corcoranperry.com.
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