UTurn BBQ- Lafayette, Colorado

Lafayette, Colorado- Old Burger King Joint Converted into Phenomenal Brewery/Barbecue Restaurant

Written with Excitement by: Alicia

3/11/2018

On a recent visit to Uturn BBQ and Brewery, nestled near highway 287 and Baseline Road, we caught up with Shem (co-owner) and David (brew master) to learn about their process. We discussed the beer, the architecture, devoured their food, and even got to tour the brew room. Our trip wasn’t a planned adventure, but I think a lot of people would enjoy this place which is why I am writing this article. It’s a perfect example as to how hospitality and passion for quality product breeds excellence in a growing community.

Craft breweries are everywhere and sometimes it hard to distinguish the differences between breweries; however, Uturn BBQ and Brewery has found their niche in the beer and food industry. Uturn branched out and found a creative avenue by developing the first ever drive-thru for craft beer and food. That’s right, you can drive up to a window to buy your meal and order cans of their beer along with food!

At the beginning of our visit, I tried their stout and another stout infused with chipotle and cherry flavor. One of the owners, Shem, kindly gave me the opportunity to sample both stouts. I ended up drinking the Uturn Dark stout with my pulled pork plate with a side of mac and cheese and green beans. After our meal, we liked the pairing so much, we ordered the home-made brownie. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s worth your money to try that brownie. As we ate the brownie, my boyfriend and I were chatting about the best items you could pair with the brownie. To our surprise, Shem came by with a sample of the chipotle and cherry infused stout to pair with our huge brownie. Hands down, I could have that beer paired with the brownie everyday.

During our meal, we casually chatted with Shem about the history of Uturn BBQ and Brewery.  Here are some interesting facts from our conversation.

1. The ambiance within the restaurant. To our surprise this building used to be a Burger King. Once Shem and his team took ever, they went to great effort to make this place stylish. Everywhere you look you see wood and the enclosed lights reflecting on the wood to create a clean, fresh open vibe. The back of the restaurant has two huge back doors that can open to the patio to allow customers to enjoy summer days with fresh air if the patio is full. To our surprise the area with the overhead door used to be the location for the Burger King play area. Since we live in Colorado, I also had to confirm you are welcomed to drink beer with your dog on the patio. Shem also pointed out the work they did on the floors which belonged to the previous restaurant.
   1. 1. Interesting Fact: Shem and his team secured that wood from a barn in Wyoming. Additionally, Shem and his father have impressive experiences designing restaurants.
      2. My Suggestion: When you step into Uturn,take a minute to feel the energy. Then, look at all of the detail from the wood, to the decorations on the table, the bar area, the pictures, the restroom design, and the back room with the doors to the patio.
2. Ask for a Tour of the Brew Room: The brew master’s name is David. He’s friendly and excited about his work. His attention and excitement about his work was similar to the passion Shem expressed about this business. We learned a lot of brewing details from David; however, the most interesting point I took from that conversation was how much more time they invest in the brewing process compared to other craft breweries.  1. Interesting Fact: According to an article in the Denver Westword written about this brewery, state liquor laws don’t allow restaurants to sell beer to go unless they brew it themselves. So the family added the brewery and a canning machine to their restaurant concept. We saw the canning machine and discussed their next steps to get a crowler machine.2. My Suggestion: Try the dark beer.

All that said, Uturn BBQ is phenomenal and worth the trip. After your visit, I would suggest you head to Waneka Lake. It is located about 5 minutes from UTurn BBQ and brewery. It’s 1.2 miles of gravel path that winds around a calm lake. There is exercise equipment stationed throughout the path. Additionally, there is a spot on that path where you can listen to a lovely melody from a variety of birds.

Interested in learning more? Westword wrote an informative article with more detail behind the design, staff, and food for UTurn Bbq. Let me know what you thought of this place! We tried their bbq pork plate and the bbq brisket plate as well as the brownie. For beer, I sampled both stouts on tap.