Those looking to raid the cellar of one of Denver’s “biggest” beer makers have until Saturday. 

Burns Family Artisan Ales, a South Broadway staple brewery for almost seven years at 1236 S. Broadway, closes for good on May 31. 

In the craft brewery community, a “big beer” has double-digit alcohol by volume (abv), and Owner Wayne Burns came to Colorado with the moniker of “Michigan’s big-beer king.”

Burns announced on the brewery’s Facebook page , in a post titled “The fire is going out,” on May 13, that the taproom was closing. 

“We succeeded with our niche of barrel-aged and high-alcohol beer to the extent that we remain the 4th highest rated brewery in Colorado and consistently rate within the top ten breweries nationwide for our Solar Eclipse series,” according to the post. “We have a client base of loyalists who visit us regularly, cheerlead for us, promote us, and can’t say enough good things about us (thank you!)”

Many of those loyalists lined up Thursday to get bottles of beer—some of which have been aging in the cellar for years—, merchandise, and to visit with Burns and Laura Worley, chef and brewer. 

Burns declined further comments other than those on Facebook, which urge patrons not to “believe in rumor.” 

“The truth of the matter is that our taproom was full only on the rarest of occasions. We needed more patrons,” Burns wrote. “The most advantageous way to get the best cash flow is by selling someone a glass of beer, in your own place, over the bar. We simply didn’t have enough people visiting to enable growth.”

It survived the pandemic business shutdowns, and there’s no doubt the beers are fantastic, so the news surprised some. Commenters on the Facebook post shared fond memories of visiting Burns’ Great American Beer Festival booth, traveling to the brewery from out-of-state to take some home bottles, and, of course, sadness.

“Here’s hoping that Wayne and Laura have another Ship of Theseus moment in them, we all will be around for another journey with them,” wrote Bill Wood. 

Last year, the brewery earned a GABF bronze medal for “Artemesia,” a barrel-aged variant of its staple beer “Ship Of Theseus Old Ale” — a four-time GABF medal winner.

Some of Burns’ beers top 20% ABV, but they’ve tamed the harsh “burn” that often comes with high-alcohol brews. The label even claims it can age gracefully in the bottle for up to 25 years.

The eclectic variety of beers never disappoints. This reporter managed to secure the “Buche de Noel” bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout (16.2% abv), the “Solar Eclipse: Corona” bourbon and cognac barrel-aged Russian imperial stout (21.3%), and the “Auld Lang Syne” cognac barrel-aged barley wine (16.2%).

“We love each & every one of you – it is not your fault that we are closing,” Burns wrote. “It is not OUR fault. It’s just the way business can be.”

For closing week hours and more information, check burnsales.denver.com.