Ascent Brewery, now open in Falcon, CO, is welcoming thirsty patrons with good beer, good
atmosphere and good people.

A New Chapter

Ascent Brewery is owned by husband-and-wife team Joe and Steph Prue. Both served in the United States Air Force–Steph retiring after 20 years of service, and Joe after 26 years. After decades as active-duty Space Operators, they retired out of Germany and bought a motorhome to travel the United States. Together, they traveled full-time for about four years and visited as many breweries as possible to learn from owners and brewers across the nation.

Joe had been homebrewing since 1993 on days off while in the military. After they both retired from the military, Steph and Joe decided it was time to do something fun for both themselves and the community. Ascent Brewery was born.

Skin in the Game

In 2021, well before their grand opening on May 22, 2025, the Prues purchased a little over 13 acres in Falcon, CO, and began planning development. Joe and Steph hired local Amish craftsmen to create the bones of the building with framing and siding; then came all the interior work.

“We had to hire a general contractor and subcontractors,” Joe said. “We interviewed several and,
because Steph and I wanted to have ‘skin in the game’ and know the ins-and-outs of the building, we worked side-by-side with the contractors every day running electrical wire, plumbing, sheetrock, etc., to ensure code requirements were met.

“The interior ceiling, stone wall, bar, trim, waterproofing the brewhouse, painting, bathroom design…that was just Steph and I.”

Their hard work paid off, creating an open and welcoming environment that can comfortably host
dozens of beer drinkers, both inside and out. The outdoor area features beautiful Colorado
countryside, plenty of seating and a huge yard for kids to run around.

Ascending to New Heights

“[To us], Ascent has many meanings,” says Joe. “It’s a tip of our hat to our Space Operations time, as there is a space orbital characteristic known as Right Ascension of Ascending Node (RAAN). Pikes Peak Ascent is also a grueling 13.3-mile race from Manitou Springs, Colorado, to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak. Additionally, Steph and I are always challenging ourselves with different adventures, so we are always ascending to new heights.”

Ascent’s purpose is to have a community place to gather, socialize, escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, and enjoy the countryside. A true Ascent experience is the location coupled with one of their craft beers. Ascent’s vision is to have two types of craft beers – Old World (European style) and New World (beers from the Americas).

Utilizing Lessons Learned

“We learned 4 valuable lessons from brewery owners and brewers during our travels,” said Joe.
“First, own your own property because landlords will inevitably raise your rent if you lease.” As many places in the brewing industry nationwide continue to be squeezed out of leased spaces, we at PorchDrinking would agree that this is an important factor these days.

“Second,” says Joe, “plan to expand. Odds are that you will have to expand your brewery, and without a plan ahead of time, you will already be behind the curve.” Steph and Joe are already discussing what’s next, even having been open for only two months so far. As both the owners and the only staff, schedules, brewing and work-life balance can get tough.

“Third, nothing good happens in a brewery after 9 p.m., so close at 9 p.m.” Safe enjoyment of the brews on tap is important to the Prues.

“And finally, if you buy big, you can fail big, meaning that if you buy brewing equipment that is too big, then you increase the chances of failure.” Joe says that it was recommended to go small and get a feel for their new customer base, then make an educated decision on a bigger system.

“This last one was a ‘ah-hah’ moment for us,” says Joe. “We thought our 1-barrel system would be
enough to get us through until we better understood the customer demand.  We did not expect that we would be so busy that we would have to rely on some guest craft brewery taps to bridge the gap of our own craft beers.” Steph and Joe are making it work, though, and plan to continue to collect data over the next few seasons, knowing that fall and winter may change demand and sales.

Events, Public and Private

Ascent has hosted live music nights, met with great success, and intends to book more soon. As they get the brewery underway, they are looking at other weekly events, such as trivia and bingo. Ascent is also available for private events, such as birthday or retirement parties. Interested individuals should contact Steph or Joe for more information. Ascent’s location is also an approved Harvest Host, for you RV campers out there.

Plan Your Visit!

The brewery is both kid- and dog-friendly. At the time of this article, Ascent Brewery is open
Thursdays and Fridays 3-9 p.m., Saturdays 12-9 p.m. and Sundays 12-8 p.m. When you stop in, be
sure to greet the brew dog, Bristol. This cream Goldendoodle is the official K-9 Greeter and ad-hoc
alarm system for the first customers of the day. She is on payroll, paid in treats and pets from
customers.

While visiting, be sure to check out the eleven beautiful wood carvings on the property, sculpted by local chainsaw artist John Wayne Busby (AKA Buzzsawbusby). You’ll find an osprey, a red-tailed hawk, two bald eagles, beer steins, a gnome house and, of course, falcons.

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