Heavy metal-themed brewery to close two locations in Aurora, Denver

A local brewery known for its inventive beers will soon shutter both of its locations on the Front Range.

Incantation Brewing, formerly known as Jade Mountain Brewery & Teahouse, announced its intent to close this week. Saturday will be the last day of business at its satellite taproom and coffee shop, located at 415 S. Cherokee St. in Denver. Its flagship brewery in Aurora, at 4233 S. Buckley Road, is already done serving customers.

Owner Sean Gurrero wrote a candid note explaining the brewery’s closure on its website, citing the economic challenges he’s faced since opening in 2021 as a reason for calling it quits.

Jade Mountain Brewery came to Aurora by way of Huzhou, China, where Guerrero operated a small craft brewery. The beer menu reflected those roots with styles that incorporated uncommon ingredients like squid ink and durian. Guerrero’s ingenuity brought something new to the Colorado craft beer scene, but that didn’t translate in dollars and cents.

“We struggled from the day we opened our doors,” Guerrero said in the closing announcement. “Despite creating something truly unique in the Colorado beer scene, we just never gained the following that we had hoped for. Maybe our branding was confusing, our beer names and styles. Perhaps what I created was too different, too niche or more likely it was because we opened in the middle of COVID in an uncertain political and economic climate.”

A year ago, Guerrero rebranded the business as Incantation Brewing in hopes of enticing more drinkers to visit more often. The brewery’s new look included a heavy metal ethos and a focus on more approachable styles for the American beer palate.

Despite initial backlash – “Craft beer drinkers and other brewers alike seemed to treat this decision like I killed their puppy,” he said – Guerrero accomplished his goal of getting more butts in seats.

Then, last summer, Incantation Brewing opened a satellite taproom in Denver that included a coffee shop, so customers could find alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in one place. That was Guerrero’s way of reaching drinkers in Denver and pivoting to meet the shifts in consumer drinking habits.

“Gone are the days of driving hours to Greeley or Glenwood Springs for good beer, many people won’t even walk one block to check out something new and different. But, to be fair, (six) months at Alameda isn’t giving it much of a chance. I just can’t make it with $100 a day,” he said.

He added, “I tried my best to keep things going, we’re just too far in the hole to dig ourselves out.”

Guerrero’s note alludes to the fact his brewery isn’t the only one struggling. Craft beer, once a booming industry, has experienced a downturn since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Colorado Beverage Coalition, 41 local breweries closed in 2024 and 140 have closed since the pandemic.