Prost Brewing to open in Colorado Springs

State of beer: Prost Brewing is converting the former Old Chicago pizza restaurant at First & Main Town Center into its first Springs location.

• The taproom hopes to open by the end of November.

The new outpost will include:

• A covered patio and a large outdoor communal seating area.
• A small stage for local musicians.
• An artificial-turf play area for kids.

The vibe: Prost specializes in traditional German styles, with a core lineup that includes Pilsner, kölsch, hefeweizen, Vienna Lager and dunkel, along with seasonal beers such as märzen.

The big picture: The Denver-based brewery has expanded in recent years to Fort Collins, Highlands Ranch, Northglenn and Wheat Ridge — defying the ongoing slump in craft beer sales.

• The expanded footprint is driving three years of conservative growth for Prost — now the state's ninth-largest brewery.

By the numbers: Last year, the beermaker saw 10% growth — among the top increases in the state — and produced more than 12,100 barrels.

• A beer barrel is 31 gallons.

What they're saying: "There have been a lot of hits and misses with breweries in the Springs, and we believe that Prost will be well positioned to compete, particularly with our niche as the highest quality German lager biers," Boyd Hoback, the company's biergarten director, told the Gazette.