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Art, Entertainment & Lifestyle Nov / Dec / Jan - 2015-16

Buffalo Bill On-Line

LIFE & Expanded
LEGEND
Coverage
• Great Live Music
• Amazing Individuals Shopping & Dining in
• Holiday & Winter Events
Jefferson County

“Gateway to the
Rocky Mountains”

... and so much more!

The Legend Lives

The 67 Year History of El Rancho Lives on
as an Exciting New Brewery
and Dining Experience.

Coffee • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner • Craft Beer

Off Interstate 70 at the corner of US Hwy 40 and Hwy 74
www.elranchobrewing.com

JeffCo2 Living • Nov. Dec. Jan. 2015-16 • www.JeffCoLiving.com

The Legendary El Rancho Lives On!
Although she was just there to meet up with
They only needed two people within a parking lot next to the restaurant in 1987. a friend in the parking lot, Bob offered her a
one-mile radius to testify on their behalf They offered free meeting space to local job and she accepted on the spot.
but when thirty people showed up at the community organizations and Paul served
Jefferson County Commissioner’s Court, six years as Chairman of the Colorado State One man who lives nearby offered to mill
they were amazed. It’s rare that so many Tourism Board and a stint on the Jefferson beetle-kill trees for the restaurant’s tables in
would come to support a business getting County School Board. his local sawmill and explained that he used
a liquor license. Usually when a crowd to own post office box #25 back in the day.
shows up, it’s in protest. But that’s just how The restaurant was a favorite stop for He’ll be celebrating his 75th birthday at El
the Vincents knew that the Evergreen President Dwight Eisenhower who would Rancho in December presumably at the
community was fully behind the reopening eat there during hunting trips to Colorado table in the main dining room that was made
of El Rancho Restaurant in Evergreen, and is supposedly the reason why El Rancho with beetle kill wood from his property.
Colorado. has its own highway exit. It was in El
Rancho’s basement dining room in January, And apparently El Rancho’s next door
Bob Vincent and his wife Laurie, Tom 1986 that Gary Hart announced he would neighbor, Comfort Suites, is also excited
Vincent and his wife Kiria, and Paul Vincent not seek a third term as Colorado senator, about the restaurant coming back. As a
and his wife Yvonne bought the legendary paving the way for his candidacy for neighborly gesture, the owner of the hotel
El Rancho restaurant in May and will reopen president in 1988. had members of his staff restripe El
it this fall as a brewpub. In addition Rancho’s parking lot, unbeknownst to
to installing a state of the art ten-barrel Talking with new owners, Bob and Laurie the owners.
brewing system, they are doing everything Vincent, it’s apparent that they understand
possible to restore the property to its former what this restaurant means to the Evergreen Even the McEncroe children, John and
glory, pouring millions into its renovation community and beyond. Since they started Annie, stopped by but were unaware that
and employing only the best local craftsmen the renovation in mid-May, they have been the restaurant was under renovation. After
and contractors. inundated with stories from people who regaling the Vincents with colorful stories,
have just wandered by to see what all the they gave their wholehearted approval.
Priorities include making right a lot of commotion is about. One woman who
haphazard plumbing and electrical repairs stopped by recently told Bob that her grand- Family is very important to the endeavor.
that had been made over the years, father’s first job in America was tending bar When asked why the Vincent family
modernizing the HVAC and fire suppression at El Rancho after coming to this country decided to go into the restaurant business,
system, and repairing major water damage as a Hungarian immigrant in the 1950s. they said they had been looking for a project
sustained when a fire sprinkler broke in that would lure brother Tom, a long time
December, 2012. chef, to Colorado.

Aesthetically, the property will feature Although Chef Tom Vincent has copies of
high-end finishes, hand crafted cabinetry, the original recipes, including the much-
beetle-kill tables, and hand-hewn logs loved cinnamon roll recipe found inside a
throughout. The deck overlooking the “most wall during demolition, he wants to cook
photographed view of the Continental what he knows best. Ambitiously open
Divide” will receive a makeover and a seven days a week serving breakfast, lunch
sunken beer garden (opening in 2016) will and dinner, the menu will consist of 40%
be accessible from the private dining room house-smoked barbeque and the remainder
in the basement of the building. When will include hand-cut steaks, burgers, prime
completed, the new El Rancho Brewing rib and seafood. Tom has worked in food
Company will seat over 500 in six distinct service for 40 years, most recently as owner
dining areas and employ 70+ people. of Hero Catering in Yucca Valley, CA. He is
a master butcher and plans to make house-
The lodge-style restaurant has been an made sausages and eventually package
important part of the area since its opening them to go.
in 1947. The original owners, the Jahnke
family built it to seat 72 and raised their Admittedly, being in the restaurant
sons in the living quarters upstairs. But it business is a new experience to Bob and
was under the ownership of the McEncroe Laurie but their calm demeanor leads you
family that El Rancho flourished. Paul and to believe they can handle the pressure.
Donna McEncroe took over the family Perhaps that self-confidence is due to their
business in 1958 from Donna’s parents, Ray long careers in law enforcement for the US
and Mildred Zipprich who had added a Postal Service busting up identity theft rings
banquet business, kitschy gift shop and a and investigating postal fraud.
contract station for the U.S. Post Office.
Brother Paul is an electrical engineer by
The McEncroes eventually added a visitor trade and has definitely contributed his
information center in 1975 and an RTD expertise to the project. He’s even taking a

JeffCo20 Living • Nov. Dec. Jan. 2015-16 • www.JeffCoLiving.com

23-week advanced brewing course from
the American Brewers Guild so that he
can lend a hand in the brewery.

And that leads us to the beer.
Known as a “liquid innovator,” head
brewer Bard Nielsen originally pursued
a career in Environmental Design/
Architecture but developed a passion for
brewing after completing a home brewing
course in 2009. He was most recently
employed as assistant brewer at Dad and
Dudes Breweria in Aurora and won a
silver medal at this year’s Colorado State
Fair. With a ten barrel system and a one
keg pilot system, Nielsen can get creative.
His favorite style is IPA but he’ll be
making six year-round styles including
a brown ale, red ale, Palisade peach ale,
espresso stout, and honey blonde ale.
So whether it’s for an ice cold IPA
or an extra hot espresso, the Vincent
family hopes you’ll stop by and help
them celebrate the hard work that has
gone into securing El Rancho’s return
as a Colorado mountain institution.

— Lisa Langley

Top and background images from the
original establishment, circa 1950s,

Preparations being made to open seven Head brewer
days a week with newly remodeled Bard Nielsen
dining areas and furniture along with
professional craft brewery.

JeffCowww.JeffCoLiving.com • Nov. Dec. Jan. 2015-16 • Living 21