Business corner: Parker brewery prepares for St. Patrick’s Day party

Before Andy Barnett had his brewery in Parker, he was a hobbyist, making beers at home with the help of his ever-curious sidekick: his toddler son.

His son, who was about 4at the time, always wanted to help with the brewing, Barnett said.

“For him it was like a science project,” Barnett said.

One day, his son wrote out a label for one of the beers, calling it Barnett and Son. Years later, Barnett used the same name for his business.

“Now this is like my hobby out of control,” Barnett said from the taproom. “I left the corporate job when we opened this and no looking back.”

Barnett and Son Brewing Co., located on Twenty Mile road near the corner of Mainstreet, has been open since 2015. The local spot has a variety of beers on tap, including the Parker Pilsner, a blonde stout and a mango sour. 

“I think if there’s a theme here it’s that everything is balanced and drinkable,” he said. “Always we have something for everybody, light to dark, mild to hoppy.”

As spring gets closer and weather warms, the brewery is getting ready for one of their biggest events of the year: St. Patrick’s Day.

This year, the event will consist of a three-day party, beginning on March 17. The event will feature limited-edition beers, Irish performances and food trucks offering special menus.

“It’s a lot of fun when it’s packed,” Barnett said with a smile. “It’s so fun just the energy to have this place packed and have music going and beer flowing and food trucks serving up food.”

During the pandemic, business was up and down, with the second wave of shutdowns impacting Barnett and Son more than the first, Barnett said.

“This winter with omicron, people have just stayed home,” he said. “So, hopefully as the weather gets nicer and COVID is more under control, people are ready to come back out and enjoy themselves a little bit.”

The brewery hosts a variety of customers from families with kids to groups of friends. Most days, there are also food trucks available outside for those who drum up an appetite while sipping their brews.

“We try to appeal to a wide variety of people,” Barnett said.

The best way to keep up with the brewery’s events and happenings is through their Facebook or Instagram accounts, Barnett said.

“Parker is growing like crazy and there's a lot of new stuff being built, but people like to have their little place they call home,” he said.