The Beer Spa — Spa Review | Condé Nast Traveler
"What’s the vibe at this place? When you walk into Colorado’s first beer-themed spa, which opened this February in a residential area near Denver 's River North Art District RiNo , you’ll almost feel as though you’ve entered a microbrewery; the digs are decidedly masculine, with lots of wood and a dark green palette. Owners Damien Zouaoui and Jessica French were inspired to bring the beer spa concept back to the States after traveling through Eastern Europe, where many spots offer the chance to bathe in hot beer. In translating the idea for an American audience, they stripped out all the Mitteleuropa kitsch and modernized the concept, borrowing from Japanese and Korean spas. (In other words, this isn’t a place to get hammered with your mates on a stag party trip.) Instead of a traditional lobby, you’ll find a pour-your-own tap wall, with local beers, wines, ciders, and kombuchas—all served in a custom tumbler designed to withstand the heat of an infrared sauna. Take us into the room. How was the set-up? The session itself? Rather than book a traditional spa treatment, you’re left to your own devices in the hushed but comfortable private therapy rooms, not unlike how you might approach a Japanese onsen. Begin the circuit in the infrared sauna, which can reach up to 170-degree Fahrenheit (that tumbler of still-ice-cold beer is a lifesaver as you sweat and sweat some more); continue to a cold rinse under the rain shower to improve circulation; and then finish with a soak in the beer bath. If you’re afraid you’ll come out smelling as if you just had a tray of Bud Lights spilled on you at a baseball stadium, think again: The cedar hydrotherapy tub is filled with what might be called “beer tea,” hot water steeped with a bag full of aromatic hops, malted barley, and a seasonal blend of herbs, such as chamomile, calendula, and tulsi. If you want to go for, say, a low-key bachelor or bachelorette party, you can book adjoining treatment rooms, and they’ll lift the garage door in between them for a more communal experience. What about after the treatment? You’ll love the beer-infused shampoo, conditioner, and body wash found in the therapy room showers, and after you sweat off half your body weight in the sauna, the complimentary snack mix from nearby Jerry’s Nut House is a much-needed treat. You can extend the relaxation with an optional session in a zero-gravity massage chair, which scans your body, tilts you back, and then comes at you from all angles like some kind of super-relaxing robotic carwash. The chairs sit in a darkened, space-themed room, which gives the whole experience a bit of a psychedelic-meets-womblike vibe—especially after a few beers. What do they do best here, then? And how can we make sure we get the most out of it? You’ll love the beer-infused shampoo, conditioner, and body wash found in the therapy room showers, and after you sweat off half your body weight in the sauna, the complimentary snack mix from nearby Jerry’s Nut House is a much-needed treat. You can extend the relaxation with an optional session in a zero-gravity massage chair, which scans your body, tilts you back, and then comes at you from all angles like some kind of super-relaxing robotic carwash. The chairs sit in a darkened, space-themed room, which gives the whole experience a bit of a psychedelic-meets-womblike vibe—especially after a few beers." - Nicholas DeRenzo
