Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 8 to 8.25/10 and Yes. Situated right in the heart of downtown Nederland, this is a unique spot that was a brewery first and has added a smokehouse option to it. While the beers may have been the original focus, the barbecue also delivers and making it a great spot to stop after a day hike in the mountains or a winter skiing session at Eldora. The staff is friendly and accommodating, and the entire place has a nice laid-back atmosphere, accentuated by being perched right along a river that trickles by as you dine or drink. Solid small town mountain vibes, with steel features, custom wood ledges, and historic skis and split boards adorning the walls. While it might not be the best barbecue in the state, its atmosphere, ambience, and overall experience make it a worthwhile stop if you’re in the area and craving a bite and a beer. Would absolutely come back if in the area, both for the BBQ and the in-house pours. Reasonably priced as well with the combo plates, so while you do have the option to order meats individually, I would recommend ordering one of the combination platters for the better value. And even though the beer is certainly the focus here, this is a solid mountain BBQ option to stop at as well

Date Visited: 7/2/25

Address: 70 E 1st St, Nederland, CO 80466

Day of the Week: Wednesday

Time of Day: 11:48 AM. Open at 11:00 AM during the week and 10:30 on weekends

Owner: Kyle and Janice Busey

Website: https://buseybrews.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened October 19th, 2019

Number of People in Line: 22 sitting down, with another 10-15 that came in after me

Regional Style of BBQ: Multiple styles, although the owner is from Virginia, so leans Carolina style

Total Cost: $68.06 with tip – Ordered the platter and a half rack of ribs on the side, plus a beer. Came with brisket and pulled pork for the mains, and then coleslaw for the side

Type of Wood: Honey locust, sugar maple, and peach. Will change up what they use depending on availability

Type of Smoker: Unsure

Type of Seasoning: Multiple different blends

Best Dish: Ribs

Best Sauce: Didn’t review, but three different options were available

Best Side: Mac & Cheese

Interior Description: Rustic mountain is probably the best way to describe Busey’s interior. With corrugated walls, concrete floors, and custom wooden countertop seating surrounding a unique fire pit seating option, it creates an industrial, but inviting environment. Indoor seating options with a full bar for probably 30-40 people, with additional exterior seating that I believe is dog-friendly. It’s the perfect place to stop, be it after a long day of skiing and needing a rest before starting the drive back, or just stopping in for a quick pint or bite of BBQ after a well-earned day in the mountains

Pro Tip: Go for the ribs, enjoy the beer, and sit in the back patio area to take in the views with the river slowly flowing by

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 7.75 to 8/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Thickly cut fatty piece that came with the platter. It was a juicy brisket with a light smokiness to it and mild seasoning. While tender and juicy, it wasn’t anything special or over the top, but was a decent brisket. 50/50 on ordering again 

Pork Spare Ribs 

0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, sugar, maybe others

Description: Half rack as an add-on, the ribs were tender but not quite fall off the bone. Still had a little tooth to each bite. They sauce them on top of a pre-rub, which creates a nice peppery finish, probably one of the most pepper-heavy options in the state, and this was the best meat dish I had today. While I typically don’t like sauce, these were well done, and the sauce had a nice snap to it, vs being too sweet. Would get these again. Well-balanced flavors and an enjoyable rib overall  

Pulled Pork

0/10 Ranking: 8.25 to 8.5/10

Seasoning: In-house blend, season before and after pulling

Description: The pulled pork had some nice bark to it, with it being juicy and tender in each bite as well. Nicely seasoned, albeit a little salty, and a really solid overall option to get. Would order again 

Sauces – 3 Options House BBQ, Hot BBQ, Virginia BBQ

Description: Didn’t review

Sides – Coleslaw

0/10 Ranking: 7/10

Description: Green and red cabbage, mixed with carrots. Very dill heavy, so much so it overpowered everything else. Unless you love dill, skip it. Outside of the flavor, it did have a nice refreshing crunch and acidity, but dill was too much 

Sides Mac & Cheese

0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 7.75/10

Description: Italian bread crumbs sprinkled on top with some Parmesan cheese, and a creamy sauce within the noodles. Noodles were Al dente, and the breading added a nice crunchy texture. Sadly, though, the Mac itself was somewhat flavorless. Would try something else next time 

Interior & Menu Photos: