Steamboat Springs — Craft beer will flow, and wood-fired pizza will be served next year in the garage bays where utility trucks used to park on Yampa Street.

Steamboat Springs resident and experienced brewmaster Rich Tucciarone plans to open a brewpub in the former Yampa Valley Electric Association headquarters being redeveloped downtown.

Tucciarone will have an easy sales pitch, especially in the summertime.

“Pull out of your kayak or your tube, and walk across the street for a cold one,” he said.

His Mountain Tap Brewery will be the lead tenant in the building across the street from the Yampa River.

Tucciarone said he is excited to be a part of the revitalization of the historic building.

"It’s been a dream of mine to do a brewery here in Steamboat,” he said. “We like Yampa Street, and the opportunity came up to work with Blue Sage Ventures in that location.”

Tucciarone has an impressive brewing resume.

He was head brewer at Breckenridge Brewery in Denver before he became brewmaster and VP of brewery operations at Kona Brewing Company in Hawaii.

He returned to Steamboat in 2011 and has worked as a consultant to new and expanding breweries.

Tucciarone said Mountain Tap Brewery will feature a dozen handcrafted ales and lagers made on-site, plus wood-fired cuisine.

Beers will range from a light pilsner to the darkest stout.

He’s planning on bringing in a seven-barrel system.

The brewery will also feature an outdoor biergarten in the summertime.

Tucciarone plans to open the brewery during the second half of 2016 after a major renovation project is completed.

“We’re looking forward to getting more deeply rooted in the community and doing so through this brewery,” he said.

Blue Sage Ventures is redeveloping the entire YVEA property into a mix of retail, commercial and residential space.

"The principals behind Mountain Tap Brewery have extensive experience with some very notable breweries and enjoy a national stature within the craft beer industry,” Steve Shelesky, managing principal of Blue Sage Ventures, said in a news release. “We have no doubt that this will be a first-class operation and will complement our project, as well as the restaurant scene on Yampa Street. With high-quality beer and wood-fired food at affordable prices, we expect this to become a popular gathering place for both residents and tourists."

To reach Scott Franz, call 970-871-4210, email scottfranz@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @ScottFranz10