Yes, there's food - specifically, pizza - and plenty of craft beer on tap. But Brewability is no ordinary brewpub; it's a case study in inclusivity, opportunity and respect. Created to provide job opportunities for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities, the restaurant is all about breaking down barriers for staff and guests alike. 

"Everybody needs a spot where they can feel comfortable, have fun and hang out. We just want to be that safe place," Fixter says. "Most of our staff are adults with various disabilities, from blindness, deafness and autism to Down syndrome and cerebral palsy. Our chef is a culinary school grad who uses a manual wheelchair. As for others here, we make modifications. In the chef's case, we lowered kitchen shelving and we're looking at a dough press that may be easier and safer for him than our dough sheeter. It's not hard, we just have to be flexible." 

Among other accommodations made to facilitate staff success and guest comfort: beer taps with braille and color coding; visual guides to pizza assembly; menus in braille, large-print, dyslexia-font and photo- based formats; weighted silverware; seating and traffic areas designed for easy wheelchair accessibility; and a sensory room that provides a calming re-composure space for those who may need it. 

"We keep modifying and listening to what customers and employees tell us they need," Fixter notes. "We can't do everything, but if it's feasible we always try. Recently, a guest told me that her deaf, nonverbal son was scared to come in. Most of our staff are not fluent in American Sign Language, but we found an app that solves the problem. I now have a QR code at the counter that anyone who needs ASL can scan to access a live interpreter. We want our staff to be empowered for success, and we want the same for guests." 

Fixter says the list of people hoping for jobs at Brewability is long and turnover is low. By example, she hopes to help educate others and challenge preconceived notions. "They're not just doing dishes, folding boxes or rolling silverware," she says of her crew. "They're taking orders, pouring drinks, running orders, doing expo and running the kitchen. They·re loyal. hardworking and love their jobs. There's a lot of misunderstanding out there, but at some point disability touches or will touch every one of us and it's a gap that needs to be bridged." 

In addition to providing job opportunities at Brewability, Fixter works to bridge the gap through Ability to Access. It's a nonprofit organization she founded to create job-training resources, including work-experience field trips and a YouTube channel offering educational videos, for adults with disabilities.

"We want to show what's possible," she says. "If we're truly serving the community, we have a responsibility to be accessible and prepared to welcome anyone who might walk or roll through our doors. That's just part of hospitality." 

Tiffany Fixter Owner, Brewability, Englewood, Colo. @brew_ability