A Beer Lover’s Guide to Colorado

When my sister and I decided to fly in and out of Denver and rent a car to go to Wyoming, we knew that one of the top priorities was visiting the glorious breweries that call the state home. It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve gotten really into craft beer so visiting Colorado is like visiting the mothership.

This is where companies have been doing the small-scale craft thing before it was trendy. It’s next to impossible to hit all of the breweries in the state, unless you have some serious time on your hands, but I wanted to create this guide to talk about some of my favorites.

For the full listing, see this link and use the map feature at the bottom to plan your own trip. And if you want to know more about my favorite breweries and what I’m drinking, follow me on Untappd. Warning: beer porn ahead!

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Fort Collins Breweries

For being such a small city, Fort Collins has plenty of breweries as well as a thriving downtown with shops and restaurants. Some of the breweries are large scale while others are brewpubs. Nearby Colorado State University makes these establishments thrive.

While you’re here, grab a sandwich at The Colorado Room and stay at Fernweh Inn & Hostel or Remington Flats Hotel, located in iconic Victorian homes. Fort Collins Bike Share is an easy way to get from brewery to brewery, with docking stations around town.

New Belgium Brewing

New Belgium Brewing is the crown jewel of Colorado breweries in my opinion. While you’ll find their beers just about everywhere, it’s their specialty brews that make this stop well worth it. Before getting into the beers themselves, when you visit the campus you’ll find food trucks and courtyard games as well as a full tour or self-guided tour about the history and iconic branding.

The bartenders are eager to tell you about the employee-owned company, a rarity. They also host events like yoga and a local bike race. We visited first thing when they opened because they were closed on Memorial Day.

Beer to Try: Lightning in a Bottle is unlike anything I’ve ever had, the one that got away. This tart and delicious brew is made only for a music festival and available there and at the brewery. It’s not bottled or kegged for anything else. If this one isn’t on tap, try the Heavy Melon or ask the experts what they recommend.

Black Bottle Brewery

Closer to town is Black Bottle Brewery, opened by Fort Collins natives almost a decade ago after they fell in love with home brewing. Today, the brewery and restaurant pour both the selections they make in house and beloved beers from around Colorado and the world.

Take your time looking through the drink menu, which is twice the size of the food menu. When you’re hungry, they also serve bar favorites like tacos, pizzas, and sliders. Take a tour of the brewery and get your growler filled at the source.

Beer to Try: Scuba Steve is their “underwater” IPA, a hoppy brew at 66 IBUs that pairs well with just about everything on the food menu.

Funkwerks

As the name implies, Funkwerks, Inc. focuses on all things funky. I’m a sour beer fanatic so this stop was right up my alley. They run a small taproom with draft and bottled selections and host live music every weekend. If you’re a sour or saison beginner, I recommend asking the knowledgeable staff for recommendations. Tour the facility every Friday and Saturday.

Beer to Try: Raspberry Provincial Berliner Weisse is a popular fruit ale, but don’t think it will be sweet. Instead, it has notes of tart lemon and berries.

Fort Collins Brewing

Fort Collins Brewery as the first we visited after Odell was closed for the weekend. I’d had beers from this brewery before, but didn’t know much about it. The family-owned establishment opened in 2003 and has over 50 beers distributed nationally. Tours of the facility are available on Fridays by reservation and on every hour on Saturdays. The full-service tavern menu features fresh, local ingredients and items like burgers, salads, and brunch.

Beer to Try: Red Banshee red ale is one of their year-round selections, with German hops and caramel notes. It’s very drinkable for beer snobs and newbies alike.

Other Fort Collins breweries include Odell Brewing Company, whose beer I still was able to try, CB & Potts, Centennial, Equinox, and Coopersmith’s. 

Estes Park

I was perhaps most surprised to find any breweries in the small mountain town of Estes Park, known primarily as being home to The Stanley Hotel and Rocky Mountains National Park. I’ll have an entire post dedicated to this town soon, but in the meantime, I recommend staying at the iconic hotel that inspired The Shining and dining at Claire’s On the Park, Poppy’s Pizza & Grill, and Donut Haus while you’re there.

Estes Park Brewery

Estes Park Brewery was a stop we made before we were able to check into the hotel. They offer free tastings (!!) of their beers, which are all named for aspects of life in the Rockies. The brewery dates back to 1994 and looks odd from the outside, but has great views of the surrounding mountains. They also have a full-service restaurant if you get hungry.

Beer to Try: Samson Stout honors an elk killed by poachers in the nearby park. The smooth oatmeal stout won third in its category at the North American Beer Awards.

Lumpy Ridge Brewing Co. is another one I didn’t get around to in Estes Park.

Boulder and Surrounds

Between Boulder and Denver, you’ll find dozens of breweries scattered around, some in small towns. I’ve grouped these together for this reason. Aloft Broomfield Denver is a great base for visiting these breweries, as it’s outside of actual Denver but is accessible to the rest of the area.

You should be able to get to any of the breweries listed in 30 minutes or less. In Boulder, stop by the famous Celestial Seasonings factory where the herbal tea craze began and check out the offbeat downtown. In small-town Louisville, peruse the shops and grab a bite at Moxie Bread Company, which hosts regular live music nights and serves specialty pizzas.

Avery Brewing Company

Located in Boulder, I was pleasantly surprised with my visit to Avery Brewing Company. Their outdoor seating made it a popular spot for a Sunday afternoon. The company has greatly expanded their specialty selections, especially into my beloved sour market, but they had plenty for my IPA-loving sister to enjoy as well. The brewery first started operations back in 1993 and opened the taproom in 2003.

Beer to Try: El Gose is a German-style sour ale with notes of sea salt and lime, the perfect combination for a balmy summer day. My other favorite was Eremita IX, a taproom-only dark sour aged in tequila barrels.

12Degree Brewing

You wouldn’t expect such a small town to have not one, but two breweries. 12Degree Brewing has outdoor seating ideal for people watching and Belgian-inspired ales. The brewery opened in 2013 by a former homebrewer as a neighborhood hangout and it has become just that.

They have a frequently changing rotation of brews as well as regular standbys, all in the traditional styles like farmhouse ales and quadrupels. Nosh on pizzas and frites while you sip on your chosen brew.

Beer to Try: Raspberry Beret is a kettle soured blonde ale with sweet, tart raspberry notes.

I didn’t make it to any of the Longmont area breweries, sadly, including Left Hand Brewing Company or Oskar Blues Brewery, as well as Vindication Brewing Company in Boulder and Gravity Brewing in Louisville. 

Denver

Even if you’re not a beer enthusiast like I am, there’s no shortage of things to keep you entertained in the capital city, as we mentioned in our recent city guide. If nothing else, grab lunch at The Source or a massive breakfast burrito at Sam’s No. 3. We stayed at Embassy Suites Denver, which was close to everything we wanted to see, whether a short walk or Uber ride away.

Great Divide Brewing Company

Denver is blessed to not have just one, but two, locations of Great Divide Brewery. They have a full-scale brewery near the Rockies stadium and another barrel bar in the up-and-coming RiNo neighborhood. Started in 1994, the brewery and their famous Yeti logo have become a large part of the local community.

The Ballpark location has 16 taps of year-round and seasonal beers, tours, and food trucks. The smaller barrel bar is home to their canning and bottling operations as well as barrel-aged brews. Tours are also available here.

Beer to Try: The seasonal Espresso Oak Aged Yeti kicks their oatmeal stout up a notch with locally roasted Pablo espresso beans. It’s only available January through March.

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project

Another one that came recommended to me was Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, a unique brewery located at The Source. Their selections are a beer geek’s dream, listing what types of hops and yeast are used. The brewery uses Brettanomyces fermentations and barrel-ages their sour and wild ales. While they don’t have a restaurant, you can grab a bite from the nearby eateries before you go or take a sandwich with you.

Beer to Try: St. Bretta is one of the most popular, changing by the season, but is an artisan ale brewed with citrus. Petite Sour Raspberry was another favorite.

Wynkoop Brewing Company

Located right across from Denver’s Union Station, Wynkoop Brewing Company is the perfect place for a mid-afternoon beer. Originally opened as a bar in a former mercantile in 1988, the neighborhood has truly developed around Wynkoop.

Today, it’s a sprawling complex with a full restaurant, pool tables, outdoor seating, and more. They brew over 40 types of beer and a menu of burgers and sandwiches. You can also take a behind-the-scenes tour on Thursdays through Saturdays.

Beer to Try: Forethought Saison is a sour rye saison that is barrel aged for 8 months before it’s ready to drink. It has notes of pepper, pineapple, and kumquat.

Denver has so many breweries that I hardly scratched the surface. Apologies to Denver natives who may find this section brief. 

Have you been to any of these Colorado breweries? Which are your favorites?

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