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Colorado, home to picturesque mountains, forests, canyons, and rivers, makes it a perfect place to enjoy pints of flavor-exploding beers. Tourists and locals also flock to the state during winter for skiing and snowboarding, and surely, after the cold adventure, beer’s heat-inducing ability on the throat will follow.
So, whether in heat or cold, Colorado produces the ideal place to drink. Thanks to its hard-working residents, Colorado is jam-packed with award-winning and best breweries. Feeling thirsty yet? Here are the top 9 breweries in Colorado you can start with.
1. New Belgium Brewing Company
From a bike trip to Belgium, Kim Jordan and Jeff Lebesch dreamt of bringing Belgian brewing traditions to their hometown, hence the rise of 30 premium beers on New Belgium’s portfolio. It currently has five branches around the country, with its main location is Fort Collins, Colorado, and Asheville, North Carolina. You can reserve Fort Collins’ famous brewery tour, and when you prove its excellence. Depending on room choices, it is also open for reservations ranging from $150 to $1,000 per hour.
As a brewery prioritizing sustainability, New Belgium achieved numerous recognitions, such as being the 1st Carbon Neutral Footprint Study for Beer and the 1st wind-powered brewery in the United States.
- Crowd Favorite: Fat Tire. A light and easy-drinking amber ale with 5.2% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Voodoo Ranger IPA
- Hop-py Note: Curbside pickup. Sells merchandise. Open for direct shipping.
- Fun Fact: New Belgium has been a Certified B Corporation since 2012.
Hours: Open Daily 12pm-8pm
Address: 500 Linden St, Fort Collins, CO 80524
Contact: (970)221-0524 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
2. Odell Brewing Company
Established in 1989 by Doug Odell, his wife Wynne, and his sister Corkie, OBC remains to uphold its passion for being a brewery full of beer-centric people, as it became a 100% employee-owned brewery in 2015. OBC enjoys exploring new profile flavors, progressive kettle souring techniques, and new ingredients and the result are amazing tropical fruited sours, unfiltered IPAs, and oak barrel-aged stouts.
Aside from award-winning beers, ODC also brews wines, whiskeys, and spirits. Have your beer, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, and foods from ODC’s on-site food trucks for a tastier drinking session.
- Crowd Favorite: IPA. A highly aromatic bold, and flavorful traditional beer with 7% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: 90 Shilling
- Hop-py Note: Weekly live music and run club. Daily tours. Wheelchair accessible.
- Fun Fact: ODC supports children-at-risk, single-parent families, and the elderly such as the Denver Children’s Advocacy Center and Safehouse Denver.
Hours: Open Mon & Tue 12pm-6pm, Wed-Fri 11am-8pm, Sat 11am-6pm, Sun Closed
Address: 800 E Lincoln Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80524
Contact: (970)498-9070 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
3. Avery Brewing Company
Founded by Adam Avery, Avery Brewing has a large selection of 30 beers for you to choose from. Starting with Belgian-style ales to barrel-aged coffee stouts, award-winning Avery Brewing has it all, thanks to its almost three decades of experience. Pair up your delicious beers with Chef Chris Blackwood’s locally-gathered pub fares, like its famous fried chicken, garlic fries, and house-smoked meats, to make your night memorable.
Feel free to bring your little ones, too, as Avery Brewing is kid-friendly and even offers delectable fares. On your way home, don’t forget to visit Avery Brewing’s Gear Shop on the second floor to grab some quality merchandise and great beers.
- Crowd Favorite: White Rascal. An authentic, zesty Belgian-style wheat beer with 5.6% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: The Mahajara
- Hop-py Note: Curbside pickup. Dog-friendly patio. Sells gift cards. Gluten-free and vegetarian options.
Hours: Open Tue-Fri 11:30am-9pm, Sat 11:30am-7pm, Sun & Mon Closed
Address: 4910 Nautilus Ct N, Boulder, CO 80301
Contact: (303)244-9184 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
4. Left Hand Brewing Company
Boasting two locations across Colorado, Left Hand Brewing has been serving the people award-winning beers since 1993. It has built a solid reputation as one of the best breweries in Colorado and has been recognized by the Brewers Association as the 2022 Best Brewery of the Year.
Furthermore, Left Hand Brewing always remembers to give back to the community as it built its foundation. The LHB Foundation was established in 2016 to support first responders, housing projects, medical research, and more. LHB also donates to nonprofit charities through fundraising events and beer donations.
- Crowd Favorite: Milk Stout Nitro. A dark and delicious milk stout with 6% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Milk Stout
- Hop-py Note: Wheelchair accessible. Free Wi-Fi. Monthly events. Bike and street parking.
- Fun Fact: LHB has an Ales4FemAles program where it gathers women and educates them about the world of craft beer.
Hours: Open Mon-Thur 12pm-9pm, Fri 11am-9pm, Sat 11am-7pm, Sun Closed
Address: 1265 Boston Ave, Longmont, CO 80501
Contact: (303)772-0258 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
5. Breckenridge Brewery
Back in 1990, Breckbrew simply dreamed of serving great-tasting beers to ski-lovers of the mountain town of Breckenridge, but after a few servings, locals and tourists are lining up to taste its combination of light, malty, dark, and hoppy beers. Who wouldn’t fall in love with crisp-finished pilsner, tarty sour, and toasty malt lager lined up to its 31 beers on tap today?
Being the original brewpub on the slopes of the historic Breckenridge, Breckbrew offers breathtaking mountain views. Outside seating is available as well, so you can further enjoy the place while grabbing something from the food trucks parking outside the brewery.
- Crowd Favorite: Vanilla Porter. An American-style beer with chocolate and roasted nut flavors containing 5.4% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Avalanche Amber Ale
- Hop-py Note: Offers delivery. Live music. Sells merchandise. Brewery tours. Bike parking.
- Fun Fact: Breckbrew’s Agave Wheat won a bronze medal at the 2022 Great American Beer Festival.
Hours: Open Mon-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-8pm
Address: 2920 Brewery Ln, Littleton, CO 80120
Contact: (303) 803-1380 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
6. Great Divide Brewing Co
Brewing flavorful and uniquely balanced beers since 1994, Great Divide is recognized today as one of the most decorated breweries in the U.S.A. Pints of Imperial stouts, American pale ale, and New England IPA are available on its tap, while growlers to-go are also up for a quick grab for home. Although Great Divide’s original taproom in Ballpark doesn’t host private events, you can still indulge in the place through its top-rated brewery tour.
Not just Great Divide’s beers will move your hearts, but also its donation to nonprofit organizations, a total amount of $500,000. In 2021, Great Divide founded its nonprofit organization called The Denver Pale Ale Foundation, which aims to support Colorado-based nonprofits.
- Crowd Favorite: Yeti. Velvety smooth and robust Imperial stout with 9.5% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Titan IPA
- Hop-py Note: Sells merchandise. Kid-friendly. Dog-friendly patio. Trivia nights.
- Fun Fact: Great Divide earned a total of 18 GABF medals and 5 World Beer Cup awards.
Hours: Open Sun-Tue 12pm-8pm, Wed-Sat 12pm-10pm
Address: 2201 Arapahoe St, Denver, CO 80205
Contact: (303)296-9460 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
7. WeldWerks Brewing Co.
Brewing since 2015 in a 15-bbl brewhouse, WeldWerks Brewing serves as one of the most successful breweries in Colorado. It has numerous beers that brought medals and fame under its name, including its most famous hazy IPA, Juicy Bits. And USA Today even honored it as Best New Brewery in 2016.
Today, WeldWerks Brewing has crafted over 300 beers and many of those won medals in the Great American Beer Festival. You can find some of these beers on its over 20 draft lines in its spacious taproom. WeldWerks also has an in-house eatery called The Annex, where you can grab some food especially made by head chef Tim Meador.
- Crowd Favorite: Juicy Bits. A tropical and citrusy hazy IPA with 6.7% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: DDH Juicy Bits
- Hop-py Note: Dog-friendly patio. Gift cards. Good for kids. Wheelchair accessible.
- Fun Fact: The brewery established The WeldWerks Foundation, where they raise funds and donate to different causes of 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
Hours: Open Mon-Fri 11am-9pm, Sat 11am-4pm, Sun Closed
Address: 508 8th Ave, Greeley, CO 80631
Contact: (970)460-6345 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
8. Denver Beer Co.
Home to four incredible taprooms in Colorado, Denver Beer, is committed to crafting and serving beers made using traditional brewing methods with innovation in mind. Denver Beer welcomes people of all gender to enjoy its artisan ales and lagers, as well as its delicious hard ciders and sours.
Aside from brewing, Denver Beer is also active in giving back to the community through charitable giving programs to support organizations like the American Cancer Society. Moreover, Denver Beer uses 100% solar power to run its production and uses only locally sourced materials. It also has a CO2 capture and recycling program to respect and love the planet.
- Crowd Favorite: Graham Cracker Porter. A seductive and luscious American porter with 5.6% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Incredible Pedal IPA
- Hop-py Note: Dog-friendly. Offers takeout and delivery. Street and bike parking.
- Fun Fact: Denver Beer partners with an organization that supports the LGBTQ community every year to celebrate Pride Month.
Hours: Open Mon-Thur 11am-10pm, Fri 11am-11pm, Sat 11am-10pm, Sun Closed
Address: 1695 Platte St, Denver, CO 80202
Contact: (303)433-2739 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
9. Cerebral Brewing
Located in the Congress Park neighborhood, Cerebral Brewing is a brewery established in 2015 by Sean and Dan. The two focus on crafting a wide range of beer styles by fusing science with creativity. They even have their own QA/QC laboratory to produce only quality beers. So, expect to find creative brews like foeder fermented lagers and hybrid IPAs.
You can find around 20 draft lines, and several can pours when visiting Cerebral Brewing’s taproom. And you can also choose any beer available on draft to 4oz pours and customize your own flight. Moreover, Cerebral Brewing offers non-gluten options such as hard seltzers, Corvus cold brew coffee, and kombucha.
- Crowd Favorite: Rare Trait. A triple-hopped hazy IPA with 6.4% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: DDH Rare Trait
- Hop-py Note: Happy Hour Specials. Dog-friendly. Free Wi-Fi. Food trucks are on-site.
- Fun Fact: Sean Buchan, the co-founder of Cerebral Brewing, was a Doctor of Physical Therapy before becoming a brewer.
Hours: Open Mon 4pm-8pm, Tue 2pm-8pm, Wed-Fri 12pm-10pm, Sat & Sun 12pm-8pm
Address: 1477 Monroe St, Denver, CO 80206
Contact: (303)927-7365 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
