What are the best breweries in Denver?
With nearly 350 breweries in Colorado (and 150 of them in Denver), you have a lot of options when it comes to touring a brewery and getting a taste of the best beer in the state. If you're visiting Denver, it can be overwhelming to narrow down your brewery options. And if you're a local, you might have a hard time tearing yourself away from your usual places. That's why we're here to help you navigate the landscape of the best Denver breweries with our top picks. See one, see a few, or see them all during your time in Denver!
Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery
If you're a true craft beer connoisseur, then you can't visit Denver without stopping at Rock Bottom where you'll enjoy beer that's handcrafted to perfection by brewers who take their art very, very seriously. Rock Bottom's brewers create beers based on their own life experiences, which means every beer has a story. Their beers are made on site and don't sit around in vats for months on end. Their beers aren't exposed to light, heat, or oxygen, the way that mass-produced beer is, so you'll get the full brewery experience.
Best for: serious craft beer connoisseurs
Bierstadt Lagerhaus
If you're more of a traditionalist when it comes to beer drinking, then you'll love the German brewhouse Bierstadt Lagerhaus, located in RiNo. Their selections are simple, yet timeless: Pilsner, light beer (Helles), or dark beer (Dunkel). Having just a few beers to choose from gives the Brewers time to focus on quality. The pilsner, for instance, is a slow pour pilsner, which means that it might take an extra few seconds getting from the tap to your glass, but it'll be well worth the wait. Their tasting room, Rackhouse Pub, sits in the center of their production facility and serves Bierstadt Lagerhaus beer along with food and cider from their partner C Squared Cider. Play games, make friends and enjoy yourself in a completely unique German-inspired, semi-industrial setting.
Best for: beer lovers who prefer traditional beers
Falling Rock Tap House
Falling Rock Tap House is the perfect brewery when it's patio weather since they have a massive patio outdoor street-level patio. They have 75+ beers on tap and another 130+ in bottles. Their selection is constantly rotating so you can visit Falling Rock regularly without getting bored with their beer selection. They have an extensive food selection and serve lunch, dinner, and late-night eats.
Best for: beer lovers who want to sit outside and who prefer a revolving beer menu
Ratio Beerworks
The brewers at Ratio Beerworks learned how to make beer in Germany, and they've brought their knowledge and skills back to the U.S. in the form of one of the hottest Denver microbreweries. They like to put American twists on traditional beers, so you'll find new flavors that feel oddly familiar. Take your beer on the patio or stay inside in the eclectic and bright indoor space.
Best for: beer lovers who like to riff on tradition
Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery
As the name implies, Jagged Mountain is a brewery for adventurous people. It's founded and led by a team that loves outdoor adventures. They've brought their love of adventure to the craft beer scene with adventurous beers. Some beers you might find, depending on the season, include a pumpkin spice beer (Royal Gourdge), beer that's been aged in wine barrels (Wild Wolfpack), and beer that has a mix of ingredients including green tea, sansho pepper, and shiitake mushrooms (Uber Slayer). If you revel in new flavors of beer, you'll love Jagged Mountain.
Best for: beer lovers who want a taste of adventure
Stem Ciders
Some people prefer cider to beer. If you're one of those people, then you need to check out the RiNo cider house Stem Ciders. Here you'll find a variety of apple ciders, including coffee apple cider, dry apple cider, and hibiscus apple cider. They source apples from across the U.S. (including Washington, Michigan, and of course Colorado). Even non-cider people can enjoy and appreciate a good cider from Stem Ciders.
Best for: cider lovers
Wynkoop Brewing Company
The four guys behind Wynkoop Brewing Company aren't afraid of mixing things up and creating new brews. They've been known to add ingredients like gummy bears, oysters, and green chiles. Their ballsy experimentation combined with their location in an 1800s warehouse setting in LoDo makes Wynkoop a must-see on your brewery tour.
Best for: beer lovers who want a billiards atmosphere
The SandLot Brewery
You can't watch a Colorado Rockies game without enjoying a beer. If you're in town for a game, make sure to check out The SandLot Brewery, located inside Coors Field at the corner of 22nd and Blake Street. The taproom is only open during home games. Fans can get into the taproom 90 minutes before the game starts by showing their ticket at the door.
Best for: Rockies fans who have tickets to a home game
Breckenridge Brewery
The original Breckenridge Brewery is located in Breckenridge, Colorado and is the third oldest brewery in the state. A second location has made its home in Littleton, Colorado, which is about 9 miles south of Denver. It's worth the trip, though, for both the beer and the experience. Moving outside of Denver has given the brewery the space to have a spacious beer garden, bocce ball, corn hole, and fire pits. They also have a full-service restaurant and offer 90-minute brewery tours five days a week that include samplings of their beers.
Best for: beer lovers who are looking for a leisurely place to sip beers and enjoy the beauty of Colorado
Great Divide
Great Divide is one of the oldest breweries in Denver. It opened in 1994 and now sits on 5 acres in RiNo. There's also a Ballpark taproom. This brewery is a true brewery. They only serve beer, and they don't have a kitchen. Food trucks are generally sitting outside, though, and you can bring outside food into the taproom. They have core beers, including IPAs and ales, seasonal beers, and barrel aged beers. Try them all in a relaxed atmosphere.
Best for: beer lovers who want a traditional brewery experience
Trve
Pronounced "true," Trve is a brewery for people who enjoy beer and also heavy metal. The brewery considers itself counterculture but doesn't take itself too seriously. If you want to have a brewery experience that's the exact opposite of traditional, then you should check it out. You'll find familiar beers as well as more experimental beers on the tap menu.
Best for: beer drinkers and heavy metal lovers who want to blend their two passions in one brewery
Denver Beer Co.
Denver Beer Co. only serves premium artisan ales and lagers. The brewery started in a garage and has since expanded to three locations in and around Denver. The Platte Street Taproom is reminiscent of a German beer garden, with long tables, open windows, and a great patio. Head to Denver Beer Co. if you want to drink good beer and maybe make a few new friends while you're at it.
Best for: beer lovers looking for a beer garden experience
New Belgium at The Source Hotel
New Belgium recently moved into The Source Hotel in RiNo, giving guests a chance to get a great craft beer at check-in (which is, quite frankly, genius, because we all know traveling is stressful). They'll do barrel aging on the 8th floor with a rooftop lounge that offers spectacular mountain views called The Woods. Dishes prepared at The Woods pair with New Belgium beers, which takes the guesswork out of picking which beer you should have with your meal.
Best for: guests of The Source Hotel and anyone who loves a good barrel-aged beer
Renegade Brewing Company
You won't find TVs in Renegade, but you will find new friends playing board games, great beer and a socially conscious team behind it all. Renegade Brewing Company's Tap 4 Tap program gives one gallon of water to a person in need every time one gallon of beer is purchased. They partner with Water for People to donate safe drinking water to people who need it around the world. So while you're enjoying one of their creative beers, you can feel good, knowing that you're helping make a difference in the world, one beer at a time.
Best for: beer lovers looking for a creative and flavorful beer
Dry Dock Brewing Company
Dry Dock is a little on the outskirts of Denver with two locations in Aurora, but it's worth the trip. Dry Dock made a name for itself ever since it won an award for "Best small brewing company of the year" in 2009. It's the only regional brewery that distributes exclusively in-state, so if you're only in Colorado for a short time, you need to try some of Dry Dock's beer before you leave. The North Dock location features an 18-hole disc golf course and you can, of course, take your beer with you to enjoy a friendly game of disc golf with an incredible beer.
Best for: beer lovers who want to enjoy the outdoors while they drink a refreshing beer
Long Table Brewhouse
Located in Park Hill, this brewery is popular among parents who know that having kids doesn't have to mean giving up on drinking quality craft beer. Dogs are allowed on the patio and well-behaved kids are allowed everywhere. In addition to beer, they also have Kombucha on tap. Food trucks are on site most of the time. Check out their events page to see what kid-friendly events they have in store for the month.
Best for: parents who want to enjoy a great craft beer with their kids around
Briar Common
Briar Common Brewery and Eatery has become a neighborhood favorite for Jefferson Park and the Highlands. It features an extensive food menu with a twist on traditional pub food that all pairs nicely with Briar Common's selection of tap beers. This is a good place to go if you want a great meal to go along with your great beer.
Best for: beer lovers who are looking for a complete dining experience
Call to Arms Brewing Company
Located in the historic Berkeley neighborhood of northwest Denver, Call to Arms Brewing Company has a strong focus on the local community. You can see this in the taproom's atmosphere and you can taste it in their beer. You can listen to live music or partake in a more in-depth discussion on the history of beer.
Best for: community-minded beer lovers
Black Shirt Brewing Company
Black Shirt Brewing Company in the RiNo district aims to challenge the norms when it comes to brewing great beer. They have a great front patio as well as a beer garden, both of which are dog-friendly. They also have a kitchen with apps, salads, pizza, and calzones. Ask for their underground cocktails if you're looking to switch things up from beer.
Best for: beer lovers who want to enjoy a pint and some pizza with their dog on the patio
Prost Brewing
Prost Brewing has two tasting locations, one in Denver and one in Fort Collins. As you can tell by the name, it's a German-inspired brewery that only uses German ingredients. They brew lagers exclusively, and their tasting rooms have a distinctly German beer garden feel.
Best for: lager lovers who prefer traditional German beer
As you can see, there really is a brewery for every type of beer or cider drinker. Even if you aren't a beer drinker, you can enjoy the atmosphere of a brewery along with the gorgeous Colorado scenery at one of these locations.
If you still aren't sure which breweries you want to see on your vacation or weekend, don't fear! We know the best breweries in Denver and can make sure you see them too. Let our tour guides show you the best breweries in Denver by joining a Denver Microbrew Tour. You can set also up a personal Denver brewery tour to see any of the breweries listed here or in your heart by contacting us.