The Best Breweries in Denver
Denver is known for many things, but one is certainly the epic craft brewery scene. You could spend your entire visit brewery hopping (although you probably shouldn’t because…altitude) and still want to come back for more. This Mile High City in Colorado is filled with great beer! With so many incredible breweries to visit on your trip to Denver, this guide covers some of the best.
This is your guide to the best craft breweries in Denver, Colorado.
The Best Breweries in Denver
Blue Moon Brewing Company
Blue Moon probably has more name recognition than any other craft brewery in Denver. It got its start with baseball, where the first-ever batch was brewed at Coors Field. While traditional Belgian wit beers are served with a lemon wedge, Blue Moon set itself apart with an orange slice garnish to complement the Valencia orange peel used in the brewing process.
The Blue Moon taproom is very cool, playing up its iconic orange slice with enclosed circular booths, glowing orbs, and Valencia orange murals. While you certainly can (and should) order the fan-favorite Belgian Wheat straight from the source, you’ll also find over 20 rotating taps here, including a few experimental brews you can’t find anywhere else.
Cerveceria Colorado
This Mexican-inspired brewery crafts its beers using traditional Mexican ingredients, flavors, and processes to create something truly unique in Denver! From classic Mexican lagers to more inventive flavors like a Churro Stout, Cerveceria Colorado serves up something for every palette. The colorful muraled walls both inside and on the patio also completely jive with Denver’s artsy vibe.
Denver Beer Co.
Did you know that Denver gets over 300 days of sunshine a year? Denver Beer Co. uses that to its advantage (and the planet’s) by brewing and canning their beer using 100% solar-powered energy! The brewery’s commitment to sustainability doesn’t end there though. They’ve also implemented a CO2 capture and recycle program, and they cut down on emissions by sourcing their materials locally. The Denver Beer Co. sales team even uses electric vehicles (powered by solar energy of course). On top of all of that, the beer is darn good. With a cool taproom, inviting patio space, and rotating food trucks, what’s not to love?
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Great Divide is a Mile High favorite and is one of the most celebrated craft breweries in the country! The brews here are *chef’s kiss* (I’m a big fan of anything in the “Yeti” family of beers) and are known for being balanced yet assertive and flavorful. You can still visit the original brewery in the heart of downtown, but when they outgrew that space, they opened up the Barrel Bar just a mile down the road in the RiNo neighborhood. The Barrel Bar houses the full line-up of Great Divide beers including many seasonal, barrel-aged, and limited-release brews that you can’t get anywhere else.
New Belgium Brewing at The Source
While the original New Belgium brewery is located in Fort Collins, they host a small-batch brewery on the ground floor of The Source Hotel in the RiNo district. To sample some of the brews, head to The Woods on the 8th floor where you’ll find a rooftop lounge featuring a full-service restaurant and full bar, including freshly brewed and barrel-aged New Belgium beers. Be sure to grab a spot on the patio for some of the best rooftop views in the city!
Odell Brewing Company
Odell is another brewery with roots in Fort Collins (do I need to pay a visit to Fort Collins?), but its brewhouse in Denver offers something unique for visitors. Over half of their taps are reserved for specialty releases brewed on-site! The refurbished industrial taproom creates the perfect atmosphere, and with their partially covered rooftop and firepit-clad patio, the outdoor seating is on point as well.
Our Mutual Friend Brewing
Our Mutual Friend is a neighborhood brewery at its finest. Returning patrons are greeted by name, giving a sense of community in a big city. OMF brews their beers using local ingredients whenever possible, and perhaps it’s that commitment that makes this spot a favorite for locals. Or maybe it’s just because these small-batch brews are all-around delicious. Either way, this is definitely one of the best breweries in Denver.
Prost Brewing Co. & Biergarten
Lovers of German-style beer need to make a stop at Prost! They source their ingredients directly from Germany and use traditional brewing styles to craft some exceptionally refined brews. This is also one of the few breweries I’ve visited in Denver with an on-site kitchen, and, yes, the menu is German fare. The patio also has great views of the city skyline, so although it might be a slight detour on your visit, it’s worth it.
Ratio Beerworks
Speaking of Germany, the brewers at Ratio learned their craft in Deutschland itself. Nowadays, the former punk band members run a state-of-the-art, 20-barrel system brewery and whip up some mighty fine brews indeed. The colorful taproom as well as their art and music programs also fit in nicely with the RiNo Arts District it resides in.
Craft beer is one of the things Denver does best. Although the quality is top-notch, one of my favorite things about the brewery scene in Denver is the hours. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve traveled to a city only to find the breweries I wanted to visit happened to be closed that day. Not in Denver! Nearly every brewery is open daily and is usually open by noon. Denverites clearly love their local beer! By paying a few of these breweries a visit, you’ll definitely be able to see why.
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