With over 150 breweries in Denver, Denver’s craft beer scene can be a bit overwhelming — especially if good ol’ Coors is your go-to. But thankfully, you’ve come to the right place. Craft beer is one of the top attractions in Denver.
I’m a local who’s sought out the best Denver breweries, taking note of selections, atmosphere, and what makes each spot unique. On this list, you’ll find breweries with crisp, crushable beers that taste like … beer. (Coors drinkers, these are your spots).
But you’ll also find innovative flavors, globally-inspired styles, and mad scientist-like experiments. There are spots for hipsters, families with kids and dogs, and even fans of death metal. Now grab a brewski and let’s dive in!
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18 Best Denver Breweries
Great Divide Brewing Company
A celebrated pioneer of Denver’s craft beer scene, famed for its Yeti Imperial Stout.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Great Divide Website | 🍽️ Food Served at DIA and Castle Rock Locations; Food Trucks Near Ballpark Location | 📞 (303) 296-9460
Founded in 1994, Great Divide Brewing Company is one of the pioneers of Denver’s beer scene. Today, their small batch brews are favorites among locals, with the Yeti Imperial Stout being the most popular. This flagship beer is a multi-award winner at the Great American Beer Festival, an annual event that makes October one of the best times to visit Denver.
For a behind-the-scenes tour, head to their Barrel Bar and Ballpark District taprooms. Or if you’re hungry, visit their kitchen locations found in Denver International Airport and Castle Rock. Their pork green chile, one of the best dishes in Denver, will not disappoint.
Wynkoop Brewing Company
Colorado’s first brewpub featuring bar games and flavorful bites .
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Wynkoop Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 (303) 297-2700
Famed as Colorado’s first brewpub, Wynkoop Brewing Company is a historic, innovative, and downright fun spot in downtown Denver. Inside, three spacious floors provide ample seating, along with plenty of entertaining bar games. Upstairs lies a large pool hall, plus foosball, darts, and shuffleboard.
Come hungry, because the lengthy food menu is just as good as the beers. Pair your ale with the Nashville fried chicken sandwich, bison burger, or juicy railyard ribs.
Bierstadt Lagerhaus
German beer, pub food, and plenty of entertainment.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Bierstadt Lagerhaus Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 (720) 570-7824
If you’re looking to entertain a large group, the bierhalle at Bierstadt Lagerhaus is your spot. Enjoy jumbo-sized yard games and live music on Thursdays and Saturdays. Comedy nights, pro wrestling, and other events are frequently hosted in this large, renovated warehouse.
German beer dominates the menu, with the Slow Pour Pils being a crowd favorite. Pair it with German pub food like pretzels and schnitzel, or try it on this RiNo beer tour. Prost!
Call to Arms Brewing Company
Berkeley neighborhood hangout frequented by locals .
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Call to Arms Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 (720) 328-8258
Strolling Tennyson Street should be on every Denver itinerary, and Call to Arms Brewing Company should absolutely be on your agenda. With roll-up garage doors, a dog-friendly patio, and undeniably good beer, this place checks all the boxes for locals. Sip a lager, order a slice from the partnered pizza place next door, and stay a while.
TRVE Brewing Company
A moody taproom for metalheads with a taste for sour beer .
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 TRVE Website | 🍽️ Food Served
If you’ve explored breweries in Denver for any amount of time, you’ve seen the same trends: industrial decor, families with dogs, and the latest REI apparel. But at TRVE Brewing Company, you’ll find fewer hipsters and rather, metalheads with a taste for sour beer.
Other styles of brews add to the dark, moody taproom’s menu, a list named after metal bands and songs. Order a Suffering Soul or Bloodaxe, rage to some death metal, and enjoy the unique environment.
Grateful Gnome Sandwich Shoppe & Brewery
Choose from over fifty sandwiches, each paired perfectly with a cold one.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 The Grateful Gnome Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 (720) 598-6863
When collaborating on our “ Best Denver Restaurants” guide, all local writers agreed that The Grateful Gnome deserved a spot on the list. The New York / New Jersey-style deli serves up a huge selection of more than 50 hot and cold sandwiches. In-house, handcrafted beers include an easy drinking lager, malty amber, and hazy IPA.
Be sure to stop in when visiting Berkeley, one of Denver’s must-visit neighborhoods.
Cerebral Brewing
Foeder fermented lagers, barrel-aged beers, and more unique brews .
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Cerebral Website | 🍽️ Food Trucks Nearby on Select Days | 📞 (303) 927-7365
Cerebral Brewing takes pride in “a scientific approach to beer,” with experimentation being the name of their game. Their expert brewers aren’t afraid to push boundaries, and at their Congress Park and Aurora Arts locations, you’ll find all sorts of unique beers.
Though an ever-changing menu is to be expected, a series of core beers are always available. Inhabited Form, a dry hopped brew, is one to try, as foeder fermented lagers are their specialty.
Odell Brewing Co.
Be part of the R&D process, sampling exclusive beers at their two Denver breweries.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Odell Website | 🍽️ Food Served at Sloan’s Lake Location; Food Trucks at Fort Collins Location | 📞 (720) 795-7862
Odell Brewing Co. is another early founder of Colorado’s craft beer industry. Their first establishment opened in Fort Collins in 1989, and today, their two breweries in Denver are local favorites.
Set in the Five Points and Sloan’s Lake neighborhoods, both feature a unique 10-barrel pilot system. You won’t find these experimental beers anywhere else! Though they also have their classics like the Easy Street wheat and 90 Shilling amber ale often on tap. More perks at both locations include a rooftop patio, live music, and good company.
Novel Strand Brewing Company
Sharing a space with a coffee shop, this underrated brewery isn’t afraid to experiment .
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Novel Strand Website | 🍽️ Food Trucks Nearby | 📞 (720) 949-0246
Set in the Baker neighborhood, Novel Strand Brewing Company is a hidden gem. The underrated establishment may not have as deep of a selection as the other best breweries in Denver. But what’s on tap demands your attention. Funk Shwei is a prime example, brewed with Taiwanese black tea and fermented with lychee.
Note that the brewery shares a space with Queen City Collective Coffee, one of the best coffee shops in Denver. Come in for a mid-day pick-me-up, then roll right into happy hour.
Cerveceria Colorado
Mexican-inspired beers that celebrate culture and community .
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Cerveceria Colorado Website | 🍽️ Food Trucks Nearby | 📞 (720) 279-8248
Hands down, Cerveceria Colorado is one of the best breweries in Denver. I mean, who could turn down a sweet, cinnamon-tinged Churro Stout or a smokey Poblano Pils? Their kettle-soured Mangolito Gose, pineapple-fermented Señor Piña Blonde Ale, and classic ¡Venga! Mexican Lager are favorites.
These Mexican-inspired ales celebrate culture and community in the Highland neighborhood. Denver Beer Co., their sister brewery next door, keeps the fiesta going.
Crooked Stave
Discover your new favorite beer at this inventive brewery .
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Crooked Stave Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 (720) 508-3292
A master at craft beers, Crooked Stave serves small batch brews at their Denver and Fort Collins taprooms. Juicy IPAs and a sour rosé make up their core series, while barrel-aged fruited sours and seasonal flavors round out the menu. Enjoy these eclectic beers in a laid-back ambiance, and be tempted to take a bottle to-go.
New Belgium Brewing
Sip Fat Tire, a Colorado classic, as you admire the city skyline.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 New Belgium Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 (303) 223-2149
In the early ‘90s, New Belgium Brewing started in its founders’ Fort Collins basement. From humble beginnings, these craft beer innovators created one of today’s most successful breweries. Their flagship Fort Collins taproom remains open, alongside sister locations in Asheville, North Carolina; San Francisco, California; and the Mile High City.
Their two breweries in Denver are found in Denver International Airport and The Source Hotel, one of the most iconic Denver hotels. Grab a Fat Tire and admire the city skyline.
Ratio Beerworks
Good vibes, a killer punk rock playlist, and globally-inspired brews .
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Ratio Beerworks Website | 🍽️ Food Trucks Nearby | 📞 (303) 997-8288
With locations in Overland and RiNo, Ratio Beerworks is surrounded by great Denver watering holes. But this microbrewery stands out, loved for its fun atmosphere, punk rock playlist, and undeniably great beer.
At their tap room, you’ll find globally-inspired brews like Dear You, a French saison, and Hold Steady, a chocolate rye Scotch ale. Antidote is a West Coast-style IPA, and Repeater features a roasty malt often associated with German-style lagers. Whatever beer styles you choose, you can’t go wrong.
Bruz Beers
Traditional Belgian beers and Americanized takes featuring local ingredients .
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Bruz Beers Website | 🍽️ Food Served + Food Trucks Nearby | 📞 (303) 650-2337
Rotating food trucks, a dog-friendly outdoor patio, and Belgian brews make Bruz Beers a go-to in north Denver. Here, you’ll find traditional beers including an Abbey-style Quadrupel and Dame Blanche, a Belgian-style wheat beer. There are also Americanized takes like the Petite Peach Grisette made with local Palisade peaches.
Our Mutual Friend Brewing Company
Vibrant inside and out, this brewery has something for everyone.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 OMF Website | 🍽️ Food Trucks Nearby | 📞 (303) 296-3441
If you want to make a beeline to a can’t-miss brewery, head to Our Mutual Friend. Of all the best breweries in Denver, it’s Travel Lemming’s founder’s favorite.
Even on a cloudy winter day, its brightly painted building sparks cheer. The atmosphere is just as vibrant inside, full of locals bantering with tasty brews in hand. There’s an option for all preferences, ranging from crushable blonde ales to hoppy saisons and dark, malty porters.
Denver Beer Company
Sustainable Colorado beer made with sunshine and local ingredients.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Denver Beer Co. Website | 🍽️ Food Trucks Nearby | 📞 (720) 279-8247
Set on sustainability, Denver Beer Co. runs 100% on solar power. Colorado sunshine and local ingredients create some of the city’s best brews, including the Graham Cracker Porter and Juicy Freak IPA.
Year-round and seasonal brews are available at three taprooms in Highland, Rosedale, and Arvada. A fourth location in Lowry Field is set to open in October 2022.
Spangalang Brewery
A downtown Denver hangout that celebrates the neighborhood’s jazz culture.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Spangalang Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 (303) 297-1276
I was first introduced to Spangalang Brewery when attending the annual Five Points Jazz Festival.
But even if you miss the annual festivities, Spangalang keeps jazz culture alive all year long with live music each Tuesday. Grab their award-winning Sugarfoot Belgian Table Beer or a German-style hefeweizen and hang out for a while.
👉 Read Next: Best Bars in Denver
New Image Brewing Company
A huge selection and plenty of space for the whole family.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 New Image Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 (720) 900-5622
Found in the nearby Denver suburbs of Wheat Ridge and Arvada, New Image Brewing Company may be the most family-friendly spot on this list. That’s right — breweries in Colorado are often a family affair. Bonus points if there are dog-friendly patios, which New Image checks the box for, too!
This brewery’s menu is extensive, featuring nearly every style of brew you can imagine. Phantasm hops are their specialty, used in a variety of IPAs. Pair your pour with pizza, burgers, and more delicious pub food.
🍺 Love Beer & Travel? Check out our guides to the best craft breweries in Vegas and the top breweries in San Diego.
FAQs About Denver Breweries
How many breweries are in Denver, Colorado?
There are over 150 breweries in Denver, Colorado. The craft beer scene extends throughout the entire state, with more than 400 total establishments.
What is a famous brewery in Colorado?
The most famous brewery in Colorado is Coors Brewery, which opened in Golden in 1873 and continues operations today. Other famous Colorado breweries include Wynkoop Brewing Company,Odell Brewing Company, and New Belgium Brewing. These establishments pioneered the state’s now-popular craft beer industry.
Does Denver have a lot of breweries?
Denver has a lot of breweries. With more than 150 establishments, it seems there’s a beer garden around nearly every corner! The city is a famed tourist destination among craft beer fans, especially during the annual Great American Beer Festival.
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Thanks for reading our guide on the best breweries in Denver! This city is full of foodie experiences. For more tasty spots, check out our articles on the greatest Denver restaurants.
