7 Best Breweries in Denver
Denver, Colorado is a thriving hub for craft beer, boasting a rich brewing history that traces back to the gold rush of the 1850s.
The craft beer scene exploded in the 1980s when homebrewers began establishing their businesses, thanks to a law allowing people to brew at home. This development turned Denver into a breeding ground for quality craft breweries.
Here are some of the best breweries in Denver that stand out for their unique flavors, histories, and contributions to the craft beer culture:
1. Great Divide Brewing Company
Founded in 1994 by Brian Dunn, the Great Divide Brewing Company quickly made a name for itself in the craft beer world. Just three months after brewing its first batch of beer, the brewery won its first accolade, marking the beginning of a string of awards, including twelve from the Great American Beer Festival and four from the World Beer Cup. By 2007, the brewery was ranked as the 23rd best in the world by RateBeer.com, and in 2008, Beer Advocate magazine deemed it the seventh best on the planet.
Known for their bold and flavorful beers, Great Divide takes pride in brewing strong beers, defined as those with an alcohol content greater than 7%. Six of the thirteen beers they made in 2006 exceeded this threshold, and one, Old Ruffian, boasts an impressive 10.2% alcohol content, twice that of America's top-selling beer Budweiser. Denver Pale Ale, another signature beer, was chosen to be sold at Invesco Field, the home of the Denver Broncos, due to its numerous national and international awards. Other brews in their range include a variety of ales and IPAs, with their Imperial Stout 'Yeti' and Double IPA 'Hercules' being standout offerings
Website: https://greatdivide.com/
Must Try: Yeti Imperial Stout, Hazy Hercules Imperial IPA
2. Wynkoop Brewing Company
Wynkoop Brewing Company, the first craft Brewery in Denver, was opened in 1988 by John Hickenlooper, Jerry Williams, Mark Schiffler, and Russell Schehrer. They transformed an old mercantile building on Skid Row into a brewery known for billiards and innovative beer styles. Russell Schehrer, one of the early pioneers of unusual beer styles in the U.S., was known for his experimentation with mead-making, doppel alt, and cream stout. Today, Wynkoop is a Denver institution, known for brewers who aren't afraid to put unique ingredients in their beer like Rocky Mountain oysters, gummy bears, and green chiles. Their brewing innovation and their role as a community gathering place have helped catalyze the revitalization of the LoDo neighborhood, making it the heartbeat of the city.
Website: https://www.wynkoop.com/
Must Try: Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout, Rale Yard Ale
3. Cerebral Brewing
Cerebral Brewing, located in Denver's Bluebird District, is a scientist-led brewery that crafts beers with a cerebral twist. The founders, Chris Washenberger, Sean Buchan, and Dan McGuire, are self-proclaimed science nerds, with backgrounds ranging from microbiology to computational biology, lending a unique perspective to their brewing process. The brewery is known for its wide variety of products, offering everything from lagers and IPAs to stouts and sours. Cerebral Brewing has a reputation for consistently releasing new brews, keeping their selection fresh and inviting for beer enthusiasts.
Website: https://www.cerebralbrewing.com
Must Try: Bird of Paradise, Muscle Memory
4. Blue Moon Brewing Company
Blue Moon Brewing Company started out from a love for baseball and was first created at the Sandlot Brewery in Denver, CO in 1995. The aim was to brew well-crafted beers inspired by Belgian styles with a refreshing twist. Blue Moon's signature beer, the Belgian White Belgian-Style Wheat Ale, faced initial skepticism due to its cloudy appearance, which was different from the lagers flooding the American beer market at that time. However, Blue Moon triumphed over skepticism, ultimately contributing to the modern American beer scene and becoming the #1 craft beer in the US. Today, Blue Moon is enjoyed by beer lovers in over 25 countries worldwide.
An interesting tidbit about Blue Moon's serving style involves the company's unique garnish ritual. Blue Moon beers were initially served with a lemon slice, a typical garnish for a Belgian Wit. However, the company persisted in hand-selling Blue Moon from bar to bar, adding an orange wheel as a unique garnish to highlight the citrus aroma and enhance the drinking experience.
Website: https://www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com/
Must Try: Blue Moon Belgian White Belgian-Style Wheat Ale, Blue Moon Mango Wheat
5. Trve Brewing Company
Established in the South Broadway neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, Trve Brewing Company has been serving up beers and heavy metal for over a decade. Originally conceived by Nick Nunns, a former engineer who yearned for a career change, and Zach Coleman, a homebrewer who moved to Denver to break into the beer scene, the brewery quickly became a landmark. Coleman and Nunns have since expanded their team, nurturing a unique community around their shared love of beer styles and heavy music. Known for their diverse range of beer styles, the brew house has been particularly recognized for experimenting with mixed culture and mixed fermentation beers, which have become a signature part of their offerings.
Website: https://www.trvebrewing.com/
Must Try: BloodAxe, SummerIsle
6. Crooked Stave
Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, founded in 2011, is the result of Founder and Brewmaster Chad Yakobson's Master’s research, The Brettanomyces Project – a dissertation on wild yeast fermentations – conducted at the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. Yakobson, a Colorado native, intended to make a mark with wild and sour barrel-aged beers. Crooked Stave started as both a brewer and distributor, with Yakobson playing a hands-on role, educating about and selling his artisan products to the Colorado beer scene.
In 2013, CSA Distributing was established, representing a new class of distributors whose connection to the Artisans themselves is as important as the connection to the people who buy and sell the artisan products. CSA’s portfolio includes the best International and American breweries, cideries, wineries, distilleries, and non-alcoholic products.
Website: https://www.crookedstave.com/
Must Try: Marble Mountain, Mojito Sour
7. Renegade Brewing
Renegade Brewing Company, located in Denver's Santa Fe Arts District, was established in 2011 with a mission to push the boundaries of what craft beer can be and unite people in the name of individuality. Renegade doesn't adhere to traditional styles or follow trends; instead, they focus on creating unique and delicious beers that they're proud to serve. In fact, Renegade is known for brewing beers for those who are unapologetic explorers of craft beer, reject dogma, and can't help but be true to themselves. After a venture in wide can distribution, they've returned to their roots, doubling down on their commitment to serve the freshest beer in Colorado. Renegade firmly stands against intolerance and stale beer, with their products best enjoyed in the company of good friends.
Website: https://www.renegadebrewingco.com/
Must Try: Barrel Aged Hammer Imperial Stout, Buffalo Street Brown
It's a Hoppy Ending!
Denver has a vibrant and diverse brewing scene, offering a wealth of choices for any beer enthusiast. The city's history is steeped in the craft, with many of these breweries tracing their origins back to the home brewing revolution of the 1980s. Today, they continue to innovate and delight locals and visitors alike with their high-quality, creative beers. Whether you're a resident looking to explore your city's offerings or a traveler wanting to sample the local flavors, these breweries offer a unique taste of Denver's craft beer scene.