Describing the best breweries in Denver is a surprisingly difficult task. The problem isn’t that there’s no good beer. Quite the opposite – there’s a huge number of different breweries, taprooms, and brewpubs. Exactly how many breweries there are is open for debate, with estimates ranging from 55 to 150.
Then again, does the exact number matter? No matter how you count the breweries, it’s clear that Denver has an almost fanatical love of beer (the same can be said for San Diego, Asheville, and some other parts of the country).
The sheer number of breweries means that there is a location perfect for everyone, regardless of the type of beer you enjoy or the style of venue. Whether you want something laid-back or intense, a place with amazing food or one that just focuses on beer, an adult-focused setting or a kid-friendly one, there’s an option for you.
Of course, talking about every brewery in Denver isn’t going to help. Denver’s best breweries are those raved about by locals and visitors alike, including Crooked Stave, Our Mutual Friend, and Station 26. Check out the best choices and what each has to offer.
Best Breweries in Denver, Colorado
Cerebral
Cerebral takes a scientific approach to brewing, which largely means they pay close attention to every aspect of the process to ensure that the finished beer is as good as it can be. This isn’t surprising, given that the co-founders Dan McGuire and Sean Buchan both have a scientific background.
As well as this focus on quality and process, Cerebral maintains a strong interest in innovation. This aspect ensures there are some genuinely creative beers on the menu, such as The Work From Home Breakfast Porter, which includes flavors of coffee and maple syrup.
Cerebral’s taproom is located in the Bluebird District of Denver and is open every day of the week. Start times range from 11am to 2pm depending on the day, while closing times range from 9pm to 11pm. These hours provide plenty of chances for you to enjoy Cerebral’s beer and try a variety of different styles.
This is a great brewery to visit in the summer, as there is plenty of outdoor seating, plus shade cloths to help you keep cool. A rotating selection of food trucks service the location, making it a perfect place for a meal or a snack. Just be sure to check the timing first, as the brewery often opens a few hours before the food trucks arrive.
Crooked Stave
Crooked Stave is a must-try brewery for anyone looking for something out of the box. It’s sometimes promoted as modern, progressive, and artisan, approaches that lead to plenty of creativity in beer styles and flavors. Many of these beers rely on Brettanomyces yeast and are matured in oak, an approach that provides complex and unusual flavors.
Indeed, Crooked Stave offers some exciting and innovative beers, including wild ales, sour ales, and unusual lagers. Examples include their Sour Rosé (a sour ale that has been fermented with raspberries and blueberries), Hazelnut Macchiato Stout (a stout that has been brewed using hazelnut flavored coffee), and Mango Tango (a sour ale brewed using fresh basil and mango).
Crooked Stave’s taproom is closed on Monday and Tuesday, but opens the rest of the week. You’ll find them pulling pints from 2pm to 8pm on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Doors open at noon on Saturday and Sunday, making it a fantastic weekend venu.
Station 26
Station 26 is aptly named, as the brewery is located in an old firehouse. The building has a safe and familiar feel, making it an excellent choice for those who don’t want to venture outside their comfort zone. Indeed, it is often seen as an easygoing venue packed with charm.
The easygoing nature extends to the beers themselves, as they are familiar and not too unusual. So, if you find places like Crooked Stave a bit much, Station 26 could be the perfect scene. That said, Station 26 does have some interesting beers, including a variety of hop-forward IPAs.
The brewery regularly houses food trucks, ensuring that there are plenty of delicious meals for you to enjoy. Every second Sunday is extra special, as the brewery hosts live music from 1 to 4pm.
Station 26 is easy to check out, as the brewery is open every day. It runs from 1pm to 11pm from Monday to Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, the brewery opens at 11am instead, giving you even longer to enjoy their beer. Finally, on Sunday, Station 26 is open from 11am to 9pm.
Station 26 is also a fantastic family-friendly spot. You can bring your kids and even your dogs, as long as they’re well behaved.
TRVE
TRVE is a brewery that you won’t soon forget, which could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your preferences. Notably, TRVE is famous for its heavy metal theme, which can be seen in the décor throughout its taproom and in its music selection.
The company offers a variety of interesting beers, including familiar and unusual styles. Sour beers, dark stouts, and IPAs feature regularly, along with some even more experimental brews. Their beers are also suitably named, with examples like Apparition, Passage To Eternity, and Black Crusade.
As for food, TRVE is home of Music Chicken Hot Chicken. This excellent company offers a delicious fried chicken menu, plus plenty of other tasty treats.
The taproom currently operates from 3pm to 11pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, 11am to 11pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11am to 12am on Friday and Saturday, plus 11am to 10pm on Sunday. With such long hours, there’s plenty of chances to soak up the atmosphere and try all of TRVE’s fantastic brews.
Cohesion Brewing
Cohesion Brewing is noticeably different than the breweries we’ve featured thus far, as Cohesion has a strong focus on the Czech Republic. This includes not only an emphasis on Czech-style beer, but also some aspects of Czech brewing traditions.
One aspect of this is that there are three different pouring styles on offer: Hladinka, Šnyt, and Mlíko. The first of these is the standard pour, while the other two have much more foam than you may expect. Also of interest – the beers are arranged based on their color rather than the beer style.
The use of Czech terms and styles can make Cohesion seem confusing at first, but friendly staff members are available to help guide newcomers. You might even discover a few new favorites.
Despite the Czech focus, Cohesion relies on local ingredients whenever possible. Doing so creates an interesting intersection between the Czech Republic and Denver, leading to some truly exciting beers.
Dogs are welcome on Cohesion’s open patio, but not within the taproom itself. This is a common theme, as the Denver Health Code means dogs generally aren’t allowed inside taprooms and restaurants.
Our Mutual Friend
Our Mutual Friend, also called OMF, is a pretty small company, yet it competes with some of the big players. The beers are refreshing, the atmosphere inviting, and you’ll find all the classic beer styles on tap.
Still, Our Mutual Friend doesn’t get too complacent. There are innovative beers on offer as well, including some that may surprise you.
The policy around kids at Our Mutual Friend is a little complicated. Kids are allowed, but only if they’re under 10. Even then, they can only be at the taproom until 6pm and must be well behaved. Anyone aged above 10 and under 21 can’t visit Our Mutual Friend at all.
Those limitations around kids make Our Mutal Friend a poor choice for a family outing. However, the taproom could be perfect for anyone who wants to get away from unpredictable children for a while (especially if you visit after 6pm).
Despite their policy on kids, Our Mutual Friend is known as a friendly community-focused venue, one that’s easy to enjoy. They also have consistent hours, opening at 11am and closing at 10pm every day of the week.
Great Divide
The Great Divide Brewing Company has been in production since 1994, making it one of Denver’s oldest breweries. It also offers a considerable selection of beers, including familiar styles like IPAs, stouts, and lagers. Their Yeti Imperial Stout is one of the most famous brews. It offers plenty of bold flavors, an impressive 9.5% ABV, and is almost black in color. If this doesn’t appeal to you, no worries, there are plenty of others.
The company offers multiple taprooms, with the original brewery and taproom located in downtown Denver on Arapahoe Street. Public tours run at 3pm and 4pm each day, giving you the chance to peek behind the brewery curtain. You can even request a private tour if you want something more personalized and intimate.
A key feature of Great Divide is the focus on creating well-balanced brews, ones that taste fantastic and are easy to enjoy. But, well-balanced doesn’t mean boring, as there are still delicious flavors and plenty of variety.
Denver Beer Company
The Denver Beer Company is one of the mainstays of the Denver beer scene, offering five different taprooms in Denver and the surrounding area.
Their main brewery and original location is at 1695 Platte Street. This venue offers plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, plus rotating food trucks to keep everyone fed.
Unusually, the Platte Street taproom is within an old garage. The creates an industrial feel, while the large doors allow for plenty of indoor-outdoor flow. This taproom opens at 11am each day, closing at 9pm, 10pm, or 11pm, depending on the day.
If that’s not enough, check out the Cervecería Colorado brewery. This is located next door and focuses on infusing Mexican traditions into beer. Cervecería Colorado has a strong focus on community and inclusivity, giving it an amazing vibe. It’s also a sister brewery to the Denver Beer Company, so it’s well worth trying.
Prost
Prost is a family-friendly, easy-to-enjoy brewery with plenty of seating and accommodating staff. There is even an outdoor patio with a fire pit and plenty of games, making this a fantastic place to sit back, relax, and enjoy the outdoors.
The most notable thing about the brewery is their focus, as Prost is a distinctly German biergarten. This includes serving German-style lagers, following traditional German brewing methods, and offering German food. As such, you can order dishes like schnitzel, sauerkraut, pretzels, and bratwurst.
There’s also a kids food menu that includes more familiar options like chicken tenders and fries, a slider and fries, and mac and cheese with fries. This is fantastic, given that some other breweries barely tolerate kids and certainly don’t cater for them.
Of course, the focus on German food and German beer won’t appeal to everyone. If you’re not fond of these styles, you’d be better off looking for a different brewery—there are plenty to choose from.
The final thing to consider is parking. There’s surprisingly little parking in the area, so it may be difficult to find a spot when you first arrive.
Hogshead
Hogshead is another themed brewery – this time with a focus on English-style ales. As part of this focus, Hogshead offers a selection of cask ales, which are poured using hand pumps. The cask approach provides a different flavor and texture to beer on tap, while also making the beer warmer.
The focus on English beer and cask pouring is fantastic for many patrons, but is less appealing to others. As such, it’s worth considering your preferences before visiting Hogshead.
Still… there’s more than just beer at this brewery. Visitors consistently rave about the easygoing atmosphere and ambiance. Friendly staff members help visitors to navigate the beer selection and find a beer that suits their preferences.
One limitation is that Hogshead doesn’t offer much food on site (aside from pretzels). However, you may be able to bring your own food or order from local restaurants.
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