Denver Brews the Best Beer, Let's be Honest

There is nothing strange about beer, only strange people who drink the beer. Strange Brewing Company is Denver's newest small craft brewery who distribute specialty beers to local restaurants and bars.

Yes, beer is close at hand! Delicious, hand crafted barrels of God's own goodness rained from the heavens and into Avery's east Boulder warehouse for your drinking pleasure. Who needs to climb a freakin' mountain when you can have a Fourteener in a bottle?

This new microbrewery is still mostly under the radar. GABF may be a chance for it to prove itself. They brew organic beer in...you guessed it, Boulder.

The Sandlot Brewery creates some amazing micro brews, but the only way to sample them is to hit the slopes – they make Fresh Tracks Ale and Mary Jane Ale for the après-ski crowd – or buy a ticket to a Rockies home game. And who can forget their top seller, Blue Moon? Yes, this is the place to be if you're downtown.

You may be wondering why Boulder has a brewery. After all, there's a University there - shouldn't those kids be studying? And do the hippies really make enough money begging on Pearl Street to afford a microbrew? And let's not forget the upper-class yuppies - surely they're drinking fancy wines or trendy martinis. They'd rather be caught dumping their recycling into the trash than sipping a brew. So, who is their market then? Apparently everyone else - both inside and outside of Boulder. Since they opened in 1979 they've gained a massive following, and their restaurant's not bad either.

Located across the street from Coors Field (originally established in the mountain of Breckenridge), this brewpub is a sports’ pit stop. You can come root your team on with… 7 HDTVs! Equipped with a bar, dining area and back rooms for your private parties, their handcrafted ales are a reason for stopping by but their food is scrum-diddly-umptous! Try their sizzling fajitas or Red Sox fans, why don’t you choke on the “Rockies” prime rib dip! Yeah take that.

The bold beers and excellent selection of scotches make the trip here worthwhile. And their food is nothing to scoff at either. Favorites include traditional English dishes like shepard's pie and fish n' chips. The Bull and Bush is a classic English brewpub and eatery accented by wood everything and a substantially cluttered bar. The bar consistently maintains a friendly, energetic crowd that comes in to sip the numerous signature beers.

Have you ever wondered how the hops were cured and the suds were formed as you're drinking a beer? Dry Dock Brewing Company, with its prominently displayed brewing tanks and vats, offers a firsthand peek into the brewing process for the curious consumer. As Aurora's only microbrewery, Dry Dock's staff are serious about their beers. Offering a full menu of brews, from stouts to brown ales to blondes, Dry Dock has a recipe for every beer palate. As a weekly tradition, the staff breaks open a freshly minted cask in a ceremony known as "Firkin' Friday.

The Golden City Brewery touts itself as "the second biggest brewery in Golden," and a tour through their facility reveals an operation that is both professional and intimate. With brews such as the medium Golden City Red Ale, the dark amber Hazy and the rich Oatmeal Stout, this brewery has plenty of unique blends to compete with the larger Colorado company. In addition to a small dining hall and light menu for the public, the brewery is open for tours Monday to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the knowledgeable staff provides plenty of free samples. Even while its internationally famous beer neighbor casts a formidable shadow, no silver bullet can take away from this gem of a brew house.

Named after two men who share a passion for beer, (and what two men in the same room don’t?) this spacious brewery/restaurant adheres to a strict, 500-year-old German purity law which dictates that only the purest of ingredients may be used in the brewing process. It’s no wonder, then, that they have a following of such loyal happy hour patrons. Southwest egg rolls and fried calamari accompany the beer nicely, and the Moroccan-spiced lamb chops highlights the feistier side of their menu.

12 Great American Beer Festival medals, four World Beer Cup awards and are ranked the 23rd best brewery on the planet. Now that’s what beer is all about.

You’ve got a lively bar with loud music and cheap drinks; a quieter dining area with candles glowing and seafood and “California burgers” on the tables; and in between the two, you’ve got the brewery. It’s pumping out Alligator Ale and Lightning Bold Gold, which can be had during happy hour for 2-for-1.

With eight of their own creative brews, what's not to love at Moutain Sun Pub and Brewery? Beer, friendly service, and countless ways to create a grilled cheese are just some of the great finds at this joint. The pub also hosts live bands on Sundays, and is conveniently along Boulder's famous Pearl Street Mall.

Old Mill Brewery & Grill in Littleton is the hotspot to be every night of the week. For one, they have a daily happy hour you can't miss from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. and karaoke on Wednesdays. If you're brave enough to hit the stage, their open mic nights are on Thursdays. Old Mill are proud brewers of the Old Mill Pilsner, Rapp Street Lager, Riverside Red, Colussus I.P.A, Downtown Littleton Brown and the Devout Stout. Swing by for some brewhahs and stay for the food and entertainment while you're at it.

You want to drink a quality beer from a can? Head to Oskar Blues and order an Old Chub. It's most likely what Jesus would drink. While you're there try some of their fiery Cajun, Creole and Southern-style comfort food. Saturday nights are jumpin' as Boulder and Lyons residents pack the 100-person capacity basement juke joint to hear bluegrass, blues, rock and folk. In the warmer months the music continues outdoors with national acts playing with the Rocky Mountains as their backdrop.

If you have never tried Redstone mead, you're totally missing out. Mead is one of those wonders in the world that people need to enjoy more often. They like to call it "honey wine" as honey is the primary ingredient used to make mead. They may not be beer, but they still attend numerous festivals around the state, such as the Great American Beer Festival.

This fabulous brewery has an excellent beer selection with tasty ‘Rock Bottom Original’ treats to choose from off the menu. The smoked enchiladas are a different spin on the popular Mexican entrée and they go down smooth with a light lager. It’s a place to come watch sports, shoot a game of pool or sip your boss out of your mind. Check out the numerous Colorado Rock Bottom Brewery locations.

Best known for its own brewpub brews with beers like Double Eagle Ale, Redhawk Ale, Lightning Strike, and Lynx Light Lager, as well as for its seasonal brews, the Rockyard is part brewpub, part sports bar, and part community gathering place, with full lunch and dinner menus to boot. Try the signature Rockyard Knots, enormous pretzels stuffed with jalapeño cheese and served with spicy Redhawk Ale mustard.

If you have never heard of Twisted Pine beers, where the heck have you been since ’95?! This is the home of some of the tastiest beers ever brewed. Even people who say in a confident voice, “I don’t like beer” will turn their caps to Twisted Pine. Although you can find their infamous beer in most liquor stores, you need to stop by the brewery to see where the magic happens. It's a great atmosphere to bring your co-workers for a complaining session about your boss after a crappy day. Come eat some peanuts and pretzels and wash them down with some Twisted Pine brews and forget about the day you have had. Be adventurous—try all their glorious flavors.

Located in North Boulder, this brewing company sure knows the meaning of good times and, more importantly, good beer. At Upslope they have conceived such beers as the Upslope Pale Ale and the Upslope IPA. Although the beer names aren't uber creative, it is beer and that's all the matters. They do tours and tastings at the brewing company Wednesdays through Sundays from 4 p.m.-8 p.m.

If you dig beer like we do and seek originality, this is the place for you. Being Boulder’s original brewery, they have had enough time to tweak their recipes and make some of the best beer you’ve ever had. It’s a laid back environment to have a brewsky in and it has that typical brewpub feel to it—nothing uber fancy just good people, beer and food. Burgers, pastas, sandwiches and salads are on their menu along with nachos, ball park pretzels and much more. Mmmmm beer, is there anything it can’t do?

Just the name alone makes you crave the good stuff in life, doesn't it? Between 'smokehouse' and 'brewery' we are getting hungry and extremely thirsty. Good thing the name doesn't steer us the wrong way. At Wild Mountain you can dig into some smoked prime rib, baby back ribs, beef briskets and so much more. To wash it down, try some of their specialty brews such as the Otis Pale of the Hop Diggity.

The “Koop” can turn your dinner outing into a crazy long night. Ironically, Edward Wynkoop was Denver’s first sherriff. Today, the historic brewpub brings you some of the best beer around. When you first walk in, you have a few options—turn right you end up in the bar, turn left you’re in the dining area, go upstairs and you end up in the “Koop” with pool, a shuffle table and tasty libations, or go downstairs to “Impulse Theatre" for some excellent comedy shows. The interior wood-lined floors and pillars really bring out the history in the building. Beer buff? Try Patty’s Chile Beer, you can actually smell and taste the jalapenos as you sip away.

Put that Corona down, Denver. We have a brewery that specializes in Mexican-style beers! Del Norte Brewing Co. uses traditional ingredients in small batches and captures the styles and flavors in Mexican beers.

This chain brewery keeps people from all walks of life entertained by offering casual fare in a dining room, brewpub and sports bar. Try the Butthead brew...ah-mazing and will get you on your butt in no time.

LoHi's latest beer bar comes roaring out of the gate with seven unique microbrews and some massive pretzels