Do you love craft beer? Want to get out and see the beautiful state of Colorado? Do you live along the Front Range and want to visit some Colorado mountain breweries, but aren’t sure how to go about it without sitting in ski traffic for several lifetimes? For those who answered “Yes!” to these questions, this is the ninth article in a series of Colorado Brewery Tours that maps out a route of 10 to 18 breweries you can easily visit over an extended-weekend trip. The previous articles included a Southwest CO Tour, a South Central CO Tour, a San Juan Mountains Tour, a Central Western CO Tour, a Grand Junction Area Tour, a Vail & Aspen Tour, a Summit County Tour, and a Northwest CO Tour. Note: many of these are in the works for a rewrite due to the big changes in the Colorado brewery scene in the past couple of years.
Denver is the starting point for each tour as a central jumping-off point, as the center of population for the state, however, you can adjust the maps quite easily to start your tour from another location. Each day on the itinerary includes a Google Maps™ link of destinations to use as a springboard for planning your personal itinerary.
Most of the previous tours that I’ve designed are for a full three-day weekend; this allows for full enjoyment of multiple breweries per day often with some time to spare for other activities. This particular tour article is designed for three separate day trips which you could easily make into a couple of weekends if desired.
While I did not include each brewery’s hours of operation, in many cases I start each day at the earliest opening brewery and finish it at the last to close. Before your tour, be certain to double check that the breweries will be open at the time of your visit because operating hours have a tendency to change depending on season, holiday, and anticipated traffic volume.
The best way to undertake these tours is to have a designated driver, who you should shower with praise, free meals, and gifts. Regardless, I have designed these tours to usually include no more than three or four breweries before checking into your hotel and then walking to the rest of the locations where you and your designated driver can enjoy yourselves fully.
Editor’s Note: this article is a collaboration between Stephen Adams (Colorado Beer Geek), Dev Adams (Miss Lupulin), and Jeffrey Parker (Colorado Brewery Master). While Stephen created the route for this tour and the structure of the overall article, Dev and Jeff contributed greatly with the brewery descriptions and some of the photographs.
Evergreen & I-70 Tour (5 Breweries: 2 in Evergreen, 2 in Idaho Springs, and 1 in Georgetown)
Evergreen Brewery
Evergreen Brewery, opened in 2015, is located above Boone Mountain Sports in a rustic building along the Evergreen Parkway. Along with their eclectic label designs, the space reflects the artistic outdoors vibe the area is known for. Their tiny brewery is nestled just inside the front door, and you can enjoy their beers with the excellent food coming out of their kitchen. They have live music on Wednesdays, a great happy hour, and when the weather allows, be sure to sit out on their wonderful deck to soak in the views of Elk Meadow and Bergen Peak.
Lariat Lodge Brewing
Lariat Lodge was Evergreen’s first brewery, opening in the historic convention center on the east end of downtown Evergreen. Perched above Bear Creek, Lariat Lodge offers a cozy, cabin-like atmosphere to pair with its gastropub menu and ever-changing selection of beers from Angry Elk Amber Ale to their experimental “Mad Scientist” series. They have multiple outdoor seating options to enjoy during warm weather, and some of the best views of the falling snow during the cold season. But beware: a certain cow elk calls the Lariat Lodge grounds home, and she can get pretty testy when guests get too familiar with her and her babies, thus the name of their flagship beer.
Westbound & Down Brewing
Opened in 2015, Westbound & Down is aptly named for those going into the mountains or returning to the city. After becoming well-known for their excellent beers, they have greatly expanded their presence throughout Colorado. First in 2021 with the Westbound & Down Mill in Lafayette, then in 2022 with opening the W&D Taproom at Free Market in downtown Denver, and finally by acquiring both Aspen Brewing and Capitol Creek Brewing in Basalt, (near Aspen) in late 2023. Their original location is a modern brewpub nestled in the slot canyon of Idaho Springs that offers “elevated comfort food.”
Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub
Tommyknocker opened over 30 years ago in 1994, making it one of the 20 oldest Colorado breweries! They lean into the theme of being in the historic mining town of Idaho Springs, and feature a tommyknocker for their name and logo. A tommyknocker is a mythical, subterranean, gnome-like creature that wears a tiny version of standard miner’s garb and commits random mischief, such as stealing miners’ unattended tools and food. Their kitchen offers a “mountain style menu” and their house-made root beer is one best you’ll find anywhere.
Cabin Creek Brewing
Opening in the midst of the pandemic in 2020, Cabin Creek impressed everyone with their high quality beers. Their foeder-fermented Pils is fabulous! They also have a kitchen that serves classic pub favorites and their cathedral ceilings and picture windows offer guests unparalleled views of Georgetown Lake and the Rocky Mountains. Be sure to grab a seat outside if possible.
Highway 119 Tour (6 Breweries: 3 in Nederland, 1 in Rollinsville, 1 in Gilpin County, and 1 in Central City)
These six breweries are in a 20-mile stretch along a beautiful section of Highway 119. You can get to the starting point by taking Highway 6 from Golden and when done, continue down on Highway 119 into Boulder. This tour contains two breweries in the smallest Colorado towns with a brewery – Rollinsville (population 194) and Black Hawk (population 127). (The Very Nice Brewing spot in Gilpin County technically has a Black Hawk address.)
Dostal Alley Casino & Brew Pub
A brewpub and a casino! Dostal Alley was one of the first casinos of the modern era in Colorado, opening in 1991, and adding a brewery in 1998. The brewer emeritus at Dostal Alley, Dave Thomas, quite literally wrote the book on beer in Gilpin County, and they have also won multiple GABF medals for their English Bitter and Dry Irish Stout. They also offer two floors of gambling with a variety of penny, nickel, quarter, and dollar slot machines and video poker.
Very Nice Brewing (Gilpin County)
With the success of their original location in Nederland, The Very Nice Brewing Company opened this large production facility and taproom in 2024. Located just west of Golden Gate Canyon State Park, it is a great place to pick up some beer for your campsite or rehydrate after a hike. As a matter of fact, you could do that hike in the morning and this tour in the afternoon and evening for a perfect Colorado day!
Howlin Wind Brewing & Blending
The little town of Rollinsville can go by in a blink while you’re traveling the Peak-to-Peak Highway, but it would be a great shame to miss it. It happens to be home to a great wood-fired restaurant, haunted house, distillery, and, (all in the same building) Howlin Wind Brewing & Blending, Melt Coffee, and Dusty Rose Mountain Boutique. Howlin Wind may be operating on a small brewhouse, but they are offering big flavors in their beers; including European-style lagers, IPAs, and barrel projects inspired by adventures in Belgium. They offer food Friday-Sunday from their onsite food truck, Back on the Train.
Nederland Breweries
Rollinsville to Nederland is only 5 miles, and once in Nederland you can park your car (in front of Very Nice there is a large lot) and walk to the remaining breweries.
The Very Nice Brewing Company
The Very Nice Brewing Company is best described by the origin of their name from their owner/brewer Jeffrey Green: “The Very Nice Brewing Company was first thought of while I was in college. I worked my way through school with some of the most interesting, fabulous and caring individuals at the Junction Bar and Grill in Bowling Green, Ohio. I was hooked on the pub scene. Not for the wild times, but for the peace and solace of the companionship a neighborhood pub can provide a community. It was always “Very Nice”, and thus the name for our beer was born.”
Busey Brews Smokehouse & Brewery
Want to have amazing barbeque with some tasty beers? Busey Brews Smokehouse & Brewery is your spot in Nederland! Featuring a large patio with beautiful views, Busey has 18 taps offering a selection varying from IPAs to barrel-aged stouts to go along with some of the best barbeque in Colorado.
Knotted Root Brewing
The (relatively) new kid on the block in Nederland, Knotted Root quickly made a name for themselves as a go-to spot for their excellent hazy IPAs, smoothie-style sours, and seasonal, rustic farmhouse ales. Their space can be described as “modern rustic,” which fits nicely with their selection of beers.
Lyons & Estes Park Tour (5 Breweries: 3 in Estes Park, 2 in Lyons)
This tour starts in the town of Lyons which is right up against the foothills East of Loveland and takes Highway 36 into Estes Park.
Lyons Breweries
Lyons is just 10 miles east of Loveland down Highway 36 and the two breweries are only a couple blocks from each other.
Oskar Blues Grill & Brew
The original home of the brewery that started it all back in 1997, they still brew and serve their core craft beers alongside pilot batches of new brews they are trying out. They also have an amazing downstairs music room where they have local and nationally touring acts playing everything from blues, rock, Americana, and bluegrass to folk, roots and country.
MainStage Brewing
With an expansive outdoor patio, MainStage offers the best that Colorado has to offer; a great beer in hand, 300+ days of sunshine, and live music! While physically brewed at a different brewery, MainStage’s owner/head-brewer handles all aspects of brewing, cellaring, and packaging their delicious, small-batch beers. Along with their own beers, they strive to curate a menu of fresh, diverse, and high-quality guest beers.
Estes Park breweries
In just a short trip up scenic highway 36 is Estes Park, home of the famous Stanley Hotel and gateway to the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park. All three of the Estes Park breweries are located less than 2 miles from each other.
Lumpy Ridge Brewing
Located in a converted gas station, the original Lumpy Ridge location is also where they brew. It’s a cozy setup with a small outdoor area and is brimming with charm and views. They also have a taproom downtown called the Lumpy Ridge Publick House.
Avant Garde Aleworks
Avant Garde beers are focused primarily on ales of Old World Europe, with an emphasis on Belgian and French Styles. Enjoy them in the family & dog-friendly taproom or relax in their beer garden with an incredible view of the Lumpy Ridge mountain range.
Rock Cut Brewing
The brewery and taproom are located near downtown Estes Park with expansive views of Lumpy Ridge and the Continental Divide. If the weather cooperates, post up on the patio and listen to the Big Thompson River as it meanders by. Otherwise, the bright and comfortable taproom is family-friendly and perfect for a game or good conversation. Often a food truck is on site, serving up delicious lunches and dinners, or outside food is always welcomed.
I hope you enjoy your trip through the Colorado foothills and all of the great breweries in the area. If you take this tour or a similar route, please drop us a line and let us know how it went!
Next Up: Eastern Colorado Tour
