by Wendy Lafond

Created on: December 08, 2008   Last Updated: January 08, 2009

Denver, Colorado is the top beer producing city in America and is also home to the Great American Beer Festival. It is appropriate that the first permanent building in Denver was a saloon. Choosing the best breweries in the area is a daunting task as there are 15 brewpubs and microbreweries located in Denver. One of the top rated is Wynkoop Brewpub, the largest brewpub in the nation. Wynkoop Brewing Company is a part of Denver history as it was the first brewpub to open there. Wynkoop was founded by the current mayor, John Hickenlooper.

If you could ask Adolph Coors, he would tell you Coors' fame is all in the water. Water made Scotland king of Scotch Whiskey, and Colorado the ruler of beer brewing. The Rocky Mountains, unmatched in the world, is the filtration system used to purify the water used in Coors beer, the third largest producer of beer in the US. The same 44 springs that inspired Adolph Coors to purchase the land, and begin what was to become the largest single brewery in the world, are still the source of the water used in the brewing process today.

Rock Bottom Brewery is now a national chain with over 100 awards for excellence and they operate some of the best brewpubs in the world. They began in Denver and it shows through in the names they have given to some of their most popular brews. Red Rocks Ale carries with it the fame of Denver's natural amphitheatre, Molly's Titanic Brown is immortalizing Denver's own Molly Brown, Titanic survivor, and others. Red Rocks may be nationally famous, but they remember their roots in Denver.

When talking about the best breweries, brewpubs, and microbreweries around Denver, you have to include Boulder Beer of, you guessed it, Boulder. As the holder of the 43rd brewing license issued in the United States and the esteemed title of first microbrewery in Colorado, Boulder Beer has a special place in the hearts and menus of Colorado residents. In 2001 they had a hit with a new idea, an experimental brew that was and still is unfiltered. Dubbed Hazed & Infused, it headed a whole new line for the already mega-popular brewery.

Formerly Sandlot Brewing Company, the Blue Moon Brewing Company at the Sandlot has made a special place for itself in the history of great Denver microbreweries. They are located in Coors Field Stadium. That doesn't mean that the only way you can enjoy any of this great beer is at a game, most of them are sold locally in some stores and fine restaurants, but they do have a few specialty brews that are only sold at the games. They are owned by Coors, they have to be good.

Beginning in 1990, in Breckenridge, Colorado, and now with three locations across the state is the brain-child of Richard Squire, Breckenridge Brewery and Pub. Richard started with a few recipes of his own and now produces around 30,000 barrels of beer annually that is sold throughout Colorado and 25 other states. Their Avalanche Ale is a superb beer, and the leader of the 6-pack.

With Denver being home to 15 brewpubs and microbreweries, and beer choices following personal taste and preference, when you get to Denver you should stop by each one and taste them for yourself. There are many varieties to choose from at each location, so be sure to take along either a designated driver or a seeing-eye dog to get you back home.

Learn more about this author, Wendy Lafond.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.