by Robert Freeman

Created on: December 10, 2011   Last Updated: May 29, 2012

Denver, Colorado. The city is more commonly known as the "Mile High City" thanks to the lofty perch in the Rocky Mountains it resides on but over the past few years the city has been referred to by an increasing amount of people as "The Napa Valley of Beer." The city that brings to the world the Coors Company is also the city with some of the most unique and best-rated microbreweries in the United States.

Scattered throughout the city but centered around the historic section of downtown, there are dozens of small brewing companies within Denver that each offer a unique beer-drinking experience that are hard to pass up. The microbrewery business has boomed so much and become so popular that guided tours like the Denver Microbrew Tour have sprung up to give every beer enthusiast a chance to visit and learn about the best microbreweries in the city.

The tours go into many specifics about each microbrewery on the tour, to include tasting sessions of some of the best beers each has to offer and perhaps a short list of the best breweries in Denver will give you that final push to take a trip to the city in the mountains to get your lips on a pint of some of the best beer in the country.

Wynkoop Brewing Company

1634 18th Street

303-297-2700

Established in 1988, the Wynkoop Brewing Company was Colorado's first "brewpub;" a mixture of brewery and Old English pub with great food and unique beers. This award-wining brewery has garnered national prestige and has become one of the hottest breweries in all of Colorado. Wynkoop is considered by many to be one of the best; if not the best; microbrewery in Denver and it is reflected by the numerous awards the company's beers have won.

Breckenridge Brewery

471 Kalamath Street

303-623-2739

One of the two starting locations for the Denver Microbrew Tour, the Breckenridge Brewery actually got its roots at the home of founder Richard Squire's home in Breckenridge, Colorado. The success of the brewery in Breckenridge lead to the establishment of the Denver-based branch in downtown Denver in 1992. The brewery slash pub has grown into one of the most successful microbrews in Denver and perhaps one of the most successful in the country; exporting beer to 25 states outside of Colorado. No tour of Denver's microbreweries would be complete without a stop here.

Great Divide Brewing Company

2201 Arapahoe Street

303-296-9460

Great Divide is one of the most awarded microbrews in Denver and another must stop on your microbrew tour of Denver. Along with its numerous American awards for sheer beer awesomeness, Great Divide Brewing Company has garnered international prestige; voted a top ten brewer in the world in 2010. The beer just keeps getting better for the folks at Great Divide and you would be totally remise if you skipped it on your tour.

Some Other Breweries to Check Out

The three breweries mentioned above are perhaps the three best in Denver of a slew of breweries that will all compete for your attention, time, taste buds, and money. If you have enough time and/or you can pry yourself away from the three breweries mentioned above, check out the list below of other notable breweries within Denver. Enjoy!

Del Norte Brewing Company:  139 West Evans Ave. Unit 2-O

Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery:  100 16th Street

Sandlot Brewery at Coors Field:  2145 Blake Street

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