I blogged earlier about my recent weekend trip to the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek.  As we all know, no trip to Beaver Creek (or Colorado in general) is complete without visiting at least 5-7 Colorado Microbreweries.  I was only able to partake in an underachieving 4 Colorado micro-brews last weekend, but as a Martini Follow-up, I’d like to share with you 7 can’t miss drinking establishments to make your next visit to Colorado complete.

1. Wynkoop Brewing Company, 1634 18th St., Denver

Wynkoop Brewing Company is a Denver institution and Colorado’s first brewpub.  Located in the hip LoDo area, this place has good quality bar food and a powerful lineup of craft beers.  For the Denver Broncos Playoff game, I purchased a couple of Growlers from Wynkoop which turned out to be clutch for the parking lot tailgate.  Mile HIPA is my go to Martini at Wynkoop.

2. Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery, 1535 Pearl Street, Boulder

Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery is quite the quirky Boulder establishment.  Mountain Sun is a fun place to chill with friends and enjoy high quality Colorado artisan brews.  They have a nice selection of board games available to supplement the conversation. This cash-only brewery also allows its patrons who don’t have cash on them to send back ‘Karma envelopes’ with the cash they owe once they return home.  My favorite beer was the ILLUSION DWELLER I.P.A, though every beer I have had of theirs is phenomenal.

3. Tommyknocker Brewery, 1401 Miner St., Idaho Springs

The Tommyknocker Brewery is located in Idaho Springs, about 30 minutes or so into the commute from Denver to the ski resorts.  I discovered this place on my way to the St Regis Aspen last year and used it again for the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek.  Conveniently located right off I-70, I always make a quick stop here on my way to the mountains to pick up a Growler to go. I like the Butt Head Bock Lager.

Growler to go

4. Cheeky Monk Belgian Beer Café, 534 East Colfax Avenue, Denver

The Cheeky Monk does not brew its own beer but is definitely worth mentioning on this list.  They have a massive list of Belgian beers on draft and an excellent menu of food to match.  I went in for lunch last weekend and was surprised to find all taps at half price during lunch.  Naturally I went for the most expensive Belgian drafts on the list to maximize my savings.  Drinking Kwak and Piraat on draft for $4.50  is tough to beat!

5. Vine Street Tavern, 1700 Vine St., Denver

Vine Street Tavern is the Denver version of the Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery.  Vine Street has the same vibe as its Boulder counterpart but is more convenient to Denver city dwellers in the Northeast neighborhood.  You can also find the Karma Envelopes here as well as a 80% Beard to non-Beard ratio.  Try the XXX PALE ALE here.

6. Great Divide Brewing Company Tap Room, 2201 Arapahoe St Denver

Located in Downtown Denver, The Great Divide Brewing Company Tap Room is for drinking only.  They have limited hours for their Tap Room where you can taste their newest concoctions.  They also run tours of the facility which are worth checking out.  The Tap Room is open from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm Sunday-Tuesday and 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm Wednesday-Saturday. Tours take place at 3:00 pm and 4:00pm Monday thru Friday, and between the hours of 2:30 and 5:00 p.m., running regularly every 30 to 45 minutes, on Saturday and Sunday. I would recommend trying a sampler in the Tap Room.  I love the HERCULES DOUBLE IPA.

7. Walnut Brewery, 1123 Walnut Street, Boulder

I visited The Walnut Brewery this weekend for the first time.  Walnut has a great location in downtown Boulder, just a block from the Pearl Street Mall.  This place has a similar feel to Wynkoop with a solid bar food menu and a wide range of unique craft beers.  I tried the Old Elk Brown Ale and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Cheers!