DENVER BREWERY TOURS
Get behind-the-scenes looks at Denver and Colorado’s thriving beer scene, including the largest single-site brewery in the world, as well as specialty microbreweries.
THE BIGGEST IN THE WORLD
502 14th St., Golden
303-277-BEER
The legendary Coors Brewery in Golden can brew up to 22 million barrels and package up to 16 million barrels annually, making it the biggest single-site brewer in the world. Take a free 30-minute, self-paced tour of the brewhouse, malthouse and packaging complex to view firsthand how more than 100 work teams make some of the most popular beer in the world.
When: JAN 1 - DEC 31 - Sun: 12:00PM - 4:00PM; JUN 1 - SEP 2 - Mon - Sun: 10:00AM - 4:00PM; SEP 6 - MAY 31 - Thu - Mon: 10:00AM - 4:00PM
DOWNTOWN DENVER'S BREWERY TOURS
Wynkoop Brewing Co.
www.wynkoop.com
1634 18th St., Denver
303-297-2700
Denver’s first brewpub, The Wynkoop Brewing Company -- co-founded in 1988 by current Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper -- produced 4,330 barrels of fresh beer in 1997, earning it a place among the largest brewpubs in the world. The free brewer-led tour takes visitors through the painstaking process of brewing the Wynkoop’s acclaimed beers, while strolling through the historic J.S. Brown Mercantile building, with its classic hardwood floors, thick timber pillars and pressed tin ceilings.
When: 1-5 p.m. on Saturdays. Please call ahead (303-297-2700) to verify a brewer is available.
Great Divide Brewing Co.
www.greatdivide.com
2201 Arapahoe St., Denver
303-296-9460, ext. 2
Great Divide’s downtown Tap Room is the go-to locale for many of Denver’s beer aficionados, where they can sample any of the beers on tap or in bottles, as well as the occasional Tap Room-only special release. The Tap Room is also the first stop on the Great Divide’s free brewery tours, in which knowledgeable bartenders walk you through every step in the creation of their award-winning beers. If the tour merely whets your appetite, the Great Divide also hosts Hops Disciple nights, featuring riveting discussions on beer and all things beer related, every third Thursday night.
When: 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and each hour starting at 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. No reservations required.
471 Kalamath St., Denver
303-573-0431
Take a tour of the entire Breckenridge Brewery facility. You'll be walked through the whole brewing process, and see from start to finish how we get the beer to your hands. Everything from the brew kettle, to the fermenting tanks, to the bottling line, you'll see it all...and all with a complimentary beer in your hand! We'll taste and talk about our different beers and how they're made. You'll actually get to hold, smell, and even taste if you're brave enough, the different ingredients we're using. So come on down and see where that Breckenridge beer you're drinking is coming from! Tours are free! Groups will meet in the Breckenridge Brewery & BBQ restaurant that's connected to the brewery. There's no need to sign up. Just come on in! The tours will start every hour on the hour, so be sure to arrive a little early.
When: Saturdays from 2-5 p.m., every hour on the hour.
GUIDED TOURS
Denver Brews Cruise
www.brewscruise.com/denver
Be driven from brewpub to brewpub, from microbrewery to microbrewery, with VIP treatment at every turn? Not a bad way to spend a few hours. On the Denver cruise, you’ll experience the distinct tastes and styles of three of downtown Denver’s fine craft breweries – Breckenridge Brewery, Pints Pub and Great Divide. From Porters and Stouts, to Belgians, Pale Ales and Lagers, Denver Brews Cruise is sure to satisfy everyone’s preferences.
Denver Microbrew Tour
www.denvermicrobrewtour.com
Find out why Denver is the real King of Beers. The Denver Microbrew Tour is a 1.5-mile guided walking tour in downtown Denver’s historic LoDo (lower downtown) area. The tour includes a tour of the acclaimed Great Divide microbrewery, beer samplings at several microbreweries (including Wynkoop and Breckenridge Brewing). The guides are bona fide Denver brew aficionados – you'll come out of this tour knowing more about beer than you ever thought possible.
Culinary Connectors' Craft Beer Tour
www.culinaryconnectors.com/tcategory/craft-beer-tour/
Join an exciting craft beer tours with other like-minded beer lovers, enjoying tastings at two different tap rooms and one local brewery. All Craft Beer Tours are every Wednesday afternoon from 3:30-5:30pm. Tours include: Three stops – two different tap rooms & one local brewery; 2-3 beer tastings at each stop; Two hour walking tour led by seasoned craft beer expert. $29 per person.
OUTSIDE DENVER
New Belgium Brewing Co.
500 Linden St., Fort Collins
970-221-0524
Fort Collins’ New Belgium Brewing Co. is one of Colorado’s first microbrewery success stories. Since its founding in 1991, New Belgium has grown into one of the biggest microbreweries in the world, producing more than 400,000 barrels of beer annually.
When: Register at newbelgium.com for a free tour of the wind-powered “Liquid Center.” It’s a 90-minute stroll around the brewery incorporating plenty of beer sampling.
Avery Brewing
5763 Arapahoe Dr., Boulder
303-440-4324
One of Boulder’s most beloved brewers, Avery is rapidly making headway on the national beer scene, thanks to its blending of Old World beer tradition and expertise with ingenuity, creativity and a touch of eccentricity – check out the strange and wonderful labels on the bottles.
When: Tour the brewery Tues.-Fri. at 4 p.m. and Sat.-Sun. at 2 p.m. Friday is an especially good time to visit – the brewers tap an exclusive beer at 5 p.m.
Boulder Beer Co.
2880 Wilderness Pl., Boulder
303-444-8448
Colorado’s first microbrewery, located in its namesake Boulder, Colo., is beloved by beer connoisseurs for its Hazed & Infused American Pale Ale.
When: Tours are given Monday through Friday at 2 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The free tour lasts approximately one hour.
Anheuser-Busch Brewery
2351 Busch Dr., Fort Collins
970-490-4691
Visit the home of Budweiser and discover how “the King of Beers” crafts its world-famous brews. See the famous Budweiser Clydesdales and sample a cold one in the Hospitality Room.
When: June 1- Sept. 30, daily 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Oct. 1-May 3; Thurs.-Mon., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.