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Denver's first brewpub, The Wynkoop Brewing Company (co-founded in 1988 by former Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, who is now Colorado's Governor) produces more than 4,000 barrels of fresh beer annually, earning it a place among the largest brewpubs in the world. Housed in LoDo's 1899-built J.S. Brown Mercantile building, The Wynkoop is packed with 22 pool tables, multiple dart boards and other bar games, but the beer is the main attraction for suds aficionados. Start with their flagship brew, the Railyard Ale, a smooth, amber beer that combines the malty goodness of an Oktoberfest lager with the slight fruitiness of an ale.
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The minds behind Rock Bottom Brewery, with locations on the 16th Street Mall and in the Denver Tech Center, believe that the best beer is the freshest beer. All of Rock Bottom's beer (40,000 barrels yearly, the highest volume of beer in the restaurant brewery category) is handcrafted onsite, by dedicated brewmasters with a reverence for the rich traditions of brewing. As a result, beer experts have piled on the accolades, naming it the "Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year" at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival. Try Molly's Titanic Brown Ale (so named for Denver's famed "unsinkable" Molly Brown), an English-style ale that finely balances malt flavor and hops.
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Like so many brewpubs, Breckenridge Brewery started out modestly in a home brewer's basement. Today, Breckenridge Brewery satisfies the thirsts of discerning beer drinkers at three locations in Colorado with such unique brews as Agave Wheat (created using the nectar of Salmiana Agave), Trademark Pale Ale (boasting hearty amounts of pale and Munich malts) and Oatmeal Stout (a bold, smooth-bodied concoction that magically combines dark-roasted coffee aromas and flavors of espresso and semi-sweet chocolate). Opened in 1992, the downtown Denver location is just a block from Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies.
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Thirteen Great American Beer Festival medals. Four World Beer Cup awards. Ranked 14th in Ratebeer.com's 2008 "The Best Brewers in the World." Ranked seventh in Beer Advocate's 2008 "All-Time Top Breweries on Planet Earth." Yes, Denver's Great Divide Brewery, has racked up its fair share of awards and acclaim since its founding in 1994 -- so many that it has become a must-visit destination for beer lovers worldwide. At the Great Divide's Tap Room in Downtown Denver, sample any of their beers on tap or in bottles, as well as the occasional Tap Room-only special release. Grab a seat on the patio and toast Denver's beautiful skyline with some of Colorado's finest beers. Or get some Great Divide to go: choose from a full selection of bottled beers, available in either 4 or 6-packs or in 22 oz. bottles. Bring in a growler and the brewers will fill it to the brim.
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Belgians love beer -- they've been brewing it since the Middle Ages, with styles varying from the popular pale lager to lambic beer and Flemish red. It's believed that the first brewers in Belgium were Trappist monks -- hence the name of this cozy Colfax "beer café." More than 50 beers are offered at this husband-and-wife-owned operation, including close to 20 Belgian draughts not available anywhere else in Colorado. Sophistication is the name of the game -- the Cheeky Monk even provides tasting cards allowing customers to take notes on their favorite beverages.
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A recent addition to Denver's 16th Street Mall, the Yard House took its name from the 3-foot-tall glass containers originally designed in Great Britain and used to hand stagecoach drivers after a long journey by horse drawn carriage. An upscale-casual eatery known for great food, classic rock music and 130 tap handles of domestic, imported, and craft beer, Yard House has something for everyone.
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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.
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Ice cold brews and baseball -- a match made in heaven. Just behind right field at LoDo's Coors Field (home of the Colorado Rockies) sits The Blue Moon Brewery at the Sandlot. A bit of a contradiction in terms, this is a microbrewery that's run by a mega-brewery -- MillerCoors. But the beer served is mainly of the craft variety, centered on Blue Moon beers, which were first brewed right here in Denver. Their Belgian White Ale was their first claim to fame, and took away top prize at the World Beer Championships. It's an unfiltered Belgian-style wheat ale with deep flavor and a uniquely cloudy appearance. The brewers suggest you try it with a slice of orange to bring out the natural spices and subtle fruit flavor.
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Falling Rock Taphouse takes beer appreciation seriously, with more than 69 beers on tap and even more bottled beer, including what is probably the most extensive selection of Colorado-brewed beer under one roof in the world. All beer on tap is craft brewed -- "no contract brews or megaswill" they proudly state on their Web site. Just a block away from Coors Field in LoDo, Falling Rock regularly takes top prize in Westword's annual Best Beer List competition -- they're tough to beat!
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Fresh food and craft beer -- what more do you want? Located in the heart of lower downtown, Freshcraft boasts an ever-changing selection of the best craft beers in Colorado and beyond, not to mention some great eats.
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This Larimer Square eatery's beer list was named the 4th best in the country by Esquire Magazine in 2011. The writers raved: "Sessionable kolsches and pilsners hang next to porters and nitro-carbonated milk stouts on the Colorado-centric tap tower. A mathematical-themed bottle list spans from the introductory ("Arithmetic": Del Norte Orale Light Lager) to the more advanced ("Quantum Mechanics": Lost Abbey Lost & Found), with smart choices everywhere in between."
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Vine Street Tavern, one of the newest and grooviest additions to Denver's microbrewery scene, is all about the Grateful Dead on the sound system, juicy burgers (or veggie burgers) and a dedication to lovingly crafted beer. A sister brewery to the Mountain Sun and Southern Sun breweries in Boulder, the beers brewed and served here have won medals across the globe, including six gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival. Start with a Colorado Kind, a deep amber ale dry hopped with whole flower and cascade hops -- as satisfying as a Denver skyline sunset.
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A collaboration between the Wynkoop and Breckenridge Brewery, this hotspot is freshly opened in the hip LoHi (Lower Highlands) neighborhood. The rooftop patio boasts gorgeous views of the Platte Valley, Downtown Denver and the Rocky Mountains -- a perfect backdrop for sipping one of the Ale House's 40 craft beers, 35 of which are homegrown Colorado brews.
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Good beer is best enjoyed with friends, fresh air, and a bit of adventurous spirit to sharpen the palate. Located in the lower Highlands neighborhood, this new craft brewery specializes in artisan and seasonal varieties of premium ales and lagers made from the best ingredients around. The patio is always a happening place to enjoy great beer and some Mile High City sunshine.