Left Hand's Tap Room [Photo: Land Hand Brewing Co.]
With the many out-of-towners in Colorado this week for the Great American Beer Festival, it's only fitting that Eater provide a map of the breweries that shouldn't be missed. Beyond Visit Denver's Denver Beer Trail and The New Kids On The Block, there are many innovative beer companies cropping up outside of city limits. Here are 12 of our favorite breweries in Boulder, Longmont, Lafayette, Niwot, Lyons, and Louisville.
Avery Brewing Company in east Boulder has been successfully brewing beer since 1993. The tap room has seasonal and unique wood-aged beers on tap that can't be found elsewhere in Colorado, or even in the country. The Avery IPA is infamous and the Old Jubilation Ale (English Old Ale style) is an autumn favorite.
Boulder Beer Company is Colorado's first microbrewery. Started by two University of Colorado professors in 1979, the brewery is still going strong with popular beers like the Hazed & Infused dry-hopped ale or the Sweaty Betty blonde.
Mountain Sun Brewery is a Colorado institution, with a downtown Pearl Street location, Southern Sun in South Boulder and Vine Street Pub in Denver - all boasting their own breweries. One of its best-selling beers is the Blackberry Wheat, which includes more than 250 pounds of blackberry puree per batch.
All of the beers at Upslope Brewing are packaged only in aluminum cans to promote easy recycling and portability for on-the-go. Hand crafted in small batches, they now have two tap rooms available to visit; the first on Lee Hill Road in North Boulder and the other at Flatiron Court.
This funky, earthy brewery in Boulder is making some of Colorado's most underrated beer. Twisted Pine's year-round beers include the likes of their Rocky Mountain Wheat, Hoppy Boy IPA or Honey Brown. Try the Ghost Face Killah, brewed with ghost peppers, and proceed with caution.
In Longmont, Left Hand Brewing has been going strong since 1993. The name Left Hand is in honor of the infamous Chief Niwot (meaning Left Hand) whose tribe is from the area. With rapid growth in the last few years, they've been features in the Top 50 Craft Brewers list in 2012 from the Brewer's Association among other accolades. Don't leave without tasting the Milk Stout on nitro.
Perhaps one of the more infamous breweries in Colorado, Oskar Blues now has multiple locations beyond their original brewery and restaurant in Lyons. Oskar Blues brewed America's first hand-canned craft beer, the infamous Dale's Pale Ale. Look out for Old Chub, a Scottish ale and Mama's Little Yella Pills.
Twelve Degree Brewing is new to the downtown Louisville scene, offering Belgian-inspired beers, pizzas, and flatbreads. Try the Walter's White (Belgian White) that's brewed with coriander and orange peel or the Foxx Rougge, a dark amber ale.
Opened in July 2013 in Lafayette, Front Range Brewing Company was created by Chris Dutton, who quit his IT job to open the seven-barrel brewery in the Lafayette Marketplace. Front Range admittedly doesn't focus on one style of beer and instead provide an eclectic variety of brews, like the Colorado Sunset Kolsch, semi-traditional pale German beer, and the Trhopical Illusion IPA.
Odd 13 Brewing, in Lafayette is new to Colorado in 2013. Opened by husband and wife team, Ryan and Kristin, the tap room has games available like pinball and foosball and a patio for outdoor seating while you drink your beer. Although they don't serve food, Monday through Sunday you can find food trucks stopped outside to enjoy some grub. There are four beers on their year round selection like Professor Hops, which is a Belgian IPA or their regular rotators like Zed the Sorcerer, a session IPA (all have a moniker, complete with their own image of the character).
Louisville's first tap house, was opened by engineers John Frazee and Ryan Bowers with brewmaster Julius Hummer in 2012. Gravity sports Louisville's longest bar, pool tables, ping pong, and live music. Try the Bourbon Barrel Aged Tsar Bomba, a Russian imperial stout, or their Orange Blossom Saison, a French/Belgian saison.
Opened in Niwot in June 2012 by husband and wife team Steve and Leslie Kaczeus, Bootstrap Brewing is open "3-9ish" daily. The brewery has 10 signature beers and a handful of seasonal beers. Their 1956™ Golden Ale is a crisp, dry golden ale and the Pumpkin Brown Ale is brewed with fresh local pumpkins and spices.
Avery Brewing Company in east Boulder has been successfully brewing beer since 1993. The tap room has seasonal and unique wood-aged beers on tap that can't be found elsewhere in Colorado, or even in the country. The Avery IPA is infamous and the Old Jubilation Ale (English Old Ale style) is an autumn favorite.
Boulder Beer Company is Colorado's first microbrewery. Started by two University of Colorado professors in 1979, the brewery is still going strong with popular beers like the Hazed & Infused dry-hopped ale or the Sweaty Betty blonde.
Mountain Sun Brewery is a Colorado institution, with a downtown Pearl Street location, Southern Sun in South Boulder and Vine Street Pub in Denver - all boasting their own breweries. One of its best-selling beers is the Blackberry Wheat, which includes more than 250 pounds of blackberry puree per batch.
All of the beers at Upslope Brewing are packaged only in aluminum cans to promote easy recycling and portability for on-the-go. Hand crafted in small batches, they now have two tap rooms available to visit; the first on Lee Hill Road in North Boulder and the other at Flatiron Court.
This funky, earthy brewery in Boulder is making some of Colorado's most underrated beer. Twisted Pine's year-round beers include the likes of their Rocky Mountain Wheat, Hoppy Boy IPA or Honey Brown. Try the Ghost Face Killah, brewed with ghost peppers, and proceed with caution.
In Longmont, Left Hand Brewing has been going strong since 1993. The name Left Hand is in honor of the infamous Chief Niwot (meaning Left Hand) whose tribe is from the area. With rapid growth in the last few years, they've been features in the Top 50 Craft Brewers list in 2012 from the Brewer's Association among other accolades. Don't leave without tasting the Milk Stout on nitro.
Perhaps one of the more infamous breweries in Colorado, Oskar Blues now has multiple locations beyond their original brewery and restaurant in Lyons. Oskar Blues brewed America's first hand-canned craft beer, the infamous Dale's Pale Ale. Look out for Old Chub, a Scottish ale and Mama's Little Yella Pills.
Twelve Degree Brewing is new to the downtown Louisville scene, offering Belgian-inspired beers, pizzas, and flatbreads. Try the Walter's White (Belgian White) that's brewed with coriander and orange peel or the Foxx Rougge, a dark amber ale.
Opened in July 2013 in Lafayette, Front Range Brewing Company was created by Chris Dutton, who quit his IT job to open the seven-barrel brewery in the Lafayette Marketplace. Front Range admittedly doesn't focus on one style of beer and instead provide an eclectic variety of brews, like the Colorado Sunset Kolsch, semi-traditional pale German beer, and the Trhopical Illusion IPA.
Odd 13 Brewing, in Lafayette is new to Colorado in 2013. Opened by husband and wife team, Ryan and Kristin, the tap room has games available like pinball and foosball and a patio for outdoor seating while you drink your beer. Although they don't serve food, Monday through Sunday you can find food trucks stopped outside to enjoy some grub. There are four beers on their year round selection like Professor Hops, which is a Belgian IPA or their regular rotators like Zed the Sorcerer, a session IPA (all have a moniker, complete with their own image of the character).
Louisville's first tap house, was opened by engineers John Frazee and Ryan Bowers with brewmaster Julius Hummer in 2012. Gravity sports Louisville's longest bar, pool tables, ping pong, and live music. Try the Bourbon Barrel Aged Tsar Bomba, a Russian imperial stout, or their Orange Blossom Saison, a French/Belgian saison.
Opened in Niwot in June 2012 by husband and wife team Steve and Leslie Kaczeus, Bootstrap Brewing is open "3-9ish" daily. The brewery has 10 signature beers and a handful of seasonal beers. Their 1956™ Golden Ale is a crisp, dry golden ale and the Pumpkin Brown Ale is brewed with fresh local pumpkins and spices.