denver

Colorado Beer and Travel Guide

colorado is a gorgeous state with amazing SCENERY and some of the best breweries in the countrY!

Check out my recommendations for Denver, Frisco, and Boulder:

Colorado Tips: 

  • Be aware of the altitude! It's real! Stay hydrated and take things slow to avoid feeling sick, especially when you first arrive

Denver Top Recommendations:

  • Cerebral Brewing: Quite possibly my favorite stop—Cerebral has a killer tap list with juicy IPAs, thicc Stouts, and great vibes!

  • Voodoo Donuts: Creative and crazy donuts that are incredibly delicious!

  • The River North (RiNo) neighborhood is full of art and breweries, what more do you need? 

    • Bierstadt Lagerhaus: This is the Mecca of Lager beers. Get a Slow Pour Pils and Giant Ass Pretzel and don’t look back

    • Our Mutual Friend Brewing: Lots of fantastic IPAs in particular. They also have rotating food trucks and an outside patio

    • Ratio Beerworks: Fantastic outdoor space with cornhole and a patio. They have a wide variety of beers and it’s an overall fun & funky spot

    • Odell Brewing: Another solid option in the RiNo neighborhood with a variety of beers

    • Central Market is a great food hall in the heart of the RiNo neighborhood

Union Station Denver

Denver Top Recommendations CONTINUED:

  • TRVE Brewing Co.: A dark taproom filled with metal music specializing in Sour and Farmhouse Ales.

  • District Denver: A fantastic spot for brunch with $15 mix and match bottomless drinks, delicious food, and a cute patio.

  • Crooked Stave: Their Denver taproom is small but they still have a variety of beers to choose from and a huge bottle selection.

  • Denver Biscuit Company: A phenomenal, albeit touristy, spot for breakfast! The biscuits are massive, flaky, soft, and amazing.

  • Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater: The amphitheater is touristy but worth checking out! They do concerts, yoga, and numerous activities in this space.

    • I would definitely recommend hiking in the park! We did a 4.3 mile trail that had diverse landscape and wasn’t too challenging.

  • New Image Brewing: In the suburb of Arvada, New Image has a small food menu, outdoor patio, and great IPAs!

  • Onefold: Fancy breakfast burritos for the win! They’ve also got super delicious coffee at this little cafe.

  • Burns Family Artisan Ales: A quaint brewery with big beers and homey vibes. This is not your standard brewery, they have super unique beers!

Cabin Creek Brewing

More Ideas for Denver:

Our Mutual Friend Brewing

Frisco:

Frisco is just over an hour from Denver and definitely worth an adventure to!

  • Hike! The Frisco area is absolutely gorgeous. We did a moderate 3.4 mile hike to a small lake that was right near downtown and had amazing views!

  • Outer Range Brewing Co.: An absolutely amazing brewery with killer IPAs. The brewery has amazing mountain views from the taproom as well. There’s also a coffee shop and a “Thai-ish” fried chicken restaurant in the building.

  • Cabin Creek Brewing: Located in Georgetown, Cabin Creek is the perfect stop on your way back to Denver. It is right off of I-70 making it super convenient! Cabin Creek has a full food menu with delicious pizzas and is located right on the lake surrounded by mountains!

Frisco, Colorado

Frisco, Colorado

Boulder:

Boulder is only about 30 minutes outside of Denver and well worth a visit! 

  • Boulder is definitely a college town so be aware of football games and other big events that could hinder your transportation/plans

  • Avery Brewing: Great beers in a large facility. An extensive tap list.

  • Mountain Sun Brewing: They have a cute little outdoor space and delicious food! 

  • West Flanders Brewing: Super friendly bartenders, lively atmosphere right off the main strip of town

  • Boulder Beer Co.: They closed their taproom, but look for their beers on tap around town. The Nitro Chocolate Porter is delicious!

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The Best Cities for Beer Vacations

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I have explored the beer scene in a lot of cities both domestically and abroad, and it’s time to share the absolute best places for a craft beer vacation.

To make the list you have to have a high quantity of breweries, but also some fantastic breweries. There are a lot of cities with a ton of breweries that make average to mediocre beer. These cities all have folks absolutely crushing the game.

In no particular order, here are the best cities in the United States and abroad for beer vacations:

The Best US Cities for Beer Vacations:

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond has a ton of breweries and some that are truly fantastic. Scott’s Addition itself is jam packed with breweries but the rest of RVA has some great beers to offer as well. Highlights here include Triple Crossing, The Veil, The Answer and Tabol for breweries and Mekong for a great beer bar. Check out my Richmond beer and travel guide here.

Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville has long been deemed one of the best beer cities in the country, so it is no surprise that I would agree. This picturesque city is home to some huge breweries like Sierra Nevada, Highland, and New Belgium, but also more localized spots like Burial, Dssolvr, Zillicoah, and New Origin. Don’t miss The Whale for a great beer bar! Check out my Asheville beer and travel guide here.

Denver, Colorado

Of course Denver is on the list. With superb breweries like Cerebral, Bierstadt, Our Mutual Friend, and TRVE it’s hard to beat the brew scene here. Pair that with everything else the city has to offer and the surrounding scenery and you’re absolutely in for a good time. Check out my Colorado beer and travel guide here.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

As a Michigander this addition should be no surprise, but it’s not just me and my home state biases—Grand Rapids is constantly in the running for any “beer city” competition. Don’t miss Speciation Artisan Ales, Arvon, and City Built for breweries and for Seven Monks for a beer bar. The city is exploding with breweries to explore. Check out my Grand Rapids beer and travel guide here.

New York City, New York

I’m sure most “normal people” wouldn’t think of New York as a hub for craft beer, but the city that never sleeps is indeed a great spot for craft beer lovers. The beer bar scene here tends to shine brightest with spots like Torst, Beer Street, and Proletariat, while breweries such as Other Half, Fifth Hammer, and Evil Twin absolutely crush it. Check out my NYC beer and travel guide here.

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago has a wide array of breweries throughout their many neighborhoods and suburbs. Heavy hitters include Maplewood, More, Mikerphone and Revolution, plus don’t miss Phase Three in the northern suburb of Lake Zurich. Check out my Chicago beer and travel guide here.

The Twin Cities, Minnesota

The Twin Cities are exploding with breweries! Highlights include BlackStack, Barrel Theory, Fair State, Modist, and Falling Knife. The beer scene here tends to be somewhat IPA heavy, but the beers are superb and there are plenty of spots to explore. Check out my Minneapolis and St. Paul beer and travel guide here.

Portland, Maine

We all know New England is chock full of great breweries and particularly Hazy IPAs, but Portland’s beer scene is unmatched. With OG spots like Allagash, Maine Beer Company, and Oxbow alongside newer (and hazier) breweries like Mast Landing, Belleflower, and Bissell Brothers, you can find an absolutely superb beer of any style. Don’t miss the killer beer bar Novare Res Bier Cafe as well! Check out my Portland beer and travel guide here.

Los Angeles, California

LA might not seem like a great beer city at first glance but this sprawling metro is home to some of the country’s best breweries. LA’s southern neighbor San Diego gets all of the praise for craft beer, but LA’s scene is far superior. Monkish, Bottle Logic, Green Cheek, Homage, and Highland Park all call LA home, along with a ton of other great spots. Windsor Home Brew is a fantastic beer bar and bottle shop that is not to be missed either. Check out my LA beer and travel guide here.

Portland, Oregon

Portland’s beer scene has been exploding for decades. The city is overflowing with breweries and it seems a new one opens almost weekly at this point. There are some solid spots in PDX, and topping the list are Great Notion, Cascade, Ruse, and Wayfinder. Check out my Portland beer and travel guide here.

Charlotte, NC

I wouldn’t live in Charlotte if I didn’t think the beer scene here was superb! There are a ton of breweries in the city, but Resident Culture, Burial, HopFly, and Fonta Flora top the list. CLT is also home to some fantastic beer bars—Salud and Pop The Top should not be missed. Check out my Charlotte guide here.

Tampa, Florida

Tampa absolutely crushes the dark beer game. There are a lot of breweries that make great other styles of beer, but if your a Stout person Tampa is for you! Brewery highlights include Angry Chair, BarrieHaus, Woven Water, and Magnanimous. Check out my Tampa beer and travel guide here. Neighboring St. Pete is also full of great spots!

Notable Mentions:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—Check out my Philly beer and travel guide here! I am excited to be back in May 2024!

Burlington, Vermont—This is the one beer city that I believe will be stupendous that I have not yet visited, but I do think it is probably one of the best cities for a beer vacation. My plans to visit have been foiled numerous times now, but I will finally be there in June 2024!

The Best Cities Abroad for Beer Vacations:

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne is a gorgeous city with a booming beer scene, especially for Oceania. Stomping Ground, Fixation, Mood Dog, and Mountain Goat are the best of the best here, but there are a ton of spots to visit. Check out my Melbourne beer and travel guide here.

Munich, Germany

Is it possible to think of “beer cities” and not think of Germany? Munich is home to some classic gems like Augustiner Keller, Lowenbrau, Hofbrauhaus, and Paulaner. Pair a cold mug from any of their breweries with a pretzel or sausage and it’s impossible to have a bad time. Check out my Munich beer and travel guide here.

Brussels, Belgium

Another classic beer city! Personally I think the not-so-classic Belgian beers here outperform the dubbels and tripels. Cantillon is obviously the top choice here, but Moeder Lambic and Delirium should not be missed either! Check out my Belgium beer and travel guide here.

Wellington, New Zealand

My beer expectations for New Zealand were low, but the country as a whole is making some killer beers. Wellington in particular has a stand out beer scene. It is home to Garage Project, the country’s best brewery hands down, but Parrotdog is also a must-visit. Check out my North Island beer and travel guide here.

What are your favorite cities in the world for beer travel? Let me know in the comments! Cheers—Alexis

The Best Breweries Within 1.5 Hours of Charlotte

The city of Charlotte has a ton of fantastic breweries, but sometimes you get sick of going to the same places all the time or you want to get out of town for a little adventure. Here are the best breweries within an hour and a half drive from Charlotte that are worth exploring:

Fonta Flora Whippoorwill Farm in Nebo, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 1 hour, 36 minutes

Okay yes, this is slightly further than an hour and a half but I promise you it’s worth those six extra minutes. Fonta Flora has been a powerhouse in the North Carolina brew scene since they opened in 2013. They are consistently pushing the boundaries with their Wild Ales and have absolutely nailed the Lager game. They recently dipped their toes into the Hazy IPA world as well with several collaboration brews and they have each been phenomenal.

In 2018 the Fonta Flora opened Whippoorwill Farm. This location is an expansive farmland with a plethora of outdoor seating and a small barn that houses the brewery and indoor seating. Singlewyde is their onsite food truck that makes incredibly delicious wood fired pizzas and other fantastic snacks. There is no better way to spend an afternoon than at on the grassy lawn of Whippoorwill Farm.

High Branch Brewing in Concord, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 30 minutes

High Branch is located in Gibson Mill, an old—you guessed it!—mill, with a food hall coming soon. They opened in 2015 and were originally in a smaller space in the mill. They make superb beers of all styles, but their Hazy IPAs and Fruited Sours are their best work.

Newgrass Brewing Company in Shelby, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 55 minutes

Newgrass is best known for their insanely flavored Fruited Sours, and for good reason, but don’t sleep on their Stouts either. A flight is definitely the best approach at their taproom to try a variety of their brews. They have a two story taproom with games and a small side patio space. They also offer a full farm-to-table food menu with delicious eats.

Lesser-Known Beer Co

LESSER-KNOWN BEER CO. in Winston-Salem, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Lesser-Known is the newest brewery in Winston-Salem and already the best brewery in town. They focus on underrepresented beer styles, the majority of which are Lagers. Lesser-Known is just south of downtown and has a nice patio space as well as a small indoor taproom. They have a small food menu when they don’t have a food truck onsite. They are quickly gaining notoriety and should not be missed. Inside their taproom The Walk In has guest taps and guest bottles as well.

Slow Play Brewing in Rock Hill, SC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 32 minutes

Slow Play is located right behind Winthrop University’s campus just across the border from Charlotte in South Carolina. They make great IPAs and Fruited Sours in particular, and you are bound to find a style you like on their large menu. They have frequent live music and other events to keep you entertained and a nice patio for relaxing outdoors.

Cibi Cibi is their onsite food truck serving up hot chicken sandwiches, smash burgers, and an array of other tasty dishes and sides. This is one of the best food trucks in the Charlotte area, so be sure to arrive hungry.


Percent Tap House in Harrisburg, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 26 minutes

Percent Tap House is the closest brewery to Charlotte on the list but it is still overlooked. Percent is a quaint little brewery in a shopping center in the CLT suburb of Harrisburg. They are part beer bar, serving up some killer guest taps. Their own beer is top notch as well—their IPAs, Fruited Sours, and Stouts have all been great. They have a small indoor taproom and a patio for enjoying your brews.

Royal Bliss Brewing in Denver, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 30 minutes

Royal Bliss is located in a shopping center in Denver, just northwest of CLT. Their IPAs, Pale Ales, and Pilsners are their strengths and there is always good vibes. They have a nice turf patio space, an upstairs deck, and spacious taproom overall. Their beers are great, but their grilled cheese sandwiches are next level. The Carolina Mac Melt with macaroni, muenster, and mozzarella (pictured above) is one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I’ve ever had.

Incendiary Brewing Company in Winston-Salem, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 1 hour, 16 minutes

Incendiary in located in the Bailey Power Plant with industrial vibes and large outdoor space. They opened in 2018 with noteworthy IPAs and Lagers. Snag a pizza from Cugino Forno next door to enjoy with your brews! I also recommend checking out Fiddlin’ Fish while you’re in the Winston-Salem area!

What are your favorite breweries Worth the drive from Charlotte? Let me know in the comments! Cheers —Alexis

The Best Breweries in the Charlotte Suburbs

Charlotte has a lot of fantastic breweries and the Charlotte suburbs are packed with breweries as well. Some of these are better than others, so this guide will share the best breweries outside of the 485 loop in the Charlotte suburbs.

Want to stay within the city limits? Check out my Charlotte guide here. Looking for more breweries on the South Carolina side of the border? Check out my blog on the YoCo Brew Trail.

Here are the best breweries in the Charlotte suburbs, in no particular order:

Keepsake Brewery

Keepsake Brewery: Gastonia, NC

Keepsake is putting out delicious easy drinking beers in Gastonia. Their specialty is Lagers which they make extremely well. They have a cozy taproom and back patio space.

High Branch Brewing Co.: Concord, NC

High Branch is located at Gibson Mill in Concord and makes some stellar brews. Their IPAs and Stouts are what they do best but they always have a variety of beers on tap. The taproom vibes are chill, they have an outdoor space, and frequently host food trucks and events.

Slow Play Brewing: Rock Hill, SC

Slow Play is in Rock Hill! You can generally find almost any style of beer on their tap list, but their Sours are what they do best. They always have fun events happening such as live music, a disc golf league, and more!

King Canary Brewing: Mooresville, NC

This is a unique brewery in a converted house on Lake Norman. They have a nice outdoor space and seating upstairs and downstairs inside. There are some partial lake views from some areas of the brewery as well. King Canary specializes in IPAs and has great vibes.

Percent Tap House: Harrisburg, NC

Percent Tap House is a beer bar, bottle shop and brewery in a Harrisburg shopping center. They always have a large selection of guest taps available and their house made brews are delicious. They have a small indoor space and an outdoor patio with frequent food trucks. Their Sours are what they do best.

Replay Brewing: Fort Mill, SC

Replay is a game-themed brewery at Kingsley in Fort Mill. There are pinball machines, arcade games, video games and more. They always have a variety of beers on tap but their Sours and Lagers are what they do best. You can get food from the neighboring restaurants such as the delicious Taco Molino.

Royal Bliss Brewing

Royal Bliss Brewing Company: Denver, NC

Royal Bliss makes insanely delicious grilled cheese sandwiches and great IPAs. They have a lovely outdoor space with a turf patio area and an upper deck along with their indoor seating. Royal Bliss is a great spot to visit after a hike at Lake Norman!

What are your favorite breweries in the CLT suburbs? Let me know in the comments! Cheers—Alexis