Best Brewery Tours in Denver
Denver is famous for beer—both classic, mainstream brew, as well as more modern and diverse craft beers
Taking time to catch up in person with your friends and family? If they're beer lovers, a visit to the city wouldn't be complete without at least one brewery tour, so be sure to add it to your plans. Prepare properly for your visit; you're touring manufacturing facilities, so wear shoes with non-slip soles and bring a jacket because breweries are kept at a chilly temperature with beer—not people—in mind. Most tours include the under-aged guests in your party, but if you want to sample the goods, you'll need to show your ID. Get ready for some good, old-fashioned brew in a mountainous city that makes it best.
MillerCoors Brewery
This is one of the largest single-site breweries in the world and the flagship of Denver’s beer producers. Opened in 1873 by Adolph Coors, the brewery produces up to 13 million barrels of brew a year including Miller, Coors, Blue Moon, Hamm’s, Icehouse, Keystone and Red Dog. Take the free, self-guided tour of the brewery to get an up-close look at how beer is processed and packaged. Feeling thirsty yet? Enjoy free samples at the end of your tour and cool down in the Fresh Beer Room, where you can rest on ice cube benches in a refrigerated room. Choose three samples from the day's offerings on tap, served in chilled pilsner glasses for optimal taste. Learn about the history of the brewery through historic photos and fun memorabilia on display.
Wynkoop Brewing Company
Wander through the Wynkoop Brewery to see how craft beer production differs from traditional methods. Wynkoop got its start in 1988 as one of the first breweries in Colorado to use casks to condition its microbrews. You don’t need a reservation for a free tour; just show up on Tuesdays through Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Watch the brewers bring in wheelbarrows of hops and add them to the mash. You'll see the fermentation vats, where the addition of yeast turns the sugars into ethyl alcohol, and admire the gleaming conditioning casks that Wynkoop helped develop. As long as you’re of legal drinking age, you'll have plenty of opportunity to sample their products. Take home your favorites—there are more than 40 varieties to choose from. Some unique offerings include Kurt's Malt—a tribute to Kurt Vonnegut, Mile High Pale Ale and Patty's Chile Beer.
Great Divide Brewing Company
Great Divide, opened in 1994, is newer to the craft brew scene, but has grown from a one-man production to a thriving business. Owner Brian Dunn learned the craft of microbrewing overseas and perfected it by experimenting with his own in-home brew. Get the inside scoop on Brian’s brewing process and sample a taste of his award-winning beer in the Tap Room. The 30-minute tour walks you through Great Divide’s malting, mashing and fermentation processes. For safety reasons, the brewery requires you to wear closed-toe shoes. You're welcome to bring kids ages 12 and older, but the brewery asks that you keep a close eye on them.
Breckenridge Brewery
Located just 9 miles south of Denver, in Littleton, Breckenridge Brewery produces more than 65,000 barrels of beer each year. It’s come a long way since the 1980s, when its founder, Richard Squire, moved from producing beer in his basement to making and selling craft beer to the public. The company has grown up a lot since its inception, but it still has the ski-bum vibe of its humble beginnings. Tour the brewery Thursdays through Mondays and they’ll give you an entire pint—on the house. While you're there, visit the on-site Farm House Restaurant for lunch, dinner or a piece of cast iron apple pie.
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