List of Boulder Breweries (that keeps getting longer)

Metro Boulder has at least 38 41 breweries. That number will go up by the end of the week, regardless of what week it is. If you’re looking for a complete list of breweries in the state of Colorado, check out the Fermentedly Challenged beer blog.

Here’s a list of where to go and a brew or two to try while you’re in Boulder.

 

BRU Handbuilt Ales & Eats, Boulder

5290 Saison, Rigley Red IPA (seasonal), or Citrum IPA

Bru’s 5-beer sampler is whatever you want it to be. You pick, they serve, everyone wins.

 

Upslope Brewing Company (two locations), Boulder

Citra pale is fantastic, as is the pumpkin ale.

 

FATE Brewing Company, Boulder

Coffee IPA, Nohns, and Clotho

 

Shine Brewing Company, Boulder

Double Red IPA (Down Dog Red)

 

Avery Brewing Company, Boulder (now in Gunbarrel)

Hop heads will want to sample Dugana, Hog Heaven or Maharaja

 

Best breweries in Boulder County, in our humble opinion

 

Avery’s new Gunbarrel digs

 

J Wells Brewery, Boulder

English bitter (Defiance)

 

Southern Sun Pub & Brewery, Boulder

Annapurna Amber for a session ale… Illusion Dweller IPA for a bitter hop fix

 

Boulder Beer Company, Boulder

Grab the sampler (bring a friend) or order whatever’s on nitro.

Why drink one IPA when you can try four?

 

Sanitas Brewing, Boulder

Red IPA, Black IPA, or any saison

Craft beer and Boulder… almost as popular as WEED and Boulder

 

Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery, Boulder

Rotating taps are always a good bet

 

Twisted Pine Brewing Company, Boulder

If you enjoy scalding-hot-pepper beer, try the Ghost Face Killah. Also: the Big Shot Espresso Stout has won several awards…

 

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery, Boulder

The grand cru is a solid choice, or try something barrel-aged if it’s available. Another perk: they carry bottles of the Nostradamus Belgian Strong Dark Ale from Brasserie Caracole year round.

 

Redstone Meadery, Boulder

Try the Mountain Honey Wine.

 

Walnut Brewery, Boulder

The Old Elk Brown Ale is a two-time GABF medalist.

 

West Flanders Brewing Company, Boulder

Try a Belgian flight!

 

Wild Woods Brewery, Boulder

Grab a pint of the Ponderosa Porter – aged with whole vanilla beans.

 

Echo Brewing Company, Erie

Order an English Pint of the Powder Run Pale Ale.

 

Industrial Revolution Brewing Company, Erie

Go get yourself shnockered on the Twin Gear Double IPA.

 

Old Mine Cidery & Brewpub, Erie

Gluten-free Handlebar Hard Cider

 

Asher Brewing Company, Gunbarrel

Try a Green Monstah strong ale.

 

New Planet Beer Company, Gunbarrel

Try something gluten-free, because it’s all they serve.

 

Are you a beer snob? You should be.

Finkel & Garf Brewing Company, Gunbarrel

Reach for the Pale Ale

 

Vindication Brewing Company, Gunbarrel

American Bold Ale

 

The Post Brewing Company, Lafayette

Order the Townie Ale or the Bulky Oxen barleywine.

 

Odd13 Brewing, Lafayette

Pair a couple pints of Eric the Red IPA with the “Odd” beer hero artwork surrounding you…

 

Front Range Brewing Company, Lafayette

Grab a row of tasters paired with snacks from local Lafayette eateries

 

Liquid Mechanics Brewing Company, Lafayette

Definitely try a seasonal flight

 

Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont

The Black Jack Porter and Milk Stout Nitro are staples in many Colorado ‘fridges.

 

Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont

Try the Gubna Imperial IPA or the G’Knight Imperial Red.

 

300 Suns Brewing, Longmont

Try something new from the “Collabeerations” menu in the tasting room.

 

Großen Bart Brewery, Longmont

Order the Chin Curtain IPA, just for the name.

 

Pumphouse Brewery, Longmont

Check the seasonal menu for creative twists on traditional ales.

 

Gravity Brewing, Louisville

Treat yourself to the whiskey barrel-aged DIPA because it’s freakin’ excellent, and so are you.

 

Crystal Springs Brewing Company, Louisville

Any IPA or double IPA is a solid bet.

Crystal Springs brewed a high-IBU, hoppy winner in the “13” (far right)

 

Twelve Degree Brewing, Louisville

The Pink Panther Saison is fantastic.

12 Degree Brewing – low-IBU tasters

 

Oskar Blues Grill & Brew, Lyons

Ten Fidy is the best Russian Imperial Stout in the state.

Oskar Blues Ten FIDY – chocolate, caramel, coffee, and hops. Pair with rum balls!

 

Bootstrap Brewing Company, Niwot

The Stick’s Pale Ale is perfect to pair with Wednesday night Euchre at Bootstrap. Also: Insane Rush is one of the top-five IPAs in Colorado.

 

Powder Keg Brewing Company, Niwot

Tilt back a Baltic porter and sip away any lingering sorrows.

 

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The definitive list of Western IPAs that’s likely to change in five minutes

Colorado, setting sun, front porch, and yuppie IPAs. What more could you want?

My ulterior motive is to flesh out this list of IPAs. I know there are dozens more to add, but my research can only take me so far.  So please, by all means, add your favorite US West IPAs, and let us know where to find them. Here are my favorites:

For peeps who like it citrus-y:

Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA (CA)
(on draft occasionally at Lucky Pie, and easy to find at most reputable Metro Denver beer/wine stores)

Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA (CA)
(frequently on draft at Riffs, and easy to find at most reputable Metro Denver beer/wine stores)

Stone IPA (CA)
(Stone is everywhere in Colorado. Throw a rock – or a stone – and you’ll hit it.)

Odell IPA (CO)
(If you can’t find Odell in Metro Denver, it means you haven’t left your house, and I’m sure if you venture ten steps away from your couch, you’ll probably find one in your fridge.)

Green Flash West Coast IPA (CA)
(on draft occasionally at Lucky Pie, and easy to find at most reputable Metro Denver beer/wine stores)

Ska Brewing Company Modus Hoperandi (CO)
(OK, I’m officially a believer now, thanks to my friend Jeff. And this one’s on offer just about anywhere in the Denver area, so feel free to session it.)

(note: if you want to kick it up a notch, look for the Stone Ruination Double IPA. It’s not crazy-boozy [7.7%], but it will give you an avalanche of orange, grapefruit, and lemon.)

For those who prefer their IPAs a bit more caramel-y:

Deschutes Inversion IPA (OR)
(oddly, I haven’t seen this on draft in Colorado all that often, but it seems to be in every beer/wine store in Metro Denver – and it’s usually on sale, so that’s good enough for me.)

(note: if you like the Inversion IPA, and you feel like going big, I recommend the Dogfish Head 90 Minute Double IPA, which is totally NOT a “western” IPA, given that it’s produced in Delaware, but for some reason, it’s widely available in Colorado. You can intermittently find it on draft at Backcountry and Cheeky Monk, and in bottles at liquor stores all over Colorado.)

For the “Goldilocks” crowd who like it balanced:

Russian River Blind Pig IPA (CA)
(Frequently available on draft at Backcountry, but a bit more rare in bottle form out west)

Great Divide Titan IPA (CO)
(see Odell’s availability above)

(note: we already know you love your IPA “just right”, so you may as well go straight for the top. Russian River’s Pliny the Elder Double IPA is a sipper that you should have two of, and then go to bed and have awesome dreams. This is one of the best beers you’ll ever have – but it’s worth mentioning that its sibling, Russian River Blind Pig, is also one of the best. It’s just that the Elder will get you tanked more quickly, if that happens to be on your list of priorities.)