Colorado Brewpub Reviews - Denver (other than LoDo)

Denver (other than LoDo)

Breckenridge Brewery - Kalamath St.

Yet another in Breckenridge's stable of brewpubs. This place is another one that is a brewpub only because they had to. The same brews as the other Breck pubs, and a small menu and small pub area. Really the same as the downtown version, but more homey (less people). Stop in if you are nearby. (last visited 3/98)

Bull and Bush - Cherry Creek Dr. S. - Glendale

The Bull and Bush is a long time Glendale English pub-like place that started brewing their own beer (of course in the English style, although they do have a Hefeweizen). They have some very nice beers in their repertoire, including the aforementioned Hefeweizen, as well as a tasty Brown Ale, a very nice ESB and a Pale Ale I believe. They usually have 8-10 different brews available. The food, while not ALL typically English pub fare (thank goodness) is quite nice and reasonably priced. Anyway, if you are in the neighborhood stop in, they make a good brew and good food. Their chain counterparts (Hops Grill and Bar) in the nearby Cherry Creek shopping area could learn a lot about beer from these guys. (last visited 7/00)

Heavenly Daze Brewery - South Kalamath (nr Alameda, Santa Fe Dr. and I-25)

After many years of trying to find an easier way to bring their beers into the Denver area, this Steamboat Springs based brewery now has a massive brewery in Denver. For years they could not satisfy the Front Range's demand for their brews and now they can. Their new place is massive. They have lots of room for brewing, expansion and people in the bar area. Big contrast to the Breck facility down the road. I personally don't know how they can attract enough folks to keep the bar portion going. Anyway, all of their beers are well made, but not spectacular. They also have quite a selection of guest beers. The cream ale was a very nice example of the style. The raspberry wheat was one of the first of its kind that I ever tasted and it is very similar to how I remember, a very nice brew. All in all a decent place to pop in to. Over time, I hope that they will get a little more diverse in their selection, but I popped in during their first week or so of operation. (last visited 7/98)

Hops Grill and Bar - Steele St./Cherry Creek

The guys from Florida have opened up a brewpub in the trendy Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver, and since I have heard less than rave reviews from natives of "The Great Beer Wasteland" of this chain, I was skeptical to say the least. Of their own brews, they touted one as an "American Light Lager" and one as an "American Lager". My question was..... Why???? The American Light is called Clearwater Light(tm sm R C...) and is all of the above, clear, water AND light. All of their brews were of high quality, but why would you want to pay $3 for a Bud or Bud Light imitation?? True they have a "dark" beer too (a fairly drinkable Brown Ale), but Champion's usually has a better one (see review above).. 'nuf said. Of all of the trendy cookie cutter joints that I have been to, this has the least reason to exist. Completely skip it. (last visited 10/96)

Pint's Pub - 13th Ave. nr. Cherokee

They have a small list of their own brews, cask conditioned or on nitro ESB and what they were calling an amber (more like a bitter). All are fine examples of a classic British pint of beer (although only 16 oz.). They have over 150 different single malt scotches (and growing), a number of guest beers and some killer chicken wings that are some of the best this side of Buffalo. Definitely worth a visit, but it gets hard to decide what to drink there. Scotch or beer?? Well how about one of each??? Ahhhh, much better. The nitro ESB was wonderful. (last visited 7/02)

Englewood/Denver Tech Center (S. Suburban Denver)

CB & Potts (Bighorn Brewing) - Arapahoe Rd. nr. I-25 - Denver (South Suburban)

This is a sports bar that has built a brewery inside. As a sports bar, it has the normal fare of burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, lots of TVs (don't eat these), etc. The food was good (burgers, which were pretty nice and juicy). The beer was OK. None of the 7 brews that I tasted had anything significantly wrong with them. The beer was mostly standard fare. A couple of fruity beers, a wheat, amber, pale, stout, and of course a red. The porter and the wheat (a hefeweizen) particularly stood out in my mind, with the amber right behind them. The fruit beers were lots of fruit (probably to disquise the beer) and the others were rather blah.

Overall, I would say that this is a loud sports/meat market bar/restaurant with decent food (and Colorado's Highest Bar, BTW, uggh will the gimmicks ever stop??). The beer, however, is average, cookie cutter stuff, built to capitalize on the craft beer craze and is not particluarly memorable, decent, but there are many that are much, much better in Colorado these days. Stop by if you like, but don't go out of your way for the beer. (last visited 8/97)

Rock Bottom Brewery - County Line and I-25 - Denver (South Suburban)

Well, welcome to the age of the suburban brewpub! Most brewpubs these days are in downtown areas and just now are starting to branch out to the 'burbs. Indeed, the Rock Bottom Boys are at it again, as this is yet another one of their establishments. The beers are generally the same as all of the other Rock Bottom places, the names of the brews (save one) are the same as those in Boulder. This place is like an Old Chicago on steroids, only the beer names are similar to Walnut in Boulder. The place is big.... complete with pool tables and lots of TVs (ala O.C.).

Now for the beer.... I routinely bash the Rock Bottom places as many beer lovers have all over the country for their lack of innovation (beer-wise) and lack of craftsmanship in the beers that they do produce. I must say that this one is the exception, but only in craftsmanship. Their beers are still samo-samo as all the other Rock Bottoms, but the beers are much better here. They are like I remember the Rock Bottom chain of brews prior to them going "big time". Anyway, the place is still on the pricey side ($3.50 a "pint", $8-$15 per entree), and hardly worth it for most beer lovers, although if you HAVE to go to a Rock Bottom brewpub somewhere, go to this one, the beers are quality brews. (last visited 8/97)

Littleton (S. Suburban Denver)

5280 Roadhouse and Brewery (formerly Columbine Mill Brewing Co.)

Columbine Mill DID close :-( and has reopened as the 5280 Roadhouse and Brewery. After a few renovations (they moved the bar and the front door) they have reopened under a new name. Unfortunately, their beers are a mere shell of their former selves. They still claim to have won a medal for their IPA in last year's GABF, although they are no longer Columbine Mill. True, their IPA is still their best beer, but it no longer is even close to the top of the IPA class in Colorado. Honestly, the rest of their beers were typical brewpub fare, but not well executed. There were a couple of different then normal beers, but since their names did not claim to be anything and their taste was somewhat suspect, I imagine that these were mistakes that were put on anyway. A sad state of affairs, this brewpub was so good for so long and now I am tempted to place it on one of my "please miss" lists. Out of respect, I will refrain doing that until I visit again, maybe they were just getting used to the system (I hope). (last visited 6/99)

Hops - W. Colfax Ave, In Denver West off I-70

This is another one of the myriad of Hops! that are sprouting up all over. Same review applies. Good, but pricey food, uninspired (although well made, quality) beers. Take your Budmilloors friends here if you must, otherwise don't go for the beer. (last visited 6/00).

Castle Rock (S. of S. Suburban Denver)

Rockyard Brewing Company

Well it isn't every day that a brewer pesters me to come and visit their brewpub, but the brewer from Rockyard did. No problem, I say, the things that you go through to keep this bloody web page up to date. Anyway, Castle Rock is just about smack between Denver and Colorado Springs and like everything else around here seems to be growing like a weed. The brewpub is right smack in the middle of a bunch of new growth there in Castle Rock, just South of the Factory Stores (sure honey go shopping, I'll see you back here .... whenever....). The beers here could make you forget about a lot of shopping bills, that's for sure. The beers were really solid with a greater attention paid to the higher end brews which were very nice. The wheats and pale ales and the like were good, clean, but nothing special. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. (last visited 7/99)

Jarre Creek

Have yet to visit.

Arvada (N. Suburban Denver)

Cheshire Cat - Ralston Rd. W of Wadsworth

Opened to be the first of a chain of similarly themed brewpubs (supposedly true British beers and pub atmosphere) in an older home near Olde Town Arvada in Denver's Northern Suburbs. They started well with wonderful food, a good selection of beers of mostly British descent and as true a real British pub atmosphere as you caN get in the US. Nowadays, they have strayed a bit from their original British Pub roots with a lager now and then and more of an American Bar tint than a British Pub environment. None the less, the beers are usually very good to great and the food is quite nice (although not Actually Quite Nice(tm)... sorry, inside joke). Well worth a trip if you are in the neighborhood. (last visited 05/01)

Broomfield (N. Suburban Denver)

C.B. and Potts. - across from Flatiron Crossing Mall

Yet another in the chain of brewpubs that stretch up and down the Front Range. However, as with the Westminster outlet, this one produces some nice beers as well. The lineup is similar with the standard chain staples and your occasional seasonal or specialty. You could do much worse. Not a bad place to hole up while the other half is shopping at the Mall across the way (complete with shuttle to the mall that goes right by the place). (last visited 7/02)

Gordon Biersch - Flatiron Crossing Mall

The folks from California have finally stopped here in Colorado with their brewpub chain. Their normal trendy menu and 4 different exclusively German style beers are well executed here. Their beers are clean, malty and pretty much to style. The pilsener was their best and they have some nice seasonals. None the less, since decent German beers are hard to come by in these here parts, stop by here if you can't get up to the American mecca for German beer in Vail, Kaltenberg. (last visited 12/02).

Northglenn (N. Suburban Denver)

Hops. - about 104th Ave and I-25

Yet another in the Florida chain of brewpubs that are inundating the area. Their food is decent and their beer is clean, but bland and has little variety. A brewpub for the budmilloors crowd. No great reason to visit this place at all (just like all of the other Hops) (last visited 3/02).

Westminster (N. Suburban Denver)

Rock Bottom Brewery - US 36 and 104th Av.

Another one of the Rock Bottom chain and is much the same as the others. They do a few things differently as the recent Smoked Porter will attest (very nice). They have cool jacketed kegs in open view that they use for cask conditioning a few of their most recent brews. They occasionally dry hop them with different hops (that they note on their beer board) which is a plus. Not a bad place as Rock Bottoms go. (last visited 5/02)

C.B. and Potts. - about 120th Ave and Pecos

Yet another in the chain of brewpubs that stretch up and down the Front Range. The setup is pretty much like the others, a big bar area focused on sports and a restaurant. Basically the same gimmicks and formula as the others. The beer lineup is pretty well the same as other formula pubs, pale ale, porter, weizen, etc. Despite the formula lineup, the beers are very well made. The Weizen and Porter stood out in my mind as well as the Red (really more like an American Amber or IPA). They have also had a barleywine and a bock that were fairly nice. Clean beers all around and $2.75 /18 oz. glass at happy hour make it not a bad place to go. I suppose if you were to visit a CB&Potts, this one would be the one I would choose. While the beers are good, I'm not sure that as a visitor, you should go out of your way to visit this one. (last visited 8/00).

Lakewood (W. Suburban Denver)

Hops - Bowles Ave, East of Wadsworth Blvd.

Ironworks - Alameda Ave, West of Union Blvd.

These folks (as Irons Brewing Co) had always done mostly lagers with the occasional Ale thrown in. Now they are on their third set of owners (depending on how you count owners) and the original pilseners are gone in favor of a typical brewpub ale list. They still have quite a selection, and all are pretty clean and for the most part well executed. And a very nice IPA. Overall the place is nice and hopefully they will have the lava lamp chandelier (for lack of a better term) in the corner turned on for you enjoyment. While not exceptional, it is worth a stop if you are in the neighborhood. (last visited 6/01)

Golden (W. Suburban Denver)

Golden City Brewery - 12^th and Arapahoe Sts.

Formerly just a micro, now a brewpub in name only as they now have tables (2 or 3) and chairs (4 to 8) and a limited menu of mostly sandwiches. They make a fairly complete line of clean, tasty brews (at great prices) and a couple of interesting, rather different ones, like their Super Cherry Bomber (like a Kriek lambic almost) and the award winning Centurion Barleywine (great stuff). For the Holidays one year they made a spiced Cranberry beer, which was really nice. Great place to be in nice weather, as you can sit outside and enjoy! Sort of like having a beer or two on your front porch. If you stop in one place in Golden stop here to see the 2^nd largest brewery in Golden! (last visited 6/00)

Idaho Springs

Tommyknocker's

Their beers are solid. Their new(er) wheat beer is a pretty good American Wheat. The Butthead Bock (who could forget that name) was very nice, but only have a 10 or 12 oz as it will sneak up on you. I had a nice Maibock there at one time, although I liked Backcoutry's (Frisco) better. They have an Oktoberfest/Marzen style called Red Eye and a Maple Nut Brown that is very nice. Their food was good and reasonable. Had a cask Scottish ale there recently that was very nice. This place can be tough to get to late on Saturdays and Sundays during ski season. I watched the Broncos win Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII there!! (last visited 12/01)

Central City

Dostal Alley

We finally got another brewpub in a casino (Cripple Creek had Wild West, yuk). This place is in the middle of what is left in Central City. The beers aren't too bad, decently made but not spectacular. At $2.25 a pint, what the heck! Stop in if you get the chance. (last visited 6/00)

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