Real Rocky Mountain Flavor: Colorado Microbrews

By Jonathan Berohn

Unfortunately, when most people think of beer from Colorado they think of Coors. While I’ll admit to liking the twins’ commercials as much as the next guy, the beer is another story. If your only experience with Colorado beer comes in a big silver can, you are missing out on some of the best and most original beers in the country. Believe it or not, there are far too many microbreweries in Colorado to cover in one article. With that in mind, I’ve chosen three of the more well know of the Colorado breweries to highlight here.

Rockies Brewing Company

Founded in 1979, Rockies Brewing Company bills itself as Colorado’s oldest microbrewery. They also make beers that serve as a perfect introduction to micro brewed beer. Their flagship beer is Buffalo Gold, a very mild golden ale. Personally, I find far too similar to mass-produced beers, but it’s a good introduction for someone who thinks beer ends with Budweiser. Their other line of Boulder Beers (they are located in Boulder) is far more adventurous and flavorful. Singletrack Copper Ale is an amber style ale that offers quite a bit more flavor. Both of these beers won silver medals at the World Beer Cup.

New Belgium Brewery

New Belgium Brewery, located in Fort Collins, concentrates on producing Belgian style beer. Their most popular beer is Fat Tire, a full-flavored amber with just a hint of sweetness you’d expect from a Belgian ale. It’s a smooth, easy-drinking beer that makes a good standard beer of choice. New Belgium is also ready to help out when your tastes run to the more exotic. They produce a number of authentic Begian style ales from a trippel to a frambozen.

Breckenridge Brewery

While it has expanded from its roots as a slope side brew pub, Breckenridge Brewery still maintains the quality of its early days. Their Avalanche Ale is still my favorite Colorado beer. It’s a full-bodied amber with hint of smoke from the roasted grains. It’s the kind of beer that makes you wonder why people still drink Budweiser. Breckenridge also has a full line of specialty beer, ranging from a great stout to their seasonal Christmas ale (also on of my favorites).

All in all, Coloradoans are quite blessed with wide selection of great beers to choose from. The point of this article is not to make you jealous, though. Happily enough Colorado micro brewed beers are making their way across the country. So in addition to trying them next time you visit Colorado, ask at your local beer store. And if they don’t have any, clue them in.