Craft beverages have long been a part of Denver’s culture, in fact, the city’s first business was a saloon, which opened before a post office or bank! More recently, USA Today named Denver as one of the top ten beer cities in the nation.
However, beer is just the beginning of the latest craft beverage boom in Denver. Distilleries, urban wineries and even a traditional-style sake brewery have emerged on the scene, using local ingredients to create world-class products.
Several local craft beverage producers and cocktail bars have been recognized and awarded for excellence. Most recently, Mary Allison Wright and McLain Hedges’ Yacht Club was a James Beard Awards finalist for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service in 2025, highlighting its acclaimed craft cocktails and welcoming vibe. Meanwhile, the 2025 Michelin Guide Colorado awarded Dustin Lawlor of Hop Alley with Michelin’s Exceptional Cocktails Award and Traveling Mercies in the Stanley Marketplace was named one of the “Best Bars in America 2024” by Esquire Magazine.
DENVER CRAFT BREWERIES & TAPHOUSES
Denver brews more beer than any other American city – more than 200 unique beers are produced and served every day in Denver’s tap houses, brew pubs, breweries and gastro pubs. There are now nearly 70 breweries in Denver, more than 150 in the metro area and over 400 throughout the state. It’s not a coincidence that the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) has been held in Denver for more than four decades. GABF was ranked No. 4 in USA Today's 10 Best Beer Festivals in March 2025.
To showcase new and iconic Denver breweries, Visit Denver creates an annual Denver Beer Trail, featuring more than 15 must-try local breweries, both new and well-loved, from beer producers around the Mile High City.
Wynkoop Brewing Company
The first brew pub in historic downtown Denver since Prohibition, this unique and well-established brewery offers freshly brewed on-site beer, hearty pub fare, live comedy in the basement and a BCA-sanctioned billiards parlor upstairs. In 1988, Colorado’s beloved John Hickenlooper brewed and served the brewery’s first pint, before going on to serve as mayor of Denver and later as governor of Colorado. wynkoop.com
Spangalang Brewery
Located in Denver's historic Five Points neighborhood, Spangalang Brewery offers a unique blend of craft beer, craft cocktails, music, art and culture. Inspired by the area's rich jazz heritage, often referred to as the "Harlem of the West," the brewery's name itself pays homage to a classic jazz cymbal rhythm. www.spangalangbrewery.com
DENVER DISTILLERIES
Growing side-by-side with beer brewing is Denver’s distillery scene. There are almost 30 craft distilleries producing whiskey, brandy, vodka, gin and rum in Denver and the metro area. Many distilleries offer tours of their facilities, as well as tastings – and some have on-site cocktail bars, pouring their own spirits straight or in handcrafted cocktails. Visitors can also create a tour of some of Denver’s and Colorado's finest distilleries along the Colorado Spirits Trail.
Colorado Sake Company
Colorado’s first sake brewery and tasting room, Colorado Sake Company, opened in August 2018. The tasting room offers six types of sake, all using traditional brewing methods and local ingredients to introduce drinkers to the beverage. www.coloradosakeco.com
Laws Whiskey House
Laws Whiskey House is a fiercely independent Colorado distillery committed to producing the highest quality whiskey using local ingredients. In 2011, Al Laws left his Wall Street job behind to create whiskey, harvesting only when the whiskey said it was ready – his first batch poured in 2016. In 2017, Laws was recognized by the World Whiskey Awards for winning “World’s Best Rye” with their Secale Straight Rye Whiskey, and the distillery now makes six styles along with limited releases. lawswhiskeyhouse.com/
Mile High Spirits
One of the country’s premier private label and custom brand distilleries, Mile High Spirits (MHS) is located in the heart of downtown Denver. MHS is one of three distilleries in the world to use an all-glass still for distillation, which means that no metals or impurities are picked up throughout the distilling process, allowing for the most pure, crisp and high quality product possible. Beyond private label, Mile High Spirits creates Elevate Vodka, Fireside Whiskey, Peg Leg Rum and Denver Dry Gin. milehighspiritsllc.com
Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey
Stranahan’s lays claim to being the first Colorado-born whiskey, and they remain committed to making some of the smoothest, most distinctively flavored whiskey on the market by using handcrafted distilling techniques and Colorado’s finest natural ingredients. They also offer weekly opportunities to become part of the bottling crew – the general public can sign up to help bottle the craft whiskey. stranahans.com
The Family Jones Spirit House
The Family Jones Spirit House is a craft spirits distillery and tasting room that accentuates the interplay between distiller, chef, bartender and guest with cocktails, food, tours and tastings in an inventive setting. Currently, they craft vodka, gin, rum and whiskey; and they have partnered with several local businesses to create limited releases. thefamilyjones.co
Spirit Hound Distillers
Spirit Hound Distillers invites visitors to gather with friends while savoring hand-crafted cocktails made in-house using exclusive Spirit Hound liquors. Guests can also partake in guided spirits tastings, mixology classes and enjoy live music, as well as engaging events such as trivia, bingo, comedy nights and ukulele jams. They have won more than 70 awards in the last 10 years such as “Whisky of the Year”, "Best in Show" and “Coffee Liqueur of the Year” most recently. www.spirithounds.com/denver-tasting-room
CRAFT COCKTAIL BARS
Try some of Denver’s best local spirits in cocktails created by expert mixologists at some of the city’s top restaurants and lounges.
The Cooper Lounge
The Cooper Lounge offers the experience of the 1930’s power lounge with a glamorous Hollywood vibe serving high-end cocktails and an extensive wine list. Appropriately occupying the stunning mezzanine balcony, connecting to the Crawford Hotel in the newly renovated Union Station. Enjoy the exquisite design with views of downtown through the huge, historic windows along 17th street or look down on the restored terminal lobby, now christened the Great Hall. cooperlounge.com
Cruise Room
Hidden in the historic Oxford Hotel, the Cruise Room was Denver’s first bar to reopen after Prohibition. The award-winning cocktail lounge has been frozen in time since its Art Deco facelift in 1933 and fashioned after a lounge on the Queen Mary. www.theoxfordhotel.com/eat-drink/the-cruise-room
Nocturne
Tucked in an artfully restored warehouse in Denver’s burgeoning RiNo Arts District lies Nocturne. Nocturne marries the culinary, cocktail, and musical arts to create a singular, unforgettable experience. A modern jazz and supper club, Nocturne features live jazz nightly, carefully curated wine, beer and cocktail offerings, and a one-of-a-kind seasonal three course menu for those enjoying dinner and a show. nocturnejazz.com
Rougarou
From the creative forces behind the award-winning bar, Yacht Club, Mclain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright, alongside her brother JohnDavid Wright as executive chef, Rougarou is a living, breathing tribute to the rich regions that molded them. highlighting the culinary traditions of the American South, a Rougarou is a wine and cocktail focused restaurant. www.lerougarou.com
Sorry Gorgeous
An elevated rooftop cocktail bar in the heart of RiNo that offers stunning skyline views, handcrafted cocktails and unparelled weekend entertainment. Inspired by the timeless allure of the femme fatale, Sorry Gorgeous captures the essence of a modern-day enchantress. www.sorrygorgeousrooftop.com
Semiprecious
In Denver’s Sunnyside neighborhood, Semiprecious is the latest from Mike Capoferri and the international award-winning team behind Thunderbolt in LA. Designed to be an anchor for Sunnyside’s neighborhood spirit, design community and cocktail culture, Semiprecious is where good taste and good company meet. www.semipreciousdenver.com
MILE HIGH WINE
Denver is also home to roughly a dozen urban wineries and, although most of the state’s vineyards are on the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains, there are more than 25 wineries that operate in the Denver-metro area. Below are a few of the wineries doing interesting things in Denver. For more, visit this page.
Balistreri Vineyards
Balistreri actually has their vineyard in the middle of Denver. It started as a flower farm in 1969, and in 1998, the Balistreri family decided to plant some grapes. Since then, the Balistreris have been making wines in the Italian tradition. The award-winning wines at Balistreri include Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Zinfandel, Port and Colorado cherry wines. Whites include Chardonnay, Viognier and Muscat. Their wines are made from 98 percent Colorado grapes, including many grown on site. balistreriwine.com
Carboy Winery
Carboy works with vineyards and winemakers from prominent wine regions around the world — primarily local Colorado growers and producers — to source high-quality grapes, juice and wine that is then crushed and fermented, aged further, blended and kegged and/or bottled to make their unique brand of Carboy Wines. carboywinery.com
Bigsby’s Folly Craft Winery
Artisanal meets accessible at this full-production urban winery, where they pair the tradition and authenticity of the world's most prestigious vineyards with the approachability of a Roaring 20's inspired tasting room in the heart of River North (RiNo) Art District. Bigsby’s Folly is a friendly neighborhood establishment meant to bring people closer to the art and science of winemaking. www.bigsbysfolly.com