300 Days of Sun, 365 Days of Beer

Colorado is home to so many breweries that one beercation isn’t nearly enough. On your next trip to the Centennial state, venture north of Denver to explore these off-the-beaten-path destinations in one of the state’s brewing hotbeds—the Boulder-to -Longmont corridor.

DENVER MAY BE THE

stalwarts have been doing their thing for twenty-three years now and have done plenty of pioneering work in barrel-aging and sour-beer fermentation, but most of that history was spent in an unassuming (and parking-challenged) business park lovingly named “the alley.” Last year, Avery built their dream brewery just outside of Boulder in Gunbarrel, and the gleaming temple of the brewer’s craft is a must-visit. If your goal is a meal, book a reservation in advance on Open Table—the limited space in the upstairs dining room gets booked fast, and the alternative is often a two-hour wait for a table. But the good news is the kitchen is fantastic,ߺ and you won’t regret it. If you do have to wait, grab a beer from the bar and stroll through the raised walkways on the self-guided tour overlooking the brewery. Before you leave, check out the cold cases across from the hostess stand—avery is notorious for stocking it with vintage bottles from their barrel-aged series.

Back in Boulder proper, a visit to one of the Upslope Brewing locations should be next on your list. The original brewery on Lee Hill Road now handles small and specialty batches, while the main production brewery in Flatiron Park pumps out larger volumes of cans, but either offers a deep tap list of beers you won’t find on