Falling Rock Tap House

Denver, Colorado

Don’t expect doting bartenders or hand-holding in this mecca for craftbeer lovers.

What it is:

Falling Rock Tap House is one of the best-known beer bars in America. It is a destination of choice for craft-beer tourists in Colorado with a consistently great draught list featuring the best brewers in Colorado, the United States, and the world. This groundbreaking pub in Denver has played a part in putting many now-famous breweries on the map.

Why it’s great:

Let’s get this out of the way first—you don’t go to Falling Rock for the service. The staff know their beer, but they’re not going to walk you through a handful of tasters until you find the perfect one. They’re not going to answer the phone and tell you how many more minutes the exclusive keg they just tapped will be pouring. If you really piss them off, they might throw something at you.

What really makes Falling Rock great is the history and tradition of extraordinary beer, their coveted ability to land kegs that few others in the country can, a refined and immaculately curated beer list that includes beers such as Rock Star Blend (a special sour blend from New Belgium served only by Falling Rock and Star Bar), fast turnover of the taps that guarantees your beer is as fresh as can be, and a bottle list with beers such as Firestone Walker PNC that you will find nowhere else in the state. If you haven’t been, you must go. It’s that simple. —Jamie Bogner

Details Hours: 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Monday–sunday Address: 1919 Blake St., Denver, CO Web: fallingrocktaphouse.com