The Best Craft Breweries in Colorado
We take our beer very seriously in Colorado. The state has made something of a name for itself when it comes to craft beers. Which brewery makes the best?
This, of course, is a matter of opinion. In order to narrow the search for the ultimate Colorado craft beer, the website BeerAdvocate put together a list of the best beers brewed in the Centennial State. Here's a look at the top 25.
Lots and Lots O' Beers In Colorado
Have you tried Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project's "Nightmare on Brett Raspberry"? No? How about Great Divide Brewing Company's "Yeti - Barrel Aged"?
Take a look around Colorado and you'll encounter several great brewers such as New Belgium Brewing Company, WeldWerks Brewing Co., Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, and Casey Brewing & Blending. Obviously, they all take great pride in their craft.
Ratings Via Beer Advocate
BeerAdvocate, per their webpage, claims to be "...one of the oldest and largest online communities of beer geeks and industry professionals dedicated to supporting and promoting beer. Their motto, "Respect Beer," pretty much says it all.
Founded in 1996, its goals include:
- Wake the masses to better beer options.
- Give beer consumers a voice and empower them to learn, share, and advocate.
- Rally our community to support the beer industry.
- Put the Respect back into Beer.
Personally, I don't know anyone who's lost their respect for beer. A buddy of mine says beer gives him heartburn and causes his sinuses to act up, but that's the closest thing I've heard to a complaint. In any event, this organization works to guarantee beer gets the love and adoration it deserves.
Rating Colorado Beers
If you type Colorado in the search window at BeerAdvocate, the site produces 372 hits. If you narrow the search to "Top Rated Beers" you can search Colorado.
From this point, you'll see the number of ratings and their average score. Some of the Colorado beers on the list are based on thousands of user reviews. Other beers have scored based on as few as 39 reviews.
In Case They Missed Someone
You can add a beer to the field of candidates from the site. As a matter of fact, that is part of their mission. From there you can add a review.
Top Rated Colorado Breweries Per Stacker
Another source of information regarding Colorado's best craft breweries would be a 2022 report from Stacker. While informative, this list does not focus on craft breweries exclusively. According to Stacker, the top 5 breweries in Colorado are:
- #5 - Coors Brewery 4.0/5
- #4 - BURLY Brewing Company 5.0/5
- #3 - Rock Cut Brewing Company 4.5 / 5
- #2 - Left Hand Brewing Company 4.5 / 5
- #1 - New Belgium Brewing 5.0/5
It's a Different World
Does anyone remember "beer"? It used to come in a can or bottle and typically featured the name Coors, Budweiser, or Pabst on the label. Well, the world is getting smaller every day, and the number of beers on the market is growing exponentially.
Unless you're a die-hard connoisseur, there's a good chance you haven't tried some or most of the beers on the list below. Give the gallery a look. You may find the beer of your dreams.
Colorado's 25 Highest Rated Beers According to Beer Advocate
Gallery Credit: Waylon Jordan
Colorado's 14 Best Dive Bars
Gallery Credit: Waylon Jordan
A List of Grand Junction's Favorite Bars Serving Up Cold Beer
Gallery Credit: Wes Adams