Denver ranks among the most celebrated beer cities in America, with more breweries per capita than almost anywhere in the country. From Czech lagers to hazy IPAs, the Mile High City rewards the curious drinker.
The full ranking
Denver ranks among the most celebrated beer cities in America, with more breweries per capita than almost anywhere in the country. From Czech lagers to hazy IPAs, the Mile High City rewards the curious drinker.
Cerebral Brewing (City Park)
A Congress Park brewery founded in 2015 with a scientific bent, best known for foeder-fermented lagers, hoppy saisons, and a prolific barrel-aging program. Beers arrive in beakers, and the New England-style IPAs are among Denver's finest.
Bierstadt Lagerhaus (RiNo)
A German-style brewpub famous for its Slow Pour Pils, a crisp golden lager that takes five minutes to pour using an 87-year-old kettle imported from Germany. Lager only, brewed under strict Reinheitsgebot, and winner of multiple Best Brewery awards in Denver.
Cohesion Brewing (RiNo)
Denver's premier Czech lager destination, opened in 2021 in a converted WWII Army Depot by a women-owned team. Exclusively lager, brewed with decoction mashing and served through traditional Lukr side-pull taps for an authentic Prague-style pour.
Comrade Brewing Company (Lowry)
A veteran-owned brewery in Lowry that has built a strong reputation for its hop-forward ales and the flagship Superpower IPA, a bold American IPA that anchors a rotating lineup of well-crafted beers.
Great Divide Brewing Company (Ballpark)
A Denver institution since 1994, a few blocks from Coors Field, best known for the Yeti Imperial Stout series, a GABF-decorated flagship with barrel-aged and seasonal variants that draw lines every Black Friday release.
Our Mutual Friend Brewing (Five Points)
A Five Points brewery founded in 2012 that sources 100 percent of its grain from Colorado farms and has earned eight Great American Beer Festival medals. The saison, barrel-aged, and experimental beers are the standouts.
River North Brewery (RiNo)
The Belgian-inspired specialist that took its name from the neighborhood, brewing abbey ales, saisons, and barrel-aged stouts since 2012. Its ten best beers average 4.08 on BeerAdvocate across a decade-plus of barrel work.
Bruz Beers (Tennyson)
Denver's only brewery dedicated exclusively to Belgian-style beers, from classic Trappist-style Singels and Dubbels to fruit-forward and IPA-inflected Belgian creations. A different food truck parks outside seven nights a week.
Black Shirt Brewing (Cole)
One of Denver's few breweries entirely dedicated to red ales, with the Colorado Red Ale as the floral, citrusy flagship that helped spark the Cole neighborhood's craft beer scene in 2012. Beer and from-scratch pizza share the menu, with spent grain folded into the dough.
Spangalang Brewery (Curtis Park)
A jazz-themed microbrewery in historic Five Points that channels the neighborhood's deep musical roots through its taproom decor and free Wednesday jazz nights. The D-Train IPA and Beatrice saison are the signatures.
Ranked across 9 sources: Westword Denver Beer Guide 2025 (unordered roundup); Axios Denver Best of 2025 (unordered roundup); Hop Culture · 21 Best Breweries in Denver, Ranked (2024); Yelp · Ranked by Rating (May 2026); Google Reviews · Ranked by Rating (June 2026); TripAdvisor · Ranked by Rating (June 2026); Top 10 Beers Avg Rating · BeerAdvocate per-beer data (June 2026); Untappd · Ranked by Rating (June 2026); BeerAdvocate · Ranked by Brewery Rating (June 2026). Full scoring is on the Methodology tab above.
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