10 Best Beer Gardens in Colorado!
The state is known for some of the best craft brews in the country. Beer, and mainly locally made beer, is an integral piece of the state’s beer culture fabric. More beer is brewed in Denver in a single day than in any other city in the country. And much of it is served at these beer gardens!
Bohemian Biergarten, Boulder, CO
What happens when a Czech comes to Boulder and opens a Bavarian-style beer garden? He becomes a success. This rustic gastropub combines the best of European beers with traditional German-style food. Enjoy a beer on tap, like Konig Ludwig Hell and Krusovice. Sit inside at the large picnic-style tables and meet new people or in the spacious outside area, where you can also meet new people! Of course, there’s a pretzel on the menu, as well as pirogues.
Denver Beer Company, Denver, CO
Breweries seem to pop up in the oddest places, like this one who took over an old car garage. Only premium artisan ales and lagers are served here, and the selection changes with the seasons. This place brings people together at large community tables and an open-air outdoor garden-like area, dotted with food trucks, that is undeniably festive. Two local favorites, Graham Cracker Porter and Incredible Pedal IPA are always on the tap list. In addition, there’s a rotating menu of beers for the adventurous to tantalize the taste buds.
Golden City Brewery, Golden, CO
A visit here is like stepping into someone’s comfortable home. Ha, that’s because it is a home, that of the founders who transformed it into a delightful brewery that has become a home away from home for many. Put your feet up at one of the backyard picnic tables, now the beer garden. Beers on tap include favored red and pale ales, plus seasonal specialties. Be sure to try the Geologist Bock, a doppelbock of legends — a fitting tribute to the two geologists who founded this brewery in the 1990s.
Red Rocks Beer Garden, Morrison, CO
Come for the patio, voted one of the best in the area, and stay for the beer… and food. All products served here are 100 percent Colorado-made. Likewise, the beer on the menu, representative of the best from local breweries, is only Colorado brewed. Located against the backdrop of Red Rocks Amphitheater, the 2,500 square foot patio is a great place as a pre-or post-concert hangout or gathering spot with family or friends. Pet friendly too.
110 Reserve, Woodland Park, CO
A beer garden can take many forms, and this one is not a garden, not a bar, not a restaurant, but is a festive merging of all three. With Pikes Peak towering nearby, this mountain town meet-up spot has a little something for everyone. The beers are a mix of ales, pilsners, lagers and IPAs. The food menu is small but potent... herbed nuts, charcuterie board, bruschetta, and paninis. Enjoy the beer garden even if you don’t drink beer. There’s a selection of wine, hard seltzers, and cocktails.
Equinox Brewing, Fort Collins, CO
Day or night, the colorful, inviting, and comfortable open-air beer garden is an enjoyable place to be. Beers here are an innovative mix of ingredients that include traditional and non, like cacao, coffee, citrus, and ginger. There are at least a dozen different beers on tap on any given day or season, with additional brewers-choice varieties—no food or TVs on-site but free live music every Friday and Saturday. Non-alcoholic beers available, Well-behaved dogs welcome.
Ska Brewing, Durango, CO
The ska rhythm of jazz, calypso, and reggae music drives this brewery's founders, pioneers in the canned craft beer arena. Their zany-style cans belie the quality and character of the ales and lagers they hold. Flagship brews have names like Modus Hoperandi IPA, Rue B. Soho, a grapefruit lager, and Pink Vapor Stew, a sour ale with root veggies. Brews on tap as well as in cans for purchase. Please take a tour of the wind-powered facility and brewery, and end your time here at the beer garden with a Mexican-style lager and a plate of their infamous Face Smelter Chicken Wings.
Green Valley Ranch Beer Garden, Aurora, CO
The bright yellow umbrellas scattered throughout the outdoor 4,500 square foot beer garden are an irresistible invitation to stop by and sit awhile. Beer, beer, and more beer on tap, plus in cans and bottles, celebrate the state’s craft beer culture. Pair any one of the two dozen brews with locally-made gourmet brats and sausages, house-ground craft burgers, loaded tots, or a freshly baked pretzel with cheese. Next, play some corn hole, bocce ball, or ping pong. Then, stop by Happy Hour, Monday through Friday, when select drafts, cans, and well drinks are discounted.
The Garden, Colorado Springs, CO
This locale is a bright and cheery spot from inside to out — especially on a warm, sunny day — but grab a spot by a fire pit, and it’s even great on a cold and chilly evening. They are the city’s original craft beer garden, with a unique vibe. Rotating taps feature local beer and locally distilled spirits. Resident food trucks mingle with a rotation of some of the best local food trucks featuring a mixed bag of eatables. So, pick a day, any day, and you can try something new. It’s so dog-friendly; there’s a puppy bar with dog bowls, water, and bags on hand.
Lowry Beer Garden, Denver, CO
Located in a converted 1939 Air Force hangar next to the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, you can stretch out and spread your wings in this 9,000 square foot outdoor garden area. Handcrafted brews and a tasty selection of rotating beers on tap will quench any thirst. Add a burger — the B-52 Bomber is a local favorite in honor of the museum. Don’t miss the supergiant pretzel with cheese, a nod to a beer garden’s Bavarian roots: dog-friendly, family-friendly, group-friendly, and those who like to play games friendly.
