Craft beer has quickly gained popularity in the United States, largely because the selection of styles and flavors is so much more robust than macro varieties. It also doesn’t hurt that great food, parties, brewery tours and taproom tastings are a natural part of the culture. For those of us who have the pleasure of calling Colorado home, that means partaking in all of the festivities that occur as part of Colorado Craft Beer Week. The event is directed by the Colorado Brewer’s Guild and includes 9 days of celebrating our local craft brewers, pubs, and restaurants. Here’s a lineup of the events included in Colorado Craft Beer Week:
Collaboration Beer Fest
When: March 19th from 3pm until 7pm
Where: Sports Authority Field At Mile High, 1701 Bryant Street, Denver, CO 80204
If you’ve ever spent any time around craft beer brewers (and drinkers), you know that community and collaboration is a big part of what makes this industry so unique. These businesses seem to be focused more on comradery than competition, and the Collaboration Beer Fest is a true testament to that open, friendly vibe. This is the third annual event, and it will feature all of the beers that have been produced by a joint effort between breweries. The lists of joint projects is far too lengthy to outline for you here, but you can take a look at the participating breweries at the official CBF website.
Related events include:
- Upslope & New Belgium Collaboration Release Party: Tropical Stout with Plantains
- Stem Ciders & Novo Coffee : Collaboration Coffee Cider Can Release
- Tapping: StrangeTail V
- Lone Tree & Sycamore Brewing “Breakthrough IPL” Release Party
- 221 Bloody Baker Street Tapping
Brewery Boot Camp
Session 1: March 19th from 11am until noon at The Brew on Broadway (3445 S. Broadway, Englewood, CO 80113)
Session 2: March 20th from 11am until noon at Copper Kettle Brewing (1338 S Valentia St #100, Denver, CO 80247)
Session 3: March 26th from 11am until noon at Dry Dock North Brewing (15120 E Hampden Ave, Aurora, CO 80014)
Here’s your chance to work off your beer calories before you drink them. Strength Train 4 Life and various Colorado breweries are coming together to bring you Brewery Boot Camp, a unique opportunity to enjoy a good sweat session followed by some of your favorite local brews. Register here.
Colorado Pint Day
When: March 23rd, all day
Where: Various Colorado locations (listed below)
Colorado Pint Day is a key project of Colorado Craft Beer Week, and it serves as a fundraiser for the Colorado Brewer’s Guild. Participating businesses will offer a special “State of Craft Beer” glass for you to take home, and $1 from every sale goes to support the guild’s various activities over the coming year. Get your commemorative pint glass at the following locations:
- 38 State Brewing– Littleton
- Bonfire Brewing– Eagle
- Boulder Beer– Boulder
- Breckenridge Brewery and Pub– Breckenridge
- Bristol Brewing– Colorado Springs
- Butcherknife Brewing– Steamboat Springs
- Call To Arms Brewing– Denver
- Cannonball Creek Brewing– Golden
- Carver Brewing– Durango
- Epic Brewing– Denver
- Farmhouse @ Breckenridge Brewery– Littleton
- Fiction Beer Company– Denver
- Halfpenny Brewing– Centennial
- Horse and Dragon Brewery– Fort Collins
- Jagged Mountain Brewing– Denver
- Kokopelli Beer Co– Westminster
- Launch Pad Brewery– Aurora
- Living The Dream– Littleton
- Lone Tree Brewing– Lone Tree
- Mockery Brewing– Denver
- Mountain Toad Brewing– Golden
- Odell Brewing– Fort Collins
- Pikes Peak Brewing– Monument
- Rockyard Brewing Co– Castle Rock
- Pug Ryan’s Brewery– Dillon
- Ska Brewing– Durango
- Upslope– Boulder
- Ute Pass Brewing– Woodland Park
- West Flanders Brewing– Boulder
- Ale House @ Amato’s– Denver
- Breckenridge Colorado Craft– Denver
- Breckenridge Ale House– Grand Junction
4th Annual Western Colorado Craft Beer Celebration
When: March 26, 2016 from 2pm until 6pm
Where: Edgewater Brewery, 905 Struthers Avenue, Grand Junction, CO 81501
Wrap up your Colorado Craft Beer Week experience at the 4th Annual Western Colorado Craft Beer Celebration. This is another key fundraiser for the guild, and it has been a raging success in past years. Bring your chairs and camp out on the lawn of Edgewater Brewery, and get your fill of the following Colorado favorites:
- Kannah Creek Brewing Company
- Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery (Ridgway)
- Colorado Boy Pizzeria (Montrose)
- Copper Club Brewing
- Horsefly Brewing
- Ourayle House aka Mr. Grumpy Pants Brewing
- Palisade Brewing Company
- Revolution Brewing
- Rockslide Brewery
- Suds Bros Brewery
- Two Rascals Brewery
- Ouray Brewing
Tickets may be purchased in person at any Edgewater Brewery…they always sell out, so grab yours now.
Those are the highlights, but there are so many more events to look forward to during Colorado Craft Beer Week. For anyone who is interested in getting up close and personal with their brews, two can’t-miss events are Learn to Brew Your Own Special Batch and Hop Tasting with the Brewers. If that’s not enough to satisfy your craft beer craving, check out the other events in the lineup. As always, enjoy yourself responsibly and be sure to check back with us for more exciting things to do in Boulder and the surrounding areas.