Colorado Brewery Tours: Best Cities and How to Plan One

Colorado consistently ranks among the top craft beer states in the country, and its brewery scene is concentrated enough in a handful of cities that a well-planned day (or weekend) can hit several standout taprooms without much driving. Here’s a guide to the best Colorado brewery tours, along with how to plan one that doesn’t wear your group out halfway through.

Colorado Brewery Tours: Best Cities and How to Plan One

Denver

Denver has one of the highest brewery densities in the state, spread across a few distinct neighborhoods rather than one central strip. The RiNo (River North) Art District and the area around Larimer Street both offer a walkable cluster of taprooms, making it possible to visit several breweries on foot without needing a car or rideshare between every stop.

Fort Collins

Home to New Belgium Brewing and Odell Brewing, Fort Collins has one of the strongest brewerypercapita ratios in the country and markets itself explicitly around its beer scene. The Fort Collins Brewery District connects several taprooms within walking or short biking distance of downtown, and many offer their own brewery tours in addition to standard tastings.

Boulder

Boulder’s brewery scene is smaller than Denver’s or Fort Collins’, but it pairs well with the city’s walkable downtown and outdoor activities, making it a good halfday addition to a broader Boulder itinerary rather than a full dedicated brewery day.

Colorado Springs

A newer but fastgrowing brewery scene, Colorado Springs has seen significant growth in local breweries over the past decade, with several concentrated in the downtown core and the nearby Ivywild neighborhood — a former elementary school converted into a brewery, market, and event space.

Durango and the Western Slope

Smaller towns like Durango and Grand Junction have their own respected local breweries, often with a more relaxed, smalltown taproom feel than the bigger Front Range cities. These make a good addition to a broader southwest Colorado or Western Slope road trip rather than a standalone brewery destination.

Guided Tours vs. Self Guided Brewery Hopping

Guided brewery tours, typically run by local tour companies, include transportation between stops, a set itinerary, and often skiptheline tastings at each location. This is the safer and lowereffort option for larger groups, since it removes the need for a designated driver and takes the planning off your hands.

Selfguided brewery hopping works well in walkable areas like Denver’s RiNo district or downtown Fort Collins, where breweries sit close enough together to visit on foot. This option gives more flexibility over pacing and which breweries to prioritize, but requires more planning around transportation if your route isn’t fully walkable.

Tips for Planning a Brewery Day

1. Eat and hydrate throughout the day, not just before starting — Colorado’s altitude and dry climate make the effects of alcohol more noticeable than at sea level.
2. Limit yourself to a manageable number of stops. Three to four breweries with smaller tasting flights at each tends to work better than trying to hit six or more in one day.
3. Arrange transportation in advance if your route isn’t walkable — rideshare availability can be limited in smaller towns, especially late at night.
4. Check brewery tour schedules ahead of time. Larger breweries like New Belgium often run scheduled facility tours separate from their taproom hours, and these can require advance booking.

Choosing a City Based on Your Trip

• Want the most options in one walkable area? Denver’s RiNo district.
• Want a breweryfocused trip built around one destination? Fort Collins.
• Want to pair breweries with an easy walkable downtown? Boulder.
• Want a newer, stilldeveloping scene with unique venues? Colorado Springs.
• Want a smalltown brewery stop as part of a bigger road trip? Durango or Grand Junction.

Colorado brewery tours work best when the city matches the kind of day you want — Denver and Fort Collins for a full, walkable breweryfocused day, Boulder for a lighter addon to a broader itinerary, and smaller towns like Durango for a worthwhile stop along a longer road trip. Whichever route you choose, pacing yourself and planning transportation ahead of time makes for a better day than trying to see every taproom on the map.