15 APRIL 2-8, 2026 westword.com WESTWORD | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | and sauces, and occasional food partners. The vibes: A somewhat dimly lit, pub-type atmosphere, perfect for sipping the beers Hogshead specializes in. The patio, which is more open and bright, is better for larger groups. Seedstock Brewery 3610 West Colfax Avenue Originally opened in 2016, the McIlvenna family took over Seedstock in 2021, and the brewery hasn’t missed a beat since. It spe- cializes in lager beers — the Czech Pilsner is especially good — but serves everything from IPAs to stouts to cream ales. The food: There are plenty of restaurants to bring food in from along busy Colfax. The vibes: The front bar overlooks the bre- whouse and sets the stage for old-fashioned drinking. Meet your bartender and some fellow beer lovers. Tables and patio seating provide a more typical experience. Little Machine Beer 2924 West 20th Avenue Little Machine is home to of the best deals in the city: all beers are $4 on Wednesdays. The menu spans plenty of typical brewery styles, and they’re well-made. From hoppy beers to lagers, bigger stouts, malty beers, fruited and sours, you’re sure to fi nd some- thing you like here. The food: A variety of food trucks fi ll up the calendar. If you’re there during odd-hours, there’s plenty of food along Federal to bring in. The vibes: The large, circular bar fi lls up fast, and when this place is busy, it’s almost like a party. The adjoining patio is spacious and offers a wonderful spot to sip beers when the weather is good. Zuni Street Brewing 2355 West 29th Avenue This brewery offers a little something for everyone. Expect to fi nd IPAs, pale ales, fruited sour beers, imperial stouts, porters, seltzers, amber ales and Kolsch-style beers. There is a generous amount of non-alcoholic options as well. The food: Food trucks are on-site seven days a week. The vibes: Zuni has a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating – it’s a good space to bring a group, but it also works for intimacy. Far North-Northwest Denver Bruz Beers 1675 West 67th Avenue Bruz is Denver’s only brewery fully focused on Belgian-inspired beers. From classic ab- bey ales, farmhouse and witbiers, to more modern, creative Belgian-style IPAs, it has quite a bit to offer. It has recently expanded to offer wine, cider and guest beers as well. The brewery also has a sister taproom, Bruz Off Fax, located at 1495 York Street. The food: Rocky Mountain Pizzas, snacks, tinned fi sh and pretzels are always available, while rotating food trucks pull up seven days a week. The vibes: Education events are a major fo- cus here — the brewery’s World of Belgium Beer classes are popular in the taproom, and it even leads patrons on a yearly tour to Belgium. This brewery is about as dog- friendly as they come, too – it even hosts a dog food truck. River North Brewery 6021 Washington Street When it comes to major beer competitions, River North is one of the winningest brew- eries in Colorado. While it offers a range of beers, people seek the brewery out for its dark beers, spanning from sub-5 percent brews to the strongest beers made in Colo- rado, clocking in at well over 20 percent ABV. The brewery also has a taproom in the RiNo neighborhood at 3400 Blake Street. The food: Pizza and soft pretzels, along with Saturday food trucks. Customers are wel- come to bring their own food in as well. The vibes: During busy times, like weekends and especially barrel-aged beer releases, the place is jammed with craft beer lovers. Crooked Stave Brewing 1441 West 46th Avenue Crooked Stave made its name on mixed culture beers. While it has taken more of a traditional production brewery path in recent years, it has won over plenty of new regulars with its Juicy West and Juicy East IPAs, NZ Pils and Sour Rose. The brewery still offers plenty of the type of funky beers that put it on the map too. The food: There are sometimes food trucks available, especially in the warmer months, but pack a lunch or grab some tacos or Quiz- nos from down the street. The vibes: A long, cozy bar and expansive outdoor seating offer plenty of options, and be sure to check out one of the better merch racks in the city. East Denver Cohesion Brewing 3851 Steele Street Masters of Czech-style lagers, Cohesion has taken Denver by storm. It’s become a place for lager fans to hang out, and people from all over the country make stopping here a priority. The food: It hosts regularly rotating food trucks. The vibes: One of the prettiest taprooms in Denver, with wonderful tile work behind the bar, old-European dark wood on the side nook and red brick throughout the building, combined with Czech side pull taps front and center and an expansive patio. Cerebral Brewing 1477 Monroe Street Cerebral has made a national splash for its hoppy beers and barrel aged stouts, while developing a pretty strong lager program in recent years. There’s a good reason why many visiting craft beer fans make it a top brewery to visit. It also has locations in the West Highland neighborhood and the Aurora Arts District. The food: Food trucks are available six days a week. The vibes: The original location on Monroe Street retains much of the brewery’s origi- nal scientifi c, lab-like feel. Roll up garage doors, brick walls and cement fl oors give it a familiar brewery taproom feel. Danico Brewing Company 18490 East 66th Avenue Danico started out strong with veteran brewer Chris Kennedy leading the opening brews, and Dry Dock alumnus Alan Simons has taken over without missing a beat. The beer list ranges from lagers to hoppy beers, stouts, sours and fruited beers. The food: A wide range of food trucks ser- vices the brewery seven days a week. The vibes: A gorgeous, open-space, new- construction build makes Danico an ap- pealing place to spend time. Danico is the closest brewery to DIA, so you’ll see a mix of travelers, craft beer afi cianados and Green Valley Ranch neighborhood regulars. 4 Noses Brewing 4040 Dahlia Street 4 Noses expanded into its new Park Hill location in late 2023. The 23,000-square- foot location boasts a state-of-the-art Ger- man BrauKon brewing system, cranking out the excellent range of beers for which 4 Noses is known. You’ll have everything from European-style lagers to farmhouse saisons, an assortment of hoppy ales, several fruited and sour ales, as well as imperial stouts and porters — often with fl avors like vanilla and coffee added, or barrel-aged variations. The food: Food trucks are usually on-site Tuesday though Saturday. The vibes: Clean, open and spacious, similar to its Wild Provisions location in Boulder. Southeast Denver Comrade Brewing 7667 East Iliff Avenue This spot is known for having some of the very best IPAs in Colorado. Led by its mul- tiple GABF award-winning beers, Super- power IPA and More Dodge, Less RAM, Comrade really brings the goods when it comes to hoppy beers. It also makes a mean stout, and has both quality blonde and red ales for those looking for more sessionability. The food: Nearby options include pizza, wings, cheesesteaks, kabobs and fast food. The vibes: This is the classic strip-mall, roll- up-garage-door type of brewery taproom. It’s south-facing, so it gets great light most days. Bull & Bush Brewpub 4700 Cherry Creek South Drive The Bull has been around since 1971, brew- ing its own beer since 1997. Besides its own English-style leaning beer menu, it offers some hard-to-fi nd imported and vintage beers, and an extensive list of spirits, espe- cially whiskey. The food: Extensive brewpub restaurant menu with tasty, fi lling dishes. The vibes: This is a full-on English pub. Rich wood, decadent lighting, cozy, dark corners – the place is a vibe. Email the author at [email protected]. Bull & Bush is one of Denver’s original brewpubs. EVAN SEMÓN Hogshead Brewery is Denver’s premier destination for English-style cask beer. DANIELLE LIRETTE
