When you stay at The Crawford, your beer plans can stay flexible. With our downtown Denver location, it’s easy to head out for a few tastings, come back to recharge, and keep your plans flexible without committing to a full-day brewery crawl.

Start at Terminal Bar, tucked inside the station’s historic ticketing office within The Great Hall. The all-Colorado draft list is an easy first stop — especially if you want to toast the day before heading out into the city.

Downtown Denver is the natural place to begin exploring the city’s brewing roots. This area is where Colorado’s modern craft beer movement first took hold, and many of its original players are still pouring today.

• Wynkoop Brewing Company is a classic LoDo stop close to Union Station. Colorado’s first brewpub, Wynkoop is housed in a historic warehouse and offers 40 different styles of beer paired with a lively atmosphere.
• Denver ChopHouse & Brewery delivers a more refined take on downtown brewing. It pairs a polished, old-school ambiance with a classic steakhouse menu. Signature offerings like the Bottom’s Up! Kölsch have been LoDo staples for decades, making this a sophisticated stop for either lunch or dinner during your brewery crawl.

After downtown, head northeast to experience a different side of Denver’s brewing culture. The River North Art District, better known as RiNo, is widely regarded as the city’s creative epicenter, and its breweries reflect that experimental, forward-thinking energy.

• Bierstadt Lagerhaus is a standout for purists. Using traditional German equipment and time-intensive methods, this brewery produces some of the most respected lagers in the country, featuring an ever-changing seasonal menu. 
• River North Brewery offers a sleek, industrial setting where Belgian-style ales and barrel-aged beers take center stage. Their award-winning tap list leans adventurous, appealing to drinkers eager to explore layered and unconventional flavors. 
• Woods Boss Brewing Company in Five Points offers a rustic, mountain-lodge escape right in the city. Known for a deep rotation, their taproom features 24 taps, with 20 rotating craft beers ranging from full-bodied ales to smooth lagers. 

For a quieter pace — and often great patios — head across the South Platte into LoHi and Sunnyside, then down toward South Broadway.

• Zuni Street Brewing Company (LoHi) offers a spacious patio and approachable ales. 
• Diebolt Brewing Company (Sunnyside) specializes in unique, French-influenced styles.
• TRVE Brewing Co. (South Broadway) pairs a bold heavy-metal aesthetic with a sophisticated focus on sour and wild ales.

One of the best parts of exploring Denver’s microbrewery scene is that there is no single right way to do it. Staying at The Crawford gives you options, whether you prefer to explore at your own pace or let someone else lead the way.

Insider Tip: Ask our team to help map a route based on your preferred styles.

Self-Guided Tours

If you enjoy discovering places organically, it is easy to build a self-guided outing. The Denver Beer Trail offers a helpful framework for discovering local flavors while shaping your own route. Consider picking up a Denver PubPass, which is a “passport” that earns you a free pint at 25 different local taprooms throughout the year and serves as a great way to discover hidden gems.

Guided Walking Tours

Guided walking tours are ideal for first-timers, blending tastings with local history in walkable districts. Denver Microbrew Tour does this especially well, pairing downtown breweries with neighborhood context and behind-the-scenes insight. For art lovers, their RiNo Beer and Graffiti Tour is a must, pairing craft pours with an exploration of the neighborhood’s famous street murals.

Bike and E-Bike Tours

Bike tours are a great fit for active travelers, with Mile High Bike Tours offering routes that pair sightseeing with must-try brewery stops. If you want to see the sights without the sweat, look for an E-Bike & Brews tour, which allows you to glide further along the scenic Platte River Trail to visit spots like the Breckenridge Brewery.

Shuttle-Based Tours

Shuttle-based tours work well for groups looking to explore multiple neighborhoods and breweries without worrying about logistics. Brews & Views is a standout option for beer lovers who want to pair hand-picked Colorado craft breweries with scenic mountain and canyon views, all guided by a knowledgeable local host.

Denver’s beer scene is strong year-round, but late September through October is a highlight for beer lovers, with the Great American Beer Festival and Oktoberfest celebrations happening across the city. Summer is another ideal time to visit, when warm weather makes brewery patios and outdoor neighborhoods especially enjoyable.

Cheers to Craft in the Mile High City

From LoDo’s brewing roots to RiNo’s creative pours, Denver rewards curiosity — especially when your day starts and ends at Union Station. When you’re ready to plan, book your stay at The Crawford Hotel and explore our current offers to build your ideal tasting weekend.