New Belgium
New Belgium (http://www.newbelgium.com/), maker of the very popular Fat Tire, is based to the north in Fort Collins.
Rock Bottom
Rock Bottom (http://www.rockbottom.com), a national chain of brewpubs, is based in Louisville near Boulder.
Colorado produces more beer by volume than any other state and Denver ranks first for US cities. In fact, Colorado Governor and former Denver mayor John Hickenlooper was a microbrewer before running for office. Notable breweries in Denver and environs include:
One should keep in mind that the effects of alcohol are magnified at higher elevations, so people may find themselves inebriated more quickly and with greater effect than they would at lower altitudes. Moderation is probably a good idea until you understand your body's reaction to alcohol and can acclimatize to its effects at higher elevations.
That said, the following are some of the best bar-hopping locales in the city:
Downtown coffee
The Market
At larimer square. the place for coffee shop people watching in denver. outstanding pastries, hot from the oven every day at 6:30am. also a great full service deli. wifi/laptop friendly.
Common Grounds Downtown
17th and wazee. an old mainstay in denver. between union station and market street rtd station. wifi/laptop friendly.
Pablo's Coffee
(http://www.pabloscoffee.com) , sw corner of 6th and washington. fresh roasted coffee roasted in the store, excellent barristas and a nice patio, no wi-fi so the number of student "campers" is a minimum, a great place for people looking for a great cup of coffee.
St. Mark's
17th and race 20 blocks east of broadway. quintessential coffeehouse ambience. house made pastries. lovely neighborhood block with a nice collection of restaurants.
Fluid
19th and pennsylvania. modern. gourmets: order an artisan coffee made with the clover machine. light pre-packaged eats available. wifi/laptop friendly.
Daz Bog
9th and downing. formerly diedrich's. lovely tree lined street. nice selection of pastries and light bites. significant portion of patrons are gay. wifi/laptop friendly.
Metropolis
11th and cherokee and 17th and champa. modern. wifi/laptop friendly.
Music venues
Red Rocks Amphitheater
16352 county rd. # 93, morrison, (http://www.redrocksonline.com/)
Fillmore Auditorium
1510 clarkson st.
Bars in lower downtown (lodo)
Lodo's Bar & Grill
1946 market st, +1 303 293-8555
The Cruise Room
1600 17th st, +1 303 825-1107, (http://www.theoxfordhotel...). 1930's art deco martini bar inside the oxford hotel. best martinis in denver! you can also order fresh seafood from mccormick's fish house.
My Brother's Bar
Brother's is the oldest still-operating bar in Denver, steeped in the history of the Beat movement; Jack Kerouac was a regular here during his years in Denver. Massive selection of premium choices and a fantastic single-malt scotch selection. Classical music plays, but don't expect to hear it on a really busy night. Good food, making this a great casual lunch option, including the JCB: a cheeseburger featuring Jalapeno Cream Cheese. There's no sign on the bar so don't look for one, but it's right on the southeast corner of 15th and Platte streets. This is where the locals go and regulars abound.
Pour House Pub
1435 market st, +1 303 623-7687
Nallen's Irish Pub
1429 market st, +1 303 572-0667. a little piece of the old country in denver, nallen's has great nightly drink specials and a tuesday night pub quiz.
Double Daughter's Salotto
1632 market st, +1 303 623-3505. a modern and slightly goth bar for all the cool kids to hang out. the bar features some of the oddest and best ambiance in the city and is connected to two fisted mario's, a pizza place that is open late so you can grab some grub after the bars close.
Falling Rock Tap House
The Falling Rock is a beer snob's dream, with over 70 excellent beers on tap. The selection changes from week to week, too, keeping the locals entertained and tipsy off of fine Belgians and microbrews. It gets crowded after Rockies games, but during the off season, it's a great place to escape from the cold and warm up with a well-poured Belgian trippel. For that matter, it's a good place on an average night to "escape LoDo" and have a beer in a place where you'll be able to have a good conversation without shouting.
Sing Sing
1735 19th st, +1 303 291-0880
Wynkoop Brewery
1634 18th st, +1 303 297-2700, (http://www.wynkoop.com/). fresh brews, billiard tables, and excellent food. banquets and private parties. historically significant architecture.
LoDo is the name Colorado locals have given the Lower Downtown district of Denver. It's a great place for meals, entertainment, and nightlife, where restored Victorian buildings now house more than 90 sports bars, brew pubs, jazz clubs, and restaurants.
Jet Bar
1612 wazee st, +1 303 572-3300, (http://www.thejethotel.com/). the lobby main bar is a retro and contemporary design of lighting, shag rugs, and comfortable lounge seating, and club twenty is jet hotel's private club.
Bars on colfax
Lion's Lair
2022 e colfax ave, +1 303 320-9200.
The Squire Lounge
1800 e colfax ave, +1 303 333-9106.
Sancho's Broken Arrow
741 e colfax ave, +1 303 832-5288. one of the four don quixote themed bars in denver, sacho's is the best place in denver to relive your old days with its grateful dead come alive decor and live rock and roll every monday.
The Bank Bar & Grill
2239 e colfax ave, +1 303 320-9494. check out their 2 for 1 drink special daily from 10pm til close. bear fights!!!!!
Streets of London Pub
1502 e colfax ave, +1 303 861-9103. the closest thing to england you can get without a 10 hour flight, streets of london has an abundant selection of ales, draughts and other favourites.
Mezcal
3230 e colfax ave, +1 303 322-5219, mezcal is a hip mexican-themed bar/restaurant serveing excellent and cheap mexican food along with its plentiful selection of great drinks, particularly tequilas.
Irish Snug Restaurant & Pub
1201 e colfax ave # 100, +1 303 839-1394. the snug to the locals is the best place in denver to down a pint of guinness with your mates. excellent fish and chips will fill you up if the guinness doesn't first.
Colfax Avenue, described by Playboy Magazine as the "longest, wickedest, street in America," stretches 26 miles through Denver and its suburbs. Colfax has long had a "gritty" reputation for being home to prostitution and drug peddlers. However, through much urban development work, Colfax has shed its past and emerged hipper, cleaner and more popular than ever. The many bars, restaurants and nightspots along the street give it a 24/7 ambience.
Bars in capitol hill & other neighborhoods
Charlie Brown's Bar & Grill
980 grant st, +1 303 860-1655. charlie brown's in another beat era hangout located at a hotel where ginsburg and the gang used to stay. has great happy-hours, a mostly local crowd, good food, and an agile piano player belting out tunes while you drink.
Squire Lounge
This is a serious dive bar, complete with nasty bathrooms, unkempt floors, characters, a couple pool tables, and a jukebox. And cheap late night drinks accompanied by some seriously plastered clientèle. Clearly not for everyone, but it has its place. If you are up for a real wild ride, order The Beaver, a huge pitcher of impromptu God-only-knows-what, usually less than $10.
The Burnsley Lounge
1000 grant st, +1 303 830-1000. live jazz on thursday, friday & saturday nights. happy hours include 50% off all drinks and a tapas menu.
City O City
E 13th ave. you will find a changing handful of unusual brews on tap. grab a blueberry muffin or the vegan buffalo wings which are excellent - and you can eat them without having to worry about a bone! and people watch.
The Church
1160 lincoln st, +1 303 832-2383, part of the "soco" south of colfax club district, the church is one of the most popular dance clubs in the city, and as its name suggests, is housed in a former episcopalian church. that however, does not prevent hundreds if not thousands of people from descending on the dancefloor every night to shake what god has given them.
Park Tavern
931 11th ave.
Govnr's Park Restaurant & Tavern
672 logan st, +1 303 831-8605. practically the after work bar for all of the state workers and lobbyists at the capitol, this comfortable place has great happy-hour specials and tasty food.
Capitol Hill is the neighborhood directly east and south of the Colorado State Capitol, located on Colfax Avenue and Grant Street. It has long held as place for young people, sub-cultures and the gay and lesbian community. Currently, it rivals LoDo as the place to party, no matter what your scene is.
Cricket on the Hill
1209 e 13th ave, +1 303 830-9020. denver's preeminent punk bar/club offers almost nightly live music, great specials and some of the best clientele to people watch in the city.