Forget Centennial State. How about State of Craft Beer?
For the past seven years, the Colorado Brewers Guild has celebrated this unofficial slogan with Colorado Craft Beer Week (March 16-23), eight days of sanctioned drinking all across the state. Now through Saturday, the 2019 festivities are in full swing with tastings, tappings and brewery openings around Denver and beyond.
“This week is about the communication of what’s happening in craft beer in our state, and giving back to (breweries) a little bit,” Steve Kurowski, marketing director for the Brewers Guild, said. Of some 400 breweries around the state, about half of them participate in one way or another in Craft Beer Week. They offer food and brew pairings, rare cellar beer releases or brewing classes, all open for the public to attend.
“There’s something for everybody,” Kurowski said.
For the real beer geeks out there, Craft Beer Week’s closing celebration comes on Saturday and should be a worthwhile ($35) ticket to score. Only 100 drinkers can attend and get access to a below-ground blind tasting at Union Station of 20 Colorado-made American IPAs. Attendees try the beers, try to keep track of them all and then vote on their favorites. (From 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the underground Gallery Bar at Union Station; coloradobeer.org/events/the-big-reveal/)
For an altogether new brewery experience, head to , which just opened its aviation-themed brewhouse at 38th Avenue and Tennyson Street. Drinkers here can enjoy a guava pale ale and other original suds inside the custom airplane fuselage built into this brand new Berkeley taproom. (From 3 to 10 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays; 4499 W. 38th Avenue, Suite 101; flyteco.beer)
For some seasoned beer professionals’ latest brews, try in Lakewood. Prior to opening their own brewery, Jason Bailey and Brett Zahrte worked for TRVE, Epic, Crooked Stave and Coors. Now they’re debuting Old 121 inside the former Caution Brewing space. The first batches of IPA, honey brown ale and more are on tap this week and during a grand opening Saturday. (From 3 to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday; 1057 S. Wadsworth Boulevard; old121brewhouse.com)
For a pint with views, check out Edgewater’s which on Saturday opens its long-awaited rooftop bar and deck overlooking Sloan’s Lake. Drinkers can try one of Joyride’s flagship brews — an Ice Cutter Kolsch or Edgewater IPA, for example — from the comfort of the VIP section if they reserve ahead. (Starting at 11 a.m., 2501 Sheridan Boulevard, joyridebrewing.com/product-category/vip-experiences/)
To see all Craft Beer Week events, head to