Best Breweries of Northwest Denver
Northwest Denver has a rich history and is a wonderful, culturally diverse neighborhood to live in and visit...close to downtown, but not too close, with local restaurants and privately owned small stores that create a one of a kind vibe. Strolling down 32nd Avenue or Tennyson Street is a lovely experience with the charm and character of a small town with book stores, wine shops, craft breweries, restaurants, coffee shops and ice cream stores. Northwest Denver hosts a variety of events - One should check out the Highlands Square Farmer's Market, First Fridays, the Highlands Street Fair and the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival at Sloan's Lake.
In 1858, General William Larimer established the Highlands in order to secure additional real estate. In the 1870's the street car lines brought many Scottish, Welsh, German immigrants to the area. And soon after, Irish & Italian immigrants also moved into the neighborhood. In the 1900's, Hispanic immigrants moved to Northwest Denver, many of whom worked for the sugar companies. Originally the Highlands was its own city, but the area was annexed into Denver in the 1890s and is now known as a neighborhood of Northwest Denver.
Breweries on Tennyson Street
Berkley Alley Beer Company
4342 Tennyson St Denver, CO 80212
https://www.berkeleyalleybeer.com/
Owner: Matt Kirchhevel and Ty Kain
From Call to Arms Brewing, take a short walk south about one block, find the alley and head to Berkley Alley Beer Company.
Berkley Alley Beer Company opened its doors in 2013 which makes it the oldest brewery on Tennyson Street in Northwest Denver was originally named De Steeg. In 2021, with new owners, the brewery got a new name and was rebranded to Berkley Alley Beer Company. This place is a local gem, a little hard to find... you have to enter from the alley off the corner of Tennyson and 44th Avenue, but it is well worth the visit. This small brewery has a small bar, a handful of tables and a tent and patio outside. They have 15 wonderful beers on tap and board games that guests can borrow. With a one and a half barrel brewing system, this might be the smallest brewing set up that we have seen.
We really enjoyed sipping on our beer and visiting with locals and the beer tender at this small taphouse. The staff was super welcoming and friendly. This is a true local hangout with great beer. I tried the Pucker Nuts, a mustachio lemon meringue sour, sounds crazy but tastes fantastic with tangy, smooth, sweet and sour taste. I loved it.
The Emporium Brewing Company
4385 W 42nd Ave, Denver, CO 80212
For your next stop, walk another block south on Tennyson Street to The Emporium Brewing Company.
The owners of The Emporium Brewing, Justin Vallely, Sara Fetzer, Greg Fetzer and Mike Cugini are Colorado natives who opened the brewery in 2019. This building has an interesting history -- a market, turned transmission parts factory, turned brewery. Interesting for sure. From the outside, this brewery looks quite small, but the open concept provides for lots of room for family and friends to visit and socialize. This brewery and taphouse is in a great location, right on Tennyson. There is plenty of seating at the bar, at tables inside or on the patio. On warm days, they open the garage doors to the patio which brings the beautiful Colorado weather and fun atmosphere of Tennyson Street inside. The modern industrial décor, large colorful mural wall, garage doors and large bar make for a welcoming feel.
We enjoyed sitting at the bar, listening to live music on a Friday evening while enjoying our beer. I had the Unholy Masquerade.…This oatmeal stout is smooth, creamy and roasty with a light finish that will make you coming back for more. Rich notes of chocolate throughout make this one easy drinking favorite!!
FlyteCo Brewing
4499 W 38th Ave #101, Denver, CO 80212
From the Emporium, FlyteCo Brewing is an easy walk south on Tennyson Street 4 blocks to 38th Avenue.
Owners Jason & Eric were engineering students at CU Boulder prior to opening FlyteCo Brewing in 2019. This family and dog friendly neighborhood brewery hosts amble seating inside and plenty of outside patio seating. The aviation theme, including a fuselage taproom, creates a cozy and creative atmosphere that facilitates friendly conversations between friends and newcomers alike. This location is a coffee shop known as Altimeter in the morning and a bagel eatery all day long serving bagel sandwiches, pizzas and pretzels. With over 15 beers on tap, a family fun atmosphere, cornhole games, afire pit and live music, there is entertainment and enjoyment for everyone in the family.
We enjoyed grabbing ourselves an aviation themed beer and having a seat in their fuselage for a time travel back to pampered airline customer service and satisfaction. Their Wilbur Wright's Weizenbock is a dark, malty, banana flavored, traditional Belgium Bock that is a smooth easy drinker. I highly recommend ordering the Tennyson, from the eatery, with roast beef, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and horsey sauce which, I believe, would pair nicely with any beer on tap!
Additional Breweries in Northwest Denver/Wheatridge/Edgewater...
While in the area, we encourage you to travel a bit south and west of Tennyson to these very original and special breweries. Have a beer and a street taco at Mestizo Brew Cantina which is a 5 minute drive west of FlyteCo Brewing on 38th Ave. Visit with the local crowd while drinking a cask ale at Hogshead Brewery which is south of FlyteCo and Mestizo Brew about 10 blocks, on 29th Avenue. Have a beer with a view of the beautiful Sloan's Lake at Joyride Brewing located just a few blocks south of Hogshead on 25th and Sheridan.
Mestizo Brew Cantina
6800 W 38th Ave, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
https://www.mestizobrewcantina.com/
Ryan Piec opened Mestizo Brew Cantina in 2023, struggling through the pandemic to make their dream a reality. This brewpub was established in a building which was originally an auto shop. The remodel created a small, cheery and bright restaurant & brewery. They serve street tacos and tortas from the converted school bus parked out back which they call the "blue bus". In addition to the craft beer options, guests can order specialty cocktails that fit well with the cantina theme.
What a gem! We loved enjoying a beer with amazing street tacos made to order from the resident food truck. This is a friendly environment with a great atmosphere, good food and tasty beer.
Hogshead Brewery
4460 W 29th Ave, Denver, CO 80212
Jeff Kipp, Michael Manczur and head brewer Stephen Kirby opened Hogshead Brewery in 2012. Located in a small, repurposed 1950's gas station in North West Denver, Hogshead brewery has 14 beers on tap, 7 of which are cask ales. This very small brewery & tap house has a bar and about 5 tables inside as well as a patio area which more than doubles their seating. This brewery has a 'local hangout' feel with guests socializing with friends and strangers throughout the taproom.
We enjoyed sitting in this taproom visiting with everyone around us. Super relaxing and welcoming environment! This brewery specializes in cask ales, so we tried some. This was the first time we had tasted a cask ale, and it was worth it.
Joyride Brewing Company
2501 Sheridan Boulevard, Edgewater, CO
In 2014, Dave Bergen and Grant Babb opened Joyride Brewing Company, with a name that encourages guests to slow down and enjoy the moment. This brewery & taproom overlooks Sloan's Lake making it a beautiful location. There is plenty of seating and you can enjoy the Colorado weather here sitting inside next to the garage doors that open to the sidewalk or on the rooftop patio. Thy boast a 10 barrel brewhouse with ten swerving tanks and 11 fermenters. They host food trucks which provide for a variety of food options.
We visited Joyride for the first time for their 8 year anniversary celebration. SUPER fun - good food, food trucks, music and very friendly staff. We had a great time. This is a wonderful location in Edgewater to enjoy a good beer.
“Never underestimate how much assistance, how much satisfaction, how much comfort, how much soul and transcendence there might be in a well-made taco and a cold bottle of beer.”
― Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume
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