Need Denver Resident BA'ers Advice

Hit up beermapping.com and the Denver city map. It gives a good layout. I hate recommending breweries b/c I like the "discovery" aspect

The must-stops for beer bars downtown are: Falling Rock and Fresh Craft, with Lucky Pie thrown in the mix

 

Skip Lucky Pie and hit Hops and Pie.

Bottle shops downtown:
Mr B's
Argonaut
Joy Wine and Spirits
Small Batch Liquors (near Hops and Pie)
Highlands Wine and Liquor
Grapevine - not necessarily Downtown but worth the cab or uber or car2go to get there

 

When I visit Denver my first choice is Falling Rock

 

Do not skip Hops & Pie.

 

The only problem(s) with Hops and Pie are:
- wait time. It's always packed
- it's not downtown

 

must be going around because i'm doing the same thing probably at the same time. I wanted to go to great divide but considering its usually on tap at falling rock, might as well go there and get a burger too.
Going to be in search of some pliny as well (never had it)

 

Which Pliny?

Great Divide is a good stop, but watch out for crowds...it's quite popular. Falling Rock is the best bet for beer, but I'd... steer...clear of the burgers and get the blackened chicken sammich.

 

Back up Mebuzzard's comment to skip the burger at Falling Rock. But if I was you I would skip the food at Falling Rock altogether. It's forgettable to bad. Go to Freshcraft for a better mix of good taps and much better food. Like I said earlier if you have the ability go hit Hops and Pie for the best of all worlds. If you have the ability to get Boulder go to Backcountry and get good food and Pliny or Blind Pig are usually on. But if you are somewhere that has Comrade Hop Chops or Superpower on skip the Russian River and get those brews. IMHO better than Pliny and Blind Pig.

 

The elder. Never had it and from the looks of RR's site, i can maybe get a bottle at mr b's or argonaut (let me know if thats false)
Blackened chicken does sound more up my alley but all i need is something to soak the beer i'm probably going to overdrink

 

Falling Rock may have it on tap

 

Great Divide is fantastic more because their patio on a warm day is one of the best places to have a beer in the whole city.

Hops and Pie is great because they have the 2nd best taplist(despite having many fewer taps) behind Falling Rock in the whole city. I took a long uber ride and waited over an hour but it was totally worth it. Got to try Funky Golden Armarillo, got a free BA Hibernation from the manager that's also from Chicago, Desthil Flemish, an amazing duck confit panini, and an Uncle Jacobs for dessert.

I'd recommend hitting up Crooked Stave @ the Source. there's a bottle shop in the Source and a few good restaurants. Then go to Mockery Brewing across the street.

Or hit up TRVE and the other breweries on Broadway. Or all the breweries in RiNO. So much beer stuff.

 

Considering the taps at Hops & Pie you just named, I think I was likely there that day.

Thats what I like about them so much, pretty much every day, something new and truly unbelievable comes on tap. While the number of taps can't compare to other places, I feel like you are much more likely to run across something rare or unique.

 

Hops and Pie is often crowded yes, but there's certainly a reason for it...their rotating taps are top three in Denver (IMO), and their food blows the competition away. I always sit at the bar (as I'm solo, or with one other person typically), and it doesn't take that long to get a bar seat (which I'd argue are way better than other seats).

At risk of sounding like a real Hops and Pie fanboy, I'd recommend the 'Beer Club Membership' for locals. You get in an hour early on Sundays, and the deals are pretty great. It always pays itself off for me.

 

I love H&P to death, but I've had major wait time issues there. I think everyone knows to sit at the bar now as it seems like most people camp out at the bar for long periods of time.
Granted, I'm sure it's fine at Wednesday at 2PM, but Thurs-Sun after 4PM is usually an exercise in frustration. Not sure they can really do much to fix it since it's really just because they're a popular spot. I've never regretted going, though. The taplist IS probably the 2nd or 3rd best in town and the pizza is good to boot. Plus their homemade candied nuts = greatest snack ever.

 

Since i'm from the east coast, just about all the beer in Colorado is rare. I'm looking forward to some new favorites though

 

Agreed, I've always thought H&P just needed to bulldoze the parking lot next door and add on another addition, but nowadays I don't think that would even be enough. Plus the existing kitchen is probably too small to support that many tables, but what do I know...

The World of Beer in LoDo has fun stuff on tap from time to time and within 300 steps of Freshcraft. Plus the WoB app does a good job of being up to date with what's on tap.

 

In general I think the WOB flies under the radar in Denver. If seems like it would be some kind of draft emporium a la the Yardhouse, but they're far from it. The staff is well trained and they have some crazy stuff. The only reason I don't live at the Glendale location is because Comrade and the B&B are just down the street.

 

Falling Rock will probably have it on tap. Getting a bottle at one of those shops would require you going there on the day they get it, which is one day roughly every 4-5 weeks