Brewery Tours in Fort Collins

Fort Collins is the second largest producer of beer in Colorado and the state is ranked first in the country in volume produced by breweries (kind of ironic for a town that was "dry" until 1969). Each brewery has its own distinctive style, from one of the world's largest operations to a leader in eco-friendly and sustainable business practices. To get a taste of award-winning lagers, pilsners and ales year-round, take our Foam on the Range Tour, or see below for each individual brewery's contact information.

The annual Colorado Brewers Festival showcases the state of the state's suds on the last weekend in June. The oldest annual brewfest in Colorado, the Old Town event is open solely to Colorado breweries, including our local hosts.

FOAM ON THE RANGE TOUR

From Hwy 14/I-25, head north on I-25 about 5 miles to the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Co. Embark on a comprehensive tour of the Budweiser brewing and bottling process, visit the world-famous Clydesdale horses- the first Saturday of the month is Camera Day- and pick up some souveniers in the extensive gift shop.

From there, head back south on I-25 to the Mulberry Street/Highway 14 exit. Turn right on Timberline Road, then left on Lincoln Street. In about a half-mile, you'll see Fort Collins Brewery on your right.

Here you'll sample a variety of beers, from the smoky Z Lager to the unusual (and best-selling) Major Tom's Pomegranate Wheat.

Next stop: the first microbrewery in Fort Collins. Head right on Lincoln Street about 1 mile to Odell Brewing Co., on your right. Homebrewer Doug Odell opened his craft brewery in November 1989. In addition to the original 90 Shilling, a rich amber ale, Odell's popular brews include Easy Street Wheat, a Gold Medal Winner at the 2005 Great American Beer Festival; 5 Barrel Pale Ale; Levity Golden Amber and Isolation Ale, available from November to March.

The last three stops are all in and around Old Town.

From Odell's head right on Lincoln Street to Jefferson Street and turn right, then take another right onto Linden Street. New Belgium Brewing Co. is north 2 blocks on the right. In 1991, Jeff Lebesch and Kim Jordan homebrewed a version of ales Jeff had sampled shile mountain biking in Belgium. The brewery now has a capacity of 150,000 barrels a year and Fat Tire Ale continues to sweep the nation. On top of six regular brews and five "limited" release beers, New Belgium is also known for its environmental sterwardship.

Take a left out of New Belgium's parking lot ont Linden Street. Finish up your tour at CooperSmith's Pub and Brewing for a bite to eat with your brews. CooperSmith's specialty beers such as Albert Damm Bitter and Punjabi India Ale are served in the English tradition, dispensed from "Beer Engines" that draw in nitrogen from the atmosphere to give the beer a nicy creamy head.

Closer to the Colorado State University Campus, you'll find C.B & Potts, an award-winning brewpub with great burgers and even better brews. On the west side of the CSU campus, Potts is a favorite on game day.