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Fort Collins Colorado Brewery Tours

 

Fort Collins Colorado Brewery tours are perfectly nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains with fresh snowmelt running off into the Cache la Poudre River making it an ideal place for brewing some of the nation’s best beer. Fort Collins is the largest producer of craft beer in Colorado (responsible for 70%, in fact), which is ironic for a town that was “dry” until 1969. Currently, the city is home to more than 20 craft breweries, the most microbreweries in the state, each with its own distinctive style, including one of the world’s largest operations, as well as a leader in eco-friendly and sustainable business practices. To get a taste of award-winning lagers, pilsners and ales year-round, take part of some brewery tours and a wild variety of taster trays, even spend a few days to taste them all! 

A large percentage of Fort Collins breweries are located within historic Downtown, including industry leaders New Belgium Brewing and gold medal winning Odell Brewing Company, all within walking and bicycling distance, making visiting them easy to do in one trip. The beer lover can also take guided tours providing insider knowledge plus transportation between each brewery making for a perfect beer day. One of the best and most fun ways to gain this insider knowledge is signing up for brewery tours with Beer and Bike Tours. Fort Collins has experienced a boom in brewery growth in the past decade, bringing breweries to all areas of the city, including South Fort CollinsMidtown and the CSU campus. 

Fort Collins produces beers of every type, including a local passion for IPAs, tasty stouts, collaboration ales between all breweries, and extremely drinkable wheat beers. These passions make Fort Collins a perfect beer lovers’ and homebrewers’ paradise. Brewing stores offer hard to find hops, malts, tools of the trade and experts to consult.

Bicycles have a close relationship to the beer in Fort Collins with New Belgium Brewing Company’s affinity for bicycles, including the annual Tour de Fat bike parade & festival, bike and beer tours, keg delivery by bicycle, bike paths linking breweries together, and a bike share rental program through Spin.   

If you want to see the inner workings of the brewing process you can sign up to take brewery tours at Odell Brewing Company and New Belgium Brewing Company. Or you can hop on a bike and ride from brewery to brewery with Beer and Bike Tours. Bottling and canning lines, sustainable practices, water and green energy initiatives and tasting insights are all part of what you learn on the tours.

Now set out on your taste bud adventure to some of these high quality Fort Collins breweries!

Get to know Fort Collins' Breweries

C.B. & Potts

C.B. & Potts Restaurant and Brewery has been a Colorado front range tradition since 1974.  Featureing quality food, award winning beverages and medal winning craft brewed ales ad lagers in a casual family friendly atmosphere. (1441 E Horsetooth Road)

CooperSmith’s Pub and Brewing

This is the perfect place for a bite to eat with your brews. CooperSmith’s is the longest operating brewery in Fort Collins, opening just two weeks before Odell Brewing Co., Nov. 1989, and is an anchor business in historic downtown.  Their specialty beers such as Albert Damm Bitter and Punjabi India Ale are served in the English tradition, dispensed from hand-drawn “Beer Engines” that pull in nitrogen from the atmosphere to give the beer a nice creamy head. (#5 Old Town Square)

DC Oakes Brewhouse and Eatery

DC Oakes was named after Daniel Chessman Oakes who was one of the earliest settlers in Colorado. This brewery pays homage to Oakes’ pioneering spirit by emulating his tireless work ethic through the passion of making hand-crafted beer. DC Oakes also serves up great tasting food, along with classic cocktails, wine and other local beers on tap as well as their own. (3581 E Harmony Rd #110)

Equinox Brewing

Equinox is inspired by the balance and intrigue of the equinox and the changing of seasons, which brings a dynamic twist to their beers. Traditional styles, innovation and honoring history all while respecting each distinctive ingredient is Equinox’s approach to the brewing creative process.  A cozy outdoor patio that is always buzzing, live music and very tasty brews makes this a must stop. Enjoy many rotating selections and special firkin tapping every Thursday (133 Remington St.)

Funkwerks

This brewery focuses primarily on Saisons, with fruity aromas, and often offers drier profiles which become wonderful summer beers made by the masters. Funkwerks has won many medals in the past 5 years, and in 2012 The Great American Beer Festival named them “Small Brewing Company of the Year”. Their “Deceit”, Belgian-Style Golden Strong beer was awarded a silver medal in 2014 at the World Beer Cup. Refreshing and award-winning, a must stop along your tour. (1900 East Lincoln Ave)

Gilded Goat Brewing Co.

This is a small, family-owned and operated neighborhood brewery in the heart of Fort Collins next door to Trader Joe’s. They serve a mix of classic styles, experimental batches, and sour beers in a very comfortable taproom. Stop by and check out the club-level seating so you can see the brewhouse in action or, if you prefer, stay for a guided tasting session. They also have a location in Downtown Fort Collins with a quaint backyard patio (3500 S College Ave #194 & 132 W Mountain Ave)

Hello Brew Co.

Hello Brew Co. is a brewery-taproom located in a 120-year-old home in the Fort Collins River District.  This small taproom offers a minimalist yet homey environment. Hello Brew Co. is focused on providing contemporary IPAs and Czech-style Pilsners. (405 Linden St.)

Horse and Dragon Brewing Co.

Horse and Dragon is a local Fort Collins’ favorite that includes a skilled master brewer and owners with years of beer industry experience. Their motto is: work & family, hops & malt, Horse & Dragon. They craft high-quality, great-tasting beers sustainably while building community in the heart of Northern Colorado. (124 Racquette Dr.)

Intersect Brewing

Intersect is a local, neighborhood-focused craft brewery. Family, bike, and dog friendly, with a taproom and beer garden. Quick access to the Spring Creek trail at Drake and Taft Hill. Craft beer brewed in High Fidelity. (2160 W. DRAKE RD. A-1)

The Jessup Farm Barrel House

This brewery is extremely unique thanks in part to the brewery being housed in a 133-year-old, 3,000 square-foot restored barn that sits on the 13-acre Jessup Farm Artisan Village. The Barrel House is known for blending beers with barrels used for wine, bourbon and other specialty barrel-aged beer in order to create intricate flavors derived from the attributes of those barrels. (1921 Jessup Dr.)

Maxline Brewing

Maxline has a commitment to quality malts, hops, water, and yeast that matches their passion for brewing enticing beer. This brewery has a focus on supporting the community, as each member of the company dedicates six hours each month volunteering at local non-profits and sustainable farms. (2701 S. College Ave. Suite 190)

Mythmaker Brewing

Mythmaker Brewing is a taproom brewery located in west Fort Collins. Mythmaker Brewing believes the Craft Beer Industry is undergoing constant evolution. The mission at Mythmaker is to brew craft beer in both traditional and experimental ways and to mesh old traditions and new experiences together in a local, community driven, hospitality focused environment. Their small batch brew system ensures a constantly changing beer list for your exploratory palate. With up to 17 beers of all varieties from pale to black, sweet to sour, or experimental to historical on tap, we're sure you'll find your current favorite! (1035 S Taft Hill Rd.)

New Belgium Brewing Co.

Born on a bike, New Belgium Brewing is recognized as a leader in sustainability and social responsibility. Founded in 1991 by a homebrewer and social worker in Fort Collins, Colorado, New Belgium Brewing believes in the true idea of craft, a set of skills honed over time.  The company expanded to Asheville, North Carolina in 2016 and Denver, Colorado in 2018 and is now the 4th largest craft brewery in the U.S. Dedicated to proving that business can be a force for good, New Belgium is a Certified B Corp and was the first brewery to join 1% for the Planet. The brewery has donated over $26 million to charitable causes since 1991. New Belgium is famous for its flagship beer, Fat Tire Amber Ale, along with year-round favorites like Voodoo Ranger IPA, Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza, and La Folie Sour Brown Ale; as well as an award-winning wood-aged sour program and innovative limited release beers. To learn more about the full product lineup and New Belgium’s Human Powered Business model, visit NewBelgium.com. (500 Linden St.)

Odell Brewing Co.

Odell has the honor of being the first ‘packaging craft brewery’ in Fort Collins after opening its doors just two weeks after CooperSmith’s Brew Pub, the first brewery pub in Fort Collins.  Home brewer Doug Odell opened his craft brewery in November 1989.  In addition to their 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. A go-to brewery for locals and visitors, this taproom has been expanded to keep up with demand. Live music, food trucks and a warm fire pit also make the Odell patio a regional destination. (800 East Lincoln Ave.)

Peculier Ales Fort Collins

Peculier Brewing Co. is a distinguished craft brewery that prides itself on its unique blend of tradition and innovation. Nestled within an industrial brewhouse, the company has managed to carve out a niche for itself in the competitive Fort Collins brewing scene. The company's ethos: ”Beer Set Apart", is perfectly encapsulated by every beer’s unique creativity, set apart by its flavor, texture, and the craftsmanship that goes into its brewing. (1831 E Mulberry St.)

Prost Brewing Company

Prost is one of the first companies/breweries in Fort Collins to have an alley entrance for patrons, making it quite unique. This alleyway taproom is a homecoming of sorts for the Denver-based craft brewery thanks in part to Prost Brewing having an ownership team composed of multiple CSU alumnus. The Gold-medal-winning brewery makes German-style lagers exclusively and serves them in a Bavarian-themed taproom. Prost will only be serving its own beers at the Fort Collins satellite location, and for the time being, every beer will be brewed at the Denver location and delivered to Fort Collins. (1510 S College Ave.)

Purpose Brewing and Cellars

Former 1933 Brewing owners, Zach and Laura Wilson, Purpose Brewing paired with longtime New Belgium brewmaster Peter Bouckaert and his wife Frezi to launch Purpose Brewing and Cellars. Purpose has introduced a new concept to the Fort Collins brewing scene where beers change weekly and are never repeated. “We believe that everything in life has a purpose. Our purpose is to use a thoughtful, artistic, collaborative and authentic approach to craft one-of-a-kind coffees and beers. Our mission at Purpose Brewing and Cellars is to inspire creativity, promote craftsmanship, and support our local community.” (4025 S Mason St Unit C)

Rally King Brewing

This brewery opened its doors in 2015, Rally King has since become a favorite neighborhood brewery for Midtown locals and other craft beer lovers. Located right off of the Spring Creek Trail, this family run brewery with a 7 barrel system, is kid, dog, and bike friendly and offers a variety of brews from European style Ales to IPA’s to sours. Releasing new beers 2-3 times per month, Rally King offers delicious one of a kind beers to please any palate! (1624 S Lemay Ave #4)

Salt   Road   Brewing

Salt Road Brewing sources high-quality Colorado ingredients to create unique, classic, innovative styles of beer. Our downtown Fort Collins location provides a gathering space for the community to bond while sipping on delicious beer made from local malts, hops, yeast, and pure Rocky Mountain water. Join us in our taproom where you can view local artwork or relax on our patio around a cozy fire pit surrounded by hops. Local just tastes better! (321 Old Firehouse Alley, located behind Illegal Pete's)

Stodgy Brewing

Opening in 2020, Stodgy Brewing is one of the newest breweries here in town! Stodgy Brewing is a casual neighborhood gathering space in northwest Fort Collins, where people can connect and relax around great beer. Founded by a brewer and a landscaper, the owners take pride in the brewery that they have created in a local landmark. With a large outdoor patio and cozy indoor spaces to drink beer, Stodgy is the perfect place to relax and have a wonderful end to your day exploring Fort Collins. (1802 Laporte Ave)

SweetWater Brewing Company

SweetWater Brewing Company was founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 1997. Our Fort Collins location was established in 2021 and has quickly become known for award-winning beers, delicious entrees and heady bites. Founded by two outdoor enthusiasts, it is a premier lifestyle beer company. Located in North Fort Collins, the brewery is minutes from the city's top hotels, restaurants, bars, hiking trails, and natural attractions. Hosting a special event or an important meeting at the brewery provides guests with a unique and entertaining experience with several different spaces to choose from. (1020 E Lincoln Ave)

The Ramskeller

Colorado State University's on -campus brewery includes a full scale brewing operation for students of the Fermentation Science and Technology Program. Ramskeller has a 264-gallon brewing system, making it the largest housed system at any university in the country. Students brew for class and tap those beers at the Ramskeller campus bar. Stop by for a beer today, enjoy live music and a feeling of those old college days! (Lory Student Center First Floor, CSU Campus)

Snowbank Brewing

A departure from the traditional brewery, Snowbank Brewing focuses on innovation and a passion for the Colorado lifestyle. Beers are named for the wonderful Colorado landscape and made from Colorado snowmelt.  (225 North Lemay Ave #1)

Zwei Brewing Co.

Zwei is focused on German beers and the great heritage of Old World brewing. These ideals and passions have helped inspire their flagship beer line as well as their rotating taps. Embracing key German styles have led to lots of exciting beers at Zwei Brewing. (4612 South Mason St. #120)

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