12 Colorado Beer and Food Pairings
Colorado’s reputation as a top producer of stellar craft brews goes hand in hand with our growing status as a culinary trendsetter.
From the annual sell-out at Denver’s Great American Beer Festival — the largest domestic beer festival in the United States — to popular restaurant pairing events, Colorado has a knack for marrying small-batch suds with delicious dishes for an unforgettable gourmet experience.
Here are our favorite places around the state to drink local beer and savor delicious beyond-pub grub.
PUEBLO
Beer: Shamrock Brewing Company’s Irish Red Ale is easy drinking, which means you should probably save room for more than one.
Food: Can’t leave Colorado without gobblin’ up a buffalo burger. They’re lean (but not mean), so you’ll feel zero guilt afterward.
BUENA VISTA
Beer: EddyLine Brewing’s Pumpkin Patch Pale Ale will make you feel autumny all over; try it on draft and then take it along on your winter adventure in 16-ounce to-go cans.
Food: Step out of the ordinary with the White Water Pizza, made with creamy roasted-garlic alfredo sauce, mozzarella, fresh spinach, parmesan and roasted chicken.
DENVER
Beer: The Lowdown Brewery’s India pale ale, made with ruby red grapefruit, pine and tangerine, has area reviewers buzzing.
Food: We can’t shut up about the Incredible Edible Eggplant Sammy, thick-sliced eggplant, baba ganoush, red onion, pickled carrots, roasted red pepper, mixed greens and some toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch, all wrapped in pita bread.
IDAHO SPRINGS
Beer: With a touch of maple syrup, Tommyknocker Brewery’s Maple Nut Brown Ale is, well, nutty and sweet — just like the name implies.
Food: The Gold Rush Pork Green Chile favors Colorado’s Southwestern flavors and is served with a warm tortilla.
DURANGO
Beer: Push the robust envelope with Ska Brewing Company’s Decadent Imperial IPA.
Food: Pop out to The Container (pictured), a culinary-repurposed shipping unit, for the Beer-Fed Burger or a mushroom goat-cheese pizza.
PALISADE
Beer: Palisade Brewing Company’s chocolatey, caramelly, hoppy Cashed Out Porter is the perfect winter warmer.
Food: Slurp it up with a giant Colorado Brat, served with sauerkraut, grilled onions and a side of spicy brown-beer mustard.
MONTROSE & RIDGWAY
Beer: Watch the bubbles rise in a Colorado Boy Brewing Company chilled-cask English Pub Ale.
Food: Choose from a dozen artisan pizzas to further warm your belly, including delish ingredients like capicollo ham, gorgonzola, fennel sausage and a farm-fresh egg.
GRAND JUNCTION
Beer: Go decadent from start to finish at Rockslide Brew Pub with the Kokopelli Cream Ale.
Food: The pecan-crusted chicken salad is topped with pecan chicken, bacon and … who cares? Chicken and bacon is all you need!
FORT COLLINS
Beer: Sip Coopersmith Pub & Brewing’s limited-winter-edition Jingle Ale, which adds a cinnamony-clovey-orangey-gingery spice to your meal.
Food: Eat your beer with Horsetooth Stout-simmered bangers and mash.
PAGOSA SPRINGS
Beer: Inhale flavors of the Southwest with Pagosa Brewing Co.’s Chili Verde Cerveza, a crisp, pale beer with chile aroma and flavor.
Food: Munch on the beer-battered, wild-caught salmon fish and chips, made with the brewery’s own beer.
SALIDA
Beer: Start the night off with a bang and a pint of Amica’s Pizza & Microbrewery’s Big S Brown Ale, tinged with caramel and chocolate malt.
Food: Those who’ve hopped off the gluten train will be happy to find many gluten-free options, including crowd-pleasing, wood-fired pizzas.
ALAMOSA
Beer: San Luis Valley Brewing’s bold Valle Caliente Lager is infused with Hatch green chiles.
Food: Made by hand for six generations, Gosar’s European-style sausages come in flavors like chicken, chile and chive; pork, cheddar and chipotle; and turkey cranberry chipotle. (Extra credit: Step around the corner to the brewery’s sister operation, Roast ~ Craft Coffee & Libations).
Read about top winter beers at Colorado’s craft breweries >>
Colorado has made its mark (a big one) in the beer market, but not far behind are hand-crafted rums, vodkas, whiskeys, gins and liqueurs that...Read more
Far from heading inside when the weather is cold, Coloradans love to celebrate winter with signature events during the snowy months. Check out...Read more
Oh, hello, artsy types. You’ve come to the right town. In fact, Boulder was named one of “America’s Most Artistic Towns” by Expedia. There’s...Read more
