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Top Brewery Tours On Colorado's Front Range

Denver Brews Cruise(credit: Denver Brews Cruise)

It's no secret that Denver is one of the centers of the micro-brewery world. There are so many incredible craft beers created here and many breweries offer tours so you can go behind the scenes to see how your favorite drink is made. You can opt to tour these breweries one-by-one, or you can find one of the many brewery tour options available where a knowledgeable guide takes you and your pals from brewery to brewery, allowing you to sample all the beer you want along the way. No worrying about designated drivers, no planning on your own, just show up and prepare for a day filled with everything you ever wanted to know about beer.

Denver Microbrew Tour
(303) 578-9548
www.denvermicrobrewtour.com

Price: $29 for general admission/$33 for general admission with collectable pint glass

The Denver Microbrew Tour has a couple of different tours available, so you can select the one that is most appealing to your taste buds. The LoDo Route is a one and a half mile guided walk through the Ballpark and Lower Downtown area of Denver. You'll get beer samples at each stop and a pint of your choice at the end of the tour. Along the way, you'll be entertained with interactive beer trivia and even some of the scandalous history you may not know about the city of Denver. Each tour will visit four locations and get 10 beer samples from local breweries that could include Breckenridge, Wynkoop, Falling Rock Tap House, Rock Bottom and more.

Coors Brewery Tour
1225 17th St., Suite 3200
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 277-2337
www.millercoors.com

Price: Free

When it comes to brewery tours, there is none bigger than the tour at Coors Brewery in Golden. This massive plant brews up to 22 million barrels a year and can package up to 16 million barrels, which makes the iconic company the largest single-site brewing company in the world. The free, self-paced tour is about 30 minutes long and includes a look at the brewhouse, the malthouse and the packaging complex so you can get your own look into how one of the most popular beers in the world is made. When the tour is completed, you'll be able to check out lots of historic artifacts that include everything from old photos to neon signs and more, plus you get sample or two to enjoy.

Related: Top Resources To Brew Beer At Home In Denver

Denver Brews Cruise
(303) 993-7308
www.brewscruise.com

Price: $42 per person

This Downtown Denver tour leaves from Pints Pub at 13th and Bannock St. and then takes you through a fascinating tour of many breweries in the Denver area. You'll learn how the beer is made and get samples at Breckenridge Brewery, Strange Brewing Company and more. With tours offered weekday evenings and weekend afternoons, it's easy to find a tour time that will fit in for you and all your friends. Denver Brews Cruise even offers a special gift for the designated driver in your group, so safety is always encouraged. Everything wraps up back at Pints Pub, where you can enjoy some traditional English style ale with some delicious eats. You can schedule up to 12 people to take the cruise with you, so grab a few pals and make some plans for your own Denver Brews Cruise.

Colorado Brewery Bus
(720) 443-3635
www.cobrewerybus.com

Price: Prices range from $45 to $60 each, depending on the number of riders

Enjoy a day on the Colorado Brewery Bus with your pals, relaxing as you're driven from brewery to brewery. Along the way, you'll enjoy some food, trivia, music and more, plus you have a built-in designated driver. The Boulder-Longmont bus tour starts in Denver and then heads straight to the Boulder area stopping at Avery Brewing, Fate Brewing, Oskar Blues and Left Hand Brewing. Or you can opt for the Fort Collins tour, which includes stops at New Belgium Brewery, Ft. Collins Brewery, Equinox Brewing and Odell's Brewery. All tours end with the trip back to Denver. It's a full day of beer tasting fun, starting bright and early and returning you home in the evening, so plan your beer-drinking day accordingly.

Related: Top Bars In Denver For Beer Selection

Banjo Billy's Bus Tours
(720) 938-8885
www.banjobilly.com

Price: $22 for adults/$20 for seniors

Yet another fun and creative way to explore the different breweries in the Denver area, Banjo Billy's Bus Tours is ready to guide you through three different breweries, three pints of beer and three hours of tours. The tour includes stops at Renegade Brewery, Beryl Beer and Prost Brewery, along with all the insider information on the brewing scene you could want. You'll love Banjo Billy's fun bus, the only brewery tour bus that has disco balls, saddles and a rubber chicken that leads the way, and you'll have a blast with your friends on this crazy fun evening filled with beer, breweries and plenty of entertainment. If you have a special event coming up, you can even arrange a private tour for you and your friends on Banjo Billy's Bus.

Deborah Flomberg is a theater professional, freelance writer and Denver native. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
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