Colorado Trip

Next summer my homebrew buddy and I are going to take a trip to Colorado. Any recommendations on cities that will give us a large and unique craft brew experience? We can only go to one city as we want to fly in and minimize driving.

I live in Denver so I would suggest you fly into Denver and then get to Fort Collins. You can easily do New Belgium , Odell, and Funkwerks(GABF small brewer of the year) then hit downtown to check out cool bars and college girls if you aren't hammered.

Downtown Denver is okay with Great Divide, River North, Epic Brewing and Denver Beer Co all easy walks if you stay downtown with tons more a short cab ride away or bike ride ( there is a cool bike rental program)

Your last choice is Boulder: Avery, Upslope and Bru are really close and a few others are not that much further. Add in an arguably better college town too.

There's at least a dozen really great breweries within a couple mile radius of downtown Denver. Add to those above, Renegade, Breckenridge, Black Shirt, Strange, Sandlot, Wits End, and a couple killer beer bars like Freshcraft, the Cheeky Monk, and the Falling Rock. Go a little further and you've got the Bull & Bush, Copper Kettle, Dry Dock, Hogshead, Crooked Stave, Caution, and more.

So yea. Denver's your way to go.

Avery...without a doubt that will be one of the only reasons for me ever going back to Colorado for a visit.

If you want to get up into the mountains and out of the urban sprawl that is the Denver Metro area, you might check out the following:

Tommy knocker Brewing Company in Idaho Springs, the Breckenridge Brewery in Breckenridge, the Glenwood Canyon Brewpub in Glenwood Springs, Carbondale Ale Works in Carbondale, the Aspen Brewing Company in Aspen, etc. Yes, you will have to drive but the scenery is worth it.

If you are limited in your driving, then I would say Denver. You could catch a shuttle from DIA to Downtown Denver and easily be able to sample many breweries and craft beer bars. If you do want to drive away from Denver, then the Boulder/Loveland/Ft Collins trail is the way to go.

All the above are good mentions.

I'll add a couple.

Denver Beer Co. (missed that someone had suggested, but +1)
Prost

I just did 7 days in CO and I'd prefer fort collins if you can make it. We hit 22 breweries/brewpubs so hit me up if you have any questions. THe New Belgium tour is the best you'll ever have, Odell was my favorite brewery, equinox and funkwerks were fun, Mayor of Old Town is a great bar.