Going to Denver this weekend - recommendations?

Flying into Denver on Friday, leaving Monday. I'll have a car as well as a DD. We'll probably stick to Denver/Boulder but can maybe make it out as far as Fort Collins. So where should I go?

Only breweries I've been to in CO are Great Divide and Wynkoop - love them both, and may stop in at one of those again, but I'd like to branch out and try some stuff that isn't available in Chicago. I'd be especially interested in any places that are having events this weekend, seasonal/special releases, anything like that. In general I tend to gravitate more toward sours and barrel aged beers but I'm up for trying anything you think is worth the trip.

I'm also looking for suggestions for good bottle shops, as I plan on filling up a suitcase with liquid souvenirs. I want to load up on beers that I can't get at home like RR, Deschutes, Crooked Stave, etc.

Thoughts?

Total Beverage has a good selection.

There's a lot of small breweries in the Denver area and Lefthand and Oskar Blues aren't too far out. Although I always have a great time in Fort Collins, you can keep yourself well occupied in the Denver area.

Cool, thanks. Any thoughts on which Denver area breweries have the best tours?

I have never taken the tour at Great Divide, but they do tours, and make some pretty good beers. Denver Beer Company is hot right now, and the patio may be a little slammed, especially since the Rockies are in town, but they do a great beer, and the guys who run it are pretty cool.

As for bottles, I don't know to what extend they make it outside of the state, but Dry Dock makes some spectacular beers in bomber size. I don't know how much of Avery's stuff makes it out your way, but I would definitely try to grab a few of their special bombers as well. The Kaiser should be out, duganA DIPA is supposed to hit shelves in September, and their Salvation is quite good (hell, the whole Holy Trinity would be worth lugging home).

The best tours IMO are up in Fort Collins. I didn't do any tours in the Denver area but I assume Great Divide and/or Breckenridge would be good tours because they are larger breweries with more to see and ask about.

I tried some of the Denver Beer Co. beers. Not really impressed; they tasted like ok homebrew recipes that needed some work. I also recommend Dry Dock beers and if you make it out to where Avery is it's not an interesting tour but the taproom offerings are usually exceptional.

Check out Fermentedly Challenged for what is going on at Colorado breweries.

Freshcraft is having their 2nd Anniversary party on Sat starting at 11....some pretty cool tappings going on.

Can't speak to Denver directly, but several years ago, a friend of mine and I were in Colo Springs for a week for work and we spent some time at the Rock Bottom Brewery/Cafe. IRC, it's a couple miles south of the entrance to Peterson AFB (but it's been a while, don't take my word for it).

I liked their Pale Ale beer so much, I bought two one half gallon jugs of it to take home. We each took one of these jugs back with us to Huntsville AL. In soft side luggage no less. I'll be danged if both of them came through totally unscathed!!!

That was good beer!

Good luck and have a great time!

ETA: looks like there are two of them in Denver: http://www.rockbottom.com/home

Awesome suggestions everyone, thanks! The Fermentedly Challenged website is really helpful. I've heard great things about Dry Dock, so that's at the top of my list. Anyone ever been to the Boulder Brew Fest? That's on Saturday, seems like a good place to try a bunch of breweries at once and see some live music. The fact that "Twisted Tea" is listed as one of the participating breweries gives me pause, though.

I'm glad you found Fermentedly Challenged helpful.

Depending on what time your flight arrives, you can stop off at Caution Brewing Co on your way to where you are staying. They are the closest brewery to DIA. They do have limited hours. Near by is Lowry Beer Garden

Either before or after Dry Dock, plan on Bull & Bush They will be re-opening this weekend after getting a new kitchen installed.

A bit west of downtown is Hogshead Brewery who serve very authentic English ales pulled by hand pump from the cask.

Lukas Liquors on the south end of the suburbs will be your best bet for bottles. LiquorMart in Boulder is another very good choice. If you are in Boulder, do not miss Mountain Sun just off the mall. Fairly small and always packed. Make sure you bring cash. They do not accept plastic.

Add Prost to the list. Nice and close to downtown with rest of the breweries, fantastic beers as well. Pretty sweet view of the city from their Biergarten too.

Thanks again, folks! With all the excellent recommendations now I may be even more confused than I was before.