2011 Tell Em: Top CO Beer Spots

Euclid Hall- I go way back with this space, as back in the day it was the old school Soapy Smiths. Make no mistake in 2011, there's nothing old school about it. Tons of great beer on tap, good food plates and a young hip crowd. But it ain't all uppity: they mix in the old Hip Hop (heard Nas' "New York State of Mind" and more) with the music selections.

Hops and Pie- The North Denver Tennyson neighborhood continues to evlove and Hops and Pie lends to the new feel. The delicious, yet nothing too fancy, pizza pairs perfectly with the neighborhood feel. The vast array of craft brews on tap attract the beer elite, families, and SG crew.
Patrick O'Carroll's Pub- Just down the road is this quaint Irish pub. Sample all the Irish beer favorites, plus American "nostalgic" selections for $2 (PBR, Hamms, Strohs, Olympia) and drink standbys. Yet the food is not the standard pub fare, try the extensive appetizer selections. The Colcannon (fried mashed potatoes) go perfect with your PBR or Guiness.

Lulu's- While Louisville might conjure up images of suburbia, they've managed to keep a real downtown strip alive. One of the most unique additions is LuLu's on the south end. Built in an old service station, the joint mixes too-die-for BBQ, canned beer (try the off brand ), and a nice "backyard" complete with baggo. Perfect for those lazy summer nights.

Biker Jims- The popular gourmet hot dog cart is now permanent fixture in the Coors Field area. A mix of sit down service with counter service gives it a casual feel. Get there early on game day, as the line for their unique dogs (Southwest Buffalo and Jalapeno to name a few) and ice cold Coors Light is out the door.

Arvada Beer Company- Sparse is a word to describe this new microbrewery in the emerging Old Town Arvada. No food avaliable, but you are welcome to bring in any foor of your own. No fancy or folksy crap on the walls. What they do make is mouth watering fresh beers. From the
Ralston Golden Lager to the Water Tower Wheat and the other offerings are all sure to please.

The Pullman- No SG list would be official without a Glenwood Springs cold one, and the newest spot in the Colorado tourist spot is the Pullman. On a key riverfront spot, this trendy eatery doesn't skimp on the drinks. Sit in the front and watch the tourists go by with a nice local craft beer selction as well as the mass produced stalwarts.

The Old Man- Back in the day this was Yogis, and after that it was the hopping shithole Roosters. Saved from the Wal Mart wrecking ball the space underwent a transformation and became The Old Man. Adorned with pictures of (what else) fathers (and a nice Denver Gold sticker) this joint serves up ice cold cans of Keystone, serves great smoked BBQ, and has a selection of bar games and a jumping patio.

The Old Man happenned to be the first place Mrs Commish and I were able to go solo (read: without kids) when she got the drinking legs back after our second daughter's arrival. Looking back, probably my favorite couple hours of the year. (Note: we also brought the enitre fam to the re-opened venerable Red Ram in Georgetown during Christmas time. My little one's first tavern visit!)

I list a ton of great places in Colorado, a bunch of great music from this year, and some of the most memorable sports events. But the simple act of sitting down and sharing a cold one with your loved ones and friends simply cannot be beat. As always with this post, big ups to the SG Fam for 2012. CHeers.

(related: shirts with the above design available here)

Drinking in the day, better than Trip Advisor:
2006 List, 2007 List, 2008 List, 2009 List, 2010 List