Friday, January 16, 2009

08 Plate: Top CO Beer Spots

The SG offers the "year end"/ 09 kickoff by looking at some favorite beer spots visited over the last 12 months:

-Billy’s Inn & Squeeze Inn- These north Denver hangouts (in the case of the Squeeze, about as far north as you can go and still be in Denver) are old school in every sense. Billy’s is 75 years old, and just had an extensive renovation and added food and some interior style. Peep the tap beer and tequila selections. Up the road in a former 50’s burger joint, the Squeeze Inn offers room for about 20 patrons in a rockabilly setting.


-Buck Snort Saloon- Up in the foothills in the community known as Sphinx Park is the venerable Bucksnort, a Colorado institution in many eyes. Lots of cheap beer on tap and very picturesque views on the back deck and walls covered by papers, dollar bills, business cards, you name it. Beware there is no hard alcohol served due to the nearly “oh shit” dirt road that takes you in and out of the area.


The Glenn- Wedged into the aging Northglenn center is the bright red brick building that houses The Glenn. Inside though is the real treat: new wood décor, old school booths, shelves loaded with board games, friendly staff, flat screen TVs and a huge U-shaped bar. The food is tasty with loaded sandwiches and fried pickles. Peep the nice beers on tap and PBR draws for cheap.

-Grandview Tavern- Arvada’s oldest building now holds one of its more unique and flavorful bars. Located in the heart of the renewed Old Town area, the Grandview offers fine beers on tap (including many seasonal offerings, which the Commish took full advantage of in the summertime.) Peep the extensive menu from burgers to more hearty entrees. And if you’re looking for sports on TV, you’ll probably have to ask, as the Grandview tends to show some old school concert DVDs and more relaxed watchings.

-Edgewater Inn- This Sloan’s Lake bar and restaurant quite possibly could have the most authentic and best pizza in the metro area. That and the decidedly 1970’s décor and goblets of some of the freshest Coors (nothing fancy on tap here) make it a must stopping-by point when in the area. To this day, the only bar I’ve ever been to with a screen door.

Victoria Tavern- South to the Arkansas Valley heart is Salida’s downtown gem of a bar, the “Vic.” The mixture of locals, the pizza kitchen next door, kayakers, tourists, and assorted old school momentos (a phone booth and Walter’s Brewery throwbacks among them) from the area give the 100+ year old Vic its charm. The beer selection won’t blow you away, but it is cold and cheap.

-Morrison Inn- To and from Red Rocks, a stop at the Morrison Inn should be required. First, they have those mammoth beers that you thought were only props in bad 80’s frat movies. Huge. Mucho Grande. The creaky floors and various nooks and crannies are a testament to the bar’s popularity. Best yet, if it is warm out, do not miss the sun-drenched patio. Be sure to gorge yourself on their famous Mexican food and if your not a beer connoisseur, take a margarita in the same giant glass.

-The Pump House Brewery- Right smack dab on Longmont’s Main Street is the Pump House Brewery and their fine award winning crafted beers. Check the Wildfire Wheat with a lemon. Attached to the Brewery, but with the same beers available, is The Red Zone sports bar, with many TVs, pool tables, great food, and arguably some of the best specials in Boulder County.

-My Brother's Bar- Like to mess with out of town visitors and the uninformed? Tell them your going to 'My Brother's Bar' and watch the looks. The oldest running bar in Denver, this place drips with history (very popular with the Beat Generation) Don't look for a sign on the building on Platte street in the lower Platte Valley, there is none. Don't expect a menu, there are none, just a huge menu on the walls. The sandwiches and sides are scrumptous, and they have good tap selections always cold.

As always, having a beer and a good plate of grub is made so much more better with your peoples with you. Whether they're new friends your getting to know, old friends and catching up, your family, or even the company of strangers, beers always taste better with a cold glass and the warmth of friends and loved ones. The Commish is blessed to have that in his life; the laughter and conversation of the SG Crew, my always hearty family, and my beautiful wife and our beautiful baby girl on this journey here in God's Country...

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5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Gotr to love a good beer place :)

1:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

years ago went to the Bucksnort and about half of the Broncos offense was there completely blasted. Luckily, they had comandeered some equipment guy to drive them up there and back. We closed it down with some bluegrass band.

4:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Gaybiz's favorite bar is the Rainbow Sparkle Lounge. He was there last weekend drinking a spritzer and dancing like a fiend to Madonna songs. The purple glitter vest he was wearing was so cute.

9:21 AM  
Blogger Travis said...

sad thing is, I haven't been to any of those places, at least I don't remember being there.

My favs....

Some dive over in Wash Park, you walked down some stairs to get into it. Home of the infamous "All You Can Drink" thursday night poker nights and the infamous "sir, you have to leave now" line uttered at me by the bartender during the infamous summer.

The Shack off of Broadway and Mineral in Littleton. This was my "home bar". I watched countless Steelers games there, played a shit load of poker, yet only really got real shitty there once or twice. The owner, Jack, would always make sure the Steeler game was on one of the big screens and I was one of the few that could call in early and get my name on the list for poker.

The Spot off of Lincoln over by Alameda. Nice little cozy neighborhood bar. Had my fair share of drunken nights watching Boise State with my high school best friend who also lived in Denver for the first couple years I was in Denver.

Arap's off of Broadway and Hampton in Englewood. It's probably a good thing I discovered this place the summer before I left, otherwise I could have been in a trouble. The place looks like a total dive, and it is, but good people and the bartenders were kinda hot.

Englenook off of Broadway and Hampton (north of). The first bar I ever went to when I moved there. It's a pool hall, and within walking distance of my apartment. If I was bored and wanted a drink, I'd walk my ass over there. It was right by the Denver Broncos rehab place, and more than once, I'd stumble home, only to make sure I took a piss on that building.

Damn I miss Denver

7:37 PM  
Blogger @slushygutter said...

^THHS- love is a weak term...really love is more apt

^Anon- Looks like some hard partyin has gone on there. Wouldnt surprise me, #7 was a big drinker.

^DONKY- Where is the Rainbow Loungue? Next to the Blue Oyster?

^Trav- They have another Spot Bar in Golden. The dudes who run them own about 10 bars in the metro.

11:00 AM  

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