Winter Park, Colorado, may be known for some Mary Jane, ski slopes, and backcountry access, but did you know there’s also a craft beer scene happening here? Not to mention the many mountain biking and hiking trails, camping sites, and restaurants and shopping. So, when you’ve biked and hiked the trails, ridden the slopes, and shopped til you dropped, grab a well-deserved beer at one of Winter Park’s best breweries.
🍺 Quick Sips 🍺
🍻 Quick tips on which breweries to visit when you only have time for one or two. 🍻
The town of Winter Park, Colorado, is smack dab in the middle of the glorious Rocky Mountains, just 90 minutes west of Denver, with an impressive elevation of 9,100 feet. This means that breathtaking views (and maybe a little bit of literal breath taking) are at the forefront of everything you do here.
Mary Jane, Winter Park Resort’s mountain partner known for its steep terrain and moguls that seem to grow bigger, bumpier, and better every year, is a destination all its own if you love adventurous downhills on your skis or snowboards.
As for summer fun, the mountains around here are full of scenic places to camp, hike, fish, and of course, mountain bike. Winter Park’s Trestle Bike Park is world-renowned and offers a wide variety of trails to explore.
Best Breweries in Winter Park
Yes, we get it! Those are the real reasons to head up to Winter Park. But when done, you can’t miss out on the craft beer. It’s the best way to meet locals, tourists, and all-around good mountain folk while enjoying some of the greatest craft beers in the mountains of Colorado.
And, you guessed it, we’ve got Winter Park’s best breweries listed for you right here. So, even if you only have time for one (or two – or all of them, they’re only six in the area), you’ll know where to go.
Hideaway Park Brewery
Hands down, this is our favorite of the entire region. With its mountain town vibe, cozy taproom, welcoming atmosphere, and great beer, Hideaway Park, for us, has always been the brewery to visit anytime we’re in the neighborhood. It’s simply a brewery with damn fine beer, making it the perfect place to kick back after a day of adventure, beer in hand, telling mountain tales.
HIDEAWAY PARK AT A GLANCE
Connect: Hideaway Park at 78927 U.S. Hwy 40, Winter Park
Best attributes: true brewery vibe of a mountain town
Serving: 12 taps of their own beer, along with a few NA options
Setting: seat yourself, at the bar, in the taproom, out on the patio, or head upstairs to an additional room that feels like a cozy loft in a cabin, order at the bar
Beers we drank: Gravel Grinder Belgian Tripel, Sag Wagon West Coast IPA, Coffee IPA, and Rec Therapy Hazy IPA
Food we ate: We didn’t eat, and while they have no food onsite, two of the best places in town are right next door: Ditch Burger and Fraser Valley Hot Dog. Order from those and eat at the brewery.
Big Trout Brewing
Within walking distance of Hideaway Park, you could hit up two of Winter Park’s best breweries pretty easily, and we recommend that you do exactly that. Big Trout is a brewpub that does both beer and food well. So if you’d rather have a sit-down restaurant, brewery vibe, then this is the place for you. And, yes Big Trout still gives off that mountain town vibe, this one is just more about the fishing.
BIG TROUT AT A GLANCE:
Connect: Big Trout at Cooper Creek Square at 50 Vasquez Rd., Winter Park
Best attributes: wide variety of beer and food all done well and still with a mountain town vibe
Serving: over 15 taps, along with NA beer, wine, sodas, and spirits, along with a full food menu including apps, pizzas, sandwiches, and more, all reasonably priced
Setting: seat yourself at a table or bar, full service
Beers we drank: Blue Lagoon IPA with Blueberry and Lactose, Amarillo By Morning Pale Ale, PMD Pale Ale
Fraser River Beer Co
While technically not in Winter Park, Fraser is mere minutes away, and stopping over at this quirky little brewery is worthy of your time. From your first glance, you’ll know you’re in the mountains. And the vibe continues on inside with thick comfy couches greeting you. Housed in an old cabin style building, this brewery is exactly that, a no frills brewery that’s all about the beer.
FRASER RIVER AT A GLANCE:
Connect: Fraser River at 218 E. Eisenhower Dr., Fraser
Best attributes: the cozy, quaint atmosphere
Serving: a small variety of beers on tap, a rotating seltzer, and a few NA options, food truck onsite but not always open
Setting: sit anywhere, on the couches, at the bar, at a table, or on the patio, order at the bar
Beers we drank: Splitboard Porter, Titus the Great American Strong Ale, West Coast Strut West Coast Grapefruit and Pine
More Winter Park area breweries
Winter Park is just one mountain town amidst several other mountain towns that make up this area, so we would be remiss to not mention the other breweries here. All with their own personalities and unique qualities.
- Vicious Cycle Brewing (Fraser, CO) right on the bike path with an inviting indoor and outdoor space
- Camber Brewing Co (Fraser, CO) tiny, cozy taproom
- The Noble Buck Brewing Co (Winter Park, CO) a restaurant that also happens to brew
Which brewery in Winter Park will hold your heart?
Whether you make it to Winter Park, Colorado, once on a ski vacation, or you’re passing through on the way to Rocky Mountain National Park, or you’re a weekend warrior up on the mountain every weekend, there’s one less thing you have to worry about now – where to get the best craft beer.
And with six craft breweries in a region that has a combined total population of about 2,500 residents (granted, there are a couple of million tourists that pass through here every year) the ratio of breweries to people is pretty high. You’ll be able to get your adventure reward beer, easy-peasy.
Which Winter Park brewery will you keep close to your heart on your travels?
