Baristas and beer a winning combination at these spots around the state

By Kaelyn Diep

The beverage industry has skyrocketed as breweries have become a commodity throughout Colorado. Whether you need some down time to relax or have a cold beer, a local brewery can be found nearly anywhere. Another staple, however, that is crucial to many folks’ daily routine is coffee. People strive to have that elixir of life to fuel them through the day. That being said, some breweries cater to those who need a cup of Joe by connecting their establishment with a coffee shop. Here are some of the top breweries that bring the coffee and the booze in Colorado:

Down Valley Brewing - New Castle

Home to almost any kind of beverage, Down Valley’s vibrant community hub is located just off of Main Street in New Castle. The brewery is focused on bringing people together through their shared love of beer, food and coffee. “Brad and I are interested in the coffee and beer pairing because we know not everyone drinks coffee and not everyone drinks alcohol, but we wanted a business that has something for everyone no matter the time of day,” says co-owner Haley Williams. With locally brewed beer, specialty coffee, cocktails and food all day, this space is the perfect welcome gift to those looking for a relaxing evening with fun opportunities for kids and adults alike.

Sanitas Brewing - Englewood

The Blackhorn Owl Imperial Stout was born at Sanitas along with many other hand-brewed beer recipes and coffee with the help of Atlas Coffee. “At Sanitas Brewing Company, we are big believers in the concept of third space (third space being where you go outside of home and work) and push to cultivate a community-first environment at all of our locations,” says Jonny Eves, event captain. “In creating this type of environment, we want our customers to have all-day options - from early in the morning until late in the evening. By creating comfortable places to work, gather, celebrate, and everything in between, adding coffee partners like Atlas Coffee and Bona Coffee Roasters has been an obvious opportunity to better activate our spaces and provide for our community.”

FlyteCo Tower - Denver

Being one of the more unique breweries in Colorado, FlyteCo Tower in Denver is a bar, restaurant and entertainment venue that fills out a former air-traffic control tower. Located in the Central Park neighborhood, the brewery spans three levels and includes three full bars and a huge outdoor patio. Created by Jason Slingsby and Eric Serani in 2019 after experiencing mutual passion for beer, the establishment now includes a coffee shop and bagel eatery with Panda Coffee House. FlyteCo offers more than 15 unique beers on tap and has received several awards for drinks like the FlyteCo Marzen Copter and the P-38 Pumpkin Porter.

New Terrain Brewing - Golden

New Terrain Brewing in Golden invites all wanderers to indulge in their locally crafted and ever-evolving beers. Located on Table Mountain Parkway, the brewery launched in 2015 with the mission to create unusual, high-quality beer recipes. Alongside beer, they also serve cold brew coffee and kombucha as well as other non-alcoholic beers and drinks. Local events such as Wanderfest (Sept. 11-13) are also held to encourage people to come together for a drink and a good time. “Our motto is not "this is how it is done" but rather, "what if we try this way?" It inspires us to create, to innovate, and to explore new terrain,” according to the brewery’s website.

Novel Strand Brewing - Denver

Three friends from New York who always sat down for drinks and joked about owning a brewery of their own finally made the dream happen in 2016. As a Denver brewery, Novel Strand strives to bring together good company and good beer. “For us, there has never been an emphasis on being a big party spot or having a gimmick,” says proprietor and brewer Tamir Danon. “We try to make the highest quality beer with the best ingredients, and with the coffee, it is the same idea. We have a really nice roaster from Eagle – Color Coffee Roasters. Their coffee is exceptional and we chose to work with them because we want to be able to bring something that Denver doesn’t already have.”

Second Dawn Brewing Company - Aurora

Working hand-in-hand with Mishap Coffee, Second Dawn Brewing is known for being a local favorite. Just off of Dayton Street and East 23rd Avenue in Aurora, Second Dawn’s moniker references the time where you get to start the best part of your day. From specializing in unique fruity blends of beer to ambers, coffee porters and seltzers, there is a little bit of something for everyone. As for coffee, they partnered with Mishap to serve hand crafted and roasted coffee, espressos and food for visitors to try.

Steep Brewing and Coffee - Keystone

Opening its doors in 2020, Steep Brewing owners Justin and Elissa Slezak created a space not only for those to share their quality handcrafted beverages, but to feel the warmth by roasting their own coffee. They also sell Breckenridge Coffee Roasters coffee. They have grown from a tiny brewery and taproom to a Summit Country brewery loved by Keystone skiers, snowboarders and other visitors. Located off of U.S. Highway 6 in the Gateway Mountain Lodge, Steep offers breakfast and food fare. The brewery has cultivated a welcoming environment for guests to enjoy before or after any mountain activity.