Anyone who has ever been to a beer festival, may or may not have a personal passion for the art of brewing, but one thing is for certain — ice-cold brews that are thoughtfully crafted, deliver bursts of taste, texture, and aroma in a way that makes you reconsider everything you thought you knew about beer. Dubbed as the number one beer city in America, Denver has one heck of a beer week and it’s taking place September 27-October 5. The beer and the good times will be flowing strong for nine days in the Mile High City and here, we’ve written a short guide to showcase some of the best things about the 11th annual Denver Beer Week.

Beer Trail, History & Exploration
True to the Colorado theme, the Denver Beer Trail offers over 100 breweries, brewpubs and taprooms that intertwine this state and the history of beer. From Downtown to South Denver, you can find an interactive map of all the participating locations here. For those interested in something creative and delicious, Mockery is “the innovative producer of damn good beers that break the rules in all the right places.”

For more than a century, Denver has reigned as the king of beers and according to the Guinness Book of World Records, there is no other place on earth where a beer aficionado can find more beers on tap than the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), held each fall (October 3-5) in The Mile High City for more than 30 years. In previous years, Lyft has offered over 10K free rides to patrons exploring Denver Beer Week, and this year, Visit Denver has partnered with Lyft to offer out-of-towners a discount from DIA to help them explore this event like a local

Behind the Scenes
To enrich your experience this year, go behind the scenes and take a tour! On their website, tour times are listed for the legendary Coors Brewing in Golden, or if you want something more suited for a smaller group, private tours at specialty microbreweries are also an option. Another local favorite is the Denver Brews Cruise. As you are driven from brewery to brewery, you'll experience the distinct tastes and styles of three of downtown Denver's fine craft breweries all with VIP treatment.

There are so many new places, to discover during Denver Beer Week and if you do a bit of planning you will have an absolute blast! Whether you like hops or something a bit more fruity, this event is sure to have something for everyone over 21. Make plans to check it out, and you’ll quickly find out why the Denver has been named the "Napa Valley of Beer”.