Breweries with the most highly ranked beers in Colorado

After an explosion of growth in the craft beer industry, the market is undergoing a shift, causing beer lovers to stay alert to keep track of their favorites.

The last decade saw an explosion of craft breweries that operate on a smaller scale and offer a wider, and sometimes more experimental, selection of beer. In 2024, there were a total of 9,496 craft breweries in the U.S., a 104% increase from 2015.

However, that growth is tapering off. According to the Brewers Association, 2024 was the industry's worst year for brewpub, microbrewery, and taproom closings, with 519 drawing their last pint.

Changing consumer preferences may be contributing to this trend. While beer and cider still have the largest market share of alcoholic drinks, consumers are reducing their alcohol consumption. Gallup found that between 2023 and 2025, the percentage of people who consumed alcohol within the last 24 hours dropped eight percentage points to 28%, while the percentage who hadn't had an alcoholic drink in over a week increased eight percentage points to 40%.

Brewers are also facing another enemy: Climate change. Rising temperatures and drought have caused shifts in the growing season and decreased production in noble hops, an essential beer ingredient. Researchers predict that by 2050, climate change could cause an up to 18.4% decrease in hop yields.

Still, all is not doom and gloom. Although the craft beer industry is facing challenges, new brewpubs, microbreweries, and taprooms keep opening—428 opened in 2024—and brewers keep flexing their creative muscles to develop new beer flavors with the best ingredients they have.

Stacker compiled a list of the breweries with the most beers ranked in the top 100 in Colorado using data from BeerAdvocate as of August 2025. Any ties were broken by the highest-ranking beer.

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BeerAdvocate

1 / 20

#20. Left Hand Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #99. Milk Stout Nitro (Sweet / Milk Stout)

r.classen // Shutterstock

2 / 20

#19. Broken Compass Brewing

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #90. Coconut Porter (American Porter)

BeerAdvocate

3 / 20

#18. Trinity Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #86. Red Swingline (Wild Ale)

BeerAdvocate

4 / 20

#17. River North Brewery

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #63. Mr. Sandman - Whiskey Barrel-Aged (American Imperial Stout)

BeerAdvocate

5 / 20

#16. Bierstadt Lagerhaus

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #26. The Slow Pour Pils (German Pilsner)

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BeerAdvocate

6 / 20

#15. Dry Dock Brewing Co.

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #20. Bligh's Barleywine Ale (English Barleywine)

BeerAdvocate

7 / 20

#14. Backacre Beermakers

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #16. Sour Golden Ale (Wild Ale)

BeerAdvocate

8 / 20

#13. Odd13 Brewing

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #98. Codename: Superfan (American IPA)
--- #87. Codename: Holidayfan (New England IPA)

BeerAdvocate

9 / 20

#12. Outer Range Brewing Co

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #92. Blocks Of Light (New England IPA)
--- #70. In The Steep (New England IPA)

Master1305 // Shutterstock

10 / 20

#11. Comrade Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #71. Superdamp IPA (American IPA)
--- #40. Superpower IPA (American IPA)

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BeerAdvocate

11 / 20

#10. New Belgium Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #50. La Folie (Flanders Oud Bruin)
--- #29. Le Terroir (Wild Ale)

BeerAdvocate

12 / 20

#9. Bull & Bush Brewery

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #18. Legend Of The Liquid Brain (American Imperial Stout)
--- #8. Royal Oil (American Strong Ale)

BeerAdvocate

13 / 20

#8. Cerebral Brewing

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 3
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #77. Here Be Monsters - Vanilla (American Imperial Stout)
--- #75. Here Be Monsters (American Imperial Stout)
--- #64. Barrel Aged Work From Home (Imperial Porter)

BeerAdvocate

14 / 20

#7. Odell Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 3
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #57. Jolly Russian (Russian Imperial Stout)
--- #46. IPA (American IPA)
--- #35. Myrcenary Double IPA (Imperial IPA)

BeerAdvocate

15 / 20

#6. Avery Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 5
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #37. Raspberry Truffale (American Imperial Stout)
--- #6. Uncle Jacob's Stout (American Imperial Stout)
--- #4. Tweak (American Imperial Stout)

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BeerAdvocate

16 / 20

#5. Oskar Blues Grill & Brew

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 5
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #38. Ten FIDY - Bourbon Barrel-Aged - Java (American Imperial Stout)
--- #9. Ten FIDY (American Imperial Stout)
--- #3. Ten FIDY - Bourbon Barrel-Aged (American Imperial Stout)

BeerAdvocate

17 / 20

#4. Great Divide Brewing Co.

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 8
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #48. Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (American Imperial Stout)
--- #41. Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (American Imperial Stout)
--- #25. Yeti - Barrel-Aged (American Imperial Stout)

BeerAdvocate

18 / 20

#3. Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 17
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #14. Nightmare On Brett (Brett Beer)
--- #12. Nightmare On Brett Raspberry (Brett Beer)
--- #7. Persica (Wild Ale)

BeerAdvocate

19 / 20

#2. Casey Brewing & Blending and Barrel Cellar

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 19
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #19. Fruit Stand - Apricot (Saison)
--- #15. Oak Theory (Wild Ale)
--- #2. Leaner (Saison)

BeerAdvocate

20 / 20

#1. WeldWerks Brewing Co.

- Number of top beers in Colorado: 23
- Highest ranked beers in Colorado:
--- #10. Medianoche - Peanut Butter Cup (American Imperial Stout)
--- #5. Starry Noche (American Imperial Stout)
--- #1. Medianoche - Coconut (American Imperial Stout)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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