Distillery tours
Distillery Tours in Colorado
Plan a distillery tour in Colorado: 13 distilleries to visit, with tastings and experiences you can book directly. Expect Craft Spirits, Bourbon, Gin and more. Highlights include Mythology Distillery, Bear Creek Distillery, Branch & Barrel Distilling.
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About distillery tours in Colorado
Colorado has become one of America's most exciting craft-spirits frontiers, and remarkably so given that the state had no working distillery between Prohibition and 2004. Since that revival the scene has exploded into one of the largest in the country, built on clear Rocky Mountain snowmelt, high-altitude air and a stubbornly local, grain-to-glass ethic. The result is a roster that ranges far beyond whiskey: you will find single malts and bourbons alongside award-winning rum, gin distilled from native botanicals, brandy, vodka and assorted experimental spirits.
What ties the region together is geography. Distilleries sit everywhere from Denver's Front Range up into the high mountain towns, with elevation genuinely shaping how spirits mature. In Crested Butte, Montanya Distillers turns out handcrafted mountain rum; in Buena Vista, Deerhammer Distilling Company works with Colorado-grown corn, rye and malted barley; Wood's High Mountain Distillery anchors the cosy whiskey-and-cocktail scene in Salida; and around the plains and suburbs you can call in on Dry Land Distillers, Bear Creek Distillery, Old Elk Distillery, Mythology Distillery, State 38 Distilling and Talnua Distillery, the last known for Irish-style pot still whiskey.
Visits typically pair an informal walk through the still house with a flight of tastings, and many tasting rooms double as relaxed cocktail bars, making this an easy region to weave into a wider mountain or city trip.
What to expect on a tour
Most Colorado distillery tours are intimate, hands-on affairs rather than slick corporate experiences. A guide, often the distiller or a member of a small team, walks you past the mash tuns, fermenters, copper stills and barrel store, explaining how local grain, mountain water and altitude influence the finished spirit. Tours generally run around 45 minutes to an hour and finish with a guided tasting flight of several pours, from new-make spirit to flagship bottlings.
Because the state's distillers make such a spread of styles, no two stops feel the same. At a rum specialist like Montanya you will taste white and barrel-aged rum; at a whiskey house like Deerhammer or Wood's High Mountain the focus is malt and grain spirit; gin-led producers such as Dry Land lean into native botanicals. Many tasting rooms operate as full cocktail bars too, so even without a booked tour you can drop in, order a flight or a signature cocktail, and chat with staff who tend to be genuine enthusiasts.
Getting there & around
Colorado spreads its distilleries across two broad zones: the urban Front Range around Denver and the surrounding suburbs, and the high mountain towns reached by scenic mountain highways. Denver International Airport is the main gateway, and a cluster of distilleries within and near the city makes for an easy car-free day on foot, by rideshare or by light rail. Front Range towns such as Golden, Longmont and the Fort Collins area are a short drive apart.
The mountain distilleries, including those in Crested Butte, Buena Vista and Salida, are best reached by car and reward a road-trip approach, often combined with hiking, skiing or hot springs. Mountain driving can be slow and weather-dependent, especially in winter, so build in extra time. Crucially, anyone tasting should not drive: nominate a sober driver, use rideshare where available, or stay overnight in the same town as the distilleries you plan to visit.
Planning your visit
Decide first whether you want a city-based day around Denver or a mountain-town circuit, as the two are several hours apart. For mountain trips, two or three distilleries in a day is a comfortable, enjoyable pace; in the city you might fit a few more given the shorter distances. Always check current opening days and tour times directly with each distillery, as smaller producers often open only Wednesday to Sunday and many tours run by reservation only.
Book tours ahead in peak ski season and over summer holidays, when mountain towns fill quickly. If you are travelling specifically for spirits, the state's official spirits trail is a useful way to map a route and discover lesser-known stops alongside the names listed here.
Frequently asked
- Do I need to book a distillery tour in advance?
- For guided production tours, yes, booking ahead is wise and often required, especially at smaller mountain distilleries that run set tour times only a few days a week. Tasting rooms, by contrast, usually welcome walk-ins for flights and cocktails. In busy ski season and summer it is sensible to reserve tours where you can.
- How much does a distillery tour or tasting cost?
- Costs vary by distillery, but guided tours that include a tasting commonly fall in the rough range of around 20 to 35 US dollars per person, with the fee sometimes redeemable against a bottle purchase. Walk-in tasting flights are typically cheaper. Always confirm current pricing with each distillery, as it changes and is not standardised across the state.
- How many distilleries can I realistically visit in a day?
- In the Denver area, where venues sit close together, three or four is achievable if you pace yourself and arrange transport. In the mountain towns, where driving distances are longer, two or three makes for a relaxed day. Remember that tastings add up quickly, so fewer, savoured stops usually beat a rushed crawl.
- Can I drive between distilleries if I'm tasting?
- You should not. Tasting flights involve multiple pours of full-strength spirit, and Colorado has firm drink-driving limits, with added hazards on mountain roads. Nominate a non-drinking driver, use rideshare in and around towns, or stay overnight nearby. Many tasting rooms can spit-and-sip or offer water, but plan transport so no one drives after tasting.
- Are distillery tours suitable for families and children?
- It depends on the venue. Some tasting rooms function as licensed bars with limited or no provision for under-18s, while others are more relaxed and family-friendly, particularly for the tour and food side rather than tasting. If you are travelling with children, contact the distillery ahead to check its policy, as rules differ from place to place.
- When is the best time to visit Colorado's distilleries?
- They are open year-round, but the experience shifts with the season. Summer and early autumn offer the easiest mountain driving and pleasant weather; winter pairs naturally with ski-town visits, when a warming whiskey or rum tasting feels especially fitting. Avoid scheduling tight mountain itineraries during heavy winter storms, and check road conditions before setting off.
- Does altitude affect the spirits or my tasting experience?
- Colorado's high elevation is part of the appeal, and distillers say it influences how spirits mature. For visitors, the more practical point is that alcohol can feel more pronounced at altitude, and dehydration sets in faster. Drink plenty of water, eat before tasting, and ease into flights, particularly if you have arrived recently from sea level.