A Guide to Fort Collins’ Craft Beer Scene (and More), According to a Local
The best that the town has to offer.
Fort Collins Lobby Armstrong Hotel
Sunset’s Insider Guide series highlights seasonal diversions and secret travel tips from local experts. Follow along as we learn where to eat, drink, stay, and shop.
Carol Cochran; Photo by Horse & Dragon Brewing Company.
Meet the Insider: Carol Cochran, co-founder of Horse & Dragon Brewing Company
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Carol Cochran, co-founder of Horse & Dragon Brewing Company with her husband Tim, has deep roots in Fort Collins and an even deeper love for the local craft beer scene. A Colorado native who’s traveled the world sampling breweries in Asia, Milwaukee, and Napa Valley, Carol returned to this town with a mission: to build a gathering place for the community through great beer. Here’s where she heads when she wants the best of what Fort Collins has to offer.
Stay
Armstrong Hotel
The music-themed Elizabeth Hotel in Old Town has great gathering spaces and live events worth checking out. The beautifully refurbished Armstrong Hotel downtown whisks you back to what Fort Collins might have felt like 100 years ago, including an underground speakeasy. And Buxton Hotel is the newest addition to the scene with an upmarket, modern flair.
Eat
Yellow Crunch is a Colombian restaurant at The Exchange in Old Town that delivers bold food and electric energy. If you happen to be there when they’re airing a Colombian soccer match, the atmosphere is unforgettable. The Regional is a charming farm-to-table spot with wonderful owners and staff serving up fresh ingredients in creative, delicious ways. Colorado Room, close to campus and downtown, is a dive bar with a heart of gold. There are plenty of screens if your favorite team is playing, and sometimes live music on the back patio. Little on Mountain opened with 22 seats and a glassware collection worth ordering a drink just to check out.
Drink
PHOCO
I am, of course, partial to the local craft beer scene. Stop by Tap & Handle, where their knowledgeable staff can chat with you about their 74 taps. Town Pump is worth a visit for a beer or Jell-O shot and an “atomic cherry”—it holds one of Fort Collins’ oldest liquor licenses. William Oliver’s, a few miles out of Old Town, is a transportive Irish pub with a massive selection of whisky. Don’t miss ordering their famous bacon with your drink. Moot House pours from 30-plus taps and has many local beers, along with a popular menu of appetizers and mains. Stop in at Ginger and Baker for a beer (or slice of seasonal pie) in an historic mill setting.
Do
RiverNorthPhotography/Getty Images
Live music is everywhere. Catch a show at The Armory. If you’re up for heading into the canyon for the night, see a concert at The Mish and stay at Riverside Colorado in a tiny home or a tent on the river—they’ll run a shuttle back and forth to the venue for you. Head to the Museum of Discovery and play around. Exhibits are built to fascinate and invite all of us to explore and experiment. It’s fun no matter your age. Call a local brewery and request a tour. Many of the smaller ones are willing to give tours even if they don’t publicize official ones on their websites. Go to The Lyric for a film, a band, or other performance. Take a whitewater trip down the Poudre River with Mountain Whitewater, then enjoy a cold beer while watching footage of your trip at their wonderful outdoor bar, Paddler’s Pub. (Or, if you’re not the rafting type, skip straight to the beer and watch other people’s river rafting journeys.)
