Best Brewery 2003 | Avery Brewing Co. | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Brewery

Avery Brewing Co.

In a state rich with craft brewers, Adam Avery and his crew stand out by making no-holds-barred beers aimed at beer aficionados, not the masses. Avery's catalogue holds world-class everyday beers (India Pale Ale, ESB and Elle's Brown) and heady seasonals (Old Jubilation, New World Porter); better still is Avery's year-round roster of over-the-edge beers, including Hog Heaven and Belgian hybrids like The Reverend and Salvation. Avery is Colorado's true king of beers.

Best Beer Bar

Falling Rock Tap House

Year after year, Falling Rock is the stone leader for bar-beer selections. Chris and Steve Black offer over seventy taps (and dozens of bottles) of the best beers not just in Colorado, but across the U.S and around the globe. The combination makes the Rock one of the world's great beer destinations.

Best Beer Bar

Falling Rock Tap House

Year after year, Falling Rock is the stone leader for bar-beer selections. Chris and Steve Black offer over seventy taps (and dozens of bottles) of the best beers not just in Colorado, but across the U.S and around the globe. The combination makes the Rock one of the world's great beer destinations.

Best Scotch List

Pints Pub

Pints Pub keeps building its reputation as one of America's premier single-malt spots by adding to its offerings. Owner Scott Diamond now serves over 200 of the world's best scotches, from long-loved standards to long-lost obscurities and rare, one-off vintages. For the lover of scotch, a session here is a head-spinning delight, a trip to Scotland's distilleries without the airfare.

Best Scotch List

Pints Pub

Pints Pub keeps building its reputation as one of America's premier single-malt spots by adding to its offerings. Owner Scott Diamond now serves over 200 of the world's best scotches, from long-loved standards to long-lost obscurities and rare, one-off vintages. For the lover of scotch, a session here is a head-spinning delight, a trip to Scotland's distilleries without the airfare.

Best Margarita

Lola

With its vast collection of tequila and its hipper-than-thou setting, Lola has elevated the lowly margarita to an art form. Although even the house version is acceptable, by skipping the sweet-and-sour for fresh juice and choosing your own tequila -- from the more than eighty that Lola has on hand -- you can make yourself a margarita masterpiece. The drinks aren't cheap, and unless you're out partying like a rock star, this is not the place to come if you simply want to tie one on. But if you're curious about all the blends of cactus juice available these days and want to see what a capable mixologist can do with them, Lola is the place for you.

Best Margarita

Lola

With its vast collection of tequila and its hipper-than-thou setting, Lola has elevated the lowly margarita to an art form. Although even the house version is acceptable, by skipping the sweet-and-sour for fresh juice and choosing your own tequila -- from the more than eighty that Lola has on hand -- you can make yourself a margarita masterpiece. The drinks aren't cheap, and unless you're out partying like a rock star, this is not the place to come if you simply want to tie one on. But if you're curious about all the blends of cactus juice available these days and want to see what a capable mixologist can do with them, Lola is the place for you.

Best Tequila Selection

Aztec Sol

We know what you're thinking. The world was a much simpler place when tequila came in only three varieties: yellow, clear and embalming fluid. But guess what, amigo? Now that tequila is hip, we've discovered that it comes in more varieties than there are colors in the big box of Crayolas. The best place to indulge in a liquid voyage of discovery is Aztec Sol, a cavernous, cement-floored bar at the edge of Highland, where Sol man Jose Lara serves a grande selection of 200-plus perception-shattering tequilas that will make you swear off Cuervo for good. The list includes wood-aged brands and boutique breeds that rival the best single-malt scotches. Looking to expand your drinking horizons south of the border? Here's the place.

Best Tequila Selection

Aztec Sol

We know what you're thinking. The world was a much simpler place when tequila came in only three varieties: yellow, clear and embalming fluid. But guess what, amigo? Now that tequila is hip, we've discovered that it comes in more varieties than there are colors in the big box of Crayolas. The best place to indulge in a liquid voyage of discovery is Aztec Sol, a cavernous, cement-floored bar at the edge of Highland, where Sol man Jose Lara serves a grande selection of 200-plus perception-shattering tequilas that will make you swear off Cuervo for good. The list includes wood-aged brands and boutique breeds that rival the best single-malt scotches. Looking to expand your drinking horizons south of the border? Here's the place.

Best Vodka Selection

Russian Cafe

While the very first day of 2003 saw the venerable Little Russian Cafe rolling up its carpets after two decades in Larimer Square, owner Eugene Valershteyn's newer Russian Cafe in Littleton is still going strong. It serves plenty of the simple fare that Valershteyn grew up with, but we really love this spot for its comprehensive list of chilled vodkas available by the shot. In addition to all of the usual high-octane suspects, both foreign and domestic, the Russian Cafe also stocks an impressive spread of artisan vodkas in flavors like black currant, lemon, pepper and cranberry.

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