The 10 Denver beer gardens we’re loving now

Maybe the only thing better than enjoying a cold, Colorado-brewed craft beer is enjoying it at one of the many outdoor beer gardens in metro Denver. Is that because of the open air and greenery, the shared tables and communal atmosphere, or just the thrill of being alive in Colorado on a sunny day?

Whatever the reason for their appeal, Denver’s beer gardens are something to be toasted, particularly as we head into the Memorial Day weekend. Here are 10 of our favorites today: 

Denver Beer Co 
(multiple locations)
With five locations around the city, Denver Beer Company is a beer-garden behemoth. Its flagship on Platte Street features massive communal tables under string lights in the heart of the city. The Olde Town Arvada space, meanwhile, offers fire pits and live music. South Downing is more family-friendly, with a kids’ play area and laid-back vibe, while both the Lowry and Littleton patios are expansive outposts perfect for getting away from the crowds.

Edgewater Beer Garden
2508 Gray St., Edgewater 
Because it sits slightly outside Denver’s busiest nightlife corridors, Edgewater Beer Garden feels less hectic than many downtown patios while still delivering a lively social atmosphere. Just blocks from the water, the 4,500-square-foot outdoor patio offers a spacious, open-air hangout for gathering over beers and burgers during long summer evenings. The former 1940s fire station has also become a community hub, serving as a popular meetup spot for both beer and non-beer-focused social clubs and groups.

Joyride Brewing Company
2501 Sheridan Blvd., Edgewater
Located directly across from Sloan’s Lake in Edgewater, Joyride’s upstairs patio delivers sweeping views of the water, downtown and Front Range all at the same time. Add sixteen taps and enough room for 150 people to gather, and you’ve got yourself a quintessentially Colorado venue great for entertaining local friends and out-of-towners alike. And since it’s within walking distance of several parks, trails and restaurants, this is an ideal place to start (or end) your day.

Lowry Beer Garden
7577 E. Academy Blvd.
Dozens of long picnic tables line up behind this family-friendly beer garden, evoking images of Viking mead halls of old (except outside in the sun). Given its neighborhood setting in the redeveloped Air Force base (it sits behind an old airport hangar), Lowry Beer Garden might be the most family-friendly beer garden on the list, providing a well-needed respite for parents in need of a draft. As a result, it feels more like a local hangout than a tourist/visitor destination, despite the Art & Space Museum nearby.

New Terrain Brewing
16401 Table Mountain Parkway, Golden
Golden is a prime location for beer-garden buffs. Surrounded by hiking and biking trails, a bike park and a dog park — not to mention North Table Mountain — New Terain almost makes the beer seem like an afterthought. But just almost. Large communal tables and an expansive outdoor seating area are the foundation for the space, which also hosts food trucks and live music. On any given day, you’ll rub elbows with college students from the nearby School of Mines, families out for a stroll, hikers and much more. It doesn’t get more Colorado than this.

Odell Brewing Sloan’s Lake
1625 Perry St.
Odell Brewing’s Sloan’s Lake outpost elevates the traditional brewery patio to a hop-fueled retreat. With stunning views of both mountains and Denver’s skyline (not to mention… Sloan’s Lake), guests can enjoy their choice of pints from the Odell lineup brewed just under their feet in the brewery below. And if that wasn’t enough to persuade you to settle in, the kitchen’s pizza and snack menu encourages lingering for hours. Even when Odell’s is crowded, it feels accessible and welcoming.

Recess Beer Garden
2715 17th St.
LoHi’s Recess Beer Garden brings a notably energetic, social-party atmosphere to Denver’s beer-garden scene. The sprawling outdoor space is packed with picnic tables, yard games and large groups nearly every sunny weekend. The crowd leans younger and livelier, giving the place an approachable, all-day hangout vibe. Overall, it feels less like a traditional Colorado brewery and more like a big backyard party, complete with sandwiches, snacks and a vast menu of easy-drinking staples.

RiNo Beer Garden
3800 Walnut St.
Is this the largest patio in Denver? The owners seem to think so. Taking over a significant swath of the neighborhood’s industrial-artsy district, RiNo Beer Garden is definitely not small. Its massive indoor-outdoor layout was built for group gatherings, combining sports-bar energy with beer-hall aesthetics, large communal seating areas, multiple bars and an expansive patio that stays busy year-round. The location makes it a convenient stop during food crawls or mural walks, and the brunch service draws the crowd early.

Schoolyard Beer Garden
1115 Acoma St.
School may be out for the summer, but classes are definitely in session at the Schoolyard Beer Garden. Housed in the historic, 120-year-old Evans School, Schoolyard’s massive, 5,000 square-foot outdoor space features picnic tables, fire pits, and plenty of room for dogs and large groups. Since opening last April, Schoolyard has quickly become one of the city’s newest warm-weather hangouts. It deftly balances neighborhood-patio and destination-gathering-spot vibes. And it’s within striking distance of Denver’s top museums, sports venues and downtown.

Tap Fourteen
1920 Blake St.
For rooftop drinking with a downtown backdrop, Tap Fourteen remains one of Denver’s strongest beer-garden options. It’s located close enough to Coors Field to catch the fireworks, and high enough to provide panoramic skyline views. The sprawling space wraps around the building, creating a distinctly urban experience that stays relaxed during daytime hangs. Fair warning: Things can get particularly busy around Rockies games, so plan ahead if this is your pre-game destination of choice.