“I think Denver is an awesome place to go out”

Has Colorado become cocktail crazy? Drinking-culture media outlet VinePair just listed Denver as one of the nine most exciting places to get a drink in the country.

The outlet polled 11 bartenders nationwide to learn where they would go for a pour if given the chance. Denver was a frequent answer, along with such choices as New York, San Francisco, Chicago and New Orleans. “Denver is the city I have been dying to visit,” says Gabe Sanchez, a cocktail expert at Midnight Rambler in Dallas. “Its bar scene could be one of the best in the country.”

His opinion was backed by another liquor list that ranked Colorado fifth in the nation for the most web searches on cocktail-related terms. While some residents toast the news, on the Westword Facebook post of the news, other readers take issue with both survey stats and the city’s scene in general. Says Brendan:

I’ll drink to that.

Responds Collin:

Kinda hard to go out drinking when everything is so expensive here. Most people don’t have that luxury.

Adds Daniel:

Overpriced cocktails at pretentious bars. That’s 70% of the Denver bar scene. No, thank you.

Counters Brett:

Don’t go to a bar that has $18 drinks if you’re too broke to pay or don’t appreciate craft cocktails. There are plenty of places in the city where you can get a drink for $3-10, depending on what you want.

Confirms Chase:

Broke people hate this! I think Denver is an awesome place to go out.

Replies Danny Jo:

Club scene sucks here, all wannabe “dive” bars or cocktail bars with “twists on classics” — and by twists, I mean adding half a dozen unnecessary liqueurs that ruin the drink.

Explains Paul:

Roughly no one cares about cocktails now. Your internet health fetishism scheme is working too well, and regular folks don’t care about culinary or elevated tastes, anyway. They just act like they do when the right elements are utilized to make them think it’s expected. The minute the pressure is off, they’re all drinking White Claws with pool floaties. That’s who they really all are.

Offers Phillip:

This ranking brought to you by boring white people.

Responds Michael:

Rankings based on number of web searches per capita…so move along. Another baseless rah rah Denver nonstory.

Concludes Sten:

Shut up and pour me a shot of whiskey and a beer

What do you think of the metro cocktail scene? Is this one of the most exciting places to get a drink? Post a comment or share your thoughts at editorial@westword.com.