Molson Coors Calls It a Wrap on Blue Moon RiNo Brewpub

In 2016, Blue Moon opened a brewpub at 3750 Chestnut Place in RiNo. Now, it's set to close by the end of the month, though a final date has not yet been announced. The brewery's operations at the Sandlot Brewery inside Coors Field will continue undisturbed.

The closure adds to the list of RiNo establishments that have moved or shuttered recently. Infinite Monkey Theorem ceased operations at the end of 2024, and Deep Roots Winery uprooted to Golden. On the distilling front, Ironton Distillery shuttered its RiNo location  with plans to decamp to a facility in Louisville that is still under construction.

In recent years, the area has also seen multiple breweries close, including Epic Brewing, 14er Brewing, and the change from Mockery to Dewey and now, to neighborhood bar the Shambles. More broadly, Colorado has seen dozens of breweries close in the last year; for the first time, the Brewers Association reported more breweries closing than opening last year.
The Blue Moon location off Brighton Boulevard includes a 20-barrel brewhouse, a 400-seat restaurant and 30 draft lines. The 30,000-square-foot space also houses a stage and an outdoor patio area.

Its closure follows the announcement in August that parent company Molson Coors would be culling its craft beer portfolio by selling off four out-of-state breweries and closing the A.C. Golden brewery in Golden, which had opened in 2007 and served as the home of the Colorado Native beers, Barmen Pilsner and other experimental lines. At the time of the A.C. Golden closure, Molson Coors chief commercial officer Michelle St. Jaques described Blue Moon as a brand that would "continue to play an important role in our premiumization plans and there are no changes to our commitment."

Shutting the doors at the RiNo location will reportedly not affect brewing and production operations of Blue Moon, which are done at the Coors Brewery in Golden. The Sandlot Brewery at Coors Field, where Blue Moon was created in 1995, is unaffected by the change in RiNo. In fact, Courtney Benedict, vice president of Blue Moon, says the ballpark brewery is slated for "enhancements" this year.

Benedict calls the brand "beloved by customers all over the world" and says plans for 2025 also include two branded spaces in Atlanta and Dallas, a new national campaign and product innovation.

"We thank the dedicated team who has made our RiNo brewpub a welcoming stop in Denver and look forward to new opportunities to grow Blue Moon’s presence in Colorado and beyond," she says in a statement shared with Westword.