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Breweries, distillery call Steamboat home

Savor suds? Four breweries and a craft distillery all call Steamboat home, offering a great way to sample Yampa Valley-made beers with a mix of fill-your-own Growlers, mug clubs, tasting rooms and more. 

Mountain Tap Brewery

Steamboat’s 2019 Navigator Business of the Year winner, Mountain Tap Brewery features innovative beers and a full menu of artisanal wood-fired cuisine served up in a family-friendly atmosphere. The 12 beers on tap range from a refreshing passionfruit wheat ale to hoppy IPAs to roasty porters. All food comes from a giant wood-fired oven, with ingredients sourced locally whenever possible.



“Our beers, cuisine and casual ambience all depict Steamboat’s mountain town vibe,” says owner Rich Tucciarone. Located at 910 Yampa, just across the Ninth Street Bridge from Howelsen Hill, the brewpub is a favorite locals’ gathering place.

Butcherknife Brewing Co.



Butcherknife Brewing Co. operates a 4,000-square-foot brewery with tap room, tasting room and patio at 2875 Elk River Road (hint: try its Best of the Boat-winning Amputator). The brewery prides itself on its recipes, attention to detail and good ol’ Steamboat water.

“It’s the best water in Colorado, straight from the Continental Divide,” says co-founder Nate Johansing, who earned his master’s degree in brewing from Munich’s Siebel Institute of Technology and Doemens Academy. “It’s the perfect place to stop after your day’s adventure.”

Storm Peak Brewing Co.

Located at 1885 Elk River Plaza, Storm Peak Brewing Co. makes its beer in a 4,600-square-foot facility with 20 taps and garage doors that open to a large patio with fire pit. Mainstays include Maestro IPA, Mad Creek Kolsch and the rotating, dry-hopped Lawnmower series, but it also experiments with everything from coffee-infused beers to kettle-soured ales. 

“We’re focused on our tap room and great atmosphere,” says co-founder Wyatt Patterson, adding a new 20-barrel brewing system triples production. “We’re proud to call Steamboat home and love sharing our passion for beer.”

Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill

Located in the heart of downtown on Fifth Street and Lincoln Avenue, Mahogany Ridge offers more than 20 varieties of craft-brewed beers, with seven on tap at any given time. Locals’ favorites include Alpenglow and Charlie’s Cherry Ale, brewed with 264 pounds of cherries; as well as its “dipping menu,” with 20 unique sauces.

“It’s not your typical brewpub fare,” says owner Charlie Noble, touting its fish and chips, burgers, ribs and tapas. 

Steamboat Whiskey Company

Located at 55 11th Street in Steamboat’s first Co-op building, Steamboat Whiskey Company is town’s first and only craft distillery, making high-quality spirits by hand in an American-made pot still. Stop in for a free tasting, whiskey-infused dessert or a signature libation (try its Sleeping Giant Gin or Ski Town Vodka), all while watching its distilling team in action through the viewing window in its cozy bar. “We are a distillery pub, one of just a handful in the state,” says co-owner Nathan Newhall, who founded the company with his wife, Jessica. Bonus: Happy hour daily from 4 to 6 p.m. and all day Sunday.

Yampa Valley Brewing Co. serves suds in Hayden, Craig

Entering its fifth year of operation, Yampa Valley Brewing Co., founded by Jared and ElainaAylor, provides the Hayden area with award-winning libations also. Recently winning second place overall at Denver’s Bacon and Beer Classic beer festival, its brews are crafted by Erica Tieppo and Christian Dufresne, formerly of Durango’s Ska Brewing. The brewery keeps eight beers on tap and distributes to 25 different bars and restaurants. In spring 2019, the business also opened up the new Barrel Cathedral brewery at 576 Yampa Ave. in Craig, mimicking the European community feel of Belgium and Germany, complete with a 20-foot-long farm table (perfect for its 3-percent, Belgian-style table beer that’s “meant to be shared”). 


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