Colorado's most beautiful and unique brewery taprooms

A decade ago, breweries mostly landed in bland industrial warehouses or business parks driven more by the need for space than the appearance of the taproom.

Yes, but: Now, the taproom is central to a brewery's image — and its bottom line — so where it's located and how it looks is getting more attention.

The vibe: We polled beer industry pros and pulled from our adventures across the state to find 10 of the most beautiful and unique brewery taprooms in Colorado where the ambiance is as good as the beer.

Odell Brewing in Fort Collins: The expansive outdoor patio, with its beautiful flower hanging baskets and misters, as well as its multi-bar indoor taproom, make Odell the destination for a beer in the summer months.

• A short walk across the patio is OBC Wine Project for those who want to sip something other than beer, as well as food trucks and a small stage often showcasing live music.

FlyteCo Tower in Denver: Both FlyteCo breweries are well appointed, but nothing compares to the Tower location in Central Park, where you can play arcade games, go bowling or play mini-golf all while sipping a craft beer.

• The ambitious in the crowd will climb the stairs of the old Denver airport air traffic control tower for unrivaled views.

Avery Brewing in Boulder: Avery Brewing sits in a business park but looks nothing like its surroundings. An outdoor beer garden, a sleek taproom on each floor of the restaurant and unique catwalk tours of the brewing operations make the Boulder brewery one of the top beer destinations in Colorado.

Woods Boss Brewing in Denver: True to its name, entering "The Lodge" taproom inside Woods Boss offers mountain retreat vibes with high ceilings, log cabin styling and wide open spaces to gather for a beer.

Storm Peak Brewing in Steamboat Springs: The taproom, with its 20 barrel brewing system and rollercoaster canning line, looks like any brewery inside. But on the rooftop deck, looking out over the mountains north of Steamboat Springs, you find one of the best brewery views in the state.

Bierstadt Lagerhaus in Denver: Bierstadt embraces the traditional warehouse brewery feel with a bar on the bottom floor serving a huge game area and expansive outdoor seating in the parking lot. But it's the main bar elevated in the rafters upstairs and next to a copper brewing kettle that makes it the best place for a beer party.

Bristol Brewing in Colorado Springs: Pull up a seat at the bar located in the century-old Ivywild School and you'll realize this is no ordinary brewery. The barrel room downstairs is a more intimate experience with just a handful of tables, and the outdoor "schoolyard" is the place to hang in the warmer months.

Cohesion Brewing in Denver: This neighborhood taproom serves great Czech-style lagers in York Street Yards , an old military depot building. The red-brick walls and wood-beam rafters give the taproom a modern feel to compliment the old-world beers.

Public Offering Brewing in Denver : Located on South Broadway, the brewery offers a warm industrial feel with the gleaming tanks of the brewhouse central in the space. On weekends, it's a place where families and friends gather at big tables to celebrate birthdays and more.

Odell Sloan's Lake Brewhouse in Denver: The clean lines and expansive taproom downstairs are a lure, but the prize is the rooftop deck where you can watch sunsets cast a glow on the lake and downtown buildings in the distance.

📣 What are your favorites? Send us a note at denver@axios.com.

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