Photo by Nicole Berry

Rocky Mountain Pints Beer-crazy Colorado has a brewery in every nook and valley.   In our September/October 2012 issue, Ruth Tobias chronicles Colorado’s age-old and ever-growing love for beer. In the magazine we focus on the Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins regions, but there’s a lot of great beer to be had in farther-flung parts of the state. Here's a sampling, from a couple of sky-high ski-town breweries to a pair of beer slingers in the new Old West.

Aspen Brewing Co.

Perched at an elevation of 7,822 feet, steps away from the former site of Colorado’s first brewery, circa 1885, this young brewery is popular with the ski crowd.

Breckenridge Brewery

Founded in 1990 in the tiny ski-resort town of Breckenridge, Colorado’s third craft brewery maintains a hearty following statewide.

Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery

This cozy brewpub is the lifeblood of sleepy, pastoral Ridgeway, Colorado. Even the former mayor tended bar here, where residents gather for pints of Colorado Boy’s craft-brewed, eco-conscious ales.

Kevin Baity Kraft Beer

Colorado native Kevin Baity opened shop last year in Colorado Springs and quickly won favor in the local brewing community with events like Firkin Fridays, during which he taps casks of his own house brews.

Silverton Brewery

In the tiny former mining town of Silverton, a National Historic Landmark, this brewery turns out award-winning ales that are enjoyed statewide in cans and on draught in the onsite taproom.

Ska Brewing Co.

Come for the punk, stay for the funky brews at the 100% wind-powered Ska Brewing World Headquarters in the former southern Colorado railtown of Durango.

Three Barrel Brewing Co.

A craft beer oasis in southern Colorado’s wide-open Rio Grande valley, in the picturesque former mining town of Del Norte, this small but prolific brewery turns out a steady stream of sudsy deliciousness.

Trinity Brewing Co.

This Colorado Springs brewery is a true community space, with regular events like Growler Sunday, First Saturday Firkin, and its Sunday Bloody Mary brunch, plus tappings of rare out-of-state beers.

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