The 7-Stop Boulder Hop
A description of seven drinking establishments you can get to by bike in Boulder, CO. Cheers!
The 7-Stop Boulder Hop
What’s one of the best parts of Boulder? You can walk or ride your bike to multiple breweries and distilleries and even a meadery. This post describes the 7-Stop Boulder Hop drinking tour that runs along the Goose Creek and Pearl Parkway bike paths for all your drinking needs. I visit this loop of drinking establishments frequently because it is so convenient. You can hit up J&L Distilling Company, 303, Boulder Beer, Redstone Meadery, J Wells Brewery, Sanitas Brewing Company, and even Twisted Pine Co. all in a day if you are super motivated and have sufficiently adapted to that Colorado altitude. I have already reviewed J&L and Sanitas Brewing Co. in earlier blog posts so this post will review the rest. Listed below are the seven stops you can make on this tour. Twisted Pine is a little bit further away from the rest of the watering holes. It can also be part of the other drinking tour located farther south in Boulder that I will review soon. The image above is a map of the 7-Stop Boulder Hop with each drinking establishment marked with a star. The order listed was chosen based on location and hours of operation.
#1. Boulder Beer— Open Monday-Friday 11am-10pm and Saturday from 12pm-10pm. A stop at Boulder Beer begins the 7-stop hop drinking tour. Boulder Beer is a must stop on the drinking tour for historical purposes alone. It is the first microbrewery in Boulder and this year marks their 35th anniversary. I recommend taking their brewery tour, which starts at 2pm Monday through Friday and Saturday at 2pm and 4pm. The tour is completely free and includes tasters from everything on draft. Get there a little bit beforehand to sign up and get on that days tour list. They also offer an extensive food menu unlike some of the others on the tour. Get in a good meal here before the real drinking commences, then snack along the way. Website. Facebook. 2880 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
#2. Boulder Distillery & Clear Spirit Company (303)—Open Wednesday-Saturday 2pm-10pm and Sunday 1pm-7pm. Distillery tours are given Wednesday-Sunday 2pm-5pm. Reservations are recommended. Drinks, dogs, darts. These three words sum up the 303 experience for me. 303 is most known for their potato vodka. The first time I went here, I was not impressed. I didn’t like it and I didn’t want to go back, but I think most places deserve a second chance. Not all places, but most. Especially when I hear great things about a restaurant or bar from a person whose opinion I value. The first time I went to 303 I had an overpriced cocktail ($9) that was not remotely worthy of that cost. The taste and creativity were both lacking and the bartender I ordered from was cold and distant. I do not require an overly friendly chatty bartender but I do expect a cordial one. I mean come on, it is their job to get patrons to feel welcome and want to hang around and buy more booze. This guy was standoffish and unreceptive. The couple of other times I have been to 303, I have learned what to order and how to take advantage of the ambiance. First, I saunter on up to the bar and order the Moscow Mule ($7). Their cocktail menu changes with the season but this has been my go to this past month. My expectations for top-notch service have since been lowered so something above rude seems decent enough. The Moscow Mule is delicious. My favorite Moscow Mule in the city. After getting my drink I either corner up near the dartboard to play cricket or stake claim at a table outside in the Colorado sunshine. Dogs wander about between the parking lot and garage that hosts the distillery and tasting room saying hello. Helping yourself to the free popcorn and array of seasonings is a must. No joke, the taco seasoning makes your popcorn taste exactly like tacos, which can be slightly disconcerting. I am partial to the kettle corn topping. Surprisingly though a light dusting of the taco with the kettle corn makes for a weirdly tasty combo. Last time I went, a friend put too much cheesy garlic stuff on top and the whole table couldn’t stop sneezing. Ooph. Try all of them at your own risk. ;) Website. Facebook. 2500 47th St. Unit 10 Boulder, CO 80301
#3. Redstone Meadery—Open Monday-Friday 12pm-6:30pm with free guided half hour tours at 1pm and 3pm and open Saturday 12pm-5pm with a half hour free guided tour at 12:30pm. I have not been to Redstone meadery yet so I cannot review it from a personal viewpoint. Below is a link to their website for more information. From what I have read and heard Redstone gets great reviews. If you are into mead or looking to try something new for a change I recommend stopping by here. I will visit very soon and make a thorough analysis in an upcoming blog post. Website. Facebook. 4700 Pearl St #2A, Boulder, CO 80301
#4. J&L Distilling Company— Open Thursday and Friday 5pm-10pm and Saturday 12pm-10pm. Tours by appointment/availability. Here is a link to my blog post about J&L. This distillery is great for a light tasty cocktail and a magnificent view to boot. Now that the weather has gotten warmer and the distillery is becoming more established Seth and Justin are starting to add more outdoor games to the mix. Last time I talked to Seth, my friend and I suggested that outdoor bowling or corn hole should be added. Website. Facebook. 4843 Pearl St. Boulder, CO 80301
#5. J Wells Brewery—Open Monday-Friday 3pm-9pm, Saturday 12pm-9pm, and Sunday 12pm-8pm. It is the farthest east stop on the tour. J Wells has a very tiny tasting room but the atmosphere is quite nice. I recommend the Session, a British style wheat beer. They host two dartboards so cricket is a must if you like to throw darts. Sitting outside is always a great option because there are views of the flatirons. I am not the biggest fan of their chocolate milk stout beer. Overall J Wells is a good place to sit back and kick it with your friends for a nice conversation. Website. Facebook. 2516 49th St. #5 Boulder, CO 80301
#6. Sanitas Brewing Co., LLC.—Open Tuesday-Friday 3pm-10pm, Saturday 12pm-10pm, and Sunday 12pm-8pm. Here is a link to my review of Sanitas. If you enjoy good beer, a sound indoor and outdoor ambiance, and delicious tacos this is the stop on the tour for you. According to a very recent article in the Daily Camera, Sanitas is making big expansion plans so expect this brewery to get even more popular soon! Website. Facebook. 3550 Frontier Ave, Boulder, CO 80301
#7. Twisted Pine Brewing Co.—Open Monday-Friday 11am-9pm, Saturday 12pm-10pm, and Sunday 12pm-8pm. This is the last stop I recommend and the farthest south off of the Pearl Parkway bike path. I have only been to Twisted Pine once. When I went there I got the raspberry wheat beer, which I really like. I buy this and a few of their other brews in liquor stores frequently. When I am craving a sweet lighter more summery beer their raspberry wheat is a great one to reach for. Their Billy’s Chilies beer is one of the most unique brews I have ever had. It is a very flavorful and spicy beer. If you have never tried it, ask for a taster. I think it is one of those things you will either love or hate. I need to check out this brewery at least one more time before I completely formulate my opinion, but from what I remember the ambiance is not anything to rave about. I much prefer the locations and openness of J&L, 303, and Sanitas. They are also much closer to my house so it makes sense I visit them regularly. Website. Facebook. 3201 Walnut St. Boulder, CO 80301
Stay tuned for Boulder’s second drinking tour (The South Six) another bicycle friendly drinking loop!!
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