Keystone Brewery Tours

The mountains are gorgeous and beautiful, but sometimes you need a cold beer to help you enjoy them even more. That’s why there are two great breweries just a short drive away from Keystone. The two are the Dillon Dam Brewery and the Breckenridge Brewery.

Breckenridge Brewery

The Breckenridge Brewery has been around for quite some time. The founder, Richard Squire, had a dream to ski all day and drink great beer all night. Luckily he was in Colorado and that is a feasible dream. In 1990, Squires opened the Breckenridge Brewery in Breckenridge and his beer has been a hit ever since. The brewery currently features 14 different beers and all of them are delicious, especially the Vanilla Porter and the Lucky U IPA, but the brewery also features seasonal beers that are guaranteed to please. The Breckenridge Brewery also has a restaurant attached.

The Breckenridge Pub offers some delicious food items. For lunch they have a diverse menu featuring a build your own sandwich option and some delicious classics like beer battered fish and chips, or my personal favorite the pork spare ribs. If you’re looking for something a little lighter, they have a multitude of salads, but are best known for the Walnut & Red Grape Salad or the Blackened Sirloin & Bleu Cheese Salad (both are excellent). The dinner menu is heartier to fill even the biggest eaters’ stomachs. The dinner menu is similar to the lunch menu, but provides that delicious thing we all crave after a day’s activities, STEAK! In addition to the food choices, the pub offers small batch beers which are distinct to the location and not sold in stores and if you can’t make up your mind, there is a beer sampler option for you to try them all! If you have a chance make it to happy hour, which features ½ price appetizers and $2 pints, happy hour is from 3-6 PM daily.

Tours are available by appointment only, all you need to do is call Breckenridge Brewery and ask to talk with a brewer. The number is 970-453-1550 and to streamline the process, just press one once the automated voice starts talking to you.

To get to the Breckenridge Brewery from Keystone, simply take Highway 6 to Swan Mountain Road (Co Rd 4) which is on the west side of Keystone resort. Once you are on Swan Mountain Rd. turn left onto CO-9 (Co Hwy 9) and this will take you straight to the brewery and restaurant, which is 600 Main Street in Breckenridge, Colorado (zip code 80424 just in case). It’s about a 30 minute drive from the heart of Keystone, but still definitely within reach. If the Breckenridge Brewery inspires you to visit another local brewery the Dillon Dam Brewery is your best bet!

Dillon Dam Brewery

The Dillon Dam Brewery opened in 1997 and is one of the liveliest brewpubs in Summit County! The Dillon Dam Brewery has won numerous awards for their Ales and the brewery is a well known producer in Summit County. The Dillon Dam Brewery features 9 distinct beers, several of which have won at least one award!

The Dillon Dam Brewery also has an awesome restaurant. The Dillon Dam Brewery Restaurant features many unique and delicious items and uses fresh, never frozen ingredients. Among these the most notable are the Buffalo Chili and the Honey Smoked Ribs. The Dillon Dam Brewery is also very well known for their salads; more specifically the Organic Mediterranean Salad is superb. Dillon Dam Brewery has a great beer sampler special (8 beers for $9). There is a happy hour at the restaurant daily 3-6 PM well drinks and pints for $2.50 and house wines for $3, and Monday through Thursday from 3-6, the bar area has ½ off appetizers (which are delicious).

Tours of the brewery are available by appointment, just call 970-262-7777 to set up a time with one of the knowledgeable brewers! The brewery also has a beer garden in the summer and is able to host large parties.

To get to the Dillon Dam Brewery, just take Highway 6 towards I-70 (or toward Dillon) and just turn left onto W Anemone Trail, which is right by I-70 passed between the Red Mountain Grill and the Sunshine Café. The brewery is right off of Highway 6 and easily accessed.

Either of these breweries are great places to visit to supplement the activities of your vacation in Keystone. Some guests even make it a day trip and try to sample over 20 different beers! Touring both breweries is an interesting trip and I highly recommend either of these breweries. Happy Drinking!