January 2018 - Emma Heirendt

Cheers!

A couple of weeks ago, six of my closest friends and I went for a brewery crawl on South Broadway in downtown Denver. This crawl has been on my bucket list for awhile now, after our successful crawl in Denver’s RiNo District (read all about that here).

Colorado has some of the best breweries in the nation, and there are well over 100 in Denver, it’ll be impossible for me to try them all! Or is it…

Brewery Crawl Map

Here’s the brewery crawl. You’ll be starting at Lowdown Brewery, then Banded Oak Brewing Company, on to Baere Brewing Company and ending at TRVE Brewing Company. The total walking time one way is 15 minutes, roundtrip 30 minutes if you park near Lowdown Brewery like we did. There is a parking lot next to Lowdown between 7th and 8th Ave that had $2 weekend parking. Score. The longest walking distance is from Lowdown to Banded Oak, you could catch an Uber/Lyft to get from one to the other, or, move your car. Banded Oak has a parking lot, as does Baere. TRVE had some meter parking alongside it.

Lowdown Brewery

The first stop on our brewery crawl at Lowdown Brewery didn’t disappoint. We started with a flight to get a feel for what they had to offer (always a good choice). I especially enjoyed Golden Shower (first beer on the right). The names of their beers and food had us all laughing.

One of our friends ordered the Two Balls. One Bowl meatball appetizer. He said it was incredible. It definitely looked good!

The bar had a fun, laid back vibe. It was large enough for big groups, fitting the seven of us perfectly. They had a few games behind the bar that were available to play as well. I’m always impressed to see people working on their computers in a brewery, but there were a couple of people just chilling, working away.

Banded Oak Brewing Company

I loved Banded Oak Brewing Company and can’t wait for summer so I can try out their patio. The inside is great, but a little small for a large group. Our party fit on their largest table, and there were a few additional small tables and a bar top with stools. The bartender was incredibly kind, and really laid back.

They didn’t have food trucks so he said it was cool if we brought food in. We snagged a 24″ pie (IT WAS HUGE) from Cosmo’s Pizza with a side jar of spicy ranch and it was the perfect addition to our sampler. I appreciated their labeling system for their samplers, because at this point, we all needed it.

This bar came with board games, too. After a couple of rounds of Mancala, we had lost track of time. We definitely spent the more time at this brewery than we did the others.

Baere Brewing Company

I loved the atmosphere of this place, I can’t wait to go again and try a couple more beers. Baere Brewing Company has a cabin feel to it, despite its location in an unassuming strip mall on South Broadway. The beer was really good, from what I tasted, but at this point I couldn’t partake in a sampler, I was winding down. One of our friends brought What Do You Meme? Which is a new game, similar to Cards Against Humanity, where you ad captions to popular memes. There was a a great mix of people in the brewery, young and old, and it was getting pretty packed! The space was plenty big enough for a large crowd and it seemed to just get more fun as the night went on.

TRVE Brewing Company

We lost four people in our party at this point, they hit their limit and decided it was best to call it quits. Boy did they make a mistake, TRVE Brewing Company was RAD. First things first, we asked the bartender how to pronounce the name. “True,” she said. “But it’s a V….” “Yeah but it’s pronounced ‘True.'” Rad brewery, confusing name.

This brewery had a great selection of beers, there was something for everyone. I can’t remember the name of the one I ordered…and I didn’t get a photo of my glass full. BUT I did get a picture of our empty glasses. That’s a win. There is one very long table running through the middle of the brewery as well as a couple of standing tables on the sides. I can imagine it gets a little crowded, so I’d recommend a group of 4-6 max.

Our adventure started at 2:00 p.m. at Lowdown Brewery, and ended at 6:30 p.m. at TRVE Brewing Company. That’s a lot of beer. I suggest sipping slowly, adding some water into the mix and having food along the way.

Are you a fan of Colorado breweries? Which is your favorite? I’m already planning my next crawl.

Thanks for reading,

Emma

Music is an important part of travel. Studies show that music can transport us to another place and time, and even improve our memory of events that have taken place while we were listening to a certain song.

Many songs on my phone are associated with specific memories. For example, my sister and I went on a road trip after I graduated from high school. We must’ve listened to Crack the Shudders by Snow Patrol 50 times and I still can’t listen to that song without thinking about all the fun we had. Weird song to associate to my sister and Seattle, but nevertheless, I’m glad I have those memories.

Imagine listening to a song on your iPhone playlist several years from now and being transported back to a moment on your vacation. Wouldn’t that brighten your day?

Airplane music

Here are a couple of my go-to airplane songs. You know, the ones that are perfect for looking out the window, day-dreaming about the destination, all while pretending that you’re the lead character in a movie about traveling. Plus, they help me get over my fear of turbulence.

Adventure music

Breathtaking scenery, surreal landscapes, dreamlike tunes. When I reach the final destination, I play my favorite song LOUD. I may or may not add a little twirling, depending on the audience.

Unwind music

Whether you’re in the middle of a small foreign town or finishing up your day on the hostel patio, you need a soundtrack to unwind and appreciate all that is around you. This isn’t pump-up music, this is peaceful, serene music that makes you appreciate the journey all the more.

What songs are on your travel playlist? Is there a song that still reminds you of a trip because you couldn’t help but play it on repeat? Share your story below.