Favorite Craft Breweries Near Interweave Yarn Fest Loveland

Peanut butter and jelly. Peas and carrots. Chips and salsa. Yarn and beer. Some things were just made to go together. While you’re in town for Interweave Yarn Fest Loveland, I know it’s tempting to stay at the hotel with your crafty friends and revel in all the fabulous yarn and fiber. But northern Colorado is awesome, and I highly encourage you to get out and explore!

This area is known for its mountains, plentiful outdoor activities, and beer. There are almost 30 breweries in the Fort Collins/Loveland area, and it seems like another one opens every week. So grab your Yarn Fest buddies and head to some (or all!) of these local spots for some crafting and high-quality brews!

Related: Places to Visit Near Yarn Fest Loveland

Here are 10 breweries near Loveland in the northern Colorado area that are local favorites.

Closest to the Venue

If you don’t have much time to spare in your Yarn Fest adventure, check out these breweries that are incredibly close to Yarn Fest Loveland—less than a 15 minute drive.

Mountain Cowboy Brewing

Just a few minutes away from the Yarn Fest Loveland venue, Mountain Cowboy Brewing can’t be beat for convenience. They also have a coffee shop, bakery (try the kolaches!), and cocktail bar on site, and there are tons of community events and food trucks to enjoy.

Mighty River Brewing Company

Mighty River is all about the live music! They often have a band in to play three or more times a week, as well as weekly trivia, bingo night, and more. They have four different IPAs on tap, as well as various ales and lagers.

High Hops Brewery

High Hops’ motto is “All types of beer for all types of people”—a fitting credo for such a fun and welcoming place! This Windsor brewery shares a space with The Windsor Gardener, a greenhouse and garden-supply shop that grows the hops used in the brewery’s beer. They have a variety of brews on tap, from a traditional Scottish ale to a red ale made with habañero peppers, plus a tasty food truck and a truly one-of-a-kind space. Oh, and did we mention that there are often sheep on the property as part of the farm??

Envy Brewing

With extremely punny beer names (“Party LIke It’s 1810” was a fun one I saw recently), beautiful brewery art, and live music played from between tanks of brewing beer, the atmosphere at Envy Brewing is really special. They are a collaborating-focused brewery, and often have experimental beers on tap as well as their solid list of core Envy beers.

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse

If beers named after fairy tales and with quirky backstories aren’t enough to get you excited, let me also say—Grimm Brothers’ beers are delicious. My personal favorite is the Fearless Youth, a dunkel lager that I could sip all day, with notes of caramel and chocolate and a crisp finish.

Downtown Loveland Brewery Tour

Head into downtown Loveland (along Hwy 287 between Hwy 34 and E 1st St) and see the best beer that Loveland has to offer! Many of these breweries are within walking distance of each other, and all are nearby to tasty food options.

Big Thompson Brewery

This brewery features tons of unusual events, from vinyl listening parties to trivia to games and quizzes. They have delicious food like charcuterie boards, pretzels, and naan pizzas in addition to a solid offering of beers.

Bonus: This brewery is super close to Loveland’s yarn shop, The Loopy Ewe 2.0!

Verboten Brewing

Located in Loveland, Verboten takes its name from beer ingredients that were verboten (forbidden) by the Reinheitsgebot, the German beer purity law implemented over 500 years ago. Under the law, beer could only be made with 4 ingredients: barley, water, hops, and yeast. Verboten Brewing embraces the traditional and the forbidden, incorporating fruits, spices, and other untraditional ingredients to create unique brews. Check out their website for a list of current beers on tap.

Loveland Aleworks

Do you like sours? If you do, Loveland Aleworks is unmissable. They brew sours (and many other styles) with unbridled creativity and excellence. Just a few examples of sour beers I’ve seen here: Pickle Sour, Strawberry Cheesecake Sour, and Blackberry Lemon Bar Sour. If sours aren’t really your thing, they also have a solid set of core offerings and make excellent milkshake IPAs (you have to try it to get it).

Downtown Fort Collins Classics

Historic Old Town Fort Collins (roughly between Hwy 287 and Riverside Ave on the north side of town) is picturesque, full of public art, and packed with breweries. Plan some time to explore and plan a mini brewery crawl for yourself—or pick just one to try before going out to dinner!

New Belgium Brewing Company

One of Fort Collins’ first craft breweries, New Belgium has a rich history in the community (Tour de Fat!) and a fantastic selection of beer. They recently expanded their taproom, and there’s a great outdoor space for sitting and sipping if the weather is nice. Check out their website to see what’s on tap during Yarn Fest. You can also take a fun tour of the facility! Just be sure to book ahead.

Odell Brewing Co.

Odell has tons of great beer (truly, their tap list is staggering), a really fun atmosphere, and a truly fantastic outdoor patio. Outdoors, it’s kid- and pet-friendly, and there’s usually a food truck (and sometimes music). They also have a winery on-site if you’re traveling with friends who prefer wine to beer.

Equinox Brewing

Located in downtown Fort Collins, this fun spot has free live music frequently and a constantly rotating cast of beers. I love to try what’s new (and there’s always something exciting!) but my all-time go-to is the Vernal Hefeweizen. Grab a seat in the patio, beer garden, or inside at the bar!

CooperSmith’s Pub & Brewing

This downtown hotspot has been around for years and has excellent beer and great food. CooperSmith’s has absolutely delicious food and a few excellent beers that they’ve been brewing for decades. If you like the flavor of green chilis, try Sigda’s—it has a wonderful chili flavor with hardly any heat. They also tap lots of great local beers. The historic building makes for lovely atmosphere!

Hello Brew Co.

This is a new brewery in Fort Collins that I absolutely love. It’s located in a 100+ year old house downtown and these folks are absolute nerds (and I mean that in the best way) about brewing. Their use of hops is nuanced, creative, and delicious. Head in and say “Hello!” to these lovely folks!

Midtown and South Fort Collins Faves

These options are a little closer to Yarn Fest than the downtown Fort Collins picks, and also tend to be less packed. Stop by these spots for a more relaxed atmosphere and absolutely delicious beer!

Zwei Brewing

Zwei specializes in German-style beer, so if you’re more of a traditionalist when it comes to beer, this is the spot for you. They always have several tasty traditional beers (pilsner, helles, dunkel) on tap, but they also offer small-batch creations like IPAs and reds, so you’re sure to find something for everyone in your group.

Black Bottle Brewery

Black Bottle Brewery opened a few years ago and quickly became a local favorite. They have a terrific variety of beers on tap—most are their own, but they have quite a few from other small craft breweries (and some of the big national brands, if that’s your jam). Black Bottle keeps a few of its classics on tap and does a great job of rotating in fun seasonals and experimentals (they’ve done some fantastic cereal-inspired beers). They also offer good food if you’re feeling peckish.

Jessup Farm Barrel House

Barrel aging is the name of the game at this brewery. Located in a 133-year-old barn, Jessup Farm barrel ages each of its beers to create unique flavors. The 16 taps change regularly, so check their website to see what’s brewing before you go. I recommend leaving yourself some extra time to explore Jessup Farm Artisan Village, a former working farm converted into a small collection of local businesses and restaurants.

Local’s Secret: The Mayor of Old Town

Can’t decide which amazing local beers to try? Drink like a local! Head to the Mayor of Old Town and sample them all! The Mayor doesn’t brew its own beer but does have 100 beers on tap. That’s right—100 beers, many of them local and regional. The selection changes often (new menus are printed almost daily) and includes something for every taste, so whether you love stouts or reds or IPAs, you can find your perfect beer at the Mayor. They also have wine and cocktails for the non-beer drinkers in your group. Just seeing all those taps is an experience you shouldn’t miss while you’re in the area!

So many breweries, so little time!

Have a favorite brewery near Loveland that you’re looking forward to trying (or going back to, if you’ve been to Yarn Fest before)? Let us know in the comments!

Originally published 3/29/2018. Updated 3/26/2023.