Winter Drinks in Denver and “Breck”

You’ve heard the old saying “If you can’t beat them, join them…” We embraced the fact that Winter comes every year and took the opportunity to visit a state we hadn’t been before and enjoy the snow – Colorado.

First let’s say that altitude does impact how your body processes alcohol, particularly when you’re above 5,000 feet and even 10,000 feet above sea level. You tend to get drunk quicker and the hangovers last longer. Just trust us on that. That said, we didn’t make it to all the places in Denver and Breckenridge on our list this time. But the spots we did visit in both cities were pretty spectacular. 

Breckenridge is essentially a historic mining town turned ski resort town about an hour or so from Denver. There’s no shortage of good places to eat and drink. They fully embrace the Apres’ culture, or Apres’ Ski – which is a fancy word for “happy hour after you leave the slopes,” pronounced “Ah Pray.”

Our #tipsypick for Breckenridge is actually the first place we visited when we arrived (and we returned for dinner another night as well) – Tavern Underground. This cocktail bar is the closest thing to a speakeasy in Breck, located beneath the Carlin boutique hotel in the heart of town. Our favorite cocktail was the Curious George, their version of a Black Manhattan. They also make a fantastic Old Fashioned! The service and food were excellent as well.

While we didn’t ski this time, we couldn’t miss the chance to go up on the base of the Breckenridge Ski Resort slopes and partake of a cocktail or two while we enjoyed the view. Who would have thought you could get a great margarita at a ski resort? Check out T-Bar for that on Peak 8! Then we took the free gondola over to Peak 7 for espresso martinis at Sevens.

We think it should be a rule that you can’t visit Breckenridge without stopping at the Breckenridge Distillery, or at least their tasting room. Since they only do tours on the weekends, and the main facility is located just outside of downtown, we opted for the tasting room. Their award-winning bourbon is reason enough to visit, but everything we tried was smooth and delicious. They even had a barrel-aged Manhattan on tap, available only onsite. We hear the cocktails at the main room are worth trying – next time!

There are a number of breweries in and near downtown Breckenridge. After a hike to find Isak, the Breckenridge Troll, we chose Broken Compass Brewing. Their main facility is just outside downtown (near the above distillery) but they have a fun tasting room right on Main Street. That’s where we spent some time to warm up. They have a large selection of their beers on tap, including a delicious coconut porter. 

And we have to give a shout out to Hearthstone for one of the best meals we had (yes, elk and bison on the menu) and great cocktails!

Now on to Denver – there was no way to cover all the great options personally in one weekend. That’s why we have #tipsypicks just for you. 

While it’s not a true speakeasy, Union Lodge #1 does capture the cozy ambiance of a 1920’s cocktail den  in downtown Denver. They even told us they don’t offer vodka drinks, because they weren’t popular back then… But what the do offer are creative cocktails like the “Door Marked Pirate” and classics like an Old Fashioned and Sazerac. There’s also something magical about sipping cocktails in a window seat while snow is falling behind you. 

Denver has some excellent speakeasy spots! Williams & Graham appears to be a small corner bookstore, until the host opens one of the bookcases and escorts you to a dimly lit table with velvet curtains and lots of dark wood straight out of the 1920s! The “Complicated Boulevardier” was simply delicious!

Our next stop, Run for the Roses, has signage, but it’s stashed in the basement of a retail building and you have to follow the roses marking the path on the floor to get there. Challenge accepted. RFTR has one of the most extensive and creative cocktail menus we’ve seen – laid out in a deck of playing cards. That’s potentially 52 different drink options! Our group made an effort to try a variety of “cards,” including a barrel-aged Manhattan and Old Fashioned.

There’s also no shortage of great restaurants in downtown Denver. Two we’ll mention – ChoLon and Panzano – also have great cocktails! Cholon also has an option to try flights of sake, if you’re feeling a bit adventurous.

There are lots of places left on our list that we’ll have to visit next time, along with dozens of breweries in Denver. What spots do you recommend in Breck or the Mile High City?