At the end of the day, what makes NOCO brewing culture stand apart? You could say it is the quality of beer, the variety of breweries available, or the love of the craft. But if you were to ask me, I would say that all of those things are lovely and necessary to keep our brewery culture alive and well. However, what truly sets NOCO breweries apart is their collaboration, the friendship, and the ability to sit around and drink Coors Light on a Friday night together.

As times change, so do tastes, flavor profiles, and preferences within the craft beer industry. I think we all can remember the increase in popularity in IPA style beers and now I feel like we are watching the rise of desire for nonalcoholic beers.

We all love the experience of that first sip of a new beer, the comfort of the last sip of your favorite. The feeling of enjoying live music, a game night, and dinner from a food truck at your favorite brewery. For a while in Northern Colorado, it seemed there was a new brewery every other week, and there was no end in sight. You could try a new place every week and take months to circle back to the beginning, but is brewing in Northern Colorado always a breeze? 

Northern Colorado breweries have often surprised me by the variety that can be found within them. Yes, they all serve beer, but each atmosphere has something unique; you can find your space or spaces depending on the brewery itself. They are doing much more than serving beer to create community; they are supporting local authors with book signings, local musicians, local makers, hosting cooking classes, themed nights, and so much more.

Colorado is lovingly known as the State of Craft Beer. With the Colorado Brewers Guild supporting and boosting the over 300 breweries in the state, but what role does Northern Colorado play in the state of craft beer? What makes Northern Colorado breweries and brewery culture special?