Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction, Colo., is an awe-inspiring canyon boasting scenery any traveler would be lucky to soak in. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s also, bafflingly, crowd-free.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople tend to head straight for the Grand Canyon, or maybe Arches or Zion national parks,\u201d says Adam Kinsey, owner and founder of Grand Junction\u2019s Handlebar Tap House<\/a> as well as the new WestCo Brewing<\/a>. The canyon boasts a serenity you simply won\u2019t find at the Grand Canyon, with its steady flow of tourists. Similarly, beer-driven tourists flock to Denver or Fort Collins, leaving Grand Junction virtually untouched. This makes the underrated scene all the more special: an embarrassment of riches for locals, just waiting to be discovered by visitors.<\/p>\n Named for the junction of the Colorado River, which was once called the Grand River, and the Gunnison River, Grand Junction is home to a convergence of varying natural landscapes that together make it unrivaled in natural beauty: the canyon; Rattlesnake Arches, one of the world\u2019s biggest concentrations of natural arches; and Grand Mesa, the largest flat-top mountain in the world. The city\u2019s beer scene is just as rich in variety, built up around the community of adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts who call it home.<\/p>\n After spending two days being spoiled by Grand Junction\u2019s incredible natural splendor as well as its inviting, top-notch beer scene, it\u2019s my duty to urge any beer enthusiast to move this city to the top of their travel lists. Here\u2019s where you\u2019ll want to visit.<\/p>\n Opening only as recently as 2020, Ramblebine<\/a> was still among the first few breweries in town. Founders Eli Gerson and Rob James hit the ground running with a passion reaching across styles\u2014in addition to a crisp lager, a well-balanced West Coast IPA, two hazy IPAs, and a tart blueberry sour, one of Ramblebine\u2019s most popular flagships is God Hammer, a kveik-fermented Norwegian red ale. Taproom guests can also expect to find anything from pub ales to hoppy Pilsners to barrel-aged stouts. There\u2019s such a diversity of nuanced, expertly crafted, delicious beers here, it\u2019s almost a wonder that the taproom remains so laid-back and welcoming. Ramblebine\u2019s team goes above and beyond to introduce guests both new and familiar to different beer styles and help them find their favorites.<\/p>\n Perhaps no one business can better capture the essence of Grand Junction than Trail Life Brewing<\/a>, a brewery literally attached to a mountain bike shop. To live in this city is to live for adventure, whether that\u2019s racing through challenging terrain or experimenting with new-to-you beers. The energy is palpable in Trail Life\u2019s taproom, where post-bike-ride and post-hike patrons sip blonde ale, Mexican-style lager, hazy IPA, brown ale, and more\u2014don\u2019t sleep on the Pirates Life Black IPA. There are also guest taps and a full food menu of burgers, sandwiches, rice bowls, and more, such as a hummus and shawarma platter and fries with a flight of sauces.<\/p>\n Handlebar<\/a> is also right next to a mountain bike shop\u2014sensing a theme? \u201cI don\u2019t think anyone lives in Grand Junction who isn\u2019t actively involved in at least one outdoor activity,\u201d Kinsey says. Indeed, expect to see a lot of bikes parked outside Handlebar, where riders unwind over a full food menu boasting top-notch burgers and can\u2019t-miss cheese curds, and 24 frequently rotating taps displaying some of the surrounding area\u2019s best beers.<\/p>\n The new kid on Grand Junction\u2019s beer block comes from two local beer scene veterans, Kinsey and head brewer Danny Wilson. The brewery has been intentionally shaped as a community gathering place. Situated right next to the city\u2019s Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park where live music plays, Westco<\/a> is a low-key and inviting spot for pre- and post-concert hangs as well as family and friend gatherings, solo beers for winding down after a hike, or memorable meals from the kitchen that\u2019s destination-worthy in its own right\u2014think ramen, a Japanese chicken curry twist on poutine, gyoza, katsu fried chicken, smoked trout dip, and Colorado elk sloppy joes. The beer is naturally making its star turn, though, with a focus on flavor-forward but easy-drinking styles such as Mexican-style lager, Japanese-style rice lager, extra pale ale, New England and West Coast IPAs, and fruited sours.<\/p>\n There are still more beer destinations in town not to be missed, such as the local craft beer OG, The Rockslide Brew Pub<\/a>. Opened in 1994, the convivial spot brews up a tight selection of lagers and ales for all tastes. Base Camp Beer Works<\/a> offers creative must-tries such as a pineapple and pistachio cream ale, an Irish red ale with cranberry, orange, and cinnamon, and a peppermint bark porter alongside IPAs and Czech-style lagers; and Gemini Beer Company<\/a> serves up its own IPAs and pale ales alongside gems from other breweries in town for a full Grand Junction ex-beer-ience.<\/p>\nRamblebine Brewing<\/h2>\n
![\"Trail](\"https:\/\/cdn.craftbeer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20260108080134\/Trail-Life-Web-Full-Width-1200x628-1.jpg\")
Trail Life Brewing<\/h2>\n
Handlebar Tap House<\/h2>\n
WestCo Brewing<\/h2>\n
![\"WestCo](\"https:\/\/cdn.craftbeer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20260108080432\/WestCo-400x400-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nAnother Round \u2026<\/h2>\n
![\"Base](\"https:\/\/cdn.craftbeer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20260108080752\/BaseCamp-400x400-1.jpg\")
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