Taste Authentic Root Beer At These Colorado Brewery Stops

Colorado is the land of craft beer, craft breweries, IPAs, and a few of our favorite brewpubs making killer house root beer. After all, Colorado and root beer have history.

From Glenwood Springs to Durango, the Western Slope is home to the craft root beer scene. This sweet and nostalgic twist on mountain flavor is worthy of a spot on your tasting list. Scroll down to discover the Colorado brewers crafting root beer with the same care as their flagship beers.

What Is Craft Root Beer — and Why It’s a Hit in Colorado

Read More: Colorado Is the Birthplace of the Root Beer Float

Craft root beer is made as carefully as some of Colorado’s best beers. By small batches, it is made here at home or locally sourced, and with traditional roots, vanilla, or sarsaparilla is used, and not a high-fructose syrup. Part of what makes it taste so good is clean water, pure cane sugar, and real spices. The real thing pairs a perfect family-friendly drink with a laid-back, outdoorsy life – an ideal fit for Western Colorado.

Introducing Our Western Colorado Craft Root Beer Picks

To find true craft root beer in Western Colorado, start at the following locations:

Glenwood Canyon Brewpub

• Address: 402 7th Street, Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado Brewery List
• URL: glenwoodcanyonbrewpub.com
• Cost: Approx. $ 10 for a root beer float
• Why locals love it: This longtime Glenwood hangout brews its own root beer and uses it in floats and even in savory dishes — pairing mountain brewery charm with soda nostalgia.

Mountain Tap Brewery

• Address: 910 Yampa St #103, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 steamboatchamber.com
• URL: mountaintapbrewery.com
• Cost: Their “Float the Boat” root beer float is $10 according to their menu. mountaintapbrewery.com
• Why locals love it: A family-friendly brewpub right by Howelsen Hill, where you can get a crisp, not overly sweet root beer on tap and even take a crowler to go.

Palisade Brewing Company

• Address: 200 Peach Ave, Palisade, CO 81526 Colorado Brewery List+1
• URL: palisadebrewingcompany.com
• Cost: Root beer is listed in their non-alcoholic section (typically priced similar to NA sodas, ~$4–6 depending on pour).
• Why locals love it: Perfect stop in Palisade wine country — their homemade root beer gives kids or non-drinkers a local, refreshing option without leaving the brewery vibe.

Zuberfizz / Durango Soda Company

• Address: 284 Sawyer Drive, Suite A, Durango, CO 81303
• URL: zuberfizz.com
• Cost: A 12 oz glass bottle, retail price varies, often $2–3 local).
• Why locals love it: This is true craft soda — small-batch, pure cane sugar, Rocky Mountain water, and that old-school root beer in a glass bottle that you can take home or enjoy in a throwback float.

How to Taste & Explore Craft Root Beer in Colorado

The best way to taste root beer is to drink it straight with no ice. You will be able to smell all the aromatics like vanilla, sarsaparilla (sassafras), and even a little wintergreen. Next, try it in a float with ice cream. Ice cream helps bring out all the texture and sugars that make each batch of craft root beer unique.

Real Colorado root beer is used in everything from Glenwood Canyon’s BBQ sauce to the original Colorado Black Cow sold all over the state. Local soda makers Zuberfizz in Durango offer a great-tasting root beer found in many stores statewide.

Read More: Remember These? 50 Sodas That Disappeared from Colorado Forever

Get our free mobile app