Colorado Native Beer: Where To Buy And Taste Locally

Colorado Native Beers are a unique product line made with only locally sourced ingredients from Colorado, including hops, grains, water, and yeast. The beer is produced by AC Golden Brewing Company, a subsidiary of Molson Coors, and was first introduced in 2010. While the AC Golden Brewing Company is set to cease operations, you may still be able to find Colorado Native Beers at select locations in Colorado, such as Hazel's Beverage World in Boulder, CO.

Colorado Native Amber Lager

The lager is ranked #28 in the American Amber/Red Lager category and has received positive reviews from beer enthusiasts, with an average rating of 3.54/5 on BeerAdvocate.com. It has also received accolades from the Great American Beer Festival competition.

Please note that AC Golden Brewing Co. and Molson Coors have recently decided to shut down operations, so the availability of Colorado Native Amber Lager may become limited in the future.

AC Golden Brewing Company

The AC Golden Brewing Company was founded on July 11, 2007, by Pete Coors and Glenn Knippenberg. It was a subsidiary of MillerCoors, a joint venture between SABMiller and Molson Coors Brewing Company. The AC Golden Brewery operated in the former pilot brewery of the Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado, which was established in 1873 by German immigrants Adolph Coors and Jacob Schueler. The purpose of the AC Golden Brewing Company was to serve as a specialty brewing arm of MillerCoors, with a focus on creating beers using only Colorado ingredients, from the malt and hops to the water from Golden's Clear Creek.

The company debuted its first beer, Herman Joseph's Private Reserve, in 2008. This was followed by the introduction of their seasonal beer, Winterfest, a Vienna-style lager, in 2009. In April 2010, AC Golden expanded its offerings with the launch of Colorado Native Amber Lager, a lager made with 100% Colorado ingredients. The Colorado Native family of beers, including the Amber Lager, India Pale Lager, Golden Lager, Double IPL, Saison, Olathe Lager, Oktoberfest, West Slope IPA, and Winterfest, were sold exclusively in Colorado. The company's beers were distributed only within the state, allowing them to cement their place in modern Colorado culture.

While the company is no longer in operation, its impact on the Colorado beer industry and culture is undeniable. AC Golden Brewing Company left a lasting legacy, not only in the beers they crafted but also in the way they inspired and influenced the state's brewing landscape, showcasing the potential of using local ingredients and supporting local industries.

Molson Coors

In addition to its beer business, Molson Coors has established itself in the spirits market with the creation of Coors Spirits Co. in 2023. The company also has a joint venture with D. G. Yuengling & Son to expand the distribution of Yuengling beer beyond its existing markets.

While Molson Coors has a broad reach, it is unclear if their products are available specifically in Colorado. They have main offices in Golden, Colorado, but it is best to check local retailers or contact the company directly to confirm availability in that state.

Beer with Colorado-grown hops

Colorado Native beers, made with all-local ingredients, were first introduced in 2010 by the AC Golden Brewing Company, a subsidiary of Molson Coors. The Colorado Native amber lager debuted in 2010, and by 2014, AC Golden was earning accolades at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival competition. The Colorado Native brand has since grown to a year-round lineup of more than a dozen styles, including Juicy IPAs and a German pilsner inspired by founder Adolph Coors’ homeland.

The foundation of AC Golden's effort to create beers with Colorado-grown ingredients was to lean into the company’s local heritage. The beers were made with Colorado-grown barley and hops, with the company paying farmers a premium price for their crop to help get them established. This jump-started the local hop industry in Colorado, which had sprouted from almost nothing to 200 acres in just six years.

However, despite the initial success, the Colorado Native brand and AC Golden Brewing Company faced challenges. In 2022, Molson Coors touted that Colorado Native was “thriving” despite an overall downturn in the craft beer market accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, it was announced in 2024 that Molson Coors would be shutting down AC Golden Brewing Co. and discontinuing the brewing of Colorado Native beers. This decision was made as the company divested from the craft beer sector, with the AC Golden Brewing Co. ceasing operations by the end of September 2024.

Despite this setback, the legacy of Colorado Native beers and the local hop industry they helped foster remains. The brand single-handedly catalyzed an entire hop-growing industry in Colorado, and some of the farmers who supplied AC Golden have opened their own microbreweries, continuing to use Colorado-grown hops in their beers.

Beer available only in Colorado

Colorado's taprooms and tasting rooms have become popular destinations for beer lovers, thanks to the state's early lead in popularising craft beer. The state has an approximate population of 5.8 million people, with 4.3 million within the legal drinking age bracket.

Colorado's beer consumption has been steadily increasing over the years, with a CAGR of 0.76% in the previous five years. The state's unique distillery pub license allows distilleries to operate more like pubs, serving their spirits alongside food to customers on-site.

One of the most well-known Colorado-native beers, the Colorado Native Lager, was debuted in 2010 by the AC Golden Brewing Company, which was an effort from Molson Coors to compete with small-batch beer makers. The beer is made with all-Colorado ingredients, and the brand has since expanded to include a year-round lineup of more than a dozen styles.

Unfortunately, it seems that Molson Coors is planning to shut down AC Golden Brewing, which will cease operations by the end of September 2025. However, you may still be able to find the Colorado Native Lager at select locations in Colorado, such as Hazel's Beverage World in Boulder, CO.

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