When a day on the trails leaves you thirsty for something local, the valley’s taprooms offer a unique experience.
Connecting here is not just about the natural wonders the San Luis Valley offers, it is about tasting the roots of the valley. Sitting at a bar with a freshly poured pint is a direct link to the local farmers who beautifully turn high desert soil into a world class beer.
The Roots: Why SLV Barley is World Class
Before the beer hits the glass, the true story begins in the Valley’s soil. Being up here is an agricultural powerhouse, and its barley is sought after by brewers across the nation. But what makes it so special? It comes down to a perfect geographical location.
Sitting at a towering 7,500 feet above sea level, the valley floors are soaked in high altitude sunlight during the day, followed by a drastic change of cool temperatures at night. This temperature swing, combined with the pure snowmelt flowing down the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, creates a strong barley grain. It is the high desert air that produces such a deeply resilient and flavorful crop proving that the best things often come from the wildest places.
The Craft: Meet the Brewers at the Colorado Farm Brewery
Nowhere is the connection between the land and the glass more tangible than at The Colorado Farm Brewery in Alamosa, Colorado. They don’t just brew the beer, they grow the ingredients. As one of the only true farm to tap breweries in the world, every step of the process from planting the seed, to malting the barley, to pulling the tap handle, all this happens right on their family’s farm.
Sitting in their taproom, looking out over the fields where your beer was grown, changes the way you experience every sip.
The Experience: Your San Luis Valley Tasting Trail
Ready to taste the valley for yourself?
Spot 1: The Colorado Farm Brewery
The Experience: Start your journey where the grain is grown. Grab a drink, look over the fields that grew your beer, and taste the San Luis Valley in its purest form.
Spot 2: San Luis Valley Brewing Company
The Experience: Located in the heart of downtown Alamosa, this is the perfect place to combine there unique Green Chili beer, with a hearty local meal. It’s a great dinner spot right after a long day of exploring The San Luis Valley.
Spot 3: Three Barrel Company
The Experience: A Del Norte favorite since 2005, Three Barrel uses local malt and mountain water for its handcrafted brews. It is a great spot to grab a delicious wood-fired pizza and a nice chill pint after a day of exploring the surrounding mountains.
Find Your Pour
The story of every pint in the valley begins with the grit of high altitude soil and ends with the welcoming taprooms. It is a cycle of resilience fed by mountain snowmelt and refined by the hands of local brewers. When you finish that last sip, you accomplished more than just exploring, you have connected to the very roots of the San Luis Valley.
