Why you should experience Wynkoop Brewing Company in Denver, Colorado.
Wynkoop Brewing Company is a pioneering brewpub where LoDo's railroad heritage, craft brewing innovation, historic preservation, and neighborhood revival shaped one of America's most influential beer destinations.
Set inside the historic J. S. Brown Mercantile Building along 18th Street near Union Station and just steps from Coors Field, this expansive brewpub pairs exposed brick walls, heavy timber beams, original industrial architecture, and small-batch brewing with lively dining rooms and one of Denver's largest public billiards halls. The preserved warehouse atmosphere reflects the district's nineteenth-century commercial origins while celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit that helped redefine Lower Downtown. Every pint connects visitors to the brewery that sparked Denver's modern craft beer movement. The result is a dining experience defined by brewing history, architectural authenticity, and one of Colorado's most influential brewpubs.
What you should know about Wynkoop Brewing Company.
Wynkoop Brewing Company is best known for opening in October 1988 as Colorado's first brewpub, becoming the catalyst for the revitalization of Lower Downtown (LoDo) after co-founders John Hickenlooper, Russell Schehrer, Jerry Williams, and Mark Schiffler transformed the long-vacant 1899 J. S. Brown Mercantile Building into a brewery at a time when the surrounding neighborhood was widely viewed as economically distressed. The founders successfully championed changes to Colorado's liquor laws that made brewpubs legally possible before investing $575,000 to establish what became one of the nation's earliest urban craft breweries. Located directly across Wynkoop Street from Union Station, the brewery helped demonstrate that historic warehouse buildings could be adaptively reused as energetic commercial destinations, encouraging subsequent investment that transformed LoDo into Denver's premier entertainment and cultural district. Beyond its historic importance, Wynkoop became nationally recognized for brewing innovation under founding brewer Russell Schehrer, introducing adventurous beers featuring ingredients ranging from green chiles to Rocky Mountain oysters while helping launch Denver's emergence as one of America's foremost craft brewing cities. The brewery's success ultimately propelled John Hickenlooper into public service, where he later served as Mayor of Denver, Governor of Colorado, and United States Senator. Together, historic preservation, entrepreneurial vision, brewing innovation, and neighborhood revitalization established Wynkoop Brewing Company as one of the defining institutions in American craft beer history.
Original masonry walls, exposed timber construction, and carefully preserved warehouse spaces continue reflecting LoDo's railroad-era character while accommodating a continually evolving brewing program. More than three decades after opening, Wynkoop remains a benchmark for adaptive reuse, independent brewing culture, and the remarkable transformation of Denver's historic downtown.
How to fold Wynkoop Brewing Company into your trip.
Wynkoop Brewing Company works as part of an exploration through LoDo's celebrated historic district.
Begin at Union Station, where Denver's restored railroad terminal introduces the neighborhood's transportation heritage before enjoying locally brewed beer and classic pub fare at Wynkoop Brewing Company. Continue to Coors Field, whose ballpark atmosphere reinforces Denver's enduring connection to baseball and brewing. Conclude with a stroll through Larimer Square, where beautifully restored Victorian buildings provide a memorable finale celebrating the architectural revival that transformed Lower Downtown into one of America's great urban success stories.
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