These days, when you think Boulder, you think beer. But that wasn’t the case in 1979, when two CU professors received the 43rd brewing license issued in the United States and the Boulder Beer Company was born. That’s right. Boulder Beer is officially Colorado’s first microbrewery and after 35 years, is still putting out many tasty brews.

The flagship Boulder beers are the mountain bike-inspired Singletrack copper ale, the Buff Gold, a light beer which is a homage to the town’s university and the Planet Porter, the brewery’s oldest recipe and a delicious addition to a milkshake. But the beer that Boulder brewing might be most famous for is it’s innovative Hazed & Infused. First introduced in 2002, Hazed is an unfiltered dry-hopped amber ale and is definitely the most popular beer that Boulder Beer makes. When driving around, it’s hard to miss the ubiquitous Hazed stickers that cover town.

The food at Boulder Beer is above-average pub fare, with beer pairings suggested for each dish and much of the cuisine  featuring beer as an ingredient. From the beer-battered fish & chips to the Schooner salad that features fresh greens on a bed of pub fries, you’re sure to find something to help soak up that beer. And don’t forget that there are also daily food specials including a very popular event, $2 tacos all day on Saturday.

With ample seating, a bar area, private room and gorgeous back patio, Boulder Beer has created a perfect gathering spot. The brewpub’s central location makes for easy meetups and a calendar packed full of community events means that there’s always something fun going on. From weekly music nights to beer festivals galore, Boulder Beer exemplifies the feeling of a neighborhood watering hole. Of course, it helps that this watering hole has $3.50 happy hour pints of beer brewed on premises and bikes available for rent right outside the front door.

If you haven’t checked out Boulder Beer yet, you have no excuse. They’re both dog and kid-friendly, so don’t just wait until you have folks visiting from out of town to show off this local gem. It’s an oldie and with each passing day, it’s even more of a goodie. YourBoulder.com Tara Caliman.