I leave the serious beer blogging to people like Dave at FermentedlyChallenged.com, but I believe spending a lovely afternoon at the brewery is an event well suited for a write up on HeidiTown.

Northern Colorado is filled with friendly people, lots of bikes, and if you toss a stone you’ll surely hit a brewery, and while the area is home to some very well known breweries, there are a few hidden gems that even some locals haven’t discovered.

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse serves up German style beers in Loveland, and here’s a little-known fact. I was the first blogger to write about them back when they were still brewing out of their garage. Just a couple years later, they have a taproom with a big overhead door that opens to let in the summer breeze. In a land of big, hoppy beers, Grimm is deliciously different. Find them online at GrimmBrotherBrewhouse.com.

Visitors to Old Town Fort Collins should hunt down Equinox Brewing hidden in plain sight on Remington Street. This place has the most laidback atmosphere of any brewery in town, and they make really good beer too. Drinking a beer on their enclosed patio is one of my favorite summer afternoon activities. Visit their website at EquinoxBrewing.com.

I had tried Crabtree Brewing Company‘s beer on several occasions, but only recently visited their establishment less than a mile from the heart of historic downtown Greeley. There is something very warm and inviting about this brewery. Maybe it’s the pile of games in the corner that gave me the impression they didn’t mind if I stuck around for a while, or maybe it was the friendly welcome we received from the owner. Whatever it is, I definitely recommend checking out Crabtree Brewing Company. In the meantime check them out on the Web at CrabtreeBrewing.com.

As some of you know, I’m a co-founder of the Berthoud Oktoberfest and have many personal and professional ties to the community. So that’s partly why I’m so excited that a new brewery is opening there in May. City Star Brewing is opening a taproom on Mountain Avenue that embraces the culture of the Wild West while giving a nod to the contemporary culture of Colorado. I already love the feel of the place, and can’t wait to try their American lager style beers. Keep up with City Star Brewing on their Facebook page.

So there you have it, a few hidden gems to try the next time you visit Northern Colorado. If you have a brewery that fits this description in your community, please tell me about it in the comment section!