A Denver brewery tour for all tastes, in just a half mile

Start at Baere, an inconspicuous brewery in a shake-shingle strip mall at 320 Broadway.

• Inside looks better with barrel decor, a golf simulator and a tap list of more than a dozen beers.
• What to try: Traditional IPAs dominate the list, but don't miss the sour Reciprocity, now in its fifth version.

Just a block south on Broadway, Trve Brewing stands as a temple to metal music and culture. Its dark confines belie the bright beers — whether the crispy, crushable Arise, a German pilsner, or the flagship Tunnel of Trees, a West Coast IPA.

• What to try: Grab a seat at the long communal table and sip a Skullseeker blonde ale followed by a Bloodaxe farmhouse ale.

Walk westward, deeper into the neighborhood, to find Novel Strand, one of the most overlooked but quality breweries in Denver. Fitting its laid-back vibe, it opens for coffee starting at 7am and converts into a brewery in the afternoon.

• What to try: The Beer from Baker, a light Kolsch-style ale is a good place to start. Then try the Sour Krush, a tropical fruit soda-esque beer, and the unfiltered IPAs filled with poppy new-age hops with flavors of tangerine and papaya.