Buffs, brews and blancs: 35+ breweries, wineries and cideries with CU ties
At this year’s , Forever Buffs brewers and vintners shared their fermented favorites with more than 600 alumni. From Napa Valley noirs to Boulder barleys, find featured vendors and other breweries, wineries and cideries with ñ ties in this Buffs beverage guide.
Featured at Buffs on Tap
• Boulder, CO
At this organic craft brewery — Colorado’s first — Chris Asher, a 2002 MBA graduate, and Steve Turner serve fresh beer, fruity hard seltzers and fun non-alcoholic drinks. Attendees at this year's event voted Asher Brewing Co. the best brewery at the 2026 Buffs on Tap.
• Brighton, CO
From hand-tossed, crispy crusts to homemade craft beer, this neighborhood pizzeria is a carb-lover's paradise. Tyler Ruse, a 1998 journalism graduate, bakes and brews specialty, made-to-order pizzas and signature hops so good that the only hard choice will be what not to order.
• Longmont, CO
Raise a glass to Steve Kaczeus, a 1982 mechanical engineering graduate, and to his wife Leslie’s internationally award-winning, classic-rock-inspired IPAs. Their brews are available in bars, restaurants and liquor stores across Colorado.
• Boulder, CO
Longtime Boulder resident and restaurateur Gina Day brings her Boulder Beer Co. brewing background to Boulder Social. Alongside brewmaster Rodney Taylor, she uses the 10-barrel, three-vessel brewhouse to craft iconic Boulder-themed beers, including the signature
• Loveland, CO
As Loveland’s oldest brewery and one of northern Colorado’s largest tasting rooms, Grimm Brothers Brewing brews German-inspired beers worth fantasizing about. Don Chapman, a 2002 electrical and computer engineering graduate, co-founded the brewery in 2010.
• Denver, CO
Ratio Beerworks channels the do-it-yourself spirit of punk rock, led by Jason Zum Brunnen, a 1997 chemical engineering graduate, and Sami Hartman, a 2009 English graduate. Crafting trailblazing beer that moves musicians, artists and ale lovers alike, Brunnen’s innovative recipes, such as the Carrot Elderflower Saison, earned Ratio Beerworks the title of Forever Buffs September Business of the Month.
• Longmont, CO
Berlin-certified brewmaster Ryan Wibby, alongside Robin Brower, a 2014 geography graduate, brings traditional German brewing techniques and craft beer creativity to the Front Range. Together, they share artfully crafted lagers through their women-owned business, Wibby Brewing.
• Amador County, CA
For more than 17 years, Michael and Charlie Havill, a 2005 humanities graduate, have cultivated a family-owned vineyard celebrated for its extensive selection of award-winning wines, olive oils and vinegars.
• Napa Valley, CA
At 22, Michael Honing took over his family’s Napa nursery and transformed a garage winery into a family enterprise. Steven Honing, a 1986 finance graduate and director of California sales, returns to Boulder annually for Buffs on Tap. Honing’s famous Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon now ship to all 50 states and shine at the vineyard’s terrace tastings.
Colorado Staples
• Boulder, CO
With its signature red “A” logo, Avery Brewing is among Colorado’s most recognizable craft breweries. Its iconic Belgian-style White Rascal and Buff-inspired Stampede lager are served year-round at Avery’s 12,000-square-foot taproom in the Boulder foothills.
• Longmont, CO
In 2011, Eric Wallace became the first American craft brewer to bottle nitro beer without a widget. After opening three Colorado taproom locations and crafting 135 unique recipes, Wallace continues to help Coloradans get their hands on Left Hand’s standout beer.
• Boulder, CO
Upslope Brewing believes après should not be reserved for skiing alone. Its portable snowmelt hops and seltzers are the perfect cap to any Rocky Mountain adventure.
• Morrison, CO
Hang out at this historic hop haven for the perfect pre-Red Rocks show pump-up. Paul Thompson, a 2009 MBA graduate, serves only Colorado-brewed ales. Westward named Red Rocks Beer Garden to its “Top 10 Patios” list, making this spot quintessentially Coloradan.
• Idaho Springs, Denver, Lafayette and Basalt, CO
This Western watering hole was named at the 2025 Great American Beer Festival. With four locations across Colorado (and two more in the works), head brewmaster Jacob Gardner, a 2011 English graduate, is at the forefront of today’s craft brewing era.
Woman-Owned Businesses
• Aurora, CO
In 2025, VinePair named this Latin-inspired brewery among the “.” Owner and lead product taster Jennifer Perez also serves on the Colorado Brewers Guild board of directors and the Brewers Association government affairs committee. Cheluna Brewing regularly attends ñ’s Culture on Tap during the spring.
• Denver, CO
At this experimental brewery, Yetta Vorobik produces 6,500 to 7,000 barrels of sour and international-style aged beer annually.
• Golden, CO
When Karen Hertz, a 1999 psychology graduate, was diagnosed with cancer, she adopted a gluten-free diet to support her treatment. Her new lifestyle inspired her to start one of the nation’s only 100% gluten-free breweries, which remains dedicated to preserving life’s simple pleasures.
• Westminster, CO
This hop house is Colorado’s first solely woman-owned brewery. Of the 30 beers owner Christine Wares offers at her twin tavern, 27 are her original recipes, which she brews in-house.
• Denver, CO
From a fruity sour rosé to a rich honey ale, Ayana Coker, Chantel Columna and Tamir Danon engineer unique beers that challenge beer’s DNA. This java shop-taproom fusion also adds a novel flair to the community by hosting monthly book clubs and a weekly run club. Their brews are a favorite at ñ’s Culture on Tap.
Brews and Bites
• Colorado Springs, CO
At this mythical tavern, Jerry Morris, a 2011 studio arts graduate, crafts beers, seltzers and sodas to complement monstrous handheld burgers and sandwiches.
• Erie, CO
Brothers Daniel Richards, a 1998 information systems graduate, and Dennis Richards, a 1999 information systems graduate, transformed a historic fire station into a pizzeria that continues to extinguish carb cravings and serve up brews the locals love.
• Erie, CO
Located in a restored 19th-century mercantile building, this comfort cidery pairs refreshing ciders with rustic pizza. John Jacquat, a 2001 finance alum, pushes boundaries with a bold, creative cider lineup featuring seasonal infusions.
• Durango, CO
For more than 15 years, this alternative brewhouse — voted Durango’s Best Brewery — has been owned by Bill Graham, a 1992 business and journalism graduate, and by Matt Vincent and Dave Thibodeau. It offers a diverse food menu and a rocking drink lineup that will leave you dancing.
Brews for All
• Louisville, CO
When two regulars learned that Louisville's first brewery – originally owned by 2001 civil engineering alum John Frazee — was in danger of closing, they swooped in to save the day. Now, Matt Gorbsky and Don Brown serve international pints with a pull strong enough to blow you out of this orbit.
• San Diego, CA
In 2010, Mike Hess, a 1990 economics graduate, pioneered San Diego’s beer industry by opening the city’s first nano-brewery. Now, his brewery is considered California’s most dynamic craft beverage brand, with eight locations across the state.
• Lafayette, CO
Davin Helden, a 1998 biochemistry and 2007 MBA graduate, experiments with flavorful, gluten-free and non-alcoholic drink options to prove that science is power at this magnetic brewery.
• Grand Junction, CO
Rob James, a 1995 biochemistry graduate, and Eli Gerson’s “Best of the West”-winning beer are sure to give you something to ramble about.
• Arvada and Centennial, CO
With over 75 nonprofit partners and 40,000 beers donated, Pyper Lund, a 1994 business graduate, joined Brad Crilley and Jacob Wells to change the world, one pint at a time, through their service-focused brewery.
• Telluride, CO
In need of après-ski? Chris Fish, a 1998 geography graduate, has you covered. Located at the base of Telluride Ski Resort, this mountain-town pub offers an extensive beer menu that will warm you up and cure your cabin fever.
Wineries
• Modesto, CA
This family-owned global wine leader owns more than 100 wine labels, including its own Gallo Family brand, Barefoot Wine, Manischewitz Wines and the Louis Martini Winery.
• Healdsburg, CA
Brothers Mark and James Blanchard, a 2012 business graduate, celebrate their exclusive Californian wines and local artisanal wines at their tasting rooms in Denver, Golden and Fort Collins, CO.
• Willamette Valley, OR
Kevin Green, a 1997 chemical engineering alum, and his wife, Clodagh Moloney, own a boutique Oregon winery that bridges Irish humor with Rocky Mountain spirit and earned the couple’s Pinot Noir accolades at Sunset Magazine’s International Wine Competition.
• Dixon, NM
During his semester abroad in Chile, Jesse Padberg, a 2000 Spanish graduate, fell in love with wine. Now, he and his brother run one of the world's highest-altitude wineries and produce specialty red wines that have been featured in Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Sunset Magazine, HGTV and USA Today.
• Cedaredge, CO
At his Western Slope vineyard, Dave Aschwanden crafts all-natural wines from grapes grown exclusively in Colorado, making his wines anything but chill.
• Bainbridge Island, WA
After purchasing Eagle Harbor Wine Co. from longtime mentors Cynthia and Hugh Remash in 2014, Emily Parsons, a ñ geography and MBA graduate, now sources ingredients from Washington’s most prestigious grape growers to craft elegant, balanced and approachable wines.
• Sonoma County, CA
Only eight miles from the Pacific Ocean, Steve Kanzler and his wife defied the odds of traditional winemaking to craft exquisite Pinot Noir in a cold, windy climate. Now their son, Alex, a 2008 sociology graduate, and his wife, Breauna, a 2011 psychology graduate, continue their legacy by overseeing the small winery’s seasonal and classic wine production.
• Sausalito and San Francisco, CA
Sip Cultivar’s cultivated Chardonnay or Cabernet Franc as you savor this sea escape. Founder and wine sommelier Jody Harris, a 1999 economics graduate, curates a seasonal oceanic menu designed to complement the estate’s Napa Valley noirs.
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To support even more Buffs-owned businesses, check out restaurants owned by alumni.