Denver RiNo: Beer & Graffiti Walking Tour with Tastings

4.99

(138 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I heard was the clink of glasses from somewhere inside Ratio Beerworks, just as we rounded the corner. The air in Denver’s RiNo district had that warm, yeasty smell — like someone baking bread but with a sharper, hoppy twist. Our guide, Sam (who grew up nearby), waved us over to a wall covered in neon-bright graffiti. He pointed out a mural of a giant fox and told us the artist changes it every year. I probably wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t said anything — there’s just so much color everywhere, it kind of blurs together at first.

We tried our first beer sample right on the sidewalk — some citrusy IPA that tasted way better than anything I’ve had from a can. There was this couple from Boston next to me who kept comparing every sip to their local breweries (I think Sam got a kick out of that). At one point, we ducked into another taproom where the bartender told us how they started making cider because her grandma used to press apples in her backyard. It smelled sweet and sharp inside, almost like autumn stuck around all year.

I didn’t expect to laugh so much on what I thought would be just a “beer tour.” The stories behind the murals were wild — one was painted by three friends who met at punk shows down the street. You could still hear music drifting from an open window above us. And yeah, walking between stops gave me time to actually notice how everyone in RiNo seems to nod or smile at you like you’re part of some club for the afternoon. My feet were tired by the end (it’s about a mile, but you don’t really notice), but I still think about that last sip under all those painted walls.