Owner Adam Avery opened the doors to his eponymous Sangri-La of grog in 1993. The craft beer scene was mighty different back then and most would say that his adventurous foray was well ahead of its time. Back then–way before I was of legal drinking age–it seemed as though people were content drinking beer that didn’t quite taste like anything at all. Avery was about full flavor and more often than not, hard-hitting palate wreckers that make you feel alive.

This go-hard-or-go-home attitude took some time to gain traction. But when it did, things really started to take off. Nowadays their brewpub just outside of downtown Boulder is producing upwards of 43,000 barrels a year. As a frontier brewery on the front range–literally and figuratively–they offer a number of genre-bending, game-changing beers.

On this cold, wintry day I was here for the stout. Avery has that variety covered in deep, dark spades. The Czar, a staple of their so-called Dictator Series, is an Imperial Russian monster with a superhuman 11% ABV. But you’d never guess that from sipping on it. It doesn’t have a tremendously sweet, aggressively malty underpinning. In fact, this beer is all about balance. That and warming you up from the inside out during an ill-timed Colorado blizzard.

But if 11% is just too darn sessionable for you needs, Avery is proud to serve their mind-melding Mephistopheles’ Stout. At an average of 17% alcohol by volume, this beer absolutely confounds me. And not just because it makes my head spin. More importantly, it does so without the signature ‘heat’ that so often plagues beers of this weight-class. With an unexpected amount of bitterness, subdued by a gentle infusion of turbinado sugar, this is truly one of the better stouts I have ever had the pleasure to taste. It had me chomping at the bit to try their extremely limited Uncle Jacobs’ Bourbon Barrel Stout. Unfortunately, this sexy smooth six-month-aged seasonal release doesn’t come out until later this Winter (you’ve been warned).

If you crave something a little bit more down to earth, Avery features their award-winning Out of Bounds Stout year round. It’s rich, roasty, and offers just the right amount of caramel to please the palate of any dark beer fan.

Oh yeah, they also happen to make one of the highest-rated, hop-bombing imperial IPAs on the planet: the mighty Maharaja.

A number of one-offs and other specialties are available exclusively at the brewery. So if you find yourself anywhere within the Denver Metroplex, an outing to the Avery Brewpub is every sip as necessary as a trip to the snow-capped peaks ringing this serene, sud-laced valley.

El Segundo Brewing Company (140 Main Street) was started by Rob Croxall less than two years ago. During that short time, the owner and brewmaster has taken a decade of homebrewing experience and applied it to an increasingly popular line of West Coast styled ales. The success has been entirely organic, spreading through word-of-mouth from his hometown to a wider audience throughout Southern California. As of this winter, you can find Rob’s products all the way down to the Mexican border and as far north as Santa Barbara.

After a brief career in the aerospace industry, Croxall took a leap of faith on his passion product. “This is where my heart is,” he says, referring both to his craft and his native El Segundo, “Its what I always wanted to do. If you have a good product, the money will follow.” Any connoisseur would concede: it’s a damn fine product.

The brewmaster himself seems proudest of his White Dog WIPA. Named after his beloved pooch, this Wheat IPA is a unique 6.9% offering that marries the unmistakably floral aromas of the “C-hops” with an unexpectedly light body and finish. This levity comes from using wheat in place of barley–a truly rare recipe in the world of West Coast style IPAs.

For a more traditional West Coast wallop, I’ve been smitten by the Two 5 Left Double IPA. This special release is high in alcohol content and even stronger in flavor, showcasing the pungent citrus zest and bitter, pine-laced sappiness that hopheads can’t get enough of. The Hyperion’s Double Stout was almost as pleasing to look at as it was to drink. The contrast of its dark chocolate body against the finely foamed lacing of its thick, light brown head can only be described as awe-inspiring. The roasted flavors of this velvety smooth beer are further enhanced by the vanilla-bean aged offshoot which is currently on tap at the tasting room.

El Segundo also serves a series of Blue House ales that are more accessible to casual beer drinkers. They are currently available exclusively on draft, but bottling is set to begin early next year. The tap room is open from Thursday thru Monday. Check out their events page for more information.

But the real fun starts when you walk past the coolers and belly up to the growler bar to fill up on any one of 17 frequently rotating choices of microbrewed magic. Part beer shop and part bar, Bierkraft gives you the option to enjoy your drinks on site or to go. Sure, you could take your cold brew back to your home refrigerator and make your roommates really happy, but this artful establishment provides plenty of incentives to stick around. For one, they house an impressive deli with a fine list of artisanal sandwiches for $10 each. They also have a super cozy backyard beer garden that just beckons you to sit and drink with friends for the better part of an afternoon.

Bierkraft isn’t just a wonderful concept in craft beer consumption, it’s also masterfully executed down to the minute facets. For example, they let you choose your own style of mug so that depending on what you’re drinking you can have the preferred vessel to deliver that particular style of beer. They line the walls with the logos of well-respected breweries the world over so you have fun things to feast your eyes on while drinking. The tables and wood-trimmed interior decor wreak of German beer hall. Just as the craft brew that flows from here in abundance, Bierkraft is all about attention to detail and the finished product leaves me coming back for more.

Thankfully there are a number of incredible microbreweries throughout the country that produce some noteworthy offerings when it comes to this particular style. In the West Coast you can choose between Stone Brewing’s Imperial Russian Stout—unforgettably aromatic with notes of anise, black currant and roasted coffee, this big boy has upwards of 10% ABV and is released every year at the start of Spring. In the Pacific Northwest, Deschutes Brewery waits until the Winter time to release The Abyss, aged in oak and Bourbon barrels for an unmistakable depth. It warms you up from the inside out.

In the South, Tampa’s renowned Cigar City Brewing is responsible for Hunaphu’s Imperial, throwing in aged pasilla and ancho peppers for a distinct spice that is counterbalanced by the subtle sweetness of vanilla, cinnamon, and cocoa nibs added during the brewing process. Austin Texas’ Independence Brewery offers their Convict Hill, which might not boast the same number of exotic ingredients as the Hunaphu, but certainly goes toe-to-toe with any competition when it comes to robust, roasted goodness.

The Midwest is home to Three Floyds, makers of the exclusive Barrel Aged Dark Lord, one of the most avidly sought-after beers in the known universe. It is aged in Woodford Reserve Bourbon barrels and is almost impossible to procure. In Michigan you’ll find Founders Brewing. They are responsible for Canadian Breakfast Stout, aged in maple barrels and tasty enough to enjoy in the morning with some eggs and bacon.

If you find yourself in the Northeast, don’t miss out on Brooklyn Brewery’s hard-to-find Black Ops. Aged for four months in Bourbon barrels and then bottled flat with champagne yeast, it undergoes re-fermentation in the bottle, producing a nice amount of effervescence to accompany the tinges of dark chocolate and vanilla oak that dance on the tongue like a million little angels.

If you think these big-flavored brews are only for the colder months, you’re missing out. They are best served at a warmer temperature, so they’re basically begging to come with you to the beach this weekend.