A Midweek Toast to Craft Beer: How Colorado Pint Day Turns a Simple Pour Into a Statewide Show of Support

In Food & Drink
by Sarah Kuta
April 16, 2026

Colorado’s craft beer scene has long been a point of pride—a defining thread in the state’s cultural and economic fabric. But even in a place dubbed the “State of Craft Beer,” independent breweries aren’t immune to shifting consumer habits, seasonal slowdowns and broader economic forces.

But you can help. In an industry built on creativity, collaboration and community, Colorado Pint Day serves as a reminder that support doesn’t always have to be grand or complicated. Sometimes, it’s as easy as ordering a pint—and raising it with purpose.

On April 29, more than 215 breweries across Colorado will participate in Colorado Pint Day, an event organized by the Colorado Brewers Guild. For one day, taprooms from mountain towns to metro hubs will offer limited-edition collectible pint glasses that double as colorful keepsakes. With every glass sold, $1 goes directly back to the guild, supporting its work in advocacy, education and industry promotion.

“Colorado Pint Day is a simple, fun way for Coloradans to invest directly in the industry that has made this state a craft beer destination,” says Shawnee Adelson, executive director of the Colorado Brewers Guild.

Now in its 11th year, Colorado Pint Day has grown steadily over the past decade. By design, this beloved fundraiser is held on a Wednesday, typically one of the quietest days of the week, during the spring, when breweries tend to experience a seasonal lull. The timing is intentional: a midweek nudge for beer lovers to step out, discover a new taproom or revisit an old favorite, and in the process, provide a meaningful boost to small businesses that thrive on community support.

Over the years, the grassroots-style event has evolved into a beloved springtime tradition—a moment when casual drinkers and dedicated enthusiasts alike rally around a shared cause. It’s not just about collecting another glass—though many craft beer aficionados do. It’s also about showing up, taking a seat at the bar and recognizing that the health of Colorado’s craft beer ecosystem depends on small, collective gestures.

This year’s glass adds an extra layer of significance. Designed by Denver doodle artist Joe Palec, the artwork commemorates a rare dual milestone: the 150th anniversary of Colorado and the 250th of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Palec’s signature style—playful, intricate and unmistakably local—transforms the glass into a kind of visual scavenger hunt. Dinosaurs roam alongside native wildlife, all set against a classic Rocky Mountain backdrop, creating a scene that feels equal parts prehistoric fantasia and modern Colorado identity. It’s the kind of design that invites a second look—and maybe a second pint.

Being selected to design this year’s glass was “a dream,” says Palec, who is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but has called Denver home for the past 15 years.

His friends at Renegade Brewery suggested he enter the Colorado Pint Day art competition.

“The whole idea of this piece was to look spectacular on a pint glass but also to entertain,” says Palec. “Much like the back of a cereal box, I want patrons to look and discover the many different elements on their glass as they belly up to the bar.”

For the state’s craft breweries, the event is as much about raising awareness as it is about sales. Colorado ranks fifth in the nation for craft breweries per capita, and the industry contributes more than $2.4 billion in economic impact statewide. Yet behind those headline numbers are hundreds of independent operators navigating tight margins, rising costs and an increasingly competitive landscape.