Beer. Beer. Beer. Did we mention beer? Boulder County has (wait for it) about 50 breweries and taprooms. Craft beer is one cornerstone of nightlife in Boulder. The happy hour game is strong.

Add to that a music scene that keeps Boulder rockin’. The city boasts multiple high-profile concert venues for live music, like the Boulder Theater and the Chautauqua Auditorium, that draw big names. Boulder’s a short drive to Red Rocks Amphitheatre, too.

But there’s also the less expected: a plethora of sober nightlife events (sober rave or kombucha “car bombs,” anyone?). Social, costumed, and raucous group bike rides. Boulder bars with innovative cocktails and rooftop margaritas.

And places like Shine Restaurant and Gathering Place, which serves up potions — supposedly imprinted with different energies — made with herbs and “vibrational essences,” sound frequencies, and specific intentions. No, we don’t exactly know what that means, but we do know vibrational essences are quite tasty.

This is how we party, Boulder style.