3 bars offering the best tequila, mezcal cocktails

Cinco de Mayo? Confident. But these three cocktail, spirit and beer bars certainly are entitled to a go to any day of the year.

Even though you may well place a margarita on (one of) their menus, we suggest heading for a thing else. Sip on a copita of mezcal, or inquire for a flight to assess a several expressions of the spirit. Get a pre-Colonial brew drawn from Incan and Aztec traditions. And try the Estus — in addition other exclusive agave-based mostly cocktails — made with mezcal, lemon, amaro and Chartreuse.

You can generally go back to margaritas, far too.

Intermediary

For agave spirit cocktails

This open up-air bar on East Colfax manages to merge some of the most unassuming — but delightful — meals and drinks inside a cool, relaxed location. Attempt the Estus ($14, explained earlier mentioned) or My Scoville Romance ($12, pictured still left) with chili-infused mezcal, activated charcoal, lime and tamarind salt. There are plenty of other spirits, beers and boilermakers on the menu for all those who do not geek out on agave. But have confidence in us, the blended beverages below are difficult to defeat.

3401 E. Colfax Ave., middlemanbar.com 

La Doña

For mezcal flights and tastings

This variety of mezcal, sotol, raicilla and other regular Mexican spirits (all-around 300 at any presented time) is certainly on its individual stage in Denver. Go to find out about the spirits and try out sipping on them, with some handy steering from the knowledgeable bar group. You can pair the cocktails or copitas with plates from chef-operator Silvia Andaya, this sort of as molcajete ($33.95) or mole Oaxaca ($15.95).

13 E. Louisiana Ave., ladonamezcaleria.com

Dos Luces

For pulque, chicha and tepache

Some 3,000-year-old Incan and Aztec ferments are at the coronary heart of this South Broadway brewery. You are going to want to check out the yearly launched Moctezuma Imperial Pulque (10% ABV), which has been aged utilizing a classic strategy — in clay amphora — and tapped in early May perhaps.