For beer, order a flight of the house taps. For food, think pizza, Southwestern plates and salads the size of a hubcap. For a table, aim for a weekday lunch. Steamworks, at 801 East 2nd Avenue, has brewed its own beer since 1996, and it's a loud, friendly bet for families, hikers fresh off the trail and anyone waiting on a train. Its Steam Engine Lager nods to the narrow gauge railroad.
What is Steamworks Brewing in Durango?
Steamworks started pouring on September 14, 1996. Durango Magazine's anniversary profile says founders Kris Oyler and Brian McEachron opened it with a 10-barrel system and room for about 250 people. Thirty years on, the profile says the copper kettles still hiss.
Picture exposed beams, pipes humming overhead and reclaimed-wood walls, with malt and green chile in the air. On a good night you might share a long table with a skier fresh off Purgatory, a river guide and a family celebrating a birthday. Visit Durango's listing calls the place a town meeting place, and that's about right.
What beer should you order?
Get a flight, then argue about the winner. The taps rotate with the seasons, so a flight is the cheapest way to learn what's pouring.
Start with Steam Engine Lager, an amber that has won several Great American Beer Festival golds. Colorado Kolsch is the crisp one for a hot July afternoon. Backside Stout took gold in recent years, per the profile. Up to 18 taps run at once, so there's an IPA for trail days and something dark for a snowy night. Count about a dozen festival medals in all, plus a few from the World Beer Cup.
What is the food like?
Big plates, built to follow a long day outside. The same profile describes pizzas, Southwestern dishes and enormous salads, with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Menus change, so check the Steamworks site before you go. These are the dishes the profile names:
- Artichoke-spinach dip with house-made beer bread
- Smoked chicken wings
- Indonesian peanut salad with rice noodles and edamame
- Cajun cavatappi with andouille sausage
- An eight-ounce flatiron steak with chimichurri
- The Sausage Party pizza, with andouille, salami and chipotle hot honey
Is Steamworks good for families and groups?
Mostly yes, with one catch: it's loud. Kids who like a buzzing room will be thrilled, but a quiet anniversary dinner might go better elsewhere, and our restaurant guide has other ideas. Weekends are the busiest, so a big group does best to arrive early.
When should you go?
Visit Durango lists daily hours of 11am to midnight, and 2am on weekends. Hours shift, so confirm before a late visit.
| When | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Weekday lunch | Easiest seating, a calm room |
| Friday and Saturday evening | Full, loud, fun |
| After a train ride | A short walk from the depot, but busy |
| Iron Horse weekend | Packed, with a bike race at the door |
How does Steamworks fit into a Durango weekend?
Race weekend is the wild card. The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic runs its Sunday mountain bike race with laps through the brewery, so expect live music, a crowd on the sidewalk and a wait for tables. The company also backs the Steamworks Half Marathon, which was set for June 6 in 2026.
The train depot is at 479 Main Avenue, so a pint after the ride is an easy stroll. Not sold on a brewpub? Our Durango breweries guide lines up the other taprooms, and Durango nightlife maps a night that hops from bar to bar. Where do residents go after work? The locals' bars and happy hour guide has the weeknight regulars. For more local picks, browse the full Eat & Drink section and explore the town's other bars and taprooms.
