Is beer a tourism draw?

The Pikes Peak region is now home to 23 craft breweries and more are planned.

Should Colorado Springs market the area as a craft beer destination the same way that Fort Collins does?

Steve Stowell says yes. He’s the owner of Triple S Brewing, expected to open this summer on Colorado Avenue.

“I absolutely think the city should market the breweries,” he said. “They talk about Pikes Peak. (The city) could be a driving force to highlight beer tourism.”

Beer tourism is a real thing. There are beer maps, beer apps, beer blogs, beer websites and beer directories – all designed to help visitors plan vacations around beer.

Food websites such as Food Republic and Serious Eats are talking about “Beer Tripping” and offering tips on how and where to plan a perfect beer-focused vacation. Fort Collins Convention and Visitors Bureau promotes brewery tours on its website and also links to a brochure of breweries located in Estes Park, Loveland, Greeley, Boulder and Longmont.

Fort Collins was No. 4 on a list of the “20 best beer towns in America” produced by Matador Network, which recently reported there is a growing trend of people planning vacations around beer.

“I would look to Fort Collins, where their city absolutely promotes breweries,” Stowell said. “They supply maps of where they all are. Our CVB could work with hotels and restaurants and other organizations to promote beer tourism.”

For seven years, Mike Laur has been doing his best to help people find Colorado’s best craft beer, wine and spirits with the annual publication of “Beer, Wine & Spirit Drinker’s Guide to Colorado.”

“It boils down to how much money people will spend to get the word out,” Laur said. “Beer people will search out good beer.”

Across the state, there are more than 200 craft breweries, with as many as 80 slated to open in 2015. And all of them are competing for the tourism dollar, Laur said. This month, he moved his guide online (beer drinkersguidetocolorado.com) so enthusiasts don’t have to wait a year to find the new breweries and so those looking to plan beer-cations can compare offerings in various cities.

“Consumers are changing the way they go and entertain themselves and craft beer has become a big part of that entertainment dollar,” he said.

Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau lists local craft breweries on its website under “places to eat and drink.”

“As far as doing a specific campaign around just breweries, it’s a little narrow for our budget, but certainly we have some fantastic breweries that we showcase whenever possible,” said Chelsy Offutt, spokeswoman for the bureau. “I’m always highlighting the content on social and pitching to various outlets.”

It might be a matter of first letting the locals know about the beer scene, said Susan Edmondson, president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership. “The state of Colorado understands it is a huge part of our identity,” she said. “We need to embrace that as well – it’s a competitive advantage.”

In May, the Downtown Partnership will co-sponsor a campaign called “Pints and Plates,” which pairs breweries with restaurants.

“We wanted to show off great restaurants and what is going on the community, and it’s beer,” Edmondson said.

Fort Collins was No. 4 on a list of the “20 best beer towns in America” produced by Matador Network, which recently reported there is a growing trend of people planning vacations around beer. (Facebook, New Belgium Brewing)

Monica Mendoza Thursday, March 20, 2014. Photo by Mark Reis

MARK REIS, THE GAZETTE