In the heart of Colorado, a unique wave of establishments is quietly reshaping the way we socialize—kava bars. With just four in 2021 and nearly 25 now operating across the state, the trend piqued my curiosity. Maybe, like me, you’ve driven past one and thought it was a quirky coffee shop. Kava, Java. I’m a simple woman. But step inside and you’ll discover something far more unexpected.

These venues offer a serene, alcohol-free alternative to traditional nightlife. They attract people seeking relaxation, sobriety, and genuine community—something increasingly rare in our fast-paced, digital world.

Among the pioneers in this movement is the Colorado Mountain Kava Company in Longmont, founded by Sam Monastra. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Monastra embarked on his journey to sobriety in 2018. His path was influenced by kratom, a Southeast Asian plant known for its mood-enhancing properties. Working in kratom stores throughout Ohio, Monastra gained firsthand experience in the plant-based wellness industry. When the pandemic led to the closure of these stores, Sam saw an opportunity to create something meaningful. With his dad and a silent partner with a shared vision for holistic living, the Colorado Mountain Kava Company was born in October 2021.

What started as a business quickly became something more. By collaborating with local businesses and focusing on connection over commerce, Colorado Mountain Kava evolved into a haven for those embracing sobriety. “In the early days, it felt like a business,” Monastra told me. “Now it feels like a community.” That sense of belonging is immediate when you walk in and are greeted by name—sometimes even by someone you’ve never met.

Kava, a root native to the South Pacific, has been used ceremonially for centuries. It promotes calm and relaxation without the cognitive fog of alcohol. That makes it an ideal choice for people in recovery or simply choosing to drink less. Monastra notes a growing trend among younger adults, especially 18- to 25-year-olds, who are leaning away from alcohol in favor of clearer minds and calmer vibes.

The Colorado Mountain Kava Company mirrors this trend by offering a welcoming environment equipped with pool tables, arcade games, and TVs—elements reminiscent of a traditional bar setting but centered around sober socialization.

To deepen the kava experience, the Colorado Mountain Kava Company has introduced several unique offerings. For the summer, their Kava Passport Program invites patrons to try every drink on the passport menu to collect stamps; complete it and you earn a custom rock glass. It’s fun, social, and perfect for the adventurous palate.

The recently launched mocktail menu is another hit. Kava Margaritas and Kava Mojitos combine favorite flavors with a mellow kick—minus the booze. For something different, try the Cream Soda Kratom, which comes in red, green, or white strain infusions for varying effects. Or sip a Lemon Drop Shot, made with kanna, a South African succulent known for its euphoric lift.

These offerings not only cater to diverse tastes but also align with the bar’s mission to provide enjoyable, sober experiences.

Just a short drive from Longmont, The Root Kava Co. in Boulder has been serving the community since 2018. As Boulder’s first traditional kava bar, it offers a similar ethos of relaxation and community. The Root Kava Co. prides itself on serving noble kava sourced from the South Pacific, ensuring high-quality and authentic experiences for its patrons. They also partner with several local businesses to provide additional ingredients for their menu.

Beyond beverages, The Root Kava Co. fosters a vibrant community through events like open mic nights, art showcases, and game nights. Their “All-You-Can-Drink” Wednesdays (with a $30 wristband) and First Friday celebrations highlight local artists and musicians, reinforcing the bar’s commitment to supporting the local creative scene.

The surge in Colorado kava bars speaks to a larger cultural shift—one that prioritizes wellness, connection, and consciousness. These spaces offer more than drinks; they’re redefining how we gather. No loud music, no hangovers, no pressure to “just have one.”

If you’ve been hesitant—if you, like me, mistook “kava” for coffee—consider this an invitation. What you’ll find behind those unassuming doors is a different kind of buzz: warm smiles, open minds, and a growing tribe of people rewriting the rules of nightlife.

So come in. Pull up a stool. Try something new. You might just find your people—in the cups.

The post Where Sober Meets Social in Colorado’s Kava Bars | In The Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

We have put together a full list of all local places to get a drink! whether its coffee, beer, Tea, or alcohol-free.

We have compiled it all in a Google map for ease of use with Google map locations and websites linked here, along with every location also listed here in this article.

For a full and more comprehensive view, click the square button in the top right (it will say “view large map” when hovering over the button).

Boulder

4 Noses Brewing | Wild Provisions

Website: http://www.4nosesbrewing.com/
Address: 2209 Central Ave, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-993-3598

Asher Brewing Company

Website: http://www.asherbrewing.com
Address: 4699 Nautilus Ct., #104, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-530-1381

Avery Brewing Company / Tap Room

Website: http://www.averybrewing.com
Address: 4910 Nautilus Ct., Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-440-4324

Bookcliff Wine Tasting Room

Website: http://bookcliffvineyards.com
Address: 1501 Lee Hill Rd., #17, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-499-7301

Boulder Spirits – Vapor Distillery

Website: http://www.vapordistillery.com
Address: 5311 Western Ave., #K, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-997-6134

The Boulder Wine Merchant

Website: N/A
Address: 2690 Broadway, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-443-6761

Boxcar Coffee Roasters

Website: http://boxcarcoffeeroasters.com/
Address: 825 Pearl St., Boulder, CO
Phone: 720-456-7962

Finkel & Garf

Website: http://www.finkelandgarf.com
Address: 5455 Spine Rd., #A, Boulder, CO
Phone: 720-379-6042

Mountain Sun

Website: http://www.mountainsunpub.com
Address: 1535 Pearl St., Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-546-0886

Ozo Coffee Company

Website: http://www.ozocoffee.com
Address: 5340 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-440-0233

Redstone Meadery

Website: http://www.redstonemeadery.com
Address: 4700 Pearl St., #2A, Boulder, CO
Phone: 720-406-1215

The Root Kava Bar

Website: https://www.therootkavabar.com/
Address: 1641 28th St., Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-856-3851

Ruzo Coffee

Website: https://www.ruzocoffee.com/
Address: 3980 Broadway St., #104, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-953-8402

Sanitas Brewing Company

Website: http://www.sanitasbrewing.com/
Address: 3550 Frontier Ave., #A, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-442-4130

Silver Vines Winery

Website: http://www.silvervineswinery.com/
Address: 2037 13th St., Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-458-0280

Twisted Pine Brewery

Website: http://www.twistedpinebrewery.com
Address: 3201 Walnut St., #A, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-786-9270

Upslope Brewing Company (Flatiron Court)

Website: http://www.upslopebrewing.com
Address: 1898 S. Flatiron Court, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-449-2911

Upslope Brewing Company (Lee Hill Rd.)

Website: http://www.upslopebrewing.com
Address: 1501 Lee Hill Rd., #20, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-449-2911

Vinnie Fera Wine

Website: https://www.vinnieferawine.com
Address: 3012 Sterling Cir., #100, Boulder, CO
Phone: 720-287-1252

Vision Quest Brewery

Website: http://www.visionquestbrewing.com
Address: 2510 47th St., #A2, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-578-0041

Longmont

300 Suns Brewing

Website: http://300sunsbrewing.com/
Address: 335 1st Ave., #C, Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-442-8292

Abbott & Wallace – Longtucky Spirits

Website: http://www.longtuckyspirits.com
Address: 350 Terry St., #120, Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-545-2017

Bearded Brewer

Website: https://www.beardedbreweraa.com/
Address: 1425 S Airport Rd., #100, Longmont, CO
Phone: 531-999-3051

Bootstrap Brewing

Website: http://www.bootstrapbrewing.com
Address: 142 Pratt St., Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-438-8488

Collision Brewing Co.

Website: http://collisionbrewco.com
Address: 1436 Skyway Dr., Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-996-1850

Colorado Mountain Kava

Website: https://rootsandleaveskava.com/locations/colorado-mountain-kava
Address: 615 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-833-6864

Dry Land Distillers

Website: http://www.drylanddistillers.com
Address: 471 Main Street, Unit B, Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-600-4945

Grossen Bart Brewery

Website: http://www.grossenbart.com
Address: 1025 Delaware Ave., Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-438-2060

Knuckle Puck Brewing

Website: https://www.knucklepuckbrewing.com/
Address: 13783 East I-25 Frontage Rd., #B-1, Longmont, CO
Phone: N/A

Kuper Wine Bar

Website: http://kuperwinebar.com
Address: 600 Longs Peak Ave., #11, Longmont, CO
Phone: 303-834-8902

Left Hand Brewing

Website: http://www.lefthandbrewing.com
Address: 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont, CO
Phone: 303-772-0258

Longs Peak Pub

Website: http://www.mountainsunpub.com
Address: 600 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont, CO
Phone: 303-651-7886

Meco Coffee Collective

Website: https://mecolongmont.com/
Address: 627 Main Street, Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-899-2352

Pumphouse Brewery

Website: http://www.pumphousebrewery.com
Address: 540 Main St., Longmont, CO
Phone: 303-702-0881

St. Vrain Cidery

Website: http://www.stvraincidery.com/
Address: 350 Terry St., #130, Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-727-5706

Wibby Brewing

Website: http://www.wibbybrewing.com
Address: 209 Emery St., Longmont, CO
Phone: 303-776-4594

Lafayette

Brewing Market

Website: http://brewingmarketcoffee.com/
Address: 2770 Dagny Way, #101, Lafayette, CO
Phone: 720-890-3993

Cellar West

Website: http://cellarwest.com
Address: 778 West Baseline Rd., Lafayette, CO
Phone: 720-465-9346

Day Day Up Tea

Website: N/A
Address: 535 W. South Boulder Rd., #210, Lafayette, CO
Phone: 720-835-1119

Liquid Mechanics Brewing Company

Website: http://www.liquidmechanicsbrewing.com
Address: 297 N. Hwy 287, #100, Lafayette, CO
Phone: 720-550-7813

Meco Coffee Collective

Website: N/A
Address: 1280 Centaur Village Dr., Lafayette, CO
Phone: N/A

Sanitas Brewing Company (Lafayette)

Website: http://www.sanitasbrewing.com/
Address: 400 W South Boulder Rd., #1650, Lafayette, CO
Phone: 303-442-4130

Louisville

Crystal Springs Brewing Company

Website: http://www.crystalspringsbrewing.com
Address: 604 Main St., Louisville, CO
Phone: 720-572-7975

Gravity Brewing

Website: http://thegravitybrewing.com/
Address: 1150 Pine St., #B, Louisville, CO
Phone: 303-544-0746

Mother Tucker Brewery

Website: https://www.mothertuckerbrewery.com/
Address: 1132 W. Dillon Dr., #4, Louisville, CO
Phone: 303-565-9459

Rocky Mountain Tap & Garden

Website: https://rockymountaintap.com/
Address: 1071 Courtesy Rd., Louisville, CO
Phone: 720-900-2440

Paul’s Coffee And Tea

Website: https://www.paulscoffeeandtea.com/
Address: 956 W Cherry St #101, Louisville, CO 80027
Phone: (720) 259-1723

Lyons

Spirit Hound Distillers

Website: http://www.spirithounds.com
Address: 4196 Ute Hwy, Lyons, CO
Phone: 303-823-5696

Niwot

Fritz Family Brewers

Website: https://www.fritzfamilybrewers.com/
Address: 6778 N. 79th St., Niwot, CO
Phone: 303-834-9123

Westminster

4 Noses Brewing | Wild Provisions (Westminster)

Website: http://www.4nosesbrewing.com/
Address: 8855 W. 116th Cir., #4, Westminster, CO
Phone: 720-460-2797

Windfall Brewing Co.

Website: https://windfallbrewing.co/
Address: 14694 Orchard Pkwy., #400, Westminster, CO
Phone: 720-531-5822

Erie

Old Mine Cidery & Brew Pub

Website: http://theoldmine.com
Address: 500 Briggs St., Erie, CO
Phone: 303-905-0620

Firestone

Wild Cider

Website: http://wildcider.com/home/
Address: 11455 County Rd. 17, Firestone, CO
Phone: 303-532-9949

Frederick

Mirror Image Brewing Company

Website: https://www.mirrorimagebrewco.com/
Address: 5969 Iris Pkwy., Frederick, CO
Phone: 720-445-5969

Denver

Stem Ciders (RiNo Taproom)

Website: https://stemciders.com/
Address: 2811 Walnut St., #150, Denver, CO
Phone: 720-443-3007

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The post YellowScene’s 2025 Libations Map appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Crisp, flavorful apples are one of the best parts of Fall. Picked from orchards, baked into pies and cakes, or sliced with cheese, we’ll take it all. But one of our favorite ways to enjoy apples is fermented and with a kick. Colorado local ciders range from crisp to sweet, made with pure apples or blended with other fruit, and there are plenty of craft options from skilled cideries.

We’ve listed autumn-appropriate options from three of Boulder County’s most well known cideries and from one cidery that requires a road trip. Then we finished it off with our favorite apple-based winter warmer, that’s also made in the state.

St. Vrain Cidery
350 Terry St. #130, Longmont

St. Vrain Cidery has been operating out of a taproom and production facility just off of an Alley in Terry Street since 2016. Enjoy their ciders in their taproom, or find it at select restaurants or in liquor stores.

Ginger cider – Dry but with a kick of ginger, it’s tart, refreshing and citrusy. Perfect for those fall days that still feel like summer.
Gingerbread – Showing off the sweeter side of ginger, this is the cider to turn to when the weather cools. With cinnamon and dark sugars, it’s less refreshing, more apple pie.

The Old Mine
500 Briggs Street, Erie
4035 NE County Line Rd, Erie

With two taprooms both based in Erie, The Old Mine is a locals favorite. The main location includes a full menu and is packed with families and parents during farmer’s markets, parades and other community events. A second, adults-only location called The Factory, opened a few blocks away next to it’s production facility for imbibers who want a quieter night out.

Handlebar Cider – The Old Mine’s flagship cider is on the sweeter side, but still offers crisp, refreshing flavor. It also works well blended with other cider flavors, with dark beer, with kombucha or in cocktails.
Dry Hopped Vanilla Colorado Sunshine – A lighter, more refreshing version of the Cidery’s original.
Vanilla Bourbon – This is the cider version of a winter warmer. It’s the Old Mine’s Handlebar cider, aged in Bourbon Barrels with Vanilla.

Acreage by Stem Ciders
1380 Horizon Ave., Lafayette

Cider makers don’t get any larger than Stem Ciders. With a full menu and an uplifted outdoor town that boasts a bonfire, playground and elevated views of Lafayette, it’s a place families and singles can relax with friends. If you can’t get to their taproom and production facility, their cider is packaged and widely available

Off Dry – This is stem’s pure take on hard cider. No fruit additions, just fresh pressed apple juice that’s fermented. It will please drinkers who like their cider on the sweeter side but not cloying.
LaChene– Stem has pressed juice from four carefully selected varietals including the Jonathan heirloom apple. It’s fermented dry and aged in charred red wine barrels for 2 years. It’s dry, complex and interesting.
Pommeau – Apple-based dessert wine, originally made in France from fermented apple juice and apple brandy. If you’re trying it for the first time, expect tastes of baked apple, winter spice and brown sugar and a warm, alcohol-laden finish.

Big B’s
39126 Highway 133, Hotchkiss

Though many front range drinkers know Big Bs for it’s juice, including ciders, it’s production facility and taproom site is a satisfying Fall road trip destination for hard cider lovers. The taproom is accompanied by a farm store, restaurant with a full menu, a performance stage for musical acts, u-pick orchards, and camping sites located right in the orchard.

Harvest Cider – A semi-sweet cider made with fresh pressed, organic apples. It’s a traditionally classic approach to hard cider.
Grizzly Brand – Bourbon Barrel Aged Hard cider is unfiltered and bottle conditioned, with a combination of bourbon, apple, wood and vanilla.

Spirit Hound Distillers
4196 Ute Highway, Lyons 

Boulder County is lucky enough to have proximity to this award winning distiller, located just outside of downtown Lyons. Though the company just expanded into Denver, we have a preference for the original location with has been newly renovated with expanded seating.

Bourbon and warm, Big Bs non alcoholic cider – Bourbon and fruit are a winning combination perfect for the cooler fall season. We’ve found that warming high-quality, rich apple cider and adding a shot of smooth bourbon is simple and ideal. Spirit Hound’s Bourbon was made in a copper still and aged on American oak It goes perfectly with a nonalcoholic cider, no need to add anything else or use a hard cider.It’s dessert in a glass.

The post Apples for Adults | In the Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

Did you resolve to cut back on alcohol for your New Year’s resolution? How’s it going? If you need something to further your resolve, maybe a new approach or a fresh start, then the options for where you can socialize are growing.

If you’re sober-curious or determined to cut back on alcohol even just a little, it doesn’t have to be deprivation-filled and difficult. It’s getting easier to find at many bars alcohol-free, interesting cocktail options that are consciously designed for taste. Not just sugar and fruit juice bombs with a little seltzer or souped-up slushies but carefully created specialty alcohol-free drinks.

Options made with nuanced recipes, carefully crafted for your glass, have been out there for a while now. We tried one a few years ago at Black Cat Bistro that was so delicious, we didn’t miss alcohol a bit. But until recently, you had to know where to look.

Now, it’s getting easier to find alcohol-free establishments with music and other adults–something that feels more nightlife-cultured than a coffee shop. One of these is Awake, a sober bar and coffee shop in Denver’s Jefferson Park neighborhood that’s been so successful, it has announced plans to expand through franchising efforts. 

Owners Billy and Christie Wynne were inspired by their time in France where they experienced a growing non-alcoholic social scene. It was alcohol-free, sophisticated, and fun. When they came back to the U.S., they couldn’t find anything that quite replicated it, so they made their own place. They wanted it to be something that would present living alcohol-free as a positive experience – healthy and in the moment, not framed by loss and denial. 

Awake opened as a coffee shop in November 2020 and expanded to an alcohol-free bar – AF in Awake’s shorthand – on Mother’s Day weekend the following year. Now they have an AF bottle shop too. The space is elegant and adult – somewhere you’d like to linger. Drinks are made with carefully selected alcohol-free spirits like whiskey and tequila, which you can enjoy by the glass or purchase by the bottle in their shop. 

The cocktail names alone promise a good time. There’s Love Point No. 9 with Sexy AF Amar-Oh, For Bitter or Worse Saskatoon, rose, lemon, and Anima Mundi Euphoria. Further down on the drink menu is the New Fashioned with Kentucky 74, bitters, and an orange twist. There are plenty of choices for AF beer, wine, and spirits on the rocks too.

We talked to General Manager Grace Mestecky Davis about her job.

“I never liked drinking, and it felt hypocritical to build these cocktails with alcohol,” she told us. “When I heard they were looking for a mixologist, I was so excited.” 

Mestecky Davis said that customers are appreciating what Awake has to offer.

“We knew this concept was new and niche in the market, but we could never have anticipated the response. Ever since we’ve been open, we’ve been pretty busy. But since Dry January, it’s been really strong.”

How busy is busy? Mestecky Davis said that while their fire code allows for 45 people on Saturday nights, they can turn that over multiple times, serving 300 people or more.

Some differences in this bar: What’s in your glass doesn’t have to be just non-alcoholic, it can actually be healthy.

“Butterfly pea flower, raw honey, mugwort. Anything that has a nutritional value. Many of the spirits even have a healthier herbal component to them.”

Another difference: last call. It’s at 10 p.m., and it’s calmer than last calls at spots that pour alcohol. 

“It’s easier not to have to kick as many people out of the bar,” she said. “It’s calmer. For sure.

Awake’s Light and Stormy

Combine 2 ounces of Three Spirits Social Elixir and non-alcoholic ginger beer over ice in a Collins glass. Garnish with a lime wedge, and enjoy the uplifting, euphoric effect of this herbal play on a Dark and Stormy.

The post Yes. There ARE bars for the sober-curious | In The Cups appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.