Microbrews can come in a wide variety, from the simple standard ale to bizarre combinations that can include coffee brews and milk stouts. The folks at Nimbus have the solid, the traditional and the slightly quirky covered with their beer selection. Their Dirty Güera has a light, sweet taste that's incredibly smooth going down (the alcohol percentage is small), while Old Monkeyshine has a more complex flavor based on English pub beer (and the alcohol percentage is large, around 8 percent). The pub on 44th Street, attached to the brewery itself, has a lot of charm, with a traditional bar layout, a view of the industrial train tracks and gigantic brewing vats in the cordoned-off distance. The food's fun, too, and includes a brat with mustard that will kick your teeth in, and a standout fried bologna sandwich.
Runners up:
2. Gentle Ben's Brewing Company, 865 E. University Blvd., 624-4177, gentlebens.com
3. Thunder Canyon Brewery, 7401 N. La Cholla Blvd., 797-2652, thundercanyonbrewery.com