Happy 150th Colorado, from your friends at Coors

Happy 150th Colorado, from your friends at Coors

This Saturday, Aug. 1, the state of Colorado celebrates an epic milestone: it's 150th anniversary. From 1876 to today, Colorado has provided anyone who's called it home, visited, or even driven through, breathtaking nature and Western hospitality from the foothills all the way to the snowiest peaks.

Molson Coors is proud to be a part of that history. The Coors Brewery was founded in Golden in 1873, three years before Colorado statehood - and like the Centennial State, it's withstood the test of time.

"You can't talk about Coors without Colorado," says David Coors, Molson Coors Board Chair, Head of Molson Coors Business Relations and fifth-generation Coors family member. "Our history is so connected with that of the state, so as we approach Colorado's 150th, you know exactly what I'll be doing... raising an ice-cold Coors Banquet to the state that raised us."

"Beer is an incredibly local business, and for Coors, it all traces back 153 years ago to Colorado," said Rahul Goyal, President and CEO of Molson Coors. "We've grown into a global brand since then, but you can still see our Rocky Mountain roots on every can, bottle and tap handle. As we raise a glass to Colorado's 150th birthday, we're honoring how our story started. We are unmistakably Coloradan, and that authenticity is a big part of what's earned Coors the right to become an iconic brand to this day."

To ring in the special occasion for the state, Coors archivist Heidi Harris selected images from the vault that highlight Colorado's history throughout Coors' history.

It's been 150 years of cheers in Colorado, and Molson Coors is ready to ring in the next 150 with ice-cold Coors in hand. Cheers, and enjoy a walk down memory lane!

1910 Delivery

This 1910 Frayer-Miller delivery truck was the first motorized vehicle to deliver Coors beer, just two years after the introduction of the Ford Model T. The driver was Theodore Koch, a long time Golden, Colorado family member. Imagine what he'd think about seeing Coors-branded semi-trucks delivering beer all around the country like they do today.

Banquet and the Rocky Mountain Columbine

This ad from the 1950s is an ode to Colorado's state flower, the Rocky Mountain Columbine. This flower became the official state flower in 1899. The blue is a symbol of the sky, white represents snow, and yellow symbolizes Colorado's gold mining history.

Taste the High Country

This 1972 campaign also helped promote outdoor tourism in Colorado during the 1970s. Coors Brewery not only produced print advertisements, but also highlighted Colorado in TV commercials. These commercials featured residents from various mountain towns in Colorado who performed fantastic outdoor recreation activities.

The Silver Bullet in Colorado's Rockies

This Coors Light truck is parked on an overpass with beautiful snow-capped Colorado mountains in the background, the same mountains that mesmerize locals and tourists alike to this day. When they say a picture is worth a thousand words, this is what they mean. Coors Light and the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, it doesn't get much better than that.

"Somewhere Near Golden, CO," Starring Pete Coors

This 1990s Pete Coors photo is from a "Somewhere Near Golden, Colorado" TV commercial for Coors Brewery where Pete would highlight Coors beer, the brewery, and of course the beautiful Colorado scenery. Throughout the series of commercials Pete spoke on responsible drinking, the aluminum can, the brewery's ties to Colorado, and more. The Coors family and brand is deeply rooted in Colorado, and Coors Banquet is still only brewed in Golden Colorado, only with Rocky Mountain water, to this day.

Celebrating 150 years of Coors

In 2023, Molson Coors celebrated 150 years of the Coors Brewery in Golden with the installation of this mural at the brewery. The mural was created by a local artist, and highlights the state's striking natural wonder, along with the key ingredients to our beer: barley, hops, and Rocky Mountain water. It's yet another great example of Coors' history and the state of Colorado's being intertwined.

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As proud as Molson Coors is to be part of Colorado's legacy since before the state's establishment, it's even more exciting to plan for the next 150 years and beyond.

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