It's not lightly that I say Jonesy's EatBar (400 E. 20^th Ave., Uptown) has one of the best beer lists in Denver; its 23 local beers range from "tasty" to "write-a-letter-home-about-it." We'll get back to those beers, though, because this week Jonesy's is giving out free Avalanche Ale from Breckenridge Brewery through Thursday night, and free beer can distract even the most dedicated drinkers from a great beer list.

I went to Jonesy's last night to check out the scene, and it was surprisingly (and delightfully) relaxed; I pictured elbowing my way through crowds to the bar and instead sank into in a big booth and let the free beer come to me. I chose to pair my free beer with a large plate of cheddar-and-bacon fries, which complemented the ale, and my accelerating buzz, nicely. If you want to actually pay for a beer, try Odell's Double Pilsner, Breck's Agave Wheat, or Avery's Salvation Ale.

Jonesy's next-door neighbor, The Horseshoe Lounge , is also celebrating the DNC with a beer special, slinging 72-cent PBRs all week to mock…er…celebrate John McCain's age.

The Horseshoe Lounge has bartenders with sprawling chest tattoos and big, vintage couches that smell like Grandpa's smoky basement, if Grandpa had smoked unfiltered Lucky's for around 85 years. But the whole scene really works – when you need a departure from the celebrity-gawking schmooze parties downtown, it's not too bad to relax Uptown with affordable drinks, good friends, and a quieter atmosphere to kick up your feet and knock back a good beer.