Ska Brewing Announces the Launch of Southwest Coast IPA: The Brew That Bridges the Divide Between East and West

"Southwest Coast IPA: It's Not Just a Beer, It's a Direction."

DURANGO, CO— In an unprecedented move that promises to unite hop enthusiasts across the Four Corners of the United States, Ska Brewing unveils their latest creation: the Southwest Coast IPA. This groundbreaking New-World IPA is brewed with a mission—to bring together the bold, adventurous spirit of the West Coast IPA with the innovative hopping techniques of the East Coast, all while paying homage to the vibrant cultures and landscapes of the Southwest.

 "With the Southwest Coast IPA, we decided to throw the rulebook into the mash tun and brew something that resonates with the soul of the Southwest,” said Ska Co-Founder Dave Thibodeau. “Think of it as a hoppy road trip through the Four Corners, but you don't need to leave your barstool."

Crafted for those who navigate life by the compass of their taste buds, this innovative IPA is as daring as a cliff dive in the Grand Canyon and as refreshing as a snowmelt river in Colorado. The Southwest Coast IPA is bright and crisp; the addition of Bravo, Idaho 7, Columbus, Simcoe, and Strata hops create a harmonious blend of grapefruit and tropical fruit aromas that dance like a desert mirage on the palate.

Available in 16-ounce cans and only in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, the Southwest Coast IPA is set to make a splash in the craft beer scene. Whether you're scaling the mesas of New Mexico, exploring the red rocks of Utah, shredding the slopes of Colorado, or surfing the waves of your Arizona beachfront property, this beer is your perfect companion.

“The Southwest Coast IPA is here to challenge what you know about IPAs and take you on a flavor journey that's as vast and varied as the Southwest itself,” said Thibodeau. “Grab a pint, kick back, and let Ska Brewing take you on a tour of the Four Corners—one sip at a time.”

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Founded in Durango, CO, by a group of friends who loved brewing beer almost as much as they loved ska music, Ska Brewing has been on a mission to deliver fearless and bold beer since 1995. Known for their eclectic style, commitment to sustainability, and a penchant for fun, Ska Brewing continues to be a beacon of creativity in the craft beer industry. For more information about Ska Brewing or the Southwest Coast IPA, please visit skabrewing.com or follow us on social media.

Crisp, Cold Pale By Ska Brewing Hits Shelves Year-Round

DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing combined the best of all the beer worlds in their latest release, Cold Pale. This incredibly crushable Pale Ale is crisp and refreshing, and now available year-round. 

“Pale Ale is my litmus test when I go to a brewery,” says Ska Brewing Co-Founder and CEO Dave Thibodeau, “so when we went to create a mainstay Pale Ale at Ska, especially because we don’t already have this style available all year, we did a lot of research and development to get the hop profile exactly where we wanted it to be. A lot of people appreciate hops but don’t want a super bitter beer, and they also don’t want a 6 to 8% IPA all the time. At Ska we like to have more than one beer in a sitting, so it seemed natural to make something more drinkable.” 

The result is Cold Pale— subtle enough for people who prefer lagers over hoppy beers, and unique in hop profile to satiate those who do. 

This new style category of Cold IPA and Pale Ale is brewed with lager yeast strains at cold temperatures. They’re crisp like lagers with much less ester-y aroma that’s produced by ale yeast. Cold Pale is the result of years of experimentation with hopping schedules— from kettle to early fermentation to dry hopping. Ska’s brewing team added Tettnang and Columbus hops as early fermentation additions that through biotransformation yield melon and grape flavors and aromas that these spicy, citrus-y hops wouldn’t typically produce with ale yeast. It’s then dry hopped with classic C hops (Cascade, Chinook, and Centennial) that layer on pine and fresh citrus notes. It’s a crispy, easy drinker that weighs in at 5.5 percent ABV. 

Cold Pale joins Ska’s canned beer lineup this fall alongside Ska’s new Mexican-style Cold IPA, another lager yeast fermented ale recipe made with the same Mexico City-sourced yeast strain as Mexican Logger as well as agave and flaked blue maize. 

Cold Pale is available in canned 6-packs across Ska’s national distribution footprint, and on tap now at the brewery World Headquarters in Durango, Colorado. This beer will also be added to a revamped winter mix pack that also includes Euphoria Pale Ale, Modus Hoperandi, and Ska Lager. 

Media inquiring about Ska’s biotransformation research, Cold Pale and IPA experimentation, and any other Ska beers that pique their interest can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award-winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include True Blonde, Modus Hoperandi and Rue B. Soho. For information, music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing Cajoles Cooler Temperatures With 2023 Oktoberfest Lager

DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing is sorry to be the ones to break it to you, but despite continued 100-degree days in Colorado, summer is just about over. The good news, though, is that with this near turn of the season comes the release of brewery’s famed Oktoberfest Lager. 

Now for the sixth year, Ska Brewing Oktoberfest is available in cans for a limited time. Crafted with all-European Munich and Vienna malts and classic German lagering techniques, this amber-brown hued lager is nutty, bready, and toasty with a clean, neutral yeast flavor on the finish. When it first debuted in 2018, Ska Oktoberfest received a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival® in the Vienna-style Lager category. It has also earned awards at the European Beer Star and The Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival. 

“The changing of the seasons is a big deal in Colorado where we experience all four, so we like to bookend the warm months with Oktoberfest to signify our trajectory into the fall. We’re really hoping Oktoberfest is a harbinger of cooler weather after the heat wave that Colorado has experienced this summer,” says Brewery Co-Founder and CEO Dave Thibodeau. “And if this heat keeps up… then at least Oktoberfest is still extremely refreshing.” 

Like the Oktoberfest festival in Germany, this lager will last until the end of September— but not much longer. Ska produces limited quantities of Oktoberfest to share across its markets with ample time to stock up before fall celebrations begin. It will also be served at select festivals, including the San Juan Brewfest in downtown Durango on August 25, Telluride Blues & Brews in downtown Telluride on September 15-17, and at the Ska Anniversary and Brewers Invitational going down on September 9 at the brewery World Headquarters. 

For more information about Ska Brewing’s Oktoberfest Lager or any of their internationally renown beers, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award-winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include True Blonde, Modus Hoperandi and Rue B. Soho. For information, music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing and Steamworks Brewing Release 2023 Faceplant For The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic

Brew day at Steamworks Brewing

DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing and Steamworks Brewing Co. will release the 2023 batch of Faceplant on Friday, May 26 at both brewery locations. This year’s recipe will again include Tailwind Nutrition electrolytes.

This collaboration beer, the original joint effort, is a 27 year-long tradition between the two breweries. Last year, Durango local company Tailwind Nutrition got on board to celebrate 50 years of this iconic bike race with the addition of their orange blossom electrolytes in the recipe. “This year’s Faceplant is very similar to last year in that it’s an ale-lager hybrid that has a pleasant orange citrus flavor and aroma and a slightly orange hue. The citrus character is derived from the use of Mandarina Bavaria hops, Tailwind’s mandarin electrolyte mix, sweet orange peels and orange blossom honey,” says Steamworks Head Brewer Ken Martin. “At about 6% ABV it should be light, refreshing, and… hydrating?”  

"The Faceplant partnership is the essence of what Durango is all about," says IHBC Race Director Ian Burnett. "It really shows the amazing respect and support Durango has to bring together two breweries in the same town to create a beer. This support is the kind of fun partnership that has kept the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic going for 51 years." 

On Friday, May 26 local and visiting cyclists are invited to the Iron Horse Unofficial Bike Rally & Tapping Party at Ska Brewing at 4:20pm. The event includes a free commemorative pint glass, a Faceplant beer, tunes by DJ Mountain Menace, and a chance to win door prizes for all riders 21 and over before a 3-mile group ride to Steamworks Brewing. 

The 2023 batch of Faceplant Lager is available on-tap only at Ska and Steamworks for Iron Horse Weekend and while supplies last. 

Media inquiring about Ska Brewing can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT THE IRON HORSE BIKE CLASSIC 

The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic is a 3-day cycling festival, which includes a 47-mile bike race and tour over two 10,000’ passes from Durango to Silverton, Colorado. The tradition began in 1971 when Tom Mayer challenged his brother Jim to see if he could ride the route faster than the train. Today the Iron Horse includes mountain bike and gravel events as well as numerous other cycling festivities around town. ironhorsebicycleclassic.com

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award- winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit skabrewing.com.

ABOUT STEAMWORKS BREWING COMPANY

Steamworks Brewing Company has been making award-winning beer in Durango for over 25 years. With 19 taps to choose from at their brewpub just one block off Main Avenue in historic downtown, there’s always a craft beer style available for every palate to pair with their eclectic food menu options. Visit steamworksbrewing.com to see what’s currently on tap and to view our extensive food menu.

ABOUT TAILWIND NUTRITION 

Celebrating its 11th anniversary in 2023, Tailwind Nutrition manufactures all-natural sports nutrition products that are free of GMOs, dairy, soy, and gluten, are easy to digest, and support an athlete’s fueling and recovery needs during exercise. Owned, operated and manufactured in Durango, CO, Tailwind Nutrition’s specially formulated drink mixes help athletes perform and compete at their highest level without the worry of food allergies or sensitivities. Tailwind is all you need. Really. For more information visit tailwindnutrition.com.

Four Ounces To Creative Freedom; Ska Brewing Releases Limited Specialty Beers In 16oz. Cans

DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing has even more beer for their customers— four ounces more to be exact. After twenty years of packaging its craft in aluminum, the brewery debuts 16oz. cans today. Skull Juice Juicy Double IPA and Prickly Pear Sour will be available in this new format in very limited quantities while supplies last, with more speciality releases to follow. 

When Ska first started canning in 2003, they were one of the first craft breweries in the country to can their liquid. Now with the implementation of the CanCollar® Corsair™ provided by WestRock, long awaited 16oz. 4-packs have become a reality. 

Skull Juice Juicy DIPA is a golden, tropical hazy hopped with Citra, Mosaic, and Idaho 7 hops. It boasts aromas of pineapple, guava, and orange. The can captures its barbaric and tropical vibes with a multi-toned tiling of the iconic Ska skeleton chewing on hops. 

Prickly Pear Sour Ale pours a beautiful reddish pink hue from the addition of real fruit added for fermentation. It’s a smooth-drinker with a noticeable tartness and a slightly melon sweetness. A bold, black and white graphic meets colorful cacti on this can’s groovy label. 

More surface area on these can means more room for creative design, so this new package format was a flex opportunity for Ska’s inspired Designer Cara Nosek. The new can artwork is a departure from Ska’s typical branding with the signature checkerboard stripe, while still including bold colors and comic book elements that the brewery is known for. 

Taste these fresh beers on tap at Ska Brewing’s World Headquarters in Durango today at 4pm, and find the new cans across Ska’s distribution footprint. Later this year, Ska will release more small-batch, experimental beers from their Mod pilot system in 16oz. can format. 

Media inquiring about Ska Brewing can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award- winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing is first North American brewery to implement CanCollar® Corsair™ for plastics replacement in its packaging

DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing has completed the installation of a CanCollar® Corsair™ provided by WestRock. Ska is the first craft brewery in North America to implement this automation solution, which will enable the company’s transition from plastic rings to a fiber-based solution for its multipack product wraps.

Ska has never been keen on plastic packaging, but recently identified an alternative that supports its sustainability goals.

Enter WestRock, a global paper and packaging leader dedicated to sustainability whose portfolio includes solutions for craft and artisanal beverage producers. The company’s CanCollar® Corsair™ machine automatically applies various CanCollar® paperboard-based multipack formats to 24-pack trays of product, which gives Ska the ability to package all of its canned brand offerings — including four-packs and six-packs — using a solution that reduces plastics consumption by up to 95 percent when compared to alternative plastic multipack options.

“The CanCollar, which promotes circularity, will immediately reduce the amount of plastic Ska contributes to the environment by approximately four tons per year,” says Ska Brewing COO Steve Breezley. “This contributes to a reduction in overall waste and the carbon footprint associated with the shipping and storage of our products. The innovation, ethos and ethics behind this solution are what we’re all about.”

The installation of the CanCollar® Corsair™ is one of Ska’s ongoing, never-finished efforts to build a more sustainable future,” says Co-Founder and CEO Dave Thibodeau. “We saw the opportunity to implement this fiber-based CanCollar and we’re jumping on it. We hope it will become the industry standard moving forward.”

From the choice of aluminum cans over bottles and the recycling of bowling alley lanes and old denim in the tasting room design, to the reduction of water consumption in the brewhouse and so many other initiatives to reduce waste, Ska Brewing has been a thought leader paving the way for environmental innovation over the course of its nearly 28 years in business. The brewery would love to share these strategies with anyone who asks.

Beer lovers can look for all of Ska’s canned brand offerings to sport recyclable fiber collars applied by the CanCollar® Corsair™ on shelves starting in April.

Media inquiring about Ska Brewing or their sustainability objectives can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. Questions about WestRock can be directed to Robby Johnson at robby.b.johnson@westrock.com.

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award-winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include True Blonde, Modus Hoperandi and Rue B. Soho. For information, music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

ABOUT WESTROCK

WestRock (NYSE: WRK) is a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions, with more than 50,000 teammates in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Our integrated packaging capabilities offer end-to-end solutions to help customers address their greatest challenges.

Ska Brewing Keeps Spring Tradition Alive With 2023 Mexican Logger Release, Including 12-Packs

DURANGO, CO– Spring weather in Southwest Colorado might be traditionally inconsistent, but one thing locals and visitors can count on is the release of Ska Brewing’s Mexican Logger to kick off the season. Now two dozen years old, this craft lager returns on tap, in cans, and in a brand new 12-pack to Ska’s World Headquarters on Wednesday, March 29. 

Highly decorated and cult-followed, Mexican Logger first debuted on draft in 1999. Crisp and clean from cold fermentation, this beer is made with a yeast strain from Mexico City to honor the roots of this now popularized lager style. In 2011 it became one of, if not the, first American craft lagers to hit a can. 

Now for the first time, this fan favorite is available in 12-pack format. The Ska team is excited to share this long-awaited and requested SKU, which customers can pick up at the Mexican Logger release party. 

On Wednesday, March 29, Ska will welcome patio season with Mexican Logger’s 2023 release at 5pm— rain, snow, or shine. Baracutanga, a seven-piece band representing Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and the USA with a distinct Latin sound, will perform live while guests can enjoy beer and food specials. One lucky lager-lover will go home with a custom Ska Brewing paddleboard. 

Twelve and 6-packs of Mexican Logger will arrive on shelves across Ska’s distribution footprint later this week, replacing its winter alternative Mexican-style Lager Dark.

Media assets for Mexican Logger are available for download here. Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with any questions. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award- winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

The Ska Lager Joins Canned Craft Lager Lineup at Ska Brewing

DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing is psyched to present the next lager in its year-round canned lineup: The Ska Lager will debut at the brewery World Headquarters on Thursday, March 9 and hit shelves next week. 

The Ska Lager came to fruition much like Ska Brewing’s OG craft Lager Mexican Logger circa 1999: the brewing team’s beer style of choice is clean, refreshing lager that can be sipped any time of year— or time of day. 

The 4.8% ABV Ska Lager is a no-nonsense, snappy, crisp, bright, easy-drinking lager with the gentlest floral aroma lent from its additions of Tettnang and Bravo hops. It’s a beer that makes you want another beer. 

The Ska Lager joins Ska’s decorated and well-known canned lager family that includes Mexican Logger and its dark, winter sister Mexican-Style Lager Dark, Rue B. Soho Grapefruit Lager, and Ska Oktoberfest.

Grab a can of The Ska Lager at its release party on Thursday, March 9 at Ska Brewing’s World Headquarters where Rob Webster will play live at 5pm. 

Media inquiring about Ska Brewing’s lager program and The Ska Lager can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award-winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include True Blonde, Modus Hoperandi and Rue B. Soho. For information, music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing Presents 2023 Snowdown Beer, Hornblower Horchata

DURANGO, CO– Hear ye, hear ye! This winter season, Southwest Colorado dwellers and questants can toast their goblets to A Shakespearean Snowdown with a small-batch, horchata-spiced ale brewed by Ska Brewing. Hornblower Horchata will debut at the brewery World Headquarters on Tuesday, December 20. 

Now in their 27th year of collaborating with Historic Downtown Durango on a special beer release for the occasion, Ska Brewing experimented with a gallimaufry of vanilla and cinnamon flavors in this egregious beer for the 43rd annual Snowdown celebration. 

“We are very excited to collaborate with Ska Brewing again this year,” says Linda Brockway, Snowdown Event Coordinator. “We invite everyone to the beer tapping so they can herald its greatness across the land of Durango.”

Hornblower Horchata will be available in 12oz. 4-packs through Snowdown, Friday January 27 to Sunday February 5, 2023, for which Durango has a gambold of events planned.  

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com for more details about Hornblower Horchata or Ska’s Snowdown partnership with historic Downtown Durango. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award-winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include True Blonde, Modus Hoperandi and Rue B. Soho. For information, music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing Misses International Stout Day; Releases Peppermint Bark Stout In Time For The 2022 Holiday Season

DURANGO, CO— This holiday season, Ska Brewing will give grown ups a drinkable version of their favorite childhood holiday memories with the release of Peppermint Bark Stout. This Milk Stout, made with peppermint bark from Durango’s local Animas Chocolate Company™, debuts at the brewery World Headquarters on Friday, November 4. 

This new release marks a decade of Ska Brewing’s seasonal Stout experimentation– which has included Hibernal Vinifera, Autumnal Molé, Estival Cream, and Vernal Minthe Stout. The brewery’s highly decorated Steel Toe Stout dates back even longer, and holds medals in all of the major global beer competitions, including the Great American Beer Festival®, World Beer Cup®, Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival, European Beer Star, and the Australian International Beer Awards, among others. It goes without saying that Ska is all in on Stout. 

Now Ska’s research and development on Milk Stout style yields a new expression of the style that will hit shelves in perfect timing for Peppermint Bark Day on December 1, and holiday festivities in general. 

Peppermint bark was invented by Williams Sonoma in 1998. “Turns out we opened the brewery before peppermint bark was officially a thing, but the chocolate and candy cane combination goes back as long as most of us can remember,” says Ska Brewing Co-Founder and CEO Dave Thibodeau. “Doing R&D for this holiday ale brought home much nostalgia.”

True to Ska fashion, Peppermint Bark Stout is a product of local collaboration. It was brewed with actual peppermint bark (white chocolate, dark chocolate, and candy canes) made in Durango by the Animas Chocolate Company, owned by Marc Snider (who directed the infamous Brew Minions video) and his wife Carley since 2011. Its sweetness from peppermint bark and chocolate-forward malts is balanced with cocoa nibs and a hint of mint. The addition of lactose makes for a creamy, smooth finish. 

Peppermint Bark Stout will be available exclusively in Colorado in extremely limited quantities while supplies last. Find it on tap at Ska Brewing, and in canned, 12 oz. 4-packs that include a QR code linked to a playlist of Thibodeau’s favorite holiday jingles. This beer will be the first from Ska to be packaged with paperboard rings, supporting the brewery’s long-term effort to eliminate all plastic. Come spring of 2023, all of Ska’s beers will be packaged with these can holders. 

Animas Chocolate Company will also serve Peppermint Bark Stout as part of their alcohol and chocolate pairings for the holiday season. Their staff has selected the Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk cookie, the The Nugget Truffle (a single origin 75% dark chocolate truffle made with the same cacao nibs incorporated into the Stout), and of course, their handcrafted peppermint bark, as pairings. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com for more information about Ska Brewing and their holiday Stout. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award-winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include True Blonde, Modus Hoperandi and Rue B. Soho. For information, music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

Fall is Here and Winter is Coming: Ska Brewing 2022 Mexican Style Lager Dark and Euphoria Pale Ale Releases

DURANGO, CO— The leaves are turning and the beers at Ska Brewing are getting darker in color. It’s officially autumn in Southwest Colorado, marked by the release of Ska’s two cold month seasonals: Mexican Style Lager Dark and Euphoria Pale Ale. 

Mexican Style Lager Dark hit Ska’s World Headquarters in Durango last week and is now available across its United States distribution footprint. Ska first introduced this dark lager in cans in January of 2021 to round out the winter months with a dark variant of the famed summer seasonal Mexican Logger. It’s a smooth and slightly sweet beer that’s balanced with mild bitterness, subtle caramel flavors, and a touch of roast on the finish. Just as Mexican Logger has come to signify the coming of spring in Durango, Mexican Style Lager Dark joins Ska’s long-established Euphoria Pale Ale as a lantern leading to winter.

2022 marks Euphoria Pale Ale’s sixteenth year in a can. This winter ale’s story begins at Purgatory Ski Resort for which the recipe was originally crafted, and travels to Silverton, Colorado where the brewery teams up with Venture Snowboards to create a custom, Ska-themed snowboard each year.  The brewery will announce this season’s snowboard giveaway details on social media. 

Euphoria Pale Ale returns to Ska on Thursday, October 13 with a celebration to include live music by Chuck Hank beginning at 5pm. The beer will be released to all of Ska’s distribution markets this week as well. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Ska Brewing. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING
Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award-winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include True Blonde, Modus Hoperandi and Rue B. Soho. For information, music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing and Fort Lewis College Debut Skyhawk Single Hop Sultana IPA To Showcase Hop Research

DURANGO, CO— After months of hop research and experimentation, Ska Brewing and the Fort Lewis College Chemistry Department are pleased to present Skyhawk Single Hop Sultana IPA just in time for graduation weekend. 

Articulate detail was taken to choose the hop in the Skyhawk Single Hop Sultana IPA. This IPA is the product of undergraduate research on hop biotransformation, using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. It’s a full-bodied, luscious IPA rich with huge tropical notes of pineapple and mango that weighs in at 6.50% ABV. 

This collaboration seeks to understand how different hops alter the taste and aroma of beer, reducing the dependency on trial and error, and wasted hops. “We’ve been really excited about this research because it furthers our analytical view of hop varieties, transcending a deeper understanding of how hops perform in the brewing process beyond just flavors and aromas in the resulting beer,” says Ska Brewing Brewmaster Steve Breezley. “This is knowledge we can only gain through trials that we’re thrilled to have Fort Lewis as a partner for.” 

“I really appreciate the environmental science perspective on this project because that is really the end goal,” says Callie A. Cole, PhD  Associate Professor at Fort Lewis College Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. “By developing these methods with Ska Brewing, we are hoping to ultimately have a positive environmental impact by increasing the efficiency of hopped beer production and reducing the demand on hops. It’s why people will fund this research. It’s a strong motivation for Ska to be involved as well as other breweries to be interested in this data.” 

Skyhawk Single Hop Sultana IPA will tap on Fort Lewis’ 2022 commencement day, Saturday May 14, at Ska Brewing at 11am. The beer will be on draft only while supplies last.

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com for more information about this research partnership and the resulting beer. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award- winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit skabrewing.com.

ABOUT FORT LEWIS COLLEGE

As the Four Corners’ stronghold of academic excellence, Fort Lewis College blends small class sizes, engaged faculty, and unparalleled research opportunities to help students earn college degrees and chase dreams. Guided by real-world experiences and a bountiful landscape, our students develop critical thinking and communication skills to fuel further studies or rewarding careers. A broad range of subjects and diverse student body weave cross-cultural knowledge throughout signature programs focused on environmental studies, education, the health sciences, creative arts, and business administration. Find an education to live by at FLC.

Ska Brewing and Steamworks Brewing Craft Lager With Electrolytes To Celebrate 50 Years of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic

DURANGO, CO— Fifty years of Durango’s Iron Horse Bicycle Classic calls for an aptly named beer with a boost. 

Enter Faceplant. Ska Brewing and Steamworks Brewing Co. have teamed up annually on a beer to celebrate the Iron Horse, a tradition since 1997. This year in honor of the golden anniversary of Durango’s beloved bike race, the two local breweries collaborated with Tailwind Nutrition to craft a lager with electrolytes. They brewed this low calorie sipper with Mandarina Bavaria hops that balance out the addition of orange blossom honey. 

“Tailwind is excited for our first-ever nutrition and beer collaboration to take place during one of the biggest celebratory months in Durango, and with iconic local breweries," said Jeff Vierling, Co-Founder of Tailwind Nutrition. "We hope Faceplant lager brings riders and community members together in celebration of the 50th Iron Horse — while replenishing some electrolytes. We want to thank Ska and Steamworks for including us in this highly anticipated annual collaboration, and for keeping it close to home."

Faceplant is available in cans at Ska, Steamworks, and local liquor stores beginning Friday, May 6. Find it on tap at both breweries on May 27 for Iron Horse Weekend.

For more information about Faceplant, or to connect with the breweries for interviews, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. Media assets are available for download here. 

ABOUT THE IRON HORSE BIKE CLASSIC 

What started as a competition among two brothers has become a badge of honor that many Four Corners locals and visitors alike claim each year as they ride road, gravel, and mountain paths from Durango to Silverton and Ouray. Learn more about this infamous bike challenge at ironhorsebicycleclassic.com. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award- winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit skabrewing.com.

ABOUT STEAMWORKS BREWING COMPANY

Steamworks Brewing Company has been making award-winning beer in Durango for over 25 years. With 19 taps to choose from at their brewpub just one block off Main Avenue in historic downtown, there’s always a craft beer style available for every palate to pair with their eclectic food menu options. Visit steamworksbrewing.com to see what’s currently on tap and to view our extensive food menu. 

ABOUT TAILWIND NUTRITION 

Celebrating its 10th Anniversary this month, Tailwind Nutrition has been manufacturing all-natural sports nutrition products that are free of GMOs, dairy, soy, and gluten, are easy to digest, and support an athlete’s fueling and recovery needs during exercise. Owned, operated and manufactured in Durango, CO, Tailwind Nutrition’s specially formulated drink mixes help athletes perform and compete at their highest level without the worry of food allergies or sensitivities. Tailwind is all you need. Really. For more information visit tailwindnutrition.com.

Spring Returns to Durango in a can

DURANGO, CO– Some call it springing forward, others say the start of patio weather, and in Southwest Colorado this time of year has come to be known as Mexican Logger season. 2022 marks the twenty third year that Ska Brewing has brewed the original craft lager, and a return to normalcy for the brewery that hasn’t celebrated this release for three years. 

Ska has brewed this easy-drinking light lager since 1999, and received many accolades for it since— including Great American Beer Festival® awards in the International Style Pilsner category in 2015 and 2016. It’s crisp and clean, cold fermented with a lager yeast strain from Mexico City and weighing in at a crushable 5 percent ABV.

Ska is thrilled to celebrate the kickoff of spring with this beer release on Thursday, March 31. Durango locals The Lawn Chair Kings will play beginning at 5pm, and brewery-goers can expect beer and food specials to celebrate the occasion. “Without this party to kickoff the season, I just wake up one day drinking beer in the middle of the summer without realizing it even began,” says Ska Brewing CEO Dave Thibodeau. “Patio season deserves a proper kickoff this year.”

In 2020, Ska released Mexican Logger’s dark-hued sister to satisfy the urge for Mexican-style Lager during the cold months. Mexican-style Lager Dark will go into hibernation now until the fall. 

Media assets for Mexican Logger are available for download here. Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with any questions. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award- winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing Forecasts IPA Style Trend with Checkered Future IPA

DURANGO, CO– Old school hops meet modern varieties and techniques in a new age IPA that Ska Brewing will debut in cans across its markets this month. Checkered Future IPA is here. 

Long a house of IPA experimentation and the home to Colorado classic IPA Modus Hoperandi, Ska has released three hazy offerings in the past few years: Hazy IPA, Double Hazy IPA, and Tropical Hazy IPA. Now, Checkered Future bridges the gap from Modus to haze with this fresh style. 

“Checkered Future employs a blend of everything we've learned and the hops we've experimented with over these last few years of IPA recipe development,” says Ska Brewing Co-Founder Dave Thibodeau. We chose very specific hop varieties for their myriad hop aroma compounds that showcase particularly well with these newer hopping techniques, which has allowed us to create a relatively clear IPA with bright, juicy tropical fruit aromas yet with a bit of the classic West Coast-style, citrusy, piney perceived bitterness we’ve been missing in the hazy era.”

If the checkered past is a compilation of the bright with the dark, then Checkered Future is Ska’s answer to uncertain times: moving forward with innovation and acceptance that what’s to come is unwritten. “We haven’t named a beer beyond stylistic designation in several years, but this new IPA called for a name with a story,” says Ska’s Sales & Marketing Director Kristen Muraro. 

A Checkered Future release party will go down at Ska’s World Headquarters in Durango on February 15, featuring live music, a limited edition Ska and Venture Snowboard giveaway, and $2 pints of the new IPA. 

Find Checkered Future where you buy Ska Brewing beers, for the foreseeable future. This IPA will join Ska’s year round lineup of cans and be available across all of Ska’s markets. 

Media assets for Checkered Future are available for download here. Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with any questions.

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award- winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

Ska Distributing Adds Lone Tree Brewing to Southwest Portfolio

Image from 2020 Ska + Lone Tree Collaboration Day

DURANGO, CO— Lone Tree Brewing Company’s collection of canned beers are now available in Southwest Colorado through distribution partner Ska Distributing. 

The friendship between these two Colorado craft breweries began when they served together on the Colorado Brewers Guild board of directors, and stayed strong over the years through their commonality of a flagship Mexican-style Lager. “John Winter of Lone Tree and I always bonded over similar values, beer styles like Mexican-style Lagers,  and the fun atmosphere of both of our breweries,” says Ska Brewing Sales & Marketing Director Kristen Muraro. “When our Sales Rep Devin lived near (some say at) Lone Tree Brewing he was one of their regulars. It was his initial idea to collaborate.”

In March of 2020, the team from Lone Tree traveled to Durango to brew a collaboration beer at Ska, and before they even made it home, Collaboration Fest was cancelled due to COVID-19. The pandemic might have stopped them from releasing this collaboration, but it couldn’t keep these breweries from continuing to work together. 

“Fast forward to 2021 and we believe the collaboration was a successful failure,” says Dennis Stack, Lone Tree Brewing Sales & Marketing Director. “The Southwest region of Colorado was the missing piece of our distribution footprint and the reputation Ska has built in the area made the decision a no-brainer— we admire what they do to build brands and enjoy working with their great people. We are beyond excited to explore this new chapter of distribution with a great team behind the wheel.” 

To celebrate the partnership, Ska Brewing is tapping a guest keg of Lone Tree Vanilla Caramel Amber. This red-hued ale is enhanced with vanilla beans and caramel malt, with no additional sugar added. It will be on draft at World Headquarters while supplies last.

Six packs of Lone Tree IPA, Mexican Lager, Strawberry Kiwi Blonde Ale, Red Ale, Peach Pale, Double IPA, and spring seasonal Pomegranate Wit, as well as Lone Tree’s Brewer’s Bundle mixed 12-packs are now available in Durango, Telluride, Ridgway, and Ouray through Ska Distributing. Find Lone Tree beers at Skyridge Liquors, Macs Liquors, WJ Doyle, 6th Street Liquors, and Wagon Wheel Liquors, with more to come. Accounts looking to purchase Lone Tree beer should contact Justin Crump at justin@skabrewing.com.

For more information about Lone Tree Brewing Company, Ska Brewing, or this new distribution partnership contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.  

ABOUT LONE TREE BREWING COMPANY

Lone Tree Brewing Company was the first brewery to open in Lone Tree, Colorado in Denver’s South Metro area in 2011. Lone Tree creates community around a stylistically diverse lineup of flagship, seasonal, and limited release beers that are sold in cans and on draft across the state of Colorado, and in select locations in Kansas. Find the brewery online at lonetreebrewingco.com.

ABOUT SKA DISTRIBUTING
Ska Distributing Company is the premiere craft distributor for Southwestern Colorado, committed to serving independently owned companies. In addition to Ska Brewing’s award-winning beers, The Hard Seltzer, and non-alcoholic Skagua, they distribute other beers from Telluride Brewing, Left Hand Brewing Co., Bristol Brewing, Stone Brewing, and La Cumbre Brewing Co. Ska services on and off-premise accounts in Durango, Telluride, Ridgway, and Ouray. Find Ska online at skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing Releases Mexican Logger Cans for the 2021 Season

DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing kicks off its 22nd Mexican Logger season on March 23 with a fundraiser for Durango’s Community Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) for COVID-19 relief. Cans of the brewery’s famous craft lager will be available at the brewery World Headquarters and across Ska’s markets next week. 

This clean, easy drinking lager has become a warm weather staple in Durango where Ska first produced Mexican Logger on draft and in 12 oz bottles in 1999. Although it is still a summer seasonal offering 22 years later, it has become one of the brewery’s flagship beers, and most anticipated releases. 

“The key ingredient in this beer is and always has been a very crisp, clean yeast strain,” says Ska Brewing Co-Founder and CEO Dave Thibodeau. “We use a strain specifically from Mexico City that helps keep drinkability at the forefront with the malts and the hops hanging in the background.” 

To support social distancing during the 2021 Mexican Logger release, Ska is celebrating all week and encouraging reservations at its World Headquarters. A $20 donation reserves your table and includes two pints of Mexican Logger.

Mexican Logger will tap at Ska Street Brewstillery in Boulder on Wednesday, March 24.

Find Mexican Logger across Ska’s markets on draft and in canned 12-ounce 6-packs throughout spring and summer. Earlier this year, Ska Brewing released the Mexican-style Lager Dark that is available when Mexican Logger is not. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com to learn more about the lager program at Ska Brewing. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award- winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing Adds Double Hazy IPA to Can Lineup

DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing is doubling down on its hazy IPA options this week with the release of Double Hazy IPA. This new beer taps at Ska’s World Headquarters on Friday, March 12, and is now available in cans in all of Ska’s markets.

The full-bodied Double Hazy IPA pours golden orange and wafts piney aroma, with notes of pear and pineapple that balance out its bold hop profile. This 9.2% ABV IPA is brewed with Idaho 7, Azacca, and El Dorado hops. It’s the big brother to The Hazy IPA that came out in 2019, and the Tropical Hazy IPA, Breakthru Beverage’s first beer release after the pandemic outbreak that quickly became one of Ska’s most popular beers in 2020. 

“Everyone loves a good Double IPA— we get requests for this beer style all the time,” says Ska Brewing Sales and Marketing Director Kristen Muraro. “Making a hazy one seemed to round out our hazy line up just right.” 

Ska Double Hazy IPA is now available across Colorado and Ska’s eleven-state distribution footprint in 12-ounce canned 6-packs as a year-round SKU. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Ska Brewing and the new Double Hazy IPA. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award- winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing Introduces New Canned Seasonal Lager, Mexican Style Lager Dark

DURANGO, CO— After 21 years of serving its infamous craft lager in spring and summer, Ska presents a dark variant of the popular Mexican Logger for colder months. Having garnered a reputation for making clean, crisp lagers—  anticipation is high as Ska adds a fourth beer to their award-winning lager camp available each year.

Introducing Mexican Style Lager Dark, a smooth and slightly sweet dark lager that’s balanced with mild bitterness from Tettnang, Cascade, and Saaz hops. Add subtle caramel flavors and a touch of roast on the finish to round it all out, and this beer just as its other lager cousins in Ska’s lineup— including year-round Rue B. Soho Grapefruit Lager and the award-winning Oktoberfest that makes a short-lived appearance in the fall. 

“The beautiful thing about living in the Rocky Mountains are the changing seasons, and it’s well enough known that our Mexican Logger and its bright green can signal the unofficial start of spring,” says Ska Brewing Co-Founder and CEO Dave Thibodeau. “And now with Mexican Lager Dark, that shoulder season in the fall finally has its own beer as a gateway to everyone’s favorite season: Winter!”

Ska’s brewing team has been working on Mexican Style Lager Dark for three winters now. After thorough recipe development, this lager became a tasting room favorite as soon as it hit the taps at World Headquarters. Now available in canned 12-ounce 6-packs, Mexican Style Lager Dark will be available across Ska’s eleven-state distribution when Mexican Logger is not. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com for more information about Ska Brewing and the latest addition to their seasonal can lineup. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award- winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing Releases Hard Seltzer Variety Pack With Cocktail Flavors

DURANGO, CO — On the heels of the success of Ska Brewing’s Hard Seltzer debut in 2019, the brewery continues to innovate with this unique variety pack. The new line of cocktail-inspired hard seltzers is made to add some tropical vibes to the upcoming cold season.

Introducing the new Ska Brewing Party Pack that includes three cocktail-inspired hard seltzer flavors: Paloma, Pina Colada, and Pomegranate Mojito. At only 5% ABV, only 100 calories and gluten free, with only 2 grams of sugar per 12 oz. can, these new hard seltzers pair well with Zoom gatherings and solo outdoor adventures. 

Ska has long experimented on the Mod pilot system to emulate classic cocktails in its beers, notably the MoSka Mule and the barrel-aged Whiskey Sour. It was only natural that they do the same with their seltzer program.

These seltzer flavors are available to-go at Ska Brewing’s World Headquarters in Durango, Colorado. Cans of these seltzers are only available as a variety 12-pack across Ska’s distribution footprint. 

Get more skinny on these new seltzers by contacting Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award- winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.