Ska Brewing Is Among 15 Years of Good Food Awards Finalists in 2025

DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing flagships True Blonde Ale and Pink Vapor Stew are recognized as finalists among the 15 Years of Good Food Awards Finalists, a special tribute to past Good Food Awards winners who have earned the most votes from the awards’ prestigious judges. 

For the first time ever, the Good Food Awards collected ballots to determine finalists— more than 8,000 of ‘em—  from the public in support of their favorite producers who had previously won Good Food Awards. Ska’s True Blonde Ale was a winner in 2019; Pink Vapor Stew won in 2021, and again in 2023. 

“Ska Brewing has always been a big fan of the Good Food Foundation and their mission,” says Marketing Director Kristen Muraro. “It is an honor to be recognized as a finalist this year, and to be included among such great brewing companies."

Among a competitive pool of past winners, Ska has two-top scoring beers in this Community Choice vote for the 2025 Beer finalists category alongside three other beers from Fullsteam, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, and Maine Beer Co.. In total, 91 products from 86 companies are finalists in categories that also include wine, cider, grains, pickles, cheese, chocolate, and more. The 2025 Good Food Awards winners will be announced on June 28 at the Good Food Mercantile in New York City

Media interested in learning more about Ska Brewing’s achievements in the Good Food Awards can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Founded in the spirit of punk rock and a little bit of ska, Ska Brewing has been challenging the status quo and brewing beers that refuse to conform since 1995. From the iconic Mexican Logger to the rebellious Modus Hoperandi IPA, Ska Brewing is dedicated to crafting unforgettable beers and beverages that are as unique as the people who drink them. For more information, samples, or just to chat about how great peaches are, contact Ska Brewing at info@skabrewing.com or visit our website at www.skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing Releases A New Beer… That’s Not an IPA

DURANGO, CO– Just in time for the turn of the season, Ska Brewing presents a fruited rendition of its oldest and most decorated recipe, True Blonde Ale. Raspberry Blonde will tap for the first time at Ska on Friday and cans hit shelves across Ska markets next week. 

“Our last several big can releases might suggest otherwise, but we experiment with more than just hops,” jokes Ska CEO Dave Thibodeau. “In this case we’ve been excited for this fruit addition in our beloved True Blonde Ale, which goes as far back as the brewery does.” 

True Blonde Ale was Ska’s first brewed, tapped, and canned recipe. Over the years it has earned two World Beer Cup® awards and a Good Food Award from the Good Food Foundation. It has also been recognized at the Colorado State Fair, the LA County Fair,  the European Beer Star awards, the Australian International Beer Awards, and the L.A. International Beer Competition. Most recently True Blonde was awarded a 2021 Great American Beer Festival® medal in the English Ale category, bringing this beer’s GABF® award count up to five. 

Raspberry Blonde is crafted with subtle Cascade hop additions that balance the zest of the fruit in the recipe. At 5 percent ABV, it belongs in Ska’s wheelhouse of light-bodied, easy drinking ales and lagers like the classic Colorado Mexican-style lager, Mexican Logger, and its Grapefruit sister Rue B. Soho, Thibodeau adds. “It’s a colorful beer with vibrant, bright flavor notes.

Raspberry Blonde will tap on Friday, March 4 at Ska’s World Headquarters in Durango, Colorado. Canned 6 packs of the new beer join Ska’s year-round portfolio in all of its markets next week. 

Media assets for Raspberry Blonde Ale 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.

Tried and True, Ska Brewing’s True Blonde Ale Earns More Accolades at the 2021 Great American Beer Festival

Photo © Brewers Association

DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing’s True Blonde Ale earned a silver medal in the English Ale category at the 2021 Great American Beer Festival®.

The most prestigious professional beer competition in the country, GABF® scores brews on a tabulation scale, with winners landing gold, silver, and bronze placements if they stack up. In a competition featuring 9,680 beers in 97 categories, True Blonde’s silver medal distinguishes it as a beer that maintains close adherence to the style and displays excellent taste, aroma and appearance. 

Ska’s True Blonde is the oldest and most decorated beer recipes, already holding four GABF medals, and two World Beer Cup® awards. It has also been recognized at numerous other events, including the Colorado State Fair, the L.A. International Beer Competition, and the Good Food Awards.

True Blonde a crisp, medium-bodied blonde ale that is crafted with honey from Durango’s specialty honey producer, Honeyville. A little sweet and a lot delicious, True Blonde has established itself as a true staple in the world of American craft brewing.

“What a fantastic wrap up to an incredible week!” Dave Thibodeau, Ska’s Co-Founder and CEO, exclaimed during the GABF Awards Ceremony and a week after Ska celebrated its (25th and) 26th anniversary. “True Blonde was the very first beer we ever brewed and we poured our first two kegs exactly 26 years ago at Telluride Blues and Brews.”

For more information about Ska Brewing’s True Blonde Ale or any of Ska’s other award-winning beers, contact Emily Hutto at coop@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 including Modus Hoperandi, Mexican Logger, Euphoria and Pinstripe. For information (a lot of it), music, and a good time, visit skabrewing.com.

Ska Brewing Announces Brand Refresh; Rolls Out New Cans

DURANGO, CO— Fresh renditions of Ska Brewing Modus Hoperandi, Modus Mandarina, True Blonde Ale, Rue B. Soho, and Pink Vapor Stew cans are now hitting shelves across Ska’s distribution footprint as part of the company’s 2020 brand refresh.

Since Ska Brewing launched its brand 25 years ago, the comic book has always represented the company’s core values and mission. The company slogan characters brewing beers with character has come to life on Ska’s packaged brands, each can representing a different snippet of that original comic book story… until The Hazy IPA came along. 

When Ska debuted its first hazy beer in a can in 2019, they designed the artwork without a character or a punny name associated with the beer style as they have other year-round brands. Instead the artwork pops with bold colors and Ska’s trademark checkerboard stripe— a nod to the 2 Tone wave of Ska music— that wraps the can. These comic book elements ultimately inspired Ska’s entire can refresh, and can also be found on the design of Ska’s new canned seltzer line. 

Consistent with much of Ska’s other branding, the signature checkerboard stripe is included on each new can. While new cans will not feature characters from comic books, they will retain classic comic book elements such as the blamo and bold colors to really stand out on shelves. The new look will help provide a consistent and recognizable look across Ska’s family of brands. 

“We’ll never “rebrand” altogether because we feel branding is an evolution,” says Ska Brewing co-founder and CEO Dave Thibodeau. “We’ve been changing our brand since day one, but we’ll never stray too far from what it means to be Ska.” 

Find the same great Modus Hoperandi, Modus Mandarina, True Blonde Ale, Rue B. Soho, and Pink Vapor Stew recipes in new cans wherever you buy Ska beer. The brewery will announce more can artwork updates in coming months. 

For more information about Ska Brewing, 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 True Blonde Named 2019 Good Food Awards Finalist

DURANGO, CO— In November, Ska Brewing’s True Blonde, the brewery’s most decorated beer, was named a finalist for the 2019 Good Food Awards. 

2019 marks the ninth year for the Good Food Awards. This platform recognizes to tasty, authentic and responsible food producers in 16 categories: beer, spirits, cider, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, coffee, confections, fish, honey, oils, pantry, pickles, preserves, snacks and elixirs. This year’s competition saw 2035 entries. Ska True Blonde Ale is one of 21 of finalists in the Good Food Awards beer category, and the only brewery in the finalist list from Colorado.

Ska’s True Blonde is one of its oldest and most decorated beer recipes. It’s a crisp, medium-bodied blonde ale that is crafted with honey from Durango’s specialty honey producer, Honeyville. True Blonde has been the recipient of four Great American Beer Festival® medals and two World Beer Cup® awards. It has also been recognized at the Colorado State Fair, the LA County Fair,  the European Beer Star awards, the Australian International Beer Awards, and the L.A. International Beer Competition. 

The 2019 Good Food Awards winners will be announced on Friday, January 11, 2019, at a 1,000 person gala in the historic San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center, followed by two days of celebration including the public Good Food Awards Marketplace

For more information about Ska Brewing’s True Blonde Ale, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com. For more information about the Good Food Awards, contact Katherine Harris at katherine@goodfoodfdn.org.

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 including Modus Hoperandi, Mexican Logger, Euphoria and Pinstripe. For information (a lot of it), music, and a good time, visit skabrewing.com.

ABOUT GOOD FOOD AWARDS 

The Good Food Awards (GFA) celebrate exceptional American craft food and drink producers who create distinctive, handcrafted, and sustainable products. The GFA brings together thought leaders from every sector of the food industry to choose the most delicious products from all regions of the country in a blind tasting. Products are evaluated by region, allowing the GFA to showcase the rich variety of terroirs of the nation’s food culture, elevating craft producers with the ultimate aim of stimulating local food economies. After the tasting, high-scoring producers are closely vetted for compliance with GFA requirements for sustainable production practices. Winners and runners-up are evaluated by the Good Food Foundation and announced each January at the Awards Ceremony. Learn more at goodfoodfdn.org.