Ska Brewing Unleashes Two Bold New Brews and a Game-Changing 12-Pack Assortment
DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing Co. is excited to announce a double dose of refreshment with the release of two innovative new beers alongside a revamped packaging offering that brings fan-favorite seasonal brews into a year-round lineup.
Building on the popularity of Ska’s time-honored Mexican Logger, Lime Logger with Salt delivers a tangy, invigorating twist. This light, 5% ABV, crushable lager balances zesty lime with a subtle salinity— offering a crisp, refreshing flavor that evokes a sunny afternoon in a can.
“This new variant is a natural evolution of our Logger family,” said Ska President, Dave Thibodeau. “I always squeeze a lime into my original Mexican Logger anyway and now I can skip the step… getting me 2 or 3 seconds closer to my next beer.”
To celebrate this new release, Ska Brewing is launching a variety 12-pack that showcases the full Mexican Logger lineup:
Mexican Logger (Original) – The time-honored, refreshingly crisp lager that started it all in 1999.
Mexican-Style Cold IPA – A unique "Cold IPA" brewed with agave, offering a crisp and invigorating taste.
Lime Logger with Salt – The latest addition, combining bright lime flavors with subtle salinity.
No strangers to fruited IPA’s, Ska is pushing the boundaries with its second new release and most fruit-forward brew to date, Guava Stomper Juicy IPA. Guava Stomper pours a hazy pink hue, releasing vibrant aromas of tropical fruit and citrus. The flavor profile is dominated by juicy guava, complemented by citrusy hop notes, all balanced by a soft, pillowy mouthfeel that leads to a smooth, satisfying finish. It's a tropical vacation packed into a pint, transporting drinkers to paradise with every sip.
Six-packs of Guava Stomper and Lime Logger with Salt, as well as the complete Logger Variety 12-Pack are now available in all of Ska Brewing markets. These offerings underscore Ska's commitment to innovation and excellence in every can.
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.
Third Annual Krispy King Lager Competition at Barrels & Bottles Brewery To Kick Off 2024 Great American Beer Festival
What began as a pre-GABF gathering of some of Barrels & Bottles craft brewery buddies has become a highly anticipated celebration of world-class lagers that are light bodied, pale colored, and ridiculously enjoyably crispy.
GOLDEN, CO— What’s soon-to-be the most sought-after lager competition returns for the third year at Barrels & Bottles Brewery just before the 2024 Great American Beer Festival® (GABF). The Krispy King Lager Competition is going down on Wednesday, October 9th.
What began as a pre-GABF gathering of some of Barrels & Bottles craft brewery buddies has become a highly anticipated celebration of world-class lagers that are light bodied, pale colored, and ridiculously enjoyably crispy. In years past, the average ABV for beers on tap has been 4.8%. Barrels & Bottles Head Brewer Chris Munda calls it “a never ending search for excellence through crisp, delicious, palatable brew whilst celebrating togetherness.”
This year, 35 breweries are coming from coast to coast to compete in this esteemed competition judged by expert professional brewers. The list of breweries include several Colorado locals Cannonball Creek Brewing, Call To Arms Brewing, and Wibby Brewing; as well as Russian River Brewery, Live Oak Brewing, Green Bench Brewing, and pFriem Family Brewers— just to name a few. Find the complete list at krispykinglager.com.
The 2024 Krispy King Lager Competition is slated for Wednesday, October 9 from 3 to 7pm at Barrels & Bottles Brewery in Golden, Colorado at 1055 Orchard Street. The first, second, and third place competition winners will be announced at 6pm so guests have plenty of time to taste them before the event ends. To further boost FOMO, Trinity Cigar Mobile Lounge will be on site, Boss Battle Arcade Bus will offer free arcade games, Kneadful Rings will serve lager donuts, and TATtered-N-Torn will have a make your own trucker hat setup. Not to mention live music by Andy Eppler from 3 to 5pm, and A-Mac of Kash’d Out from 5 to 8pm. The Barrels & Bottles kitchen on site will be open with food specials, and there will also be wine and cocktails on tap.
Two small buses will be looping from the Denver Convention center to Barrels & Bottles during this event. Guests are also encouraged to travel safely via RTD Train Rail Station, Uber or Lyft, or designated drivers.
The Krispy King Lager Competition is open to the public and free to attend.
Media inquiring about this regal beer competition can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT BARRELS & BOTTLES BREWERY
Barrels & Bottles Brewery was formed in Abby and Zach George’s mind many years before they opened their first location in 2013. They met overseas and both found a passion for great people, food and drinks. Nowadays you can find them at their Camp George West location, either pouring you a beer, serving you food and or enjoying a pint with friends and neighbors. Learn more at barrelsbottles.com.
Lone Tree Brewing Wins Third GABF Medal For Mexican Lager
With 284 entries, Light Lager was the third highest entered category at this year’s competition
Photo © Brewers Association
LONE TREE, CO— Lone Tree Brewing is now a proud three-time recipient of medals in the Great American Beer Festival® (GABF) American Light Lager category.
The first of these medals was a silver in 2015. Then in 2017, Lone Tree became the first independently owned craft brewery to win gold in the style category. This lager’s easy-drinking 5.3% ABV and accolades have grown its fan fame over the years, and helped to popularize the Mexican Lager style. As of this summer, customers can now purchase this flagship in a 12-pack in Colorado and Kansas.
With 284 entries, Light Lager was the third highest entered category at this year’s competition and the most entered lager category.
“This category at GABF has exploded in recent years!,” says Lone Tree Founder John Winter. “We are excited to continue to build on the momentum we are seeing with light lagers in the market, and so proud to serve this award winning lager to our patrons as a company flagship.”
Media inquiring about Lone Tree Brewing Company can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT LONE TREE BREWING COMPANY
Lone Tree Brewing Company was the first brewery in Lone Tree, Colorado that opened near Park Meadows Mall in 2011. The neighborhood-focused, family-friendly brewery and tasting room regularly hosts community events that gather around a stylistically diverse lineup of flagship, seasonal, and limited release beers. Lone Tree’s cans are sold across the state of Colorado, and in select locations in Kansas. Its draft beer is poured at many bars and restaurants across its distribution footprint as well. Find the brewery online at lonetreebrewingco.com.
Lone Tree Brewing Is Ready For Oktoberfest
The Lone Tree Brewing Oktoberfest celebration is slated for Saturday, September 9. Find Lone Tree Oktoberfest in cans across Colorado.
LONE TREE, CO— Lone Tree Brewing Company’s Oktoberfest is tapped and canned for the season. This popular lager is now available across Colorado while supplies last.
This fan favorite lager is a traditional German-style Oktoberfest made with European malts and Hallertau Mittelfruh hops. It’s 5.5% ABV, malt-forward and amber-colored with rich toasty, bready flavors, minimal bitterness, and a dry finish. This recipe was inspired by Head Brewer Dennis O’Harrow’s time traveling in Germany.
Oktoberfest is available on tap and in canned 12oz. 6-packs at the brewery in Lone Tree, and at select locations in Colorado. Lone Tree Brewing will feature this beer and tap a Weizen to be served at the tasting room only during their 2023 Oktoberfest celebration slated for Saturday, September 9. Lager lovers can also find Lone Tree Oktoberfest at the Keystone Bluegrass & Brews Festival on August 7 and 8, and Castle Rock Oktoberfest on Saturday, September 16.
Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Lone Tree Brewing Co.
ABOUT LONE TREE BREWING CO.
Lone Tree Brewing Company was the first brewery to open in Lone Tree, Colorado in Denver’s South Metro area in 2011, and has remained a local staple for a decade. 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 Colorado, and in select locations in Kansas. Find the brewery online at lonetreebrewingco.com.
Ska Brewing Cajoles Cooler Temperatures With 2023 Oktoberfest Lager
Ska Brewing produces limited quantities of Oktoberfest Lager to share across its markets with ample time to stock up before fall celebrations begin.
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.
Lone Tree Brewing Releases Award-Winning Mexican Lager in 12-Packs
Mexican Lager is one of 11-year-old Lone Tree Brewing’s classic recipes that has undoubtedly helped to familiarize the Colorado beer market with this now trending lager style.
LONE TREE, CO— After fielding requests for more of its most popular recipe for years, Lone Tree Brewing is finally giving customers what they desire: 12-packs of Mexican Lager.
Mexican Lager is one of the 11-year-old brewery’s classic recipes that has undoubtedly helped to familiarize the Colorado beer market with this now trending lager style. Lone Tree Brewing first packaged this crowd favorite, formerly known as Summer Siesta on draft, after its 2015 Great American Beer Festival® (GABF) win. It earned a silver medal in the American Style Lager category that year, making Lone Tree the first craft brewery to win in that style category (followed closely by Sycamore Brewing who won a bronze medal in the category). In 2017, Lone Tree Mexican Lager received the gold medal, the first time an independent brewery has come out on top in this style category. The lager got a new look in 2018 when the brewery refreshed its branding.
“We’ve gotten requests to package Mexican Lager in an accessible 12-pack for years now,” says Lone Tree Brewing Sales & Marketing Director Dennis Stack. “We anticipated that craft lagers by the dozen would go on trend across the Colorado beer scene soon, and it seems that time is now… just in time to celebrate Cinco De Mayo and the longer days ahead.”
Mexican Lager 12-packs will join 6-packs of the famed lager on shelves across Colorado and in select locations in Kansas in coming weeks.
Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Lone Tree Brewing Co.
ABOUT LONE TREE BREWING CO.
Lone Tree Brewing Company was the first brewery to open in Lone Tree, Colorado in Denver’s South Metro area in 2011, and has remained a local staple for a decade. 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 Colorado, and in select locations in Kansas. Find the brewery online at lonetreebrewingco.com.
Bootleg Biology, Harding House Brewing Co., and Riverbend Malt House Present Inaugural Southern Lager Invitational During 2023 Craft Brewers Conference
Harding House and several other craft breweries in the South are currently fermenting lagers made with Riverbend malt and unique yeast strains from Bootleg Biology to serve at this innovative beer showcase.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE— Bootleg Biology, Harding House Brewing Co., and Riverbend Malt House have engaged the South’s leading tastemakers to craft their expressions of ‘Modern Southern Lager’ to kickoff the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) on Sunday, May 7 at Harding House Brewing Company in The Nations neighborhood of West Nashville.
So what is a Modern Southern Lager? Open to interpretation, this unofficial beer style tends to be a dry-finishing, lower-ABV beer with a big frothy head and a hint of corn sweetness that is counterbalanced by relatively assertive hop bitterness. It pairs well with sweltering heat.
Think of this style as an update to the Pre-Prohibition Lagers that relied on 6-row barley and flaked corn to provide a lighter alternative to the all malt lagers from Europe. Now, new 2-row winter barleys are flourishing across the South and malt companies like Asheville’s Riverbend Malt House are offering craft brewers access to high quality, locally-malted barley and corn that update this style with bolder flavors.
Riverbend and yeast laboratory Bootleg Biology have encouraged craft brewers across the South to brew their answer to the question ‘What is a Modern Southern Lager’ to serve at a celebration of long, cold fermentation at this upcoming CBC event. They’ve teamed up with host Harding House Brewing, whose dedication to local agriculture shines in unique beers brewed with plants native to Tennessee and partnerships with organizations aiming to shorten supply chains.
Harding House and several other craft breweries in the South are currently fermenting lagers made with Riverbend malt and unique yeast strains from Bootleg Biology— including ARL: The Southern Lager Yeast— to serve at this innovative beer showcase. “When it comes to Pilsner,” says Jeff Mello of Bootleg Biology, “The South has something to say. The lager movement is strong in our region, and it will be defined in the glass at this event.” Look for Czech, German, and American styles reimagined with local ingredients!
Here is the current brewery list:
BarrieHaus Beer Co.
Barrique Brewing & Blending
The Brutalist in collaboration with King State Beer
Cahaba Brewing Co.
Cellarest Beer Project
Cherry Street Brewing
DSSOLVR
East Nashville Beer Works
Fait La Force Brewing collaboration with Our Mutual Friend
Fonta Flora Brewery
Fullsteam Brewery
Harding House Brewing Co.
Inner Voice Brewing
Little Animals Brewery
New Anthem Beer Project
Sceptre Brewing Arts
Soul and Spirits Brewery
TennFold Brewing
The Southern Lager Invitational will take place on Sunday, May 7 at Harding House Brewing Co. from 7 to 10pm. All CBC participants get free entry with proof of conference participation. This inaugural event is made possible by sponsors Boelter, who are providing custom glassware for all participants, and Dynamark. Bad Luck Burger Club will be slinging their famous smash burgers. Frothy Monkey Bakery will bring breads to taste made from spent Southern Lager grain.
Media interested in attending and or covering the Southern Lager Invitational can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT BOOTLEG BIOLOGY
Bootleg Biology is a full-service yeast lab for professional brewers and homebrewers.
From our location in Nashville, TN, we’ve earned a reputation for creative cultures that meet the rigorous demands of a brewery while still satisfying brewers’ goals to push the envelope.
From crispy lagers and juicy IPAs to complex mixed fermentations, Bootleg has a culture for every brew. All of our yeast is made fresh, ensuring optimal viability and keeping you on schedule.
Our lab offers a wide range of quality control testing to ensure your product meets your high standards, including PCR testing for common contaminants, IBU testing, selective media plating and more.
ABOUT HARDING HOUSE BREWING CO.
Homebrewer-turned-brewmaster Nate Underwood brought his passion for local agriculture into his brewing style at Harding House Brewing Co. This brewery is named after the nickname given to a house he lived in on Harding Place here in Nashville, the place where the inspiration for the brewery originated. Co-owned by Matt Fung-A-Fat, Tyler Pate and Cameron Jones, Harding House strives to better the community in which it exists. This includes providing quality jobs and creating new agricultural economies. Harding House is committed to using the brewery as a place for the people of Nashville to gather and grow together. Learn more at hardinghousebrew.com.
ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE
Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malt house east of the Mississippi River, in Asheville, North Carolina in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 square foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com.
Ska Brewing Keeps Spring Tradition Alive With 2023 Mexican Logger Release, Including 12-Packs
Now two dozen years old, Ska Brewing Mexican Logger returns for 2023 on tap, in cans, and in a brand new 12-pack.
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
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.
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 Reports 2022 Impact; Previews New Sustainability Initiatives
Ska Brewing is coming off of a dynamic year in business engaged in the craft beer, music, art, biking, and local Southwest Colorado communities in which it is ingrained.
Photo of Ska’s xeriscaped beer garden courtesy The Brewtography Project
DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing is coming off of a dynamic year in business engaged in the craft beer, music, art, biking, and local Southwest Colorado communities in which it is ingrained— with even bigger plans to support its community with sustainability initiatives in 2023.
Here is Ska Brewing’s 2022 Year In Review.
BEER
In 2022, Ska Brewing brewed approximately 25,000 BBL of beer that was served on tap at the brewery World Headquarters and distributed nationwide. Ska’s distribution footprint grew to 11 states last year with the addition of Wyoming in the fall.
Ska debuted several new canned beers last year, such as the new age Checkered Future IPA that brought together old school hops and new brewing techniques; Raspberry Blonde Ale that gave a fresh take on a classic style; the Faceplant Lager brewed with Tailwind Nutrition electrolytes; and the Peppermint Bark Stout crafted with Animas Chocolate Company peppermint bark. The brewery also brought back famed mainstays Mexican Logger, Oktoberfest, Euphoria Pale Ale, and Mexican Lager Style Dark.
Up next in Ska’s canned beer lineup is The Ska Lager, a snappy, crisp, bright, and easy-drinking at only 4.8% ABV. This new no-nonsense offering will hit shelves in March.
MUSIC
Ska Brewing was born out of an affinity for music, which the brewery continues to stoke by hosting Ska, punk, and other relevant bands of all shapes and sizes to play at the brewery. The legendary third wave Ska group Hepcat and opener Rude Girl Revue traveled to Durango to perform an epic show at Ska’s 27th Anniversary Party and Brewer’s Invitational.
SOUTHWEST COLORADO
Ska was a proud supporter of many events that took place in its hometown Durango, Colorado— including Durango’s annual winter festival Snowdown, the 50th anniversary of The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, the Durango Independent Film Festival, Animas River Days, Downtown 4th of July Celebration, Singlespeed Cyclocross World Championships, Thirsty 13 and many more.
Ska partnered with Fort Lewis College on multiple efforts, including a hop biotransformation research project that yielded the Skyhawk Single Hop IPA; and a hard seltzer branding deep dive with the Fennell-Saegert Student Marketing Agency.
Each year, Ska donates upwards of $50,000 in product, money and time to nonprofits organizations such as La Plata Open Space Conservancy, Manna Soup Kitchen, Fort Lewis College, United Way, KSUT, KDUR, Women’s Resource Center, LaPlata County Humane Society, and Trails 2000, among many others.
Ska Distributing continued to serve the Southwest Colorado market by bringing craft beer brands to the area from across the state and beyond, including new auditions to the portfolio: Bruz Beers and Weldwerks Brewing Co.
COMMUNITY
Outside of its hometown, Ska engaged with the beer community at large through collaborations with Living The Dream Brewing in Littleton, Colorado and Manhattan Brewing in Manhattan, Kansas.
Beyond beer and music, Ska is passionate about art— especially art that showcases Ska music. During the Ska anniversary weekend in September, Ska hosted San Diego-based artist Nan Coffey for an art show that brewery visitors can still peruse on the second floor of the building.
Beyond beer, music, and art, Ska is passionate about biking. The brewery was a sponsor for Rides & Vibes in Grand Junction, the Fruita Fat Tire Festival, and 12 Hours Mesa Verde, among others. This year, Ska is stoked to be the official beer of the Session Series, Triple Bypass, Salida76, and Beti Bike Bash by Team Evergreen Cycling.
SUSTAINABILITY
Ska has long committed to reducing waste and developing brewery and distribution systems that minimize its carbon footprint— from recycled jeans in the walls as insulation and reused bowling alley wood as tables, to solar panels, solar lighting, wind energy credits, and recycling of all cardboard, paper, plastic, glass and metal waste. Ska was one of the first craft breweries in the country to package its beer in infinitely recyclable aluminum cans, and now has many packaging systems in place to further conserve resources, including Ionized air rinse instead of water rinsing and an efficient, on-demand, de-aerated water system. These are just a few of Ska’s sustainability programs that the brewery is constantly improving upon.
In 2023, Ska is pleased to continue these efforts alongside the implementation of two sizable and unprecedented sustainability initiatives. The brewery is installing a machine that will allow for the transition of all can collars from plastic to paperboard, making Ska one of the first breweries ever to utilize this equipment in the move away from plastic packaging materials.
Secondly, Durango’s Table To Farm Compost will now be the recipient of all of Ska’s spent grain. This transition from cattle feed and landfill to compost will reduce methane emissions and align with Ska’s commitment to local partnerships.
Ska will publish more information about these efforts in coming weeks.
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 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
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.
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.
Lone Tree Pilsner and Oktoberfest Cans Hit Colorado Shelves
Lone Tree Brewing small-batch German-style lagers available in cans, both available across Colorado while supplies last.
LONE TREE, CO— Lone Tree Brewing Company recently released two small-batch German-style lagers in cans, both available across Colorado while supplies last.
First up is the return of Pilsner cans. This classic style is one of the crowd favorites to come out of Lone Tree’s lager program. Its crispness differentiates it from the company flagship Mexican Lager, and makes for a quenching, repeatable summer beer at only 5.3% ABV. Pilsner malt and two additions of Hallertau hops comprise this simple recipe brewed to traditional German-style.
Next up, Oktoberfest, is another Lone Tree draft-turned-canned recipe. This 5.5% ABV malt-forward, amber-colored lager has a rich toasty, bready flavor, minimal bitterness, and a dry finish. Like Pilsner, it’s a recipe inspired by Head Brewer Dennis O’Harrow’s time across the pond.
Lone Tree Pilsner and Oktoberfest are available on tap at bars and restaurants and in canned 6-packs across Colorado. Brewery visitors can also taste these beers on tap and purchase 6-packs or Crowlers to-go, all while supplies last.
Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Lone Tree Brewing Co.
ABOUT LONE TREE BREWING CO.
Lone Tree Brewing Company was the first brewery to open in Lone Tree, Colorado in Denver’s South Metro area in 2011, and has remained a local staple for a decade. 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 Colorado, and in select locations in Kansas. Find the brewery online at lonetreebrewingco.com.
Ska Brewing Oktoberfest Returns, In July
This award-winning German-style lager will tap for its fifth season at Ska Brewing World Headquarters on Wednesday, July 27 and hit shelves in 6-packs this week.
DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing is ready for Oktoberfest early this year— blame it on the early fall colors to be found in the San Juan Mountains that the brewery calls home. This award-winning German-style lager will tap for its fifth season at the brewery World Headquarters on Wednesday, July 27 and hit shelves in 6-packs this week.
Ska’s Oktoberfest was late to the German lager party when they first debuted this beer in 2018, but they quickly made up for lost time in accolades. The first batch of Oktoberfest that came out in a can earned a gold medal at Great American Beer Festival® in the Vienna-style Lager category that year, and has since been honored at the European Beer Star and The Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival.
Made with all-European Munich and Vienna malts and classic German lagering techniques, this autumnal amber-brown beauty is nutty, bready, and toasty with a clean, neutral yeast flavor on the finish.
Oktoberfest season begins at Ska Brewing on Wednesday, July 27 where fans can count on this Vienna-style lager to stick around a little longer this year. The 2022 batch is scaled up to allocate more draft and canned 6-packs across Ska’s national markets for the fall season, too.
For more information about Ska Brewing’s internationally recognized craft lager program, 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.
Living The Dream Brewing High Line Pilsner Hits Cans
Living The Dream High Line Pilsner cans available across Colorado through Colorado Craft Distributors.
LITTLETON, CO.– Living The Dream Brewing is excited to can one of its taproom favorites for the first time. Six-packs of 12oz. High Line Pilsner are now available across Colorado.
High Line Pilsner is named for the 71-mile High Line Canal trail that connects communities across the Denver Metropolitan area’s most dense population with 27 walkable, equestrian and bike-friendly segments. At 5% ABV, this crisp, clean craft lager is an ideal aprés-adventure beer.
High Line Pilsner is the first of a canned German-style lager series at Living The Dream. It was first brewed two years ago, and its taproom popularity has only grown from there. Recent distribution expansion through Colorado Craft Distributors created an opportunity for the brewery to bring this fan favorite to a wider audience.
Living The Dream uses photographs as beer labels, many of which are taken by part-time photographer and full-time brewery General Manager Michael Acerra. "So I wanted to evoke that magical feeling of seeing a gorgeous sunset while riding your bike or hiking on a beautiful trail,” he says. “Almost like you have to pinch yourself to make sure this is real.”
Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Living The Dream Brewing. Download press assets here.
ABOUT LIVING THE DREAM BREWING CO.
Living the Dream Brewing is a craft brewery established in 2014 in Littleton, our home base for adventure in Colorado. Built on a foundation of brewing beer using only the finest ingredients, Living the Dream celebrates the people, places, and activities of the Centennial State. Live the life you've imagined, and join us at livingthedreambrewing.com.
The Empourium Brewing Wins 2022 World Beer Cup Medal For Atari’s Lantern Rice Lager
Berkeley Neighborhood Brewery Recognized at Global Beer Competition
DENVER, CO— The Empourium Brewing Company is beyond stoked to announce their recent win at the 2022 World Beer Cup® in the American-Style Lager category.
On the heels of a successful third anniversary celebration, this local brewery in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood continues celebrating with their first win in this prestigious global beer competition. This year, an international panel of 226 beer judges from 28 countries selected the winners for the largest World Beer Cup competition to date with 10,542 entries from 2,493 breweries in 57 countries. The American-Style Lager category had 100 entries.
The Empourium’s Atari’s Lager is a 4.8% ABV, easy-drinking Pilsner that employs flaked and Jasmine rice for about a third of its grist. It’s a lightly hopped, crisp and delicate craft lager that finishes dry. Its namesake is a reference to the Wes Anderson movie Isle of Dogs and like all of The Empourium’s beers, named out of pop culture inspiration and connectability with their customers. “If you've been to the Berkeley neighborhood, you know that it often feels like there are just as many dogs then there are people walking around,” says Co-Founder and Head Brewer Greg Fetzer. “About anytime you walk into the taproom or patio you'll see multiple of our furry neighborhood friends hanging out and we love it. This name and label was for all those goofballs.”
Notably, this batch of Atari’s Lantern is the first one that The Empourium has served. “That'll obviously have to change,” Fetzer says, explaining that a fresh batch is scheduled into the brew schedule this week. Fans will have to wait patiently for it to tap in approximately eight weeks, though they’ll never rush a batch… ever, he adds.
“Lagers are incredibly subtle and delicate beers that require attention to detail and a whole hell of a lot of patience. You don't have loads of hops or fruit to hide behind,” Fetzer says. “As a brewer when you release a light lager, you're really putting yourself out there saying ‘hey, here is what I can do’.” He and his team huddled behind a laptop in the back of the brewhouse on a busy Thursday night to catch the World Beer Cup awards, and they couldn’t be prouder to produce a beer recognized at this level.
Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about The Empourium Brewing Co. or Atari’s Lantern Rice Lager.
ABOUT THE EMPOURIUM BREWING CO.
Located in the heart of Denver’s Berkeley Neighborhood, The Empourium is a gathering place for all— patrons and beer styles alike. Armed with true to style recipes and local pride, owners Greg and Sara Fetzer, Mike Cugini, and Justin Vallely focus their efforts to craft a warm, lively community hub centered around balanced, sessionable beers guaranteed to bring people together. Visit The Empourium at 4385 W. 42nd Avenue or online at theempourium.com
Ska Brewing and Steamworks Brewing Craft Lager With Electrolytes To Celebrate 50 Years of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic
Durango craft breweries Ska Brewing and Steamworks Brewing Co. collaborate on Faceplant beer for local bike race with Tailwind Nutrition electrolytes
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
Ska Brewing Mexican Logger Is Back For the 23rd Patio Season
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 Mexican-Style Lager Dark Returns
Mexican-Style Lager Dark returns today, and will be available through the cold season.
DURANGO, CO– The days of seasonal disappointment over the loss of Ska Brewing Mexican Logger are over. Mexican-Style Lager Dark returns today, and will be available through the cold season.
Smooth and malty, this dark-colored lager is balanced with a mild bitterness from Tettnang, Cascade, and Saaz hops. Subtle caramel flavors and a touch of roast on the finish round it all out, giving it that warm darkness perfect for the chillier days ahead.
“We knew we needed an easy-drinking beer that could hold its own in the fall and winter months when Mexican Logger goes into hibernation,” says Ska Brewing COO Steve Breezley. “We spent three winters perfecting Mexican-Style Lager Dark— a true labor of love, and of lagers.”
In traditional Ska fashion, this tasting room favorite necessitated availability in a can. Following a brief late-season appearance in 2021, this fall marks Mexican-Style Lager Dark’s full-season debut. It will now be available until Mexican Logger returns in the spring. Look for it across Ska’s nine-state distribution starting October 5. The beer is on tap at Ska’s World Headquarters in Durango through fall and winter.
Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com for more information about Ska Brewing and Mexican-Style Lager Dark’s return.
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.
Munich’s Oktoberfest is Cancelled Again, Ska Brewing German-Style Lager Returns Nonetheless
Oktoberfest lovers across the country can find this beer in six-packs of 12-ounce cans in one of Ska’s 11 distribution states while limited supplies last.
DURANGO, CO— Oktoberfest in Munich may be cancelled for the second year in a row, but Ska Brewing is here to fill the void— or at least fill pints of their award-winning German-style Lager while supplies last. This famed lager will tap at Ska’s World Headquarters in Durango on Friday, July 30.
Although the cancelling of Oktoberfest because of COVID-19 leaves a bitter taste in one’s mouth, this beer is anything but. This malt-forward, easy drinking craft lager is made with 100 percent German-sourced Munich and Vienna malts that yield amber-brown color with nutty, bready, toasty notes. It finishes clean with a neutral yeast flavor. Here’s what some of Colorado’s media outlets have to say about this beer:
“Not only did this malty brew — nutty, clean and with just a touch of rounded sweetness — manage to set itself apart in a category that already includes a wide variety of stellar examples of Vienna-style lagers, especially in Colorado, but it won gold at the Great American Beer Festival®.” – Denver Westword
“A pointed caramelized-sugar, floral, and burnt-crust nose offers a hearty swagger. The sip follows through with big but dry well-toasted bread, an earthy hop through line, and a heavily toasted light bitter malt finish.” — Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine
The first batch of Oktoberfest that came out in a can in 2018 struck gold with the recipe at the Great American Beer Festival® in the Vienna-style Lager category. It has also been honored at the European Beer Star and The Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival.
Ska will kick off Oktoberfest season Friday, July 30 at 4pm at its World Headquarters, where The Container Restaurant will serve German-style brats to boot. Next week, Oktoberfest lovers across the country can find this beer in six-packs of 12-ounce cans in one of Ska’s 11 distribution states while limited supplies last.
For more information about Ska’s Oktoberfest, 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 that include True Blonde, Modus Hoperandi and Rue B. Soho. For information, music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.
Fermly and Elevation Beer Co. Collaborate on Japanese-Inspired Rice Lager
Kintsugi is a rice-based beer fermented with saké yeast and brewed with lychee fruit.
PONCHA SPRINGS, CO— Fermly, an independent lab for brewers based in Denver, is excited to announce another collaboration beer, Kintsugi, a rice lager brewed with their friends at Elevation Beer Company that tapped this week.
This unique take on a hybrid fermentation incorporates saké yeast and Elevation’s houser lager yeast strain. With a 50% jasmine rice based grain bill, the beer is a classic rice lager through and through. After fermentation, the team added lychee fruit to this lager to impart a light sweetness to support the characteristics of this solid crispy boi.
Kintsugi is inspired not only by the yeast, but also a time-honored philosophy. Originating from the Japanese pottery technique that repairs cracks with gold-dusted lacquer, it is a celebration that something is more beautiful because it has broken. “As we enter into the first summer after a pandemic, it is fitting to acknowledge the difficulties every person and business has gone through and that although it wasn’t easy, we are all better for it,” says Fermly Co-Founder Emily Wang.
Elevation Beer Co. guests can now sip Kintsugi Rice Lager on tap and purchase it in 12 oz. cans to-go while supplies last.
Contact Emily Hutto with media inquiries about Fermly and their collaboration beers at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT FERMLY
Fermly is an independent quality lab designed by brewers, for brewers, complete with a data platform for tracking information from batch to batch. Launched in Denver by former brewery owner Danny and TTB-certified chemist Emily Wang, Fermly serves brewing companies of all sizes across the country who need and value QA/QC with customized lab services, an innovative subscription approach to lab work, and data privacy protection. Fermly know your craft. Visit www.fermly.com to learn more.
ABOUT ELEVATION BEER CO.
Proudly operating in the remote mountain town of Poncha Springs, Elevation Beer Co. is more than just a beer company— it’s a family, a community, and a collective of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Dedicated to creating sustainable, meaningful careers in rural Colorado, we take the preservation of our home as seriously as we do the quality of our beer. Taste the flagship 8 Second Kolsch and a lineup of other usual suspects and seasonals at Elevation’s tasting room, and in canned 6-packs across Colorado. Go higher at elevationbeerco.com.