Ska Brewing Decks Out World Headquarters Roof With 223 Solar Panels
The brewery has partnered with Durango’s Shaw Solar to install a grid-tied solar power system on as much of the surface area of its roof as possible.
photo by Shaw Solar
DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing is excited to announce the installation of 223 solar panels courtesy of Shaw Solar at its World Headquarters, just in time for Summer Solstice. These new solar panels will generate enough energy to brew approximately 545,000 pints each year.
The brewery has partnered with Durango’s Shaw Solar to install a grid-tied solar power system on as much of the surface area of its roof as possible— 68 kilowatts from 223 panels to be exact.
These new solar panels join the insulation in the brewery’s walls made out of blue jeans, the bar and tables made from bowling alley lanes, and grass and flowers quenched by recycled water at Ska’s World Headquarters as part of the company’s long-term sustainability plan. They will provide about a quarter of the brewery’s electricity. The rest is wind-powered.
“This project with Shaw was a long time coming,” says Ska Founder Dave Thibodeau. “We’ve always aligned our company mission with sustainability efforts, especially those that directly impact Durango. Now we can proudly say that our independently owned craft brewery is independent from the grid.”
Ska Brewing’s new solar panel installation is now complete, and brewery guests can celebrate at this evening’s Sol-BQ event at World Headquarters with some live punk/ska music from Warsaw Poland Bro that begins at 5pm.
If you have questions about Ska’s new solar panels, or any of its sustainability initiatives, 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 Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.
ABOUT SHAW SOLAR
Shaw Solar is Durango's leading full-service solar contracting company, specializing in both residential and commercial projects. Known for their creative solar solutions, Shaw Solar has spent the past two decades bringing "Solar Power to the People", and as a result has installed roughly half of the solar in our area, including LPEA's first grid-tied system back in 2001 and first Solar Garden in 2015. Learn more at shawsolar.com.
Ska Brewing Initiates Save The San Juans Saturday on June 23 to Support 416 Fire Relief
This Saturday June 23, breweries across the state are encouraged to donate funds from pint sales to Durango’s Community Emergency Relief Fund. The fundraising goal for the fund is $500,000.
DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing has organized Save the San Juans Saturday to support relief efforts for the 416 fire in Durango. This Saturday June 23, breweries across the state are encouraged to donate funds from pint sales to Durango’s Community Emergency Relief Fund (CERF). The fundraising goal for the fund is $500,000.
This Saturday, June 23 one dollar from every pint sold at Ska Brewing will be donated to CERF. The brewery has initiated Save The San Juans Saturday to catalyze statewide brewery support. More than 25 brewing companies, bars, and restaurants have joined the effort.
Odell Brewing will donate $1 from every pint of Colorado Lager sold in its Fort Collins and RiNo Denver homes to fire relief on Saturday, too.
From now through Saturday, one dollar from every Oskar Blues pint sold at the Oskar Blues Brewery Longmont and Oskar Blues Boulder taprooms will support the fund. All sales of CANundrum mixed 12-packs sold to-go from Oskar Blues’ Boulder and Longmont taprooms will be donated as well. “Oskar Blues and SKA are cut from the same unconventional ColoRADo cloth and have built our breweries in places we love to play in the outdoors. Hell, you can’t spell oSKAr without SKA. We’re proud to help lead the charge in helping their community respond to the 416 fire with a week of fundraising at our taprooms,” says Chad Melis, Marketing Director for Oskar Blues Brewery.
From now through the end of June, New Belgium Brewing is matching tips and donations in its Fort Collins tasting room.
The current list of companies participating in Save The San Juans Saturday is on the following page. All fundraiser details are listed here. Breweries interested in hosting events or fundraisers can email kristen@skabrewing.com for more information.
For more information about Ska Brewing or its fire relief efforts, 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 Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.
Barrels & Bottles Brews 300th Batch
Barrels & Bottles’ former head brewers returned to the brewery to craft Dusty Bottoms, a special Berliner Weisse with tamarind fruit that will tap Thursday, June 21.
L-R. Former head brewers Shaun Salyards, Cory Carvatt, and current head brewer Greg Moore share a pint.
GOLDEN, CO — Barrels & Bottles Brewery celebrated their 300th brew in May with a little help from their friends. Former head brewers Shaun Salyards (head brewer of Red Truck Brewing in Fort Collins, CO) and Cory Carvatt (head brewer of Little Machine in Denver, CO) returned to the brewery to team up with current head brewer Greg Moore and craft Dusty Bottoms, a special Berliner Weisse using tamarind, a sweet and sour fruit indigenous to the tropics of Africa. The brewery will release Dusty Bottoms on Thursday, June 21 with plans to release a tequila barrel-aged variant of the beer later this year for their 5th anniversary in September.
"The plan is to use the acidity of the tamarind to provide the tartness that is traditionally in a Berliner Weisse," explains Moore. "That being said, if the non-barrel aged version lacks the desired tartness we may decide to sour it in the barrel... There's a lot up in the air with this beer but it's exciting to still be experimenting after 300 brews."
After five years and 300 brews, Barrels & Bottles has seen its fair share of experimentation and challenges along the way. "On our first brew, we clogged everything with the hops." reminisces original head brewer Shaun Salyards. "I was here until nearly 3:00 in the morning cleaning everything and figuring out how things worked and Zach George (Barrels & Bottles Co-Owner) was right there with me the whole time. It's great to work in a place where the owners care."
"This place is small but we've made it work," Moore adds. "It's come a long way in the past 300 brews."
ABOUT BARRELS & BOTTLES BREWERY
Zach and Abby George opened Barrels & Bottles on 12th Street in downtown Golden in October 2013. The brewpub has 27 beer taps, 24 wines on tap, and a slushie machine for serving its infamous wine slushies. Barrels & Bottles also serves farm-fresh food menu with cheese platters, baguettes, and various beer-friendly small plates. The brewpub was named Golden Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year in 2014. Find Barrels & Bottles online at barrelsbottles.com.
Thirsty Monk and Baere Brewing Collaborate on Grisette Project
The first beer of a Grisette collaboration between Thirsty Monk and Baere Brewing Co. will release at Thirsty Monk’s Denver brewery this week.
Baere Brewing Co-Founder Ryan Skeel (left) and Thirsty Monk Head Brewer Brian Grace sample their Grisette collaboration
DENVER, CO — The first beer of a Grisette collaboration between Thirsty Monk and Baere Brewing Co. will release at Thirsty Monk’s Denver brewery this week.
Earlier in May, Thirsty Monk and Baere Brewing created a Grisette using early spring chit malt with Landrace hops and Dandelions picked fresh from the grassy areas around Thirsty Monk’s Uptown neighborhood before adding them to the kettle. Two weeks later the Thirsty Monk and Baere teams brewed the same recipe on Baere’s brewhouse on South Broadway and blended it with a few barrels of the original batch. This beer will age in fourth-use Cognac barrels that have also held Laws Whiskey until it tastes tart and delicious. Thirsty Monk will tap its fresh and dry hopped version of this beer this week.
“A grisette, in essence, is like a saison— at least the saisons that we and Thirsty Monk enjoy drinking: low alcohol, dry finishing,” says Kevin Greer, Co-Owner at Baere.
“At Thirsty Monk we put a spotlight on how great food and beer can pair together and even have a gold medal-winning Table Beer to show for it,” says Head Brewer Brian Grace. “I wanted to expand on the sessionable and refreshing beer styles we offer that pair well with food and I have always been a fan of Baere’s ability to pull off such big flavor in a small format. I am excited to be able to offer two very different versions of Grisette, one young, fresh and hop forward and one aged in oak for a tart, refreshing and complex beer making two different food pairings.”
Grisette is a beer style originally brewed in Belgium’s Hainaut province— traditionally with spring chit barley malt and malted wheat and a prominent hop profile. It’s a sessionable style that pairs well with just about anything at the table.
The Cognac barrels, where Baere Monk is currently aging, first housed this beer during its fermentation. It will be available in bottles at Baere in coming months.
For more information about this collaboration, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT THIRSTY MONK
Founded in 2008 Thirsty Monk currently operates four locations in Asheville, North Carolina including Thirsty Monk Downtown, Thirsty Monk Biltmore Park, Top of the Monk Craft Cocktail Bar, Brother Joe’s Coffee Pub, as well as its newly renovated Portland, OR location and its Denver brewery and tasting room where the bulk of its brewing operation occurs. Find the company online at monkpub.com.
ABOUT BAERE BREWING CO.
Founded in 2014, Baere Brewing is a small 2.5 Barrel Brewhouse proudly residing in a strip mall in the Baker District of Denver, Colorado. Baere’s love for all styles of beer is reflected in their tap and bottle list. Everyone can find something they love ranging from Saisons to IPAs to Barrel Aged Sour beer. Baere is committed to supporting local products, sustainable solutions, community endeavors, and all around good time. Find them online at baerebrewing.com.
Fight Fire 416 With Beer: Ska Brewing Donates Beer To Stimulate Durango Economy
“We want drinking Ska beer to be one more way you can support this cause, so we made it available absolutely everywhere in town,” Thibodeau says.
DURANGO, CO— Today Ska Brewing donates the equivalent of a keg of beer to almost every beer-serving establishment in Durango and Silverton, Colorado in response to the 416 fire. These donations are intended to support beer tourism this summer that will help to keep locals employed. Ska is also encouraging breweries across the state to host fundraisers on Save the San Juans Saturday, slated for June 23.
“The San Juan National Forest is currently closed, our local open space is closed, and the train isn’t running,” says Ska Brewing Founder and long-time Durango resident Dave Thibodeau. “We’re a tourism economy and we lean heavily on the busy summer months, so we all suffer from the fires and subsequent closings. We don’t have cash to give in support, but we do have beer— and lots of it.”
Ska Brewing has accordingly donated the equivalent of a keg of beer to almost every on-premise account in Durango and Silverton, and two cases of beer to each off-premise account to support beer tourism and awareness of 416 fire relief efforts. “We want drinking Ska beer to be one more way you can support this cause, so we made it available absolutely everywhere in town,” Thibodeau says. “Beer itself won’t put this fire out, but damnit I’d hook up the world’s longest hose to one of our tanks if it did.”
Durango and Silverton residents and visitors can help fight fire with beer by purchasing Ska beers from these establishments, and continuing to spend tourism dollars through summer months.
Breweries across the state have volunteered to support 416 fire relief. In collaboration with Oskar Blues Brewery, efforts are underway at Ska Brewing to organize Save the San Juans Saturday. Next Saturday June 23, breweries across the state are encouraged to donate funds from pint sales to the Community Emergency Relief Fund. This organization has raised more than $80,000 for fire relief, and hopes to raise $500,000. Breweries interested in participating can email kristen@skabrewing.com for more information.
Cheers to Ska’s friends at Durango Brewing, who are donating $1 from every pint sale between June 15 and 22 to the Wildland Firefighters Foundation.
“There are a lot of great efforts underway to support this effort. We felt we could have the most impact by supporting the businesses that have supported us,” says Thibodeau. “We want to keep people employed this summer.”
For more information about Ska Brewing or its fire relief efforts, 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 Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.
Thirsty Monk To Celebrate Grand Opening in Portland Friday, June 15
Thirsty Monk’s Head Brewer Brian Grace visited Portland to brew the company’s first Oregon-brewed recipe with Portland brewer Carston Haney.
photo by Ryan Wheaton
PORTLAND, OR— Thirsty Monk, brewer of Belgian-Rooted Modern Ales and operator of world-recognized craft beer bars, will debut its Portland location on Friday, June 15 with a tapping of the first Portland-brewed Thirsty Monk brew.
Thirsty Monk is located in the former Bazi Bierbrasserie space, which joined the Thirsty Monk, Inc. family of breweries and pubs in December 2017. Thirsty Monk has since renovated the space, adding Monk touches such as wooden pew benches, artwork of Monks and monasteries, comfortable wooden swivel barstools, and a statue of Brussels’ famous Manneken Pis which will feature rotating game-day soccer scarves to honor Bazi’s Soccer Bar history and patrons.
“While Thirsty Monk expanding across to the Northwest might sound like a far reach, it actually feels more like coming home,” says CEO Barry Bialik about the Asheville-born company that also operates a brewhouse in Denver, Colorado. Bialik designed the original Thirsty Monk Belgian Bar in downtown Asheville based on his favorite Northwest pubs from his years spent living in Seattle and Anchorage, Alaska, and his wife moved to Asheville after 17 years in Portland. “Some of our nearest and dearest friends live here, and my brother and his family moved here to manage the Thirsty Monk,” continues Bialik.
Thirsty Monk’s Head Brewer Brian Grace, who is based in Denver, recently visited Portland to brew the company’s first Oregon-brewed recipe with well-respected Portland brewer Carston Haney. This beer, a flagship Abby Blonde, will be on tap along with nine other Thirsty Monk beers to celebrate Thirsty Monk’s Portland grand opening on Friday, June 15 at 4pm. Thirsty Monk Portland will also be debuting its new Food Menu featuring our expertly beer-style paired burgers and Food Flights.
For more information about Thirsty Monk, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT THIRSTY MONK
Founded in 2008, Thirsty Monk currently operates four locations in Asheville, North Carolina including Thirsty Monk Downtown, Thirsty Monk Biltmore Park, Top of the Monk Craft Cocktail Bar, and Brother Joe’s Coffee Pub, Thirsty Monk in Denver, and the former Bazi Bierbrasserie just off Hawthorne Street along Southeast 32nd Avenue in Portland, OR. Find the company online at monkpub.com.
Ska Brewing Announces Anniversary Music Lineup, with Headliner Big D and the Kids Table
This year’s guests can look forward to some gritty, witty ska-punk-stroll-dub anthems by Big D and The Kids Table, as well as performances by the Doped Up Dollies and more
photo courtesy Big D and the Kid's Table
DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing will host its 23rd anniversary on Saturday, September 8, 2018. Thirty five of Ska’s closest brewery friends will pour specialty beers at this event, which will feature music headliner Big D and the Kids Table. Tickets to Ska’s anniversary party go on sale June 11 at 9am MST via Brown Paper Tickets and at the brewery while supplies last.
This annual beer and music festival at Ska Brewing’s World Headquarters (225 Girard St, Durango, CO 81303) sells out every year. This year’s guests can look forward to some gritty, witty ska-punk-stroll-dub anthems by Big D and The Kids Table out of Boston, as well as performances by the Doped Up Dollies and a yet-to-be-announced third band.
“It’s our goal to collaborate with a breadth of ska-inspired bands, and on year 23 we hope to bring some fresh sound to town” says Ska Brewing Founder Dave Thibodeau about Big D and the Kids Table, who brings their lively sound to Durango this fall. “We are excited to have these guys and gals play at the brewery for the first time.”
This anniversary celebration will also include pours from Telluride Brewing, Left Hand Brewing, Stone Brewing, Marble Brewing, and more than 30 others, as well as special beer releases from Ska. Tickets cost $45 per person and includes a commemorative pint glass, tasters of all of the beers and live music, of course. All proceeds for this celebration go to La Plata Open Space Conservancy.
For more information about Ska Brewing or its infamous anniversary celebration, 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 Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, Rue B. Soho and the Mod Project— beers with varying levels of tartness to complement the blend of local fruits used in producing them. For information (a lot of it), music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.
ABOUT BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE
Big D and the Kids Table has paved their own way spreading their music to The States, England, Europe, Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, Australia and South East Asia since their beginning in 1996. Starting as a ska-punk band they have released more than 13 albums ranging styles of dub, thrash, reggae and their own concoction Stroll: hopscotch, double-dutch, northern soul. Find the band online at bigdandthekidstable.com.
Lone Tree Brewing Co. CancerBlows Beer + Whiskey Dinner Tickets Now On Sale
Performing at this benefit will be Ryan Anthony, Principle Trumpet in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and the H2 Big Band.
Photo: 2017 Cancer Blows dinner at Lone Tree Brewing Company
Lone Tree, CO — Tickets for the 2018 Lone Tree Brewing Co. CancerBlows Beer + Whiskey Dinner are now on sale. This annual benefit will feature live music by Ryan Anthony and the H2 Big Band, and a special beer and whiskey dinner that will be held on Friday, July 6 at Snooze an A.M. Eatery (10002 Commons Street, Lone Tree, CO). This is the first year the event will be held outside of the Lone Tree Brewing Co. tasting room.
Doors for this event will open at 5:30pm and dinner begins at 6pm. Guests will be served four courses expertly curated by chefs from Snooze an A.M. Eatery and Suga Me Sweet of Highlands Ranch, paired with whiskey from Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey, an IPA collaboration with Cannonball Creek, and select beers from Lone Tree Brewing Co.
Performing at this benefit will be Ryan Anthony, Principle Trumpet in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and the H2 Big Band, a world class jazz ensemble fronted by the Denver-based trumpeter Al Hood and pianist Dave Hanson. Music will begin at 8pm on the patio after dinner with cocktails available for purchase.
Tickets for the 2018 CancerBlows Beer + Whiskey Dinner are $80 each and can be purchased at eventbrite.com along with sponsorship options, and at the Lone Tree Brewing Co. tasting room now through July 6 while supplies last.
If you would like more information about the Brews for CancerBlows dinner, the CancerBlows IPA collaboration with Cannonball Creek Brewing Company, or Lone Tree’s partnership with The Ryan Anthony Foundation, contact Emily Hutto at coop@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 and 22-ounce bombers are sold across the state of Colorado, as well as Kansas and Nebraska. Its draft beer is poured at many bars and restaurants in its distribution footprint as well. Find the brewery online at lonetreebrewingco.com.
ABOUT CANCERBLOWS
In 2013 43-year-old Dallas Symphony Orchestra trumpeter Ryan Anthony was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a terminal bone marrow cancer that typically appears in patients aged 70 and older. Ryan’s musical community rallied around him and when they offered support, he jokingly replied that “we’ll all play a concert when I am healthy again and we’ll call it 'Cancer Blows'”. Ryan is now in remission, and the joke morphed into The Ryan Anthony Foundation, who in 2015 put on CancerBlows, a once-in-a-lifetime musical event bringing together the most famous trumpet players in the world. The event raised more than $1 million with all of the net proceeds donated to the Baylor Health Care Research Foundation and Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation that work toward a cure for cancer. Visit CancerBlows online at cancerblows.com.
Peach Street Distillers Releases Beer Schnapps Distilled With Ska Brewing Modus Hoperandi IPA
Bier Schnapps crafted in the German tradition is simply beer that has been distilled to varying degrees of alcohol content.
PALISADE, CO— Peach Street Distillers is excited to present its latest rendition of Bier Schnapps, crafted with Ska Brewing’s Modus Hoperandi IPA.
“Bier Schnapps crafted in the German tradition is simply beer that has been distilled to varying degrees of alcohol content,” says Peach Street Distillers Co-Founder Bill Graham.
“Some of the distilling old-timers might say that your whisky will only be as good as the beer you’ve made in the first place,” says Davy Lindig Head Distiller. “With that in mind, the Peach Street Distillers team and the Ska Brewing team paired up to brew and then distill Ska Modus Hoperandi Bier Schnapps. Take all the sweet, hoppy goodness you love about and IPA and make it a schnapps. And when we say ‘schnapps’ we ain’t talking candy canes and thin mints— this is whiskey. When we’re fortunate enough to inherit beers from some of the best breweries in the world, we finish it in our still and age it in our bourbon barrels and— well shoot, you know it’s good.”
Kurt Randall, Ska Brewing’s Head Brewer, directed the brewing side of this Beer Schnapps operation, while Lindig oversaw fermentation and distilling. “I kept having to remind myself that we won’t be drinking this beer,” said Randall during the brew. “Actually we’ll be drinking the schnapps, like— in a year.”
Ska Brewing and Peach Street Distillers have long been sister companies, but this collaboration of brewers and distillers co-opting a final bottled spirit is a first. “We brewed Modus Hoperandi IPA pretty much top to bottom”, chuckles Randall, “This is Modus, in its most concentrated form.”
Modus Hoperandi Bier Schnapps is now available throughout Colorado distributed by Breakthru Beverage, and at the Peach Street Distillers tasting room in Palisade Colorado.
For more information about Bier Schnapps, Peach Street Distillers, or Ska Brewing contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT PEACH STREET DISTILLERS
Peach Street Distillers was founded in 2005 in the heart of Colorado’s Fruit and Wine region, Palisade Colorado, where the high desert meets the mountains. The warm days and cool nights in Palisade make the local fruits and grains unimaginably delicious. Living the very definition of “craft” we do everything the hard way to turn these fermentable raw materials into extraordinary spirits. Because, this is what we consider fun and what makes for a mighty fine drink. Peach Street Distillers is Colorado’s oldest continuously owned and operated distillery. Visit us as www.peachstreetdistillers.com for more about the spirits and the spirits squad.
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, Rue B. Soho and the Mod Project— beers with varying levels of tartness to complement the blend of local fruits used in producing them. For information (a lot of it), music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.
Thirsty Monk Celebrates AVL Beer Week With The 5th Annual Not So BIG Beer Festival
This festival will feature a selection of rare and specialty beers from America’s top breweries.
Thirsty Monk presents the 5th Annual Not So Big BIG Beer Festival, Wednesday, May 30th, 2018 during Asheville Beer Week!
This festival will feature a selection of rare and specialty beers from America’s top breweries in an intimate outdoor/covered setting at the TM Warehouse space at 92 Thompson St. in Biltmore Village. This intimate beer festival will have several rare and one-off beers all in one place, curated for guests by the Thirsty Monk, especially for Asheville Beer Week 2018.
The tap list at this festival includes rare selections from Haw River Farmhouse Ales, Founders Brewing, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Brewery Ommegang, Birds Fly South Ale Project, Allagash Brewing and many more. Food will be catered on site by Thirsty Monk's culinary team, including a special Festival Food Flight, with snack-sized items chosen by Certified Cicerones to pair with your festival beers. Learn more about Food Flights here.
"The Not So Big BIG Beer Festival is widely celebrated as one of the legacy highlight events that anchors the middle of AVL Beer Week," says Thirsty’s Monk’s Beer Buyer and Marketing and Events Coordinator Joanna Postlethwaite. "Attendees can expect a stellar tap list, all while enjoying a relaxed atmosphere and scenic location."
5:30pm-9:30PM 92 Thompson St., Asheville, 28803
Tickets are available at http://bit.ly/notsobigfest18.
ABOUT THIRSTY MONK
Founded in 2008 Thirsty Monk currently operates four locations in Asheville, North Carolina including Thirsty Monk Downtown, Thirsty Monk Biltmore Park, Top of the Monk Craft Cocktail Bar, and Brother Joe’s Coffee Pub, as well as Bazi Bierbrasserie in Portland, OR and now its Denver brewery and tasting room. Find the company online at monkpub.com.
Rockyard Brewing Cans Slightly Stoopid-Inspired Slightly Sessionable IPA
Slightly Sessionable features a Rockyard rendition of the colorful bird in the artwork for Slightly Stoopid’s School’s Out For Summer 2018 Tour.
CASTLE ROCK, CO— It all started at Red Rocks Amphitheater, like a lot of great friendships do. Rockyard Brewing made a Session IPA to share with Slightly Stoopid during its 2017 summer tour. Needless to say the recipe resonated, and cans of Slightly Sessionable are now available on Colorado beer shelves.
Slightly Sessionable is inspired by the beer styles and the rhythmic beats of the West Coast. This hopped up IPA drinks bright and finishes crisp with a very approachable 5.1% ABV. Bring on the good vibes.
Slightly Sessionable features a Rockyard rendition of the colorful bird in the artwork for Slightly Stoopid’s School’s Out For Summer 2018 Tour. It was designed by Drew Button of Denver’s D. Button Inc., who crafted the labels for all of Rockyard’s new cans. The brewery’s core line up— which includes Orange Moon Rising Belgian Wit, and Hopalypto Tropical IPA— hit shelves in canned 6-packs for the first time earlier this year.
“We made the switch from bottles to cans because they better fit the Colorado lifestyle and better preserve the quality of the beer,” says Rockyard Marketing Director Elaine Patch.
Rockyard Brewing’s Slightly Sessionable is one of three of its brand new beers to hit cans. The others are Buoyant American Blonde Ale with boysenberry, and Primadonna Pilsner that just won gold at the 2018 World Beer Cup® in the German-Style Pilsner category.
For more information about Rockyard Brewing, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT ROCKYARD AMERICAN GRILL & BREWING CO.
Rockyard is the longest running brewpub in Douglas County, founded in 1999 by four Colorado-born siblings. Rockyard’s beers have won medals at many prestigious beer competitions including the Great American Beer Festival®, World Beer Cup® and the Colorado State Fair. Rockyard’s beer can be found in many retail locations and a handful of craft-centric bars and restaurants throughout the state of Colorado. Find the brewery online at www.rockyard.com.
Barrels & Bottles Brewery Releases Pale Boy Ale V
Pale Boy Ale V weighs in at 5% ABV and uses five different malt varieties and five hop varieties, including semi-rare German hops which lend fruity notes of cherry and raspberry.
GOLDEN, CO — Barrels & Bottles Brewery is excited to release Pale Boy Ale V, a collaboration with Brian Quarnstrom and the Golden Civic Foundation, on Tuesday May 15.
This is both the fifth iteration of the Pale Boy Ale recipe and the fifth year it has been brewed. In commemoration of these milestones, Pale Boy Ale V weighs in at 5% ABV and uses five different malt varieties and five hop varieties, including semi-rare German hops which lend fresh, fruity notes to this very quaffable beer.
Pale Boy Ale V will be available on tap and in growler fills at Barrels & Bottles on Tuesday, May 15. $1 of each pint sold will be donated to The Golden Civic Foundation, who have invested more than 5 million dollars in the Golden community, and matched by Quarnstrom and The Golden Real Estate Advisors.
For more information about Barrels & Bottles, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT BARRELS & BOTTLES BREWERY
Zach and Abby George opened Barrels & Bottles on 12th Street in downtown Golden in October 2013. The brewpub has 27 beer taps, 24 wines on tap, and a slushie machine for serving its infamous wine slushies. Barrels & Bottles also serves farm-fresh food menu with cheese platters, baguettes, and various beer-friendly small plates. The brewpub was named Golden Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year in 2014. Find Barrels & Bottles online at barrelsbottles.com.
Station 26 Brewing Co. Mixed Twelvers Have Arrived
Last week Station 26 Brewing Co. introduced a brand new 12-pack that includes brewery mainstays Colorado Cream Ale, Tangerine Cream, Juicy Banger IPA, and American Copper
DENVER, CO — Last week Station 26 Brewing Co. introduced a brand new 12-pack that includes brewery mainstays Colorado Cream Ale, Tangerine Cream, Juicy Banger IPA, and American Copper. Here are the beer specs on the new Mixed Twelver—
Colorado Cream Ale
Light, crisp, and refreshing. Brewed with Colorado-grown ingredients, including Root Shoot Malting Genie Pale malt. 5.2% ABV, 15 IBUs
Tangerine Cream
Sunshine in a glass. Station 26 Colorado Cream Ale plus fruity creamsicle flavors, tangerine and vanilla. 5.2% ABV, 15 IBUs
Juicy Banger IPA
Station 26 Brewing’s flagship IPA. Notes of apricot, papaya, and honey. 7.4% ABV, 100+ IBUs
American Copper
The Station 26 Amber Ale has a complex malt profile with a balanced hop character.5.4% ABV, 33 IBUs
The Mixed Twelver rolls into town just in time for American Craft Beer Week, and summer excursions. It will be available at craft-conscious liquor stores in Denver and Boulder beginning this week.
Contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com for more information about Station 26 Brewing Co.
ABOUT STATION 26 BREWING CO.
Station 26 Brewing Co. brews craft beers in a 1960 fire station in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood. The brewery was founded in 2013 by Justin Baccary and friends. It’s an ideal first stop for travelers coming from Denver International Airport. Find the brewery online at www.station26brewing.co.
Thirsty Monk Introduces Food Flights in North Carolina
Food Flights are selections of small, snack-sized portions expertly curated by Certified Cicerones® to pair perfectly with your chosen beer style.
ASHEVILLE, NC— Thirsty Monk, brewer of Belgian-Rooted Modern Ales and operator of world-recognized craft beer bars, introduced its Food Flights program at its flagship downtown Asheville location earlier this month.
Food Flights are selections of small, snack-sized portions expertly curated by Certified Cicerones® to pair perfectly with your chosen beer style. Thirsty Monk offers six Food Flights— Belgian, Light, Medium, Dark, Sour/Fruity, and Hoppy— in an elevated box lunch-style presentation that includes four food items (a protein, a cheese, a grain, and a preserve). This new offering debuted in Denver with the opening of Thirsty Monk’s newest location last month and will be available at Thirsty Monk’s Downtown location going forward. Food Flights will be added to the menu at Thirsty Monk’s Biltmore Park location and Thirsty Monk’s newest Portland, Oregon location later this spring.
All of the proteins, preserves, and grains in Thirsty Monk’s Food Flights in Asheville are made in house, including the six different house-baked crackers.
“Thirsty Monk has never been accused of being a follow the pack kind of brewery, and we continue our leadership role by bypassing the food truck and creating an entirely new way of brewery snacking,” says Barry Bialik, Thirsty Monk CEO. “We’ve been crafting our Food Flights for the past year and are so excited to now share these expertly beer-paired snack packs with our Thirsty Monk guests.The intent of our Food Flights are to elevate the beer tasting and Old World pub experience with an affordable tasty bite of education. All of the individual Food Flights are crafted to enhance the taste of the paired beer style and pass on some food and beer pairing knowledge. Our new coasters suggest beer style-specific food pairings and cooking styles that our patrons can experiment with at home. And most importantly, Food Flights are meant to be fun and encourage friends to share a unique snacking and beer sipping adventure.”
For more information about Food Flights, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT THIRSTY MONK
Founded in 2008 Thirsty Monk currently operates four locations in Asheville, North Carolina including Thirsty Monk Downtown, Thirsty Monk Biltmore Park, Top of the Monk Craft Cocktail Bar, and Brother Joe’s Coffee Pub, as well as Bazi Bierbrasserie in Portland, OR and now its Denver brewery and tasting room. Find the company online at monkpub.com.
Ska Brewing Releases Barrel-Aged Beers Series No. 1, Whiskey Sour
Whiskey Sour will be available in 500 mL bottles at Ska’s World Headquarters in Durango, Colorado on Friday, May 18.
DURANGO, CO— Just in time for American Craft Beer Week, Ska Brewing debuts its new Barrel-Aged Beers Series with Whiskey Sour— a sour ale aged in rye whiskey barrels with orange and cherries to mimic the classic cocktail’s signature garnish.
Whiskey Sour was brewed with pilsner malt, red wheat and Belma and Citra Hops. It was soured in the brewhouse before aging for six months in Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey barrels. The result is much like the cocktail it emulates, with notes of whiskey and citrus that meld into oak and cherries creating an experience that is mildly tangy with subtle sweet bitterness. Whiskey Sour weighs in at 6.8% ABV and 10.9 total acidity (TA).
“We had to be patient with a program like this,” says Ska Brewing Founder Dave Thibodeau. “Executing it well takes a lot of development, and then we have to let the beer take its time in the barrels… Fortunately we have all of our stainless-fermented beers to drink in the meantime.”
Whiskey Sour will be available in 500 mL bottles at Ska’s World Headquarters in Durango, Colorado on Friday, May 18. Guests can reserve their bottles for an exclusive beer and food pairing that will take place from 5 to 7pm. $12.99 reserves your bottle at the table– get yours by emailing kira@skabrewing.com.
For more information about Whiskey Sour or any of the other shenanigans shakin’ at Ska Brewing, 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 Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, Rue B. Soho and the Mod Project— beers with varying levels of tartness to complement the blend of local fruits used in producing them. For information (a lot of it), music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.
Strange Craft Beer Co. Turns 8 During 2018 American Craft Beer Week
Strange Craft Beer Co. is turning 8 years old and celebrating with a week of events during American Craft Beer Week.
DENVER, CO— Strange Craft Beer Co. is turning 8 years old and celebrating with a week of events during American Craft Beer Week (May 14 -20) including a Backyard Anniversary Carnival, special beer releases, cellar sales, and more. Don’t forget your party hat.
On Thursday, May 17 Strange Craft will be releasing Pinon Porter: Milagro, a special beer available exclusively to Mug Club members and brewed with fellow Mug Club member Gabe Torres.
Following the Mug Club release, Strange Craft will host a special celebration of their annual Barleywine, Dr. Strangelove, on Friday, May 18. The brewery will have select bombers of the beer for sale and a special vertical flight available of Dr. Strangelove from 2014, ’15, ’16, ’17, and a barrel aged variant from 2015.
The signature event of the week, Strange Craft’s Backyard Anniversary Carnival, will begin at noon on Saturday, May 19 with 10 local breweries in attendance to help celebrate— including Wit’s End Brewing Co., Chain Reaction Brewing Co., Black Sky Brewery, Copper Kettle Brewing Co., CAUTION: Beer Co., The Brew on Broadway, Renegade Brewing, Very Nice Brewing Co., and more. Along with a great list of breweries, the carnival will host a food truck and live music provided by Robby Wicks Band. Tickets to the carnival cost $25 per person and can be purchased at Eventbrite.com.
In addition to the Backyard Anniversary Carnival festivities, Strange Craft is one of the destinations on the Spring Bus Loop on Saturday, May 19. For $5, riders can enjoy unlimited trips between Strange Craft, Seedstock Brewing, Black Sky Brewery, and Renegade Brewing via bus, 2 to 10pm.
After a long week of celebrations, Strange Craft will host a Recovery Brunch on Sunday, May 20. Brewery guests are encouraged to bring in their favorite brunch dish to pair with beermosas that will be available from 12 to 6pm.
For more information about Strange Craft, their Backyard Anniversary Carnival, and other anniversary celebrations contact Aaron Sprengeler at aaron@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT STRANGE CRAFT BEER CO.
When Strange Craft Beer Co. opened south of Denver’s Mile High Stadium in May 2010, it was the first nanobrewery in the city brewing one barrel of beer at a time. Strange has since become a destination spot for Colorado beer drinkers, and taken home two Great American Beer Festival® medals and two World Beer Cup® awards. Visit the brewery online at strangecraft.com.
RadCraft Partners Bring Home Six 2018 World Beer Cup Awards; Malt Barley For Winning Beers
The 2018 World Beer Cup was the largest yet, with 8,234 entries from 2515 breweries hailing from 66 countries in 101 categories judged by 295 judges from 33 countries.
NASHVILLE, TN— RadCraft partner breweries were awarded six medals at the 2018 World Beer Cup®, including two gold medals for German-Style Pilsner and Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin.
Here are the winners in order of announcement at the 2108 World Beer Cup Awards Ceremony at Nashville’s Music City Center.
Category 1: Telluride Brewing received a silver award for its Whacked Out Wheat in the American-Style Wheat Beer category. It was among 53 entries. Whacked Out Wheat also won silver at the 2016 World Beer Cup.
Category 39: Rockyard Brewing was honored to take home the gold medal in the German-Style Pilsener category. Primadonna Pilsner was one of 176 entries into this category. Read the full press release about this win here.
Category 60: Karl Strauss Brewing Company’s Farmhouse was awarded a silver medal in the French & Belgian-Style Saison category, among 87 entries. This small-batch beer was produced at the company’s 4S Ranch satellite brewery in San Diego by Head Brewer Sean Albrecht. There is a full press release about this win and Karl’s recent win at the LA International Beer Competition here.
Category 65: Funkwerks is proud to return home with the gold medal for the Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale category. Oud Bruin, a traditional Flemish-style sour, was produced once a year from a blend of beers aged for a range of up to two years in a variety of oak barrels. Funkwerks was one of 41 entries into this category. Read the full press release about this win here.
Category 97: Bootstrap Brewing’s Wreak Havoc was awarded bronze in the Imperial Red Ale category. This beer was also awarded a bronze in the same category at the 2016 World Beer Cup. Imperial Red Ale had 44 entries this year.
Category 81: Brink Brewing Co. was awarded a bronze medal for Moozie in the Sweet Stout or Cream Stout category that had 73 entries. "Competitions are great ways for small brewers like us to get our name out there," says Brink Brewing head brewer Kelly Montgomery. "After winning a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival® in 2017, winning a bronze at WBC really validates that it wasn't just a fluke. We're so proud to bring this medal home to the College Hill neighborhood."
Also in this years winner’s circle was Intrepid Sojourner Beer Project’s Hickory Peach Wee Heavy that was brewed with Palisade peaches and Odyssey Pilsner malt from Root Shoot Malting in Loveland, Colorado. It won a silver medal in Category Category 19: Experimental Beer that had 130 entries. “Our beers provide a global experience, but we continue to strive to localize our ingredients,” says Intrepid’s Head of Brewery Operations Andrew Moore. “We're thrilled that we have such a quality malt product so close by.”
The 2018 World Beer Cup was the largest yet, with 8,234 entries from 2515 breweries hailing from 66 countries in 101 categories judged by 295 judges from 33 countries— 72 percent of whom were from outside the United States, according to the Brewers Association. Learn more about the World Beer Cup and all of the 2018 winners at worldbeercup.org.
If you would like to speak with any of the above 2018 World Beer Cup winners, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
Funkwerks Oud Bruin Wins Gold Medal at 2018 World Beer Cup
Funkwerks is proud to bring home the gold medal for the Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale category at the 2018 World Beer Cup® for their Oud Bruin.
FORT COLLINS, CO — Funkwerks is proud to bring home the gold medal for the Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale category at the 2018 World Beer Cup® for their Oud Bruin, a Barrel-Aged Belgian-Style Sour Ale available in 750 ml bottles and on draft.
Oud Bruin, a traditional Flemish-style sour, was produced once a year from a blend of beers aged for a range of up to two years in a variety of oak barrels and has notes of black cherry, raisin, and dark chocolate. The long and slow fermentation with a blend of Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, and other sour cultures contribute the beer’s characteristic tart flavor.
“To be honored with a medal at this level, you have to be at the top of your game,” explains Funkwerks Co-Founder and head brewer, Gordon Schuck. “We have a great beer scene in the United States but sometimes it feels like we’re in our own little bubble. To have judges from other countries tasting these beers really lends a lot of credibility to what we’re doing.”
This is Funkwerks’ third World Beer Cup award and first gold medal following a silver in 2016 and a bronze in 2014 both for Deceit, a Belgian Style Pale Strong Ale. The 2018 World Beer Cup was the largest yet, with 295 judges from 33 countries—72 percent of whom were from outside the United States, according to the Brewers Association. Learn more about the World Beer Cup and all of the 2018 winners at worldbeercup.org.
For more information about Funkwerks and their 2018 World Beer Cup win contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT FUNKWERKS
Founded in 2009 by brewers Gordon Schuck and Brad Lincoln, Funkwerks is a niche craft brewery specializing in Saison, Sour, and Belgian-style craft beers made in their small brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado. The 2012 winner of the Small Brewery of the Year Award at the Great American Beer Festival, Funkwerks beers are available in eight US states. Find the brewery online at funkwerks.com.
Rockyard Brewing Primadonna Pilsner Wins Gold Medal at 2018 World Beer Cup
This is Rockyard Brewing’s fourth World Beer Cup award and first gold medal in this prestigious competition.
Rockyard Brewing was honored to take home the gold medal in the German-Style Pilsner category from the 2018 World Beer Cup®. Primadonna Pilsner was one of 176 entries into this category.
Clean, crisp, dry, old school. The Primadonna Pilsner is brewed with German-malted Pilsner and German-grown hops. A win in this traditional German-style category is “great validation” says Rockyard manager of brewery operations Zac Rissmiller. “We’ve won two gold medals in the last two years at GABF®, a Silver at the 2016 WBC®, and now a Gold this World Beer Cup. To say, it’s emotional would be an absolute understatement.”
There is more on Rockyard's win in this Elevated Coverage podcast from KOA News Radio.
This is Rockyard Brewing’s fourth World Beer Cup award and first gold medal in the competition. The 2018 World Beer Cup was the largest yet, with 295 judges from 33 countries— 72 percent of whom were from outside the United States, according to the Brewers Association. Learn more about the World Beer Cup and all of the 2018 winners at worldbeercup.org.
Primadonna Pilsner is a is a brand new beer from Rockyard that recently joined its canned lineup. It is available in 6-packs in select craft-savvy locations across Colorado.
For more information about Rockyard Brewing, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT ROCKYARD AMERICAN GRILL & BREWING CO.
Rockyard is the longest running brewpub in Douglas County, founded in 1999 by four Colorado-born siblings. Rockyard’s beers have won medals at many prestigious beer competitions including the Great American Beer Festival®, World Beer Cup® and the Colorado State Fair. Rockyard’s beer can be found in many retail locations and a handful of craft-centric bars and restaurants throughout the state of Colorado. Find the brewery online at www.rockyard.com.
Karl Strauss Takes Home a Bronze at World Beer Cup and a Gold at LA International Beer Competition
The medal-winning Farmhouse is a small batch beer produced at the company’s 4S Ranch satellite brewery in San Diego by Head Brewer Sean Albrecht.
San Diego, CA — The 2018 World Beer Cup® took place in Nashville, Tennessee this week, held in conjunction with the Craft Brewers Conference. The highly regarded competition is considered the largest international gathering of beers with more than 8,234 entries this year from 2,515 breweries representing 66 countries. The competition winners were announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday, May 3rd 2018, and Karl Strauss Brewing Company was awarded a bronze medal in the category of French & Belgian-Style Saison.
The medal-winning Farmhouse is a small batch beer produced at the company’s 4S Ranch satellite brewery in San Diego by Head Brewer Sean Albrecht. It was brewed in the classic saison style using traditional saison malts and yeast, and features aromas of black pepper and a subtle hoppiness that lingers through a crisp and refreshing finish.
“Winning a medal at any beer competition is exciting, but the World Beer Cup® is a whole different ballgame. When you’re competing against some of the best beers from all over the world, taking home a medal is no small feat and we are incredibly honored,” –Sean Albrecht, Head Brewer, Karl Strauss Brewing Company
The company is also celebrating a fresh gold medal win for their Two Tortugas Belgian Quad earned at the 2018 Los Angeles International Beer Competition earlier this week. Two Tortugas, first released in 2011 as a one-time holiday brew, has now racked up a total of 5 medals in beer competitions including a silver at the World Beer Cup® in 2012, and a bronze at the Great American Beer Festival in 2011. This cult classic KARL brew was brought back by popular demand after its initial release and now returns regularly as a seasonal favorite in the company’s lineup.
With the addition of these two recent medals the Karl Strauss trophy case now showcases a total of 107 medals, along with the prestigious “Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year” award earned at the Great American Beer Festival in 2016.
The medal-winning Farmhouse will be pouring on draft at the Karl Strauss Tasting Room & Beer Garden in Pacific Beach at their upcoming Arts & Amps event on May 19th. To learn more about KARL’s lineup of award-winning beers, visit www.karlstrauss.com.
ABOUT KARL STRAUSS BREWING COMPANY
Karl Strauss Brewing Company has been proudly independent since 1989, pioneering the craft beer scene with innovative beer releases like Aurora Hoppyalis IPA, Queen of Tarts Dark Sour, and Wreck Alley Imperial Stout. The brewery has won 107 medals since 2009 and was recently honored with the “Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year” award at the Great American Beer Festival in 2016. For more information, visit www.karlstrauss.com or call the brewery at (858) 273-2739. Share it. Cheers.