Dave Thibodeau, president and co-founder of Ska Brewing Co. (Photo courtesy of Ska Brewing).
As 2015 comes to a close, we’re once again asking leading figures on the Colorado beer scene to reflect on the past year and look ahead to next.
This next installment in our 5th annual Beer In Review features Dave Thibodeau of in Durango. Ska recently celebrated its 20th anniversary as one of the state’s mainstays in the craft beer world. Dave is president and co-founder of the brewery known for its classic styles as well as interesting side projects and is distributing in 10 states, Sweden and the United Kingdom. This year, the brewery won a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival for its Mexican Logger in the American-Style or International-Style Pilsener category and a bronze for Ska Face in the Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer category.
Now, on to Dave’s picks:
Favorite beer of the year: This summer I went on a mountain bike hut adventure from Telluride to Moab with some friends including Dustin Lemoine and Corie O’Malley from , David Simmons from Pug Ryan’s and Steve Kurowski from the Colorado Brewers Guild. We had the huts stocked with our respective beers including Avery’s Lilikoi Kepolo. Waking up to a chilly morning in the Colorado Rockies each day with Lilikoi for breakfast before a big ride? Yes, please.
Colorado brewery of the year: I’m going to double up here and go with and , not for their beers, although I love them, but for transferring ownership to their employees this year!
New Colorado brewery of the year: opened at the beginning of the year right off of our river trail downtown. The owner, Scott Bickert, was a former brewer here ay Ska as well as at . He experiments quite a bit and also makes clean, drinkable beers, and the setting is sweet right next to the Animas River. He said to me, “I think I might have accidentally opened the perfect brewery.” I couldn’t agree more.
Colorado brewery to watch in 2016: I love Nick Nunns and the crew at and I think the Acid Temple will be where itap at. I met Nick just before he opened TRVE when he somehow talked me into doing an Ignite Denver event — he’s an ambitious metalhead brewer. “Ambitious metalhead brewer” = Creative, music-driven space and beer. I can’t wait to visit.
Most notable craft beer news or trend of 2015: At this point the conversation has grown tiresome, but who the Hell buys anything for a billion dollars?
Craft beer trend to watch for in 2016: My hope is that there’s a shift to more creative exit strategies beyond selling out to Rotgutzen, preferably following the lead of our Northern Colorado brethren, New Belgium, Odell, and Left Hand.
Here are previous entries:
