San Juan Brewfest set for Saturday

Durango's own beer festival, the San Juan Brewfest, is set for Sat., Sept. 11.

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort’s 12th annual San Juan Brewfest will be held at 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Durango on Main Avenue between 12th and 13th Streets.

The event boasts 25 breweries this year, up from about 20 last year, said Tim Walsworth, president and CEO of United Way of Southwest Colorado. A full list and event information is at www.CookManFood.com/brewfest. This event benefits United Way of Southwest Colorado.

General admission tickets are $20. They include entry to the event from 1 to 6 p.m. and souvenir tasting mug (5 oz mugs that we have used in past years). New this year is a VIP ticket. It sells for $40 and includes:

- Invitation to brewer’s only party at Ska Friday night (Sept. 10) from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
- Entry to Brewfest on Saturday one hour early at noon
- Reserved area at Brewfest with shade, tables, chairs, and food

Tickets will be available at the gate (cash, local check, credit card hopefully) or online now at http://shop.cookmanfood.com/san-juan-brewfest-tickets.html. ID will be required at entrance.

Baby Toro and the Lawn Chair Kings will provide live entertainment. Food will be available from three different vendors. And the event will have an oxygen bar too.

All proceeds benefit United Way and stay local in La Plata County, Walsworth said.

Steamworks donates $3,500 to college scholarship

Steamworks Brewing Co. has donated more than $3,500 to the Mark Witkes Memorial Scholarship at Fort Lewis College, the brewery announced in a news release.

The funds were raised by the 2010 Steamworks-Animas Valley Half Marathon, held June 19.

The Marc Witkes Memorial Scholarship is presented annually to a Four Corners-area cross-country runner attending Fort Lewis College. Witkes, an avid runner and former president of Durango Motorless Transit, died in 2006 as he approached the finish line at the Tucson Marathon.

The annual Steamworks-Animas Valley Half Marathon is a partnership of Steamworks Durango Motorless Transit and the Durango Sports Club. The 2010 event sold out early, drawing 300 runners.

“It was a beautiful day, a full field that sold out early, and so successful over all that we were able to contribute more than $1,000 more than we did in 2009 to the scholarship,” said Kris Oyler, Steamworks co-founder. “At Steamworks, we’re proud to continue this tradition and help support a collegiate distance runner in honor of Marc.”

Added race director Kristin Spiegel, “This running event has turned into one of the most popular in Durango. It keeps getting better. We expect the 2011 event to once again sell out early, and we’re pleased to be able to sustain Marc’s memory with such a positive event.”

I'm not much of a runner, but my girlfriend is, and she thoroughly enjoyed the half-marathon. There were aid stations every couple of miles to keep the runners fed and healthy, and Steamworks beer was poured at the finish.

Ska celebrates 15 years

Some 15 years ago, a couple of high school friends from Colorado's Front Range cobbled together a little bit of money and some equipment scrounged from rural dairy farms. With a comic book for a business plan, they founded Ska Brewing Co. in a warehouse on Durango's outskirts.

By now, Ska is easily the largest brewery in the Four Corners, with a spanking new state-of-the-art facility churning out bottles and cans for customers in much of the western and midwestern United States. Founders Dave Thibodeau and Bill Graham and later partner Matt Vincent now have more than 70 employees, strong sales and growing prominence in the craft-beer industry.

On Saturday, Ska celebrated its 15th birthday with a party worthy of its history. Seattle rockers the Supersuckers headlined a slate of bands and 15 breweries brought their best creations.

I was impressed by both the overall quality of the beers and the event in general. Everything seemed well-planned, from the shuttles departing from Steamworks to the commemorative tasting glass with a four-ounce pour line etched on the glass.

On to the beers. I got to taste most of the beers that piqued my interest. But I found that the four-ounce pour line was treated generously, and I left with some drink tickets still in my pocket. I tended to avoid beers readily available in Durango, so I found myself returning to some of the smaller producers.

Without further ado, in approximately the order in which I tasted them:

1. Ska Dementia. I had to give my regards to the birthday boy, so to speak. Brewed specifically for this event, Dementia is a barrel-aged version of Ska's Euphoria Pale Ale, typically a winter seasonal. Ska head brewer Thomas Larsen aged it for about five months in oak barrels, and dry hopped it with Simcoes.

I kept my expectations for this beer in check. Euphoria is not one of my favorite Ska beers - I have made the error of comparing Euphoria to other pale ales rather than taking it on its own merits. Euphoria is nothing like a standard American-style pale ale, Sierra Nevada's pioneering pale being the widely acknowledged exemplar. Euphoria is darker, hoppier and boozier.

Larsen poured a ceremonial opening keg of Dementia (pictured). The aged ale shows a deep mahogany color, with a substantial head of white foam.

On first taste, you get a deep sense of something old and wonderful, like a musty barn. A suggestion of oak comes across, with perhaps a hint of vanilla. The rough edges in Euphoria have been lovingly sanded off, and Dementia is well-rounded, complex and balanced, with a slightly sweet and vinous aftertaste.

In short, it's outstanding. Dare I say Dementia is one of the best beers Ska has ever brewed.

An extremely small quantity of Dementia is available in 22-ounce bomber bottles, double-dipped in wax to ensure proper aging. Your best bet is to purchase them at Ska headquarters in Bodo Industrial Park. I suggest you do so.

2. Steamworks Cherry Diablo. A cherry-infused version of Ale Diablo from Durango's own Steamworks Brewing Co., this one was served from a firkin. The cherries (I heard they were pie cherries) nicely complemented the already excellent base beer, a Belgian-style golden ale that comes in at 8.5 percent ABV and 33 IBUs.

3. Marble IPA. A very hop-forward and well-brewed IPA from the two-year-old Albuquerque outfit. This one is brewed with Columbus, centennial and Amarillo hops and packs 6.2 percent ABV.

4. Left Hand Polestar Pils. A summer favorite of mine from the boys in Longmont, this pilsner lager (5.5 percent ABV, 33 IBUs) is brewed with Weyermann pilsner and pale malt, and hopped with magnum, Mt. Hood and sterling hops. It was as good as I remember.

5. Three Rivers Double Amber. A big amber ale from the Farmington brewpub, this one flaunts its alcohol content like Flavor Flav rocks a timepiece. The thick malt body gave it a sweetness that could have used greater hop character for balance.

6. Marble From the Wood. I went back to these up-and-comers for their strong Scottish ale aged in oak barrels. From the Wood (9.2 percent ABV!) carried assertive notes of vanilla and oak. It was luxurious and smooth, not unlike a barley wine. My second-favorite beer of the fest.

7. Three Rivers SHIPA. A single-hop IPA brewed with Cascades, the classic American craft beer hop. A very enjoyable IPA.

8. Pagosa Rodeo Rider Red. This German-style red ale plays to my weakness for interesting and well-done red ales. Many are the weak, boring red ales. This is not one of those. Rodeo Rider Red carries a huge and endlessly complex malt profile. Caramel, wood, molasses flavors impress.

9. Bristol Compass IPA. At this point my palate was dead to hops and my interest in note-taking declined precipitously. About all I can relate here is this Colorado Springs IPA tasted acceptable (6.7 percent ABV, 55 IBUs).

10. Breckenridge Double Pils. A strong pilsner lager from the Denver-based giant. "Sweet," say my notes. I think I liked this one.

Ska threw a hell of a party, a ton of people helped out and brewers brought some serious, interesting beers.

"Have I mentioned how tasty this beer is?" said Supersuckers leadman Eddie Spaghetti from the stage. "It's good shit."

I'll leave it at that.

Avery Brewing goes canning

Avery Brewing Co. of Boulder is the latest craft brewery to get in on cans.

At 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 2, Avery will release four of its beers in cans: Avery India Pale Ale, White Rascal, Ellie's Brown and Joe's American Pilsner.

Avery has no doubt watched with interest as their Colorado brethren Ska Brewing Co. and Oskar Blues have seen surprisingly strong sales from their own canned craft beers.

I have long been a vocal Avery supporter; I think it's probably one of the best breweries in the country. If the move to cans means wider availability of some of their beers, I'm all for it.

At first, Avery's cans will be distributed only in Colorado.

"We've been fielding a lot of calls lately about our plan for the distribution of cans," Avery spokeswoman C.V. Howe said in a recent newsletter. "To start, all cans will be sold exclusively in the state of Colorado. Only a tiny percentage of our overall production is devoted to cans, so there just isn't much to go around. We hope to amp up production and slowly increase distribution at some point in the future."

With the exception of the pilsner, these beers are already available in bottles in Durango. The IPA is exceptional - one of my favorite beers, period - and those who appreciate Belgian-style witbiers will love White Rascal.

I had a Joe's American Pilsner at Avery earlier this summer, and was much impressed. It's a very clean, flavorful summer beer. (Incidentally, it was also the choice of Avery founder Adam Avery on the day I was there. He rolled up on an expensive-looking road bicycle and ordered a pilsner).

The can craze continues unabated. Some of it is no doubt about sales. Cans are also cheaper to ship. And there are some environmental benefits, as well. (Although can supporters seldom note that bauxite for cans is mined in an environmentally atrocious manner, nor do they volunteer that can linings typically include BPA, a chemical with unknown but possibly pernicious effects).

For the consumer, cans are easier to transport, especially outdoors, and I like that they take up significantly less room in the refrigerator and recycling bin. Perhaps some cost savings are being passed on to consumers, although they are typically priced as high as bottles.

But the bottom line is we all have more choice as craft-beer drinkers. I look forward to welcoming Avery cans, and especially the new pilsner.

Photo courtesy of Avery Brewing.

Update on Ska anniversary party

Ska Brewing Co. has released a few updates via Facebook for its 15th anniversary party this Saturday, Aug. 28. These might be helpful things to know if you plan to attend:

1. The $30 ticket to the Anniversary Party includes a commemorative tasting glass, beer from 15 regional breweries, and live music performances from the Supersuckers, Farmington Hill and the Beautiful Losers.

2. Zia Taqueria and Life's a Beach BBQ will be on hand serving food.

3. A shuttle will run from Steamworks Brewing on East Second Ave. out to Ska in Bodo Industrial Park. Ska says: "Parking is limited, please ride bikes or take the free shuttle (graciously sponsored by 4 Corners Whitewater!), from Steamworks every 30 minutes from 3:30 to 6:30. Don't wait until 6:30 if you don't have tickets, however, it will be sold out by then!"

I'll be there, eager to try the new Dementia and see what the other breweries brought. The Supersuckers should be sweet, too.

Review: Clancy's Black Beer (Ska Brewing)

The latest release from Ska Brewing Co. will not likely inspire jealous envy in beer geeks across the nation. Clancy's Black Beer was not brewed with a truckload of hops. It was not aged in oak barrels. It does not boast a double-digit percentage of alcohol.

No, Clancy's Black Beer is simply a very well-executed Schwarzbier.

This release is the result of the 2nd annual Snowdown Homebrewing Competition, won back in February by an Aztec, N.M., oil worker named Clancy Calhoun. His winning entry was a Schwarzbier, a German-style dark lager.

For his victory, Ska brewed his recipe for release as the 16th beer in the brewery's hallowed Local Series. The beer will also be entered in the Great American Beer Festival's Pro-Am Competition.

So what is a Schwarzbier like? I'll defer to the Brewers Association's style guidelines, written by homebrewing god Charlie Papazian:

"These very dark brown to black beers have a mild roasted malt character without the associated bitterness. This is not a full-bodied beer, but rather a moderate body gently enhances malt flavor and aroma with low to moderate levels of sweetness. Hop bitterness is low to medium in character. Noble-type hop flavor and aroma should be low but perceptible. There should be no fruity esters. Diacetyl should not be perceived."

And this closely describes Clancy's Black Beer (5.4 percent ABV, 19 IBUs). Ska Head Brewer Thomas Larsen says it was brewed with 100 percent Tettnang hops, a noble variety. The malt bill is heavy on two-row and dark Munich malts, enhanced with Caramel 120, chocolate and DehuskCarafa III malts, finished with a pinch of Carapils malt.

It pours black, with a substantial light tan head of foam that lingers long. Malt dominates the smell and taste, with a bit of chocolate and perhaps some nuttiness. It is medium-bodied, with little discernible hop taste. The effect is rich, heavy, dark and a little sweet.

This is a welcome entry in Ska's Local Series, available for less than $5 per 22-ounce bottle at Durango-area stores. While it's not the rarest style, it's uncommon enough that you can't simply pick up a sixer of Schwarzbier at the ol' beer store. It expanded my beer horizons.

Clancy, and Ska, have done well. A-

Clancy's Black Beer now available

The 16th entry in Ska Brewing Co.'s Local Series, Clancy's Black Beer, is now available in Durango-area liquor stores.

It's a fairly unusual style: Schwarzbier, a dark German lager. A 22-ounce bottle will set you back $4 and change.

I'll post a full review next week. I was impressed, but try it for yourselves and let me know what you think.

A visit to Ouray Brewery

Ouray Brewery has swings instead of bar stools. The swings appear to be sturdy, attached to the ceiling by strong cables. We'll see if the staff has any issues with over-exuberant swinging by customers.

The new brewpub is now fully open so I figured I owed a visit. Three house beers were on tap: a Kolsch, a rye pale ale and an IPA (the rye is at left in the accompanying photo, along with the Kolsch).

A taste of the Kolsch revealed a well-balanced, crisp and clean version of the German-style beer. It was less than 5 percent ABV, making it an ideal beer for summer refreshment.

The IPA is strong and well-rounded. It appears fairly dark for an IPA, a rich mahogany color. The hops give off a piney taste.

My favorite was the rye pale ale, a full-bodied, tasty and idiosyncratic craft beer. I could easily see this becoming a local favorite.

All three of Ouray's beers were above-average craft beers (a fourth, Box Canyon Brown Ale, is coming soon). All of them would rate at least a B.

My friends and I didn't eat there, but Ouray Brewery has a Louisiana-inspired menu. Visitors can either enjoy the tasting room or an inviting rooftop patio that was not yet open when we stopped by. (The tasting room opens at 4 p.m., but the kitchen and patio open later).

Also noteworthy were the pair of guest beers offered on tap: Pinstripe Red Ale from Ska Brewing Co. and Yeti Imperial Stout from Great Divide Brewing in Denver. These are exceptionally well-chosen: Pinstripe is a Southwest Colorado classic, and Yeti is perhaps the most sought-after craft beer in the state.

Ouray Brewery came out of the gate swinging with three good beers. This is an auspicious beginning.

A look at Ska's Dementia

Via Ska Brewing Co.'s Facebook page, we have a photo of the Durango brewery's upcoming release, Dementia.

Dementia is a barrel-aged version of Euphoria Pale Ale, typically a winter seasonal. It's interesting Ska decided to age a pale ale. Usually, stronger beers such as imperial stouts are chosen for aging.

I'm looking forward to trying this one. Dementia will be released at Ska's 15th anniversary party on Aug. 28. Details of that are below.

Ouray Brewery, established 2010

Ouray, the tiny town of 937 hearty mountain souls in Southwest Colorado, now has two breweries. Following on the heels of Ourayle House, brewmaster Jeff Lockhart and others opened Ouray Brewery on Saturday.

I happened upon it recently while walking downtown. Lockhart was busy preparing to open, but he took a minute to chat with me.

Ouray Brewery has an IPA and a Kolsch on tap now. Lockhart plans to tap a rye pale ale by this weekend, and a brown ale soon after. (Lockhart said he is interested in Belgian-style brewing, adding that the brewery is capable of handling wild yeasts).

The IPA (6 percent ABV, 65 IBUs) uses Magnum, Centennial, Simcoe and Cascade hops. Lockhart plans to substitute Citra hops for the Cascades once the Cascades are used up.

A relatively new hop, Citras are quickly gaining favor for their citrus taste. Lockhart pronounced it his "new favorite hop," and applauded its "mango character."

Lockhart said the IPA is "definitely American, but its got kind of that English balance."

The Kolsch is brewed closely to style. Lockhart said it is "very clean" with a "malty nose." It was hopped with Perles.

The brewery will be open year-round, producing up to 14 barrels per week, Lockhart said. Half-pints cost $2, pints $4 and 20-ounce glasses $5. Ouray Brewery will offer growlers to go; an order of 300 of the vessels is on its way.

"I brew what I like, how I like it," Lockhart said in a follow-up interview. "I try to come in close to style, but I like playing around with things."

Lockhart started as a homebrewer then worked at Sweetwater Brewing in Atlanta for five years in various capacities while also working as a Delta Airlines mechanic. He later opened McLellan's Grill and Brewing Co. in Canon City, Colo., and brewed there for three years.

The new brewery, owned by Ouray transplant Dennis McKee, has a full kitchen, and the Louisiana-influenced food menu is already visible in a window. Erin Eddy is assistant manager.

Ouray Brewery is located at 607 Main Street. I look forward to a return trip to try Lockhart's beers.

The same day, I finally stopped in Ourayle House Brewery, a long-overdue visit for me. Ourayle House is the creation of brewer, bartender and one-man show James Paul Hutchison.

The atmosphere is idiosyncratic: Hutchison's pub has an overhead bell that you ring like on a bus for service. Board and card games abound. The walls are decorated with local memorabilia.

During my visit, he had four beers on tap. I opted for a pale ale amusingly dubbed "See Dot Pave," a reference to the Colorado Department of Transportation's summer construction.

Many times, very small brewpubs will pour substandard beer. Not this one. See Dot Pave (pictured) was an accomplished pale ale, biting with Simcoe hops. It's worth seeking out.

I should mention that Hutchison pours 19- and 23-ounce drafts, so you are assured of an Honest Pint. Honesty has its price, though. If I recall correctly, the drafts cost $4.75 and $5.75.

Ourayle House, 215 Seventh Ave., is open when Hutchison feels like it, so it might make sense to call ahead at (970) 903-1824.