Oskar Blues Wins Colorado Brewers Guild Director’s Awards

Oskar Blues Wins Colorado Brewers Guild 2011 Director’s Award For Support of Guild Operations

Lyons, CO – Oskar Blues’ leadership role in the Colorado Craft Beer movement was recognized with the 2011 Director’s Award at the Colorado Brewers Guild (CBG) Annual Meeting prior to the Colorado Brewers Rendezvous in Salida on July 9, 2011. Last year, the brewery won the President’s Award.

Over the last year, Oskar Blues has increased capacity and quality of brewing, garnered an incredible amount of local, regional and national publicity, driven demand beyond supply, continued to evolve into a major player in the craft beer industry and raised money and awareness for the craft beer culture Colorado has spawned. In fact, the brewer is now #49 on the list of Top Breweries in America, weighing in as the 34th craft brewery by volume. Oskar Blues was also voted in the top ten in Zymurgy Magazine’s Brewery Rankings posting three beers (Dale’s Pale Ale, Ten FIDY, Old Chub) in their top 50 ranked beers.

The CBG, founded in 1995, is a non-profit trade association advocating on behalf of Colorado Craft Brewers. It represents more than 95 percent of craft beer production in Colorado. The Guild hosts its biggest event of the year, the Colorado Brewers Rendezvous (CBR), every year in July in Salida, Colo., an idyllic, relaxed, casual setting along the Arkansas River. Each year CBR provides Colorado beer lovers a pure Colorado craft beer experience in a family-friendly environment. The event benefits CBG and the Town of Salida Chamber of Commerce.

Oskar Blues demonstrated outstanding support of CBG operations including:

• Legislative Support: John Bryant, president of Oskar Blues worked hand in hand with John Carlson and Steve Kurowski of CBG on Colorado legislative issues throughout the year.
• Owner and founder Dale Katechis attend the SAVOR event in Washington, D.C. in June and met with legislators on behalf of Colorado brewers and the guild.
• Chad Melis, Oskar Blues marketing director is on the CBG marketing committee, leading marketing functions to develop additional brewery and Colorado Beer Lover membership, funding and exposure for the Guild and Colorado’s craft brewers. He also helped hire the CBG marketing manager position.

Oskar Blues, the leader in the canned craft beer industry and culture, continues to keep an eye on legislation that will negatively impact the craft beer industry and continues efforts to support the CBG and craft beer brewers throughout Colorado. Oskar Blues is committed to breaking the mold and changing what beer lovers believe about canned craft beer. Oskar Blues’ next events to support the CBG and other craft brewers will take place during the Great American Beer Festival.