We teamed up with our buddies from Indiana-based Sun King Brewery  for a CANlaboration project to unite the brewer’s friendship and passion for pushing the boundaries of craft beer in a can.   Brewers from Oskar Blues and Sun King made the trek to each others breweries for months, and are excited to bring you CHAKA, a limited-release Belgian-style ale — the first craft beer to be packaged in the Alumi-Tek^® re-sealable pint bottle from Ball Corporation. CHAKA will be released May 3^rd 2012 at the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego in each attendee’s hotel room and at special events throughout the weekend (see below!).   The following week the brewers will make limited quantities available at the Oskar Blues Tasty Weasel Taproom and in Sun King’s home market.

The connection between these two breweries is deeper than the fact that they both can their beer. Our head brewer, Dave Chichura, began his professional brewing career in Indianapolis fifteen years ago where he became friends with Dave Colt and Clay Robinson, the two brewers who created Sun King. The three friends have been talking for years about working together on a collaborative beer, so when the opportunity came to assist in the introduction of a new packaging option for craft beer, it was an easy fuh-CAN-yea!

The end result is an 8 percent A.B.V. Belgian-style ale crafted with a blend of ingredients from each brewery’s home state: Shagbark Hickory syrup from Hickoryworks in Trafalgar, Ind.; grain from Colorado Malting Company; and a special yeast blend from Brewing Science Institute, also in Colorado. Brewers from both breweries worked together to formulate the recipe and traveled between Colorado and Indiana to brew at both locations.

Clay from Sun King weighed in on the brew: “Until we undertook this project, only large breweries and beverage companies had access to this type of packaging. Sun King and Oskar Blues worked closely with the Ball Corporation and Cask Brewing Systems to design and build a simple, functional small scale system that will allow craft brewers to take advantage of this unique packaging option.”

And our marketing dude, Chad Melis, threw in his 2-cents: “Unique packaging like the Alumi-Tek bottle provides both Oskar Blues and Sun King the differentiation we need to make our limited-release beers and B.Stiff & Sons Old Fashioned Root Beer (Oskar Blues Brewery) distinct from our core lines. Craft beer in aluminum bottles is another step forward in the evolution of craft beer.”

Available for purchase at the Tasty Weasel Taproom, for $17.50 a 4-pack.  You can also get your hands on CHAKA and meet the brewers from both breweries at a few events taking place during this weeks Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego:

Oskar Blues Events at Craft Brewers Conference 2012 – San Diego

Wednesday May 2^nd 9pm – CAN Diego CBC Opening Night After Party – Featuring Canned Craft Beer from 6 Industry leading Breweries at the BLIND LADY ALE HOUSE

Thursday May 3^rd 7pm – CHAKA After Party – CHAKA plus Barrel Aged offerings from Oskar Blues Brewery at the TIPSY CROW

More pics on our Facebook page here!

- round trip airfare for 2 to ColoRADo

- stylin’ transportation in the Dale’s Pale Ale RV

- 2 nights of hotel accommodations

- a slew of Kelty Basecamp gear, complete with a Kelty Hula Shadehouse, two Lowdown Chairs, Folding Cooler, LumaCamp lantern, and Soft-Top Table (RAD!)

- full access to the “Oskar Blues Ordeal,” a combination of everything OB including a brewery tour, dinner & beers, and a big ol’ load of OB swag

- PLUS a VIP Red Rocks concert experience including a live show and backstage passes & a Kelty/Oskar Blues parking lot tailgate

Kelty and Oskar Blues, two very outdoor-minded businesses, share a passion for good times under the great big blue.  The Red Rocks Basecamp Giveaway is a way for us to come together and share the ride with our people, the fans who support us.

The Red Rocks Basecamp Giveaway kicked off in early April and runs through the end of July. On August 1, 2012, five finalists will be determined by random drawing from all eligible entries.  To win the Big Kahuna, the five finalists will be asked to answer a few questions and write a blurb about why they dig the combo of craft beer in a can, music, and the great outdoors. Oskar Blues and Kelty will put their heads together (likely over a few beers…) and pick the entrant with the most entertaining and compelling response.

Some of you may be weary of this so called “blurb”, but what we’re really trying to get at is sharing this SWEET extravaganza of Colorado, craft beer, music, and the outdoors with someone that digs this stuff as much as we do.

For more information on how to enter & giveaway details visit www.Kelty.com/DalesPaleAle.

Lyons Outdoor Games is a world-class celebration of mountain sports. The event was created 11 years ago as a fundraising vehicle for the Lyons Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Events. In addition to a full compliment of kayaking, biking, fly fishing, chainsaw carving and dog events, the 2012 Games will feature numerous clinics & exhibitions put on by some of the world’s most elite professional athletes… in addition to the newly added CANNED beer garden, Burning Can!

We look forward to celebrating with others who love craft beer in a can, music, & food, during this soul-full event under the backdrop of Rocky Mountain National Park!

Who: Breweries who CAN

What: A beer festival celebrating puttin’ the good stuff in cans

Where: Lyons, ColoRADo

When: Saturday, June 9th, 2012

Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 day-of, and can be purchased here.

Be sure to sign up for the Burning Can 5K for a pre-beer fest warm up!
 
Breweries attending so far:
- Ska Brewing Company
- Avery Brewing Company
- Eddyline Brewing Company
- Boulder Beer Company
- New Belgium Brewing
- Breckenridge Brewery
- Steamworks Brewery
- Upslope Brewing Company
- Renegade Brewing Company
- Wynkoop Brewing Company
- Twisted Pine Brewery
- 21st Amendment Brewing Company
- Maui Brewing Company

Burning Can supports the Colorado Brewers Guild & Lyons Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Events

Learn more about the Colorado Brewers Guild here

The Colorado Brewers Guild (CBG) is a non-profit trade association promoting the quality and diversity of Colorado’s craft brewing industry. With 130 breweries and counting, the CBG also serves as a conduit for information between the trade and the public, and protects the industry by promoting positive legislation for Colorado craft brewers. For more information, visit www.coloradobeer.org or call at 303-507-7664.

 Learn more about Lyons Outdoor Games here

Check out these RAD pics from Lyons Outdoor Games in years past!

• Monday – Total Wine & More (tempe) tasting 3-5pm
• Monday – Whole Foods (Scottsdale, Mayo location) – Pint night pouring Belgo Smidy 6-8pm
• Tuesday – AZ Wine Co./Atlas Bistro Beer Dinner featuring Oaked Chub
• Tuesday – Trophy’s Steakhouse tap take over featuring Nitro Chub
• Wednesday – Moto tap take over featuring Nitro Chub 4pm
• Wednesday – Whole Foods (Chandler) Colorado Beer night featuring Double Dry Hopped DPA Firkin
• Thursday – Total Wine & More tasting 2-3:30pm
• Thursday – Mellow Mushroom (Tempe) promo featuring Oaked Chub
• Thursday – Flanny’s Bar and Grill Colorado night featuring Café Au Chub Firkin and Cone Cedared DPA
• Friday – Draw 10 – Promo 3-5pm
• Friday – Handle Bar 6-8 promo
• Friday – Sun Devil Liquor promo featuring Dry hopped DPA Firkin
• Saturday – Papago Beer Festival 12 -4 pm – We will be pouring Ten Fidy

Oskar Blues Grill & Brew (Lyons) January Podcast & Music Line-Up

Sunday 1/1- The Jaspers
Wednesday 1/4- 1st Wednesday music Club 7:30pm
Friday 1/6- Turn 4 alt-country band
Saturday 1/7- Johnny O band
Sunday 1/8- Gadzukes!
Thursday 1/12- Southern Rock Mountain jam 7pm
** Friday 1/13- Ruined Nation Band with David Richey
Sunday 1/15- Kristina Murray & 2 Hearted Jones
Wednesday 1/18- Tribute to the Beatles 7-11pm
Friday 1/20- Rory Carroll band country & bluegrass
Saturday 1/21- Mosey West alt-country band
Sunday 1/22- Fauxgrass bluegrass from Michigan
Monday 1/23- Longmont all-stars youth jazz band 7pm
Thursday 1/26- Johnny Sansone from New Orleans 8pm
Friday 1/27- Pelta-Tiller Band
Saturday 1/28- Gary Bragg band alt-country
Sunday 1/29- Felonius Smith acoustic blues band

Every Tuesday bluegrass pick 8-11pm
Friday & Saturday shows are 8-11:30pm
Sunday shows are 6-9p

Oskar Blues Home Made Liquids & Solids (Longmont) January Podcast & Music Line-Up

Sunday 1/1- Gospel Brunch with the New Spiritual Wonders 12-3pm
Thursday 1/5- Connally & Ramey
Friday 1/6- Lionel Young band
Saturday 1/7- Patti Fiasco band
Sunday 1/8- The Strangebyrds
Wednesday 1/11- Songs from the Silo with Wendy Woo 8pm
Thursday- 1/12- Tyler Grant solo
Friday 1/13- Interstate Stash Express
Saturday 1/14- Cowboy Dave Honky Tonk Band
Sunday 1/15- Words in Flight band
Monday 1/16- closed for holiday party
Tuesday 1/17- Frederick & Longmont Christian jazz bands 7pm
Thursday 1/19- Steve Manshel solo
Friday 1/20- Wendy Woo band
Saturday 1/21- Quemando Salsa Dance Party
Sunday 1/22- Ashleigh Flynnn band
Wednesday 1/25- Homegrown singer/songwriters 7-10pm
Thursday 1/26- David & Enion Tiller
Friday 1/27- Fully Belly band
Saturday 1/28- Buckner Funken Funk band
Sunday 1/29- Swing State band

Every Monday electric blues jam except 1/16
Every Sunday Bluegrass pick 12-3pm except 1/1
Thursday shows are 5:30-8:30 dinner music downstairs
Friday & Saturday shows are 8-11:30pm

A lot happened around here in 2011- we announced the opening of our sustainable Hops & Heifers Farm, began building our own bikes with REEB Cycles (www.REEBcycles.com), rolled out our Bonewagon Food Truck, and posted a 40% increase in national beer sales.

We grew from 42,000 barrels in 2010 to 59,000 barrels in 2011 — the 17,000 barrel increase is nearly equal to what we produced in 2008- thanks to you guys!

Why do we have so much going on, and what does all of this have to do with craft beer in a CAN? Dale commented that “the farm, the bikes, the music are all an extension of what this is all about; doing what you love. It’s important to stay hands-on and passionate. We just hope everyone has as much fun with it as we do.”

In addition to all of the CANdimonium listed above, we just doubled-down our commitment to providing you with more beer with a $4 million  brewery-improvement project. What’re we adding to the brewery? Fourteen 200-barrel fermenters, two 400-barrel bright beer tanks, and a new canning line that will allow us to double our canning speed (300 cans per minute!) and send some 16oz cans your way (Deviant Dale’s IPA  in 16oz cans is coming out mid-March!).

For those who haven’t had the chance to try Deviant yet, it’s been a restaurant favorite for the past few years, and took silver at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival in the American-Style IPA category, the most competitive category in the history of the event, with 176 entries. Mama’s Little Yella Pils also won a silver and “Best in Class” in the Bohemian Pilsener category, and Old Chub Scotch Ale was awarded a bronze metal in the Scotch Ale category.

We’re excited about this last year, and want all of you to know that we couldn’t have done it without you, our loyal fans who make our dream possible! Thanks for all of the Oskar Blues love you share with the world. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

“When Dale saw that over 60 women gathered to hear about and drink our beer he was inspired and suggested right then that the Ladies and I design and brew a special beer just for them. This is a great, enthusiastic group of women who appreciate and are knowledgeable about beer.” said head brewer Dave Chichura.

“It makes perfect sense for women to enjoy beer and Oskar Blues is a superb brewery to feature in their beer-explorations. Everyone likes flavor, especially women, and Oskar Blues Brewery beers deliver on that…” – Ginger Johnson, founder/Women Enjoying Beer  An article on Craftbeer.com states that women are one of the biggest growth drivers for the craft beer industry, and in 2010, 27% of women said they enjoy beer over wine or liquor, up 6% from 2009.

During the Great American Beer Festival in September, Highland Tap & Burger hosted an Oskar Blues event involving the launch of a new firkin called “The First Lady,” a GUBNA Imperial IPA and Mama’s Little YELLA PILS blend that expired in 38 minutes. They served the beer alongside Oskar Blues’ popular Beer Can Chicken.  “There are so many great events at Highland Tap & Burger with both the Crafty Ladies and with Oskar Blues throughout the year!  The active promotion of local craft brews by both the Tap and the Crafty Ladies Beer Club makes trying new beers really easy…”  - Nicol Winkler, HTB – Crafty Lady  http://twitter.com/ThirstyGerman

The Highland Tap & Burger “Crafty Ladies Beer Club” started in early 2011.  Twice a month the group meets to learn about a different brewery and their beers. “The more I talk to women about craft beer, the more I realize how underrepresented they feel as a voice in the industry.  I have been thoroughly impressed by how many of our Crafty Ladies are home brewers, work in the craft beer industry, and are often times more knowledgeable and opinionated about what beers they enjoy than their male counterparts. That is why it means so much to the Crafty Ladies to be asked to collaborate with Oskar Blues… It really is an honor, and there are many women and men alike that can’t wait to taste the results!”  - Katie O’Shea Padro, Director of Crafty Ladies

For those who haven’t heard, we’re re-launching our “Can Can Girls Club” in January 2012.  The club is a place to explore and learn about craft beer in a fun, friendly and social environment.  The gatherings are scheduled to include beer education in all aspects while engaging with the local community through various beer related activities.

Stay tuned for information about the release of the Crafty Ladies brew!

Did I mention that Dale’s Pale Ale will be the feature brew of the event?!?

For more information, click here.

Mama’s Little Yella Pils with Butter Sautéed Prawns
Dale’s Pale Ale with Ale Simmered Sausage Bites
Old Chub Scotch Ale with Chipotle Brown Sugar Rubbed Chicken Wings
Ten Fidy Imperial Stout with our Brownie Sunday

Email info@thedandelionmarket.com to make your reservation!

Dandelion Market
118 West 5th St.
Charlotte, NC 28202
(704) 333-7989
Train: CTC Station