Oskar Blues

Oskar Blues Original Grill & Brew Restaurant was founded by Dale Katechis in Lyons, Colorado in 1997.^[1] Two years later, he began brewing beer in the basement of the restaurant.^[1]

Some credit Oskar Blues as the creator of the “first released canned craft beer in the United States”^[2]:99[3] with the release of their Dale’s Pale Ale in November 2002.^[4] Other writers point to an earlier beer, Chief Oshkosh Red Lager which was brewed and canned at an existing brewery, as the “first canned craft beer” in June 17, 1991, although its producer, the Mid-Coast Brewing company, closed in 1994.^[5] Four other companies produced canned craft beers prior to Oskar Blues, although the canning was done by larger companies under contract.^[5] Regardless of the first, by 2011 about 50 U.S. craft brewers were issuing craft beer in cans.^[6] In 2009, Oskar Blues Brewery sponsored an event called “Burning Can” which brought together other craft brewers who were using cans for their beers.^[2]:100

In 2012 Oskar Blues Brewery began using resealable aluminum containers for craft beer.^[4] Advertising Age named them one of the hottest brands of the year in 2010; Inc. magazine put them on the list of fastest-growing companies and they were featured on the cover of Market Watch magazine.^[2]:100

They are the largest craft brewery (by volume) in the U.S. to eschew glass bottles.^[4] In 2011, they produced and canned 59,000 barrels of beer.^[4] In 2013, they employed over 275 people and distributed to 32 states.^[1] The company was ranked Colorado’s second largest craft brewery and the 27th largest in the U.S. in 2012. and predicted they would brew 141,000 barrels of beer in 2013.^[7][8] The Colorado facility grew to 35,000 square feet (3,300 m²) by 2013.^[1]

In 2013, they opened a satellite brewery in Brevard, North Carolina,^[9][10] with an initial production of 40,000 barrels which could be enlarged to 85,000.^[7]

Forty-five thousand barrels of beer were brewed at the Brevard brewery in 2013, the first full year of production, and the company plans to increase that to 120,000.^[8] The Longmont factory is available for tours,^[2]:101 and features the Oskar Blues Tasty Weasel Taproom overlooking the brewery.^[11] The original Oskar Blues Grill and Brew is still located in Lyons, with 45 beers on tap.^[11]

[Content sourced from Wikipedia]

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