News

Craft Beer Professionals Announced Today a New Nationwide Collaboration to Support Schools

February 24, 2026 by Dustin Scoggins

Craft Beer Professionals (CBP) just dropped the mic on a genius idea that’s got the whole craft beer world buzzing: turning the infamous “6–7” — you know, that awkward adulting moment when someone asks “six or seven?” and everyone freezes — into a straight-up force for good.

Teaming up with the legends at No Label Brewing out of Katy, Texas, CBP is launching the 6-7 Collaboration: a crisp, hop-forward 6.7% American IPA (West Coast style, baby!) that breweries nationwide can brew, tweak, or collab on. The best part? Every pint poured, every can cracked — a chunk of the proceeds goes straight to a local school, PTA, or education nonprofit of the brewery’s choice.

Because why just drink great beer when you can drink great beer that helps teachers buy supplies, kids get books, and classrooms stay awesome? It’s the ultimate win-win: hit your favorite taproom, grab a cold one, and know you’re making a real difference right in your backyard.

“Our schools are feeling the squeeze more than ever,” says Andrew Coplon, founder of Craft Beer Professionals. “Craft beer folks are pros at coming together for a good cause. This gives every brewery — big or small — an easy, delicious way to rally the community, pack the patio, and turn happy hour into hero hour.”

Brittany Raffin from the Ghent School PTA in Norfolk, Virginia, adds: “PTAs are the unsung heroes keeping things running for students and teachers. Projects like this let communities show up in a fun, creative way when schools need support most.”

No Label Brewing — multiple award-winners with 15+ years of community swagger — is anchoring the whole thing, sharing a killer recipe from their World Beer Cup champs. “When CBP pitched this, it clicked instantly,” says Tom Paynter, Co-Owner and Marketing Director. “Great beer + real local impact? That’s craft beer’s sweet spot. We’re pumped to help breweries everywhere pour something that matters.”

The can art? Handled by Chris Hernandez, a craft beer industry illustrator who’s also co-authored children’s books. Expect something fresh, fun, and perfectly on-theme — education meets epic hops.

Breweries of every size are jumping in: neighborhood spots to regional heavy-hitters. Just sign up, pick your local cause, brew the beer, release it, and report back on donations so CBP can tally the nationwide good vibes.

About Craft Beer Professionals

Craft Beer Professionals is the national crew dedicated to leveling up the craft beer game. Through killer educational content, peer hangouts, and epic events, CBP brings the industry together to grow, connect, and keep the good times (and great beer) flowing.
Grab a 6-7 IPA near you, support your local schools, and cheers to beer doing more than just tasting amazing.

For Brewing fun fact, trivia, movies and more, Click Here.

A Year in Review with Lone Tree Brewing

February 24, 2026 by Dustin Scoggins

LONE TREE, CO — Fresh off toasting 14 epic years of pouring liquid gold, Lone Tree Brewing is kicking off 2026 like a boss: still all-in on brewing the absolute best beer possible. The secret sauce? A killer team that shows up every day ready to crush it, plus rock-solid partners who’ve been riding shotgun since day one.

Here’s the fun, frothy scoop on what went down in 2025 at Lone Tree Brewing Company — think of it as your year-end highlight reel with extra hops.

Beer Bonanza: The 2025 Lineup That Had Everyone Buzzing
Spring brought the sweet, crushable Honey Lager that flew off shelves like it was happy hour o’clock. We also dropped a juicy Hazy IPA, a classic Oktoberfest for those pretzel-and-beer vibes, and a decadent Chocolate & Pistachio Stout that basically tasted like dessert in a can.

Draft exclusives popped up for Stout Month in February, and we teamed up with our buddies at Public Offering Brewing for some collaborative magic.

Big news on the flagship front: We gave our classic Lone Tree IPA a serious glow-up — more hops, more flavor, more “wow.” (Catch the deep dive in Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine’s Brewing Industry Guide if you’re into the nerdy details.)
And then there’s Hop Zombie, our legendary Imperial Red IPA that’s basically a cult classic. It made a sneaky Summer Solstice cameo at the Parker spot, then went full zombie apocalypse mode in October for the 13th annual Hop Zombie Day. Lines out the door? Check. Gone in a flash? Double check. That beer doesn’t mess around.

Brewing Like Mad Scientists (But With Better Results)

The crew cranked out 3,727 barrels of pure Colorado craft goodness — that’s a whole lot of barley, wheat, oats, rice, corn (270,572 pounds total), plus 4,741 pounds of hops and fancy hop oils. They canned up 427,008 12-oz beauties too.
We cranked the hops in the Lone Tree IPA by nearly 25% and the Double IPA by 17% — hello, hop bomb status. The Blueberry Blonde got a massive 60% boost in fruit puree for that real-deal berry blast. And the Peach Pale Ale? It’s evolving into the smoother, tastier Peach Wheat Ale, hitting taps late February 2026. Get ready.

Oh, and we’re eco-warriors too: Recaptured 215,000 gallons of water and kept 450 pounds of plastic wrap out of landfills with reused pallet wraps. Beer + planet points.

Team That Feels Like Family (Because It Kinda Is)

A few longtime legends leveled up in 2025: Candace Peterson stepped into Director of Tasting Rooms, Dennis O’Harrow (ex-Head Brewer for six years) slid to Lead Brewer, and Dale Hollars grabbed the Head Brewer torch after six solid years. These folks live for perfecting recipes and brewing killer beer — discipline, passion, repeat.
We’ve got 22 awesome people now. “We’re ridiculously proud of this crew,” says Jerry Siote, Director of Brewhouse Operations. “They make this not just a business, but a place we actually look forward to waking up for every morning.”

Sales & Spreading the Love Across Colorado

Thanks to our longtime pals at Western Distributing, our cans were everywhere in the state. The big sellers? Mexican Lager, Red Ale, and Blueberry Blonde — they accounted for 70% of packaged volume. Denver Metro grabbed 13%, but the real party was south from Lone Tree down to Colorado Springs (over 36% of sales). Locals know what’s up!

Giving Back & Good Times

We donated more than $22,000 to awesome nonprofits, including $10,000 to the Bridge Transition Program via our annual car show. Shoutouts to Special Olympics, Adams Camp, 2Blondes All Breed Rescue, 7 Sisters, and the Colorado State Firefighters Foundation.
Late 2025, we brewed the Polar Plunge Cold IPA with the City of Lone Tree Police Department — a portion of sales heads to the Special Olympics fundraiser in April 2026. Because beer that does good? That’s the best kind.

And yeah, we wrapped the year celebrating 14 years strong. Owners John Winter and Jerry Siote are stoked — even with all the NA and cannabis buzz out there, we’re sticking to what we love: top-shelf beer and top-shelf people.

Mark your calendars:

February 28, 2026 — Second anniversary bash at Lone Tree Brewing Parker!
June — Summer Solstice Hop Zombie returns.
October — The classic Hop Zombie creeps back.
December — Our big silver anniversary (15 years!).

About Lone Tree Brewing Co.

Since 2011, we’ve been the OG brewery in Lone Tree, Colorado — Denver’s South Metro gem. We’re all about community, killer beer, and welcoming vibes at our two spots: the original near Park Meadows Mall and the newer Parker outpost right in the heart of Parker. Family-friendly, dog-approved, and always ready for another round.

For Brewing fun fact, trivia, movies and more, Click Here.

2026 Texas Craft Brewers Cup – Medal Winners and Breweries of the Year

February 23, 2026 by Dow Scoggins

The 90 medals—gold, silver, and bronze—were awarded across 30 categories, recognizing 56 outstanding breweries. Medals were presented as custom, Texas-sized bolo ties during a celebratory closing ceremony at the Guild’s Annual Meeting on February 21, 2026, in Austin.

Texas Breweries of the Year
Brewery of the Year honors, determined by cumulative medal points (3 for gold, 2 for silver, 1 for bronze) and divided by production size, went to:

Under 620 bbl Group: Bird Creek Brewing Company (Temple, TX), which earned multiple medals including golds in Session and Standard Hoppy Pale Ales and Lagers.
620+ bbl Group: Altstadt Brewery (Fredericksburg, TX), a standout in traditional German styles with strong showings in lagers and wheat beers.

Texas Craft Brewers Cup Medal Winners
German Pilsner
Gold: Neu! Pils – Hold Out Brewing (Austin)
Silver: Altstadt Pils – Altstadt Brewery (Fredericksburg)
Bronze: Meanwhile Pilsner – Meanwhile Brewing Company (Austin)

American and International Pilsner
Gold: Darlin’ – Meanwhile Brewing Company (Austin)
Silver: 12 Degree – Pecan Street Brewing Co. (Johnson City)
Bronze: Magical Pils – Pinthouse Brewing (Austin)

American & International Light Lager
Gold: Hill Country Light – Roughhouse Brewing (San Marcos)
Silver: Icy Boys – Zilker Brewing Company (Austin)
Bronze: Cerveza TX – Save the World Brewing Co. (Marble Falls)

American & International Lager
Gold: Lucha Libre – Flix Brewhouse (San Antonio)
Silver: Kokuyoseki – Obsidian Brewery (Leander)
Bronze: American Lager – Central Machine Works Brewery (Austin)

Golden, Blond, & Light Ales
Gold: Hijack – Untraditional Cream Ale – Infamous Brewing Company (Austin)
Silver: Mardi Gras Blonde – Galveston Island Brewing (Galveston)
Bronze: Honey Blonde – Frontyard Brewing (Spicewood)

Kölsch
Gold: Fahlgelb – Bronson & Ryder Brewing (Llano)
Silver: Haygrazer – Hound Song Brewing Co. (Columbus)
Bronze: The Big German – Rollertown Beerworks (Frisco)

Session and Standard Lagers
Gold: Altstadt Lager – Altstadt Brewery (Fredericksburg)
Silver: DeadBeach Lager – Deadbeach Brewery (El Paso)
Bronze: Karnstein – Acopon Brewing Company (Dripping Springs)

Session and Standard Dark Lagers
Gold: Lettie – Dorćol Distilling and Brewing (San Antonio)
Silver: Shadow Cat – White Rock Brewing Company (Dallas)
Bronze: Hesky Czesky – Hold Out Brewing (Austin)

Strong Lagers
Gold: Buckstin Helles Export – Buckstin Brewing Company (Beaumont)
Silver: Decorator – Talyard Brewing Co (Sugar Land)
Bronze: Doppelbock – Denton County Brewing Company (Denton)

Classic UK Styles
Gold: Black Jack Brown – Four Bullets Brewery (Richardson)
Silver: Royal Scandal – Peticolas Brewing Company (Dallas)
Bronze: Cuffnells – Acopon Brewing Company (Dripping Springs)

Stout & Porter
Gold: Dark Side of the Moo – The Brewtorium Brewery & Kitchen (Austin)
Silver: Flat Penny – Bird Creek Brewing Company (Temple)
Bronze: Cape Fear – Bronson & Ryder Brewing (Llano)

Session and Standard Hoppy Pale Ales and Lagers
Gold: Bare Bones Disco – Bird Creek Brewing Company (Temple)
Silver: Galactic Grackle – Bird Creek Brewing Company (Temple)
Bronze: FIOR – Batch (Austin)

IPA
Gold: Nose Jelly – Pinthouse Brewing (Austin)
Silver: Waka Waka – Bird Creek Brewing Company (Temple)
Bronze: Scorpion Disco – Pinthouse Brewing (Austin)

Hazy IPA
Gold: Heavenly Daze – Zilker Brewing Company (Austin)
Silver: Electric Jellyfish – Pinthouse Brewing (Austin)
Bronze: Space Terrarium – Pinthouse Brewing (Austin)

Strong IPA
Gold: Sparkle & Ruin – Meanwhile Brewing Company (Austin)
Silver: Heavy Machinery Double IPA – Austin Beerworks (Austin)
Bronze: Magnets, How Do They Work? – Good Line Beer Co (Lubbock)

Specialty IPA
Gold: Misty Lady – Bear King Brewing Co. (Marble Falls)
Silver: Bloodwork Orange – Austin Beerworks (Austin)
Bronze: Billy Goat in Belgium – Back Unturned Brewing Co (San Antonio)

Amber and Dark Beers
Gold: Shovelhead Amber Ale – Belly Up Brew Pub (Fredericksburg)
Silver: Mean Girlz – Project Halo Brewing (Fulshear)
Bronze: Brown Chicken Brown Cow – Galveston Island Brewing (Galveston)

Barleywine & Strong Ale
Gold: Romanov’s Revenge – Maple Branch Craft Brewery (Fort Worth)
Silver: Id – St Elmo (Austin)
Bronze: Danger Noodle Island – Save the World Brewing Co. (Marble Falls)

Belgian & Farmhouse Ales
Gold: Passive Dissent – False Idol Brewing (North Richland Hills)
Silver: Le Saison – Vista Brewing (Driftwood)
Bronze: Jedburgh – Longtab Brewing Company (San Antonio)

Belgian Abbey Ales
Gold: 10 for 3 – Nolan Creek Brewery (Belton)
Silver: Chugboat Island – Buckstin Brewing Company (Beaumont)
Bronze: Triple Volunteer – Longtab Brewing Company (San Antonio)

Fruit & Field Beer
Gold: Sweeten The Pot – Four Bullets Brewery (Richardson)
Silver: Sticky Rice and Mango Lager – Obsidian Brewery (Leander)
Bronze: Altstadt Radler – Altstadt Brewery (Fredericksburg)

Chocolate & Coffee
Gold: Subtle Hustle – Grain Theory (Abilene)
Silver: Sludge Factory – Misfit Brewing (Cypress)
Bronze: Devour – Mexican Chocolate – 3 Nations Brewing (Carrollton)

American & European Sour
Gold: Heartbreaker – Deadbeach Brewery (El Paso)
Silver: Bogberry Boombox – The Brewtorium Brewery & Kitchen (Austin)
Bronze: Fruited Little Boss — Pomegranate – Blue Owl Brewing (Austin)

Brett & Mixed Culture
Gold: Montmorency vs. Balaton – Jester King Brewery (Austin)
Silver: Kashmir – Celestial Beerworks (Dallas)
Bronze: Atrial Rubicite – Jester King Brewery (Austin)

Smoke & Chili Beer
Gold: Harissa – Wild Barley Kitchen & Brewery (San Antonio)
Silver: Jalapeño Saison – On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen (Dallas)
Bronze: Schwarzer Rauch – Live Oak Brewing Company (Austin)

Barrel & Wood Aged Beer
Gold: Early Morning Shakes – Paradigm Brewing Company (Tomball)
Silver: Left Handed Hummingbird – Meanwhile Brewing Company (Austin)
Bronze: 40 Watt Reserve – Grain Theory (Abilene)

Experimental, Hybrid & Specialty Beer
Gold: Heritage Common – Old Sheepdog Brewery (El Paso)
Silver: Silver Lining – Talyard Brewing Co (Sugar Land)
Bronze: Blackberry Streussel – Künstler Brewing (San Antonio)

Wheat or Rye
Gold: Altstadt Hefe – Altstadt Brewery (Fredericksburg)
Silver: Hefeweizen – Live Oak Brewing Company (Austin)
Bronze: HighWheel Dunkelweizen – Dorćol Distilling and Brewing (San Antonio)

Decadent Beer
Gold: Suburban Ninja Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Coconut Vanilla and Maple Stout – Red Horn Brewing Co. (Cedar Park)
Silver: Playground Battles – ODD Muse Brewing (Farmer’s Branch)
Bronze: Snacks Ahoy – False Idol Brewing (North Richland Hills)

Legislative ProAm
Gold: Unified – ODD Muse Brewing (Farmer’s Branch)
Silver: Bumgarner Bock – 3 Nations Brewing (Carrollton)
Bronze: Rotunda Rose – Lago Vista Brewing Company (Lago Vista)

More about The Texas Craft Brewers Guild
The Texas Craft Brewers Guild is the hoppy heart and soul of the Lone Star State’s craft beer scene—a nonprofit trade association proudly championing over 300 small and independent breweries across Texas. Think of them as the ultimate beer advocates: they fight tooth and nail (with a side of cold ones) for smarter laws, fairer rules, and a brighter future for local brews through their CraftPAC political action committee and tireless lobbying efforts. From modernizing outdated beer regulations to helping breweries thrive in the massive Texas market, the Guild keeps the good vibes flowing by protecting what makes craft beer special—independence, creativity, and that unmistakable Texas spirit. Whether it’s pushing for taproom freedoms or educating folks on why supporting local matters, they’re the behind-the-scenes heroes ensuring every pint poured tells a story of Lone Star pride.

Beyond the serious stuff, the Guild knows how to throw a legendary party! They organize the wildly popular Texas Craft Brewers Cup (the state’s premier pro beer competition), the massive Texas Craft Brewers Festival featuring hundreds of local brews, and fun community perks like the Texas Brewery Passport™ app that turns beer road trips into an epic statewide adventure. With events, education sessions, networking shindigs, and even a snazzy online store full of merch, the Guild brings brewers and beer lovers together to celebrate the incredible variety—from crisp lagers to wild sours—coming out of Texas taps. If you’re raising a glass to independent craft beer in the biggest state in the Lower 48, you’re basically toasting with the Texas Craft Brewers Guild—cheers to that!
Website: https://texascraftbrewersguild.org/

For Brewing fun fact, trivia, movies and more, Click Here.

Ska Brewing makes its bold return to West Coast IPA.

February 20, 2026 by Dustin Scoggins

Hey beer fans, grab your sunnies and crank up the volume—Ska Brewing is dropping the mic on West Coast IPAs with a fresh, modern twist that’s hitting shelves nationwide right now!

From their punk-rock headquarters in Durango, Colorado, Ska is bringing back the classic West Coast style, but they’ve leveled it up with a killer lineup of today’s hottest hops. Think crisp, crushable vibes that ditch the old-school grassy funk for massive bursts of citrus, pine, peach, and stone fruit dankness. At 6.6% ABV, it’s got approachable bitterness, a super-smooth finish, and that signature Ska attitude in every sip.

They first unleashed this bad boy over Super Bowl weekend at the brewery (talk about a halftime hero!), and now it’s rolling out year-round in cans and on draft across Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, New Mexico, Utah—and beyond.

“Ska West Coast IPA is all about modern hop wizardry,” says Production Manager Chris Kurr. “We’re talking Cryo Mosaic, Cryo Citra, Alora, Eureka, CGX Idaho 7, and Strata Hyperboost—varieties that weren’t even around 20 years ago. They deliver huge citrus-pine punch without any of that vegetal weirdness from the old days.”

If you’re a longtime Ska devotee, you know they pioneered Colorado’s OG canned IPA with Modus Hoperandi—that bold, amber, mega-bitter classic that started it all. This new West Coast IPA flips the script to today’s lighter, brighter take: less body, more aroma explosion, and perfect for crushing on a sunny afternoon.

That eye-popping can design? Pure Ska energy—checkered flags, bold graphics, and enough attitude to make your fridge look like a mosh pit.
Since 1995, Ska Brewing has been brewing beers that refuse to play by the rules, blending punk spirit, ska rhythms, and straight-up deliciousness. From the iconic Mexican Logger to the rebellious Modus Hoperandi, they’re all about crafting stuff as unique and fun as the folks who crack ’em open.

So whether you’re in the Southwest or spotting it farther afield, snag a six-pack of Ska West Coast IPA and raise one to the West Coast renaissance—modern hops, timeless vibes.

About Ska Brewing

Ska Brewing kicked off in 1995 in the mountain town of Durango, Colorado, when two friends, Dave Thibodeau and Bill Graham, turned their teenage passion for homebrewing—soundtracked by blasting ska music and fueled by comic book vibes—into a full-fledged brewery. Starting small with second-hand dairy equipment in a downtown spot, they brewed up character-driven beers that refused to conform, blending punk-rock rebellion with craft beer’s emerging scene. Matt Vincent joined as original head brewer shortly after (buying in around 1999), helping pioneer bold flavors like their iconic Modus Hoperandi IPA, one of Colorado’s first canned IPAs. The name and aesthetic drew straight from the ska and rude boy culture—think black-and-white checkerboards, two-tone energy, and a DIY spirit that screamed “it takes characters to brew beer with character.”

For Brewing fun fact, trivia, movies and more, Click Here.

Czechvar Appoints Global Beer Network as New U.S. Importer

February 20, 2026 by Dustin Scoggins

Cheers to a frothy new chapter for one of the world’s purest lagers! Czechvar, the legendary state-owned gem straight from the heart of Czech brewing in České Budějovice (yep, the original Budweis), has teamed up with Global Beer Network (GBN) as its new official U.S. importer—effective right now. Grab your favorite glass, because this partnership is about to make authentic Czech lager even easier to find from coast to coast.

Picture this: crisp, golden pours bursting with those world-famous Saaz hops, Moravian malt magic, and centuries of no-shortcuts brewing tradition. Czechvar isn’t just beer—it’s liquid history, protected by Czech law and poured with pride as the nation’s own benchmark lager.

“GBN knows how to treat heritage brands like royalty,” says Jitka Vlcková, Regional Director – West at Czechvar. “Their passion for real education, top-notch quality, and building brands the right way makes them the perfect crew to help more American beer fans discover what true Czech lager tastes like.”

Since 1996, Global Beer Network has been all about importing and championing premium international brews that stay true to their roots—think old-world craftsmanship and cultural soul in every bottle. Adding Czechvar to their lineup of iconic European heavy-hitters? That’s like adding the king of lagers to an already epic tap list.

“We’re genuinely stoked to welcome Czechvar into the GBN family,” shares Daniel Leeman, EVP of Sales and Marketing at Global Beer Network. “This beer captures the absolute essence of Czech brewing—pure, traditional, and full of character. We’re gearing up to bring it to more spots across the country while keeping every drop respectful to its heritage. Expect fresh marketing vibes centered on proper Czech beer service, culture education, and—drumroll—an exciting new product drop coming soon to shake things up!”

Quick Czechvar 411: Brewed in the historic halls of České Budějovice using time-honored methods and ingredients guarded like national treasures. As the Czech Republic’s official brewery, it carries the torch for authentic lager excellence.

About Global Beer Network:

These folks are pros at bringing the world’s best specialty and craft beers stateside, always prioritizing authenticity, quality, and the stories behind each brew.
With craft drinkers craving more genuine European lagers these days, this Czechvar + GBN hookup is timed perfectly. Get ready for wider availability in bars, restaurants, and store shelves—because nothing beats raising a perfectly poured Czechvar with friends.

Na zdraví! Here’s to more legendary lagers flowing freely across the U.S.

For Brewing fun fact, trivia, movies and more, Click Here.