E-Malt.com News article: USA, CO & IN: Oskar Blues Brewery and Sun King Brewing Co. collaborate to create Belgian-style ale Chaka

Ball Corporation and premier craft beer breweries Oskar Blues Brewery of Lyons, Colo., and Sun King Brewing Co. of Indianapolis, Ind., are bringing a sleek new packaging silhouette to craft beer retail shelves. In collaboration, the breweries are introducing Chaka, a limited-release, handcrafted Belgian-style ale brewed by both companies and packaged in distinctive 16-oz. resealable Alumi-TekŪ bottles by Ball, MarketWatch reported on May, 1.

"Unique packaging like the Alumi-Tek bottle provides both Oskar Blues and Sun King the differentiation we needed to make our limited-release beers distinct from our core lines. Plus, the sleek bottle shape is appealing to our customers," said Chad Melis, marketing director of Oskar Blues Brewery. "Craft beer in aluminum bottles is another step forward in the evolution of beer."

Founded by Dale Katechis in 1997 as a brew pub and grill in 1997, Oskar Blues Brewery launched its craft-brewed beer canning operations in 2002 in Lyons, CO. Oskar Blues was the first American Craft Brewery to brew and can its beer. A limited-release, Belgian-style ale, Chaka was created in collaboration with Sun King Brewing Co of Indianapolis, Ind. The beer is available in select locations during the Craft Beer Conference in San Diego, May 1-5 and in 16-oz. resealable, aluminum bottles at the Oskar Blues Tasty Weasel Tap Room, Longmont, Colorado for a limited time.

Sun King Brewing Company is the brainchild of Dave Colt and Clay Robinson and with the help of co-owners - Omar Robinson, Andy Fagg and Steve Koers - the first keg of Sun King beer rolled out the door for delivery in July 2009. Sun King is the first full scale production brewery in Indianapolis since 1948 and today is the third-largest beer brewer in the state of Indiana.


04 May, 2012