photos by David Halterman

Local beer giant Ska Brewing got a little bigger on Monday, with the ground breaking for its new brewery and headquarters. With an already solid local following and its popularity growing outside the community, the hometown brewmeisters ahve outgrown their digs. The new ,24,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in Bodo Park will be just south of their present location. Increased beer production, greener business practices, as well as a live music venue are just a few of the things to look forward to. So lip up fatty, this project is estimated to be completed by mid-Summer 2008.

Ska Brewing Co-Owner David Thibodeau, right, has a laugh with contractor Ed Akers at the ground-breaking ceremony on Monday. Matt Vincent prepares to bury the ceremonial shovel into the earth, while Captain Josh Clarke, center, stands on deck. Front-end loaders and excavators begin clearing brush on the undeveloped site. Those Ska folk use only the best for the ceremonial ground-breaking toast. Ila Graham, daughter of co-owner Bill Graham, wonders why in the world they got her out of bed for this. Official Ska hound, Brewer, dreams of the new Ska facility, which will be ready around mid-Summer 2008. Brewer belongs to co-owner Matt Vincent.