Ear to the ground:
“There’s three kinds of pain: regular pain, unbearable pain, and then there’s stepped-on-a-Lego pain.”
– Friendly reminder to tread lightly and carefully around the Christmas tree post-gift frenzy
Roll out the barrel
According to an analysis by the Brewer’s Association – a nonprofit trade association – independent craft brewers contributed $33.9 billion to the U.S. economy in 2012.
According to the BA analysis (does anyone else see the irony here?), Colorado ranked fifth among all states for its craft brewing industry’s total economic output. In 2012, they contributed an estimated $1.6 billion to the economy – that’s a lot of suds considering the state’s 5.1 million population. Other states in the top five included California (first at $4.7 billion), New York, Pennsylvania and Texas. Of course, California, New York and Texas are the nation’s three most populous states, and Pennsylvania is sixth.
When ranking states based on those of legal drinking age, however, Colorado was ranked second only to Oregon, contributing $436.50 per resident . (Oregon’s per capita 21 and over contribution was $448.56.)
Local brewery Ska has definitely been rolling out the barrels. Ska is on track to produce 20 percent more beer this year than 2012 with 31,000 barrels (each barrel is 31 gallons), or just shy of 1 million gallons. Ska has also increased its workforce by 54 percent this year.
We’ll drink to that.
See you next year
The press may never sleep, but the Durango Telegraph will be taking a short nap next week. As in years past, staffers will be taking the week off to hit the slopes, beach and, most importantly, couch, for a little R&R. During this respite from carpal tunnel and phone-cradle neck, there will be no one to answer your calls or emails from Fri., Dec. 20 - Thurs., Dec. 26.
Rest assured, we will be back in the office bright and surly – er, early – on Fri., Dec. 27. Also, be advised of early deadlines for our issue Jan. 2. Instead of printing Wed., Jan. 1, we will be going to press a day early, Dec. 31 (apparently, even pressmen need vacations, too.) As such, all deadlines will be moved up to noon Mon., Dec. 30.
In the meantime, cozy up to the fire, grab this week’s content-filled, eye-popping double issue (two weeks of astrology – but no peeking) and enjoy. You can even toss it on the flames when you’re done, we’ve been told we burn brighter than all the others.
In this week's issue...
- January 25, 2024
- Bagging it
State plastic bag ban is in full effect, but enforcement varies
- January 26, 2024
- Paper chase
The Sneer is back – and no we’re not talking about Billy Idol’s comeback tour.
- January 11, 2024
- High and dry
New state climate report projects continued warming, declining streamflows