Ear to the ground:

“It’s like a game of emotional Battleship.”
– Local man summing up the tactical nature of romantic relationship sparring.

Top dogs

Break out the bagpipes, Durangos’ beer scene is getting the Scottish treatment. Next week, U.K. brewery owners James Watt and Martin Dickie, aka “Brew Dogs,” will feature Durango’s bustling craft brew scene on their eponymous show. The episode airs on the Esquire Channel (available locally on Direct TV and Dish. Sorry, Charter customers) next Wed., July 23, at 7 p.m.

Although details on the episode are hush hush, Telegraph sources inform us the wacky Scots paid several visits to Ska Brewing as well as made a stop at new kid on the block, BREW Pub and Kitchen. Visits were also rumored at Durango’s other breweries.

The show, now in its second season, is known for its offbeat, quirky humor and unconventional approach to brewing beer. Each episode features a new beer brewed using local ingredients – a show last year on Front Range breweries featured a beer brewed on a mountain top.

Alas, those in the know at Ska were sworn to secrecy on their special concoction, which will be announced during the show.

What we do know is film crews visited such iconic local landmarks as Mesa Verde and the Durango Diner and also went zip lining. We also know for a fact that the brewing will not take place hovering over the Animas Valley in a basket in the wee morning hours. “The original idea was to brew in a hot air balloon, but that idea was shelved,” Ska informant Kristen Muraro said Tuesday from a pay phone.

Ska owners Dave Thibodeau and Bill Graham are to thank – or curse, depending on how well the Scottish humor translates to Durango  – for the local exposure. Seems Ska sells its beer at the Brew Dogs’ pubs overseas, and the foursome became better acquainted last year at the Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival. It was there that the idea to come to Durango began brewing so to speak.

To find out the rest of the story, tune in to Esquire next Wednesday or better yet, stop by BREW or Ska, which will be holding an official viewing party at 6 p.m. – for better or worse.

“We haven’t seen it,” said Muraro “ ... their jokes are a little different. I hope they portray Durango in a good light.”

As for grabbing a wee dram of the soon-to-be infamous concoction, it’s gone to the dogs. “It’s already gone; it was just a small amount,” assured Muraro.