Roll out the barrels

In case you haven’t noticed, the craft beer industry in Colorado is bubbling along. But don’t just take our word for it. Colorado produced 1.4 million barrels of suds in 2016, according to the Brewer’s Association, a nonprofit national trade association of more than 3,800 brewers. And when it comes to breweries, Colorado ranks second in the nation, at 334 craft breweries, and third per capita, with 8.4 breweries for every 100,000 people. Burp.

At the top of the hops heap is Fort Collins’ New Belgium, which cranked out more beer last year than all other Colorado craft brewers combined.

Local boys Ska Brewing also cracked the Top 10, coming in at No. 7 in production in the state, at 34,300 barrels in 2016. And you can expect them to keep chugging along in 2017, with the addition of new equipment that will churn out 20 percent more beer as well as the expansion into the lucrative Minnesota beer market.

In 2016, Ska grew 9 percent over the previous year and took home honors from the Great American Beer Festival for local favorite, Mexican Logger.