Members of the Oskar Blues Brewery team took to the stage at the Plaza Convention Center in Longmont, Colo., on Nov. 1 to accept the 2013 Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce “Large Business of the Year” award. The creators of the award-winning Dale’s Pale Ale and 5280 Magazine’s “Best Wings” were voted the winner in the “Large Business” category by Longmont Chamber members — elevating the local brewing and restaurant organization over other accomplished Longmont-based businesses such as international tech giants IBM and Xilinx.
Although Oskar Blues first planted roots in Lyons, when it came time to expand into a larger location, making the move to Longmont was the natural next step.
The win comes just weeks before Oskar Blues is set to celebrate the 11th Canniversary of their craft beer-in-a-can apocalypse and the grand re-opening of the original Oskar Blues Grill & Brew on Dec. 6. The Lyons brewpub has yet to fully reopen following the flooding that hit the Front Range in September.
“The City of Longmont and its businesses like Mike O’Shays have supported Oskar Blues and helped us grow long before we called Longmont home,” said Oskar Blues Spokesman Chad Melis. “Longmont folks have been regulars at the Lyons, CO Grill & Brew for music and beers over the years so adding Longmont as our home is a great fit.”
In 2008, the main brewing operations for Oskar Blues officially landed in a 35,000-square-foot facility in south Longmont. Shortly after, the doors to the Tasty Weasel Tap Room were opened and a second eatery was added to the restaurant mix when Homemade Liquids and Solids opened shop. Today, the restaurant operations have expanded to include a third restaurant, CHUBurger, located in south Longmont with a second location set to open at Coors Field in 2014. Also, Oskar Blues recently announced plans to open CyclHOPS — a bike cantina and new retail location for REEB Cycles in the Longmont’s Meadow View Shopping Center at the end of 2013. Oskar Blues also has a third brewery located in Brevard, N. C.
Following the Colorado flood in September, Oskar Blues also expedited plans to develop a 501(c)(3) organization. To date, the Oskar Blues CAN’d Aid Foundation’s Colorado Flood Relief Fund has raised over $250,000 and distributed nearly $200,000 of funds raised to individuals, families and small businesses in the Lyons and Longmont areas.
“Longmont has been a great partner in helping us grow,” Melis said. “Contributing to the social fabric of this community is what keeps our wheels turning.”
