Lost my favorite beer

[Lynn Dollar]

No more Dales Pale Ale in Oklahoma and a lot of other regions. In 2022, Oskar Blues was bought by Monster Beverage Co and they greatly scaled back the company. Its gone from a national brand to a couple of regions, Colorado and North Carolina.

And I'd built a small shrine to Dales on my patio, which btw, Dales won a Gold Medal at last years Great American Beer Festival in Denver.

Dales was on the borderline between an IPA and a Pale Ale. It had IBU's of 65 and was 6.2% ABV. The brewer used malts to balance the bitterness of the hops. There's not many similar beers.

The best match I've found is Founders Centennial IPA. It's low IBU for an IPA and heavy on the malts, with 7.2% ABV. It even has the same color as Dales. But I'm still looking for another similar beer.

I will have to take down my shrine.

[mrteddyprincess]

Leave it up! Too cool to get rid of it.

Brian

[SheilaAnn]

+2 it’s your homage!

[Jessterr]

+3 It’s even cooler now than it was before. 🍺

[Elton's BBQ]

+4

[jfmorris]

I say keep your signs. I've got metal signs in my home office and garage for several defunct breweries. It's cool memorabilia...

[SheilaAnn]

What a bummer!! I hate it when the little guy gets scooped up only to “disappear”. But I hope the team at Oskar Blues made out well and will move on the bigger and better things.

adding that Monster’s majority stake holder is Coca Cola (I just looked it up).

[Lynn Dollar]

Yes, they're truly a monster.

Oskar Blues sold for $330 million.

[SheilaAnn]

Lynn Dollar $330M? Wowza!

[Lynn Dollar]

SheilaAnn Oskar Blues had grown from just another Colorado brewery to operating breweries in North Carolina and Austin. It got pretty large.

And the Austin brewery has been shut down and they're no longer selling beer in Texas. IDK if that should be surprising as Texas is like a " whole nother country " . I wonder how outside brands sell there.

Monster held on to the North Carolina market.

[Sweaty Paul]

Sounds like an epic "Smoky and The Bandit" road trip to Colorado is in your future!

[Sweaty Paul]

Lynn Dollar, there are a ton of great breweries there and I'm fortunate enough to have friends who will bring samples. I've not ever been to Red Rocks, however, I hear from all of my friends who have been that it is amazing.

[Lynn Dollar]

Sweaty Paul I've yet to tackle the logistics of a concert at Red Rocks, from tickets to lodging , etc. And I'm not much of a traveler, hard to get me out of this house. I've looked at it on Google Maps, and it appears Red Rocks is on the far west side of Denver and maybe could get there without having to deal with Denver.

[Sweaty Paul]

Lynn Dollar my kid lives in Denver. My friends live there too. I continue to be bamboozled by how to get around there. Also, a 3/4 ton diesel isn't optimal to drive in that heavy traffic.

That said everyone that I know that has been there has absolutely loved the venue.

[Santamarina]

Dale’s was always a good beer. Haven’t had one in years. Pale Ale as a style has been getting harder and harder to find. A lot of breweries that made them have retired those recipes. Most with that label these days are IPAs in disguise. I imagine it won’t be long before commercial examples are extinct.

Guess it’s time to dust off my brewing equipment and make a proper Pale Ale! 🍻

[Lynn Dollar]

Dales is very close to an IPA. Its hop forward. But the malts balance it out.

Lagunitas IPA is another one that might come close to Dales.

There's always Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, its good , but just lacked what enjoyed about Dales.

I'm familiar with Founders Centennial. My only concern there is finding it here locally and it being fresh.

I've not paid much attention to the local brewers, for a few years now. I might have to get out and hit some taprooms.

[texastweeter]

That sounds like the title to a county western song.

[Lynn Dollar]

True. If I could just find a way to work my pick up truck into this, I've got the lyrics.

[Jfrosty27]

Dale’s is a fave of mine also. I hadn’t seen it on the shelves for quite a while and wondered why. What a bummer.

[Lynn Dollar]

I think I was keeping them in business here.

Then last January, Mrs Dollar and I went on a diet. No beer. We get off the diet couple weeks ago and no Dales.

I'm sure it was me not buying any for six months that influenced their decision . hahaha

[DaveD]

Fortunately, Dale's is still available here in the LSD... agreed, it's an excellent beer, and I'd put it squarely in IPA territory at that ABV and IBU level, although in recent years IPAs have gotten pretty crazy even for a confirmed hophead like me...

[Skinsfan1311]

Well...that sucks. It's always been available in the Baltimore metro area...but I haven't looked for it lately. It's great beer. Leave the shrine!

[Purc]

I know that feeling. I really miss the Chocolate Stout and Rocky Mt. IPA from Fort Collins Brewery and Anchor Steam and Anchor Porter.

[TripleB]

I miss Anchor Steam too.

[Lynn Dollar]

I haven't seen Anchor Steam in 10 years, what happened to them ? Weren't they a San Fran brewer who had roof top open fermentation ?

[SheilaAnn]

Oooooooo anchor steam! Yum!

[jfmorris]

I think the issue with American pale ale and American India pale ales has been that the entire freaking beer industry thinkjs EVERYONE wants "hazy juicy cloudy" IPA's. I prefer a traditional CLEAR "west coast"" pale ale or IPA myself, and despise the "New England style" hazy/juicy IPA's.

It is ironic that a cloudy beer other than a hefeweizen would be considered very flawed a decade or so ago, and that goes for IPA's. I know styles change with the times, but I'm just an old dog who doesn't like the new tricks...

[Lynn Dollar]

I also prefer the basic styles. All these breweries are trying to come up with next new thing .

[fzxdoc]

I'm with you. Juice is for breakfast. Keep it out of my beer.

Kathryn

[SheilaAnn]

I also enjoy a good session beer or a kölsch.

yeah, I looked up how to spell kölsch.

[Lynn Dollar]

We have a local brewer who also operates a restaurant just down the street from me, they brew a kolsch and its the best beer they brew.

[cruiseplanner1]

Not sure if you will ever find it but Keewanaw brewry has one called Pick Ax Blonde that sounds so similar to the one there that you described. Our favorite beer in the UP and it is bomb on tap. Almost every joint carries it there as it is so popular.

[Lynn Dollar]

I know that feeling. I really miss the Chocolate Stout and Rocky Mt. IPA from Fort Collins Brewery and Anchor Steam and Anchor Porter.

Well, AI is good for something ..............

Anchor Brewing Company went through a dramatic shutdown in 2023 but is currently actively being revived by a new billionaire owner who is preparing to reopen the historic brewery. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Here is the exact timeline of what happened, from its collapse to its current comeback trail: The 2023 Closure

• The Shutdown: In July 2023, Anchor’s previous owner, Japanese beer giant Sapporo, completely shut down the brewery and liquidated its assets. [1, 5, 6, 7]
• The Cause: Sapporo blamed a combination of stagnant craft beer sales, changing consumer tastes, pandemic-related economic impacts in San Francisco, and a deeply unpopular 2021 modern logo rebrand that alienated loyal fans. After 127 years in business, America's first craft brewery went entirely dark. [1, 3, 8, 9, 10]

The 2024 Salvation

• The New Owner: In May 2024, Hamdi Ulukaya, the billionaire founder and CEO of Chobani Yogurt, purchased all of Anchor’s assets—including the recipes, intellectual property, and the physical Potrero Hill campus—through his family office. [3, 11, 12]
• The Vision: Ulukaya, known for his corporate philanthropy, stated he fell in love with Anchor's grit and history. He promised to bring back the classic, vintage beer labels designed by artist Jim Stitt, completely throwing out the hated corporate rebrand. [3, 8, 13]

Current Status: The Road to Reopening

• Signs of Life: Throughout early 2026, neighbors and industry insiders reported significant activity inside the Potrero Hill brewery. Technicians have been servicing the iconic copper kettles, the property has been cleaned up, and grain shipments have been delivered to the site. [3, 14, 15, 16]
• Label Approval: In mid-2026, the brewery cleared a massive hurdle by winning federal TTB approval to revive its historic, illustrated labels for Anchor Steam Beer and Old Foghorn Ale. [3, 17]
• When will the beer flow?: While a formal public opening date hasn't been set, lights are on inside the taproom, state alcohol permits have been secured, and former unionized staff are actively organizing to return to their jobs as full production nears a restart. [4, 18]

If you'd like, I can give you more details on how Hamdi Ulukaya plans to run the company, or we can look at the history of the iconic labels that are making a comeback.