The way that co-owner Dave Thibodeau talks about Ska Brewing Company, no one would guess there’s an economic recession going on.

In the first half of this year, sales have been up 33 percent over 2009 numbers, said Thibodeau, who is the president of the company. The figure dwarfs the 12 percent average among craft brewers this year.

In 2008, the company built a new headquarters building after growing out of their old one a few blocks away. Last year, Ska opened a new market in Texas and started its first automated canning line.

In the year since, Thibodeau said demand for canned beer has continued to grow enough to convince the company to buy another canning line. After it starts operating next week, he said the company will be able to double its canned beer output.

Next up, Ska plans to install four new fermenters in the spring that will increase its production capacity by 70 percent.

Among its recent recognitions, Ska was named one of the top 50 companies to watch this year by Colorado Biz Magazine and won a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Fest in September for its “Ska Special” English Style Pale Ale.

Thibodeau said Ska is lucky to be in an industry that has been growing despite the recession.

Lately, he said, craft beer makers have been successful in promoting themselves as an affordable luxury and a cheaper alternative to wine.

After customers taste the product, he said, they usually become permanent converts.

Being at the forefront of what he calls the “can revolution” in craft beer also hashelped raise awareness of the brewery, Thibodeau said.

Ska’s newest product to hit stores in a can? A pale ale called Euphoria.