Durango brewers take creations to Collaboration Fest

Ska Brewing Co. Head Brewer Thomas Larsen, left, inspects hops that will be used in a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia, right, and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield. The beer will be judged Saturday at the 2016 Collaboration Fest in Denver.

Shaun Stanley/ Durango Herald

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Ska Brewing Co. Head Brewer Thomas Larsen, left, inspects hops that will be used in a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia, right, and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield. The beer will be judged Saturday at the 2016 Collaboration Fest in Denver.

Shaun Stanley/ Durango Herald

Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, right, discusses the brewing process of a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia, left, and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield. The beer will be judged Saturday at the 2016 Collaboration Fest in Denver. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

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Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, right, discusses the brewing process of a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia, left, and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield. The beer will be judged Saturday at the 2016 Collaboration Fest in Denver. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

David Thibodeau, co-founder of Ska Brewing Co., right, inspects hops with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia. The two were preparing to collaborate on a brew that will be judged Saturday at the third Collaboration Fest in Denver. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

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David Thibodeau, co-founder of Ska Brewing Co., right, inspects hops with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia. The two were preparing to collaborate on a brew that will be judged Saturday at the third Collaboration Fest in Denver. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Company in Broomfield, heads up to observe the brewing of a beer at Ska Brewing that will be judged Saturday at this year’s Collaboration Fest in Denver. Shaun Stanley/ Durango Herald

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Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Company in Broomfield, heads up to observe the brewing of a beer at Ska Brewing that will be judged Saturday at this year’s Collaboration Fest in Denver. Shaun Stanley/ Durango Herald

Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, left, inspects hops that will be used in a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co, in Roseland, Virginia, right and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield, center. The beer will be judged Saturday at the 2016 Collaboration Fest in Denver. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

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Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, left, inspects hops that will be used in a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co, in Roseland, Virginia, right and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield, center. The beer will be judged Saturday at the 2016 Collaboration Fest in Denver. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, left, discusses the collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia, right and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield, center. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

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Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, left, discusses the collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia, right and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield, center. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, center, goes over details of the brewing process of a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia, right, and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield, left. The beer will be judged Saturday at this year’s Collaboration Fest in Denver. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

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Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, center, goes over details of the brewing process of a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia, right, and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield, left. The beer will be judged Saturday at this year’s Collaboration Fest in Denver. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, left, discusses the brewing of a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia, center and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield, right. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

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Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, left, discusses the brewing of a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia, center and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield, right. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, left, discusses the brewing of a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia, center and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield, right. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

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Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, left, discusses the brewing of a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia, center and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield, right. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, inspects the brewing process of a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Company and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Company. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

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Ska Brewing Co. head brewer Thomas Larsen, inspects the brewing process of a collaboration beer he is making with Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Company and Tom Dargen, director of brewing operations at Gordon Biersch Brewing Company. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

Hops are inspected at Ska Brewing Co. by Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia during the brewing of a beer for 2016 Collaboration Fest in Denver. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

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Hops are inspected at Ska Brewing Co. by Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Virginia during the brewing of a beer for 2016 Collaboration Fest in Denver. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

Hops readied for the brewing process at Ska Brewing Co. ahead of this year’s Collaboration Fest in Denver. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

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Hops readied for the brewing process at Ska Brewing Co. ahead of this year’s Collaboration Fest in Denver. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

Two Durango brewers are among nearly 150 breweries participating Saturday in the 2016 Collaboration Fest in Denver.

The festival will feature more than 85 projects. At least two breweries must collaborate on each beer, and at least one of those breweries must be based in Colorado and a member of the Colorado Brewers Build. Breweries from 21 states and five countries are participating this year, according to the event website.

In February, brewers from Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in Broomfield and Devils Backbone Brewery in Virgina traveled to Durango to join forces with Ska Brewing Co. to create Kurr’s Light, an American Lager, for the 2016 festival.

Ska also teamed with Epic Brewing of Salt Lake City to make the welcome beer – a barrel-aged American IPA called Skeptic Ale.

Steamworks Brewing Co. paired with Dry Dock Brewing Co. of Aurora to create Steam Dock Trans-Continental (Divide) Lager, a hoppy Kolsch.

Judging – and tasting – will take place Saturday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver. According to the website, tickets are sold out.