A big change was just announced within the Colorado craft beer scene: Left Hand Brewing Company and Dry Dock Brewing Company will merge operations. According to the Denver Post, the former will absorb the latter’s business and form one entity.
The shift was made possible in part by the $2 million-plus raised by Left Hand, which announced a Wefunder campaign and a Regulation D share offering last year. Dry Dock co-founders Kevin DeLange and Michelle Reding will gain equity in the parent company, and production will move to Left Hand’s Longmont facility.
Dry Dock opened in 2005, and was Aurora’s first craft brewery. It quickly gained recognition, winning a gold medal at the World Beer Cup within months of opening, and has since earned 28 Great American Beer Festival medals and 8 World Beer Cup awards. It ranked ninth among Colorado’s largest independent breweries as of early 2024, its website states.
Left Hand Brewing was founded more than 30 years ago and has grown into the state’s third-largest operation, Biz West reports. It has a reputation as one of the most awarded companies in the beer scene, winning 28 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) medals, 11 World Beer Cup awards, and 9 European Beer Star honors.
