Finally, some good news.
Beer that’s cheaper than gas. In at least one instance.
As of June 1, 2026, a pint of Easy Light quaffed at at Ska Brewing’s World Headquarters in Durango has been priced at one cent less than the average national price of unleaded gas. If unleaded is $4.59, Easy Light is $4.58. If gas goes up, Easy Light stays one cent below. If the price of gas goes down… well, for once people can celebrate two prices falling at the same time!
According to a story by Emily Hutto at RadCraftBeer.com
“We’re always listening to what beer drinkers are asking for,” says Ska Co-Founder Dave Thibodeau. “People want something lighter, lower in alcohol, and easier to drink— but they don’t want it to feel cheap or watered down. Easy Light is a beer we’re proud to pour, made with good ingredients, full of flavor, and priced in a way that actually feels good in 2026.”
The brewing team at Ska built Easy Light with premium ingredients and a simple philosophy: less is more. Less alcohol. Fewer calories. Lower carbs. No fuss. Just a clean, refreshing lager made for the cooler, the fridge, the river, the backyard, and the friend who says they’re “only having one” but brought a 12-pack just in case.
Of course, this claim — “Beer cheaper than gas” — is slightly misleading. For $4.58, you can purchase a pint of Easy Light on tap. But you can get a whole gallon of gas for $4.59… (in Durango. but probably not in Pagosa Springs.). A gallon of Easy Light, purchased by the pint, will cost you more than $12.
Also, you cannot run your car on beer.
Nevertheless, my hat is off to Ska Brewing. It’s hard to find a pint of beer on tap in Pagosa Springs for less than $6. Unless maybe the beer was brewed in someplace like Milwaukee and tastes like flavored water.
From Ska Brewing co-founder Dave Thibodeau:
“We’re always listening to what beer drinkers are asking for. People want something lighter, lower in alcohol, and easier to drink — but they don’t want it to feel cheap or watered down. Easy Light is a beer we’re proud to pour, made with good ingredients, full of flavor, and priced in a way that actually feels good in 2026.”
It’s hard to find anything, in 2026, that’s priced in a way that actually feels good.
I found a loaf of organic sourdough bread at City Market this week, priced at $4.99, and that actually felt good. But it did cost more than a gallon of gas.
Unfortunately, Ska Brewing is located in Durango, so I would spend about $27.48 getting there and back in my old Subaru, if you reckon the cost of gas.
So I’m probably going to wind up drinking the stuff brewed in Milwaukee.
And crying in my beer.
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all. You can read more stories on his Substack account.