Station 26 Brewing Becomes Latest Brand to Join Wilding

There's another merger brewing in the local beer community. Denver’s Station 26 Brewing has joined Colorado’s growing Wilding Brands portfolio of craft beverage brands.

Known particularly for its hazy IPA, Juicy Banger, as well as Tangerine Cream ale and 303 lager, Station 26 was founded in an old Park Hill firehouse in 2013. Founder Justin Baccary will continue to oversee Station 26, as well as contribute to Wilding’s craft beverage development and support the portfolio’s array of taprooms and restaurants.

“We’ve built something really special over the last decade, and joining Wilding is an exciting next step that brings new energy and a shared passion for craft, creativity and community,” says Baccary, adding that the Wilding team, made up of fellow craft beverage founders from the area, “truly understands the importance of the craft and staying local, and it’s exciting to be part of Colorado’s leading craft beverage group.”
Station 26 brewing and canning operations will be incorporated into Wilding’s existing production operations, while the taproom will remain open. The brewery’s presence as a neighborhood staple and a consistent, reliable producer of high-quality beers made it a fit for the Wilding stable. Station 26 earned Great American Beer Festival bronze medals in 2014 for Colorado Cream Ale and 2024 for Palisade Peak Chili Beer. The brewery has also bagged World Beer Cup gold medals in 2022 and 2024 for Swift Half in the session beer or Belgian-style table beer category, and a 2023 bronze for New Zealand Pale Ale.

“Justin has built a strong community around Station 26 and the quality speaks for itself,” says Charlie Berger, Wilding Brands chief development officer. “His vision perfectly aligns with what we’re building at Wilding: a new chapter in Colorado craft brewing based on quality and locality across an amazing variety of the best craft beverages and hospitality experiences in Colorado. We’re honored to bring Station 26 into the family and have Justin join the team.”

The acquisition by Wilding, which formed in 2024 through a merger of Stem Ciders, Denver Beer Company and Funkwerks, follows the addition of Great Divide Brewing to the portfolio earlier this spring. Other brands in the Wilding collection include Howdy Beer, Cerveceria Colorado, Formation Brewing, Ghost Box Pizza, Acreage and Easy Living Hop Water.