A limited-edition beer from Declaration Brewing hit the shelves of local liquor stores this month to commemorate Denver Water’s 100th anniversary.

“Denver is home to so many breweries that use our water we thought a commemorative beer would be a great way to celebrate our anniversary,” said Jessica Mahaffey, marketing specialist at Denver Water.

Declaration partnered with Denver Water to craft Centurion Fine Pilsner in April. It took two days to brew the beer and two months to ferment.

“It’s a light and refreshing pilsner that’s great for the summer,” said Mike Baker, scientist in residence at Declaration Brewing. “We’ve had a lot of interest in this beer since the word got out and we’re expecting it to sell quickly.”

Baker and the Declaration team canned 500 cases of beer in mid-July that will be distributed to select liquor stores in early August. The beer also is available on tap at Declaration’s bar at 2030 S. Cherokee St. in Denver.

“We decided to call it ‘Centurion,’ because of the century connection with our anniversary,” Mahaffey said. “The name also highlights being a protector, and we’ve been protectors of the water for the people of Denver for 100 years.”

The cans have three different labels to draw attention to Denver Water’s rich history of water innovation. The three labels show pictures of Cheesman Reservoir, construction of the Moffat Tunnel and workers building a wood stave pipe.

Proceeds from the beer will be donated to fund scholarships offered by the American Water Works Association and WateReuse Colorado. The scholarships will benefit students enrolled in Colorado universities, community colleges and technical colleges who are preparing for a career in the water industry.

“Great beer starts with great water, which requires trained water professionals,” said David LaFrance, CEO of the American Water Works Association. “Recruiting new workers will be critical in the coming years as the water industry is expecting to see a rising number of retirements in the current workforce.”

Denver Water CEO/Manager Jim Lochhead hopes the beer can raise awareness about the industry’s jobs and opportunities among a new generation of students.

“Denver Water has relied on skilled workers and innovative thinking in the past to build our infrastructure and deliver safe, reliable water,” Lochhead said. “These scholarships will help develop a highly-trained workforce here in Colorado as we face the water challenges of tomorrow.”

Centurion not only celebrates Denver Water’s anniversary, it also has a message of sustainability. It was made with purified water — water that’s been used in homes, cleaned at a wastewater treatment facility and then made safe to drink using advanced water purification technology.

“We’re proud of this beer because we were able to brew it with water that’s been used before,” Baker said. “We hope this helps people understand that we can use new sources of water and still have a great-tasting beer.”

Denver Water was established in 1918 and the organization celebrated its 100th anniversary on Aug. 6.

“We’re proud of our history,” Mahaffey said. “When people drink this beer, we’re hoping they’ll think about our past, present and the role we’ll play delivering water in the future.”

Water and Waste Water Operators may apply for a scholarship through AWWA’s Water Equation. Applications for university scholarships open in August 2018 on the AWWA website.