Not many Oklahomans can say they became an apprentice in their craft at the age of 12.
Jake Keyes, founder and CEO of Skydance Brewing, grew up in Little Axe, Oklahoma, watching his dad homebrew beer from an early age. Always underfoot, he started learning the ropes when he was just 12 years old. Keyes laughed, “He was trying to keep me from ruining his batches.”
A love of brewing never left Keyes. As a University of Oklahoma student, he worked at Coach’s Restaurant as a bartender, manager and assistant brewer at the legendary Norman bar and grill. Keyes was thrilled when his dad, Ritchie, would come in after work with friends. Father and son had a dream that one day, they would have a place of their own like Coach’s.
Keyes eventually began a career with the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma. His dad moved into a nursing home at the young age of 56 due to health issues. While rummaging through accumulated things one afternoon, Keyes found an old brew recipe of his dad’s, and decided to make a batch and sneak a bottle into the nursing home to cheer up his father.
Friends loved the resulting batch results so much that they convinced him to enter it into the Bluebonnet Brew-Off, a national homebrewer’s competition. Keyes recalled, “I was so busy with work, I couldn’t attend the competition, but they let me know my beer won a medal. Before I could call my dad that night to tell him the news, my brother called. Our dad had passed.”
At the time, Keyes was 35 years old and receiving promotions at work, but he could never let go of the dream he once shared with his father. Working toward this goal began to take up most of his weekends.
His hard work paid off: Skydance Brewing started brewing operations in 2018. Keyes said, “We opened in Automobile Alley in October 2021. If you ask people on the street, they’ll tell you we make the best IPAs in Oklahoma. We have four beers that we offer year-round: Fancy Dance, a hazy IPA; NDN Time, our Amber Ale; Rez Dog, our Pilsner; and Skylight, a light American Lager. Every Friday, we release a new beer—a small batch, with limited availability.”
Skydance also offers food. “The focus is on the burgers, but we’re hoping people will enjoy the Native American flair: flatbread pizzas, Indian tacos and a Three Sisters salad. We also have nachos and wings, a pretty great chicken sandwich and bison meatballs.”
2026 has been a year of growth and expansion beyond Keyes’ wildest dreams. Skydance has recently opened a new location in Midwest City. In May, it announced a partnership with the Apache Casino Hotel in Lawton, where it will operate a new brewery, restaurant and bar, with an anticipated opening in early 2027.
In late May, Skydance also completed a buildout and renovation of the Automobile Alley location. Having acquired the business space next door, it added an upscale lounge with a speakeasy feel: leather seating, flowers, curtains, cocktails and high-end bourbons. “This will be the perfect place for weddings and receptions, large parties and nice dates,” said Keyes. “This location now has several areas with different atmospheres. Casual and fun, upscale and elegant—whatever you’re looking for, we have it.”
Amid all this excitement, Keyes gives credit to his wife and business partner, Bobbi. “Bobbi is the heart of the brewery. She never gets the recognition she deserves.” Keyes explained that since he was elected chairman of his Iowa tribe, Bobbi has managed the day-to-day operations of the breweries, often working six or seven days a week.
Thinking over all he and Bobbi have done to get to this moment, Keyes said, “I’m proud that Skydance is Oklahoma’s Native American-owned craft brewery. It’s been a tough time for craft breweries in this state. We’re trying to provide a full experience for people—community, food, special spaces for people to gather. To survive in the craft brew landscape, we’re going to do whatever it takes.”
