Local breweries expand and reshape for a discerning audience
BY ALEX DE VORE a l e x @ s f r e p o r t e r. c o m
THE BIG GUY
A seemingly endless line of students enrolled in brewing and beverage management courses at Central New Mexico Community College pours into the main brewery warehouse at the Santa Fe Brewing Company on the outskirts of town. Dressed in matching coveralls, they’re here to learn about large-scale brewing. Rows of massive stainless steel fermenters tower overhead as workers flit around mixing ingredients, manning machinery and crafting various types of beloved local beer, which are headed for countless local bars and restaurants and 10 states. A centrifuge whirrs loudly in the background, separating sediment from the brews for the cleanest possible beer; two and a half years ago, the brewery became the first in the state to boast such a device. Outside, construction chugs forward on upcoming additions such as a brand-new family-friendly beer garden and a subterranean tasting room built within buried shipping containers specifically to serve barrel-aged creations. The cacophony of cleaning, brewing and working rings out everywhere.
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APRIL 26-MAY 2, 2017
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SFREPORTER.COM
Founded in 1988, Santa Fe Brewing Company remains one of the most productive, oldest and best-known craft breweries in the region. What began as a micro-scale operation pushing out small batch brews from Dinosaur Trail has grown into one of New Mexico’s largest brewing operations. Of course, owner Brian Lock has a much loftier vision than founder Mike Levis probably ever dreamed of back when he created the legendary Santa Fe Pale Ale in the ’80s. Lock bought the business in 1997 along with three other partners. By 2003, he had bought them out and began ramping up production. Today, the company’s reach continues to stretch. With a tasting room and one of the highest-quality music venues in the area, the operation has grown to include well over a dozen flagship, seasonal and, soon, barrel-aged beers. Ex-
perimental and one-off formulas are not uncommon. Think of it more like a family united by beer, but you’re reaping all the benefits. Santa Fe Brewing Co.’s head of research and development, David Ahern-Seronde, appears on the brewery floor as if from nowhere. “So,” he says. “You wanna take the tour?” In addition to his R&D work, Ahern-Seronde acts as a tour guide for visitors on Saturdays. He’s also worked most of the other jobs here. “I’m one of only four people who is cross-trained in everything,” he says. A local musician and co-founder of DIY metal venue The Cave, Ahern-Seronde came to Santa Fe Brewing nearly five years ago and started on the canning line. Before long he proved an aptitude for the work and moved up to cellarman (which he describes as a glorified janitor). Eventually, he became a brewer.