The Albuquerque craft beer market consists of a growing list of local emerging alcohol manufacturing and retail businesses catering to a target consumption audience. According to 2011 US Census Bureau data, the Albuquerque Metropolitan Area has 29 establishments categorized under the 445(3)(1) Beer, Wine, and Liquor stores designations. [1] The New Mexico Secretary of State's website shows of the 123 brewing businesses applying for a license in the State of New Mexico, 70 were current and 23 were specific to Albuquerque. [2] According to the Brewers Association, craft beers sales have grown 15% in the last year, while standard beers like Budweiser, Miller Lite, and Coors have only seen a 1% increase. [3]
New Mexico as a whole has a long history of brewing beer dating back to the 1880s with the import of the Illinois Brewing Company brewing operations to Socorro, New Mexico. The brewer William Hammel moved to Socorro primarily for medical reasons, but was able to create a successful business, the building still stands today as the Hammel Museum. [4] Albuquerque's craft beer history slowly began to take shape in the late twentieth century. While homebrewing has been popular in Albuquerque for more than forty years, [5] business-to-business B2B and business-to-consumer B2C craft beer markets for commercial craft beer providers began with the Santa Fe Brewing Company in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Since the first batch from the Santa Fe Brewing Company in 1988 the brew house has proven the New Mexico craft beer market is ripe for quality brewers. [6] [4]
| Brewery | License Type |
|---|---|
| Albuquerque Brewing Company | Small brewer |
| Bosque Brewing Company | Small brewer & wholesaler |
| Broken Bottle Brewery | Small brewer, wholesaler & restaurant |
| Chama River Brewing Company | Small brewer & wholesaler |
| Canteen Brewhouse (formerly: Il Vicino Brewing Co.) | Small brewer & restaurant |
| Kelly's Brew Pub | Small brewer & restaurant |
| La Cumbre Brewing Company | Small brewer & wholesaler |
| Lizard Tail Brewing Company | Small brewer |
| Marble Brewery | Small brewer & wholesaler |
| Outlaws Brewery | Small brewer & wholesaler |
| Rio Grande Brewing Company | Small brewer & wholesaler |
| Santa Fe Brewing Company | Small brewer & wholesaler |
| Tractor Brewing Company | Small brewer & wholesaler |
| Turtle Mountain Brewing Company | Small brewer & restaurant |
| Name |
|---|
| Southwest Grape and Grain |
| The Grain Hopper |
| Victor's Grape Arbor |
Many local organizations have arisen to support and enhance the Albuquerque craft beer market. From informal local craft homebrewers, The Dukes of Ale, [7] to formal businesses designed to promote the New Mexico microbreweries such as the New Mexico Brewers Guild. [8]
The Albuquerque craft beer market has benefited from significant advertising events that various groups from the Albuquerque Metropolitan and New Mexico area host in an effort to promote the expansion of the craft beer market. Such events include:
These groups also develop slogans such as "The Beer Frontier" in an effort to differentiate the Albuquerque craft beer market from other markets such as Portland, Oregon; San Francisco, California; San Diego, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Denver, Colorado; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bend, Oregon; and Asheville, North Carolina. [12]
The City of Albuquerque works to promote the large local craft beer industry by adding information about local breweries and interest groups to their tourism website "New Mexico True." [13] The website promotes the "Ale Trail", a map and flyer listing the breweries throughout New Mexico. The advertising campaign is a nod to the historic El Camino Real, a historic route that New Mexico has used to attract tourists in the past.
In 2014 the New Mexico State Senate designated a portion of Albuquerque's downtown area the "Brewery District." [14] The sale of alcohol in New Mexico is well regulated with complex fees and penalties for alcohol producing and selling businesses. [15]
Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis on enthusiasm, new flavours, and varied brewing techniques.
India pale ale (IPA) is a hoppy beer style within the broader category of pale ale.
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Beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in New Zealand, accounting for 63% of available alcohol for sale. At around 64.7 litres per person per annum, New Zealand is ranked 27th in global beer consumption per capita. The vast majority of beer produced in New Zealand is a type of lager, either pale or amber in colour, and typically 4–5% alcohol by volume.
Beer in Japan mostly comes from the country's four major breweries, Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory, which mainly produce pale lagers around 5% ABV. Beer is immensely popular, far ahead of sake consumption.
Beer, called maekju in Korean, was first introduced to Korea in the early 20th century. Seoul's first brewery opened in 1908. Two current major breweries date back to the 1930s. The third brewery established in Korea, Jinro Coors Brewery, was founded in the 1990s. It was later acquired by Oriental Breweries (OB). Hite Breweries's former name was Chosun Breweries, which was established in 1933. The company changed its name to Hite Breweries in 1998. OB Breweries established as Showa Kirin Breweries in 1933. The company changed its name to OB Breweries in 1995.
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Carolina Brewery is a beer brewery and restaurant/pub with locations in Chapel Hill and Pittsboro, North Carolina. Carolina Brewery has drawn international attention for its handcrafted beers. Founded in 1995, Carolina Brewery is the oldest brewery in the Triangle area. It was one of the first craft breweries in North Carolina. The restaurant serves contemporary American cuisine and features a seasonal menu.
Breweries in New Hampshire produce a wide range of beers in different styles that are marketed locally, regionally, and nationally. Brewing companies vary widely in the volume and variety of beer produced, from small nanobreweries and microbreweries to massive multinational conglomerate macrobreweries.
San Diego County, California, has been called "the Craft Beer Capital of America". As of 2018, the county was home to 155 licensed craft breweries – the most of any county in the United States. Based on 2016 sales volume, three San Diego County breweries – Stone, Green Flash, and Karl Strauss – rank among the 50 largest craft brewers in the United States. San Diego County brewers pioneered the specialty beer style known as Double India Pale Ale, sometimes called San Diego Pale Ale. Its beer culture is a draw for tourism, particularly during major festivals such as San Diego Beer Week and the San Diego International Beer Competition. San Diego County breweries including Stone Brewing Co., AleSmith Brewing Company and Ballast Point Brewing Company are consistently rated among the top breweries in the world.
Marble Brewery is a brewery in Albuquerque, New Mexico, founded in 2008. Its main brewhouse is located in downtown Albuquerque on Marble Avenue, which gave the brewery its name. The 30 barrel brewhouse is responsible for brewing all classic and seasonal styles, including Marble's most popular brew, Double White. As of 2018, it was the second largest brewery in New Mexico with an annual production volume of 23,000 US barrels. In 2016, the brewery completed a major expansion which increased the production capacity to 30,000 barrels. Its beers have won several awards and it was named Small Brewery and Brewmaster of the Year at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival.
Tractor Brewing Company is a New Mexico-based brewery, founded in 1999 in Los Lunas and since 2014 located in Albuquerque. Tractor beers have won awards at the New Mexico State Fair Pro-Am Competition.
Women have been active in brewing since ancient times. From the earliest evidence of brewing in 7000 BCE, until the commercialization of brewing during industrialization, women were the primary brewers on all inhabited continents. In many cultures, the deities, goddesses and protectors of brewers were female entities who were associated with fertility.
