Betting on brew

The number of beer breweries passed the 7,000 mark in the United States last year, well past the number before Prohibition nearly a century ago, and the number still is growing, reported the Brewers Association.

However, eastern New Mexico, including Tucumcari, remains relatively untouched by the microbrewing craze.

New Mexico Magazine in its August issue took a closer look the state's brewing industry. Its map showed 111 taprooms and 88 breweries. But the number of breweries in the eastern quarter of New Mexico remains sparse. Tucumcari doesn't have one. Clovis doesn't have one. Fort Sumner, Las Vegas, Clayton and Hobbs don't have one. The closest ones in New Mexico from Tucumcari is a fledgling operation in Mosquero (73 miles away) and in Portales (92 miles).

At least two individuals have thought of launching a brewery in Tucumcari. One backed out after seeing the "red tape" and capital needed to get federal and state permits and the needed equipment. Another said hinted opposition from a local church partially scuttled his plans.

Trying for Tucumcari

A third individual still is trying to land a microbrewery along Route 66 in Tucumcari. That's Larry Smith, owner of the Motel Safari along the historic highway and a chairman of the Tucumcari Lodgers Tax Advisory Board.

Smith said a friend - described as a Route 66 enthusiast "who wants this town to do better" - recently purchased a building near his motel.

Smith said he's scouting for a tenant to open a microbrewery there from an existing craft-beer brewer that's looking to expand or a young brewer who's willing to launch a business in Tucumcari. Smith said he's looked as far away as Arizona to find a candidate and next was looking at operations in Albuquerque and Amarillo.

"The fact Tucumcari doesn't have a microbrewery is incredible," Smith said. "One of the most common questions I get from overnight travelers is where to get a beer or a drink. The place I'm looking at would be walking distance from classic motels on the Boulevard. I think it would do well with the travelers, for sure. And think there would be enough local support from people who love craft beer."

A rumor the city's sewer system wouldn't be able to handle a brewery is untrue, city manager Britt Lusk said.

"I fully support a brewery coming to town; in fact, I think it would be great," Lusk stated in an email. "There will have to be a permitting process to ensure compliance with industrial discharge to our wastewater treatment facility. I'm not sure what that would look like at this point, but have had discussion with other city managers to learn their process. I fully believe that our plant will be able to handle it, and I fully believe that it would be good for Tucumcari."

Jimmy Watson, co-owner of Watson's BBQ in Tucumcari, said he and his son, Court, talked about launching a microbrewery in Tucumcari about five years ago but decided against it, especially after looking at a 60-page application.

"We were overwhelmed by the paperwork," he said.

Watson said the purchase of the required stainless-steel equipment to brew beer "was a big-time investment" that also played a part in their decision to not pursue it. He said the upfront capital required to launch a brewery would be daunting to many entrepreneurs.

"The money is still the big issue," he said.

Watson acknowledged Tucumcari "would be a perfect place" for a creative entrepreneur to take inspiration from the region's culture to brew beer.

"The people who travel here, they want to know the local flavors," Watson said.

Getting started

Pete Callahan, owner of Callahan West Brewery that operates in a circa-1910 building in Mosquero in neighboring Harding County, said during a telephone interview Wednesday he'd just brewed his first-ever batch of beer, called Mosquero Natural Blonde. For about 18 months before that, he'd been serving beer from another microbrewer.

Callahan, a county assessor for 27 years who got bored during retirement and decided to go into the beer business, said one of the hurdles he had to clear was receiving variances from local churches and the school district with property lines within 300 feet of his brewery.

"In Mosquero, you're 300 feet from just about everything," he said. "Maybe it's that (that discourages prospective microbrewers). It can be a trick to get a variance from religious groups."

Fortunately for Callahan, he said he had no trouble getting those variances from the school district, Catholic church and even a nondenominational church that sat within the 300-foot radius.

"The community has been very supportive," he said.

Callahan said the expense of setting up his microbrewery was daunting. He estimated he spent $100,000 in buying the necessary walk-in cooler, stainless steel casks, kegs and other equipment. On top of that, he had to submit federal and state applications to brew beer.

"It's very expensive," he said. "And you have to buy it before you even fill out the applications. It's quite a deal. It's really complicated."

He said the New Mexico Legislature during its last session passed a law that required small brewers to make at least 50% of its beer on-site. That's why Callahan, whose $700 beer license comes up for renewal in February, has been busy brewing Mosquero Natural Blonde as of late.

Callahan, who said the Legislature may review the brewing threshold during the next session after hearing grumbling from constituents, declined to say what percentage would be fairer to a small operation such as his.

"I don't think there should be a requirement, as long as you're brewing beer," he said.

A failed attempt

Blueprints of a failed bid to convert the century-old and long-closed Crescent Creamery building on East Main Street in Tucumcari into a brewery still sit in the Tucumcari MainStreet office.

Thomas McGill, the building's former owner, said he looked into several options for it several years ago, including a microbrewery because its layout and existing drainage system would make it ideal for such an operation.

Architectural drawings for the New Crescent Brewery foresaw a 30-tank brewing system, a bottling operation, tasting room and merchandise room. McGill said the building also would have been used to make, bottle and distribute sodas.

McGill, who lives in Edgewood, said there was "considerable interest."

"I'm completely convinced it was the perfect thing to do," he said in a recent telephone interview. "There's a definite market. Tucumcari is a gateway to three different states. But the circumstances just didn't line up."

Without naming it specifically, McGill said he received "secondhand" information the proposed beermaking operation would have received "pushback" from a nearby Baptist church. McGill said that was a key factor that ultimately prompted him to drop the plan.

McGill also acknowledged he isn't "much of a beer guy" and wasn't highly motivated to launch a microbrewery.

"I had other interests and didn't want to do it," he said. "My passion was the building; I wanted to preserve it."

McGill admitted he recently sold the property. The Quay County Assessor's Office confirmed it was sold to Kristian Kaseman of Pittsburgh. Kaseman also owns two residential properties along Main Street.

Kaseman faces a tall order in getting the Crescent Creamery back up to code. According to McGill's original documents, the building's roof partially caved in, and it "will need significant upgrades to be habitable."

Attempts to reach Kaseman for comment were unsuccessful.