USA, NM: Taos Mesa Brewing nears opening

It’s been about five years since a group of local entrepreneurs set out to build a brewery on a lonely piece of sage desert west of Taos, The Taos News reported on June, 21.

Now, with just about all regulatory obstacles cleared, the guys at Taos Mesa Brewing are almost open for business.

“After five years, it feels like we’re at the starting line,” says Dan Irion, one of four partners who plan to soon open Taos Mesa Brewing to the public.

Irion said the company’s seven-barrel brewing system came from two separate breweries based in Pennsylvania. Jayson Wylie, also a founding member, is known around Taos as an exceptional brewer.

Once things get rolling, the brewery plans to have six to nine distinct beers on tap at all times. The lineup will include five “staple” products, with three to four seasonal or specialty beers in rotation. Beer names include Kachina Kolsch, Black Widow Porter and Lunch Pale Ale.

The company recently got approval to make and sell its own wine, and the bar will also carry beer from other New Mexico breweries.

Attorney and founding member Gary Feuerman says Taos Mesa Brewing’s business plan relies almost entirely on selling beer. “The craft beer industry grew by 15 percent last year, and we’ve got a lot of room to penetrate that market,” Feuerman says, adding that the company plans to distribute to bars or restaurants across New Mexico. It could be years before they bottle or can its beer.

With long-standing brewery Eske’s, and recently opened Taos Ale House, Feuerman says Taos may finally be showing up on the regional microbrewery radar. “It’s better to have multiple breweries because it makes [Taos] a focus,” he says.

22 June, 2012