Tractor Brewing never really needs an excuse to throw a big party. It’s kinda their thing.

But, when it comes to celebrating 25 years in business, the party also comes with plenty of reflection of just what a quarter-century worth of Tractor means. We sat down with co-owner/brewmaster David Hargis and events and marketing director Jeremy Kinter to look back on the history of the brewery and preview this Saturday’s anniversary party.

“It means a lot of different things,” said Hargis, who joined the company in 2010. “You’re right, we haven’t been here the whole time. It started before our time, but also at a time when a lot of (breweries) that started didn’t make it. Craft got some traction, lost traction, and came back. I think what it means, we went all in, let’s see if we can turn this around, and make something out of Tractor. We had a lot of goals and were very driven. Also, there’s just that organic growth. Timing might have been a part of the puzzle there that worked in our favor.”

The brewery was started by Herb Pluemer down in Los Lunas in 1999. The late Mike Campbell was the first brewer, creating everything from the Farmers Tan Red Ale to the Get Plowed slogan. By 2005, Tractor was struggling financially, as were many other breweries at that time. Pluemer hired Skye Devore to run the business side of things. Campbell left in 2007 and was succeeded by James Walton until he departed in 2010.

Devore reached out to Hargis, whose wife knew Devore through the Tricklock Theater Company, to see if he would be interested in taking over as head brewer. Hargis took the reins, basically learning on the fly, he said, and started brewing away.

“I knew all the plumbing and electrical part of things,” Hargis recalled. “But, getting the liquid from over here to over there was the part I had to figure out.”

Hargis said he was successful in brewing up his first batch of Honey Wheat. His second batch of beer had to be dumped, however. Nonetheless, he persevered, and so did Tractor. The brewery opened a taproom in Nob Hill in 2011, which really helped not just keep the company afloat, but Tractor began to thrive.

Devore and Hargis took over as co-owners in 2013. They would move the brewery to its current home in Wells Park a year later, shutting down operations in Los Lunas. Since then, a number of other taprooms have opened and closed, a canning line was installed, and a few of the core beers and ciders changed to meet the demands of the market at large.

“What it kind of meant the most for me at this point is those first years of grind, right, you’re just trying to keep up with things as they grow, new directions reveal themselves and you try to follow that and hopefully make good decisions,” Hargis said. “I think the real win has been the people, everybody that’s been here for maybe a short time to those who have been here a long time with us, taking on that ownership, too, and seeing that growth. Seeing how they are taking over a lot of what Skye and I used to provide direction on, and be concerned about. Many of this team who have taken ownership are now leaders, and the ones who are coming up with new goals, and continuing to find direction and growth for the company.”

One of those people is Jeremy Kinter, who has handled marketing and event planning (and being point man for talking to the Brew Crew) for Tractor for several years. He was tasked with figuring out just what to do to celebrate 25 years.

“25 years is a lot, and it’s an incredible brand that Skye and David have created and sustained and molded,” Kinter said. “It’s the culture that they’ve created, which is really important, and that community that you guys have created and how the brand interacts with the greater Albuquerque community in terms of art, nonprofit work, and of course product — beer, cider, and spirits. It’s pretty incredible.”

Through a stroke of luck, or should we say the classic it’s not what you know but who you know, Kinter found the right musical act to lead the celebration that is set for this Saturday at Wells Park.

“Putting together a big bash, we have our yearly (Halloween) carnival, so we had to go big (for this, too),” he said. “I had to permit the parking lot. Fortunately, I was able to team up with Baracutanga, and they’re celebrating their 15th anniversary, as well. Through a mutual friend, we were able to connect, and we decided we wanted to celebrate together. Baracutanga is one of the most, if not the most premier Latin bands of New Mexico and the Southwest. That team up was huge.”

Kinter called up another band that Tractor has a longstanding relationship with, Le Chat Lunatique, to lead off the evening of music. Doors will be at 5 p.m., Le Chat will perform from 6 to 7:15, Proyeo Cumbion will follow from 7:30 to 9, and Baracutanga will finish the night from 9:35 to 11:30. Tickets are $16 in advance and can be purchased online.

“We’ll have a couple food trucks here, Cattle Tags and Heavy Burgers,” Kinter added. “We’re also going to be doing a retro merch table. We’re going to be selling unique, one-of-a-kind glasses, old T-shirts, hats, growlers, and then we’re going to have an outdoor bar, as well. There’s going to be unique stuff, Tractor merch, that you can only get at this anniversary party.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun. We’re really looking forward to it. It’s such a great team-up with wonderful bands. It was very serendipitous. It worked out very well. It’s all going to be outside. The patio will be the stage. People can walk around with their beers and have a good time, dance the night away.”

It all figures to be a great way to celebrate all that Tractor has been, and to look forward to the future.

“At this point, the way I look at the celebration is celebrating each and every one of those individuals who have helped us grow into what we are today,” Hargis said. “And then, as we move forward, (Skye and I will be) not so much be the ones choosing the goals, choosing the direction, just providing more of a support structure for the younger people in our company so they can continue to help Tractor evolve. A lot of that is what’s happening in the world, what’s happening in the market, and how do we fit into that, and how are we part of the community. We’re looking at all of that right now.

“At 25 years, we feel like we have to keep evolving, keep changing, and we’re going to start doing a few things to provide a new path and see what that goes, freshen up the brand, freshen up the name, and continue making Tractor new. That’s what we have to do.”

We will be there to raise a pint or two in honor of 25 years. A big thanks, as always, to David and Jeremy for taking time out of their very busy schedules to sit down and chat with us.

Keep supporting local!

— Stoutmeister