When we started the Look Back/Look Ahead Series this time around with a three-question format, we figured the answer to the first of those questions would be just about the same for everyone. But, as we also know, breweries come in all shapes and sizes, so “the economy, duh” has not always been the answer…
Category: Look Back/Look Ahead Series 2025-26
Ex Novo Brewing keeps ascending even amid industry turmoil
Sometimes being busy is a good thing. December and January are generally two of the slowest months of the year for breweries, but Ex Novo founder Joel Gregory still let us know that his brewery is not slowing down. He requested the opportunity to answer our three Look Back/Look Ahead Series questions via email, and…
Tractor Brewing learns that pressure is a privilege amid a year of growth
The Tractor Brewing duo of head brewer TJ Frederich and operations manager Jeremy Kinter came prepared this year for their Look Back/Look Ahead Series interview, which is hardly uncommon for them, but this time around they went the extra mile. They knew the three primary questions — biggest challenge of 2025, biggest accomplishment, big goal/idea/plan…
Sidetrack stays on track even after big change behind the scenes
We feel old. Sidetrack, the little brewery that could, is turning 10 years old this month. It feels like just yesterday that we were making our first visit to the quaint taproom on Second Street between Lead and Coal. But no, it really has been a decade of good times, chill vibes, and tasty brews….
New Mexico Brewers Guild stays in the fight against the industry downturn
When the phone rings these days, New Mexico Brewers Guild executive director Ebbie Edmonston braces herself for another round of media questions relating to all the doom and gloom around the craft beer industry. Trust me, on that point I can sympathize, especially of late. Edmonston, though, handles it all with aplomb, keeping the focus…
High and Dry starts to hit their stride with key equipment upgrade
When we last checked in with High and Dry Brewing over the summer, the new leadership team was just taking the reins and starting to figure out just about everything. Well, six months later, we trekked back over to meet with general manager Kyle Gaston and head brewer Cami O’Brien to see how everything has…
Turtle Mountain turns biggest challenge into major accomplishment
We figured there would be some interesting answers to our three questions for the current edition of the Look Back/Look Ahead Series. We did not figure that the first two questions about a brewery’s biggest challenge and biggest accomplishment would produce the same answer. Leave it to Turtle Mountain Brewing owner Nico Ortiz to pull…
Sunday Service Motor Co. expands brewing operations during busy year
At this point, it is probably not a well-kept secret that I, Stoutmeister, am huge a Bayern Munich fan. My family lived in Bavaria (Southern Germany) in the early 1980s, so when it came time to pick a European soccer team to root for, well, that choice was easy. I recently got to attend my…
Boese Brothers Brewing celebrates a decade in the business of craft beer
As we noted in the first entry in our current Look Back/Look Ahead Series for Boxing Bear, we shortened the stories to being based around three questions. Time is short these days for everyone and all. We also gave brewery owners the option of just answering over email if they did not have time to…
Boxing Bear rolls with the punches and holds fast amid industry downturn
Before we get to the kickoff Look Back/Look Ahead Series feature for 2025-26, we wanted to take a moment to explain how we are doing it a little different this year. None of us in the Crew, nor really the brewery staffers out there, have a lot of time on our hands these days. So…
DARK SIDE BREW CREW 