Friday, December 18, 2009

The Doctor is OUT!

Jeff Erway (a.k.a. Dr. Hop), Head Brewer at Chama River, is leaving the brewpub at the end of the year to start his own brewery. Details are fuzzy right now, even to Jeff, but he is this close to signing a lease on a building in the industrial area north of Candelaria. He plans to make the facility a full production brewery, and he is looking at canning his beers rather than bottling, making his the first local brewery to use cans. Can you imagine March Hare IPA in a can? This is going to be an exciting time for local craft beer enthusiasts, though Jeff says he doesn't expect production to actually begin until July 2010. Until then, he will be playing businessman, dealing with the banks and suppliers and investors and the city of Albuquerque. Sounds like a great time. Over at Chama, current Assistant Brewer Justin Hamilton will be taking over and hopefully keeping the standard of quality that Jeff set. Get over to Chama before the year is over and get your last kegs and growlers of Jeff Erway-brewed beer, say your farewells to him, and oh, if you've got an extra $150,000 to contribute to his effort, I don't think he'd turn you down!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Yea man, canned Strange Hop would be rulling. Mmmmmmm....

George Woods said...

I would LOVE to see another craft brew house in albuquerque...just not one owned by Gerald Peters. Am i the only one who thinks broken spoke and wildflower wheat taste (delicious, however) almost identical!? Let's get some more variety rather than having chama beer, and non-pretencious chama beer (marble) to chose from in the local craft brew market! I know that Jeff has been at Chama for some time, and undoubtably some of his amazing recipes will follow him, i'm just tired of putting my money in the pockets of the "friends of Bill Richardson" club.