Small brewer license renewals come with a surprise for some this year

Back in 2019, Senate Bill 413 was passed, which had a potentially profound effect on breweries throughout New Mexico. One of its key provisions was a new requirement for every brewery to produce a minimum of 50 barrels per year, or at least have its own beers account for 50 percent of total alcohol sales.

There was only one catch, in that it was not actually enforced, to the best of our knowledge. For two rounds of small brewer license renewals (2020, 2021) we did not hear of a single brewery being asked to provide proof of the 50 barrels or 50-percent sales.

Then came this year, when Casa Vieja co-owner/head brewer Gary Socha informed us that when it came time to renew his license for 2022, he was required to show proof that his small brewery met those numbers. Socha told our A

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