USA, LA: Red River Brewing Company begins construction

With the demolishment of what many Red River locals still refer to as “the old Chevron” last week, the Red River Brewing Company has begun construction, Sangre de Cristo Chronicle reported on June 30.

“We’ve knocked the old building down and the new one is going up!” said Michael Calhoun, partner and general manager of the craft beer company.

“We’ll be open this winter by December or January,” Calhoun added. “We’ll be operating under a NM small brewer’s license. We’re going to focus on selling right here in Red River at first. We might sell elsewhere later on but that’s not our main objective.

“We’ve selected a contractor from Alamosa, Colorado: Van Gieson And Company. They do hotels and restaurants and other commercial projects in Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico. It’s a family business. We like that.”

The “we” in this case refers to Michael Calhoun’s business partners: other members of his extended family. “It’s definitely a Calhoun family business.”

Brother Brian, a principal architect from RTA Architects out of Colorado Springs, designed the building. He also designed the Main Street Mercantile/Calhoun Real Estate building next to Der Markt, which is owned by the brothers’ father and step mother Ted and Linda Calhoun.

Calhoun, a Los Alamos resident who grew up in Red River, has retired from Los Alamos National Laboratory after working in software development for 25 years. With their children in college, he and wife Sharon are in the process of relocating back to Michael’s hometown.

“I will be the general manager at the brewery,” Michael Calhoun said. “Red River Brewing Company (RRBC) will not be just another place to have a beer and eat while in Red River, but another reason to visit Red River.

“RRBC is good for Red River because it broadens the local economy, creates jobs for locals, and adds another dining option for our visitors. This will make Red River a destination for craft beer lovers. You find craft breweries in most small mountain resort towns. They make their communities better places.

“We hope to produce good locally produced craft beer. Red River’s positively fabulous water is going to make exceptional beer. We’ve had it tested and it’s perfect, just perfect for beer. “

A personal passion for craft beers, hobby brewing and his hometown helped spur Michael Calhoun. Although he is himself a hobby brewer, the company will bring in a skilled brewmaster.

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