California 'radness': San Diego's Modern Times Beer now permanently available in New Mexico
May 14—New Mexico recently welcomed a Southern California beer into its market.
San Diego's Modern Times Beer is now being distributed throughout the Land of Enchantment. Modern Times enthusiasts will have access to its year-round core offerings, seasonal IPAs, coffees and a range of monthly special releases on local retailers shelves as well as on tap at some local venues.
A number of limited distribution runs and many fan requests in New Mexico encouraged Modern Times to make its beer permanently available in the state.
"Ever since we first joined forces with La Cumbre Brewing Co. to brew Postcards From Hell in 2017, we knew we had to get our beer here," Phil MacNitt, vice president for sales at Modern Times, says in a brewery news release.
Modern Times has partnered with Premier Distributing Co. to handle distribution in the state. The brewery chose to partner with Premier because the two companies share the same passion for exceptional beer. Modern Times also trusts the distributor's commitment to excellence that will ensure its beers will be delivered in "mint condition."
"We are supremely stoked to be partnering with Premier Distribution Company to bring our beer to New Mexico," MacNitt says in the news release.
Premier Distributing, founded in 1982, is based in Albuquerque and has a strong presence throughout the state, with locations in Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Clovis, Farmington and Gallup. The company is committed to remaining grounded in the community, including hiring New Mexicans when possible as well as supporting local civic, charitable and educational initiatives.
The distribution company shares the excitement of the partnership with Modern Times.
"Premier Distributing is excited to be teaming up with Modern Times Beer here in New Mexico" Aubrey Cesarz, craft brands manager at Premier, says in the news release. "We've been looking forward, for quite some time, to bringing this diverse portfolio of 'radness' from San Diego to the enlightened craft beer enthusiasts here in The Land of Enchantment."
Earlier this month, Jubilation Wine & Spirits and Sister Bar in Albuquerque and Rowley Farmhouse Ales in Santa Fe threw special events to celebrate Modern Times coming to New Mexico. Other events can be found at moderntimesbeer.com/events/national.
"As events become more frequent post-pandemic, we will definitely have more events in New Mexico in the future, which we'll post on the events page on our site," according to Emily Ogawa, Modern Times communications manager.
Modern Times started as a 30-barrel production brewery and tasting room in the Point Loma neighborhood of San Diego. It brewed its first batch in May 2013, and its beer went on tap for the first time in June 2013. A soft opening for its Lomaland Fermentorium tasting room was held in August 2013, followed by a grand opening the next month.
It currently distributes throughout the Southwest, Pacific Northwest and Hawaii. In addition to its flagship spots in San Diego's Point Loma and North Park neighborhoods, the brewery has locations in Encinitas, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Oakland, California, as well as Portland, Oregon.
Modern Times became California's first employee-owned brewery in 2017. It is made up of an "intrepid cadre" of brewers, coffee roasters and culinary wizards, according to the news release. The brewery, which was named after a beautifully crazy utopian community founded in 1850, has named many of its beers after real utopian experiments or mythological utopias.
More information on Modern Times can be found at moderntimesbeer.com.