Abbey Brewing Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Craft brewing |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Abiquiú , United States |
Key people | Berkeley Merchant (General Manager and Assistant Brewer), Brad Krauss (Head Brewer) |
| Products | Belgian-style ales, American IPAs |
| Parent | Monastery of Christ in the Desert |
The Abbey Brewing Company is a craft brewery based in the Chama River Wilderness near Abiquiú, New Mexico. Established in 2003 as a collaborative effort between Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery in Pecos, New Mexico and the Monastery of Christ in the Desert, it stands as the first monastery-operated brewery in the United States since before the Prohibition Era. Their guiding principle is encapsulated in the phrase "Made with care and prayer."
The monks prioritize excellence that aligns with their spiritual mission: "Our aim is to perfect everything for the glory of God," inspired by the Rule of Saint Benedict. This ethos shapes their operational strategy and product innovation, merging age-old monastic brewing traditions with contemporary craft brewing methods. Their portfolio features Belgian-style ales alongside American IPAs, distributed across regions including New Mexico, Missouri, Chile, and Taiwan, illustrating a deliberate strategy to penetrate specialized craft beer markets.
History
The brewery’s origins trace back to producing European monastic-style beers, with Monks' Ale debuting commercially in late 2005. By 2010, full ownership transferred to the Monastery of Christ in the Desert from Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery. Although retaining some financial involvement, the latter divested its stake to private investors in 2013. That year also saw the first harvest of native neo mexicanus hops grown at the Monastery, which are incorporated into their Reserve Series Ales. Market expansion efforts included opening the Monks' Corner Tap Room in Albuquerque in 2016, followed by international exports to Taiwan (2016) and Chile (2017).
Operations
Initially, brewing operations were conducted at Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery in Pecos, New Mexico, before legal ownership shifted to the Monastery of Christ in the Desert in early 2012. That year also marked completion of a dedicated brewery facility on-site. Both sites focus on crafting new beer varieties and producing limited small-batch drafts using a half-barrel system. Due to logistical limitations, larger scale brewing occurs under an Alternating Proprietorship arrangement at a Moriarty, New Mexico facility equipped with a 20-barrel system. Bottling and packaging for draft products are also handled there.
Production
The primary brewery at the Monastery of Christ in the Desert holds all necessary federal and state licenses and operates a versatile half-barrel brewing setup designed for experimental batches and limited draft production. The off-grid facility utilizes solar energy and propane for power and incorporates sustainable practices such as water reclamation and composting spent grains to support hop cultivation. Situated within the monks’ private grounds, this brewery is not accessible to visitors.
High-volume production takes place at the Moriarty location under an Alternating Proprietorship model where Abbey Brewing Company maintains full control over brewing processes, sourcing ingredients, and packaging operations. The equipment features a two-vessel 20-barrel brewhouse complemented by 40-barrel fermenters and brite tanks, enabling an annual output capacity of approximately 2,900 barrels.
Since 2010, native New Mexican hops (Humulus lupulus neomexicanus) have been cultivated on monastery property, expanding from an initial quarter-acre plot to half an acre by 2011. These hops are handpicked each autumn and reserved exclusively for use in Reserve-series ales. When available, monastery-grown hops are marketed online to homebrewers through Holy Hops, LLC at HolyHops.biz.
Personnel
Berkeley Merchant serves as the general manager and assistant brewer at Abbey Brewing Company. He holds a chemistry degree from Bowdoin College along with an MBA from Boston University. Additionally, Merchant is an Oblate of the Monastery of Christ in the Desert, blending Benedictine spiritual principles into his management approach.
The head brewer, Brad Krauss, is originally from New Mexico and earned a chemistry degree at Rice University. With over three decades of experience in craft brewing, Krauss has played key roles in launching several breweries such as Rio Bravo Brewing, Wolf Canyon Brewing, Isotopes Brewing, Bogota Brewing in Colombia, and La Rana Dorada Brewing in Panama. As a Master BJCP Judge with upwards of 130 international awards, he significantly contributes to the development of the company’s beer portfolio.
Regular brews
- Monks' Ale, introduced in 2006, is an Abbey Single (Enkel) Ale characterized by its malt-forward amber to copper hue and a 5.2% alcohol by volume.
- Monks' Wit, a wheat beer (witbier) style, was added to the lineup in 2010.
- Monks' Tripel, a golden Belgian tripel first brewed in 2012, contains 9.2% ABV.
- Monks' Dubbel, launched in 2013, is a medium-bodied Belgian dubbel with an alcohol content of 6.7%.
Drawing on diverse monastic traditions, Abbey Brewing broadens its repertoire beyond classic Belgian styles while expanding production capacity from half-barrel batches to seven-barrel systems.
Awards
Abbey Brewing selectively participates in competitions and has achieved significant honors: - At the 2014 New Mexico State Fair Beer Pro-Am, the brewery earned one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals; notably, Monks' Tripel Reserve received the gold. - That same year, it secured a silver medal at the Denver International Beer Competition. - In 2017, Monks' Ale was awarded gold for Best of Class – Trappist Style Ales and overall top honors at Chile’s Copa de Cervezas de las Américas; meanwhile, Monks' Dubbel took home a bronze medal.
These distinctions highlight Abbey Brewing’s expanding presence and competitive strength within the craft beer market.