Southwestern Brewery and Ice Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Brewery, Ice manufacturing |
| Founded | 1888 |
| Founder | Don Rankin, Harry Rankin |
| Defunct | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Albuquerque , United States |
| Products | Glorieta Beer, ice |
Number of employees | Principal employer in early 20th century (exact number unknown) |
The Southwestern Brewery and Ice Company stands as a notable historic brewery situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico, adjacent to the BNSF railroad lines within the East Downtown district. Constructed in 1899, it represents one of the limited remaining commercial edifices from the 19th century in the downtown vicinity.
History
Established in 1888 by Don and Harry Rankin, the Southwestern Brewery later came under the stewardship of Jacob and Henry Loebs. By the dawn of the 20th century, it ranked among Albuquerque's principal employers, with its prominent product, Glorieta Beer, being distributed extensively across the Southwest. Brewing activities ceased following the statewide implementation of Prohibition in 1917; however, ice manufacturing continued to generate revenue. After 1948, ownership shifted multiple times, with ice production persisting until the plant's closure in 1997.
The brewery earned placement on the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 1975 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places three years later, in 1978. In 1998, a fire damaged the former cold storage and mechanical building located on the southern side of the property and inflicted minor harm to the primary brewery structure.