High and Dry Brewing celebrates renovations and new beers

Albuquerque brewery updates recipes, space and community focus after ownership change.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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High and Dry Brewing in Albuquerque, New Mexico recently celebrated its 8-year anniversary and the one-year mark of a major renovation and rebranding effort. After a change in ownership, the brewery updated its beer recipes, renovated its taproom, and refocused on creating a neighborhood community vibe with live music, trivia, and other events - all while avoiding TVs to encourage in-person interaction.

Why it matters

In a city with a growing craft beer scene, High and Dry Brewing's commitment to community, locally-sourced ingredients, and an inviting atmosphere sets it apart from many other breweries. The renovation and rebranding efforts show the brewery's dedication to evolving with the times and meeting the changing needs of its customers.

The details

After local architect Mark Baker took over full ownership of High and Dry Brewing from previous co-owner Andrew Kalemba, he promoted longtime bartender Kyle Gaston to general manager. Gaston then hired Cami O'Brien as the new head brewer, tasking her with revamping the entire beer lineup. O'Brien focused on creating staple beers like a West Coast IPA and pale ale, while also experimenting with tart and fruit-forward seasonal offerings. The brewery also added new equipment, including a larger brew kettle, to improve consistency and production. Beyond the beer, High and Dry renovated its taproom with upgraded furniture, new paint, and an expanded patio area to create a more comfortable and polished atmosphere. The brewery also doubled down on its community-focused programming, hosting live music, trivia, karaoke, and other events, while intentionally avoiding TVs to encourage in-person interaction.

  • High and Dry Brewing celebrated its 8-year anniversary just a few weeks ago.
  • The brewery held a grand reopening party last June to commemorate its updated beer recipes and newly renovated space.

The players

High and Dry Brewing

A neighborhood taproom and brewery in Albuquerque, New Mexico that recently underwent a major renovation and rebranding effort.

Mark Baker

The local architect who assumed full ownership of High and Dry Brewing from previous co-owner Andrew Kalemba.

Kyle Gaston

The former bartender who was promoted to general manager of High and Dry Brewing after the ownership change.

Cami O'Brien

The new head brewer hired by Gaston to revamp High and Dry's entire beer lineup.

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What they’re saying

“I'm very optimistic for where this could be going. I try my best to make it so we're all working sort of side-by-side with a shared of vision of what we're trying to do here.”

— Kyle Gaston, General Manager (abqjournal.com)

“Not necessarily coming up with the recipes, because the staple beers that they wanted at first were not out-of-the box beers — West Coast IPA, the pale ale and the amber. They're pretty common beers. But I did put my own spin on it, obviously. But it was more the equipment back there and how it was set up. Every brewery is different. I didn't have anyone to show me what was what. Kyle didn't know. He knows a lot about a lot, but not about brewing. So it was a lot of trial and error. I think I literally had to fix almost everything within the first (few weeks). It's just a lot of these things you don't know until you're in there. So I just had to get in there and figure it out.”

— Cami O'Brien, Head Brewer (abqjournal.com)

What’s next

High and Dry Brewing plans to continue its quarterly releases of unique tart and fruit-forward seasonal beers, building on the success of its recent Tropic Like It's Hot offering.

The takeaway

High and Dry Brewing's commitment to community, locally-sourced ingredients, and an inviting atmosphere sets it apart in Albuquerque's growing craft beer scene. The brewery's recent renovation and rebranding efforts show its dedication to evolving with the times and meeting the changing needs of its customers.