By Tristen Critchfield
It all started during a transitory phase in life, a new hobby acquired to alleviate boredom.
An engineer by day, Scott Salvas used to blow off steam in his down time by playing gigs with various local bands. After he and his wife moved into a new home, Salvas decided to let go of the rock and roll lifestyle to focus on remodeling his living space. Once that project was complete, Salvas needed a new focus. Everything changed when he received a Mr. Beer kit from Dillard’s for Christmas nearly 20 years ago.
The transition from riffs and breakdowns to hops and barley was gradual, but it turned into an undeniably successful venture that’s still growing to this day.
“It wasn’t meant to be a serious thing, just kind of a fun hobby,” Salvas said.” I started making beer that way, then evolving my techniques and skill set — having parties every year. Really it was after years of having parties a lot of my friends were really liking the beer I was producing and encouraging me to to pursue something on a larger level.”
By 2019, Salvas opened his first Brew Lab 101 location on Southern Blvd in Rio Rancho. By late 2023, the brand had expanded into the Scottsdale Village shopping center in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights. It’s safe to say that Salvas’ approach to beer has resonated far beyond impressing friends at parties.
“My background is environmental engineering, which is a lot of process control. For about 10 years, I worked at the Water Utility Authority and I managed the San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Plant, which is the largest water treatment plant In all the state,” Salvas said. “Beer is always all about process control. In order to make a reproducible product, you have to have your pH consistent, your temperature consistent and times consistent.
“Because of me being more of a home-taught brewer, kind of just doing research through reading books and online — I didn’t have any direct industry experience. So it’s more like self-taught, trial and error. When Brew Lab became a concept, I wanted to name the brewery after a scientific sort of concept because that’s what my background was, and that’s what I knew. That’s kind of a unique concept that I wanted to kind of bring to beer to differentiate us.”
While many of the original creations are still his, the Brew Lab operation has gotten big enough that Salvas entrusts his brewing team to create “a lot of newer awesome recipes.” His personal favorites include The Bull, a West Coast IPA dedicated to his grandfather; The Blonde Bombshell, a blonde ale that drinks like a lager due to lower fermentation temperatures; and the appropriately named Wicked Pissah, a New England hazy IPA. Consistent with New Mexican tastes, the Mexican lager — the Sexi NuMexi — is the brewery’s best-selling beer.
Brew Lab has always leaned heavily into the entertainment aspect of the business, and that philosophy only figures to expand with the highly-anticipated opening of Putts N Pints at the former Putt Putt Golf and Games on San Mateo. Salvas says the location will include a three updated 18-hole courses, a virtual golf lounge, arcade, pool table, full bar (with Brew Lab beer) and an expanded food menu.
“My goal is to keep all members of the family happy,” he said.
Salvas expects to have approval for a liquor license next month with the target of a late July opening. This will likely include a few soft openings to help manage what is expected to be a high demand and large crowds.
“We’re still working on how we’re gonna roll that out to make sure everybody can have a great time and not have a line that’s hours long,” Salvas said.
Brew Lab is also getting back to its Rio Rancho roots with a taproom opening at the McDermott Athletic Center. Salvas says he will obtain some celebration permits for weekends, beginning on July 18-19, with an official opening expected in September.
“I think we can really help The MAC,” Salvas said. “That area up there really doesn’t quite have a drinking establishment within like a five to 10-minute drive, or let’s say like a 15 to 20-minute walk even though there’s a lot of folks who live up there. So we’re hoping that that’s a great little space just for the neighborhood to just kind of come in and enjoy.”