Canteen Brewhouse (formerly Il Vicino Brewing Company) is an American craft brewery founded in 1994 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
[1] Originally housed in the Albuquerque Nob Hill location of Il Vicino Wood Oven Pizza restaurant, founding partners Greg Atkin, Rick Post and Thomas White, along with former partner Tom Hennessy, currently the founder of Colorado Boy Brewing, recognized restaurant customer wishes for craft beer to go with their pizza.
[2] After a few months, Hennessy needed help with the growing brewing endeavor, recruiting Brady McKeown, then a University of New Mexico student.
McKeown studied under Hennessy, receiving ground-up education in craft brewing, eventually becoming Il Vicino's Head Brewer.
[3] In 1995, Il Vicino's Wet Mountain IPA earned the young brewers their first Great American Beer Festival medal, starting a nearly two-decade progression of achievements for the brewery and McKeown.