A Tucson Brewing Story
Borderlands Brewing began on Toole Avenue with a mission to make Southern Arizona craft beer more local, thoughtful, and connected to its community.
Current Status
Borderlands brewing is inactive. Downtown closed in June 2025 and North closed in August 2025. Sam Hughes remains open under independent operation and does not currently serve Borderlands-branded beer.
Full notice →Born on Toole Avenue
The brewery began around 2010/2011 at 119 E Toole Avenue in downtown Tucson.
From its original downtown home, Borderlands built a Southern Arizona identity around local ingredients where possible, practical sustainability, and opportunities for people to learn about beer and gather as a community.
- Original home119 E Toole Ave, Tucson, Arizona
- Historic focusSouthern Arizona craft beer and local ingredients
- Community workEducation, collaboration, and neighborhood connection
Historical Beer Archive
These names belong to the Borderlands brewing record. They are presented for historical reference only and are not currently produced or available.
| Historic beer | Archive note |
|---|---|
| Toole Avenue IPA | Named for the brewery’s original downtown street. |
| Noche Dulce Vanilla Porter | Historic Borderlands porter. |
| Citrana Sour | Historic Borderlands sour beer. |
| Horchata Cream Ale | Historic Borderlands cream ale. |
| Prickly Pear Wheat | Historic wheat beer with a Sonoran reference. |
| Arizona Ale | Historic Borderlands ale. |
| Cashmere Cactus | Historic Borderlands release. |
| Las Hermanas | Historic collaboration beer. |
Sustainability in Practice
Borderlands’ historical operating approach paired local sourcing where possible with practical measures intended to reduce waste and resource use.
- Local ingredientsRegional sourcing where practical.
- Spent grainComposting of brewing byproduct.
- Water conservationAttention to water use in a desert city.
- Facility choicesA solar program and non-toxic cleaning practices.
Location Record
Three Tucson addresses are part of the Borderlands story. Only Sam Hughes remains open, under independent/new operation.
| Location | Address | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown / Toole Avenue | 119 E Toole Ave | Closed June 2025 |
| North | 5605 E River Rd STE 201 | Closed August 2025 |
| Sam Hughes | 2500 E 6th St | Open independently |
Questions about the historical record?
The archived official email is [email protected]. Current response or monitoring is not guaranteed.