This Chandler Brewery Continues the Hass Family Legacy with Avocado Beer

For the Hass family, the concept of a family tree is quite literal, as Rudolf Gustav Hass grew an avocado tree that would change their lives.

Rudolf’s avocado venture began when he purchased an acre of avocado trees in La Habra Heights, California. When those trees didn’t produce enough, Rudolf visited a local nursery and bought a bag of avocado seeds believed to have originated in Central or South America.

Of all the seeds he planted, only one seedling became a tall and healthy tree. When this seed cross-pollinated with the other trees on the farm, it produced a unique avocado with dark, rough skin, something the world hadn’t seen before.

After Rudolf sold the fruit at local markets, the Hass avocado became popular for its rich, creamy taste. It now represents nearly 90 percent of the avocados sold worldwide.

This is the legacy that has inspired Tim Hass, Rudolf's great-grandson, to open his own business in Chandler. In January 2022, Hass opened Patent 139 Brewing Co., named after the U.S. patent that was granted to Rudolf on August 27, 1935, for the “R. G. Hass Avocado.” 

Founded on heritage and his great-grandfather’s intuition, this new venture was more than a continuation of Hass' family’s story but an establishment to call his own.

“For me, I’ve always been in the hospitality business since I was 15, so when the time came when I started really thinking, I’m like, nobody ever used what our family history is,” Hass says.

With the family name and a business plan in hand, he chased his dream of owning a brewery and leased the space in July 2021. The idea was to create a brewery that is welcoming to everyone, craft beer fans or not.

“We wanted to open a place where no matter what, you’re going to find something for somebody to enjoy,” he says.

While the family history is enough to help Patent 139 stand out in a crowd, Hass knew the menu needed to be equally unique. So he hired long-time friend and colleague, Jared Martinez as executive chef of his restaurant.

As former colleagues working in the restaurant industry in California, Hass and Martinez saw a need for breweries with interesting and unique food menus. At the time, most breweries in California either didn’t have kitchens or they rented food trucks, Martinez says. The duo decided to do something different, while still providing the classics.

“You can come here if you’re just looking to watch the game and grab a few beers, we’ve got nachos, we’ve got wings, we’ve got burgers, whatever you want, but then like if you’re actually looking for a dining experience you can start on the feta dip, move over to lamb or octopus,” Martinez says.

Their menu doesn’t stop there. Martinez invents a new avocado dish every morning, and the green fruit is incorporated into nearly every dish. From the avocado honey created by bees who only pollinate avocado flowers to the garlic avocado cooking oil they use in the kitchen, the Hass avocado is essential to the restaurant. Martinez estimates they go through 600 avocados each month.

Creativity and experimentation are the heart of Patent 139. The menu changes seasonally as Martinez updates and refines recipes, like replacing cherries with peaches in the Brussels sprouts. He also tries to substitute ingredients for avocados as a way to make recipes dairy or egg-free.

“It’s really nice being able to cook the food you want to cook and having the support from someone like Tim,” Martinez says. “He’ll go out and sell it to the guests the moment after I put it in front of him, it’s the coolest thing.”

Outside of the kitchen, the brewery is Hass' playground. Since opening Patent 139, he’s experimented with a one-barrel brewing system installed in a corner of the restaurant.  Currently, there are two Patent 139 beers on the menu, the Willowood IPA named after the street Hass grew up on, and the Neons Nancer-Blaster Blonde, named after his mom Nancy.

The brewery will soon release a German-style Kolsch beer made with a puree of Hass avocados, which according to Hass, will be the first avocado-infused beer in Arizona.

On Saturday, August 27, the 87th anniversary of U.S. Patent 139, the beer will be released. Throughout “Patent Approved Day,” Valley residents can stop by for games, drinks, prizes, and a cornhole tournament.

In a few months, Patent 139 has become more than a brewery or restaurant but a place for staff and locals to find camaraderie, Hass and Martinez say. What started as a simple avocado seed flourished into a family legacy. Now, the name continues with a Chandler watering hole complete with avocado beer.

Patent 139 Brewing Co.

1949 West Ray Road, Suite 11-13, Chandler
480-597-7138
patent139brewingco.com
Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday