Dark Side Brew Crew

Greetings Burque beer drinkers, this is E-Rock here to bring you my final Monday installment of The Week Ahead in Beer. Starting next week, this column will be posted regularly on Tuesday in order to give me more time to expand coverage to Santa Fe and Taos. Other changes will follow in the coming weeks with the hopes of making this column more readable, user friendly, and more interesting in general. As always, this column is and will be hand-crafted to keep you up to date on all of the seasonal beers, music, and events served up in and around the Albuquerque metro area (and soon, Santa Fe and Taos as well).

There are two big events in local craft brewing this week. The first event is Nexus’ Second Anniversary party on Thursday where Nexus will be celebrating their two-year mark with the release of a Tripel (9-10% ABV), their Barley Wine aged for one and a half years, and Beam Me Up Scottish aged for one year. They will also be giving tours accompanied by special servings of food and live music on Saturday. See the Nexus Brewery listing below for more details.

The other event is La Cumbre’s special release of a beer that they brewed in collaboration with New Belgium. On Thursday, La Cumbre and New Belgium Brewing will have a beer dinner at Farm & Table to celebrate the release of their new collaboration beer, May’s Maize. Chef Jaye will be pairing five courses and seven beers from La Cumbre and New Belgium for the event. Tickets are $55 per guest. Call 505-503-7124 to make reservations. The celebration continues on Friday with a tap takeover party at Sister Bar from 5 to 8 p.m.

In weekly seasonal releases, Broken Bottle will be introducing their new as-yet-unnamed Toffee Stout by the end of the week. Chama River has Amarillo Pale Ale and Summer Ale on tap this week. The Il Vicino Canteen is bringing their Saison and Cascade Pale Ale back to tap. La Cumbre is introducing the Mosaic Pale Ale and Siberian Silk Baltic Porter at their brewery. Marble now has their new Iron Horse Extra IPA and American Gold on tap this week. In addition to the three beers that Nexus is bringing to taps on Thursday, they also have a new batch of their Chocolate Porter on their newly christened “rotating dark tap.” Tractor has a new batch of the Tractor Hard Cider on tap. Turtle Mountain has new batches of their Hefeweisen and Milk Shake Stout on tap this week.

That is just a small sample of what is going on in and around the 505. Continue reading for all the news that is fit to blog for the week of May 20.

E-Rock, left, has uncovered all the beers worth sneaking up on this week.

To break down each “capsule,” I listed the brewery (with Web page linked), its phone number (all are area code 505, for out-of-state readers) and hours of operation. Under “Beers” are the new or seasonal beers on tap for this week. And for those breweries that play host to musicians, I made sure to list who’s on the week’s set list.

ABQ Brew Pub — 884-1116

(Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–midnight, Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–midnight)

Beers: No seasonals on tap this week. ABP carries beers from Sierra Blanca/Rio Grande Brewing and Monk’s Brewing. Most of their beers are on tap all year long. Several times a year ABP serves up the latest creation by local brewing hero and winner of the Samuel Adams Longshot competition, Ben Miller.

Back Alley Draft House — 766-6973 (NYPD)

(Hours 4 p.m.-11 p.m. daily)

Beers: Belgian White, IPA, Barley Wine. I had the Apricot IPA a couple of weeks ago. The Barley Wine has a hint of hops that helps balance out the sweetness that can be overpowering in other barley wines.

Celebrate Dollar off Tuesdays on your favorite beers. Industry people always get a dollar off; show your server certificate or some other proof that you work in the crazy restaurant/bar industry. (Kitchen peeps TOO!)

Bosque Brewing Company — 750-7596

(Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun noon-8 p.m.)

Beers: Trubsucker Double IPA, Boss Pale Ale, Valley Fog (California Stream), Engaano Hefeweizen, Mellow Brit English Brown. Bosque Brewing Co. is excited to announce their “Adopted” line of specialty ales! Periodically, they will release 7-barrel batches of seasonal ales and $1 of each pint sold will be donated to the ABBA Fund, an organization that extends zero-percent interest loans to families aspiring to adopt domestically and internationally. Their first Adopted Ale is the Engaano Hefeweizen.

News: BBC has several beers in the works including a new pale ale, a new steam, and a new beer that will benefit the NM Chapter of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Stay tuned for more details as we receive them. Stoutmeister sampled the new version of the Boss Pale Ale at Blues & Brews. He said it has a nice mix of some sweetness and mild hoppiness that sets it apart from most pale ales.

Music: Mon — Oscar Butler 7-9 p.m.

Broken Bottle Brewery — 890-8777

(Mon–Fri 4 p.m.–midnight, Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–10 p.m.)

Beers: Toffee Stout, 2 Scoops Amber, DADU Honey Wheat, Juan’s Mocha Brown, Brokenberry (Strawberry Chocolate) Brown, Hoppy Birthday. Brokenberry Brown is on its last keg, and it is expected to be replaced by an as yet unnamed Toffee Stout by the end of the week. The DADU Honey Wheat is on its last keg, and it will soon be replaced by 2 Scoops Amber. The DADU Honey Wheat (10.8 % ABV) is heavy on the honey and light on the wheat. It’s so sweet, it’s almost a mead. B3′s website had this to say about 2 Scoops Amber, “Did you know that raisins have natural yeast on them and it can be used to ferment beer? We learned this from a BBB patron and decided to try it. An amber ale fermented with 100% natural raisins.”

News: B3 is working on a new Toffee Stout which should be available in the next week or two.

Events: B3 has $3 beers every Tuesday from open to close. On Wednesday, B3 will be hosting their open mic from 8-10 p.m., with signups starting at 7:30 p.m. On Thursday, B3 will host World Tavern Poker (it’s free to play and you can earn points, prizes, and a shot at the World Series of Poker).

Music: Fri — Cait Black and Shanahan Wood 8-9 p.m.

Cazuela’s Seafood & Mexican Grill — 994-9364

(Hours of operation are not yet posted.)

Beers: Porter (5.9% ABV), Inebriator (Doppel Bock) (8+% ABV), Chupacabra IPA (7.2% ABV), Cerveza Por Mis Cavallios Oatmeal Stout (5.5% ABV), Tomazula Brown (5.2% ABV), Tierra del Fuego Cream Ale (5.0% ABV), P.J.’s Amber, and an ESB. Cazuela’s newest beer is the Porter. Stoutmeister is still the lone Crew member to head out there. He highly recommends the Tomazula Brown and the ESB. The former is sweet and full-bodied, while the latter is dry but not bitter. Now that we’ve gotten through the madness of Beer Week, the Crew will head over to Cazuela’s to do a formal review and full tasting sometime soon.

Chama River Brewing Company — 342-1800

(Sun–Thurs 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–midnight)

Beers: Amarillo Pale Ale, Summer Ale, India White Elephant, Nobel Session PA. As far as the Amarillo Pale Ale goes, the name says it all. The Summer Ale is a light lager crafted to help beat back the Albuquerque summer heat.

Il Vicino Brewing Canteen — 881-2737

(Sun–Thurs noon–10 p.m., Fri–Sat noon–midnight)

Beers: Saison, Cascade Pale Ale, Wakawit, Irish Red, Hefeweisen, Belgian Strong Golden, Belgian Dark Strong, Just Esteem, Saison, Black IPA. The Wakawit is a Belgian wheat beer beer brewed with waka hops. Stoutmeister tried the Belgian Dark Strong recently. He said the BDS is packed with a massive amount of flavors.

News: The Sasquatch Scotch was on tap at Celtic Fest, and it will go back on tap at the Canteen starting next week.

Cask: Hops-pitality Clone (Wet Mountain-based IPA brewed with hops used in the Hops-pitality IPA) is on tap for Cask Wednesday and the I-Peach-A (Peach IPA) will be on cask on Saturday.

Music: Tues — The Tumbleweeds (Bluegrass) 6-9 p.m., Sun — Keith Sanchez (Songwriter) 3-6 p.m.

La Cumbre Brewing — 872-0225

(Open every day at noon)

Beers: Mosaic Pale Ale, Siberian Silk Baltic Porter, Proprietary Pale Ale, Barley’s Wine (10.8% ABV, 100 IBU), Gracias por Fumar (Smoked Porter), Irish Red Lager. Proprietary Pale Ale is the first beer in New Mexico to be made with a new South African strain of hops, and it clocks in at 5.6-percent ABV and 50 IBU. La Cumbre’s website had this to say about the Barley’s Wine: “It’s not wine; trust me. What it is is an incredibly strong American ale of epic proportions. The beer pours a deep amber with a lasting off-white head. Rich, piney American hops are front and center in the aroma. Digging deeper, you’ll find rich caramel, figs, and freshly baked rum-cake? The initial sip is mouth-filling to say the least. Sweet malt is there in spades, but it’s backed up by an obscene amount of spicy hops. The beer coats the tongue with a plethora of beery complexity; hops, hops and more hops, hugely rich malt, and finally alcohol. Ahh… the alcohol. It’s well hidden, until you swallow and then the warmth creeps back up your esophagus letting you know this is no normal beer. This monster finishes with an incredibly drying and lasting bitterness that accomplishes it’s goal of balancing out all that malt.” (10.8% ABV, 100 IBU)

Cask: La Cumbre usually offers a couple beers on cask, however no is nothing on cask at this time.

Events: On Thursday, La Cumbre and New Belgium Brewing will have a beer dinner at Farm & Table to celebrate the release of their new collaboration beer, May’s Maize. Chef Jaye will be pairing five and seven beers from La Cumbre and New Belgium for the event. Tickets are $55 per guest. Call 505-503-7124 to make reservations. The celebration continues on Friday with a tap takeover party at Sister Bar from 5 to 8 p.m.

Food: The Rustic Food Truck parks at La Cumbre on Tuesday, and The Supper Truck parks there Thursday.

Music: Wed — The Watermelon Mountain Jug Band 6-9 p.m., Sat — Alex Maryol 7-10 p.m.

Marble Brewery — 243-2739

(Mon–Sat 1 p.m.–midnight, Sun 1 p.m.–10:30 p.m.)

Beers: Iron Horse Extra IPA, American Gold, Double White, Anniversary Ale, The Abbey, Rye Somethin’ Else. Marble’s website had this to say about Rye Somethin’ Else, “Bright hops lead the way for the earthy rye and spicy Belgian yeast character to shine through in this quenching, golden delight.” (5.9% ABV)

Cask: Check out Marble’s cask (a.k.a. “real” ale) selection on tap every Friday at the Downtown Pub.

Food: Tamale Truck will be at the Downtown Pub on Wednesday. Chicharroneria Don Choche will park at the Pub on Thursday and on Friday from 5 p.m. to late. The Rustic Truck will also be at the Pub from 2:30-9 p.m. on Friday. The Supper Truck will be at the Pub on Saturday from 3 p.m. to late, and it will be at the Pub again on Sunday for Three String Bale’s going away party.

Music: Wed — Mar Ata 6-9 p.m., Thurs — The WildeUnion Jamboree featuring: Wildewood, DS Lucy, and The Union 7-10 p.m., Fri — Jade Masque 8-11 p.m., Sat — The Strange, Stem Ivory and Travis Joel 7-11 p.m., Sun — Boris McCutcheon & the Saltlicks and Three String Bale 5-9 p.m.

Nexus Brewery — 242-4100

(Mon–Thurs 2 p.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sun 11 a.m.–midnight)

Beers: Tripel, Barley Wine, Beam Me Up Scottish, Chocolate Porter, Billy’s Beer Irish Red, 505-2013, Imperial Cream Ale. Nexus has the last keg of the collaboration 505-2013 left in town. Get it will you still can. On Thursday, Nexus will be celebrating their two-year anniversary with the release of a Tripel (9-10% ABV), their Barley Wine aged for one and a half years, and Beam Me Up Scottish aged for one year.

Cask: Nexus is currently featuring their Chocolate Porter on cask, and they hope to have their Vanilla Bean Imperial Red on cask later in the week.

Events: Celebrate Nexus’ Two-Year Anniversary this month at the Beer Tour Festival.

(CLICK HERE to learn how to become a Nexus Neighbor). If you have already been on a tour or just didn’t sign up in time, they will still offer this deal on the glass and beer to anyone who wishes, only 1 glass/2 beers per customer. Three tours start at 11:30 a.m. and run every hour till 1:30 p.m. In addition, NM BBQ ribs with red beans and collard greens will be served to the sounds of live music.

Events: Nexus serves up Happy Hour All Day on Tuesday featuring $3 pints. Also on Tuesday, Nexus will be hosting their comedy open mic, Young Dumb and Full of Comedy, starting at 7:30 p.m. in the Sun Room. They also have Ladies Night on Wednesday from 4-6 p.m. featuring $3 pints for the ladies.

Sandia Chile Grill — 798-1970

(Mon–Sat 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun 8 a.m.–6 p.m.)

Beers: Red Ryder Imperial Irish Red on Nitro, IPA, Rio Negro Milk Stout on Nitro, Barb’s Barrel Hefeweisen, Rattlesnake IPA, Smooth Move Amber, New Mexico Gold Rush Pilsen. SCG’s Red Ryder Imperial Irish Red is comparable to a Scottish ale, but it is darker in color with a sweet-to-dry flavor profile. Sitting at 7-percent ABV, the Red Ryder is a heavy hitter, so be careful or you will poke your eye out! SCG’s New Mexico Gold Rush Pilsen recently took first place at the New Mexico Cup competition. This is one crisp and tasty beer that is not to be missed.

News: SCG’s newly christened Barb’s Barrel Hefeweisen is so named because Barb, a long time patron of SCG, no longer wanted her favorite beer to be made seasonally. So, she bought a barrel and donated it to SCG so that there would be a dedicated barrel with her favorite beer in it all year round. Thanks, Barb!

Tractor Brewing Company — 433-5654 (Nob Hill Tap Room)

(The tap room opens most days around 3 p.m. and stays open as late as 2 a.m.; it opens earlier on weekends)

Beers: Tractor Hard Cider, Big Bale Wheat, Apricot Tailwaggin Wheat, Oaked Cider, Chocolate Stout, Barnstorm Ale, Goat Head Hador Doppel Bock, Duchess (Imperial) Pale Ale. Tractor had a post on their Facebook page that had this to say about the Goat Head Hador Doppel Bock: “A doppelbock is a German style bock (lager) that was traditionally brewed in the late fall, lagered (stored in the cellar) over the winter and served in late winter or early spring. We adhere to this tradition here at Tractor; this doppelbock was brewed in November and has been lagering until now.” The Oaked Cider is an oak-aged version of the Tractor Hard Cider. Stoutmeister recently called the Chocolate Stout “my new addiction.” It has a drier, more mocha-style profile than the more prolific milk chocolate-style stouts at most breweries these days.

News: $1 from each pint of Apricot Tailwaggin Wheat sold goes to the Animal Humane Society.

Turtle Mountain Brewing Company — 994-9497

(Kitchen hours: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m.)

Beers: Hefeweisen, Milk Shake Stout, Maibock, Rye IPA, Odd Job Brown, Yardsale Blonde, IPA Cubed, Cherry Wheat, Hopduster IPA, Nitro Irish Stout, Belgian IPA, Imperial Pilsner, Hybrid IPA, Cabo Lager, Red Rye. TMBC’s website has this to say about the IPA Cubed: “Cubed is hopped with over 20 pounds of hops to reach the 125 bittering units. This awesome amount of hops is balanced with the nearly 1000 pounds of grains.” (7.75% ABV, 125 IBU, 1.072 OG) TMBC’s website also has this to say about Dubbel Trubbel: “Here’s a perfectly brewed Belgian Dubbel to close out our Belgian series of beers. Candied sugars help bring out those oh-so-distinct flavors. Cheers!” (6.0% ABV, 20 IBU, 1.060 OG)

Cask: TMBC is currently featuring the Rye IPA on cask.

* * * *

That’s all for this week! If you have any questions or comments, leave them below or contact us on our Facebook page.

Cheers!

— E-Rock

Greetings Burque beer drinkers, this is E-Rock here to bring you another Monday installment of The Week Ahead in Beer. As always, this column is hand-crafted to keep you up to date on all of the seasonal beers, music, and events served up in and around the Albuquerque metro area. As per usual, I am writing this column from Sandia Chile Grill. I would like to thank the guys at SCG for supplying me with delicious huevos rancheros and a pint of the Red Ryder Imperial Red.

The biggest event going on this week in the Albuquerque metro-area is the Belgian Beer Bash at Back Alley Draft House. On Friday night, BADH will celebrate all things Belgian with imported kegs of Delirium Tremens and Silly Belgium Scotch Ale on tap, a Belgian-style pub menu, flight specials, and the reggae music stylings of Reagan Shamani.

Broken Bottle will have their new 2 Scoops Amber on tap by the end of the week. The Il Vicino Canteen is introducing their Wakawit this week, and they also have a new batch of their Irish Red on tap. Tractor is introducing their new Big Bale Wheat this week. Turtle Mountain has a new batch of their Maibock on tap this week.

That is just a small sample of what is going on in and around the 505. Continue reading for all the news that is fit to blog for the week of May 13.

E-Rock, left, has uncovered all the beers worth sneaking up on this week.

To break down each “capsule,” I listed the brewery (with Web page linked), its phone number (all are area code 505, for out-of-state readers) and hours of operation. Under “Beers” are the new or seasonal beers on tap for this week. And for those breweries that play host to musicians, I made sure to list who’s on the week’s set list.

ABQ Brew Pub — 884-1116

(Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–midnight, Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–midnight)

Beers: No seasonals on tap this week. ABP carries beers from Sierra Blanca/Rio Grande Brewing and Monk’s Brewing. Most of their beers are on tap all year long. Several times a year ABP serves up the latest creation by local brewing hero and winner of the Samuel Adams Longshot competition, Ben Miller.

Back Alley Draft House — 766-6973 (NYPD)

(Hours 4 p.m.-11 p.m. daily)

Beers: Belgian White, IPA, Barley Wine. I had the Apricot IPA a couple of weeks ago. The Barley Wine has a hint of hops that helps balance out the sweetness that can be overpowering in other barley wines.

Events: The biggest event going on this week in the Albuquerque metro area is the Belgian Beer Bash at Back Alley Draft House. On Friday night, BADH will celebrate all things Belgian with imported kegs of Delirium Tremens and Silly Belgium Scotch Ale on tap, a Belgian-style pub menu, flight specials, and the reggae music stylings of Reagan Shamani.

Celebrate Dollar off Tuesdays on your favorite beers. Industry people always get a dollar off; show your server certificate or some other proof that you work in the crazy restaurant/bar industry. (Kitchen peeps TOO!)

Bosque Brewing Company — 750-7596

(Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun noon-8 p.m.)

Beers: Trubsucker Double IPA, Boss Pale Ale, Valley Fog (California Stream), Engaano Hefeweizen, Mellow Brit English Brown. Bosque Brewing Co. is excited to announce their “Adopted” line of specialty ales! Periodically, they will release 7-barrel batches of seasonal ales and $1 of each pint sold will be donated to the ABBA Fund, an organization that extends zero-percent interest loans to families aspiring to adopt domestically and internationally. Their first Adopted Ale is the Engaano Hefeweizen.

News: BBC has several beers in the works including a new pale ale, a new steam, and a new beer that will benefit the NM Chapter of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Stay tuned for more details as we receive them. Stoutmeister sampled the new version of the Boss Pale Ale at Blues & Brews. He said it has a nice mix of some sweetness and mild hoppiness that sets it apart from most pale ales.

Music: Mon — Kata 6-8 p.m.

Broken Bottle Brewery — 890-8777

(Mon–Fri 4 p.m.–midnight, Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–10 p.m.)

Beers: 2 Scoops Amber, DADU Honey Wheat, Juan’s Mocha Brown, Brokenberry (Strawberry Chocolate) Brown, Hoppy Birthday. Hoppy Birthday is an extra hoppy IPA that was brewed to celebrate B3′s one-year anniversary. The DADU Honey Wheat is on its last keg, and it will soon be replaced by 2 Scoops Amber. The DADU Honey Wheat (10.8 % ABV) is heavy on the honey and light on the wheat. It’s so sweet, it’s almost a mead. B3′s website had this to say about 2 Scoops Amber, “Did you know that raisins have natural yeast on them and it can be used to ferment beer? We learned this from a BBB patron and decided to try it. An amber ale fermented with 100% natural raisins.”

News: B3 is working on a new Toffee Stout which should be available in the next week or two.

Events: B3 has $3 beers every Tuesday from open to close. On Wednesday, B3 will be hosting their open mic from 8-10 p.m., with signups starting at 7:30 p.m. On Thursday, B3 will host World Tavern Poker (it’s free to play and you can earn points, prizes, and a shot at the World Series of Poker).

Music: Sat — Vince & Steve 8-9 p.m.

Cazuela’s Seafood & Mexican Grill — 994-9364

(Hours of operation are not yet posted.)

Beers: Porter (5.9% ABV), Inebriator (Doppel Bock) (8+% ABV), Chupacabra IPA (7.2% ABV), Cerveza Por Mis Cavallios Oatmeal Stout (5.5% ABV), Tomazula Brown (5.2% ABV), Tierra del Fuego Cream Ale (5.0% ABV), P.J.’s Amber, and an ESB. Cazuela’s newest beer is the Porter. Stoutmeister is still the lone Crew member to head out there. He highly recommends the Tomazula Brown and the ESB. The former is sweet and full-bodied, while the latter is dry but not bitter. Now that we’ve gotten through the madness of Beer Week, the Crew will head over to Cazuela’s to do a formal review and full tasting sometime soon.

Chama River Brewing Company — 342-1800

(Sun–Thurs 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–midnight)

Beers: India White Elephant, 505-2013, The Big Lebrewski (Double IPA), Nobel Session PA. The Big Lebrewski is a sweet in taste and golden in color, so it may not look imposing, but it’s high alcohol content packs quite a punch.

Farside Brew Pub

(Closed)

News: After two years of business, Farside Brew Pub has closed its doors.

Il Vicino Brewing Canteen — 881-2737

(Sun–Thurs noon–10 p.m., Fri–Sat noon–midnight)

Beers: Wakawit, Irish Red, Hefeweisen, Belgian Strong Golden, Belgian Dark Strong, Just Esteem, Saison, Black IPA. The Wakawit is a Belgian wheat beer beer brewed with waka hops. Stoutmeister tried the Belgian Dark Strong recently. He said the BDS is packed with a massive amount of flavors.

News: The Sasquatch Scotch will be on tap at Celtic Fest, and it will go back on tap at the Canteen starting next week.

Cask: Exodus Clone (Wet Mountain-based IPA brewed with hops used in the Exodus IPA) is on tap for Cask Wednesday and the Collaboration IPA will be on cask on Saturday.

Music: Tues — Russel James Pyle 8-11 p.m., Sun — Boris McCutcheon & Salt Licks (Americana) 5-8 p.m.

La Cumbre Brewing — 872-0225

(Open every day at noon)

Beers: Proprietary Pale Ale, Project Irie, VMO #2, 505-2013, Barley’s Wine (10.8% ABV, 100 IBU), Gracias por Fumar (Smoked Porter), Irish Red Lager. Proprietary Pale Ale is the first beer in New Mexico to be made with a new South African strain of hops, and it clocks in at 5.6-percent ABV and 50 IBU. Project Irie is part of the same series as Project Dank, which made its debut at Cask Fest in March and took second place in open voting. La Cumbre’s website had this to say about the Barley’s Wine: “It’s not wine; trust me. What it is is an incredibly strong American ale of epic proportions. The beer pours a deep amber with a lasting off-white head. Rich, piney American hops are front and center in the aroma. Digging deeper, you’ll find rich caramel, figs, and freshly baked rum-cake? The initial sip is mouth-filling to say the least. Sweet malt is there in spades, but it’s backed up by an obscene amount of spicy hops. The beer coats the tongue with a plethora of beery complexity; hops, hops and more hops, hugely rich malt, and finally alcohol. Ahh… the alcohol. It’s well hidden, until you swallow and then the warmth creeps back up your esophagus letting you know this is no normal beer. This monster finishes with an incredibly drying and lasting bitterness that accomplishes it’s goal of balancing out all that malt.” (10.8% ABV, 100 IBU)

Cask: La Cumbre usually offers a couple beers on cask.

Food: The Rustic Food Truck parks at La Cumbre on Tuesday, and The Supper Truck parks there Thursday.

Music: Wed — Chris Dracup & Hillary Smith 7-10 p.m., Sat — Odd Dog 7-10 p.m.

Marble Brewery — 243-2739

(Mon–Sat 1 p.m.–midnight, Sun 1 p.m.–10:30 p.m.)

Beers: Anniversary Ale, The Abbey, 505-2013, Rye Somethin’ Else. Marble’s website had this to say about Rye Somethin’ Else, “Bright hops lead the way for the earthy rye and spicy Belgian yeast character to shine through in this quenching, golden delight.” (5.9% ABV)

Cask: Check out Marble’s cask (a.k.a. “real” ale) selection on tap every Friday at the Downtown Pub.

News: Marble’s Double White will be back on tap next week.

Food: The Talking Fountain Kitchen will be at the Downtown Pub on Wednesday, and Chicharroneria Don Choche will be at the Downtown Pub on Friday from 5 p.m. to late.

Music: Wed — Hot Honey 6-9 p.m., Thurs — The Tumbleweeds 7-10 p.m., Fri — Mississippi Rail Company 8-11 p.m., Sat — Dominic Pettine 1:30-3:30 p.m., Pawnshop Poster Boys, Ben Jammin & the Skanartists, and Good Green 7-11 p.m.

Nexus Brewery — 242-4100

(Mon–Thurs 2 p.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sun 11 a.m.–midnight)

Beers: Billy’s Beer Irish Red, 505-2013, Oatmeal Stout, Belgian Dark Strong (10.2% ABV), Imperial Cream Ale, Belgian Golden (5.8% ABV). Nexus is premiering their second Belgian ale this month. The Oatmeal Stout is on tap at Nexus; both Stoutmeister and Franz Solo rated it among their favorites this year. Belgian Dark Strongs are loaded with malts and have a sweet taste that even a stout drinker would love.

Cask: Nexus is currently featuring their Red on cask.

News: On Thursday, May 23, Nexus will be celebrating their two-year anniversary with the release of a Tripel (9-10% ABV), their Barley Wine aged for one and a half years, and Beam Me Up Scottish aged for one year.

Events: Nexus serves up Happy Hour All Day on Tuesday featuring $3 pints. Also on Tuesday, Nexus will be hosting their comedy open mic, Young Dumb and Full of Comedy, starting at 7:30 p.m. in the Sun Room. They also have Ladies Night on Wednesday from 4-6 p.m. featuring $3 pints for the ladies.

Sandia Chile Grill — 798-1970

(Mon–Sat 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun 8 a.m.–6 p.m.)

Beers: Red Ryder Imperial Irish Red on Nitro, IPA, Rio Negro Milk Stout on Nitro, Barb’s Barrel Hefeweisen, Rattlesnake IPA, Smooth Move Amber, New Mexico Gold Rush Pilsen. SCG’s Red Ryder Imperial Irish Red is comparable to a Scottish ale, but it is darker in color with a sweet-to-dry flavor profile. Sitting at 7-percent ABV, the Red Ryder is a heavy hitter, so be careful or you will poke your eye out! SCG’s New Mexico Gold Rush Pilsen recently took first place at the New Mexico Cup competition. This is one crisp and tasty beer that is not to be missed.

News: SCG’s newly christened Barb’s Barrel Hefeweisen is so named because Barb, a long time patron of SCG, no longer wanted her favorite beer to be made seasonally. So, she bought a barrel and donated it to SCG so that there would be a dedicated barrel with her favorite beer in it all year round. Thanks, Barb!

Tractor Brewing Company — 433-5654 (Nob Hill Tap Room)

(The tap room opens most days around 3 p.m. and stays open as late as 2 a.m.; it opens earlier on weekends)

Beers: Big Bale Wheat, Apricot Wheat, Oaked Cider, Chocolate Stout, Barnstorm Ale, Goat Head Hador Doppel Bock, Duchess (Imperial) Pale Ale. Tractor had a post on their Facebook page that had this to say about the Goat Head Hador Doppel Bock: “A doppelbock is a German style bock (lager) that was traditionally brewed in the late fall, lagered (stored in the cellar) over the winter and served in late winter or early spring. We adhere to this tradition here at Tractor; this doppelbock was brewed in November and has been lagering until now.” The Oaked Cider is an oak-aged version of the Tractor Hard Cider. Stoutmeister recently called the Chocolate Stout “my new addiction.” It has a drier, more mocha-style profile than the more prolific milk chocolate-style stouts at most breweries these days.

News: $1 from each pint of Apricot Wheat sold goes to the Animal Humane Society.

Turtle Mountain Brewing Company — 994-9497

(Kitchen hours: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m.)

Beers: Maibock, Rye IPA, Odd Job Brown, Yardsale Blonde, IPA Cubed, Dubbel Trubbel, Cherry Wheat, Hopduster IPA, Nitro Irish Stout, Belgian IPA, Imperial Pilsner, Hybrid IPA, Cabo Lager, Red Rye. TMBC’s website has this to say about the IPA Cubed: “Cubed is hopped with over 20 pounds of hops to reach the 125 bittering units. This awesome amount of hops is balanced with the nearly 1000 pounds of grains.” (7.75% ABV, 125 IBU, 1.072 OG) TMBC’s website also has this to say about Dubbel Trubbel: “Here’s a perfectly brewed Belgian Dubbel to close out our Belgian series of beers. Candied sugars help bring out those oh-so-distinct flavors. Cheers!” (6.0% ABV, 20 IBU, 1.060 OG)

Cask: TMBC is currently featuring the Rye IPA on cask.

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That’s all for this week! If you have any questions or comments, leave them below or contact us on our Facebook page.

Cheers!

— E-Rock

Greetings Burque beer drinkers, this is E-Rock back in Albuquerque to bring you another Monday installment of The Week Ahead in Beer. As always, this column is hand-crafted to keep you up to date on all of the seasonal beers, music, and events served up in and around the Albuquerque metro area. Now that I’m back in town, I’m writing this column from Sandia Chile Grill as usual. I would like to thank the guys at SCG for supplying me with delicious beef tacos and a smooth Nitro Milk Stout.

Beer Week has come and gone. Everyone at the Dark Side Brew Crew had a great time meeting fellow craft beer drinkers and drinking superb beers. Now, it’s back to business as usual. Most of the new seasonals coming out this week seem to be appearing on the north side of town. Bosque Brewing Company is releasing their new Trubsucker Double IPA this week. Il Vicino has a new batch of their Cascade IPA coming out. Marble is now serving their Anniversary Ale and Abbey. Nexus already has their new Billy Beer Irish Red on tap, and they will be releasing a new batch of their Zaragosa Pale Ale. Sandia Chile Grill ran out of most of their beers at Blues & Brews, but they will have them all back on tap over the next couple of days including their Red Ryder Imperial Red now on nitro. Turtle Mountain is unveiling their new Odd Job Brown this week, and they are also serving a new batch of their Rye IPA.

That is just a small sample of what is going on in and around the 505. Continue reading for all the news that is fit to blog for the week of May 6.

E-Rock, left, has uncovered all the beers worth sneaking up on this week.

To break down each “capsule,” I listed the brewery (with Web page linked), its phone number (all are area code 505, for out-of-state readers) and hours of operation. Under “Beers” are the new or seasonal beers on tap for this week. And for those breweries that play host to musicians, I made sure to list who’s on the week’s set list.

ABQ Brew Pub — 884-1116

(Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–midnight, Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–midnight)

Beers: Pecan Ale. ABP carries beers from Sierra Blanca/Rio Grande Brewing and Monk’s Brewing. Most of their beers are on tap all year long. Several times a year ABP serves up the latest creation by local brewing hero and winner of the Samuel Adams Longshot competition, Ben Miller. The Pecan Ale is proud to be a Ben Miller creation.

Back Alley Draft House — 766-6973 (NYPD)

(Hours 4 p.m.-11 p.m. daily)

Beers: Belgian White, Apricot IPA, IPA, Red, Barley Wine. I had the Apricot IPA a couple of weeks ago. The sweetness from the apricots helps counter the bitterness coming from the hops, which gives this brew a well-rounded taste.

Events: BADH will be closed on Saturday for a private party. BADH will also be giving away free merchandise. All you have to do is post a picture of you and your pals enjoying one of their many fantastic craft beers. Beer Week’s Tower of Sour event went so well that BADH is looking to do another Belgian-themed night in the near future.

Celebrate Dollar off Tuesdays on your favorite beers. Industry people always get a dollar off; show your server certificate or some other proof that you work in the crazy restaurant/bar industry. (Kitchen peeps TOO!)

Bosque Brewing Company — 750-7596

(Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun noon-8 p.m.)

Beers: Trubsucker Double IPA, Boss Pale Ale, Valley Fog (California Stream), Engaano Hefeweizen, Mellow Brit English Brown. Bosque Brewing Co. is excited to announce their “Adopted” line of specialty ales! Periodically, they will release 7-barrel batches of seasonal ales and $1 of each pint sold will be donated to the ABBA Fund, an organization that extends zero-percent interest loans to families aspiring to adopt domestically and internationally. Their first Adopted Ale is the Engaano Hefeweizen.

News: BBC has several beers in the works including a new pale ale, a new steam, and a new beer that will benefit the NM Chapter of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Stay tuned for more details as we receive them. Stoutmeister sampled the new version of the Boss Pale Ale at Blues & Brews. He said it has a nice mix of some sweetness and mild hoppiness that sets it apart from most pale ales.

Music: Mon — Spanky Lee 6-8 p.m.

Broken Bottle Brewery — 890-8777

(Mon–Fri 4 p.m.–midnight, Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–10 p.m.)

Beers: DADU Honey Wheat, Juan’s Mocha Brown, Broken Berry (Strawberry Chocolate) Brown, Hoppy Birthday. Hoppy Birthday is an extra hoppy IPA that was brewed to celebrate B3′s one-year anniversary. The DADU Honey Wheat (10.8 % ABV) is heavy on the honey and light on the wheat. It’s so sweet, it’s almost a mead.

News: B3 is working on a new Toffee Stout which should be available in a couple of weeks.

Events: B3 has $3 beers every Tuesday from open to close. On Wednesday, B3 will be hosting their open mic from 8-10 p.m., with signups starting at 7:30 p.m. On Thursday, B3 will host World Tavern Poker (it’s free to play and you can earn points, prizes, and a shot at the World Series of Poker).

Music: Fri — Jordan Trimarchi 8-9 p.m.

Cazuela’s Seafood & Mexican Grill — 994-9364

(Hours of operation are not yet posted.)

Beers: Porter (5.9% ABV), Inebriator (Doppel Bock) (8+% ABV), Chupacabra IPA (7.2% ABV), Cerveza Por Mis Cavallios Oatmeal Stout (5.5% ABV), Tomazula Brown (5.2% ABV), Tierra del Fuego Cream Ale (5.0% ABV), P.J.’s Amber, and an ESB. Cazuela’s newest beer is the Porter. Stoutmeister is still the lone Crew member to head out there. He highly recommends the Tomazula Brown and the ESB. The former is sweet and full-bodied, while the latter is dry but not bitter. Now that we’ve gotten through the madness of Beer Week, the Crew will head over to Cazuela’s to do a formal review and full tasting.

Chama River Brewing Company — 342-1800

(Sun–Thurs 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–midnight)

Beers: India White Elephant, 505-2013, The Big Lebrewski (Double IPA), Nobel Session PA. The Big Lebrewski is a sweet in taste and golden in color, so it may not look imposing, but it’s high alcohol content packs quite a punch.

Farside Brew Pub — 918-2337

(Mon–Thurs 4 p.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 3 p.m.–11 p.m., Sun 4–8 p.m.)

Beers: English Brown Smog, Dragon’s Blood (India Dark Ale), C Squared (Kolsch), Sunburn Irish Red, Triple Chocolate Stout, Zombie IPA, Feather Weight Ale. FBP has revamped their Triple Chocolate Stout. FPB’s popular Dragon’s Blood is a little lighter than a black IPA, but it still has the bite of a good American style IPA. I’m told the new batch has a cleaner and crisper taste. FPB’s Sunburn Irish Red is a mellow red that sits at a cool 4.8-percent ABV and 18 IBU.

News: FBP will be open for a couple more weeks. Plans are in the works for a possible reopening in the future.

Events: FBP hosts $3 Pint Night every Monday and Thursday College Night (with a valid college ID) featuring a $7 Pizza and Pint Special, plus all night happy hour pints. FBP will be hosting their biweekly open mic on Tuesday with sign-ups starting at 7 p.m.

Il Vicino Brewing Canteen — 881-2737

(Sun–Thurs noon–10 p.m., Fri–Sat noon–midnight)

Beers: Cascade Pale Ale, Hefewiesen, Hopspitality, Belgian Strong Golden, Belgian Dark Strong, 505-2013, Just Esteem, Saison, Black IPA. Hopspitality is back, and this year it was brewed with Motueka and Topaz hops. The folks at the Canteen has assured me that making Hopspitality with unique hops during Beer Week is now officially an annual event.

News: The Irish Red may go back on tap near the end of the week depending on how quickly the Hopspitality and the 505-2013 sell out, and the Sasquatch Scotch is slated for another sighting on the 17th or 18th to coincide with Celtic Fest.

Cask: Rye PA is on tap for Cask Wednesday and the Oak-Aged Irish will be on cask on Saturday.

Music: Tues — Man No Sober 6-9 p.m., Sat — Wildewood CD Release Party 7-10 p.m., Sun — Palace Flophouse 3-6 p.m.

La Cumbre Brewing — 872-0225

(Open every day at noon)

Beers: Proprietary Pale Ale, Project Irie, VMO #2, 505-2013, Barley’s Wine (10.8% ABV, 100 IBU), Gracias por Fumar (Smoked Porter), Irish Red Lager. Proprietary Pale Ale is the first beer in New Mexico to be made with a new South African strain of hops, and it clocks in at 5.6-percent ABV and 50 IBU. Project Irie is part of the same series as Project Dank, which made its debut at Cask Fest in March and took second place in open voting. La Cumbre’s website had this to say about the Barley’s Wine: “It’s not wine; trust me. What it is is an incredibly strong American ale of epic proportions. The beer pours a deep amber with a lasting off-white head. Rich, piney American hops are front and center in the aroma. Digging deeper, you’ll find rich caramel, figs, and freshly baked rum-cake? The initial sip is mouth-filling to say the least. Sweet malt is there in spades, but it’s backed up by an obscene amount of spicy hops. The beer coats the tongue with a plethora of beery complexity; hops, hops and more hops, hugely rich malt, and finally alcohol. Ahh… the alcohol. It’s well hidden, until you swallow and then the warmth creeps back up your esophagus letting you know this is no normal beer. This monster finishes with an incredibly drying and lasting bitterness that accomplishes it’s goal of balancing out all that malt.” (10.8% ABV, 100 IBU)

Cask: La Cumbre usually offers a couple beers on cask. La Cumbre is starting this week off with the 505-2013 on cask.

Food: The Rustic Food Truck parks at La Cumbre on Tuesday, and The Supper Truck parks there Thursday.

Music: Sat — Reviva 7-10 p.m.

Marble Brewery — 243-2739

(Mon–Sat 1 p.m.–midnight, Sun 1 p.m.–10:30 p.m.)

Beers: Anniversary Ale, The Abbey, 505-2013, Rye Somethin’ Else, Double White. Marble’s website had this to say about Rye Somethin’ Else, “Bright hops lead the way for the earthy rye and spicy Belgian yeast character to shine through in this quenching, golden delight.” (5.9% ABV)

Cask: Check out Marble’s cask (a.k.a. “real” ale) selection on tap every Friday at the Downtown Pub.

Food: The Talking Fountain Kitchen will be at the Downtown Pub on Wednesday, and Chicharroneria Don Choche will be at the Downtown Pub on Friday from 5 p.m. to late.

Music: Wed — The Palm in the Cypess 6-9 p.m., Fri — The Blue Hornets 8-11 p.m., Sat — Pawnshop Poster Boys, Ben Jammin & the Skanartists, and Good Green 7-11 p.m.

Nexus Brewery — 242-4100

(Mon–Thurs 2 p.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sun 11 a.m.–midnight)

Beers: Zaragosa Pale Ale, Billy Beer Irish Red, 505-2013, Oatmeal Stout, Belgian Dark Strong (10.2% ABV), Imperial Cream Ale, Belgian Golden (5.8% ABV). Nexus is premiering their second Belgian ale this month. The Oatmeal Stout is on tap at Nexus; both Stoutmeister and Franz Solo rated it among their favorites this year. Belgian Dark Strongs are loaded with malts and have a sweet taste that even a stout drinker would love.

Cask: Nexus is currently featuring the 505-2013 on cask.

Events: Nexus serves up Happy Hour All Day on Tuesday featuring $3 pints. Also on Tuesday, Nexus will be hosting their comedy open mic, Young Dumb and Full of Comedy, starting at 7:30 p.m. in the Sun Room. They also have Ladies Night on Wednesday from 4-6 p.m. featuring $3 pints for the ladies.

Sandia Chile Grill — 798-1970

(Mon–Sat 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun 8 a.m.–6 p.m.)

Beers: Red Ryder Imperial Irish Red on Nitro, IPA, Rio Negro Milk Stout on Nitro, Barb’s Barrel Hefeweisen, Rattlesnake IPA, Smooth Move Amber, New Mexico Gold Rush Pilsen. SCG’s Red Ryder Imperial Irish Red is comparable to a Scottish ale, but it is darker in color with a sweet-to-dry flavor profile. Sitting at 7-percent ABV, the Red Ryder is a heavy hitter, so be careful or you will poke your eye out! SCG’s New Mexico Gold Rush Pilsen recently took first place at the New Mexico Cup competition. This is one crisp and tasty beer that is not to be missed.

News: SCG’s newly christened Barb’s Barrel Hefeweisen is so named because Barb, a long time patron of SCG, no longer wanted her favorite beer to be made seasonally. So, she bought a barrel and donated it to SCG so that there would be a dedicated barrel with her favorite beer in it all year round. Thanks, Barb!

Tractor Brewing Company — 433-5654 (Nob Hill Tap Room)

(The tap room opens most days around 3 p.m. and stays open as late as 2 a.m.; it opens earlier on weekends)

Beers: Apricot Wheat, Oaked Cider, Chocolate Stout, Ox Bow Scotch, Barnstorm Ale, Goat Head Hador Doppel Bock, Duchess (Imperial) Pale Ale. Tractor had a post on their Facebook page that had this to say about the Goat Head Hador Doppel Bock: “A doppelbock is a German style bock (lager) that was traditionally brewed in the late fall, lagered (stored in the cellar) over the winter and served in late winter or early spring. We adhere to this tradition here at Tractor; this doppelbock was brewed in November and has been lagering until now.” The Oaked Cider is an oak-aged version of the Tractor Hard Cider. Stoutmeister recently called the Chocolate Stout “my new addiction.” It has a drier, more mocha-style profile than the more prolific milk chocolate-style stouts at most breweries these days.

News: $1 from each pint of Apricot Wheat sold goes to the Animal Humane Society.

Turtle Mountain Brewing Company — 994-9497

(Kitchen hours: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m.)

Beers: Rye IPA, Odd Job Brown, Yardsale Blonde, IPA Cubed, Dubbel Trubbel, Cherry Wheat, Hopduster IPA, Nitro Irish Stout, Belgian IPA, Imperial Pilsner, Hybrid IPA, Cabo Lager, Red Rye. TMBC’s website has this to say about the IPA Cubed: “Cubed is hopped with over 20 pounds of hops to reach the 125 bittering units. This awesome amount of hops is balanced with the nearly 1000 pounds of grains.” (7.75% ABV, 125 IBU, 1.072 OG) TMBC’s website also has this to say about Dubbel Trubbel: “Here’s a perfectly brewed Belgian Dubbel to close out our Belgian series of beers. Candied sugars help bring out those oh-so-distinct flavors. Cheers!” (6.0% ABV, 20 IBU, 1.060 OG)

Cask: TMBC is currently featuring the Rye IPA on cask.

* * * *

That’s all for this week! If you have any questions or comments, leave them below or contact us on our Facebook page.

Cheers!

— E-Rock