The Great American Beer Festival’s annual awards ceremony was rolling along this past Sunday, but through 57 categories, no brewery from New Mexico heard their name called up to get a medal. That all changed in the blink of an eye when not one local brewery, but two heard their names called back-to-back in the…
The Week Ahead in Beer: Raising funds and raising the dead
This week features a fascinating mix of fundraisers and spooky-themed events as we barrel towards All Hallow’s Eve. Starting with the charitable events, Painted Lady will have their Pints with Purpose Benefiting Barrett House this Thursday at 6 p.m. Canteen hosts Grapple for a Cause, benefiting Inner Strength Initiative on Saturday from 1 to 3…
GABF 2026: New Mexico breweries bring home 3 more medals
The first outdoor edition of the Great American Beer Festival was held this weekend at Levitt Pavilion in Denver, including the annual awards ceremony. Three New Mexico breweries won one medal apiece, with another rare occurrence of two breweries winning in the same category. The last time that happened was in 2024 when Tractor took…
GABF 2026: The grand experiment of moving outdoors in Denver
The Great American Beer Festival kicks off in Denver this weekend, albeit for just two days instead of three and outdoors instead of inside the convention center. Yeah, it’s gonna be a bit weird. At least the weather is supposed to be good, right? (Apologies to anyone attending if that doesn’t hold up.) In many…
The Week Ahead in Beer: Ride from the breweries to the balloons and back
Balloon Fiesta week keeps rolling along, with some really nice weather (knock on wood) and mild temperatures. Of course, the great negative is the traffic driving there, at least if you are in a car or other motorized vehicle. If you are on a bicycle, well, things are going a lot smoother from what many…
2026 Balloon Fiesta tourist guide to local craft breweries
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is back in town starting this Saturday and running through the following weekend. This is the biggest annual tourism draw in Albuquerque, and while we realize this means the restaurants will be packed and the roads will be clogged, we recognize the massive economic impact it provides to the metro…
Downshift makes good use of new brewery facility to increase production
Space is something every brewery wants and needs. Space, though, gets filled quickly as a brewery grows, bringing a whole new set of challenges. Downshift Brewing, for instance, had certainly outgrown their space in the back of the Hidden Tap in the heart of Ruidoso. Just gazing upon it back during our first visit in…
The Week Ahead in Beer: Go ahead and pick an Oktoberfest, we’ll wait
Tis the season for fests. So many fests. A fest here, a fest there. You thought there were a lot last weekend? Surely you can’t be serious, and we’re not calling you Shirley. This weekend alone there’s an Oktoberfest at Rio Bravo on Saturday and another at Canteen on Sunday. That covers Albuquerque. There is…
Lost Hiker Brewing changes owners but keeps the same vibes in Ruidoso
During our trip to Ruidoso Oktoberfest last Saturday, the Crew made sure to carve out some time on Friday to chat with the owners of the two breweries in town to see how things have been going. In the case of Lost Hiker Brewing, that meant meeting the new owner, Steven Swangstu, and his family…
Downshift does Oktoberfest just right for Ruidoso and everyone else
After having gone to the original Oktoberfest in Munich last year, one might think any festival of that type in New Mexico could not possibly live up to that experience for the Crew. Well, yeah, nothing comes close to that event in sheer size, but that does not mean the Crew cannot be impressed. And,…
