It is nice to take a detour from the Hoplandia that Albuquerque-area brewing has become over the last few years. While there is nothing wrong with the strong, flavorful beers elsewhere in town (La Cumbre has been kicking us all in the face for over a year now, and we keep going back, begging for more), Nexus Brewery offers up something different.

Nexus, for those who still don’t know, is located off the I-25 northbound frontage road, just past the Montgomery/Montano exit, which has been doing its best Los Angeles impression of congested chaos for years. Anyone who survives that mess deserves a good beer, so continue on to Nexus and pull in below the giant purple-and-white BREWERY sign that looms above the road. Nexus is in the back, behind the gate on your right side as you enter.

In addition to offering up a strong selection of year-round brews, Nexus has also gained a strong following for its food menu. Offering up “New Mexican Soul Food,” Nexus’ offerings range from Fried Pickles (Jon Shilling’s favorite) to the classic Southern Fried Chicken and Waffles. If there are any other restaurants in ABQ offering up that dish, we have yet to hear of them.

But this is a beer blog, not a food critic’s blog (though as a final note, the Beer-Battered Fries are a delicious snack), so onto the beers!

Stopping by with Franz Solo and his lovely wife on Monday ($3 pints that day and Tuesday, from 2-10 p.m.), I enjoyed the super-smooth American Stout (5.8% ABV, 40 IBU). Nexus’ stout has a crisp finish, with hints of chocolate as opposed to the more common and burlier oatmeal style found around town. It does not have the robust flavor of La Cumbre’s El Malpais, but Nexus’ stout is good for a casual beer drinker, even somebody who does not usually indulge in darker beers. When the weather warms up, it looms as an excellent beer to enjoy slowly while sitting outside on Nexus’ patio.

Next up for me was a concoction that was originally invented by owner Ken Carson late one night. According to the staff at Nexus, Ken wanted another Scottish Wee Heavy, but that beer’s hefty alcohol content (8% ABV) made him think twice. So in the grand tradition of experimentation, Ken mixed in the lighter E.S.B. (Extra-Special Bitter, an English style ale for the beer-acronym-challenged) and the result was an absolutely delightful hybrid. Combining the thick, hearty flavor of the Scottish with the snap of an E.S.B., this hybrid produces a delicious flavor that does not overwhelm the palate, but rather bathes in a mix of sweet and effervescent tastes. The caramel and toffee notes of the E.S.B. mix perfectly with the strong, nutty flavor of the Wee Heavy. Who said the English and the Scots can’t get along?

Franz also enjoyed a hybrid, while following that with the seasonal brown ale now on tap. That burly beer (7.2% ABV) offers up a cacophony of flavors, with a mix of caramel and maple that comes on strong with the first sip. The brown smooths out afterward. It is more on the dry side of browns, but there is nothing wrong with adding more variety around town, especially in the criminally undervalued brown ales.

Mrs. Solo enjoyed the popular Cream Ale (6% ABV, 30 IBU), a lighter, German-style offering that can serve as a good introductory beer (or for those who simply do not like the darker, stronger varieties; we won’t hold it against you … much). She also tried the American IPA (6.8%, 65), which offers up a good flavor without that punch-you-in-the-face hoppiness that characterizes so many local IPAs.

Also on tap are a Belgium Wit White Ale (5%, 18) and an American Red Ale (7%, 48).

So take a trip up the frontage road and stop by Nexus to enjoy a couple pints, watch some sports on the three TVs (they even show European soccer, for fellow fans of association football), and sit back for a relaxing atmosphere and a welcome addition to the ranks of Albuquerque’s microbreweries.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister