Stoutmeister here. Shilling has kept track of some local beer news of note while E-Rock and I were in Durango. Speaking of Durango, we will have our next post (Ska Brewing) up shortly. We hit three breweries on Wednesday alone and were not in shape to do much in the way of write-ups that day. We spent Thursday traveling, followed by E-Rock playing a gig at Low Spirits last night. Yay to not having anything to do today (except laundry).

Just in time for July 4, La Cumbre’s Elevated IPA is now available in four packs! La Cumbre’s first canned beer is available at the brewery for about $11 for a quartet of 16-ounce cans of goodness. It will also be available soon at Jubilation and Kelly Liquors on Juan Tabo.

And don’t forget to head over to La Cumbre on Saturday night to catch the Squash Blossom Boys, starting at 7 p.m.

Elsewhere, a couple of special beers will be available Friday to help folks beat the oppressive heat. Turtle Mountain has kept a keg of Cosmic Imperial Stout aging for the last year-and-a-half. Stop by for a 12-ounce glass before it’s gone.

Marble has its top-selling Red Ale on cask as well. It is reggae night at Marble, with Shimani playing on the patio stage from 8 to 11 p.m., hopefully when it has finally cooled down outside.

Tractor will be open early so folks watching the Pride Parade in Nob Hill do not go thirsty on Saturday. Tractor will also be serving its beer at The Kosmos as part of the daylong celebration.

The IPA Challenge is coming up in July and tickets are now on sale for $25 apiece. Participating breweries Nexus, Il Vicino and Blue Corn will have tickets on site, while Three Rivers will start selling next week. Or you can just go online to nmbeer.org and get it the new-fashioned way.

The Challenge schedule is as follows: Nexus, Sunday, July 22 at noon; Three Rivers, Tuesday, July 24 at 4 p.m.; Blue Corn, Thursday, July 26 at 4 p.m.; Il Vicino Canteen, Saturday, July 28 at noon.