Enough with the darned leftovers, already, it’s time for some new beer! At least that is what E-Rock and I, the venerable Stoutmeister, decided after a week of reheated turkey. In between E-Rock’s various band rehearsals and my, um, doing absolutely nothing important, we trekked back to Sandia Chile Grill to try some new beers on tap at this little gem of a nanobrewery in the Northeast Heights.

For those who missed our first visit back in September, the SCG is a restaurant located in the shopping center on the northeast corner of Wyoming and San Antonio. It also has its own beer on tap, and much like before, it’s some tasty stuff for those of us who prefer some good, malty beers over the hoplandia that much of ABQ has become.

We picked a slow time in the afternoon before the dinner rush arrived so we could actually talk to owner Mick Coker and his son, Clint, about the brewing process and all. We were treated to samples of the Amber, Irish Red, ESB, Double Pilsner, and Smoked Porter. My favorite was the Smoked Porter. E-Rock asked if he could officially adopt the Double Pilsner and take it home, but he was turned down. So he just wolfed down a pint on site.

The SCG has been brewing since July 1, working on a two-barrel system. For such a small system, they are doing a good job of churning out some quality beers. Like a lot of brewers in town, they keep up to date on what the rest of ABQ’s finest breweries are producing, finding themselves part of one big, offbeat, happy family. Their big goal in the near future is to get a wine producing license, but to make mead and cider instead of wine. Honestly, we had no idea that you needed this, but government regulations regarding the production and sale of alcoholic beverages are a riddle wrapped in an enigma stuck inside a paradox in New Mexico.

The other main goal for Mick and Clint is to bring the alcohol content down for some of their beers, notably the Double Pilsner, which currently sits at a hefty 8-percent ABV, to a more manageable 6-7 percent. Like any good brewer starting out, they are still tinkering with the product here and there. Truthfully, we didn’t think they needed to tinker much more with most of the beers we tried.

Amber: A little sweet, a little mild, it is about what you would expect from the genre. We usually steer toward the stronger beers.

Irish Red: I had this one the last time I visited and was pleased to see it had not changed. It is a smooth, malty red, similar to its cousin over at Il Vicino. You should start with this beer and then move ahead.

ESB: Following the sad news that Nexus had retired its ESB from the regular lineup, I looked forward to this one and it met my expectations. It is a dry beer with a stronger hop profile than the rest, though not to the point of where it would clear your sinuses like a strong IPA. A good Englishman, or in my case an Irish-Polish-Scottish man, would find this a classic example of the style. I would even recommend it over the ESB on tap at Il Vicino (though you should go out and drink both just to make up your own minds).

Double Pilsner: I only had a quick taste of this one; it was sweet, strong, everything I would expect of a pilsner in its native Germany, as opposed to most of the non-craft-brewing pilsners that over-saturate the U.S. market. I’ll let E-Rock sum up this one: If I could only use one word to describe the Double Pilsner, it would be “refreshing”. This is a very crisp and drinkable beer on par with pilsners that you might find at La Cumbre in the early summer. It’s also a very smooth beer, which makes it hard to believe that the Double Pilsner sits at about 8% ABV.

Smoked Porter: Ooo, liquid black gold. It is harder than you think for breweries to hit that right note between a good smoked beer and a campfire in a glass. This one falls right into that happy middle ground between too smoky and not smoky enough. The smoked bite from the roasted malts is at the front, while the back is obsidian smooth and refreshing. This is definitely one of the best porters in town as we head into porter season.

So once again, if you find yourself in the Northeast Heights, or just want to try a new brewery with some quality styles on tap, head on over to Sandia Chile Grill.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister