Greetings, New Mexico craft beer lovers. Stoutmeister here with the reunified edition of The Week Ahead in Beer. This column covers all the breweries in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, with Santa Fe’s four breweries and one newcomer down in Socorro also joining the party. We tried hard to keep the state edition going, but without participation from the breweries outside the I-25 corridor, it was futile.

First up, dear lord I am tired this Tuesday night. Please, everyone, remind me next year to not cover the 8 a.m. high school basketball game at The Pit and then still work at my other job til 8 p.m. I am no longer equipped for 12-hour work days. Unless I’m doing something like brewing, but that’s it. So, yeah, if there are a bunch of typos or missing stuff below, now you know why.

Anyway, back to beer. So it’s time for another Thursday at the Brewer’s Table at Blue Corn up in Santa Fe, only this one is a little more special than most. Blue Corn is celebrating brewer James Warren’s one-year anniversary with a special four-course, beer-paired meal of total awesomeness. So while some of us will be praying for something decent in the hospitality room at the Star Center, those of you in Santa Fe or those who wish to drive up will get to enjoy the following: Passed Hors D’oeuvres with Imperial Gose; Black Lip Mussels with Roadrunner IPA; Steak Island with Russian Imperial Stout; Salted Cashew Torte with Barleywine. That is the last of the available RIS and Barleywine, plus it will offer patrons their first taste of the Imperial Gose before it goes on tap for the general public to enjoy. The event kicks off at 6 p.m., costs $45, and reservations are highly recommended. Call Blue Corn at (505) 438-1800 to secure your spot(s). And cheers to you, James! Thank you for all the great beers you have brewed. If I am conscious enough to risk it come Thursday night, I will endeavor to sneak down to The Draft Station ABQ and enjoy one of your creations. (I’m just worried I might fall asleep in my beer.)

On the new beer front, there are a few new ones worth checking out around town. Bosque has Riverbank Brown down at the Nob Hill Public House. Boxing Bear is defying the season with Bearzen. Broken Bottle brought back a fan favorite in Stinky Pinky, a grapefruit hefeweizen. Chama River is sticking with the March holiday theme with O’Houlihan’s Irish Stout. La Cumbre brought the Imperial Red Ryeot to bear. Lizard Tail is going big with a Belgian Tripel, plus a smaller Gratzer and White (Wheat). Nexus flies in with Make It So, Marzen. Turtle Mountain has taken a trip back in time with Mr. Hoover’s Steam, just in time for their upcoming 16th anniversary party.

Up in Santa Fe, it’s pretty quiet this week, though Second Street has Halifax Strong Pale Ale.

And on the subject of cask beers, rather than listing them brewery by brewery in here, we’re doing something a little different. Since oftentimes breweries don’t know what they’re putting on cask until the day of (usually Friday), rather than just put “TBD” down below, instead we’re offering updates via our Facebook page and Twitter feed. Look for the “Firkin Friday” post every week on those social media sites. One of these days when we get around to upgrading the main website we will make it a permanent feature on there, but for now we’ll provide live updates as the breweries get us the information.

Continue reading for all the news that is fit to blog for the week of March 9.

To break down each “capsule,” I listed the brewery (with Web page linked), its phone number and hours of operation. Under “Beers” are the new or seasonal beers on tap for this week.

Albuquerque metro area breweries

ABQ Brew Pub — (505) 884-1116

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

Beers: Petrus Aged Ale, Petrus Aged Red. Petrus Aged Ale and Red are high alcohol barrel-aged sours from a family-owned brewery in Flanders. Several times a year, ABP serves up the latest creation by local brewing hero and winner of the Samuel Adams Longshot competition, Ben Miller, or seasonal releases by Monks Brewing.

Back Alley Draft House — (505) 766-8590

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

Beers: California Common, Belgian Dark, Belgian Wit, Latir Pale Ale. In case you missed it, we interviewed BADH’s new brewer, Brandon Venaglia. There are some exciting times coming, including a possible expansion. I ran into Brandon recently while beer shopping and learned that the new Latir Pale Ale was made with Latir hops given to him by the monks from Abbey Brewing in Abiquiu. Gotta love it when one brewery helps another. Look for another batch of Ladron’s Peak in the near future, too.

Events: Sundays will now be Service Nights at Back Alley, with $2 off all beers for service industry workers. Bring your server’s ID and you will be rewarded.

Bosque Brewing Company — (505) 750-7596 (main brewery), (505) 508-5967 (Nob Hill Public House), (575) 571-4626 (Las Cruces Taproom)

(Main brewery on San Mateo: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.-midnight, Sun noon-8 p.m.; Nob Hill: Mon–Weds 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Thurs 11 a.m.-midnight, Fri–Sat 11 a.m.-1 a.m., Sun noon-11 p.m.; Las Cruces: Sun–Thurs noon-11 p.m., Fri–Sat noon-midnight)

Beers: Old School Session IPA, Crystal Single Hop Pale Ale, Tandem Ryder Double Pale Ale, Wake Up and Smell the Stout, Slack Jaw Imperial Porter (Nob Hill only), Humo Rojo (San Mateo and Las Cruces), Scale Tipper IPA (San Mateo and Las Cruces), Riverbank Brown (Nob Hill only). All beers listed are on tap at all three locations, unless noted. Wake Up (5.6% ABV, 16 IBU) is a coffee stout that we all really need to try. It’s on nitro at the original San Mateo brewery. The Old School (4.7% ABV, 60 IBU) is a mild little delight. The Humo Rojo (5.7% ABV, 16 IBU) is a smoke bomb and a half. Slack Jaw (8.8% ABV, 45 IBU) is a monstrous delight; it’s on nitro at Nob Hill. The Crystal Single Hop (5.6% ABV, 30 IBU) is fairly new, while the Scale Tipper (6.4% ABV, 95 IBU) is back for another run. Riverbank Brown is the newest seasonal. Riverwalker IPA (6.5% ABV, 90 IBU) is now the permanent IPA on tap at all Bosque locations.

News: The Bosque Public House is now open, located on Girard just south of Central. Bosque has also opened a taproom in Las Cruces, located in the former Mimbres Valley space across from New Mexico State at the corner of University Ave. and Espina St.

Bosque has a happy hour running from 3-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and all day on Sunday. Look for special menu items and get $1 off your favorite pints.

Boxing Bear Brewing Company — (505) 897-2327

(Sun-Thurs 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-11 p.m.)

Beers: (Regular) Paw Swipe Pale Ale, Hairy Mit Hefe, Standing 8 Stout, Ambear Ale, Uppercut IPA, Apple Bear Hard Cider; (Seasonal) Sucker Punch DIPA, Iron Lung Smoked Porter, Black Eye-PA, Body Czech Bohemian Pilsner, Bearzen. New to taps this week, defying its autumn-only status, is Bearzen, Boxing Bear’s take on a traditional German marzen. The Body Czech is a great way to start your flight. The Standing 8 Stout (6.3% ABV, 45 IBU), which is on tap at all times, claimed the 2015 Stout Challenge, held by the Crew before the Super Bowl this past Sunday. Head on over to indulge in this beast of a beer. The Iron Lung Smoked Porter (6.1% ABV) and Apple Bear Hard Cider (5% ABV) went on tap recently. The Black Eye-PA (6.2% ABV) is a hoppy yet malty black IPA. A recent addition to taps is the Sucker Punch (8.5% ABV, 125+ IBU), which as the name might imply could leave you on the floor if you’re careful.

News: Boxing Bear now has a happy hour. 10-, 16-, and 22-ounce beers are all discounted from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Growler Happy Hour then runs from 6 p.m. to close on those nights. Get $2 off a growler fill and $1 off a half-growler (they call ’em “squealers”).

Also, every day at lunchtime (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.), for just $10 you can get a pint and a panini of your choice.

Events: Geeks Who Drink will now be held every Wednesday from 8 to 10 p.m. at Boxing Bear.

Broken Bottle Brewery — (505) 890-8777

(Mon–Weds 4-11 p.m., Thurs-Fri 4 p.m.–midnight, Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–10 p.m.)

Beers: Cracked Cork Barley Wine, End of Days Tripel, Twig and Berries Sahti, Tom Selleck Ale, Rip Van Winkle Vanilla Stout, Nacho Brau, Coco-Cabana Coconut Porter, Honey Pot Sour Ale, Stinky Pinky. The Stinky Pinky, a grapefruit hefeweizen, is back for another run by popular demand. The Coco-Cabana and Honey Pot are recent additions. Curious about Twig and Berries? A Sahti is a Finnish style of beer using some unique grains as well as juniper berries. If you’re one of the lucky few to not be allergic to junipers, have at it! The Drunken Hobo Milk Stout has replaced the Mulligan Stout in the regular lineup. Also joining the regular lineup now is the Elixir Vanilla Cream Ale.

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. Check out B3’s karaoke night every Thursday starting at 8 p.m.

B3 shows The Walking Dead every Sunday at 7 p.m. and Better Call Saul every Monday at 8 p.m.

Canteen Brewhouse — (505) 881-2737

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

Beers: Irish Red, Sasquatch Scotch, Kentucky Common, Black Rye PA, Opal Esteem, Cantenator Doppelbock, The Other Red, Edel Helles. This year’s edition of Solstice Blackout has ended. Hurry over before the remaining Solstice beers — Sasquatch (8% ABV, 26 IBU) and Black Rye PA (7% ABV, 50 IBU) — run out. The Kentucky Common (5.4% ABV, 24 IBU) is a fairly recent addition. The Opal Esteem (5.7% ABV, 40 IBU) is a traditional steam-style beer brewed with German Opal hops. The Cantenator (7% ABV, 20 IBU) and Other Red (5.6% ABV, 26 IBU) are fairly new additions, but the newest guy on tap is Edel Helles (5% ABV, 18 IBU), a light, sweet little beer to start your day or night off right. For those panicking about missing out on Exodus, fear not, it will be back in about a week or so.

News: The last barrel-aged beer in the back, waiting to be tapped, is American Stock Ale in rum barrels.

Canteen has begun filling Crowlers, 32-ounce aluminum cans that can be filled with any beer on tap. They get sealed up and can last for a lot longer than a regular growler. Then you bring back the Crowlers to be recycled and get some fresh ones.

Cazuela’s Seafood & Mexican Grill — (505) 994-9364

(Open daily 8 a.m.-10 p.m.)

Beers: Papacabra (Double IPA), Panama Red, Acapulco Gold (Mexican Lager), Hefeweizen, Chupacabra IPA, Piedra del Fuego Stoned Cream Ale, Beer for My Horses (Oatmeal Stout), Inebriator (Doppelbock), Primo (Brown Ale). E-Rock and I had a chance to sample the Piedra del Fuego (5% ABV), which we both recommend. According to Cazuela’s menu: “This cream ale uses red-hot stones to super caramelize the sugars, creating a nutty, toffee-like flavor.” The Inebriator (8% ABV) and the Papacabra (9.7% ABV) are the biggest beers in the lineup.

News: Cazuela’s is looking to potentially open a taproom on the east side of ABQ near Canteen and La Cumbre in the Brewery District.

Chama River Brewing Company — (505) 342-1800

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

Beers: O’Houlihan’s Irish Stout, Irish Red, Hank (Nut Brown), Kissy Face Chocolate Cherry Wheat. The Kissy Face (6% ABV, 22 IBU) was made for Valentine’s Day. It has a healthy amount of dark cherry puree and cocoa nibs in the mix. All of you Better Call Saul fans drank up the Saul-utations IPL. To kick off March, Chama’s delicious Irish Red is on tap again. This is always a seasonal standout. The new O’Houlihan’s (4.5% ABV, 20 IBU) will also help get you in the Irish frame of mind. Just don’t go throwing any wrenches at dodgeball players after drinking it.

Kaktus Brewing — (505) 379-5072

(Hours Mon-Thu 2-9 p.m., Fri-Sat 11:30-10 p.m., Sun 11:30-9 p.m.)

Beers: Helles Lager, Honk If You’re …, ESB, Amber, IPA, I’m a Little Teapot Short and Stout, Czech Pilsner, Brunette. The Helles Lager made its return recently. The regular IPA is back and has been joined by Honk If You’re …, a British-style mild ale. I’m a Little Teapot Short and Stout is Kaktus’ first barrel-aged beer. A bunch of the Crew gathered at Kaktus recently and the Brunette, a sweet, nutty brown ale, was a big hit with all of us. We gotta say, Kaktus is getting pretty good at naming their beers. Kaktus is located at 471 South Hill Road in Bernalillo, for those who have still not made the trek.

Events: Kaktus has several new weekday specials including $3 pints on Monday, $9 growlers on Tuesday, $6 bison nachos on Wednesday, and $8 Frito pie and beer on Thursday.

The Desert Darlings belly dancers perform from 6 to 8 p.m. on almost every Sunday. If you’ve never seen the Desert Darlings in person, you’re missing out.

Kaktus is also one of the sponsors of a huge upcoming St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the Railyards. You can find tickets and more info at the official website. It runs from 4 to 10 p.m. on March 17 and will feature beer, food trucks, music, dancers, and more.

La Cumbre Brewing — (505) 872-0225

(Open every day at noon)

Beers: Azacca Pale Ale, Simcoe Pale Ale, Bohemian from Burque, Hell Froze Over, Imperial Red Ryeot. The Azacca was the newest beer on tap until Imperial Red Ryeot (9% ABV, 100 IBU) debuted Tuesday night on tap and in bombers for sale at the brewery and places like Jubilation. The Simcoe Pale Ale (5.5% ABV, 37 IBU) is still hanging around. A recent addition to taps is the Bohemian from Burque (5.7% ABV, 45 IBU), a Bohemian-style pilsner. Hell Froze Over (5.5% ABV, 30 IBU), La Cumbre’s take on a brown ale, is back for 2015. Though it is not on tap, you can buy bombers of Tres Padres, La Cumbre’s first Belgian-style Tripel, at the brewery. Oh, and don’t panic about Project Dank and Red Ryeot no longer appearing here as seasonals. They are now part of La Cumbre’s regular lineup. Red Ryeot cans are now for sale around town and at the brewery.

News: La Cumbre’s new and improved website is now up and running. Check it out by clicking the link here. Their online calendar now includes what food trucks will be serving, plus live music and a current draft list.

Events: Quality Retreads perform Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m.

Yoga is back at the taproom every Sunday at 10:45 a.m.

Lizard Tail Brewing — (505) 717-1301

(Mon–Weds noon-9 p.m., Thurs–Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-7 p.m.)

UPDATED >>> Beers: Whiptail Weisse, Bluetail Blonde, Horned Honey Pale, Reptilian IPA, Chameleon Amber, Basilisk Brown, Sanddigger Dubbel, Desert Night India Black Ale, Black Bearded Rye Stout, Smoot-tailed Oatmeal Stout, Prairie Lizard Porter, Biscochito Brown, Belgian Strong Dark, Belgian Abbey, ESB, Belgian Tripel, Gratzer, White. Brace yourselves for the hefty new Belgian Tripel (9.2% ABV, 30 IBU). The new Gratzer (3.8% ABV, 30 IBU) is an oak-smoked wheat beer, while the White (4.7% ABV, 18 IBU) has hints of citrus, banana, Noble hops, and chamomile. The ESB (6% ABV, 40 IBU), Belgian Abbey (7.1% ABV, 25 IBU) and the Belgian Dark Strong (9.7% ABV, 30 IBU) are other recent additions, as one can probably tell since they have yet to be given lizard-themed names like the rest of the lineup. So far Lizard Tail has shown themselves to be more malt-forward than hop-centric. The oatmeal stout and porter are solid, while the IBA has shown improvement since its debut.

News: Lizard Tail’s happy hour runs seven days a week from 3 to 6 p.m. You get $1 off food, flights, and pints.

Take note that Lizard Tail now opens at noon every day.

Events: Lizard Tail will host Geeks Who Drink every Tuesday at 8 p.m.

Every Thursday will now feature karaoke from 8 to 11 p.m.

Marble Brewery — (505) 243-2739

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

Beers: Nitro Sesh. Since the renovated taproom was reopened, the silky smooth little Sesh (4.4% ABV) was the only seasonal on tap, though that might and probably should change this week. When I get an update from Marble, you will see it here. The most recent quartet of seasonals — Double IPA, 2014 Imperial Stout, Belgian Quad, Imperial Red — may be available, all or some, at the Westside and Santa Fe taprooms, but call ahead to make sure they are there if you have a hankering for one or more. Anyway, this year’s batch of Imperial Stout (11% ABV) is a big, bold beast of a beer. If the bourbon flavor is too much, just let it warm for a bit and it will mellow out and the stout flavors will come forward. The hefty Quad (10.3% ABV) is a big old blast of Belgian bad-assery.

Events: Brewery tours occur at the Downtown Pub every Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Island of Black & White performs tonight (Wednesday) from 5 to 8 p.m. at the downtown pub. If you miss them, there will be a second performance at the Westside Taproom on Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m.

Jill Cohn also performs at the Westside Taproom on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. Blue Hornets & Crazy Fool will then take the stage on St. Patrick’s Day downtown from 6 to 9 p.m.

Nexus Brewery — (505) 242-4100

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

Beers: Warp 10 Golden Strong, Blackberry Hefeweizen, Make It So, Marzen. New this week is the Make It So, Marzen, which might seem out of season, but in my personal opinion, quality German beers are year-round treats. The Blackberry Hefeweizen should have you pining for summer in no time. The 2015 batch of Beam Me Up Scottish is no more, sadly. Another fairly recent addition to taps is the Warp 10 Golden Strong, an English-style golden ale.

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.

Nexus has always hosted viewing parties for The Walking Dead in the community room, where you can also play Walking Dead pinball. The show is back this Sunday at 7 p.m. We’re guessing they will keep the TV on AMC for Better Call Saul on Mondays, too.

Pi Brewing at Nicky V’s Neighborhood Pizzeria — (505) 890-9463

(Sun–Thurs 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–10 p.m.)

Beers: PiPA, West Coast Red, Bourbon Vanilla Porter, Pre-Prohibition Pilsner, ESB, Peppermint Porter, Pumpkin Abbey Ale. While Pi Brewing is not open to the public yet, they are able to brew and serve their beers next door at Nicky V’s. The IPA and West Coast Red are both good hoppy beers. We’ll keep tabs on when Pi itself opens. For now, grab a pint and some tasty Italian food. The PiPA will now be a regular beer, replacing the Unchallenged IPA. The scrumptious Bourbon Vanilla Porter is back, replacing the Robust Porter. Recent additions to tap are the Peppermint Porter and Pumpkin Abbey Ale, while a fresh batch of ESB is on tap as well.

Ponderosa Brewing Co. — (505) 639-5941

(Sun 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Mon–Sat 11 a.m.–11 p.m.)

Beers: (Regular) Ghost Train IPA, Rip Saw Red, Crosscut Kolsch; (Seasonal) Dunkelblitzen, Nikolaus Spiced Lager, Imperial Sawmill Stout, The Dark Demon ICDA, The Brauny Bavarian, Smoky the Beer, Ella Single Hop Pale Ale. Ponderosa is located at 1761 Bellamah NW, which is just east of Rio Grande and due north of the NM Natural History Museum, in the bottom floor of a swanky-looking apartment/retail complex (they have a sign atop the building now that you cannot miss). The most recent addition to taps is Smoky the Beer (6.2% ABV, 40 IBU), a smoked porter. It should go well with that new meat smoker they have in the kitchen. The Dark Demon (8% ABV, 110 IBU) is an imperial Cascadian dark ale (basically a black IPA), and it is a devilish delight. The Nikolaus (5.2% ABV, 30 IBU) is a Weihnachtsbier, a traditional Bavarian dark lager brewed for the holidays. Brace yourselves for the Imperial Sawmill Stout (8.2% ABV, 65 IBU). The Brauny Bavarian (5.2% ABV, 15 IBU), a dunkelweizen, sticks with the German theme. New to taps is the Ella (5% ABV, 35 IBU), made with a special Australian hop, the latest in their single-hop series.

Red Door Brewing — (505) 633-6675

(Mon–Thurs 2 p.m. to midnight, Fri–Sun noon to midnight)

Beers: (Regular) Gateway Blonde Ale, Roamer Red, Threshold IPA, Paint it Black Milk Stout, Unhinged Cider, Trappe Door Wheat. (Seasonal) Stormtrooper Imperial IPA, O.D.B. (Oaked Dark Belgian), Watership Brown. The first Red Door seasonal, Strong Scotch Ale, has finally run out. Sniff. To the rescue for all malt lovers comes Watership Brown, which won ABQ Beer’s holiday brewing competition. It’s a tasty delight, the kind of beer you can just enjoy slowly over the course of a lazy afternoon or evening. Red Door still has Stormtrooper (8.4% ABV, 110 IBU), the biggest beer they have brewed to date, for all you hopheads. The O.D.B. is quite a treat as well. The Trappe Door Wheat, a Belgian-style if you couldn’t guess by the name, replaces the Trapdoor Wheat in the regular lineup.

News: Take note of Red Door’s new weekday schedule for the winter months as they will now open at 2 p.m. instead of noon. Weekend hours remain the same.

Events: Red Door has embraced the video game culture with those old Nintendo systems they have hooked up in their taproom. Now they go a step further by hosting a Call of Duty: Ghosts tournament tonight (Wednesday). For more info, click here.

Tiffany Christopher will perform at Red Door on Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m.

Saturday morning will mark another round of Beer and Breakfast. From 7 to 10 a.m. you can gather with friends for some food truck-supplied goodies with a pint of beer and a bit of English football on the telly.

There is also yoga at the brewery every Sunday at 11 a.m.

Sandia Chile Grill — (505) 798-1970

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

Beers: Irish Red, Rattlesnake IPA, Smoked Stout. We’re still trying to get a current beer list from SCG. If we get one, we’ll update this.

News: Congrats to SCG on sweeping all three medals in the mead category at the 2014 State Fair Pro-Am, while also claiming a silver medal for Barb’s Barrel Hefeweizen.

The Stumbling Steer — (505) 792-7805

(Sunday-Wednesday 11 a.m.-midnight, Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-2 a.m.)

Beers: Bang Up Blonde, Hefferweizen, Pig Sticker Pale, Iron Horse IPA, Rawhide Red, Boneyard Brown, Hop Trough (Double IPA), Soiled Dove (Imperial Stout), Black IPA. While the brewery is being built in the back of the Steer, all of their house beers are being brewed off-site, but still using brewer Kirk Roberts’ recipes. The DIPA and the Stout are limited to two per customer, due to their high alcohol content (10% and 9.5% ABV, respectively). The Black IPA is the current seasonal beer, plus there are often one or two cask beers.

Tractor Brewing Company — (505) 433-5654 (Nob Hill Tap Room), TBA (Wells Park)

(Nob Hill is open Monday-Wednesday 3 p.m. to midnight, Thursday 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., Friday-Saturday 1 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday 1 p.m. to midnight; Wells Park is open Monday-Thursday 3 p.m. to close, Friday-Sunday 1 p.m. to midnight.
 Last call 30 minutes before close. 
No package after midnight.
 Brewery tours Saturday at 1 p.m.)

UPDATED >>> Beers: Double Sickle DIPA, Turkey Drool, Luna de los Muertos Russian Imperial Stout (Wells Park only), Ebony & Ivory (Wells Park only), Wonder Weisse (Nob Hill only), Half Acre Hefe (Nob Hill only). Tractor has revamped their beer list and pricing system. All of the Tractor Classics — Farmer’s Tan Red, Double Plow Oatmeal Stout, Almanac IPA, Sodbuster Pale Ale, Haymaker Honey What, plus now Pilsner #15, Mustachio Milk Stout, and Apple Hard Cider — are priced at $4 apiece ($3 for Beer Farmer’s Co-op members). All seasonal/specialty beers will now be $5 ($4 for members). Just about everyone in town has slightly increased prices in the past four months, but an extra 50 cents or a dollar shouldn’t bankrupt anyone, right? Anyway, on the seasonal front, the 2015 batch of Luna (8% ABV) is a dark delight, loaded with flavor and decadently smooth. We love us some Turkey Drool (8% ABV) any time of year. It’s a brown ale with all sorts of holiday-themed spices and other added ingredients. This year’s batch is arguably the best yet. The wonderful Lauren Poole also showed us that if you mix the Drool with Mustachio to create Turkey Milk, it’s absolutely stupendous. The Double Sickle DIPA (7.6% ABV, 110 IBU) is not an overwhelming hop bomb, but has a nice malty backbone to balance itself out. The Ebony & Ivory (5.5% ABV, 25 IBU) is a “pale stout,” made with pale malt, pale chocolate malt, and caramel malt. It smells like a stout, but tastes like something a little different.

News: There are a slew of new beers set to debut in the coming weeks. While we were brewing at Tractor last week, brewer David Hargis shared a wonderful new IPA and a dry cider with us. And those are just the tip of the iceberg. Oh, yeah, and he has a whole bunch of beers aging in barrels in the brewery. Good beer times are coming!

Events: Art Fusion For a Cause is back at Wells Park tonight (Wednesday) at 8 p.m.

Eryn Bent will perform for Solos on the Hill tonight (Wednesday) at Nob Hill starting at 8:30 p.m.

The SCXSW Tour will hit Wells Park on Friday as Luckyiam performs starting at 9 p.m.

This Saturday features the In the Mix series with Cloudface spinning at 9 p.m. at Wells Park.

Lucy LaForge will stop by Wells Park on Sunday en route to SXSW in Austin. She will perform starting at 4 p.m.

St. Patrick’s Day at Wells Park will be special for many reasons this coming Tuesday. The GREEN Room: St. Patrick’s Day Market and Mixer will feature vendors, artists, a poetry showcase, live music, beer specials, and more. It all kicks off at 6 p.m. and will go to at least midnight.

Also, every first Monday of the month at both Tractor locations is Beer for a Better Burque night. For every pint you buy $1 can go to one of four charities that have partnered with Tractor. You can also opt to purchase a special growler with the logo of your favorite charity.

You can grab your own musical instrument and head to Nob Hill for the ultimate jam session. Tractor Tune Up, hosted by the Virginia Creepers, is now an official event happening every Monday starting at 7:30 p.m.

Turtle Mountain Brewing Company — (505) 994-9497

(Kitchen hours: Mon–Tues 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m., Wed–Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Sun 10:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Reminder: TMBC closes early when business dictates. Please call.)

Beers: (House) McDay’s Cream Ale, Oku Amber, Parasol White IPA, Hopshell IPA, Heidelberg Helles, Stauffenberg Stout. (Seasonal/specialty) Mr. Hoover’s Steam, Phantom Sun Pale Ale, Marzen, Second Street’s Berliner Weisse (guest tap). To help us out for now and the future, brewer Tim Woodward broke down what will be the regular beers on tap (under House) and the current list of seasonals. That’s a pretty solid regular lineup. I personally really enjoyed the new Stauffenberg Stout (it replaced the Piedra Lisa Porter in the regular lineup) and Amber, the latter of which trumps most of its genre in terms of flavor. The Heidelberg Helles (5.1% ABV, 25 IBU) has rejoined the regular lineup for good, or so Tim hopes. The newer beers here are the Marzen and the special guest tap, Second Street’s Berliner Weisse. The Phantom Sun (4.8% ABV) is a tart little sucker. The Mr. Hoover’s Steam is an old recipe that’s being brought back for the upcoming 16th anniversary celebration. Tim said one or more classics will also be making a brief return soon.

Santa Fe breweries

Blue Corn Brewery — (505) 438-1800

(Daily 11 a.m.–10 p.m.)

Beers: Toro Blanco White DIPA, Friar Bacon’s Mild, Gee-Eyed (Dry Irish) Stout, Wrinkled Kilt. The Toro Blanco White DIPA (9.1% ABV, 100+ IBU) is not to be taken lightly. The Friar Bacon’s Mild is a modest dark ale. The Gee-Eyed (4% ABV, 40 IBU) is a classic Irish dry stout. The Wrinkled Kilt (5.6% ABV) is a Scottish export that debuted recently. Pucker Up, a strawberry sour, will debut later this week. The Barleywine, sadly, has run out. Next up, watch out for an Imperial Gose.

Events: The next Thursday at the Brewers’s Table is this week. It’s explained in detail in our introduction above.

Duel Brewing Company — (505) 474-5301

(Sun 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Mon–Tues 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Wed–Sat 11 a.m.–midnight)

Beers: Fiction (IPA), Fantin (Double Pale Ale), Titian (Golden Strong), Dark Ryder (Dark Strong), Grunewald (Imperial Porter), Goya (Imperial Stout), Talbeaux 15 (Barrel-Aged Brett Pale Ale), Stille of the Night (Belgian Dark Sour). The Tableaux 15 and Stille of the Night debuted at WinterBrew to plenty of acclaim from the folks in attendance. If you like your beers big, Duel has you covered. Dark Ryder and Tititan check in at 11-percent ABV, while Goya (15.9% ABV) is an absolute monster of a beer. You can buy Goya in bottles at the brewery or down in ABQ at Jubilation.

Events: The life drawing session is $25 and is held each Sunday morning from 11-1 (although they are not open to the drinking public till 1 p.m. on Sun). You get the beverage of your choice, a Brussels-style waffle made with their own yeast and beer and then served with a Grunewald Syrup. Everyone then draws from a nude model. People can sign up through the website or call the brewery to reserve a spot.

Live music is back at Duel. Island of Black & White will perform Saturday at 7 p.m. Edmund Gorman will then perform at 7 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day.

Santa Fe Brewing Company — (505) 424-3333

(Mon–Sat 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun 2-8 p.m.)

Beers: Belgian Strong Ale, Black IPA, Deviator Doppelbock, Chicken Killer Barley Wine, Irish Red Ale. The second beer in the new Ever Changing Series is Belgian Strong Ale (9.6% ABV), which debuted recently to much acclaim from Luke, our Santa Fe writer. The Kriek, which won a bronze medal at GABF this year, is on sale around the state in bombers, but supplies are low. A new Single Barrel Sour can also be purchased in bombers. A fresh batch of Chicken Killer is now available, too. The Irish Red is available on tap and in cans across the state.

Events: $1 off growler refills in the tasting room on Mondays. $2 pint Tuesdays at the Eldorado Taphouse. On Wednesday, there is a $2 pint special in the tasting room, and the Sangre de Cristo Craft Brewers’ Meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the tasting room as well on the third Wednesday of every month. On Thursday, there will be $1 off growler refills at the Eldorado Taphouse.

News: SFBC will soon be opening a taproom in Albuquerque. Here are all the details that Luke could find. It sounds promising.

Second Street Brewery — (505) 989-3278 (Railyard), (505) 982-3030 (original location)

(Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Sunday noon-9 p.m.)

Beers: Kolsch, IPA, Cream Stout, Tres Equis Lager, Halifax Strong Pale Ale, Bastogne Bitter, Brown Ale, Ringwood Red, ESB. The Tres Equis, Halifax, ESB, and Ringwood Red are back, but more new beers are coming as it’s Irish Month at Second Street. Jordy’s Irish Red, Imperial Stout, U2 Dry Stout, and Red Comet are all on deck. The Pivotal IPA and Boneshaker Bitter are often available for purchase in four-packs of cans.

Events: Live music is back this week at both locations. At the original location, Alpha Cats play Friday and Ometcetera performs Saturday. Blues Revue will be at the Railyard location Friday and Broomdust Caravan performs Saturday.

Every Tuesday night, the Railyard location will have Open Mic Night hosted by Ben Wright.

Every Thursday night, Geeks Who Drink will be at the Railyard at 8 p.m.

Other breweries you need to visit

Twisted Chile Brewing — (575) 835-2949

(Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Fri–Sun 11 a.m.–11 p.m.)

Beers: Pilabo Pale Ale, Venom IPA, English Porter, Zia Pilsner, 790 IPA, Hellesmarzen, KC’s Traditional Irish Stout, Swartzbar Black Lager, Apricot Wheat. Located in Socorro at 115 Abeyta St. W, Twisted Chile is the first brewery there to brew on site since Socorro Springs outsourced their brewing to Eddyline in Colorado several years ago. I got to head down there recently and enjoyed all the beers I sampled. Kudos to Twisted Chile for bring quality craft beers back to a town that needed ’em. The newest beer on tap is the Apricot Wheat. Other recent additions are the Irish Stout, which came in third in our Stout Challenge, and Black Lager. Also of note are the 790 IPA (7% ABV), while the Zia Pilsner (5.25% ABV) is done in the German style. The Venom IPA (8.2% ABV) is the biggest beer on tap, as the name might imply. The Hellesmarzen is new to taps this week.

Events: Tonight (Wednesday) is Open Mic Night hosted by Johnny Dean starting at 6 p.m. There will be food and drink specials.

Steve and Martha Cather will perform Saturday evening.

* * * *

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

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister