Santa Fe Draft Station ups their game (space)

Draftstation2 — It’s just a wee bit more spacious.

Just when you thought there was no place for 20-somethings/Millennials to play in Santa Fe, Draft Station has expanded, adding a large gaming space to their quite lucrative taproom. This new hall includes such games as ping pong, darts, foosball, air hockey, a giant Connect Four, and the possibility of more to come. I stopped into the popular pour house the day they officially opened to snap some shots to show you, beer readers, what you can expect from the remodel. Of course, if you’ve been following Draft Station’s page on Facebook, you’ve already received a couple of nice teasers of what’s in store. But, as a dedicated beer journalist, I also had to get the skinny on how they plan to run things in the new space.

Draftstation5 — Oh, foosball, the bane of table games according to Stoutmeister.

For those of us worried that this will change the quality of the serious suds-slinging establishment that we’ve all come to know and love, we can all relax. It won’t.

Draftstation1 — Things are still the same in the bar area of Draft Station.

Piping hot pies from Rooftop Pizzeria can also be ordered from within the new gaming space, and will still be delivered right to your seats and tables, of which there are now many more. Some of the best beer from around New Mexico will still be available for your palate’s pleasure, and you can now sip on those pints between dart-throws, ping-pong volleys, or while watching sports on the new flat-screens sporadically spaced along the wall. The only folks that may take some time adjusting to the new space, it seems, are the bartenders, as they now have to watch the beer walk out the front door toward the game space. Stay left!

Draftstation7 — There it is, a giant Connect Four (top) and an air hockey table (bottom). Sheesh, we need this in ABQ now.

Draftstation6 — There it is, a giant Connect Four (top) and an air hockey table (bottom). Sheesh, we need this in ABQ now.

Draftstation4 — It wouldn’t be a proper pub without darts.

As for operation, it’s going to be somewhat of an experiment with much more room to cover and potentially many more people, as the remodel nearly doubled occupancy. “For now, we’re kind of seeing how it goes,” said Jamie Durfee of Draft Station. She assures me that if they find that they need to hire more staff to handle the change, they’ll absolutely do so.

DraftStation3 — Ping pong! The Beerfest jokes are gonna fly.

As far as pricing goes, we’re looking at a $5-an-hour-system similar to the pool tables at Cowgirl. Ping-pong balls, pucks, paddles, foosballs, and darts can all be rented at the bar for a mere Lincoln, and I was told that all the Connect Four costs is a smile. And don’t forget that their Geeks Who Drink event happens every Monday at 8 p.m. With all that activity in one place, and, dare I say, the best beer list of any bar in the City Different, Draft Station makes a solid last stop for Santa Fe’s entertainment needs. As for the foosball table, I got next.