How did you do in Thursday’s opening events? Did you pace yourselves properly? Or was it all too much?

We hope it was a good, efficient day and night, with plenty of fun involved without going overboard. After all, it’s important to be well-rested and ready to go again, since Friday’s docket features 19 (!) events all over the map. There will be big, there will be small, but most of all, there will be a lot of great beer.

Choose wisely, grasshoppers.

Featured event

Every day we will pick what we consider the biggest, most interesting, most unique event. This does not mean you should go to only this event and ignore the rest. All of them deserve your attention, but realistically, you can probably only attend a few. So we will make our daily pick, and you can either jump on it, or declare the Crew is foolish (we kinda are) and pick your own.

What: 505 Collaboration Rye Kellerbier NM Brewers Guild Fundraiser. Where: 17 different locations in the ABQ metro area, plus locations in Santa Fe and Farmington (see below). When: 1 p.m. Cost: No entry fee at any location.

Details: Yep, it’s that time again. The annual beer made by a dozen different breweries came together last month at La Cumbre. Now, you get to try it by the pint at your favorite local breweries. You will have to check in and see at each brewery if they will sell it in growlers (we are thinking no, but you can ask). Remember, $1 from every pint sold goes to the NM Brewers Guild. That money will be used to continue their efforts to help all of our breweries throughout New Mexico. Grab yourselves a pint and raise it to all of our talented brewers anytime during Beer Week!

The full list of participating breweries in the metro area — Bosque, Bow & Arrow, Boxing Bear, Canteen, Chama River, Draft Station, Firkin, La Cumbre, Marble, Nexus, Ponderosa, Quarter Celtic, Red Door, Santa Fe ABQ Taproom, Sidetrack, Tractor, Turtle Mountain — and those outside of the metro area — Blue Corn, Draft Station, Santa Fe, Second Street in Santa Fe; 3 Rivers in Farmington.

Why you should go: We think that’s covered above.

All the other great events

What: Beer and Food Pairings. Where: Santa Fe Brewing ABQ Taproom. When: 11 a.m. Cost: No entry fee. Details: For the next three days, SFBC will be teaming up with their neighbors at Green Jeans to create delicious pairings. The menu will change every day. Why you should go: You already know the restaurants at Green Jeans rock, and you know the beer at SFBC rocks, so odds are this will all rule.

What: Firkin Friday. Where: Marble (both locations). When: Noon. Cost: No entry fee. Details: Head brewer Josh Trujillo and his team will surely have some awesome creations in the casks. If we get advance notice, we will update it. Why you should go: Delicious cask beer makes for the perfect lunch break with Nosh Wagon downtown.

What: Founders Sampling. Where: Total Wine Cottonwood. When: 1:30 p.m. Cost: No entry fee. Details: Some of Michigan’s finest beers will be available for you to try. Why you should go: Free beer!

What: Moylan’s Special Release. Where: Rock & Brews. When: 4 p.m. Cost: No entry fee. Details: Get ready for the most British beer ever, Afternoon Tealight, an ESB infused with Earl Grey. Why you should go: That sounds like Captain Picard’s kind of beer. Make it so.

What: Beer Brat Cookout. Where: Albuquerque Brewing. When: 4 p.m. Cost: $5 per brat. Details: The folks at ABC are boiling bratwurst in their beers. Why you should go: Food made with beer, plus you can drink more beer. Woots!

What: Founders Meet the Brewery Rep and Tasting. Where: Jubilation. When: 4 p.m. Cost: No entry fee. Details: For those who don’t live on the West Side, you can get some Founders samples, too. Why you should go: Devil Dancer Triple IPA will be among those available. Dudes, you need this beer in your life.

What: Marble Special Tapping. Where: The Local Brewhouse. When: 4 p.m. Cost: No entry fee. Details: A keg of the new Marble Saison will be available for folks way out in Rio Rancho. Why you should go: This is one of the only Rio Rancho-based events, so for those who live out there, jump on board.

What: Left Hand Special Tapping. Where: Two Fools Tavern. When: 4 p.m. Cost: No entry fee. Details: Get your hop dose with Extrovert IPA. Why you should go: Beer plus great food, huzzah.

What: Smokin’ BBQ Night. Where: Rio Bravo. When: 4 p.m. Cost: No entry fee. Details: Get ready for lots of BBQ, plus hand-rolled cigars made to order, and special beer flights for $5. Music from Eryn Bent starts at 4. Why you should go: Beer, food, cigars, music; there are worse ways to spend a Friday.

What: 4th Annual Tower of Sour. Where: Back Alley Draft House. When: 4 p.m. Cost: $15. Details: We hope to have more than what fits here, but there will be 16 sours to choose from. Your entry fee covers four samples and a 10-ounce pour of your favorite. Why you should go: In addition to the hosts, other participating breweries will include Marble, Santa Fe, Sierra Blanca, a Bathtub Row/Cazuela’s collaboration, plus from all around the country — Anderson Valley, Ballast Point, Goose Island, New Beligum, Odell, Stone, Uinta — and the world, Rodenbach.

What: Boese Brothers Special Tapping. Where: Imbibe. When: 4:30 p.m. Cost: No entry fee. Details: Zeus Juice White IPA, their most recent seasonal, will be available for all of you who don’t like downtown, but will go to Nob Hill. Why you should go: Boese’s seasonals don’t last long, so this might be your last chance to try it before it’s gone, at least outside the brewery.

What: New Belgium Lips of Faith Special Tapping. Where: Gecko’s Nob Hill. When: 5 p.m. Cost: No entry fee. Details: This is a new collaboration beer made by NB and Hof Ten Dormaal. Why you should go: If you love Belgian-style beers, you gotta try this one.

What: Jake & Harley’s Cigar Gallery, Food and Beer Evening. Where: Jinja West. When: 5 p.m. Cost: No entry fee, but beers, food, and cigars are to be paid for a la carte. Details: The folks out west are tapping Founders Backwoods Bastard and Porter, plus they will have cans of Dirty Bastard, All Day IPA, Centennial IPA and Rubaeus. Why you should go: If you love Founders and don’t want to commute to the east side of town, this is for you, West Siders.

What: Avery Special Tapping. Where: Nob Hill Bar & Grill. When: 5 p.m. Cost: No entry fee. Details: This a double tapping of Raja and Maharaja, two massive IPAs. Why you should go: HOPS. Need we say more?

What: Tractor Co-op Members Barrel-Aged Beer Pre-Release and Youngsville’s Farewell to ABQ Show. Where: Tractor Wells Park. When: 6 p.m. (pre-release), 8:30 p.m. (music). Cost: $15 for pre-release, show is free. Details: We got all the details about this epic double event earlier this week. Why you should go: Barrel-aged beers and awesome live music.

What: Brews with a View Beer Dinner. Where: Hyatt Regency. When: 6 p.m. Cost: None listed, call (505) 980-9671 for more info and reservations. Details: Upslope will be on hand for a four-course dinner on the 19th floor, hosted by Forque Restaurant. Why you should go: Delicious food, delicious beer, and you can’t beat the view.

What: The Hopper: Hop-on, Hop-off Brew Cruise. Where: Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town. When: 6 p.m. Cost: $20. Details: The ABQ Trolley Company is taking folks around for a 3-hour tour with stops of 30-45 minutes at each of the five participating breweries — Back Alley, Boese Brothers, Duel, Ponderosa, Sidetrack. Why you should go: Visit five breweries and you only pay one low price for transportation.

What: Ballast Point Tap Takeover. Where: Mezcal, the former Stereo Bar. When: 6 p.m. Cost: No entry fee. Details: BP is taking over 15 different taps, bringing all of their finest ales and lagers. The full list — Big Eye IPA, Big Eye with fresh ginger root, Sculpin, Grapefruit Sculpin, Pineapple Sculpin, Black Marlin Porter, Mango Even Keel, Longfin Lager, Navigator Doppelbock, Homework Series #6 Robust Porter, Homework Series #7 Session Saison, Wahoo White, Piper Down, Grunion Hoppy Pale Ale, Calm Before the Storm. Why you should go: That is a ton of wonderful beer.

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Got any questions, comments, complaints, send them to nmdarksidebrewcrew@gmail.com, or leave them here on our site, on Facebook, or on Twitter (@nmdarksidebc).

Enjoy yourselves out there, but please, do it responsibly.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister