Ah, May, when the wind still whips around, the pollen fills the air, breweries gear up for the summer crush, and a wee little holiday takes over half of Albuquerque and beyond. Well, the day after May the Fourth Be With You also happens to be Cinco de Mayo, and that has become another important drinking holiday for our local breweries, right up there with St. Patrick’s Day and the like.

Multiple breweries are celebrating this Thursday with parties, food specials, beer releases, and more. None has been flooding social media with updates more than Sobremesa, which has a “secret” food and cocktail menu, plus two new brews on tap for the holiday.

Mesa Especial (Mexican Lager) and Chronically Chronic (Hazy IPA) will be added to the tap list at Sobremesa. Special food items will include Birria Tacos, Al Pastor Tacos, Mesa Ceviche, and Tres Leches Cake for dessert. There will also be a new watermelon margarita, in addition to the more traditional version.

Between now and Thursday, keep an eye on all of Sobremesa’s social media accounts to see what else they are cooking/mixing up.

Here are some of the other specials coming from various breweries that have been announced so far in the Albuquerque metro area. We will keep updating this list as other events/beers/food are announced.

• Bosque Brewing: Look for a double can release of Michelada and Plata Salt and Lime Lager at all locations.
• Brew Lab 101: There will be a Cinco de Mayo party starting at 6 p.m. More details are TBA.
• B2B Garden Brewery: There will be an all-day happy hour with $3 beers and $4 margaritas.
• Casa Vieja: Justin Nunez will be performing on the patio (weather permitting) or inside from 5 to 8 p.m.
• JUNO: The weekly Latin Night will continue, naturally.
• Lava Rock: It’s a music tripleheader featuring Gonzalo, George Rivas, and A.J. Martinez starting at 7 p.m. There is no cover.
• Marble: El Gozao will perform on the downtown stage. Also, on Sunday, Marble Heights will host MOMosa, a Mexican-themed buffet brunch with mimosa flights and live mariachi music, thus combining Cinco de Mayo with Mother’s Day. Tickets are $40 apiece and can be purchased online.
• Nexus: Look for the first can release of Oralé Mexican Lager at the brewery.
• ReSource: The new T-Minus ‘Whenever Feels Right’ Mexican Lager will be tapped.
• Rio Bravo: The new Especial Mexican Lager will be on tap and available to-go in cans. There will also be special food plates, and a frozen beer-rita will be available.
• Thirsty Eye: La Llagerona Mexican Lager is now on tap.
• Tractor: At all taprooms but Nob Hill, look for drink specials — $7.50 margaritas, $4 New Mexican Lagers — from 5 to 7 p.m. Los Notreados will then perform at Wells Park at 7, while Westside hosts the Dirty Brown Jug Band, and Los Lunas has karaoke starting at 5.

Up in Santa Fe, Hidden Mountain will have all-day taco platters and margarita specials, with Mariachi Sonidos del Monte performing at 7:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended, so call (505) 438-1800.

Down south, Truth or Consequences Brewing will tap Fiesta Gold Lager as the first event of the annual TorC Fiesta that runs through Saturday.

If you know of any special release or event that we have missed, please leave us a comment or direct message on social media, or contact us at nmdarksidebrewcrew@gmail.com.

Keep supporting local!

— Stoutmeister