We had a few random bits of news floating around, so we scooped them up and typed up a new Beer Notes for the first time in a while.

One small brewery and offsite taproom close

Two recent closures caught us slightly off guard, mainly because they happened quietly outside the Albuquerque metro area.

1865 Brewing in Santa Rosa is now listed as permanently closed on Facebook, and is no longer listed on Google Maps. We never had a chance to visit this small place on the west side of Santa Rosa’s main road. It knocks down the number of active breweries in New Mexico to 94.

Down in Los Lunas, reader Natalie Barger informed us that The Valencia Taproom, owned by Albuquerque’s The 377 Brewery, has a sign out front saying it has permanently closed. The reason behind the closure is just as unknown as that of 1865.

Meanwhile, in Albuquerque, Lava Rock Brewing was recently the victim of a social media hack that claimed it had permanently closed. The Westside brewery recovered control of its Facebook account and is still fully open for business.

New brewery update

Add one more pending small brewer license to the list — Vision City Brewstillery. We originally found this place on social media more than a year ago, but things went quiet for a while and we assumed it was not happening. Now it is apparently moving forward, but details beyond that are scarce.

The owners’ original goal was to open in Rio Rancho, but the license is listed with an 87113 zip code, which covers part of the North Valley and northern Interstate 25 corridor. This could put it anywhere from north of Steel Bender to closer to La Reforma. Of course, in the past we have encountered situations where the license listing says a brewery or taproom is going into one part of town, and it ends up somewhere else entirely.

If anyone out there knows the owners, or if they read this story, please contact us when you are ready.

For additional new brewery updates, consult our recent article.

Truth or Consequences Brewing picks up a big honor

Down south, TorC Brewing has been a solid addition to our state’s beer scene for some time. Now they are getting some national recognition, as they were named the best brewery in the state by Yelp.

While Yelp is not a traditional beer rating site, it is still a good sign that the many tourists who pop in and out of the small town have fallen in love with the local brewery.

“What this recognition points to is the fact that our outstanding team is really executing on our mission: making great beer and making people happy,” said Marianne Blaue, owner and CEO, in a press release. “It doesn’t hurt that the brewery is within walking distance to a dozen hot spring hotels in a wonderfully weird town. That’s pretty special and people are excited to share when they feel they’ve had a true destination experience.”

Blaue and her husband John Masterson founded the brewery in 2016.

“It speaks to the resiliency of the town itself — here we are in one of the poorest counties in New Mexico and we were able to achieve this recognition; we learned early to not underestimate what Truth or Consequences has to offer,” said Masterson, who also holds the title of Chief Beer Officer.

For anyone who has not had the chance to visit the brewery or its offsite taproom in Las Cruces, you will be able to taste TorC beers during their tap takeover at Tractor Wells Park one week from today on May 27.

Going into greater detail about a good-cause fundraiser

ReSource Brewing is holding a special fundraiser Saturday afternoon to benefit Bro & Tracy Animal Welfare. They have a mobile spay and neuter van that travels to the far reaches of New Mexico to help take care of animals whose owners cannot easily reach veterinary facilities in the larger cities and towns. Now they need some new equipment and upgrades, so ReSource and friends will be donating money all day.

The vendors on hand, all of whom will be donating 20 percent of their proceeds, will including Jennifleurs Flower Truck (which will be there early, from noon to 4 p.m.), Nothin’ but a Hound Dog Photo (2-6 p.m.), and Resonant Essentials will be doing tarot card readings. Neighboring restaurant Michelle’s Italian Pizzeria will have everyone covered on the food front, and The Billyhawks will be performing some bluegrass tunes.

ReSource will also donate $1 from every pint sold, so considering swinging on by before you head down to the New Mexico United tailgate.

If you cannot make it to the fundraiser, but would still like to donate, click on this link.

Speaking of beer for a cause

Boxing Bear has gotten good at surprising us with can releases, which is kinda what happens when you move your entire brewing operation across town, the website gets neglected for updates. Anyway, Polly’s Run Blonde Ale is now available in cans at all four taprooms.

Made with Chinook hops and checking in at 5-percent ABV, this light and refreshing blonde ale was created to support Polly’s Run 2022, a benefit race in the fight against pancreatic cancer. A portion of the $10.99 sale price for each four-pack sold will go to the charity.

The actual Polly’s Run will be held on June 4 at Tiguex Park starting at 8:30 a.m. Packet pickup will be held at Boxing Bear Firestone on June 3 from noon to 4 p.m., and that will also be the site of the race after-party on June 4 from 2 to 6 p.m. For more info, head to the official website.

That is all from us for now. Got any beer news that we missed? Send us a direct message on social media or email us at nmdarksidebrewcrew@gmail.com.

Keep supporting local!

— Stoutmeister