A whole lot of brewery folks gathered inside the cozy confines of Gravity Bound Brewing on Saturday as 42 entries where whittled down to a final 16 for the upcoming public rounds of the 2023 New Mexico IPA Challenge.

NM Brewers Guild executive director Ebbie Edmonston read off the final names, which were judged by their peers in the brewing industry. Here are the final 16 in alphabetical order.

• Bosque Brewing
• Bow & Arrow Brewing
• Canteen Brewhouse
• Ex Novo Brewing
• Flix Brewhouse
• Hidden Mountain Brewing
• Icebox Brewing
• Marble Brewery
• Quarter Celtic Brewpub
• Rio Bravo Brewing
• Santa Fe Brewing
• Second Street Brewery
• Sidetrack Brewing
• Sobremesa Restaurant and Brewery
• Steel Bender Brewyard
• Three Rivers Brewery

We could list all 26 breweries that did not advance, or you could go back to the list we shared Friday. We can say that the most notable not to advance included past champions Boxing Bear and Gravity Bound, with the latter having won last year. There will be a new champion this time, or at least not a consecutive winner.

Everyone in attendance said that the event runs smoother than ever, as the Guild has the setup down pat now. Flix brewmaster Will Moorman said this was the first time his brewery has reached the public rounds, while everyone else has one or more past appearances by our count. Bosque (twice), Canteen (six times), and Hidden Mountain (twice as Blue Corn) are the only past champions to advance.

The public rounds kick off Saturday, July 15 at Bosque’s The Drinkery, their new location at 4980 Promenade Blvd in Santa Fe, which is next to the Dion’s off Cerrillos. That will run from 2 to 5 p.m.

Round two is set for Public House 28, which is in between Las Cruces and Anthony on Hwy 28, on Saturday, July 22 from 2 to 4 p.m.

The final round will be held over three stages at noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 29 at Flix Brewhouse. Tickets for all rounds are now on sale via the Guild website.

Keep supporting local!

— Stoutmeister