There is an eclipse this weekend, and as the universe would have it, Albuquerque is one of the best places to actually see it (from behind protective glasses, of course). Rather than jam into Balloon Fiesta Park with everyone else, Flock of Moons Brewing is inviting everyone over for a special event befitting their name. From 9 a.m. to noon, head over to the brewery to get a limited edition Flock of Moons eclipse goblet, plus a sweet and savory brunch from Snapdragon Tea Party, one free drink of your choice, music by Tony Orant, and a pair of viewing glasses. Oh, and while that free drink can be an NA option, we would recommend trying the brand-new Anneau de Feu Belgian Tripel. We got a sample a couple weeks ago and it was one powerful, delicious brew. Tickets are for sale at $65 apiece, and the deadline for purchase is Thursday, either online or in person.
Canteen, in the meantime, will have its own eclipse event, Beat the Eclipse 5K. The goal is to run a 5K that begins and ends at the brewery and be back in time for the maximum eclipse at 10:34 a.m. There will be four “waves,” so you pick the one based on what you think your best time/pace will be, and then take off at 10, 10:10, 10:15, or 10:20. There will be a toast to the eclipse at the brewery at 10:37. Register online and then the race packet pickup will be this Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. Check the event page on Facebook for more details.
The Boxing Bear taproom at the Bridges on Tramway will also have a viewing party. For $15, you can get a pint and a pair of protective glasses. Or, bring your own and enjoy a pint regardless.
New Draft:
Bosque recently added Cloud Strike, a wet-hop hazy IPA. Canteen tapped Easy Like Sunday Morning Hefe. Differential rolled out Pear Golden Ale. Flock of Moons also recently added Bricklight Blonde. Lizard Tail now has an unnamed Porter on tap. Sidetrack added Oaktoberfest, a marzen aged in oak. Thirsty Eye brought back Good Gourd, its pumpkin and cranberry brown ale seasonal, and will also have a new batch of the tea-infused Odin’s Monocle on Friday. (UPDATES) Bosque released a new brown ale with a very apt name this time of year, Dawn Patrol. Sobremesa has tapped a Festbier. Starr Brothers brought back Brown Chicken Brown Cow, a double brown ale, for another run.
Up in Santa Fe, Beer Creek has this year’s batch of Las Golondrinas Golden Lager due out this week. Santa Fe Brewing tapped Miami J, a hazy DIPA. Down south, Truth or Consequences Brewing will release Star Eater Black IPA on Thursday. (UPDATE) Hidden Mountain tapped Mindset IPA, a new West Coast with Galaxy, Nectaron, and Nelson hops.
New Package:
La Cumbre gets weird and will release Rise of the Weresquirrel, a new hazy IPA, in cans and on draft this Friday. Second Street rolled out Sloppy Sloth El Dorado Hazy IPA in cans and on draft. (UPDATES) Bow & Arrow will drop Monument Magic, a West Coast IPA, this Friday in cans and on draft. Boxing Bear is releasing cans of Friday the 13th Haunted Lager only at a special event that we have added below. Boxing Bear has also released El SomBearo, a Mexican lager, in cans and on draft. Ex Novo released Flashy & Unapologetic, a new West Coast IPA, in cans and on draft.
Notable Events:
As a reminder, Balloon Fiesta related events will continue this week at Steel Bender, Ex Novo, and Tin Can Alley. Here is our feature from last week with more details.
Friday — Goth Night & Dark Market returns to Tractor Wells Park at 8 p.m.
Alternatively, you could attend Gothtoberfest at Bow & Arrow at 8 p.m. Or, heck, go to both, since you’ll be dressed for the occasion.
(UPDATE) Boxing Bear is participating in Gallo Negro Tattoo’s Friday the 13th Tattoo Party, with the release of the aforementioned special lager and more. The party runs from 2 to 10 p.m. at 2505 Quincy St NE.
Saturday — New Mexico Brew Fest returns to Villa Hispaña at the State Fairgrounds from noon (for VIP) or 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. We already previewed the event, and will have a separate article with the beer lists for later this week.
Sierra Blanca will host its annual Oktoberfest celebration from 2 to 7 p.m. in Moriarty. For a $15 entry fee, your food is covered, and there will be live music. Check with the brewery for more details.
There will be a Drink Local Downtown Bar Crawl from 4 to 8 p.m. Participating breweries will include Boese Brothers, Echoes, Red Door, and Sidetrack, along with 505 Central, Canvas Artistry, and Sister.
Tractor Wells Park will host another edition of Gin & Jazz starting at 8 p.m.
Quick News Bits:
Another random one, but Boogie’s Brewery and Distillery in Deming has closed its tasting room and will now only focus on selling bottles of its spirits to retailers in New Mexico and beyond. We never knew if they actually brewed their own beer, but now it appears they are only distilling.
We got the news a little while back, but forgot to share that 550 Brewing in Aztec has been sold to new owners. It will be closed for a while until they get all the licensing in place. The 550 Pizzeria was sold separately and is now open, though we do not know if they will carry the brewery’s beers in the future.
Just in case you missed it, Brew Lab 101 is taking over the ReSource Brewing taproom in November. Here is the full story.
Starr Brothers has opened its first offsite taproom inside Pars & Rec, a golf and social shop located in the Hoffmantown Shopping Center at Menaul and Wyoming. The brewery will provide beers, cocktails, and wood-fired pizzas in the on-site cafe.
Albuquerque metro area breweries
Boese Brothers Brewery — Featured seasonal: Imperial Porter (7.2% ABV), this big boy has been on tap for a while, so help drink it up so a new beer can appear.
Bombs Away Beer Company — Featured seasonal: The R.E.D. Ale (5.5% ABV, 20 IBU), an Irish-style red served on nitro.
Bosque Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Oktoberfest (5.9% ABV, 30 IBU), available only in cans now.
Bow & Arrow Brewing — Featured seasonal: Proper Pumpkin Beer (10.5% ABV), a decadent imperial stout brewed with actual pumpkin and pumpkin spices, now available in cans and on draft.
Boxing Bear Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: OktoBEARfest (5.3% ABV), available in cans and on draft.
Brew Lab 101 Beer & Cider Company — Featured seasonal: Lauter to Prevail (5% ABV, 17 IBU), a new helles lager to help beat the lingering heat.
Canteen Brewhouse — Featured seasonal: Pink Warrior Wheat (4.6% ABV, 15 IBU), a portion of the proceeds of this fruited wheat will go to Pink Warrior House.
Casa Vieja Brewery — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery to see what’s currently on tap.
Cazuela’s Seafood & Mexican Grill
Differential Brewing — Featured seasonal: Papaya Blonde Ale, which was brewed to hang onto summer just a bit longer.
Downshift Brewing at Outpost 1706 — Featured seasonal: Gratitude Pale Ale (5.4% ABV, 40 IBU), brewed to support local charities, right now $1 from every pint sold goes to Gratitud(ENMU), the local college in the Ruidoso area.
Echoes Brewery — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery to see what’s currently on tap.
Enchanted Circle Brewing Taproom
Ex Novo Brewing — Featured seasonal: Hawaii 505 (5.8%), a coconut porter available in cans and on draft, with a portion of the proceeds going to Maui fire relief.
Flix Brewhouse — Featured seasonal: Autumn Leaves (5.7% ABV), a flavorful festbier.
Flock of Moons Brewing — Featured seasonal: Lunar Autumn Saison (6% ABV, 20 IBU), a flavorful fall beer.
Gravity Bound Brewing — Featured seasonal: Pistola (7.4% ABV), a dank and delectable fresh-hop IPA.
Harmon Lane Brewing at Southwest Grape and Grain — Featured seasonal: Stennes Blonde Stout, a collaboration with Quarter Celtic.
High and Dry Brewing — Featured seasonal: ALT + 127880 (5.3% ABV, 30 IBU), an altbier with quite the name.
Hops Brewery — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.
JUNO Brewery — Featured seasonal: Vienna Lager, a smooth amber lager with a touch of sweetness.
Kaktus Brewing — Featured seasonal: Sovereign Shores IPA, which has one of those names that make us curious as to its origin/meaning.
Kilt Check Brewing — There are rumors that the brewery will be staying open, but we await the official word.
La Cumbre Brewing — Featured seasonal: Wiesn Festbier (5.9% ABV, 30 IBU), a truly brilliant German-style lager that is available in cans and on draft.
La Reforma Brewery — Featured seasonal: Bomba de Malta (8.3% ABV), another big old malt bomb of a Scotch ale.
Late Shift Lager House at The Craftroom — Featured seasonal: Hop Villain (6.8% ABV, 102 IBU), a beastly IPA that is a change of sorts from the lager-dominated lineup.
Lava Rock Brewing — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.
Lizard Tail Brewing — Featured seasonal: Oktoberfest (5.8% ABV, 20 IBU), a proper German lager.
Marble Brewery — Featured seasonal: #ENDALZ (5.8% ABV), a cranberry-infused pale lager, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Alzheimer’s Association now through Friday.
Nexus Brewery — Featured seasonal: Festbier! (5.8% ABV, 21 IBU), is described by the brewery as “in the style of German tradition, this bier is toasty, slightly sweet with bread dough and cereal notes. The medium malt body takes the forefront and will leave your stein in need of a refill.”
Palmer Brewery and Cider House — Featured seasonal: Cockness Monster (13% ABV), a monstrous Scotch ale aged in whiskey barrels.
Ponderosa Brewing Co. — Featured seasonal: Italian Pilsner, the winner of back-to-back gold medals at the 2021 Great American Beer Festival and the 2022 World Beer Cup, is available on draft and in cans.
Quarter Celtic Brewpub— Featured seasonal: Capri-derhosen (5.3% ABV, 23 IBU), a past gold medal winner at the World Beer Cup, this tasty German-style red lager is back on tap.
Red Door Brewing — Featured seasonal: Wagoner’s Porter (7.2% ABV, 36 IBU), a tasty American-style porter that recently joined the draft lineup.
ReSource Brewing — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery to find out what’s on tap, as it changes frequently.
Rio Bravo Brewing — Featured seasonal: Black Sparrow (13% ABV, 60 IBU), a rum-barrel-aged imperial stout.
Rumor Brewing (formerly Ale Republic) — Featured seasonal: Desert Monk (6.8% ABV, 21 IBU), a Belgian-style dubbel.
Sidetrack Brewing — Featured seasonal: Fresh Hop IPA (7.2% ABV) is what everyone needs to drink up, lest those hops no longer be fresh.
Sobremesa — Featured seasonal: Dominator, a German-style doppelbock.
Starr Brothers Brewing — Featured seasonal: Don’t Fear the RIPA (7.4% ABV, 90 IBU), a big and flavorful red IPA.
Steel Bender Brewyard — Featured seasonal: Big E DIPA (8.4% ABV, 80 IBU), a hop beast made with Citra, Columbus, Mosaic, and Nelson Sauvin hops.
Sunday Service Motor Company — Featured seasonal: HWY 47 Double Honey Blonde (5.9% ABV, 24 IBU), a collaboration with Steel Bender.
Thirsty Eye Brewing — Featured seasonal: Oktoberfest, described by the brewery as “a Märzen-style lager that’s slightly sweet, with bread and straw-like maltiness balanced with floral and spicy German noble hops.”
Tractor Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Traktoberfest (6.6% ABV, 23 IBU), described by the brewery as “a German Oktoberfest-style lager, the Märzen was historically brewed in March (hence the name) and lagered in cold caves throughout the summer. German malts and Noble hops are brewed to produce this copper colored, medium bodied beverage with hints of toasted malt.”
Turquoise Trail Brewing — The brewery is closed at its original location, and is aiming to reopen out in Moriarty. We will have more on this move when they’re closer to opening.
Turtle Mountain Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Sierra Nativo (5.05% ABV, 19 IBU), a new “Burqueno” pale ale made with Zappa (Neomexicanus) and Cascade hops.
Unhinged Brewing — Featured seasonal: Tatooine Spring (7.8% ABV, 80 IBU), an imperial amber with a great name.
Vision City Brewstillery — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated seasonal list.
Santa Fe breweries
Beer Creek Brewing — Featured seasonal: Diablo Bock (7.7% ABV, 25 IBU), a hybrid of a dunkel bock and a doppelbock, it’s devilishly delicious.
Chile Line Brewing — Featured seasonal: A Huevo (5% ABV, 20 IBU) is a Yerba Matte-inspired beer.
Hidden Mountain Brewing — Featured seasonal: Oktoberfiesta (6% ABV, 30 IBU), the annual German-style seasonal is back.
Rowley Farmhouse Ales — Featured seasonal: The Maize Never Stopped (5.5% ABV, 25 IBU), a corn lager inspired by The Grateful Dead. No, really, that’s what the description says. It’s back on draft in addition to being in cans.
Santa Fe Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Freewheeler Hazy IPA is the summer seasonal available on tap and in cans.
Second Street Brewery — Featured seasonal: Skimboard Sour (6.3% ABV), a tropical sour available only in cans now, so get it quickly before it runs out.
Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery — Featured seasonal: Coco Hops Brown IPA (6.7% ABV), just one of a strong eight-beer lineup for the fall.
Other breweries you need to visit
Bathtub Row Brewing — Featured seasonal: ULLR Fest Sahti (8.5% ABV), described by the brewery as a “Nordic brew from ancient Finland with juniper and rye, fermented with spicy yeast. Very malty, strong but well-concealed alcohol, intriguing woodsy/citrusy notes from the juniper.”
Little Toad Creek Brewing and Distilling
Red River Brewing and Distilling — Featured seasonal: Steam Coffee Porter (6.5% ABV, 30 IBU), from the brewery: “Smooth and malty with a solid creamy head. Roasted grains are well balanced with base malts and just enough hops to offset any residual sweetness. Add in some coffee from Steam and it’s winter in a glass.”
Sierra Blanca Brewing — Featured seasonal: Oktoberfest (5.4% ABV, 18 IBU) is back in bottles and on tap at the brewery. Consider it your preview of all the good that is to come with the Oktoberfest party at SBB on October 14.
Truth or Consequences Brewing — Featured seasonal: Fiesta Gold (5.3% ABV, 22 IBU), which the brewery described as “inspired by thirst-quenching Mexican lagers like Modelo & Bohemia, this crisp International Pale Lager has a straw-gold color with just a touch of herbal spiciness from German hops.”
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That’s all for this week! If you have any questions or comments, leave them below or contact us on our Facebook page.
Keep supporting local!
— Stoutmeister
DARK SIDE BREW CREW 
Thanks for the mention! Looks like several great options to experience the eclipse while supporting local craft beer.