Before Christmas takes center stage, this weekend will be a big one at a lot of breweries, with quite the variety of events on deck. There will be last-minute holiday markets on Saturday at Boxing Bear Firestone, Brew Lab 101, Bosque Nob Hill, and Unhinged, plus two more at Gravity Bound and Canteen on Sunday. Kaktus will celebrate their 10th anniversary with the Desert Darlings performing on Friday night. High and Dry teams up again with Desert Records for a musical doubleheader of Gral Brothers opening for L’uomo Nero on Saturday night. Even if your holiday party plans fall through, you will not be lacking things to do out there.

New Draft:

Casa Vieja says we must all raise our horns for Cry of the Blackbirds Imperial Stout. Marble tapped How the Finch Stole Christmas, a Belgian-style winter ale. Steel Bender will release Event Horizon Black IPA on Thursday. Turtle Mountain tapped Luv 4 S’Mores Stout. (UPDATES) Boxing Bear released Wiggle Piggle Pale Ale. Harmon Lane tapped Yule Logger, a spiced winter lager. Lizard Tail added Mamba Hazy IPA. Marble mixes it up with IPA-X. Sidetrack gets all smooth with Vienna Lager.

Up north, Santa Fe Brewing tapped My Girlfriend, a hazy IPA/Belgian wit hybrid that checks in at a hefty 9.5-percent ABV. Bathtub Row rolled out Holiday Cheer Barleywine.

New Package:

Ex Novo will release the 2023 edition of Kill the Sun, a barrel-aged imperial stout, and its three variants (Macadamia Espresso, Golden Milk, German Chocolate Cake) in cans and on draft this Friday. Gravity Bound brought back Good for Fodder, a Czech dark lager, in cans and on draft. (UPDATES) Canteen surprised us all with the release of Panama Joe Coffee Stout in cans and on draft. La Cumbre released bottles of La Negra Reserve. Second Street released Superior Porter in cans and on draft.

Notable Events:

Today (Wednesday) — The New Mexico Premier Showcase, featuring multiple musicians and performers, heads to Tractor Wells Park at 6 p.m.

Thursday — Bosque Heights will host Trivia for a Cause: Harry Potter at 6 p.m., but alas, if you have not already signed up, this event has sold out in advance.

Friday — Kaktus is celebrating their 10th anniversary with a special performance by The Desert Darlings from 6 to 9 p.m.

Saturday — Boxing Bear Firestone will host a Holiday Market from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Holly Jolly Holiday Market is set for Brew Lab 101 from 2 to 6 p.m.

Bosque Nob Hill will host the Shop & Sip Holiday Market from 2 to 6 p.m.

Unhinged will host the Holiday Pop Up from 3 to 6 p.m.

There will be a multi-venue combined holiday market, music event, and bar crawl downtown from 4 to 8 p.m., with Boese Brothers, Echoes, Red Door, Sidetrack, and more participating.

High and Dry will host a free concert featuring Gral Brothers opening for L’uomo Nero starting at 6 p.m.

The YASSSSmas Drag Queen Bingo is set for Tractor Wells Park from 7 to 9 p.m.

Little Toad Creek will host an Ugly Sweater Party starting at 9 p.m. in Silver City.

Sunday — Gravity Bound will host a last-chance holiday market from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Merry Mingle and Holiday Jingle will take over Canteen from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Rumor will host Winterfest from 1 to 6 p.m., featuring live music from DJ Rose and The High Desert Playboys, plus food donations for the East Mountain Food Pantry, and information on some upcoming events in the mountains.

Tuesday — Trivia for a Cause: The Hunger Games will take over Bosque Cottonwood at 6 p.m.

Quick News Bits:

A big congratulations to Quarter Celtic, which claimed two medals at the Brussels Beer Challenge. Vienna Lager brought home a silver and Capriderhosen (which is on tap at both locations) earned a bronze from the Belgium-based competition. Not bad to have two European-style brews win in Europe!

Lava Rock Brewing has closed its location on Unser with the aim of moving the brewing operation to a new spot in Moriarty.

Brew Lab 101 has opened its Northeast Heights taproom in the space formerly occupied by ReSource Brewing.

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: SNAFU Stout (5.2% ABV, 30 IBU), a chewy oatmeal stout.

Bosque Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Fresh Start (7.5% ABV, 15 IBU), a maple coffee stout, now available in cans and on draft.

Bow & Arrow Brewing — Featured seasonal: Coyote Waits (8% ABV), an imperial stout aged in Heaven Hill barrels, on draft only.

Boxing Bear Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Standing 8 Stout (7.3% ABV), the classic oatmeal stout is back on tap and in cans.

Brew Lab 101 Beer & Cider Company — Featured seasonal: Labtoberfest (5.8% ABV, 20 IBU), a tasty märzen available on draft.

B2B Garden Brewery — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

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: Kojote Brown (5.4% ABV, 18 IBU), a Belgian-style brown ale.

Cazuela’s Seafood & Mexican Grill — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

Differential Brewing — Featured seasonal: Negroni Ale (5.2% ABV, 30 IBU), a beer designed to mimic the popular cocktail.

Echoes Brewery — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery to see what’s currently on tap.

Ex Novo Brewing — Featured seasonal: Kokua (4% ABV), a session IPA based off a recipe by Maui Brewing, with proceeds going to the Maui Brewing Fire Fund.

Flix Brewhouse  — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery to see what’s currently on tap.

Flock of Moons Brewing — Featured seasonal: Lunar Autumn Saison (6% ABV, 20 IBU), a flavorful fall beer.

Gravity Bound Brewing — Featured seasonal: Your Place or Stein (5.9% ABV), a wonderful Oktoberfest lager available in cans and on draft.

Harmon Lane Brewing at Southwest Grape and Grain — Featured seasonal: Stennes Blonde Stout, a collaboration with Quarter Celtic.

High and Dry Brewing — Featured seasonal: Freudian Hop Session (5.5% ABV, 40 IBU), an amber pale ale, with a portion of the proceeds going to Pink Warrior House.

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: Winter Scotch Ale, described by the brewery as being”with notes of molasses, toffee and banana bread this beer is designed to keep you warm and happy through the long winter nights. Medium bodied with a gentle sweetness.”

Kilt Check Brewing — There are rumors that the brewery will be staying open, but we await the official word.

La Cumbre Brewing — Featured seasonal: La Negra (13% ABV, 70 IBU), a beautiful beast of a barrel-aged imperial stout, now available in bottles and on tap.

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 — The brewery is relocating to Moriarty.

Lizard Tail Brewing — Featured seasonal: Oktoberfest (5.8% ABV, 20 IBU), a proper German lager.

Marble Brewery — Featured seasonal: Dark Lager (5% ABV), a beer that is exactly as described, but packed with flavor and available in cans and on draft.

Nexus Brewery — Featured seasonal: Lush Imperial Stout (10.9% ABV, 77 IBU), the beautiful behemoth returns with this description from the brewery, “2023 Lush Imperial Stout is rich and full. It has notes of simcoe pine, bitter dark chocolate and roasted coffee. Made with Imperial’s “Darkness” Yeast, this beer is LARGE at 10.9% ABV. Lush is sure to warm you on chilly nights!”

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.

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: Snowbird Lager (6.4% ABV, 35 IBU), a Strata-hop-heavy lager that still drinks nicely, even in the wintertime.

Sobremesa — Featured seasonal: Dominator, a German-style doppelbock.

Starr Brothers Brewing — Featured seasonal: Brown Chicken Brown Cow (7.2% ABV, 20 IBU), a rare double brown ale, it’s a malty delight.

Steel Bender Brewyard — Featured seasonal: Elixir Ale (6% ABV, 20 IBU), a collaboration with Canteen and High and Dry, an ale brewed with chamomile. For every pint sold, $1 goes to AGORA Crisis Center.

Sunday Service Motor Company — Featured seasonal: Double Black IPA (8.5% ABV), a perfect winter ale.

Thirsty Eye Brewing — Featured seasonal: Ton Up or Shut Up, an American lager infused with Rust is Gold cold brew.

The 377 Brewery — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

Tractor Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Turkey Drool (8.4% ABV), which is our favorite annual seasonal release from the brewery, and yes, we will declare that publicly.

Turtle Mountain Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Why Does It Hurt When IPA?, a Zappa-hop-heavy ale.

Unhinged Brewing — Featured seasonal: Los Muertos Porter, a very seasonal-appropriate robust porter.

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: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

Hidden Mountain Brewing — Featured seasonal: De Péche Mood, a peach wheat ale with a tremendous name.

Rowley Farmhouse Ales — Featured seasonal: Ceremony, a wild ale brewed with tea.

Santa Fe Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Adobe Igloo, the winter seasonal is back in cans and on draft.

Second Street Brewery — Featured seasonal: Toast the Dawn (4.4% ABV, 12 IBU), a helles lager available in cans and on draft, perfect for relaxing the last warm days away.

Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery — Featured seasonal: Totality American Stout, because stout, what else needs to be said?

Other breweries you need to visit

Bathtub Row Brewing — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

Downshift Brewing — 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.

Little Toad Creek Brewing and Distilling — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

Red River Brewing and Distilling — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

Sierra Blanca Brewing  — Featured seasonal: Whiskey Stout is back, as we noted above, in bottles and on draft.

Truth or Consequences Brewing — Featured seasonal: Fiesta Anejo (5.3% ABV, 22 IBU), which the brewery described as “a smooth Mexican Lager infused with essence of tequila.”

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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