It was a weird year. Yeah, we could probably say that a lot about past 12-month stretches in New Mexico, but for some reason, 2023 just felt strange.

Only one new brewery opened in Albuquerque. Two closed, one with the intent of moving to Moriarty, and a fan-favorite taproom will bid adieu this weekend. Two notable figures in the brewing community passed away. Festivals struggled to match past attendance, both in customers and in breweries. Sales were slow, moods were moodier.

And yet, everyone pushed onward. There were still smiles and good times. New events flourished, new medals were won at big competitions, and new and old faces popped up in different places.

A wise man once wrote, “All of life can be broken down into moments of transition and moments of revelation.” Perhaps that is what 2023 was, a 12-month moment of transition. Where the future will take us, no one knows for sure.

For the present, how about a little recap of the biggest stories, one for each month? We will note where the most read story in each month differs from our pick.

January

Most read: Box Canyon preview

Our pick: Ex Novo announces downtown taproom in the works

Technically, that Box Canyon article was from the previous October, but it gained some traction as the brewery opened in Socorro. For us, though, it was the Ex Novo announcement. Oh, yes, they beat us to it before we raced over and did a follow-up, but it was arguably the biggest announcement of the year by an established brewery, at least in terms of adding a new location. As we followed up in our 2023-24 Look Back/Look Ahead Series, the new target date is next summer, so we expect it will be among 2024’s top articles (provided, of course, that it meets its target date, which is always a challenge with the Burque bureaucracy).

Honorable mention goes to WinterBrew returning to its original location, and the news from our Look Back/Look Ahead Series on Late Shift Lager House and their plans to move to a new location on 12th Street.

February

Most read: Quarter Celtic Look Back/Look Ahead Series feature

Our pick: Harmon Lane wins the Stout Challenge

Admittedly, it was a bit of a slow month for news. The QC article garnered interest in the announcement that they would be serving their beers at the Kraemer Fields soccer complex off South Broadway. For us, though, the big story of the month was an upset at the Stout Challenge. Yes, we know, it is our event, and we are hardly Cicerone-level beer judges. But, to have Harmon Lane, quite possibly the smallest brewery in town by annual barrel production, knock off Marble, the biggest by production, was a Cinderella story worthy of March Madness, much less Super Bowl Sunday. And, let this be a reminder to all, do not leave Harmon Lane off your list of breweries to visit in 2024. They may be small, but they are mighty.

Honorable mention goes to the announcement of United in Beer, Ex Novo’s collaboration festival, and our Look Back/Look Ahead Series entry on Casa Vieja and its change in ownership.

March

Most read/our pick: Flix Brewhouse staff disarms man with a gun

Sometimes the scary parts of the real world can bleed into our brewing spaces, and that was the case this month when a man armed with long gun entered Flix Brewhouse one night. The amazing thing was no one was hurt, as the incredibly brave members of the kitchen staff were able to overpower the suspect and hold him until police arrived. This is one story that we hope never occurs again, but if it does, we can only hope for the same nonviolent outcome.

Honorable mention goes to our recap of the 2023 legislative session in Santa Fe, plus Roosevelt Brewing capturing the trophy at the annual Stout Invitational at Bathtub Row in Los Alamos.

April

Most read: Sky Railway feature

Our pick: Boxing Bear teams up with SWOP

Many of you seemed to enjoy reading about Luke’s second trip down the Ale Trail aboard the Sky Railway in Santa Fe. For us, however, during a month that marked the first anniversary of recreational cannabis in New Mexico, the story was a brewery and a dispensary teaming up on a special beer and event. In this case, Boxing Bear and Southwest Organic Producers collaborated on SWOP Hop, an IPA made with cannabis terpenes (but no THC). Many folks had wondered if legalization would have a negative impact on the brewing industry. At least in this case, it had a rather positive one.

Honorable mention went to the return of the Alley Cask Fest at Sidetrack, which also showed off their new tiny-but-mighty canning line. There was also Marble’s latest anniversary week extravaganza of events, and we got a look at the recently-opened Red Door on Main location in Clovis.

May

Most read/our pick: World Beer Cup results

While 2023 won’t go down as the most medal-laden year, it was still a solid showing for New Mexico as four breweries — Canteen, Ex Novo, Quarter Celtic, Starr Brothers — each brought home medals for the now annual global competition. For Canteen, it was their first major competition medal since 2016. For Ex Novo, it marked a rare repeat medal for a beer. For Quarter Celtic, it was all about winning gold in a German category. For Starr Brothers, it was their WBC medal. Congrats, once again, to all the winners!

Honorable mention goes to the successful United in Beer event at Ex Novo, the news that Turtle Mountain will eventually move their brewery to the space next to the North taproom, and then the sad news that a fire destroyed the storage trailers used by Rowley Farmhouse Ales.

June

Most read/our pick: Downshift opens Riverside location

A couple of us took another trip down to Ruidoso, where we finally had the opportunity to meet the husband-and-wife team behind Downshift Brewing at their new taproom. The Riverside location is already an amazing place, and the building that used to house Sacred Grounds Coffee is just the start of what will eventually become the hub of their entire operation. The food and beer were tasty, the location is immaculate, and the owners and staff are wonderful humans. Get down to Ruidoso ASAP in 2024.

Honorable mention goes to the news that Blü Dragonfly was up for sale, the return of the Blazin’ Brewfest to Las Cruces for the first time since 2019, and our tour of the Socorro brewing scene, told in one feature on Box Canyon, and a combo update on Capitol Bar and Brewery and the new Baca House Brewing.

July

Most read/our pick: Mike Campbell obituary

One of the originals in the New Mexico brewing scene, Mike Campbell, died this month. He was celebrated by family, friends, and colleagues. A truly unique individual, Mike was part of breweries ranging from the first Rio Bravo on Central, to Rio Grande Brewing, to Assets, to Wolf Canyon (now the Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing). He started the brewing program at Tractor in Los Lunas and at Cazuela’s in Rio Rancho. At the end, he had his own place, Kilt Check Brewing, which his family hopes to keep going in 2024 and beyond.

Honorable mention goes to Bosque reclaiming the NM IPA Challenge trophy, Flock of Moons opening in Albuquerque, and Nuckolls Brewing opening in Santa Fe.

August

Most read/our pick: Mike Thrall obituary

It was another tough story to write as we learned that longtime Canteen beertender and friend of the Crew, Mike Thrall, lost his year-long battle with throat cancer. A devoted husband and father, Mike had been pouring beers and making folks smile for many years at Canteen, and before that, a few other breweries as well. We were touched by how the entire brewing community had come together multiple times to help raise money for the Thrall family from his initial diagnosis all the way up until shortly before his passing. Raise ’em high for both Mike Thrall and Mike Campbell as we head into the new year.

Honorable mention goes to our look inside the impressive brewing facility/learning lab at Central New Mexico Community College.

September

Most read/our pick: GABF medals recap

It was not a banner year, sadly, for New Mexico breweries at the Great American Beer Festival. Only two — Flix and Marble — brought home medals, the fewest since just Chama River won a single medal in 2010. While it was good news for those breweries, it was a reminder that when it comes to beer competitions, it is only getting harder and harder to win these days. The industry nationwide may not be growing like it used to, but it still produced a slew of first-time winners this year. We have a feeling that many local brewers will be pretty fired up in 2024 to show that this was a blip for New Mexico.

Honorable mention goes to the first news that Brew Lab 101 was taking over the ReSource Brewing location, Canteen’s sad tale of the glycol chiller that died, and a look inside the new trolley car taproom at Painted Lady Bed and Brew.

October

Most read/our pick: ReSource says farewell

We have written before about how hard it is to get anyone from a closing brewery to comment on the hard decision to shut it all down. In this case, however, co-owner Shawn Wright was more than willing to open up about the decision to close ReSource, and how it came to be that Brew Lab 101 would take over the space for its first offsite taproom. It was a rather poignant ode to a true neighborhood pub that had a brief, but meaningful impact on many people.

Honorable mention goes to the news that Flix Brewhouse is planning a second location in the Northeast Heights, the return of New Mexico Brew Fest and the Beer Premier, and the announcement that Red River would be opening a new location to house their distilling operations.

November

Most read/our pick: Lava Rock closes and moves to Moriarty (two stories)

Out of the blue, the story landed on our laps late one weekend night that Lava Rock Brewing was closing its brewery taproom on the westside. Head brewer Dan Cavin informed us via email that the plan was to move brewing operations to the space next to the long-delayed offsite taproom in Moriarty. This sparked a ton of social media discussion, including the resumption of the decades-old East vs. West(side) debate among Burqueños, on everything ranging from beer quality to bad service to food inconsistency and more. Just as that discussion died down, we sat down with Dan and got more details about the future plans. While the regulars on the westside were disappointed, folks in the East Mountains and beyond are excited to have another craft beer option east of Tijeras Canyon.

Honorable mention goes the Marble’s final big event of 2023, Muertos Fiesta, and the quick opening of the Brew Lab taproom in the old ReSource space.

December

Most read: Canteen Look Back/Look Ahead Series feature

Our pick: Blü Dragonfly and Red River both add taprooms

We are always happy to sit down with Jamie Schwebach and Zach Guilmette and talk all things Canteen, including how 2024 will mark the brewery’s 30th anniversary, but in terms of pure news value … we admit there wasn’t much this month. Still, the news that two northern breweries were expanding was enough to top our list. For Red River, we had already noted the distillery had moved out of the original brewing space, and this month marked the opening of the attached tasting room. For Blü Dragonfly, the Raton-based brewery that was/is still for sale nonetheless opted to both reopen its original taproom in Cimarron, and also to open a taproom in Red River. A little growth up north is never a bad thing.

Honorable mention for this final month included our recap of the Decibel Magazine Metal and Beer Fest in Denver, lots of newsy tidbits in our various Look Back/Look Ahead Series articles, and the final news that this weekend marks the end of the run for Boxing Bear’s West Downtown taproom.

Thanks for reading throughout 2024. The Crew slimmed down a bit this year, but those of us who remain will keep on trucking. The brewing scene isn’t going anywhere, and neither are we.

Keep supporting local!

— Stoutmeister