We don’t pay attention to every little thing beer-related on social media, but over the past year, we noticed the rise in accounts dedicated to both reading great books and enjoying beers. Whether locally based or nationally based, it’s been fun to see some folks bust out a novel to go with their flight of lagers. Canteen noticed this, too, and has concocted a fun little event called Blind Date with a Book. How it works is customers can come in and donate a book, receiving $1 off a beer, now through Sunday. The Canteen staff will then wrap the book, leaving only one word written on it to describe the genre. Then on January 27, patrons can come in and pick a book by genre, and get that and a pint for $12. As someone who has written a book about beer, I am always in full support of anything that encourages reading, and to add a quality brew to it, well that’s just outstanding. Kudos to the good folks at Canteen, and to all the voracious readers out there who like to curl up with a good book and a good brew!

New Draft:

Canteen tapped a new batch of Blood Orange Wheat. High and Dry recently turned over a few of their taps, adding Prescribed Burning (Red IPA), Daydream Disaster (Amber Ale), Kolschy, Wartmannsroth (Light Lager), and Supply Change Issues (Light Lager). Quarter Celtic brought back the award-winning lager, Prince of Dort-ness. Starr Brothers tapped Fog of War, a new hazy IPA. Steel Bender will tap Ember Glow Schwarzbier on Thursday. Tractor will add Western Imperialism IPA on Friday. Turtle Mountain brought back one of its classics in Grandma’s Brown. (UPDATES) Boxing Bear brings back Oso Otoño Oatmeal Brown. Canteen added barrel-aged Wicked Raven Russian Imperial Stout. Gravity Bound tapped Null Set, a new West Coast IPA, Faded Jean, a Keller lager, and Tough Love: Strawberry Shortcake. 

New Package:

Bow & Arrow will release Luxe Lodge Raspberry Stout in cans and on draft this Friday. Apologies for thinking it was last week, but we can assure everyone that Ex Novo will indeed release Easy Come Easy Go Bohemian Pilsner in cans and on draft this Friday. La Cumbre will release Azul Oscura, a dark blue corn Mexican lager, in cans and on draft this Friday.

Notable Events:

Monday — Metal Monday returns to Tumbleroot Agua Fria, as Albuquerque-based Distances has their album release party (there is also a release party at Sister on Friday, for those who cannot make the drive to Santa Fe). Support will be provided by TKTWA, Marrow Monger, and Demogorgon, for $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the show starting at 6:30.

Quick News Bits:

A couple breweries changed things up at their taprooms on Tuesdays. Turtle Mountain North will now be open on Tuesdays from 3 to 8:30 p.m. Lizard Tail Nob Hill will now be closed on Tuesdays.

Just in case anyone missed it — but judging by the page views, you haven’t — B2B Garden Brewery has permanently closed. The brewery opened during the lockdown in 2020 near Comanche and Wyoming, but apparently never got going to the point where it was sustainable.

On the flip side of the B2B news, Bosque has teased forthcoming announcements of two new taprooms in Albuquerque. We won’t spoil it, even though many customers have already guessed the locations, but we can see one is in the Northeast Heights (but not too close to the existing taproom on Eubank) and the other is on the Westside (but not too close to the Cottonwood location).

After recapping an up-and-down year for Public House, the wine bar spinoff of High and Dry, in their Look Back/Look Ahead Series entry, a big change has occurred. Vara Winery will now be leasing out the Public House space, and taking over the currently unused kitchen. The Nob Hill Stage music venue and the coffee shop in between will remain as is, but in the end this will enable High and Dry ownership to refocus on the brewery for a while.

Boxing Bear closed their West Downtown taproom after a final party back on December 30. Co-owner/director of brewing operations Justin Hamilton told us it was due to the five-year lease expiring, and no signs of growth at the location for the past three years since the end of the pandemic lockdown. All employees will remain with the company, transferring to the other three Boxing Bear taprooms, where changes and upgrades figure to be afoot throughout 2024.

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: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

Canteen Brewhouse — Featured seasonal: Panama Joe Coffee Stout (8% ABV, 33 IBU), this longtime Crew favorite is back for a limited run, in cans and on draft.

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: Nevermore (12.1% ABV), a burly beast of a barrel-aged black barleywine, now available in cans and on draft.

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

Flock of Moons Brewing — Featured seasonal: Shadowmere Weizen Doppelbock (10.4% ABV, 24 IBU), described by the brewery as “Bananas Foster over a malty backbone with hints of spice. Warm alcohol for cold winter days and nights.”

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: Casual Car Fire, a grapefruit sour with an epic 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: 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: Biscochito Brown (6.4% ABV, 25 IBU), a beer whose name is pretty self-explanatory.

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: Welcome to the Show (6.7% ABV, 34 IBU), a no-frills American stout that packs a tasty punch.

Rumor Brewing (formerly Ale Republic) — Featured seasonal: Desert Monk (6.8% ABV, 21 IBU), a Belgian-style dubbel.

Sidetrack Brewing — Featured seasonal: Matching Stoutfits (6.6% ABV, 30 IBU), a delightful oatmeal stout with an epic name now available in cans and on draft.

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

Starr Brothers Brewing — Featured seasonal: Foggy Monocle (6.1% ABV, 17 IBU), an excellent oatmeal stout that has twice won the Crew’s Stout Challenge.

Steel Bender Brewyard — Featured seasonal: Event Horizon Black IPA (6.6% ABV, 72 IBU), a rare black IPA sighting at a New Mexico brewery (we miss the old days) demands to be highlighted.

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: Old Oku Barleywine (9.2% ABV, 25 IBU), part of the 25 Years of Beers throwback line, this is an old recipe re-imagined.

Unhinged Brewing — Featured seasonal: Los Muertos Porter, a 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: Breaking Plaid (9.1% ABV, 28 IBU), a Scottish wee heavy with an excellent name, available in cans and on draft.

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: Cocoa Fuego Chocolate Green Chile Stout. (6.5% ABV, 30 IBU), described by the brewery thusly, “Our oatmeal stout with a kick! Made with Hatch green chile and organic cacao nibs, it has an earthy start and a chocolate finish, It’s sure to warm you up on these cool evenings.”

Sierra Blanca Brewing  — Featured seasonal: Whiskey Stout is back for another seasonal run in bottles and on draft.

Truth or Consequences Brewing — Featured seasonal: Star Eater Black IPA (7.2% ABV, 56 IBU), a hop-forward dark ale that we would love to get our hands on one of these days.

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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