Since Halloween falls on a Thursday this year, the breweries and just about every other place around town have decided that the weekend before, not after, should be the one where we all gather to celebrate the holiday. Oh, there are other things going on out there, but the vast majority of events this week are of the spooky-themed variety. We already previewed the New Mexico Brewers Guild’s Zombie Crawl, but there is plenty to do in addition to that event. Godspeed to those with only one costume, because it’s gonna get a lot of use this week. Boxing Bear kicks things off with Books, Brews & Boos at the Firestone taproom on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be a pumpkin carving party at Bosque Nob Hill that same night at 6 p.m., while Tumbleroot has their own pumpkin carving contest at the Agua Fria taproom, also at 6 p.m. Marble Heights will host Drag-O-Lantern from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday will see a Halloween bash at Tumbleroot Agua Fria at 7 p.m., while Painted Lady will host Scary Movie Night at 7, featuring the episode of Ghost Adventures that featured the haunted former brothel turned bed and brew. Ex Novo Downtown will host a costume contest in the Bitter Nun space upstairs from 9 to midnight. Saturday’s events will include Spooky Nights at Bosque West from 5 to 9, a Halloween dance party at Brew Lab 101 at 7, Scary Movie Bingo with Shaun of the Dead at Painted Lady from 7 to 9, and Second Street has several local bands covering their favorite artists for Nightmare on Rufina Street at 8. Finally, Canteen will host Carve It Up, a pumpkin-carving party at both locations on Tuesday at 6. Are there any other Halloween-themed events at breweries that we missed? Leave us a comment or email us at nmdarksidebrewcrew@gmail.com.

New Draft:

Bosque recently brought back Brewer’s Bruises, a blueberry lavender gose. Brew Lab 101 tapped a new entry in their X-IPA series, Smooth Criminal. Differential added Chai Stout. Ex Novo tapped Fruity Garland, a new fruited wheat. Marble released their take on Collective Good Kolsch, the Downshift-led initiative to help rebuild Ruidoso, one pint at a time. Painted Lady will bring back You’ve Got Red on You, a hoppy red, with that aforementioned screening of Shaun of the Dead this Saturday. Rio Bravo tapped Camoy Mango Tajin Sour. Starr Brothers and Boxing Bear brought back Nuts and Nibs, but this time the peanut butter/chocolate porter has been barrel aged. Tractor will released Ironclad American Strong Ale on Friday. (UPDATES) Canteen will release Goofy Foot Hazy IPA on Friday. Sobremesa brought back Bateson Haze (IPA), with a portion of the proceeds going to Ales for ALS.

Up in Los Alamos, Bathtub Row tapped Czech Dark Lager and Canyon Rim Rye Pale Ale. Down south, Truth or Consequences Brewing brought back Dark Skies Oatmeal Stout. (UPDATE) In the Santa Fe area, Beer Creek will tap Rathaus Riot Vienna Lager on Friday.

New Package:

Ex Novo brought back two old favorites with There is No “I” in Steam and Milagro Oscuro, a dark Mexican lager, in cans and on draft. La Cumbre will release Sonorasaurus IPA in cans and on draft this Friday. Sidetrack released We Want Beer!, a pre-Prohibition-style ale, in cans and on draft.

Notable Events:

See above for all the Halloween-themed events.

Today (Wednesday) through Friday — Bard Crawl, a unique telling of Shakespear’s King Lear, will feature performers from the Duke City Repertory Theater at Marble Heights tonight at 7:30, at Ex Novo Corrales on Thursday at 7:30, and at Differential on Friday at 7:30.

Saturday — Rumor Brewing will host their annual Fall Festival from 2 to 7 p.m.

Magic, Comedy & Music Night takes over Tractor Wells Park at 8 p.m.

Sunday — Sunday Service Motor Company will host the Shop Small Vintage Pop-Up Market from noon to 4 p.m.

Quick News Bits:

We have some news coming very soon (as in this week) on the fate of the Boese Brothers downtown taproom. The other locations on Tramway, in Santa Fe (Desert Dogs), and in Los Alamos are still open.

Another new brewery? It appears so, but not in a place that has any others nearby. Prod-O Brewery and Distillery has an active small brewer license, and it will be located in the town of Reserve in Western New Mexico. Guess we’ve got a road trip coming up!

Steel Bender is teaming up with a local radio station, The Peak, for Monday Night Football games all season. There will be drink and food specials, and one of the hosts of the station will be there every game from 6 p.m. until halftime. Check their social media for more details.

Albuquerque metro area breweries

Boese Brothers Brewery  — Featured seasonal: Oktoberfest (5.3% ABV), the popular seasonal lager is back for another run.

Bombs Away Beer Company — Featured seasonal: Oktoberfest (5.9% ABV, 20 IBU), one of the finest märzens around is still on tap for a limited time.

Bosque Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Resto Hazy Pale (5.8% ABV, 40 IBU), now available in cans at all taprooms, and still on draft at a few, including its namesake, Restoration Pizza.

Bossfight Brewing (formerly Kilt Check Brewing) — Featured seasonal: Power Up Coffee Stout, a small batch of goodness to keep you going for another round of Mario Kart at the brewery arcade.

Bow & Arrow Brewing — Featured seasonal: Sunup, Sunburn, Sundown, Repeat (5% ABV), a fruited gose-style sour made with pomegranate, raspberries, and Cara Cara oranges, now available in cans and on draft.

Boxing Bear Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: OktoBEARfest (5.3% ABV), the annual favorite is back in cans and on draft at both taprooms.

Brekki Brekki — Featured seasonal: Vanilla Pumpkin Stout, the first specialty beer from the new all-day breakfast restaurant and brewery in the old B2B Garden Brewery space in the Heights.

Brew Lab 101 Beer & Cider Company — Featured seasonal: Labtoberfest is now available for all to enjoy.

Canteen Brewhouse — Featured seasonal: Citranova (6% ABV, 26 IBU), the popular tangerine oat lager is available in cans and on draft.

Casa Vieja Brewery — Featured seasonal: Festbier (5.8%, 19 IBU), a proper German lager to enjoy on the patio as the nights turn cooler.

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

Differential Brewing — Featured seasonal: Weiss Beer (4.8% ABV), a perfect patio beer for the lingering days of summer that just won’t go away.

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

Ex Novo Brewing — Featured seasonal: Fresh Hop Light Through the Trees (5.2% ABV), a pale ale available in cans and on draft.

Flix Brewhouse  — Featured seasonal: Vampyre Boost Imperial Lager, this year’s collaboration with Steel Bender.

Flock of Moons Brewing — Featured seasonal: Dark Side of the Moons (7.7% ABV, 88 IBU), a little black IPA collaboration that the Crew brewed.

Gravity Bound Brewing — Featured seasonal: Garden Spot, the always popular cucumber basil gose, is back for a limited time.

Harmon Lane Brewing at Southwest Grape and Grain — Featured seasonal: Wobble On Crimson Ale, a nifty little red inspired by the brewer, who used to play football for New Mexico State.

High and Dry Brewing — Featured seasonal: Oktoberfest Pt. 7 None in the Chamber (5.3% ABV, 20 IBU), an amber ale with German lager qualities that is rather delightful.

Hops Brewery — Featured seasonal: Hoptoberfest (4.7% ABV, 25 IBU), the classic lager is on tap for a limited time.

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

Kaktus Brewing — Featured seasonal: Sweet Darkness Milk Stout, a nice treat for dessert after your pizza.

La Cumbre Brewing — Featured seasonal: Wiesn Festbier (5.9% ABV), Franz Solo’s favorite annual seasonal lager is now available in cans and on draft.

La Reforma Brewery — Featured seasonal: Five Times Hoppier IPA, the runner-up at the NM IPA Challenge.

Late Shift Lager House at The Craftroom — Featured seasonal: Goldmember (7% ABV), a golden strong ale.

Lizard Tail Brewing — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

Marble Brewery — Featured seasonal: Pumpkin Noir (8% ABV), the popular fall specialty dark ale, now available in cans and on draft.

Nexus Brewery — Featured seasonal: Festbier (5.8% ABV, 21 IBU), my personal runner-up among the beers at Marblefest, this is a lighter but flavorful German-style lager.

Painted Lady Bed and Brew — Featured seasonal: A new specialty brew is due out this Saturday (see above).

Palmer Brewery and Cider House — Featured seasonal: Cockness Monster (14% ABV), a monstrous Scotch ale aged in whiskey barrels for two years.

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: Super Stoop Malt Liquor (6.5% ABV, 18 IBU), which does not have to be consumed on a stoop or in a paper bag.

Rio Bravo Brewing — Featured seasonal: Kitchen Sink DIPA (8.5% ABV, 60 IBU), a chewy hop bomb to enjoy in moderation.

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

Sidetrack Brewing — Featured seasonal: Fresh Hop IPA (6.6% ABV, 50 IBU), which is one of those beers we should all help drink up ASAP before it’s not fresh anymore.

Sobremesa — Featured seasonal: Oktoberfest, a festbier-style lager that pairs great with their bone-in pork schnitzel that’s also available for a limited time.

Starr Brothers Brewing — Featured seasonal: Therewolf (6.3% ABV, 21 IBU), the annual Oktoberfest lager release.

Steel Bender Brewyard — Featured seasonal: Barrel-Aged Ale Witch (8.7% ABV, 15 IBU), they took the popular pumpkin ale and put it in rum barrels. Now it’s available in cans and on draft.

Sunday Service Motor Company — Featured seasonal: Cosmic Wave IPA (6.2% ABV, 67 IBU), a West Coast-style hop bomb with some fruity hops up front and a clean, bitter-free finish.

The Tatted Bee Brewhouse — Featured seasonal: Game On, an old-school pale ale that is one of the first house beers now on tap.

Thirsty Eye Brewing — Featured seasonal: Oktobefest (6% ABV, 20 IBU), a sweet and satisfying märzen lager.

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

Tractor Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Scotcholate, the cult favorite twist on a Scottish ale is back on draft.

Turtle Mountain Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Sierra Nativo (5.5% ABV, 37 IBU), as this is a wet-hop pale ale, its availability will be limited, so get it while it’s fresh.

Unhinged Brewing — Featured seasonal: Oktoberfest, the first lager in the young history of the brewery.

Vision City Brewstillery — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

Santa Fe breweries

Beer Creek Brewing — Featured seasonal: Temporada (6.1% ABV), a Belgian saison brewed with 100-percent New Mexico-grown pilsner malt and Neomexicanus hops. Described by the brewery as “crisp and dry with hints of bubblegum. Not a Brett beer.”

Chile Line Brewing — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

Nuckolls Brewing — Featured seasonal: Hoppy Wife, Hoppy Life, a hazy pale ale and a possible contender for Beer Name of the Year.

Rowley Farmhouse Ales — Featured seasonal: Thibadeux (5% ABV, 50 IBU), a collaboration kvass with Beer Creek.

Santa Fe Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Starter Fluid (9.5% ABV), a hazy DIPA with a kick, now available in cans and on draft.

Second Street Brewery — Featured seasonal: Oktoberfest (5.4% ABV), our pick for the best of the best among all the great märzens currently available statewide.

Travel Bug — Featured seasonal: This bookstore/cafe only has two beers on tap, Rough Draft Ale (4.5% ABV) and Second Draft English Bitter (6% ABV), but if any seasonals ever pop up, we will list them here.

Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery — Featured seasonal: Molé Stout (9.2% ABV), the seasonal beer with a lovely kick of spice is back on draft and in bottles. Oh, they put some on nitro now, too.

Other breweries you need to visit

Bathtub Row Brewing — Featured seasonal: Hilltop Helles (4.7% ABV), because it’s still warm enough during the day for a nice, crisp German lager.

Downshift Brewing — Featured seasonal: Gratitude Pale Ale (5.4% ABV, 40 IBU), brewed to support local charities, and right now $1 from every pint sold goes to helping in the recovery efforts from the South Fork and Salt fires.

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

Red River Brewing and Distilling — Featured seasonal: Cacao 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: Pecan Brown Ale, a classic offering from the brewery.

Truth or Consequences Brewing — Featured seasonal: Rio Rojo Red Ale (4.5% ABV, 30 IBU), a nice malty treat similar to the Irish red, but made with different malts and a German ale yeast that produce some distinctive differences.

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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