Poor Thanksgiving, it’s the middle child of late-fall/early-winter holidays, wedged in between its more popular little brother Halloween and its all-attention-consuming big brother Christmas. As we barrel towards the turkey-flavored holiday next week, a few breweries are getting in a little fun. Rio Bravo will host their annual Friendsgiving event this Thursday at 7 p.m. It’s essentially a themed beer dinner, with four courses each paired with a Rio Bravo beer. The brewer will be on hand to talk about the pairings in the upstairs barrel room. Unfortunately, if you didn’t get tickets, it was just announced as sold out. Friday will feature Gin & Jazz: Thanksgiving Edition at Tractor Wells Park starting at 5 p.m. If you want to work off some pounds in advance of the heavy-eating holiday, head over to Canteen on Sunday at 11 a.m. for the latest Six-Pack Series 5K, this time benefiting Roadrunner Food Bank. And, if you are already looking beyond poor Thanksgiving, the Shop Small Holiday Market takes over Sunday Service Motor Company from 2 to 7 p.m., also on Sunday.

Oh, and Marble went ahead and brought back one of our favorite seasonal beers after a one-year hiatus. It’s one we often enjoyed at Thanksgiving besides Tractor’s classic Turkey Drool. Keep scrolling to see what has returned!

New Draft:

Differential tapped Cranberry Wheat just in time for the season. High and Dry added Profound Ignoramus, a new hazy IPA. Marble recently tapped a slew of new brews including Chinook Blonde Ale, Hoptimistic West Coast IPA, Inhibition DIPA, Adeena Lager, Märzen, and Leprechaunic, an Irish red on nitro. Quarter Celtic brought back one of their, and our, favorites in Irish Handcuffs Imperial Stout. Sidetrack added Stay Wild American Lager. Steel Bender will finally tap that imperial Italian pilsner, Italian Stallion, on Thursday. Tractor will bring back Double Stuffed Stout, the winner of the 2024 Stout Invitational back in March, this Friday at all locations. (UPDATES) Bombs Away tapped Anniversary IPA. Canteen added Cabana After Dark, a dark Mexican lager, and Cherry Wheat. Flock of Moons tapped a new batch of Vollmond German Pilsner. Gravity Bound rolled out Space Stucco, a new hazy IPA. Painted Lady will tap Never Feed Him After Midnight, a red chile and pinon brown ale, on Sunday during Scary Movie Bingo with Gremlins, of couse. Ponderosa tapped Autumn Glow Amber Lager. Starr Brothers will release Lap Dog Rescue Lager on Sunday, benefiting the charity of the same name.

Up in Santa Fe, Second Street brought back Fluxopacity, a New England-style hazy IPA. Over in Los Alamos, Bathtub Row tapped Barranca Brown, an English-style brown ale. Down south, Truth or Consequences Brewing has a double release on Thursday with Green Chile Amber and S’mores Stout. (UPDATE) Santa Fe Brewing tapped Jackpot, a fruited hazy double IPA.

New Package:

Bosque will bring back an old favorite in Driftwood Oatmeal Stout, available in cans and on draft this Friday. Bow & Arrow has a double release planned Friday with the latest Native Star Hazy IPA entry, called America, How Are Ya? I Hope You’re Doin’ Fine, and Buffalo Plaid Baltic Porter, both in cans and on draft. Ex Novo will release Boots with the Spurs, an American pilsner, in cans and on draft this Monday. Marble surprised us all by bringing back Reserve Ale in cans and on draft. Nexus is releasing Lush American Stout in four-pack cans this week, after it had already been on tap for a little while. (UPDATE) Boxing Bear and Rashan Jones of High Desert Flameworks are releasing their annual collaboration, Just Jonesin’, this time a cranberry-peach kettle sour, in cans and on draft this Saturday.

Notable Events:

Thursday — The aforementioned Friendsgiving is at Rio Bravo at 7 p.m.

Friday — The aforementioned Gin & Jazz: Thanksgiving Edition is at Tractor Wells Park at 5 p.m.

Sunday — Canteen hosts the aforementioned Six-Pack 5K Run at 11 a.m., benefiting Roadrunner Food Bank.

The aforementioned Shop Small Holiday Market runs from 2 to 7 p.m. at Sunday Service Motor Company.

Tuesday — Bosque West (the old Lava Rock) will host Trivia for a Cause: Classic TV Shows at 6 p.m.

Quick News Bits:

Marble Brewery posted on social media that they have found a local buyer and will not be closing. Hopefully more information will be posted soon, as we have no idea who bought the entire operation. But, hey, at least the second-largest brewery in New Mexico is no longer shutting down, as the rumors claimed last month.

Just in case you missed it, we had big news recently both on how Gravity Bound and Boese Brothers will be sharing the brewing space at Sixth and Gold, while GB will now take over the taproom portion with a unique twist. We also learned how Icebox is in the process of taking over Public House 28 Brewery down between Las Cruces and Anthony. And, finally, we got the full details of the decision to permanently close the doors at Lizard Tail.

In much better news, Dripline Brewery is now open at Second Street and Summer Ave. They had a minor setback that meant their own beers aren’t ready yet, but we will add an entry for them below when those first brews are available.

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: T50 Vienna Lager (5.4% ABV, 25 IBU), a tasty amber lager that will help you get over the last of the delicious Oktoberfest running out.

Bosque Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Brewer’s Bruises (5.6% ABV, 10 IBU), a blueberry lavender gose, is back for a limited time.

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: Rez Pubby Schwarzbier (5.2% ABV), a lovely dark lager available in cans and on draft, benefiting Rez Roads Rescue.

Boxing Bear Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Metal Head Stout (6.66% ABV), one of our seasonal favorites, back in cans and on draft.

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: Grundy Thunder Porter (6.2% ABV, 25 IBU), a robust porter perfect for the season, available in cans and on draft.

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

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

Differential Brewing — Featured seasonal: Chai Stout (5% ABV, 24 IBU), a darker way to enjoy your favorite tea spice.

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

Ex Novo Brewing — Featured seasonal: Ruidoso Together Pale Ale (5.5% ABV), available in cans and on draft and benefiting the southern communities affected by the fires and flooding earlier this year.

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, benefiting Ruidoso.

Gravity Bound Brewing — Featured seasonal: Subtitles On, the classic Munich dunkel is back for a limited time, just like every other beer tends to be at GB.

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: Date Night Disaster (5% ABV, 10 IBU), a simple, no-frills stout that’s perfect for this weather.

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: La Negra (14.1% ABV), the beautiful beast of a Russian imperial stout is back in bottles and on draft.

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

Late Shift Lager House at The Craftroom — Featured seasonal: We were told that they are currently not brewing, with no timetable for that resuming.

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: Beam Me Up (Higher) Scotty (9.3% ABV), the two-time World Beer Cup medal winner is back for the season.

Painted Lady Bed and Brew — Featured seasonal: You’ve Got Red on You, their most recent addition was this popular hoppy red ale.

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: Very Demure (6.7% ABV, 19 IBU), an apricot wheat with a clever name.

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

Sidetrack Brewing — Featured seasonal: Matching Stoutfits (5.8% ABV, 30 IBU), another one of our seasonal favorites, available on draft and (maybe) in cans.

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: Oktoberfest (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: Turkey Drool (8.2% ABV), the Crew’s favorite seasonal from this brewery is an amazing holiday concoction.

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: Los Muertos Porter (12% ABV), a collaboration between the brewery and the Worthogs homebrew club, available on draft and there might be a little left of the special barrel-aged version.

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: Black Dog IPA (7.3% ABV, 50 IBU), a classic black IPA.

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: Tropical Pilsner (5.3% ABV, 34 IBU), a delicious lager that needs to be finished off so some more seasonal-appropriate beer can take its place.

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: Hop Freeze Cold IPA (6.6% ABV), the first cold IPA from the ‘Tub team.

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