It’s deathly quiet for beer news out there, in case our total lack of stories lately was not a clue. Well, not totally quiet, since there’s some fun dark beer releases coming up. La Cumbre will roll out bottles and draft of the epic La Negra Reserve this Friday. Then on Saturday, Steel Bender will have the first of three editions of Brickie Jubilee, where the brewery puts a single sixtel of Brickie American Stout infused with something flavorful for the holiday season. First up is Peppermint Brickie, because, of course they have to do a peppermint one. After that, Monday will mark the start of La Cumbre’s 14th anniversary week-long celebration. They will be tapping 2022 La Negra and releasing a limited number of bottles. The following day, Klitch(KO) Imperial Stout will be back on the nitro tap. We will have the remaining La Cumbre releases and events in the December 11 edition of Week Ahead. Until then, enjoy stout and porter season!

New Draft:

La Cumbre has also tapped Munich Dunkel. Steel Bender should also tap Night Country Porter on nitro this Friday. Sunday Service Motor Company recently added Winter Rye IPA. (UPDATES) Bombs Away tapped Crush’s Pilsner. Brew Lab 101 brought back Singularity BBA Imperial Stout. Canteen tapped Operation Black Hops, a new black IPA. Sobremesa added Stout Seco, an Irish dry stout.

Up in Santa Fe, Second Street tapped Sloppy Sloth Wai-iti Hazy IPA. (UPDATES) Beer Creek released Get Ready Set Rye. Nuckolls added Iconic-ly Late for the Train, a golden stout. Down south, Downshift released She’s a Beaut, Clark, a berry/citrus ale.

New Package:

Second Street released Space Heater Winter Warmer in cans and on draft. (UPDATE) Canteen will release Munich Dunkel in cans and on draft this Friday.

Notable Events:

Wednesday — Poetry & Beer is back at Tractor Wells Park at 7 p.m.

Thursday — The Pour & Explore Lecture Series returns to Bow & Arrow at 6:30 p.m.

Comedy Night is back at Brew Lab 101 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday — JUNO is hosting a special metal music event called The Wicked Show at 7 p.m.

Luna & Poesia, a night of poetry/spoken word/music, returns to Flock of Moons at 7 p.m.

Saturday — The Holiday Market Sip & Shop takes over Bow & Arrow from noon to 5 p.m.

Differential hosts the ABQ Heater Bloc Build Party from 3 to 5 p.m.

The Outlaw, Lawman and Ghost Magic Show returns to Painted Lady from 7 to 8 p.m.

Sunday — The Rio Bravo Christmas Market runs from noon to 5 p.m.

Quick News Bits:

Quarter Celtic’s Vienna Lager (returning soon) won another gold medal, this time at the European Beer Star competition. It previously won at the Great American Beer Festival in October. Congrats, again, to the QC brewing team!

Nexus Brewery is back open seven days a week, with hours from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. every day.

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 is located in the town of Reserve in Western New Mexico. Recent photos posted to Facebook show that it is open. 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: Turkish Style Coffee Stout (7.5% ABV) is once again 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: Superior Porter (6.3% ABV, 34 IBU), a seasonal-appropriate robust porter, available in cans and on draft.

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: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

Other breweries you need to visit

Bathtub Row Brewing — Featured seasonal: Barranca Brown (5.8% ABV), an English-style brown ale created by an English brewer. How proper.

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: Russian Imperial Stout (10% ABV, 30 IBU), which proves you just have to head north into the colder regions of New Mexico to find the big stouts.

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