The beer news be slow these days.

We’ve reached out for interviews to keep the Look Back/Look Ahead Series going, but have either been told “let’s wait” or not heard back at all.

It’s gotten to the point where our paranoid little selves feel like we’re being … nah, can’t be, right? (Laughs nervously)

Well, it’s a tough time in the industry right now and we can be patient. We’ll just resume LB/LA in January.

In the meantime, a few little things popped up that we felt like sharing. They’re all good, happy things. We’ll let the latest round of doom-and-gloom rumors linger out there until those can be officially confirmed.

Kaktus soars past their goal

Remember that story we did about Kaktus Brewing calling upon their loyal supporters to invest in the company? The goal was $40,000 in investment to help finish building out the new beer garden and more.

They did not get $40,000. They got $43,250 as of the Kaktus newsletter that came out this morning.

Wow, kudos to one and all.

“Thank you for sharing this journey with us,” owner Dana Koller wrote in the newsletter. “Your belief in Kaktus Brewing Company fuels our passion and drives us to keep reaching higher. We’re not just building a business; we’re nurturing a community, and we’re so grateful to have you along for the ride.”

Oh, and there are a few hours left until 10 p.m. to invest with no fees, so if you read this before then and still want to contribute, follow this link.

Dripline nearly ready to brew

I took a bit of my Saturday to recharge the old solar batteries on the patio at Dripline Brewery at Second Street and Summer. Yeah, there are still just guest taps, but they’re good selections from breweries around the state, and that patio is rather immaculate on a good-weather day.

By chance, co-owner Jacob Werenko was there, shuttling back and forth between the taproom and the brewery building. He’s been hard at work in the latter, and was running some tests on the glycol system on Saturday.

Dripline hit a snag when they found an issue with their boiler, which kept them from brewing their own beers in time for their recent grand opening. Now that it has been fixed, Werenko said they are getting awfully close to firing up the brewhouse.

How close? With luck, he said they could start brewing as soon as this Friday.

We will keep a close eye on when those first beers hit the taps at Dripline and share that information with all of you.

WinterBrew lineup announced

Our favorite festival of the colder months, WinterBrew, is set for the Santa Fe Farmers Market on Friday, January 24. The lineup for this festival is set with any Santa Fe area breweries getting first dibs, and the rest entering into a lottery.

That part is now complete, and the full brewery lineup is now set (but, as always, can be subject to change, so keep checking the official website):

• Beer Creek Brewing
• Bonito Valley Brewing (new for 2025)
• Bosque Brewing
• Brew Lab 101 (new for 2025)
• Flock of Moons Brewing (new for 2025)
• La Cumbre Brewing
• Nuckolls Brewing (new for 2025)
• Rio Bravo Brewing (new for 2025)
• Rowley Farmhouse Ales
• Santa Fe Brewing
• Second Street Brewery
• Sidetrack Brewing
• Steel Bender Brewyard (new for 2025)
• Taos Mesa Brewing (new for 2025)
• Tractor Brewing (new for 2025)
• Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery

This is the part where we would share the ticket link, but that is not available until Wednesday, per Eventbrite. We highly recommend buying right away, and spending a little extra for the VIP ticket, which gets you an extra hour to sample with a smaller crowd. This one always sells out, so do not wait too long!

As always, if you hear of any beer news out there that we have missed, please DM us on social media or send it to nmdarksidebrewcrew@gmail.com.

Keep supporting local!

— Stoutmeister