After last week’s onslaught of St. Patrick’s Day-themed events and 41 (!) new beer releases, we kinda figured this would be a much quieter week. It’s very quiet. Almost too quiet, but we digress, because it will not be quiet this Saturday afternoon. Yup, New Mexico United is back for another season of mayhem, and that means the tailgate parties are back, too. We have long loved the relationship between the club and numerous craft breweries around town (Ex Novo and Bosque in particular), and with the craft beer options improving inside the stadium this year (remember, Marble switched to Admiral Beverage, which means their beers should be appearing for the first time inside The Lab), it should be a delightfully sudsy season. In addition, several breweries in proximity have become frequent postgame hangouts, with Flock of Moons, Differential, Bosque, Sidetrack, and more embracing the sport and its many thirsty fans. So we wanted to put this question out to all of you: What is your go-to tailgate local craft beer? Drop us a comment or a DM on social media.

New Draft:

Boese Brothers and Sidetrack collaborated on a new malt liquor, 16oz to Freedom. Thirsty Eye tapped the last sixtel of their excellent imperial coffee stout, RIGor Mortis. Tractor will release Field & Forge ESB on Friday. (UPDATES) Boxing Bear did a double drop of The Blonde Bearista, a golden coffee stout, and a March version of OktoBEARfest. Canteen tapped Tax Relief Pale Ale.

Up in Santa Fe, Santa Fe Brewing recently tapped Release the Craic’n, an Irish dry stout. (UPDATES) Beer Creek rolled out Hyacinth Girl, a new pilsner. Tumbleroot added Manic Maibock. Truth or Consequences tapped True Moon, their version of a Belgian wit inspired by, well, you can guess.

New Package:

La Cumbre and Denver’s excellent Comrade Brewing will release Prom Date IPA in cans and on draft this Friday. Marble recently brought back Cherry Limeade Lager in cans and on draft. (UPDATES) Santa Fe Brewing brought back Freewheeler Hazy Summer IPA in cans and on draft. Second Street brought back Brown Ale in cans and on draft.

Notable Events:

Today (Wednesday) — Trivia for a Cause: Saturday Night Live will be held at Bosque West (the former Lava Rock) at 6 p.m.

Thursday — Steel Bender and 94 Rock will be hosting watch parties for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament from 2 to 4 p.m. this Thursday and the next. There will be drink specials, giveaways, and more.

Friday — Cactus Cabaret, featuring the Desert Darlings, returns to Kaktus at 7 p.m.

Saturday — The March Community Swap & Trade is set for Boxing Bear Firestone from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sidetrack will host a Popup Market from 1 to 4 p.m.

Sunday — The Six-Pack Running Series returns to Canteen at 11 a.m., this time benefiting Global Health Partnerships of Albuquerque.

Santa Teresa Lost and Found Rescue will bring some adoptable dogs to Ex Novo Corrales from noon to 4 p.m.

Quick News Bits:

We threw together some beer notes with updates on the upcoming United in Beer at Ex Novo, plus some of the small brewer licenses that were not renewed by the February 28 deadline. We can note that since that article ran, five of the breweries listed with expired licenses have had their paperwork clear and been reinstated. Those were Cazuela’s, Flix Brewhouse, The Tatted Bee, Turquoise Trail, and Unhinged.

For those who have been clamoring for an update on what’s going on at the state legislature in regards to breweries this year, here is a big update on a change to House Bill 417.

Kaktus Brewing had an update in their weekly newsletter that there will be some major road construction starting soon on South Hill Road, so they are asking folks for some extra support while that’s going on. But, the good news is it will be to build Sandoval County’s newest and largest animal shelter, and that also means that utilities will now extend out there, which Kaktus will be able to tap into and help improve even more aspects at the brewery (bigger bathrooms, better water resources for brewing/growing food, etc.).

Albuquerque metro area breweries

Boese Brothers Brewery — Featured seasonal: Zeus Juice IPA (7.8% ABV), the ever-popular seasonal juicy IPA is back for another run.

Bombs Away Beer Company — Featured seasonal: Countermine Coffee Stout (5.4% ABV, 50 IBU), it’s pretty much as described, and that is just fine.

Bosque Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Desert Dreamer (5.4% ABV, 35 IBU), a hoppy pilsner available in cans and on draft.

Bow & Arrow Brewing — Featured seasonal: NINE Czech Pils (4% ABV), the recent anniversary beer is now available in cans and on draft.

Boxing Bear Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Red Sheep of the Familiy (5.5% ABV), a tasty little lager to help us prep for the warm days ahead.

Brekki Brekki — Featured seasonal: Cherry Stout (5% ABV), on draft for a limited time.

Brew Lab 101 Beer & Cider Company — Featured seasonal: Guatemalan Express, a coffee-infused Mexican-style amber lager.

Canteen Brewhouse — Featured seasonal: Pop’s Pilsner (5.2% ABV, 40 IBU), the right crispy lager as the weather (maybe kinda sorta) warm up, available in cans and on draft.

Casa Vieja Brewery — Featured seasonal: Birra Italiano (5.1% ABV), an Italian-style pilsner, if you could not guess by the name.

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

Differential Brewing — Featured seasonal: Mint Porter (4.7% ABV, 35 IBU), which is way better than those little mint and chocolate candies they leave in fancy hotels.

Dripline Brewery — Featured seasonal: Le Chat Roux (6.6% ABV), is a hefty, malty red ale, and while it’s technically a year-round beer, everything is new at the newest brewery in town and we are highlighting this because it’s damn good.

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

Ex Novo Brewing — Featured seasonal: Sons of Scotland (7.4% ABV), the annual favorite is back in cans and on draft.

Flix Brewhouse  — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery/movie theater for an updated list of seasonals.

Flock of Moons Brewing — Featured seasonal: Tomorrow Begat Tomorrow (10.2% ABV), a big, sweet, not too yeasty Belgian dark strong.

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: They cannot serve beer at the moment while they work out some licensing paperwork.

High and Dry Brewing — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery for an updated list of seasonals.

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

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

Kaktus Brewing — Featured seasonal: Winter Doppelbock, a hefty lager to get you through the last of the chilly season.

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.

Marble Brewery — Featured seasonal: The Parting Glass (5% ABV), an Irish dry stout served on nitro.

Nexus Brewery — Featured seasonal: Holodeck Helles, a delightful lager brewed for a good cause, with $1 from every pint sold going to the MS Society.

Painted Lady Bed and Brew — Featured seasonal: Whatever You Do, Don’t Fall Asleep, a coffee blonde ale inspired by the original A Nightmare on Elm Street.

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: Barrel-Aged Irish Handcuffs Imperial Stout (12.2% ABV), this delicious monstrosity is available for a limited time, so get it. Now. NOW.

Rio Bravo Brewing — Featured seasonal: Very Demure (6.7% ABV, 19 IBU), an apricot wheat with a clever name.

Rumor Brewing — Featured seasonal: La Madera Mild (5.5% ABV, 22 IBU), a chewy little biscuit of an English-style brew that is perfect before or after a day on the hiking trails around Cedar Crest.

Sidetrack Brewing — Featured seasonal: Matching Stoutfits (6.6% ABV, 30 IBU), it’s back on nitro only for a limited time.

Sobremesa — Featured seasonal: Stout Seco, an Irish dry stout is now on tap.

Starr Brothers Brewing — Featured seasonal: Wakin’ Bacon (7.2% ABV, 20 IBU), a smoked maple brown ale brewed in collaboration with Boxing Bear, it’s quite the dessert ale.

Steel Bender Brewyard — Featured seasonal: Italian Stallion (6.1% ABV, 65 IBU), a bigger, stronger, hoppier version of Esmerelda, now available on draft.

Sunday Service Motor Company — Featured seasonal: Red Velvet Cake Stout (8.2% ABV), a not-too-sweet dessert beer that hides the ABV rather well.

The Tatted Bee Brewhouse — Featured seasonal: Tatted Stout, a nice and chewy dark ale of decadence.

Thirsty Eye Brewing — Featured seasonal: Aldo’s Last Stand (6.5% ABV, 60 IBU), a chocolate-and-roast beast of an American stout.

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: Scarlet Letter (12.5%), the brewery’s first seltzer is an imperial one, made with cranberry and sage.

Unhinged Brewing — Featured seasonal: Tatooine Spring (7.8% ABV), the imperial amber is back for another run.

Vision City Brewstillery — Featured seasonal: Winter Lager, a season-appropriate seasonal if we ever saw one.

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: Laying New Tracks IPA, part of a whole series of railroad-themed names and we’re just gonna guess it’s because they’re at the Santa Fe Railyard.

Rowley Farmhouse Ales — Featured seasonal: Second-String Loser (9.6% ABV, 26 IBU), a Belgian golden strong ale.

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: Irish Red Ale (4.6% ABV), back just in time for the season.

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