We hate to refer to this week as a mid-May lull, but yeah, it kind of is, with only a few scattered events and a handful of beer releases. The big stuff certainly lies ahead, with plenty planned for Memorial Day weekend, and then the first real summer weekend of the year after that. So as we have done so many, many times before, we suggest you take it easy this weekend, and go visit that brewery you have not been to in a good long while. Maybe trek out to the East Mountains and visit Rumor, or head further up Highway 14 to Beer Creek, or go east on I-40 to Sierra Blanca and their awesome beer garden. Take in some Santa Fe area breweries, or head into the mountains to visit Bathtub Row and/or Jemez Mountain Brewhouse. Go further north to the breweries around Taos, or perhaps up in Farmington and Aztec (550 Brewing is open again). A southern trek before it gets too hot could be in order. We would recommend Open Space in Santa Clara and Little Toad Creek in Silver City, or stick to the I-25 corridor to hit up the Socorro breweries, Truth or Consequences Brewing, or go all the way down to the breweries of Las Cruces. There is always 575 Brewing in Alamogordo before the tourists flock to White Sands. Get up in those southern mountains before the Texans take over to visit Cloudcroft, Downshift, Lost Hiker, and Bonito Valley. There is always Carlsbad before the high temps arrive. But, if driving out of town is not in the cards, go back and figure out when was the last time you went to that one local brewery, you know that one you loved but is usually too far to visit, and reacquaint yourself with why it was so good that time many weeks or months ago.

New Draft:

Boxing Bear tapped Black Mesa Dunkel, with Helles Good on deck. Ex Novo added Coral Blue, a blackberry and key lime sour. Flock of Moons tapped Selune’s Kiss, a truly delicious Dortmunder export lager (yes, we got an advance pour). Starr Brothers brought back Cherry Bombed.

Up in Santa Fe, Tumbleroot tapped a new Kolsch and brought back Golden Bear IPA. Over in Los Alamos, Bathtub Row added Thirsty Throwback IPA.

New Package:

Steel Bender will set you up for summer with the return of Cherry Dynamite in cans and on draft this Friday.

Notable Events:

Friday — As part of Bike to Work Day, Canteen will offer discounts on beer to anyone who rides into the brewery all day, with live music from Vibestrong from 6 to 9 p.m.

The Desert Darlings return to Kaktus for the latest edition of the Cactus Cabaret at 7 p.m.

Saturday — The Leon Looks Pop-up Market is back at Boxing Bear Tramway from 2 to 6 p.m.

Tractor Wells Park will host the TSP Takeover Comedy Showcase from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Quick News Bits:

Flix Brewhouse has opened their second location on the east side near Indian School and Tramway. We will hopefully have a more in-depth look at this second theater’s brewery setup in the near future.

Sidetrack will now open at noon on Saturdays and Sundays. Other hours remain unchanged.

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: Pickle Down Economics (6% ABV), the popular pickle gose is back for a summer run on draft and in cans.

Bow & Arrow Brewing — Featured seasonal: Way Out Scenic West (6% ABV), a hazy IPA with blueberry and coconut added for a unique look and taste.

Boxing Bear Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Alan the Cowboy Dark Kolsch (4.7% ABV) is exactly what it sounds like, a kolsch, only darker in appearance, but still with the classic flavors.

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: Vienna Lager (5.3% ABV, 28 IBU), a lovely amber lager, now available only in cans.

Casa Vieja Brewery — Featured seasonal: Hop the Casbah (6.2% ABV), a hazy IPA that doesn’t mean to get that song stuck in your head but kind of does.

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

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

Dripline Brewery — Featured seasonal: Super Bloom APA (5.4% ABV), a sweet, floral pale ale that goes quite well with the new lineup of tasty smash burgers from the kitchen.

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

Ex Novo Brewing — Featured seasonal: Krispy’s Kolsch (4.9% ABV), available on draft and in cans.

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

Flock of Moons Brewing — Featured seasonal: Amalthea Dawn (6.8% ABV, 30 IBU), a classic maibock that’s just right for the spring.

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: Wind Blows IPA, one of the all-time great beer names for our state, available on draft and in cans.

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: Lion’s Brew Dunkel is one of several rotating taps.

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: Schwarzbier (5.4% ABV), a tasty dark lager as we transition from the cold to the warm/hot season.

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.

Starr Brothers Brewing — Featured seasonal: Hazebangers Ball (6.5% ABV), a hazy IPA with a most-excellent name for all of us Gen Xers who grew up watching a certain show on MTV when it still played music videos.

Steel Bender Brewyard — Featured seasonal: Hummingbird Pils (5.2% ABV), the wonderful spring lager is back for another run in cans and on draft.

Sunday Service Motor Company — Featured seasonal: Dry Irish Stout (5% ABV), a much more robust version of this style than many other breweries offer.

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: 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: 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: Vienna Lager (5.5% ABV) and Brown Ale (5.9% ABV), both were gold medal winners at the World Beer Cup, and both are available in cans and on draft for a limited time.

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: Apricot Sour, one of several new brews for the summer menu.

Other breweries you need to visit

Bathtub Row Brewing — Featured seasonal: Into the Woods Sahti (8.3% ABV), brewed for the Pajarito Environmental Education Center’s 25th anniversary.

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: Citranaut IPA (6.6% ABV, 25 IBU), is flying off the shelves thanks to its combo of Citra and Triumph hops.

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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