We have chronicled in the past how the construction along I-25 has put Nexus Brewery’s main location in a bit of a bind, to put it mildly. This weekend, however, will mark a bit of an opportunity to help Nexus rebound a bit with a big 14th anniversary party. Live music starts Friday at 6 p.m. and continues Saturday and Sunday. There will be smoked ribs available on the latter two days all day until they run out, plus of course the infamous chicken and waffles. There will also be specials featuring the surrounding businesses, plus a commemorative pint glass with a design that combines the original Star Trek with Dia de los Muertos ($12 apiece). Oh, and of course head brewer Randy King has a couple new brews, with the return of the popular Strawberry Milkshake IPA and the debut of the Project Genesis Pale Ale. Those will both be tapped Saturday. Everything is free to attend, so get out there and show Nexus a little extra love while filling your bellies and your souls this weekend!

New Draft:

Our most recent Beer Notes included a recap of all the collaborations at United in Beer. Many, if not all, are now on tap at the breweries that created them. Among those that we have seen announced on social media are Zanetti Gose and The Signal Man ESB at Painted Lady, Fonio Pilsner at Quarter Celtic, All Hops, No Rakes (WCIPA) at Sidetrack, Orange You Glad it’s Just a Passion Phase at Thirsty Eye and Bathtub Row, and Santa Tortuga (Vienna Lager) at Santa Fe Brewing.

La Cumbre tapped Restraint, a new pale ale, and Pro Pride, a pre-Prohibition lager. Marble packed a lot of flavor into the tiny Poquito Pilsner (3.9% ABV). Starr Brothers added a new hazy IPA, Joosy Loosy. (UPDATES) Brew Lab 101 tapped a new XIPA, Juicy Couture. Canteen will resurrect Cherry Wheat on Friday. Steel Bender will tap two kegs of Marsha P’s Cherry Brickie on Saturday.

Down south, Truth or Consequences Brewing will tap Mañana Lager on Thursday.

New Package:

Bow & Arrow will release Kicking Dust in the Canyon Wind, a new hazy IPA, in cans and on draft this Friday. Boxing Bear brought back Bear Knuckle IPA in cans and on draft. Ex Novo has a new batch of Where the Mild Things Are in cans and on draft, and Honey, I Lav You (Lavender Kolsch) should also be available soon in both formats. La Cumbre will release Project Dank: Saturn Edition in cans and on draft this Friday. (UPDATES) Bosque will bring back Pickle Down Economics on draft Thursday and in cans Friday. Bow & Arrow will also release Pearl Snaps Rice Lager in cans and on draft this Friday. Boxing Bear has Bear Shark IPA back in cans only.

Notable Events:

Today (Wednesday) — Poetry & Beer returns to Tractor Wells Park at 7 p.m.

Friday — Pour One for the Pups is a new adoption event hosted by Ex Novo Downtown from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The First Fridays Comedy Contest is back at Tractor Wells Park at 8 p.m.

Country On-Tap, a new concert series, boot scoots along at Rio Bravo at 8:30 p.m.

Saturday — The aforementioned Nexus 14th anniversary party runs all day from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Day of the Dead in June will help kick off the rebranding of Vision City into Calavida Cantina from 12:30 to 10 p.m. at the location off Alameda and Corrales.

A special book launch/signing party featuring Riddle of the Jeweled Cipher by L.J. Aldon will be held at Painted Lady at 6 p.m.

Sunday — The Hella Fresh 90s themed 5K fun run kicks off at Canteen at 8 a.m.

The Second Sunday Brunch, featuring The Freudian Slips Experience, is back at Painted Lady at noon.

Boxing Bear on Tramway will host a Pinball Tournament at 1 p.m.

The Cured & Craft Pop-Up is back at Sidetrack from 1 to 4 p.m.

Tumbleroot will host their second annual Garden Party at 2 p.m. at the Agua Fria taproom.

Tuesday — Trivia for a Cause: Cobra Kai will be held at Bosque West (the old Lava Rock) at 6 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: Sword Logic (7.1 % ABV, 75 IBU), a new West Coast IPA is available on draft.

Bow & Arrow Brewing — Featured seasonal: We Love L.A. (5.5% ABV), a hop-forward New Zealand-style pilsner, now available in cans and on draft.

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: Low and Slow Kolsch (5.2% ABV, 25 IBU), a lovely summer beer made to support saving turtles and tortoises from extinction, now available on draft and 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: Easy Come, Easy Go (4.8% ABV), a Bohemian pilsner 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: PLS German Style Pilsner (4.8% ABV), a wonderfully crushable beer perfect for outdoor summer fun, now available in cans and on draft.

La Reforma Brewery — Featured seasonal: They currently do not have any seasonal brews on tap, but among the house beers, the newest recipe is Oye Como Va, a West Coast IPA.

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: Wolfman’s Got Nards, an amber ale with a bite and one awesome name.

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: Foggy Monocle (6.1% ABV), a two-time winner of the Crew’s old Stout Challenge.

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: Pistachio Cream Ale is back for another run as your favorite summer seasonal on draft.

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.”

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: Witrock (4.6% ABV), one of the brewery’s classic offerings is back on tap.

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: Organica IPA (6.9 % ABV, 31 IBU), described by the brewery as “an Organic IPA deep gold in color, with tropical fruit & pine aromas, & a delicate bitterness to balance the sweet malts.”

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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