Oh, sure, we could have used the obligatory sweet 16 in that headline, but we do not want to be sued by CBS and the NCAA.

Anyway, the preliminary round of the 2025 New Mexico IPA Challenge was held this Saturday at Gravity Bound to narrow down a large field of competitors into the finalists that shall participate in the upcoming public rounds.

The Crew got there in time to see the results revealed, and chatted off-hand with some of the many brewers in attendance. The one thing we learned was that the brewers, who handle this round, all said it was the strongest field in years. There were very few IPAs with off flavors, we were told, and ranking the entries at each table was more difficult than past years.

For those unfamiliar with the preliminary round and its structure, it is similar in respects to the public round, as it is all a blind taste test. But, the change here is that each brewery representative sits at a table where his/her entry does not appear. Basically, all the brewers at Table 1 will be drinking IPAs from other breweries, and the same goes for the other tables. This ensures a much more objective process.

In the end, the 16 finalists (the maximum number of samples allowed on a tray, per Alcohol Beverage Control) was selected, featuring a mix of some brewery heavyweights, some newer upstarts, and one first timer.

At first we thought everyone had participated at least once before in the final round, but Bathtub Row head brewer Adam Auden thought it was the first time the Los Alamos brewery made it. Well, he was right, as the Crew went back through our NMIPAC records (dating back to 2012, before the Tub opened).

Everyone else has appeared in the public rounds at least once before. Here are the 16 finalists, with their best past finishes (from 2012 onward) listed.

• Bathtub Row (1st appearance)
• Bow & Arrow (3rd, 2023)
• Boxing Bear (4-time winner, 2016-17, 2019, 2021)
• Canteen (won 4 straight from 2009-12)
• Downshift (11th, 2022, 2024)
• Ex Novo (3rd, 2019)
• Gravity Bound (2-time winner, 2022, 2024)
• Icebox (4th, 2021)
• La Cumbre (2nd, 2013)
• Marble (2nd, 2012, 2014)
• Ponderosa (8th tied, 2024)
• Santa Fe (4th, 2012)
• Second Street (5th, 2015, 2021, 2022)
• Sidetrack (13th, 2023)
• Thirsty Eye (9th, 2021)
• Tumbleroot (6th tied, 2019)

The field is also fairly well distributed from a geographic perspective. There are four breweries from north of Albuquerque (Bathtub Row, Santa Fe, Second Street, Tumbleroot) and two from south of the metro area (Downshift of Ruidoso, Icebox of Las Cruces).

All of the public round hosts will be competing. Santa Fe is hosting the first round at The Bridge this coming Saturday, followed by Icebox at their main location on Picacho on July 19. Canteen will host the final round for the first time since they were Il Vicino Brewing and won their fourth straight title back in 2012. That takes place July 26, with three staggered sessions at noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. Ticket links to all rounds and sessions are available at the New Mexico Brewers Guild website under the events tab.

As always, this is in the spirit of fun and camaraderie among the brewers, and it is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Guild. Everyone takes it seriously, but only up to a point, so if they aren’t going to take it personally if their IPA doesn’t win, no one in the public should get overly critical of the process (but some always do, and we ignore them and move along).

The Crew will definitely be at the final round at Canteen, and there is a good chance one or more of us will be at the Santa Fe round. We will keep everyone up to date with the voting totals for each round when those are announced.

If you have any questions about the NMIPAC, particularly if you are thinking of participating for the first time, send us a DM on social media or email us at nmdarksidebrewcrew@gmail.com. If we cannot answer it, we will forward your inquiry to the Guild and/or the host breweries.

Happy hoppy season, everyone!

— Stoutmeister