The Santa Fe Beer & Food Festival is back this Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. both days at the historic El Rancho de las Golondrinas. It’s accessible from Exit 271 outside the city of Santa Fe. Tickets are available via that earlier link, or you can go straight to Hold My Ticket. Participating breweries include Beer Creek, Blü Dragonfly, Downshift, Little Toad Creek, Santa Fe Brewing, Second Street, Steel Bender, Tractor, and Tumbleroot. There will also be Black Mesa Winery, pouring ciders only, and Mystic Ambrosia Mead, if you are looking for something brief break from beer. The lineup is different than most Albuquerque festivals, and that plus the setting sets this festival apart. The Crew might just have to check it out for a change of pace. A change that still has delicious beer, of course.

New Draft:

Bosque has teased a spicy pickle beer coming out Friday, but it’s TBA as far as the name and whether or not it will also be available in cans (UPDATE) it’s called Hot Commodity and will be only on draft. Brew Lab 101 tapped Crimson Moon Blood Orange Cider. Ex Novo recently added Was and Always Is, a West Coast IPA. Flock of Moons made another batch of their summer lager, Mare Nubium, and also added Lorelei’s Tears, a fruited gose. Painted Lady will release Cats and Dogs Living Together, a mango wheat ale, on Friday. Thirsty Eye tapped their recent IPA Challenge entry, Deciduous Sky DIPA, and will also release a new batch of the tea-infused Odin’s Monocle on Friday. (UPDATES) Gravity Bound tapped Cowboy Caviar, a new DIPA, and brought back Lil Feller, a West Coast Pilsner.

Up in Los Alamos, Bathtub Row tapped Big, Beautiful Dill, a pickle kolsch. Further north, Red River Brewing added Coconut Cream Ale and Mango Habanero Wheat.

New Package:

No can releases have been announced yet, but stay tuned. (UPDATES) Ex Novo brought back Yabba Dabba Don’t, a hazy IPA, in cans and on draft. As it turned out, La Cumbre did not release I Lüv Ümlaüts Lager last Friday, but will in cans and on draft this Friday. Santa Fe Brewing likewise had to delay their launch party release of Zozobra 101, a Mexican dark lager, in cans and on draft to this Friday at SFBC HQ.

Notable Events:

Today (Wednesday) — Tractor Wells Park brings back Poetry & Beer at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday — It’s National IPA Day everywhere. Check your favorite spots to see if they have anything special planned.

Friday — The final night (sniff) of Harmon Lane Brewing will kick off between 4 and 5 p.m. and runs until 8 p.m. or the beer runs out. AC2 American Chinese will be the food truck out front.

ArtWalk is downtown from 5 to 9 p.m., and Sidetrack will have an art opening and music from Adobe Disco starting at 6 p.m.

Music is the Enemy and a number of other wild bands will descend upon JUNO at 7 p.m.

Painted Lady has another round of Scary Movie Bingo, this time featuring the original Ghostbusters, starting at 7 p.m.

Goth Night & Dark Market is back at Tractor Wells Park at 8 p.m.

(UPDATE) Sips and Hips, a free bellydance show, will be at Brew Lab 101 in Rio Rancho at 8 p.m.

Saturday — Thirst for the Outdoors runs from noon to 3 p.m. at Canteen.

Punk Rock Matinee is back at High and Dry at 3 p.m.

The Desert Darlings return to Tractor Wells Park for Belly Nouveau at 8 p.m.

Sunday — The Freudian Slips Experience returns for a variety show at Painted Lady at noon.

Tuesday — Canteen Taproom hosts the BBQ Beer Pairing for $35 per person from 6 to 8 p.m.

Quick News Bits:

Some good news from down south, Lost Hiker Brewing is reopening their main brewery location in Ruidoso Downs. The new owners got their small brewer license from the state and will be ready to go Thursday night. Check their social media for more information. The midtown location in Ruidoso will reopen in mid-September.

Otherwise, it’s quiet out there, can’t you tell by our lack of other stories?

Albuquerque metro area breweries

Boese Brothers Brewery — Featured seasonal: Amber Ale (5.8% ABV), a smooth little malt-forward brew perfect for cool summer nights.

Bombs Away Beer Company — Featured seasonal: Power Source Porter (6.7% ABV, 40 IBU), a delicious take on a Baltic porter, and one of the few dark beers still on tap this summer for those who like to defy the heat.

Bosque Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: Scotia Light (5.6% ABV), a lower alcohol version of the popular Scotia.

Bow & Arrow Brewing — Featured seasonal: Desert Standard – German Pils (4.7% ABV), is the latest entry in the rotating lager series, available in cans and on draft.

Boxing Bear Brewing Company — Featured seasonal: OktoBEARfest (5.3% ABV), the traditional German lager is back for another run in cans and on draft.

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.

Calavida Cantina — Featured seasonal: Contact the brewery formerly known as Vision City for an updated list of seasonals.

Canteen Brewhouse — Featured seasonal: Tuttle Hazy IPA (7% ABV), now available in cans in addition to being on draft like it is most summers.

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: Corraleño (5% ABV), a lighter American lager 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: The taps are being drained too fast by all you thirsty GB fans!

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 for one last week.

High and Dry Brewing — Featured seasonal: They just got started brewing again under new brewer Cami O’Brien, so they will be starting out with three revamped versions of Rye Orbison, Ghost of a Moon, and Special Shapes IPA. We recommend the Orbison, though all are worth trying.

Hops Brewery — Featured seasonal: Hoptoberfest is back early this year to help prep you for the upcoming fall season.

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: Burque Bock (4.9%), a tribute to a certain famous Texas beer.

Nexus Brewery — Featured seasonal: Project Genesis Pale Ale, one of two beers brewed for the 14th anniversary party, this one is highlighted by the sweet fruit flavor from the Idaho 7 hops.

Painted Lady Bed and Brew — Featured seasonal: See the new beers above for this week’s release.

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: Capri-derhosen (5.3% ABV), the award-winning German red lager is back on draft.

Rio Bravo Brewing — Featured seasonal: Love Gravy (9.5% ABV), a hefty barrel-aged stout that defies summer.

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: Nine Mile Pilsner (4.9% ABV, 35 IBU), a perfect patio beer for the dog days of summer.

Starr Brothers Brewing — Featured seasonal: Cologne-ial Kolsch (4.2% ABV, 30 IBU), another perfect beer for the dog days of summer.

Steel Bender Brewyard — Featured seasonal: Teddy Roe’s Policy IPA (7.8% ABV, 48 IBU), a new juicy version of the popular ale is available 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% ABV), 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.

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: Oktoberfest (6% ABV), oh yes, it’s back in July, and we care not about the date because it’s still a tasty German lager 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: Belgian Table Beer (4.3% ABV), a simple, no-frills golden ale with some tangy Belgian yeast flavor.

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