We do love the ongoing trend of lager festivals. They help get us through these scorching summers, after all. Now it’s southern New Mexico’s turn with Lagerpalooza, this Saturday at Truth or Consequences Brewing from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are $19 in advance and available online. Otherwise, it will be $22 at the door. That gets you a flight of six lagers and a pint of your favorite. There are 12 breweries participating, with only Bosque (which has a large presence in Las Cruces), Quarter Celtic, and Tractor from north of TorC. Otherwise, it’s an almost-all-southern festival, with 575 Brewing (Alamogordo), Cloudcroft Brewing, Downshift Brewing (Ruidoso), Icebox Brewing (Las Cruces), Little Toad Creek (Silver City), Milton’s Brewing (Carlsbad), Open Space Brewing (Santa Clara) and Spotted Dog Brewing (Mesilla) joining the hosts. This is a fantastic opportunity to try beers from a lot of breweries you may have yet to visit, but really should. Remember, southern breweries took second (Downshift) and third (Icebox) at the IPA Challenge, the first time that’s ever happened. The quality of beer being brewed to the south of the Albuquerque metro area is only getting better. And, who knows, you might just see the Crew down there. It’s only a two-hour drive, after all, and we have driven much further for beer in the past!

New Draft:

Bosque tapped Supreme Mango, a new brew in their series of fruited wheat beers. Canteen recently brought back Shogun Willie Rice Lager. Ex Novo brought back Felt Cuke, Might Delete Later, their cucumber kolsch. Flock of Moons has a limited supply of Tomorrow Begat Tomorrow, their Belgian dark strong aged in a cognac cask. High and Dry recently tapped Jiminy Krispness, a tasty kolsch. Kaktus added Lake Skipper Double IPA. Marble changed over a bunch of taps again with Exhibition DIPA, Vienna Lager, Crispy Crystal Lager, All for tha Chinooky (Pale Ale), and Pilsner Burqueull joining the seasonal lineup. Tractor will tap Traktoberfest on Friday. (UPDATES) Canteen will release their Oktoberfest lager Friday. Marble has Marblefest on draft, cans are in the works, and the actual festival will be September 13.

Up in Los Alamos, Bathtub Row tapped Hey Ladies! Pilsner, Bear-y Brown, and brought back Mild & Lazy and Caldera Kolsch.

New Package:

Boxing Bear has a double drop on back-to-back days, with Wiggle Piggle Pale Ale in cans and on draft this Friday, followed by Dr. Ink Me 5 IPA in cans and on draft this Saturday. La Cumbre points us all toward fall with the release of Oktoberfest in cans and on draft this Friday. (UPDATE) Bow & Arrow has a fresh batch of Funksloth in bottles.

Notable Events:

Thursday — Trivia for a Cause: Marvel Cinematic Universe runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at Bosque Nob Hill.

Friday — Boxing Bear will host a release party and puppy supply drive for the aforementioned Wiggle Piggle Pale Ale from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Firestone location.

Saturday — Canteen hosts a Book Swap from noon to 3 p.m.

Bosque West hosts a Summer Nights Mini-Mercado from 5 to 9 p.m.

Author Cody Polston returns to Painted Lady for another edition of Ghostology 101 at 6 p.m.

The Boxing Bear team will head over to 2505 Craftwerks for the Ignite 505 Party, featuring the aforementioned release of Dr. Ink Me 5 IPA, from 6 to 10 p.m.

Tuesday — Trivia for a Cause: King of the Hill will be at Bosque Cottonwood from 6 to 9 p.m.

Quick News Bits:

Some good news from down south, Lost Hiker Brewing has reopened their main brewery location in Ruidoso Downs. The midtown location in Ruidoso will reopen in mid-September. Oh, and they are selling all LHB clothing for 50-percent off for the remainder of August. Not a bad deal, right?

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: Drunk Astronaut, the annual summer seasonal IPA is loaded with Galaxy hops. Get it?

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: Southwesty IPA v.5 (7% ABV), the latest in the series of rotating West Coast IPAs.

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: Maizey Train, a Mexican lager that actually seems to be able to stay on tap somewhat consistently because you all drink up the IPAs way too fast. Which is a good thing.

Harmon Lane Brewing at Southwest Grape and Grain — A final farewell to this little gem of a brewery. You will be missed. Thanks for the fun memories.

High and Dry Brewing — Featured seasonal: They just got started brewing again under new brewer Cami O’Brien, so they have started out with three revamped versions of Rye Orbison, Ghost of a Moon, and Special Shapes IPA. Oh, and there is one more listed above.

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: Helles Lager (5.1% ABV), called the best damn lager of the summer by a knowledgeable friend of ours, 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: Thunder from Dortmunder (5.8% ABV), more than just one of the all-time great beer names, it’s also an award-winning German lager.

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: Cats and Dogs Living Together, a mango wheat ale named after one of the many great lines in the original Ghostbusters.

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: Bitter Sweet Goodbye (5.4% ABV, 20 IBU), a delicious English bitter, brewed to honor outgoing owners Dan Herr and Anne O’Neill.

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