It was a good day to be a brewery from Southern New Mexico.

The second round of the 2026 New Mexico Brewers Guild IPA Challenge was held at Icebox Brewing’s main location in Las Cruces on Saturday, with the hosts topping the round while another brewery from the region extending its overall lead.

Icebox racked up a round-high 17 votes, giving the brewery 20 overall and third place.

Downshift Brewing, of nearby Ruidoso, added another 11 votes to move to 27 overall. Downshift was the runner-up last year and could be positioned to be the first southern brewery to win it all.

Of course, the final round in Albuquerque, set for next Saturday at Boxing Bear Firestone, always tends to favor local breweries, too. Only Santa Fe’s Blue Corn (RIP) ever took the trophy from Albuquerque’s brewery contingent.

The top Albuquerque brewery remained Sidetrack, which added 10 more votes for 23 overall, put it in second place behind Downshift.

Gravity Bound only picked up another three votes, but still remains at 18 total for fourth place. Flix added six more votes to sit at 17 overall, good enough for fifth place. Bow & Arrow (+9) and Canteen (+6) are tied for sixth place with 16 total votes. Ex Novo (+3) sits eighth with 14 votes.

Defending champion Boxing Bear (+4) sits at just 11 votes, but homefield advantage could give the Bear the boost it needs to capture a sixth overall title.

A big thanks to NMBG executive director Ebbie Edmonston for sending us the voting totals.

We will see many of you at Boxing Bear Firestone next week. Get those tickets online now before it sells out.

Keep supporting local!

— Stoutmeister