The National IPA Challenge, hosted by the Brewing News, gets harder and harder every year. Want proof? Look no further than the fact that of the 18 entries from New Mexico, nine were knocked out in the first round this year, the results of which were announced today. Add to that some tough sledding in…
Author: Stoutmeister
Former sports writer in Tucson, LA, and Burque. Now I write about craft beer, which is a totally reasonable way to support my hobby of spending afternoons and evenings indulging in the finest stouts, lagers, and more.
High and Dry hosts live podcast on beer history
Shameless self promotion is not usually my thing, but I felt compelled to share this event. Tonight (Friday) at 7 p.m., High and Dry Brewing will host a live recording of the City on the Edge podcast featuring yours truly. We will be delving into the history of Albuquerque’s brewing scene, which of course I…
The Week Ahead in Beer: The brew will always love you
Greetings, New Mexico craft beer lovers. Stoutmeister here with The Week Ahead in Beer. This column covers all the breweries in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, with Santa Fe’s six breweries, one in Los Alamos, and one in Moriarty also joining the party. Ah, yes, Valentine’s Day is upon us again. Good luck to all of…
Lava Rock slowly bubbles to the surface on the West Side
The first of two finish lines is in sight at Lava Rock Brewing. After enduring many a delay, the newest brewery on the West Side will open, sans its own beers, this month. That second finish line, the one with its beers on tap, well, that is still obscured by the sluggish bureaucracy of the…
Ponderosa finds its comfort zone while awaiting completion of new taproom
It was all about the little things at Ponderosa Brewing in 2017. Whether it was doing a bit of remodeling, experimenting with new beer styles, introducing a canned beer for the first time, or just focusing on making the brewery into a true neighborhood pub, it all seems to have paid off. “2017 was really…
La Cumbre hops across the river with its first taproom
After years and years of rumors, it is official — La Cumbre Brewing is opening its first off-site taproom. Rejoice, West Side residents, for it will be on your side of the Rio Grande. I sat down with owner Jeff Erway, marketing director Cory Campbell, and taproom manager Jenn B to confirm the pending off-site…
The Week Ahead in Beer: One opening and one anniversary highlight the weekend
Greetings, New Mexico craft beer lovers. Stoutmeister here with The Week Ahead in Beer. This column covers all the breweries in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, with Santa Fe’s six breweries, one in Los Alamos, and one in Moriarty also joining the party. UPDATE: We received word directly from the brewer at Lava Rock that his brewery…
Stout Challenge VII: A long-time favorite claims its 1st title
We drank four gallons of stout. Somehow, we are still alive. Seven members of the Dark Side Brew Crew gathered on Super Bowl Sunday to judge 17 stouts from around the ABQ metro area in a blind taste test. For the seventh time in seven years, a different brewery took home the title. We judged…
Stout Challenge VII: The darkness overwhelms us again
As more and more breweries open around the Albuquerque metro area, more and more stouts keep getting added to our annual Stout Challenge. Luckily, this year for the seventh edition, we should (hopefully, maybe) have more Crew members present than ever before to drink them all. For those who have not followed us for long,…
New Mexico breweries bring home 9 more competition medals
Another beer competition, another positive showing for New Mexico. Four local breweries claimed nine medals total at the Best of Craft Beer Awards in Bend, Oregon, this week. Flix Brewhouse was the big winner with four medals. Luna Rosa claimed gold in the Belgian-Style Witbier category, while Mr. Brownstone also snagged gold in the English-Style…
DARK SIDE BREW CREW 