It has not been an easy time in the local craft beer industry, as we have reported so often of late, and for Calavida Cantina things seemed to go from bad to worse with a recent robbery that grabbed the local headlines. Well, we are happy to report that the brewery is not only recovering…
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.
First-time head brewer takes the reins at the new Flix Brewhouse location
There were some good things that came out of the COVID pandemic. No, really, there were. Well, one thing, at least, as the new head brewer at the new Flix Brewhouse location told us recently. “It was a COVID hobby, beer drinking, (since) patios were the only things open,” said Holly Garand as we sat…
The Week Ahead in Beer: Ending fest season with a double bang
It was bound to happen eventually, but it appears we are at the end of Oktoberfest season. Oh, some of those delicious lagers will still be available for a while, but the last two events we had on our radar are this Saturday. One is in Albuquerque, the other in Santa Fe, and both have…
Breaking down the meaning of the Bosque Brewing bankruptcy filing
The news started to break Sunday night that Bosque Brewing had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. By Monday afternoon, the Crew was able to confirm that the brewery had indeed filed. So what does it mean? Well, first and foremost, Bosque is not closing, not as a company nor any individual locations. A Chapter 11…
Second Street is the lone NM brewery to bring home a medal from GABF
On the one hand, congratulations to Second Street. On the other hand, oof, what a tough year for New Mexico breweries at the Great American Beer Festival awards ceremony. Second Street earned a bronze for one of their house beers, Rod’s Best Bitter, in the Extra Special Bitter category. RBB beat out another 58 beers…
Great American Beer Festival underway once again in Denver
Once upon a time, the Crew was all about the Great American Beer Festival. One or more of us was there every year between 2016-19, plus 2022 when it returned after the pandemic. Since then? Eh, not a high priority on our annual calendar. It’s not necessarily the fault of the event itself. Surge pricing…
A familiar face in a new place: Canteen stays local with new head brewer
Will Moorman was a familiar face to anyone who visited Flix Brewhouse on the westside from the time it opened in 2017 to around the pandemic era. After all, they slapped a life-sized cut-out of him on the brewery door for all the movie and beer patrons to see. Then Moorman climbed the ladder and…
The Week Ahead in Beer: The Beast arrives for special occasion down south
And, we’re back! An epic two-week vacation has concluded, all Crew members have returned safely, and I did not buy everything at the Bayern Munich store (it was tempting, however). Now, I could sit here and regale everyone with the tales of our trek through Europe, but that would be silly. If anyone out there…
2025 Balloon Fiesta tourist guide to local craft breweries
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is back in town, having started this past Saturday and running through the following weekend. This is the biggest annual tourism draw in Albuquerque, and while we realize this means the restaurants will be packed and the roads will be clogged, we recognize the massive economic impact it provides to…
The Crew is going on vacation and the site will take a two-week hiatus
So a while back, some of us in the Crew had a discussion about what was left on our beer bucket lists. You know, those beer-centered trips to special places or events. I got to go to Oktoberfest in Munich back in the early 1980s, but I was just a wee kinder, and all I…
DARK SIDE BREW CREW 