It was a close vote at the 2022 New Mexico Brewers Guild Stout Invitational on Saturday, but at the end it was La Cumbre who came out on top. With 29 votes, the longtime Albuquerque heavyweight prevailed over a field of 16 stouts in a blind taste test held over three sessions at Bathtub Row…
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.
Oskar Blues embraces the classic IPA style with Western Mutant series
A few weeks back, we were a little surprised to receive an email from Oskar Blues Brewing of Colorado about their new Western Mutant IPA series, which is basically their version of La Cumbre’s Project Dank, a rotating series of West Coast-style ales. The surprising part of the email was that it included the opportunity…
Stout Invitational returns with a twist to Los Alamos after 1-year COVID hiatus
Before the dark times arrived in March 2020, the last great beer event held was the New Mexico Brewers Guild Stout Invitational at Bathtub Row Brewing in Los Alamos. Flix Brewhouse took home the trophy in the February competition, a blind taste test of 16 stouts from around the state. And then, COVID, and darkness,…
Nexus Brewery prepares for internal expansion at both taprooms in 2022
Nexus Brewery weathered the toughest parts of the pandemic, and is now almost back to its prior sales numbers. It has not been easy to get there, but owner Ken Carson and head brewer Randy King are feeling upbeat as 2022 rolls along. I sat down with both of them for our Look Back/Look Ahead…
Quarter Celtic Brewpub slowly but surely getting back to having fun again
There has always been a sense of fun when it comes to Quarter Celtic. Long ago, in the before (COVID) times, the brewpub would post funny videos, come up with clever beer names, and just keep everything light and cheerful. Then came the pandemic, which got so rough that at one point, the Quarter Celtic…
Lizard Tail tries to stay optimistic while facing ‘brutal’ reality of growing pains
The last time we checked in with Lizard Tail Brewing, things were looking up after the brewery purchased and revamped the former Cantero Brewing, had plans to open multiple taprooms from Nob Hill to Four Hills to Mesa Del Sol, and was even ready to start canning and distributing beers. When I caught up with…
The Week Ahead in Beer: Mardi Gras blows up even before Tuesday
There are a few new brews this week, but the big happening is the return of Mardi Gras celebrations to the breweries. It has been a long time since they have been able to celebrate this annual carnival, so quite a few places are going all out this Saturday and Sunday. In a way, this…
Brew Lab 101 survives and thrives as it expands its footprint inside and out
There is growth afoot over at Brew Lab 101 in Rio Rancho, even if most folks cannot see it yet. The brewery has expanded one suite over to help alleviate storage concerns, there are plans to expand the back patio, and a possible increase in distribution is on deck for the rest of 2022. I…
Flix Brewhouse hits accelerator as it finally gets the opportunity to reopen
Will Moorman is a patient man. At least, that is what we figured after the head brewer at Flix Brewhouse had to wait a very, very long time to resume doing what he loves compared to others whose breweries were shut down for only a few months or weeks during the pandemic. Flix, in contrast,…
New Brewers Guild executive director stoked to return to her home state
If the new executive director of the New Mexico Brewers Guild looks familiar to anyone, it would probably to the former loyal customers of one of our state’s classic brewpubs, Chama River, that is sadly no more. That alone is the first sign that a lot has changed since Tess Vidalis left New Mexico, and…
DARK SIDE BREW CREW 