Stoutmeister

A beer about something: 3 breweries collaborate on SereniTEA Now for charity

The generous trio of Canteen Brewhouse, High and Dry Brewing, and Steel Bender Brewyard are at it again, teaming up to help a worthy local nonprofit with a collaboration beer and some special events. Agora Crisis Center, a student organization at the University of New Mexico, is the recipient, just like in 2019, the last…

The West Coast-style IPAs roar back in 2nd round of NMIPAC at Beer Creek

If the first round of the 2021 New Mexico IPA Challenge seemed to indicate that the first hazy champion was inevitable, the second round told a very different story. The 16 finalists competed again with a new crop of customers at Beer Creek Brewing on Highway 14 south of Santa Fe on Saturday afternoon. This…

Nexus and Tumbleroot tied for 1st after opening round of NM IPA Challenge

The voters in Las Cruces had their say Wednesday night, and it was a close finish atop the standings as the first round of the 2021 New Mexico IPA Challenge was completed at Icebox Brewing. Nexus Brewery and Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery tied atop the standings with 16 votes apiece, followed closely by host Icebox…

Analyzing the field ahead of the first public round of the NM IPA Challenge

The haze has overtaken the clear. After years of West Coast-style IPA dominance, this year’s final 16 entries in the New Mexico IPA Challenge are primarily of the hazy New England style. So can one of them become the first winner of an in-person NMIPAC? Rio Bravo’s hazy Dice Roll IPA won the take-home edition…

Breaking News: Brewers Guild forced to cancel 3rd round of NM IPA Challenge

The 2021 edition of the New Mexico IPA Challenge was reduced from four rounds to three on Monday night. Due to a combination of low ticket sales and a possible new COVID-related lockdown for San Juan County, the third round of the competition set for November 17 at Lauter Haus Brewing in Farmington has been…

Preliminary round of NM IPA Challenge produces some surprising finalists

The brewers had their say Saturday afternoon, narrowing down a field of 35 IPAs to a final 16 for the upcoming public rounds of the 2021 New Mexico IPA Challenge. As one might expect, there were some surprises in the breweries that advanced, and those that did not. Here are the 16 finalists. Boxing Bear…

Downtown breweries appreciate all that Artwalk brings to their taprooms

The weather is sure cooperating with the organizers of the monthly ABQ Artwalk in downtown this Friday. The festivities kick off at 5 p.m. and run through most of the night at multiple places on Central and adjacent streets. From today’s events to all those in past months, Artwalk has provided a major boost for…

The Week Ahead in Beer: Embrace the darkness in its many forms

A smooth stout appears in cans, an epic imperial stout returns in bottles, we celebrate the dead, dance to a certain spooky family’s theme, and blast our souls into oblivion with local metal. Yeah, it’s our kind of week. New Draft: Boese Brothers also joins this darker setting with Soul Stealer Extra Stout. (UPDATE) Bombs…

NM IPA Challenge preliminary round field of 37 entries is all set for judging

UPDATE: A brewery was left off the list of participants. Lots of edits to follow. Thirty-seven breweries enter. Only 16 will leave. OK, it is not exactly the quote from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, but the preliminary round field for the 2021 New Mexico IPA Challenge is set for Saturday’s pro judging round at the…

Beer Premier brought out some truly delectable new brews for all to enjoy

The annual Beer Premier was a hit this Saturday at Nexus Blue Smokehouse. Twenty brews made their debuts from 21 breweries (one was a collaboration) for the crowd of assembled beer geeks and industry insiders, all presented with aplomb by the New Mexico Brewers Guild. The important question now is when will these delicious elixirs…