Brandon Daniel

Saturday Night Sixer: Narwhal Imperial Stout from Sierra Nevada Brewing

Greetings beer fanatics, Brandon has returned for another weekend edition of Saturday Night Sixer! Not sure of what sixer to grab on your way to that fall barbecue?? Staring endlessly at row after row of bombers, contemplating which one is going to please your palate?? Or looking for something out of the ordinary to change…

NM Brew Fest: A sensory overload of joyous beer

Well folks, the first week of October has come and gone, and that means the New Mexico Brew Fest has come and gone. This year’s Brew Fest, again held at Villa Hispana at Expo New Mexico, had a great turnout for the third installment of this annual event which is quickly becoming a staple of the…

Beer Weekend: The 3rd Annual New Mexico Brew Fest

Well folks, it’s that time of year again … BREW FEST! That’s right, the third annual New Mexico Brew Fest and Music Showcase is happening this Saturday starting at 1 p.m. This event has grown each year since its inception, and this year is no different as it will feature tasting booths from breweries all…

Saturday Night Sixer—An autumn starter session

Greetings brew fanatics! Brandon, a.k.a. Cryptogrind here with this week’s installment of Saturday Night Sixer! Is a weekend bonfire in the works? Need something to calm the rage from that Monday Night Football match-up this past week?? Planning on spending a weekend in the mountains before the cool fall weather and wanting that perfect brew to complement…

Saturday Night Sixer: Left Hand Brewing Company’s Oktoberfest

Greetings beer boys and gals! Brandon Daniel, a.k.a Cryptogrind here, back from a long summer sabbatical from work, education and living life. I bring to you a new series called the Saturday Night Sixer! Unsure of what malty, hoppy beverage to grab for your weekend shindig? Having trouble deciding on what brew would be enjoyed…

Brewology—The taste of homebrew

Greetings to all, it’s your old friend Cryptogrind here with another installment of Brewology! The culmination of lots of hard work, careful monitoring, and a liberal amounts of grains and hops finally reached the palate this past weekend, and we were all eagerly anticipating this day. So what better way to celebrate than a party…

Brewology—Bottles to the ground! (or rather, beer into the bottles)

In this latest update in the Brewology series, I will take you through the bottling process, which is arguably the simplest step in brewing your own beer, as I found out. It also turns out to be a great way to gather friends together; what better way to promote bonding than by helping out with…

Brewology—Brewminator 2: Brewing Day

Fellow beer drinkers and beer lovers…I am proud to say that I have officially brewed my first batch of beer! Now keep in mind, I’m using the term brewed; I’m only a portion of the way through the process, and I still have a ways to go before I can enjoy a pint of this…

Brewology—Gearing up for the First Brew

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me … This weekend, being a time for the celebration of my birth, I figured I would treat myself to a present. And what better gift than one that will keep on giving (at least until the bottles run empty). This weekend I ventured out and begin to…

Brewology—The Mad Science Behind the Pint

This is the first in a series of articles I’ll be doing on craft behind the finished product. Interested in the science, chemistry and crafting behind brewing? Then read on! Keep in mind, I’m no brewmaster; this is simply my own knowledge and experience, so if you have something to add or comment on, please…