Greetings fellow beer lovers, Franz Solo here with the second entry to my portion of our annual Look Back/Look Ahead Series. I live just minutes away from Flix Brewhouse and have enjoyed quite a few lovely film-and-beer days and nights there since their opening. It was my pleasure to talk to head brewer Will Moorman…
Author: Franz Solo
Beer is the game, and it is awesome.
Lava Rock Brewing erupts with updated beer lineup and kitchen partnership
Greetings and prost, fellow beer aficionados! Franz Solo here after a bit of a hiatus due to the arrival of my daughter over the summer. I began my part of our yearly Look Back/Look Ahead Series with a quick trip over to my neighborhood (Taylor Ranch) brewery, M’tuccis at Lava Rock Brewing. For those unfamiliar…
Turtle Mountain strikes gold before turning 20 years old
Turtle Mountain is turning 20 years old in just a few weeks, which is quite the milestone for a brewery, let alone a restaurant. I was able to sit down and chat with both head brewer Mick Hahn and owner Nico Ortiz regarding their stellar 2018, and what 2019 has in store for them. Solo:…
The beer is flowing at Southwest Grape and Grain
Our friends at Southwest Grape and Grain recently completed their growler-filling/pint-pouring (beer, while you shop for making more beer) station, with package sales as well so bombers and cans aplenty. I, Franz Solo, headed over and talked to owner Donavan Lane about what we can expect from this lovely development going forward and about the…
Musings from GABF 2018: Dawn of the Dragon on Day 1
Franz Solo here. I’ve finally gotten around to piecing together my take on our second GABF experience as members of the esteemed press. (Your second, my third, Luke’s first. — S) What follows is exactly what happened, nothing omitted, nothing added, no more, no less than the truth, er, that’s what we usually do. And now…
Red Door soars toward year number four
Another year has passed for Red Door — wait, how did this year just, wasn’t it just GABF, ahem, never mind! — and they will be celebrating this Friday at the Candelaria brewery location (we recommend utilizing Lyft and such as parking is at a premium). Stoutmeister and I sat down with head brewer Matt…
La Cumbre Westside will open in grand fashion this Monday
Franz Solo here on the cusp of your weekend to announce the opening of La Cumbre’s taproom this coming Monday, the 20th of August. Located on Albuquerque’s west side at the new shopping center on the southeast corner of Coors and Montaño, this is quite a lovely addition to those of us who live in…
Bears in space?!?! A Space Bear Oddity takes flight
Another year for Boxing Bear Brewing has arrived and to mark the occasion, Justin Hamilton and company brewed a collaborative hazy IPA with Odd13 Brewing in Colorado. With Stoutmeister on vacation and the rest of the Crew otherwise engaged at work and such, I headed over solo on Saturday to get my paws on this…
Ponderosa’s El Vado Taproom now open as an anchor of redeveloped site
Greetings fair readers, Franz Solo here, the other day upon learning that the El Vado taproom for Ponderosa Brewing had opened for business, I was tasked by Stoutmeister with checking it out. As it happens, the historic El Vado Motel, which first opened in 1937 and will reopen after some pretty awesome looking renovations this…
Southwest Grape and Grain shines in its new home
For anyone that was still unaware, Southwest Grape and Grain has moved to a new home at 3401 Candelaria Blvd NE on the north side of the street just west of Carlisle. As the Crew’s main home brewer at this point, I, Franz Solo, headed over to meet with owner Donavan Lane to get a…
DARK SIDE BREW CREW 