At long last I’ve managed to get to this delightful Look Back/Look Ahead Series article with Ror McKeown, David Facey, and Brady McKeown of the nearly one-year-old Quarter Celtic Brewpub. Stoutmeister and I were in attendance on a fine day earlier this winter for a lengthy interview. (Editor’s note: It was a fun time, but…
Author: Franz Solo
Beer is the game, and it is awesome.
Turtle Mountain gets back in the game at long last
Franz Solo here. At long last, I’ve had a chance to actually get to my remaining Look Back/Look Ahead Series articles. Life sometimes has other plans for you than you desire and that’s definitely a good bit of what kept these on the backburner. Without further ado, I was able to hang out with both…
Back to the front: A tale of Chama River
Editor’s note: Franz Solo did a slew of interviews in recent weeks for our Look Back/Look Ahead Series. Then it was just a matter of finding the time to transcribe and type them up. With the briefest of openings in his schedule, he was able to complete Chama River’s entry. Look for his stories on…
Boxing Bear scores one-punch knockout with Vantablack Russian Imperial Stout
On the recommendation of Stoutmeister, who managed to grab a taste of this one before me, I was struck with love at first pint by the glory of Boxing Bear’s Vantablack Russian Imperial Stout. We begin with a roasted, sweet aroma, and a hint of hops. A mighty roar smashes mid-palate with toasty malty goodness,…
Boxing Bear: A knight’s tale of looking back to look ahead
As I am one of two members of the Brew Crew who reside on the west side of Rio Grande, I have a certain love of breweries nestled on the riverbank or atop the western mesa of my dear ‘Burque. I was living within a short walk of the former bar space that is now…
A tale of Turtle Mountain: Purgatorio behind, Paradiso for the taking.
Time and work have a way of dominating my creative juices at times. I have sat on this and another of our year-end articles for too long by my reckoning, and to the consternation of my editor to be sure. (Yeah, just a bit. — S) A while back I had the utmost pleasure of sitting…
A brace of Baltic Porters for Oktober
Maltheads rejoice for your season is at hand! From brutal Russian imperial stouts to delectable porters, doppelbocks, winter warmers, and beyond, ’tis the season of the malt. We in the Brew Crew are no strangers to the Baltic Porter, style having brewed one of our own in collaboration with Canteen Brewing last winter. As those…
A winter warmer worthy of Odin’s Eye
Editor’s note: As anyone walking their dog could tell you this morning (or at least those of us dogsitting), the temperatures are dropping and the weather is becoming perfect for many variations of darker beers. Timing it just right, Franz Solo has a review of a locally-made, perfectly seasonal beer that is still for sale…
Homage to Metal: The great pilgrimage to Denver ’15
We were somewhere around Wagon Mound, on the edge of the northern plains, when the bugs began to take hold. No seriously, these were a veritable swarm of all sorts of insectoids smashing and crashing against the car. Wait until you see the goddamn locusts! But I digress, it was a warm sunny day when…
Sturm Brauerei: Birth of a home brewer
From a wish to an idea to the bottled goodness we call beer, this is my tale concerning how I became a home brewer and the adventures I’ve had along the way. Twenty years ago I was in my parents’ home wondering what in the blazes was this odd aroma coming from the kitchen. My…
DARK SIDE BREW CREW 