Normally, when one of us gets a text from a brewer, it pertains to a beer release, or perhaps a question about something related to his/her brewery. On Thursday afternoon, it was a text from eagle-eyed Ponderosa head brewer Antonio Fernandez that let us know about a surprising Facebook post from another brewery here in…
Category: Brewery Obit
Broken Trail owner opens up on his decision to close brewery/distillery
Last week, I wrote on the many challenges all of us in the Crew face when trying to write about a brewery when it closes. Among the people who read that story was Matt Simonds, the owner of Broken Trail, which closed late last year, and he made the decision to share everything that went…
A sad farewell to the 2nd oldest brewery in New Mexico
A few months ago, we learned that something was up with Eske’s Brew Pub and Eatery in Taos. Its small brewer license was no longer listed with the State of New Mexico, and Google listed it as temporarily closed. There was no mention of the goings on in the local newspaper, and others in the…
Duel Brewing gives up the fight
In the Dark Side Brew Crew, we like to think of ourselves as champions for the industry. We’re not gotcha journalism, never have been. We’re here to tell the stories of all the state’s breweries, your stories. We can only ever hope that they’re all stories brewed up with good vibes and happy endings, but…
One of Albuquerque’s oldest brewpubs charts a new path without its own beers
At last, we have clarity regarding the future of Kellys Brew Pub and the former Chama River Brewing. After receiving some mixed messages from some of the staff at parent company Santa Fe Dining, I was invited to sit down with SFD vice president Justin Svetnicka late last week to clear up the entire matter….
A sad and sudden farewell to Chama River
A relatively normal Thursday afternoon turned chaotic after a single text from a friend in the business: “Apparently Chama (River) is closing, as in right now. They just called last call and are done. Heard anything?” This happened shortly after 4 p.m., and suddenly, while still standing in the Albuquerque Isotopes dugout as batting practice…
An ode to Twisted Chile and the small-town brewery
Saturday will mark the final day of operation for Twisted Chile Brewing in Socorro. It will mark the end of a two-and-a-half-year journey for owners K.C. and Stephanie McFadden, who did their best to bring quality craft beer back to the small town 70 miles south of Albuquerque. Twisted Chile is just the latest of…
There are lessons to be learned from the closing of Broken Bottle
It is a bit trite to say, but for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. As more and more breweries open around the Albuquerque metro area, there has always been the possibility that some might not survive in an increasingly competitive market. Other brewery owners have said a sort of reckoning is…
One last ride at the Steer
Editor’s note: None of the rest of us in the Crew could make it to the Steer before it closed, but AmyO from the Bullpen was able to file one last story from the west side establishment. It will close for good at the end of business today (Friday). If anyone else has anything you…
DARK SIDE BREW CREW 