Drafty Kilt needs help from local craft beer community

If anyone missed the news from the Albuquerque Journal on Friday, Drafty Kilt Brewing has to change its name by the end of 2017. It turns out that there was a beer called Drafty Kilt from Monday Night Brewing in Atlanta, and it was trademarked back in 2010. To avoid a possible future lawsuit, Drafty…

Bombs Away Beer Company pays tribute to a fallen veteran

In the short time it has been open, Bombs Away Beer Company has become a frequent hangout for many active-duty service members from Kirtland Air Force Base, as well as the many retired military who live in Albuquerque. This Veterans Day, BABC is giving back with a special beer brewed in honor of an Air…

Bell’s rings up the season of decadent darkness for New Mexico

It was pretty awesome and all when Bell’s Brewery started distributing in New Mexico last month. After the initial excitement just to get beers like Two Hearted and Kalamazoo Stout here, plenty of folks started asking that one, inevitable question: “Where are the seasonals?” Oh, they are about to arrive in a big, big way….

Bosque revs up plans to replace its original San Mateo location

The cat finally got out of the proverbial bag late Monday afternoon as Bosque Brewing officially announced it will be replacing its original San Mateo location in 2018. The new spot will be located along the southbound Interstate 25 frontage road along Venice Avenue, in between two existing buildings. “We purchased a piece of land…

The time to honor the Norse god of winter is nearly upon us

The days are getting shorter, and there’s a bit of a nip in the air here in the higher elevations. Fall will be here soon, officially, and with it the prospect of snow. To many people, snow means skiing, but, only if there’s enough of it! To please Ullr, the Norse god of snow and…

Fire & Hops ushers Bell’s brews into Santa Fe

The arrival of Bell’s Brewery in New Mexico led to plenty of special tappings and tap takeovers. One of those took place in Santa Fe, at an establishment that is becoming a go-to place for craft beer lovers. “Bell’s reputation precedes it,” said Josh Johns, co-owner and cicerone of Fire & Hops Gastropub. “I’m always…

Even more beer-laden events materialize for the weekend

Just when you thought we had all the weekend’s events covered in The Week Ahead in Beer, two more popped up, and we thought we might provide some additional details on one other. We will have our first review of the Desert Valley Brewing taproom up later today. Oktoberfest at Taos Ski Valley This Saturday…

A hop farm springs up in the North Valley

The Albuquerque metro area is now home to 30-plus breweries. And, finally, one hop farm. Red Hat Hops is looking to keep things even more local in terms of beer ingredients. Located at the edge of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, off Rio Grande north of the overpass above Montano, this new operation occupies 4.5 acres….

Tractor pulls together 24 other NM breweries with Hops for Harvey

The staggering toll of Hurricane Harvey is still being felt across Texas, with many homes and businesses lost to the destructive flooding. Included among those are craft breweries, and their employees, many of whom no longer have a job as a result. The MBAA (Master Brewers Association of Americas) Texas District reached out to neighboring…

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…