Posts Tagged ‘Flix Brewhouse’

Beer Notes: Taproom boom, more awards and one big party

Posted: June 7, 2019 by cjax33 in Beer Notes
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The new Hops Taproom in Los Ranchos is ready for its grand opening this weekend.

Now that I am back at work (yay, money), the beer news is starting to pile up, so let us get to a few pertinent items.

First, though, in a moment of self-promotion, I will be giving a free talk about the history of brewing in Albuquerque this Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the Special Collections Library, which is located on the northwest corner of Central and Edith, directly across from the Artichoke Cafe. I will have copies of Albuquerque Beer: Duke City History on Tap for sale ($20, cash only), and this talk will include the story of how an Old West shootout impacted the first Southwest Brewery in 1884.

Moving along …

Here a taproom opening, there a taproom opening

We already chronicled how the third Blue Grasshopper location at Summer and Second Street opened its doors during ABQ Beer Week. It was far from alone among new offsite taprooms holding soft openings.

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Flix Brewhouse leads local charge at Beer Army Beer Wars competition

Posted: January 28, 2019 by cjax33 in News
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The first competition of the year is in the books.

The first national beer competition of the year is in the books, and once again, New Mexico breweries have pulled off a strong showing. The Beer Army Beer Wars awards were announced last week, with five local breweries bringing home 20 medals.

Flix Brewhouse came in seventh overall with one gold, four silvers, and one bronze. Quarter Celtic added one gold, two silvers, and one bronze, while Three Rivers tacked on two silvers and three bronzes. Rounding out the list were Santa Fe (one gold, one silver) and Steel Bender (three silvers).

“It felt pretty darn good, man, I’m not going to lie,” Flix head brewer Will Moorman said. “We entered six beers, too, and well, all of them got a medal. I can’t complain about that at all. We were thoroughly surprised.”

Will said he learned from Steel Bender brewmaster Bob Haggerty, who had gotten an early look at the medal winners.

“It was good to see, there were some heavy-hitting breweries in there, too,” Will said. “It wasn’t just a pay-to-play kind of thing. Even in the small categories, they didn’t award medals if there wasn’t something that was worthy. It was nice to see that lend credence to how they operated a slightly smaller competition.”

The full list of winners by category is below.

  • International Pale Lager: Quarter Celtic’s Pedro O’Flanagan’s (bronze)
  • International Dark Lager: Quarter Celtic’s Dark Pedro (silver)
  • Festbier: Quarter Celtic’s VP30 (gold), Three Rivers’ Festbier (silver)
  • German Exportbier: Quarter Celtic’s Come to the Dort Side (silver), Three Rivers’ The Hoff (bronze)
  • Baltic Porter: Flix’s Darth Malt (silver)
  • English IPA: Santa Fe’s Happy Camper (gold)
  • Dark Mild: Flix’s Brown Basilisk (bronze)
  • Wee Heavy: Three Rivers’ Chuckerout (bronze)
  • English Barleywine: Santa Fe’s Chicken Killer (bronze)
  • American Pale Ale: Three Rivers’ Merica (silver)
  • California Common: Three Rivers’ Common (bronze)
  • Belgian IPA: Steel Bender’s The Whole Shoe (silver)
  • Witbier: Flix’s Luna Rosa (silver)
  • Belgian Blond Ale: Flix’s James Blond (silver)
  • Belgian Dubbel: Flix’s H-E-Dubbel Hockey Sticks (gold)
  • Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer: Steel Bender’s Ned’s Sour Pail (silver)
  • Fruit Beer: Flix’s Oasis (silver)
  • Specialty Fruit Beer: Steel Bender’s Raspberry Dynamite (silver)

Will said smaller competitions like this one can still have a lot of value for a brewer, especially for someone who is still relatively new to a head brewer position.

“For me, personally, part of my goal in my career is to brew highly stylistically accurate beers,” he said. “Sales are obviously super important, customer popularity is a huge thing, too, but I feel this is a really great benchmark to hit. You can brew that medals on a set of commonly accepted style guidelines, then you’re doing all right.

“I’m still relatively new. This will be my third year as a head brewer. For me as a new guy, I want to make sure my base beer is solid before we make it smoked and soured and add some chocolate cake.”

For outgoing Three Rivers head brewer Brandon Beard, the medals were a fitting final salute to his time at the Farmington institution. He will be opening Lauter Haus Brewing in town in the future.

“Well, it feels great, I’m super happy that I have put together a good team that will continue to strive and grow at 3RB,” he said. “One of the beers that medaled was flagship from before me. One was a collaboration between Patrick and I, and the other three were my recipes. When I started brewing 10 years ago, I was like every beginning brewer and was all about the hops. Over the years, I grew out of that. When I started brewing at 3RB, we only did one lager a year (Oktoberfest), but I really wanted to start brewing lagers. So about four years ago, I made it a personal goal to start brewing more lagers.

“I love that three of the five beers were lagers that medaled. I don’t think I stand alone when I say a lot of brewers really want the lager to blow up like some of these other styles have in the last year. You can’t hide any flaws in a lager; that’s why I want to brew more and more of them. Now that I’m going out on my own, it shouldn’t be a surprise with the name we chose for our brewery (Lauter Haus) that we will be pushing lagers on people. But, I know that 3RB is in good hands it was just time for me to do my own thing.”

The next set of awards are the Best of Craft Beer Awards, which are set for February 11.

Congrats to all of the New Mexico winners of this event. It is good to see 2019 starting off on the right note, competition-wise.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

Weekend Beer-cap: From wonderful Marblefest to the woeful Lobos and back to Denver again

Posted: October 2, 2018 by cjax33 in Weekend Beer-cap
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The pretzels were on point at Marblefest.

This was one of those weekends where most of us should have been in recovery mode, but the beer events (and metal shows) would not allow us to rest.

For me, the in-town fun was this past Thursday, when I took a trip out to Turtle Mountain to celebrate owner Nico Ortiz’s “39th” birthday and the recent gold medal that head brewer Mick Hahn brought home from the Great American Beer Festival. I thought we were just going to raise a pint of the Wooden Teeth and then I could head out, but noooooo, Mick had to go and bust out a whole bunch of beers from various places for us all to try. Darn it, Mick. Darn, darn, darn. Anyway, the Wooden Teeth tasted great, as a gold-medal winner should, and it was nice to see so many of Nico’s longtime friends and customers stop by to wish him a happy birthday and congrats on the medal.

From there, it was off to Steel Bender for the OktoberFiesta. The chef and his kitchen staff should be applauded for a delicious jaegerschnitzel, which is not an easy thing to make, especially as the place filled up and more and more folks stormed in wanting a plate. I was also happy to be one of the last people to get a commemorative mug, even though I need another piece of glassware (or ceramic-ware, in this case) like I need a hole in the head. Sadly, we also drank up all the OktoberFiesta beer. Who thinks we should petition the brewing staff to make another batch? Huh, even my parents have their arms raised.

Anyway, for the rest of the Crew (minus poor Luke, too sick to drink this weekend), here are their latest adventures in beer.

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Trio of local breweries bring home medals from US Open Beer Championship

Posted: August 10, 2018 by cjax33 in News
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Flix Brewhouse brewers Will Moorman and Marisa Bernal show off their bronze medal from the US Open Beer Championship. (Photo courtesy of Will Moorman)

A photo on the Facebook page of Flix Brewhouse lead brewer Will Moorman caught our eye earlier this week. It is the photo above, featuring a very happy Will and equally happy assistant brewer Marisa Bernal, holding aloft a medal from the recent US Open Beer Championship.

As it turns out, the Flix duo were not the only smiling folks around, as three New Mexico breweries brought home medals out of a field featuring 360-plus breweries and 6,300 entries.

Flix earned a bronze for its Baltic Porter, Darth Malt, which was its 10th medal earned from four competitions this year alone (Alltech Commonwealth Cup, Los Angeles International Beer Competition, Best of Craft Beer Awards). Flix has earned three golds, four silvers, and three bronzes, and it finished fifth overall at the Best of Craft Beer Awards.

The 377 brewmaster Lyna Waggoner displays all three of her gold medals. (Photo courtesy of The 377)

The 377 Brewery fared even better at the US Open, bringing home a gold for its Belgian Sour Quad in the Wood/Barrel-Aged Sour Beer category. Brewmaster Lyna Waggoner told us a while back that she was really into brewing the Belgian-style beers, and clearly she is making a name for herself and her brewery. It is The 377’s third gold medal in less than two years.

Santa Fe Brewing also picked up two bronze medals for its Pale Ale (in the ESB category) and 7K IPA (in the West Coast IPA category).

While these competitions may not have the cachet of the Great American Beer Festival or World Beer Cup, the feedback brewers receive can be immensely helpful as they seek to make their beer better and better. It can also open the eyes of potential customers who might otherwise overlook these breweries.

Congrats to all the winners. We will see you at GABF in September.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

ABQ Beer Week: Day Eight battles for supremacy

Posted: May 31, 2018 by cjax33 in ABQ Beer Week 2018
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Beer dinners, special tappings, archived beers, a movie event, and a brewing grudge match highlight this busy day!

If you are reading this, it means we survived the Insomnium show in Denver last night. As you read this, we will be flying back down Interstate 25, because there is beer business to take care of in ABQ.

After all, we’ve got Battle of the Beer Geeks to attend, but it’s not the only option today. If we weren’t at Tractor, we might be at one of two beer dinners, or perhaps the screening of Beerfest at Flix, or diving into that archive tapping at Marble Westside, or … well, you get the point, it’s gonna be a fun day.

Featured Event

Every day we will pick what we consider the biggest, most interesting, most unique event. This does not mean you should go to only this event and ignore the rest. All of them deserve your attention, but realistically, you can probably only attend a few. So we will make our daily pick, and you can either jump on it, or declare the Crew is foolish (we kinda are) and pick your own.

What: Battle of the Beer Geeks V. Where: Tractor Wells Park. When: 5-8 p.m. Cost: $10 for tray and pint.

Details: Once again, five local beer enthusiast groups (us included) went and each brewed up a beer at Tractor. Now you get a tray filled with all five beers to try, with a pint of your favorite awaiting you at the end. It’s a blind taste test, and in the end all the public votes will count for 50 percent of the vote, with the other half coming from a judging panel. The winner gets an awesome Rock Em Sock Em Robots trophy, plus bragging rights. This year’s beer theme is single hop.

Why you should go: The Babes in Brewland have won enough times in a row. Come help us or one of the other groups dethrone them at last!

All the other great events

What: Sierra Nevada Special Sampling. Where: Jubilation. When: 4-6 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Brewery representative Keith Hymes is bringing Pale Ale, Sidecar Orange IPA, Otra Vez with lime and agave, Sierraveza Lager, German-Style Kolsch Ale, and Hoptimum DIPA. Why you should go: There’s hoppy, malty, and a bit of tart to perk up your afternoon, and the best part is, the samples are free.

What: Exodus IPA on Nitro Release. Where: Canteen Taproom. When: 5-10 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Enjoy one of the classic IPAs in a different format. Why you should go: Hey, if you’re already up in the foothills and have no desire to drive back down anywhere, then this is just the beer for you.

What: Marble Archive Tapping. Where: Marble Westside. When: 5-11 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Enjoy any of a quartet of archived beers that the Marble staff have pulled out of storage — Cherry Brune, From the Wood Saison, Quad, 2017 Reserve Ale. Why you should go: Quad and Reserve? First you had our curiosity, now you have our attention.

What: Odell Double Sour Tapping. Where: Nob Hill Bar & Grill. When: 5-7 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Pucker up for a double blast of Sunny Rain Golden Tart and Green Coyote Tomatillo Sour. Why you should go: If you love sours, you gotta try these two, plus you can grab dinner.

What: Canteen Beer Dinner. Where: Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. When: 6-8 p.m. Cost: $80. Details: This elegant five-course meal will be paired with some of Canteen’s finest beers, including High Plains Pilsner, Dougie Style Amber, and more. Call (505) 884-3350 to make your reservation. Why you should go: If you’ve been saving up for an ultimate feast, this is the time you cash in.

What: Beer Pairing Dinner. Where: Ponderosa Brewing. When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cost: $40 ($35 for mug club members). Details: A four-course meal will feature some of Ponderosa’s finest beers. A sweet pepper salad is paired with Big Belgian, French onion soup is paired with Rip Saw Red, roasted orange marmalade pork loin is paired with Blood Orange Wit, and a finishing course of fine cheeses and truffles are paired with Tart Cherry Chocolate Porter. Why you should go: If you haven’t been saving up for an ultimate feast, then this is a more affordable beer dinner option.

What: Beerfest Movie Party and Collaboration Beer Release. Where: Flix Brewhouse. When: 7-10 p.m. Cost: $7 for movie ticket. Details: Come celebrate a special screening of the cult comedy classic Beerfest, which was filmed here in Albuquerque. Flix is throwing a party starting at 7, with screenings at 8 and 8:30. Expect games, trivia, and more, plus the release of Schnitz ’N Giggle, a Dortmunder lager brewed in collaboration with Steel Bender. Why you should go: A hilarious movie, a new beer, and all sorts of shenanigans that we’ll miss while at Battle of the Beer Geeks. Honor us with your best efforts.

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Got any questions, comments, complaints? Send them to nmdarksidebrewcrew@gmail.com, or leave them here on our site, on Facebook, on Twitter (@nmdarksidebc), or on Instagram.

Enjoy yourselves out there, but please, do it responsibly.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

Our early-but-not-too-early picks for the best of ABQ Beer Week

Posted: May 7, 2018 by cjax33 in ABQ Beer Week 2018
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In a little more than two weeks, the madness returns!

After a rather epic 40th birthday party for yours truly on Friday night, the rest of the weekend was spent in reflection of times gone by, and what is still to come. Namely, what have we already written on and what do we still need to put here on the site. It occurred to me that we have not done our annual early preview of ABQ Beer Week, where the Crew tries to pick out one top event per day of the upcoming craft beer extravaganza.

Well, with ABQ Beer Week kicking off two weeks from this Thursday on May 24 (running until June 3), we are not as early as usual. Of course, this does mean a lot of the schedule is more set in stone, so that should keep us from looking back on this later and going “whoops, that was the wrong day/that event did not happen.”

Thursday, May 24

There are a whole lot of tastings on this day, plus one event to get you off the barstool and on your feet, but in the end we still have to go with tradition. Marble is bringing back its Beer, Cheese & More at the downtown brewery. Head over to get some of the best Marble beers paired up with all sorts of delectable finger foods. When tickets go on sale at the taproom, we will let everyone know, since it sells out every year.

Friday, May 25

At first glance, the 21 and Over Tap Takeover at Sister did not seem to make much sense. After all, to drink beer, you gotta be 21 and over, right? Well, it actually refers to the participating breweries, all of whom are 21 and over in terms of their years of operation. Old-school favorites like Bell’s, Firestone Walker, Four Peaks, Left Hand, New Belgium, Odell, Rogue, and Sierra Nevada will each be bringing a unique one-off beer. When we get closer to the event, we will reveal said list.

Saturday, May 26

There are 10 listed events, so this is one of the busiest days. We gotta go with Nexus’ anniversary party, which runs all day. There will be the infamous red chile ribs, plus the previous two days saw the release of a new IPA and Beam Me Up Scotty, so those will both be available as well. There will also be live music. As always, Uber/Lyft are your best options because that parking lot fills up fast.

Sunday, May 27

Of course we have to pick ABQ Blues & Brews at Sandia Casino, one of the biggest beer festivals in our state. Tickets are on sale now. The long preliminary list includes New Mexico breweries like Bathtub Row, Bosque, Broken Trail, Canteen, Duel, Enchanted Circle, Eske’s, Flix Brewhouse, Hops Brewery, Kellys, Kilt Check, Lava Rock, Marble, Nexus, Ponderosa, Quarter Celtic, Rio Bravo, Santa Fe, Sierra Blanca, Steel Bender, Tractor, and Tumbleroot, plus of course the Dukes of Ale will be on hand.

Monday, May 28

If you do not feel like firing up the grill, but would still like some charred meats, then head over to Steel Bender for the smoke-out. There will be mucho meats, plus sides, and beers, and live music, too.

Tuesday, May 29

Remember when the Crew helped make Obey the Darkside, our beastly stout, over at Canteen? Well, it turns out it is not all gone. No, some was put into a Two Fools Whiskey Barrel, and now it will be transferred to a cask and served all day at Canteen’s main location. See you all when the doors open at noon!

Wednesday, May 30

A chunk of the Crew will be making one of our crazy there-and-back trips to Denver to catch one of our favorite Nordic melodic death metal bands, Insomnium, so you will not see us on this day. For the rest of you staying here, might we suggest a saunter over to Quarter Celtic? The mini-cask fest, a huge hit last year, will be back with a selection of delightful special beers. It’s also Wing Wednesday, if you actually needed any additional incentive.

Thursday, May 31

This day is a killer, because not only we will be racing back from Denver, but we have to choose between two events that look epic. Of course, we have to be at Battle of the Beer Geeks at Tractor Wells Park to see if we can finally reclaim the title from the Babes in Brewland. For those looking for something different this year, head over to Flix Brewhouse for a special showing of the cinematic classic Beerfest (which was filmed here in ABQ). There will be a special collaboration beer release with Steel Bender, plus other fun activities for fans of the movie.

Friday, June 1

Nob Hill Bar & Grill is hosting a Firestone Walker Barrelworks tap takeover. Um, if you insist. I mean, that was just one of the holy beer pilgrimages of a lifetime and all. FW just won four medals (three gold, one silver) at the World Beer Cup, too. When we have the tap list, we will share it. Then we will drink them all.

Saturday, June 2

The second-to-last day is packed, as one would expect, so there are a lot of options. After some hemming and hawing, we will head for the Mini Lager Fest at Ponderosa. The hosts are bringing together multiple breweries to offer up their best lagers. A slew of sessionable beers on what will probably be a scorcher of a day? Sign us up!

Sunday, June 3

Ready for another cask festival? Head to Steel Bender for Le Cask Lunatique, which brings together a flock of firkins with local jazz icons Le Chat Lunatique. Once again, when we know the identities of the cask beers, we will share them.

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Those are our early picks, but we reserve the right to change our minds, or of course to attend multiple events. As we do every year, please remember not to overdo it out there. Lyft and Uber are your friends, as are your actual friends who are willing to be designated drivers.

We will have a lot more on ABQ Beer Week in the days ahead, from focusing on specific events to running down everything at the breweries participating for multiple days. Until then, head to the official website to see some of the other events that are listed so far, and see if there are any that pique your interest more than what we listed above.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

New Mexico breweries bring home 9 more competition medals

Posted: January 31, 2018 by cjax33 in Events, News
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Four New Mexico breweries claimed nine medals at this annual event.

Another beer competition, another positive showing for New Mexico. Four local breweries claimed nine medals total at the Best of Craft Beer Awards in Bend, Oregon, this week.

Flix Brewhouse was the big winner with four medals. Luna Rosa claimed gold in the Belgian-Style Witbier category, while Mr. Brownstone also snagged gold in the English-Style Mild Ale or Brown Ale category. (Good luck not having the old Guns ‘n Roses song getting stuck in your head.) Flix also earned silver in Baltic-Style Porter with Darth Malt and a bronze with Rubus Rosa in Belgian-Style Fruit Beer.

Abbey Brewing earned two medals for two of its year-round offerings. Monks’ Ale took bronze in the Belgian-Style Table Beer or Other Belgian-Style Ale category. Monks’ Tripel, a long-time Crew favorite, picked up silver in the Belgian-Style Tripel or Pale Strong Ale category.

Sierra Blanca likewise brought home two medals. Green Chile Cerveza, one of the brewery’s staple offerings for more than a decade, earned gold in the Chili Pepper Beer category. Cherry Wheat, a gold medal winner at GABF, took bronze in the Fruit Wheat Beer category.

Rounding out the list was Tractor, which picked up a bronze for Mustachio Milk Stout in the Sweet Stout or Cream Stout category.

This is just the first of many brewery competitions set for 2018. The National IPA Challenge will kick off soon enough, and things will not slow down for several months.

Congrats to the winning brewers and we look forward to more awards in the days and weeks to come.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

The force is strong with Flix Brewhouse after year one

Posted: January 8, 2018 by shawnamarieblog in Look Back/Look Ahead Series 2017-18
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Flix head brewer Will Moorman has made a positive impact in the brew theater’s first full year.

Flix Brewhouse, being a relative newcomer to the New Mexico craft beer scene, has made a major impact on how we consume, and to a degree how we view beer while indulging in one of our most classic of pastimes — going to the movies.

Over the past year, the measure of success on the part of Flix may not necessarily align with traditional brewpubs, but don’t be fooled, head brewer Will Moorman and his team have some exciting plans for their Albuquerque audience. The good news is that he was eager to share those plans with us here at the Dark Side Brew Crew. This entry into our annual Look Back/Look Ahead Series will provide some interesting, and fun, insight into the first full year of business, and into the bright future for which they have steadily laid the groundwork.

I was lucky enough to snag an interview with the man behind the beer. After choosing our beers, we retreated back to the brewery to dive into our discussion on Flix Brewhouse’s successes and goals for the upcoming year. I asked Will about some of his highlights over the past year.

“Well, finally having a finished building to brew in was definitely a highlight,” he said. “When we first started brewing, none of these windows were installed. There were three skyjacks in here doing tile, plumbing, and all sorts of crazy stuff. So, coming into a clean brewery every day is something that I do not take for granted!”

The completed structure is certainly a testament to the long thought process and careful creation of the brewhouse, and the supporting structures, namely the ornate fermenters aligned upon the entrance lobby in a eye-catching fashion.

The brewhouse has been humming all year.

The structural changes and completions certainly haven’t been the only highlights over this past year, as Will mentioned when asked about Flix’s performance and achievements.

“We won a couple of awards this year, which was pretty cool,” he said. “We won three bronze medals this year. Our brown ale won bronze at the Best of Craft Beer Awards. We won a bronze for our gose at the Los Angeles International Beer Competition. Then we won another bronze for our (Luna Rosa) witbier at the North American Beer Awards.”

He went on to mention that the witbier also advanced to the medal round at GABF.

“We are going to work towards going for silver this year!” he said.

In 2017. Flix Brewhouse introduced their barrel program.

“We released one beer in our barrel program which was a bourbon barrel-aged Schwarzbier,” Will said. “We released a portion of that during our beer dinner where we showed Strange Brew.”

The remaining portion of this brew was released during the premier of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

“We have some sours that I’m happy with right now, but they need more time,” Will said. “We are being patient with it and giving it the time it needs. The bourbon barrel-aged stuff is kind of along the same lines. We are in no rush.”

There have been plenty of beers in the Flix fermenters this year.

Through all the changes and experiments, Will’s favorite beer remains the Luna Rosa.

“The witbier is a beer that I’m really close to,” he said. “We’ve been making subtle changes here and there, and we have really improved it.”

As if this past year wasn’t exciting enough for Flix and its head brewer, Will got to attend a nationally recognized brewing course last fall in the arts of fermentation.

“In October, I attended the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) course on Brewing and Malting Sciences,” he said.

The MBAA currently publishes many of the leading educational materials for brewers in the US, for our readers reference.

“It was a two-week long course that was the equivalent of taking an entire semester of a 12-credit hour college course on brewing and malting,” Will said. “It was an incredible honor to have won the scholarship. There were people there lecturing that have been brewing for 20-to-30-plus years. I met a lot of amazing brewers, and I learned a lot of cool things that should not only improve the quality of our beer and therefore the profitability of our company.”

With any successful student, the key to making it all come together is simply some experience and first-hand application, but even with that now in hand, Flix Brewhouse takes a more humbler approach. The Flix team expressed an emphasis on continuing education, with Will summing it up neatly: “I know that I’ve still got a lot to learn so that’s where my mind is at.”

This concept also expands into the larger picture for the crew as well.

“As we are a national chain, we are in the process of improving our product and improving the consistency from location to location,” Will said. “Something that I’m really excited to start working on is standardizing processes across the business. We will determine where we can improve.”

Dinner and a beer and a movie has been popular around these parts.

The Crew always loves to hear about brewers getting excited about festivals. Will said that he is excited about participating in as many local festivals and competitions as possible, as well as some regional and national exposure, as well.

“We plan to participate in a lot more festivals this year,” he said. “It gives us a great opportunity to get as much genuine feedback as possible.”

A common but incredibly important theme for most of the breweries we have talked to this year to help push the scope and effectiveness of the brewer to consumer interactions.

With that, we leave you all with a message to you all from Will: “Peace, love, and thank you to everyone in Albuquerque who has helped us at Flix Brewhouse make this happen over the last year. We definitely would not be where we are without the help of every brewer that we’ve met and every customer that we’ve satisfied. So thank you all!”

We wholeheartedly applaud and raise a glass.

Cheers!

— Shawna

The Week Ahead in Beer: The force is with Flix Brewhouse

Posted: December 13, 2017 by cjax33 in The Week Ahead in Beer
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Greetings, New Mexico craft beer lovers. Stoutmeister here with The Week Ahead in Beer. This column covers all the breweries in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, with Santa Fe’s six breweries, one in Los Alamos, and one in Moriarty also joining the party.

Stoutmeister puts on his serious face to handle The Week Ahead in Beer.

Stoutmeister puts on his serious face to handle The Week Ahead in Beer.

One of the more frequent questions the Crew receives is some variant of “is your name related to Star Wars?” It’s more of a we-wear-black-clothing and listen-to-metal thing, plus we all love stouts and porters, but yeah, we’re Star Wars fans, too. Just in case anyone has been living off the grid, The Last Jedi is premiering this week, so Flix Brewhouse is jumping in on the tie-in fun with a series of Star Wars-themed beers. First up with the early showings Thursday is Darth Malt, a Baltic porter. After that, the Schwarz Side, a bourbon-barrel-aged schwarzbier, debuts Friday. Then comes Saturday, when the kids are out of school for winter break, parents will need a pint or two, so Hoplo Ren (Black IPA) goes on tap. Finally, Sunday will it up with Tart Wars, a gose. Take note, the Schwarz Side and Tart Wars are small-batch beers, so they will not be on tap for long.

On the new beer front this week, there are a few options to check out. Ale Republic brings back Tokyo Black, while also adding Eagle Claw, a farmhouse pale ale. Bosque goes lighter with Beermosa, with Shuck if I Know Oyster Stout due out later this week. Boxing Bear has moved Oso Otono to the nitro tap, plus the barrel-aged version of Standing 8 Stout debuts on tap and in bombers this Saturday. Canteen already has its passionfruit Belgian sour, Whirling Dervish, on tap, and more beers are due out Friday in the form of Panama Jose, Hop Baller IPA, and Social Capital with dark cherries aged on French oak. Dialogue has a slew of newbies on tap with Blood Orange Berliner Weisse, Strawberry Berliner Weisse, Idiot Sauvin, and Belgian Cherry Wheat. La Cumbre has Big Door Prize due out on tap and in cans Friday, the first in their single-hop, double IPA series release. Marble has Imperial Stout back on tap and for sale in bombers today (Wednesday). Quarter Celtic has a limited supply of barrel-aged Irish Handcuffs (Imperial Stout) on tap and for sale in cans today (Wednesday). Rio Bravo has a new recipe for the porter it barrel-aged and put on tap, while Marzen replaces Oktoberfest. Tractor kicks it up a notch with Spiced Cider and Imma Pale Ale, the latter made in collaboration with Immastar Productions.

Up in Santa Fe, Duel has Grunewald back on tap and in bottles this Friday. Out in Moriarty, Sierra Blanca is feeling festive with Cranberry Sour.

Continue reading for all the news that is fit to blog for the week of December 11.

To break down each “capsule,” I listed the brewery (with Web page linked), its phone number and hours of operation. Under “Beers” are the new or seasonal beers on tap for this week.

Albuquerque metro area breweries

Ale Republic — (505) 281-2828

(Mon–Thurs 2–10 p.m., Fri–Sun noon–10 p.m.)

Beers: Brune, Blonde, Strong Dark and Handsome, Eagle Claw, Tokyo Black, Single and Ready to Mingle. The most recent additions are the Tokyo Black (5.5% ABV, 24 IBU), an ale made with black tea, and Eagle Claw (4.8% ABV, 41 IBU), a farmhouse pale ale.

Alien Brew Pub — (505) 884-1116

(Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–midnight, Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–midnight)

Beers: Call the number above for details on any small-batch beers currently available. They change frequently. The rest of the lineup is from the Sierra Blanca/Rio Grande family of beers.

Bistronomy B2B — (505) 262-2222

(Mon–Tues 4-9 p.m., Weds noon-9 p.m., Thurs–Sat noon-9:30 p.m., Sun noon-9 p.m.)

Beers: Contact the brewery for an updated list.

The Blue Grasshopper — (505) 896-8579

(Noon to 11 p.m. most days, call for more info)

Beers: El Jeffe Hefeweizen, Friars Belgian-Style Single, June Bock German Lager. Rejoice, for Blue Grasshopper is brewing again! The Friars and June Bock are the more recent additions.

Live Music: Bands perform from 6 to 9 p.m. every Tuesday through Saturday. Click the link for the schedule.

Boese Brothers Brewery — (505) 382-7060

(Hours: Mon–Thurs 3 p.m.–midnight, Fri 3 p.m.–2 a.m., Sat noon–2 a.m., Sun noon–10 p.m.)

Beers: La Onza White Ale, Dr. Strangehop XPA, Duke City Lager, Washington’s Hatchet, Grapefruit Pale Ale, Oktoberfest, Sour Strangehop, Double Dead Red. The Double Dead Red returned recently, so enjoy it while it’s still fresh.

Happy Hour/Discounts: Boese will have a happy hour from 3 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, with $3 pints. You can also get $3 pints all day Tuesday and $6 growler fills all day Wednesday.

Bombs Away Beer Company — (505) 554-3204

(Hours: Mon–Fri 2 p.m.–close, Sat–Sun noon–close)

Beers: Short Fuse Blonde Ale, BABC IPA, Willie Pete Wit, Low Order Porter, High Speed Low Drag Lager, Wild Card Spiced Ale, Brisance Bitter, Bag Drag BPA, Arsenal English Amber, Proximity Pilsner, MKDeuce Pale Ale, Primer Pub Ale, Actuator IPA, Stockpile Stout, Phil’s Incendiary IPA, Long Delay RyePA. The Phil’s Incendiary IPA was brewed up for a great cause, so head over to try it soon. Stockpile is a nice, robust beer that is perfect for the season. Long Delay is the most recent addition.

Bosque Brewing Company — (505) 750-7596 (main brewery), (505) 508-5967 (Nob Hill Public House), (575) 571-4626 (Las Cruces Taproom)

(Main brewery on San Mateo: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.-midnight, Sun noon-8 p.m.; Nob Hill: Mon–Weds 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Thurs 11 a.m.-midnight, Fri–Sat 11 a.m.-1 a.m., Sun noon-11 p.m.; Las Cruces: Sun–Thurs noon-11 p.m., Fri–Sat noon-midnight)

Beers: Pale Ryder, Olde Bosky Porter, Driftwood Oatmeal Stout, Barrel-Aged Double Sunshine Stout, Fresh Start Breakfast Ale, Open Space Haze: 41 South, Beermosa. Fresh Start Breakfast Ale, a delightfully delicious stout brewed with coffee and maple syrup, will see a portion of its proceeds go to charity. The Sunshine is also for sale in bombers. Beermosa is the most recent addition, but Shuck if I Know Oyster Stout will be on tap soon.

Happy Hour/Discounts: Bosque has a happy hour running from 3-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and all day on Sunday. Look for special menu items and get $1 off your favorite pints.

Bow & Arrow Brewing — (505) 247-9800

(Mon-Weds 3–10 p.m., Thurs 3–11 p.m., Fri-Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–9 p.m.)

Beers: Sun Dagger (Saison), True Aim (Scotch Ale), Hoka Hey (IPA), Jemez Field Notes Lager, Wayward Arrow Hefeweizen, Cosmic Arrow Brett Saison, Hoodoo Monster Imperial Red, Way Out West Sour Sumac, Black Chandelier (Belgo Stout), Desert Dynamo IPL, Fast Luck Dry-Hopped Pale Ale, Wolf Eyes (Oktoberfest), Nomadico IPA, Visionland Amber Ale, Sweetfetti Weizenbock, Thirsty Land: Foraged Series (Grisette), Coyote Waits (Barrel-Aged Imperial Mole Stout), Savage Times Sour IPA. The most recent additions to the lineup are the Savage Times, Coyote Waits, Thirsty Land, Sweetfetti, and Visionland. The sheer variety of styles on tap is quite impressive.

Events: Thursday—Holiday Pop-Up & Food Drive, 4 p.m.

Happy Hour/Discounts: Bow & Arrow has happy hour every Monday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. Get $1 off pints.

Boxing Bear Brewing Company — (505) 897-2327

(Sun-Thurs 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-11 p.m.)

Beers: Crystal Kolsch, Oso Otono, Scotch Rocket, Iron Lung Smoked Porter, Coffee Chocolate Milk Stout, Bulldog English IPA, Simcoe SMASH. The most recent additions are the Scotch Rocket, Bulldog, Simcoe, Coffee Chocolate Milk Stout, and Iron Lung. Oso Otono is also on the nitro tap. A barrel-aged version of Standing 8 Stout debuts Saturday on tap and in bombers at the brewery and at Jubilation.

Weekly Events: Today (Wednesday)—Geeks Who Drink, 8-10 p.m.

Happy Hour/Discounts: Every day at lunchtime (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.), for just $10 you can get a pint and a panini of your choice.

Broken Trail Brewery & Distillery — (505) 221-6281

(Mon-Thu 3-9 p.m., Fri 3-10 p.m., Sat noon-10 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.-8 p.m.)

Beers: Otero ESB, Lone Pine Pilsner, Sancho Saison, Pepe the Mule, Trailworks IPA, Dogtoberfest. OK, fine, Pepe the Mule counts as a beer, even though it is basically a Moscow Mule, but it was made with beer. Dogtoberfest is the most recent addition.

Canteen Brewhouse — (505) 881-2737 (brewery), (505) 200-2344 (taproom)

(Brewery: Sun–Thurs noon–10 p.m., Fri–Sat noon–midnight; Taproom: Open daily 3–10 p.m.)

Beers: Exodus IPA, Panama Joe Coffee Stout, Oompa Lupulin DIPA, Falconer’s Arm Pale Ale, Pop’s Pre-Prohibition Lager, Whirling Dervish. The Dervish is a passionfruit Belgian sour. Three more beers debut Friday with Panama Jose replacing Panama Joe, Hop Baller IPA replacing Oompa Lupulin, and a special batch of Social Capital with dark cherries aged on French oak replacing the Falconer’s Arm.

Live Music (Brewery): Thursday—The Beloved, 6-9 p.m.; Sunday—David Berkeley Trio, 4-7 p.m.

Live Music (Taproom): Saturday—Julian Dossett Trio, 5-8 p.m.

Cazuela’s Seafood & Mexican Grill — (505) 994-9364

(Open daily 8 a.m.–10 p.m.)

Beers: Papacabra (Double IPA), Acapulco Gold (Mexican Lager), Chupacabra IPA, Piedra del Fuego Stoned Cream Ale, Beer for My Horses (Oatmeal Stout). These are the regular house beers. Call the number above for an updated seasonal list.

Dialogue Brewing — (505) 585-1501

(Open daily noon-midnight)

Beers: Belgian Citrus IPA, Berliner Weisse, Blood Orange Berliner Weisse, Strawberry Berliner Weisse, Sour Raspberry, Idiot Sauvin, Dry Irish Stout, O.D.B., Belgian Cherry Wheat, Porter for Humanity, Amber Ale. The taps have seen a big tap turnover recently with the arrival of two Berliner Weisse variants in the blood orange and strawberry, plus Idiot Sauvin, Porter for Humanity, and Belgian Cherry Wheat.

Events: Friday—We’re a Star December, 5 p.m.; Sunday—Last Chance Holiday Market, noon

Weekly Events: Monday—Service Industry Night, 6 p.m.

Drafty Kilt Brewing — (505) 881-0234

(Sun 11 a.m–10 p.m., Mon 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Tues–Thu 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–midnight)

Beers: Groundskeeper Willie Cream Ale, Wee Beastie Scottish Ale, Campbell Toe IPA, Covfefe Hefe, Outlamber Amber. The Outlamber is the most recent addition.

Weekly Events: Tuesday—Geeks Who Drink, 7 p.m.; Thursday—Blues Jam with the Rudy Boy Experiment, 7-10 p.m.

Happy Hour/Discounts: $1 off pints and 20-ounce pours, Mon-Fri, 3-6 p.m.; “Just Because We Love You Club,” happy hour prices at all times for teachers, first responders, law enforcement, and military with ID; Growler Fill Days on Thu and Sun, $2 off new growlers, $1 off refills

Flix Brewhouse — (505) 445-8500

(Open daily 11 a.m.-midnight)

Beers: Tart and Soul (Guava Berliner Weisse), Pilsner? I Barley Know’er!, Eater of Worlds Pale Ale, The Agitator Doppelbock, Hazeas Corpus. The most recent addition was the Hazeas Corpus, a New England-style hazy IPA, but four new beers debut this week in conjunction with the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi — Darth Malt (Baltic Porter) on Thursday, The Schwarz Side (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Schwarzbier) on Friday, Hoplo Ren (Black IPA) on Saturday, and Tart Wars (Gose) on Sunday.

Hops Brewery — (505) 369-1378

(Sun-Thurs noon-10 p.m., Fri-Sat noon-midnight)

Beers: Dad Joke (California Common), Tipsy Cow (Milk Stout), Warm Scottish Nights, An Irish Tan (English Bitter), Honey Wheat, Chica (Pale Ale), Hop Hill IPA. Hops has started out with these seven beers on tap, but they also have 31 more guest taps, just in case you don’t find one to your liking. The Hop Hill (7.1% ABV, 69 IBU) was the most recent addition.

Weekly Events: Today (Wednesday)—Open Mic, 7-9 p.m.; Tuesday—Geeks Who Drink, 7 p.m.

Kaktus Brewing — (505) 379-5072

(Bernalillo hours Mon-Thu 2-9 p.m., Fri-Sat 11:30-10 p.m., Sun 11:30-9 p.m.)

Beers: Blondie, Helles Lager, Winter Wheat, ESB, Black IPA, Puddle Stomper IPA, Oatmeal Raisin Stout, St. Paul’s Porter, Cider, DjinnJar Kombucha. The most recent additions include Blondie, Winter Wheat, Black IPA, Puddle Stomper IPA, St. Paul’s Porter, and the delectable Oatmeal Raisin Stout. Look for Imperial Stout soon.

Weekly Events (Nob Hill): Thursday—The Desert Darlings, 7-9 p.m.

Weekly Events (Bernalillo): Sunday—Brunch, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., The Desert Darlings, 6-8 p.m.

Happy Hour/Discounts: Kaktus has several new weekday specials in Bernalillo, including $3 pints on Monday, $9 growlers on Tuesday, $6 bison nachos on Wednesday, and $8 Frito pie and beer on Thursday.

Kellys Brew Pub — (505) 262-2739

(Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun 8 a.m.-10 p.m.)

Beers: (house) Apricot Ale, Blonde, IPA, Lobo Red Ale, Session IPA, Sleeping Dog Stout, 35 N Coffee Porter; (seasonal) German Pilsner, Honey Wheat, Pumpkin Pie Lager, Amber Ale, Capspackler DIPA, Dortmunder. The lineup got a bit of a makeover, with Lobo Red, Sleeping Dog, and the 35 N all joining the regulars. All of the seasonal beers are new as well. Time to take a trip back to Kellys and embrace the new and improved beers.

Live Music: Every Wednesday 6-9 p.m. and Sunday 3-6 p.m.

Happy Hour/Discounts: Thursday Pint night $1 off pints.

La Cumbre Brewing — (505) 872-0225

(Open every day at noon)

Beers: Ales for ALS IPA, Noche de Paz, Weize Ass Goat Weizenbock, Blue Collar, Barrel-Aged Malpais on Nitro. Recent additions to the lineup are the BA Malpais on nitro, Weize Ass Goat, and Blue Collar, a London-style porter. This Friday marks the arrival of the first in a series of single-hop double IPAs with Big Door Prize, which will be available on tap and in cans.

Live Music: Saturday—String Dinner, 6-9 p.m.

Weekly Events: Tuesday—Loteria (every other week), 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Lizard Tail Brewing — (505) 717-1301

(Mon–Weds noon-9 p.m., Thurs–Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-7 p.m.)

Beers: Contact the brewery for an updated list.

Happy Hour/Discounts: Lizard Tail’s happy hour runs seven days a week from 3 to 6 p.m. You get $1 off food, flights, and pints.

Weekly Events: Tuesday—Geeks Who Drink, 8 p.m.; Thursday—Karaoke, 8-11 p.m.

Marble Brewery — (505) 243-2739 (downtown), (505) 508-4638 (Westside), (505) 323-4030 (Heights)

(Downtown: Mon–Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–10:30 p.m.; Westside: Mon–Thurs noon–11 p.m., Fri–Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–10 p.m.; Heights: Mon–Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–10:30 p.m.)

Beers: Barrel-Aged Amber, Dubbel, Cholo Stout, Reserve Ale, Tripel, Cascade IPA, Imperial Red, Horchata Porter, Brown Extra, DIPA Especial, Imperial Stout, Vunderland (Downtown and Westside only), Reserve Ale (Heights and Westside only), Dry Oaked Stout (Heights and Westside only), Golden Ale (Heights and Westside only), Gin Barrel Brett (Westside only), Cereza! Cerveza! (Westside only). There are so, so many beers between the three locations. Don’t feel bad if you can’t get to them all. The Vunderland, a Belgian dark strong, as well as the DIPA Especial and Brown Extra are the most recent additions. This is a fresh new batch of Imperial Red. We cannot recommend the Reserve, Tripel, and Cholo Stout enough. Get some! Oh, and Imperial Stout debuts today (Wednesday) on tap and in bombers at all three locations.

Live Music (Downtown): Music is done for the colder months, but will resume at 111 in the spring!

Live Music (Heights): Friday—Bobcats, 7-10 p.m.

Live Music (Westside): Friday—Ray Anthony and Powerslyde, 8-11 p.m.; Saturday—El Brujo Trio, 8-11 p.m.

Weekly Events (Downtown): Saturday—Brewery tours, 2 p.m.

Nexus Brewery — (505) 242-4100 (brewery), (505) 226-1055 (Silver Taproom)

(Brewery: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; Silver Taproom: Mon–Fri 4-10 p.m., Sat noon-10 p.m., Sun noon-9 p.m.)

Beers: Bird of Prey IPA, Belgian Tripel, Dunkelweizen, Equinox, Irish Red, Imperial Pilsner (Silver only), Beam Me Up Scotty (Silver only). The most recent additions are Belgian Tripel, Dunkelweizen, Irish Red, Equinox, and Bird of Prey.

News: Nexus Silver now has food! Rejoice and check out the menu on their main website.

Happy Hour/Discounts (Brewery): Monday–Friday, $5 appetizers, 3-5 p.m.

Weekly Events (Silver Taproom): Saturday—a live DJ will perform; Sunday—a live band will perform at 2 p.m.

Palmer Brewery and Cider House — (505) 508-0508

(Tues–Sat 3–9 p.m.)

Beers: MWA (Malt With Attitude), Guero (Belgian Wit), Poolside Pale Ale, Cockness Monster (Scotch Ale), Switch Stance Stout. Palmer shares a building with Left Turn Distilling on Girard south of Candelaria. This batch of Cockness Monster is fresh and tasty.

Ponderosa Brewing Co. — (505) 639-5941

(Sun 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Mon–Sat 11 a.m.–11 p.m.)

Beers: Imperial Red, Topaz Pale Ale, Red Chile Chocolate Porter, Dry-Hopped Saison, Amber Ale. The new Topaz Pale Ale is the latest in a series of single-hop beers. The most recent additions are the Amber Ale, Imperial Red, and Red Chile Chocolate Porter.

News: You can now find India Pale Lager 2.0 for sale in cans, at the brewery and at local liquor stores, including Total Wine, Bird of Paradise, Jubilation, Kelly’s, and Quarters!

Quarter Celtic Brewpub — (505) 503-1387

(Sun–Thurs 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.)

Beers: S’More Than a Beer, Imperial Clark, Baltic Bollocks, Come to the Dort Side, SMASH Comet Session IPA. QC has brewed up a delicious monster in the Baltic Bollocks Porter. The Imperial Clark is not for the faint of heart. S’More Than a Beer was made with graham crackers, lactose, and chocolate.

Red Door Brewing — (505) 633-6675 (brewery), (505) 990-3029 (downtown taproom)

(Brewery hours: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Fri 11 a.m. to midnight, Sat 7 a.m. to midnight, Sun 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Downtown taproom hours: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m. to midnight, Sun 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Wyoming taproom hours: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m. to midnight, Sun 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

Beers: Imperial Red IPA, Plum Gose, Oktoberfest, WyPA, White AF IPA (downtown only). The Imperial Red IPA was the first in a series of beers to celebrate Red Door’s recent anniversary. The Plum Gose was second and Oktoberfest was third.

Live Music (Brewery): Today (Wednesday)—Sloan Armitage, 7-9 p.m.

Weekly Events (Brewery): Monday—The Draft Sessions, 7-9 p.m.

Weekly Events (Taproom): Today (Wednesday)—Paint it Black Open Mic Comedy, 7-9 p.m.; Thursday—Art at the Bar, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Sunday—Parents’ Day Out, noon-3 p.m.; Tuesday—Geeks Who Drink, 7-9 p.m.

Rio Bravo Brewing Company — (505) 900-3909

(Mon noon–10 p.m., Tues–Thu noon–11 p.m., Fri–Sat noon–1 a.m., Sun 11 a.m.–10 p.m.)

Beers: Rio Bravo Amber, Weizen, Randy’s Shandy, Dirty Rotten Bastard IPA, Snakebite IPA, Roadkill Red Ale, La Luz Lager, Old Town Porter (regular and barrel-aged), Vanilla Porter, NM Pinon Coffee Porter, Oatmeal Stout, Barrel-aged Belgian Strong Golden, Level 3 IPA, Imperial Russian Stout (regular and barrel-aged), Lemongrass Wit, Peach Gose, Cherry Sour, Kolsch, Hibiscus Mojito, Penguin Lager, Belgian Blonde, Cherry Wheat, Belgo IPA, Pink Boots Pale Ale, Marzen, Grapefruit Launcher IPA, Schwarzbier, Rubus Ruckus, Barleywine, Cherry Wheat Cuvee, Christmas Cascade Pale Ale. A portion of the Penguin Lager proceeds are going to the new exhibit at the ABQ Bio Park. There are now three barrel-aged beers on tap in the Porter (new recipe!), RIS, and Belgian Strong. The Cherry Wheat Cuvee is a barrel-aged blend of Cherry Wheat and Barleywine.

Live Music: Today (Wednesday)—Buddhafunk, 6-8 p.m.; Thursday—Sloan Armitage, 6-8 p.m.; Friday—Aaron Markland (acoustic set), 7-9 p.m.; Saturday—Let it Grow Trio, 7-10 p.m.

Events: Saturday—Shop ‘n Suds Market, 1-5 p.m.

Weekly Events: Friday—Headliners Comedy presents Friday Night Fools ($5 cover, event only), 9:30 p.m.; Sunday—Pints & Planks with Yoga Zo

Happy Hour/Discounts: Happy hour Monday-Friday, 2-6 p.m., $1 off pints

Sidetrack Brewing — (505) 832-7183

(Mon–Thurs 3–11 p.m., Fri 3 p.m.–midnight, Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–10 p.m.)

Beers: CO-MO IPA, 3:10 to Belen Brown Ale, Railhead Red, Dark Engine Stout, 2926 Steam Lager, Buzz Bomb. The CO-MO IPA is the most recent addition. Buzz Bomb is a delicious coffee pale ale made in collaboration with the folks next door at Zendo.

Cask: The CO-MO and Railhead are in the firkins.

Starr Brothers Brewing — (505) 492-2752

(Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day)

Beers: Starrstruck IPA, L.A. Woman (Blonde), Red Zepplin, Lampshade Porter, Brown Chicken Brown Cow, Jack Tooth Grin, A Roll in Ze Hay (Hefeweizen), Black Friday (Dark American Lager), Starrgazm IPA, Zombies in the Manger (Biscochito Stout). The most recent additions are Starrgazm and the Zombies in the Manger, which is downright sacrilicious.

Steel Bender Brewyard — (505) 433-3537

(Sun–Thurs 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–11 p.m.)

Beers: (house) Skull Bucket IPA, Red Iron Red, Sparkfitter Amber, Lloyd’s 3 O’Clock Kolsch, Blue Bullet Stout, The Village Wit; (seasonals/specialties) Figgy Pudding, Plymouth Rock & Rye Saison, Who’s Brett IPA, Ich Bin Ein Cranberry, Brickie American Stout, Compa Lager, Manana Tropical IPA. The most recent additions are the Manana, Compa, Brickie, Ich Bin Ein Cranberry, Who’s Brett, Figgy Pudding, and Plymouth Rock & Rye Saison. This Saturday’s edition of the 4 Casks of Christmas is Chocolate Orange Brickie.

The 377 Brewery — (505) 934-0795

(Open noon-11 p.m. most days)

Beers: (house) 377 IPA, Dieterhosen Hefe, El CuCuy (DIPA), Fat Brown Guy (Porter), Red Horse NM Lager, Schwarzbier, Berliner Weisse, Naked Ale (Pale); (seasonals) Loonies Lime Saison, Short Wee Heavy, Milk Stout, Peach Wheat, Kolsch, Scottish Ale, Say Juan Saison, Barrel-Aged Tart Cherry Milk Stout, Skin Walker Triple IPA. A most excellent update from the folks at The 377 features four new additions to the seasonal list with Loonies, Short Wee Heavy, Skin Walker, and the BA Tart Cherry Milk Stout. It’s quite the variety, isn’t it?

Weekly Events: Sunday—Open Mic/Jam Session, 5 p.m.

Tractor Brewing Company — (505) 433-5654 (Nob Hill), (505) 243-6752 (Wells Park), (505) 243-6752 (Four Hills)

(Nob Hill: Sun–Weds noon–midnight, Thurs noon–2 a.m., Fri–Sat noon–2 a.m.; Wells Park: Mon–Thurs 3 p.m.–close, Fri–Sun 1 p.m.–midnight; Four Hills: Sun–Thurs 11 a.m.–midnight, Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–2 a.m.)

Beers: Javi Lager, Three-Two Amber, 2016 Stein Wine, Cranberry Ginger Cider, Plum Spice Berliner Weisse, Desert Dweller DIPA, Barrel-Aged Leche de Luna, Imma Pale Ale, Spiced Cider, Nitro Cowboy Coffee (Wells Park only), Turkey Drool (Nob Hill and Four Hills only), Chocolate Milk Stout (Four Hills only), Jack the Sipper (Four Hills only), Belgo American Pale Ale (Four Hills only), Flanders Red Ale (Four Hills only), Cascara Cider (Four Hills only). Recent additions to the lineup are the Imma Pale Ale, made in collaboration with Immastar Productions, and the Spiced Cider, as well as the Desert Dweller and an archived supply of 2016 Stein Wine. Barrel-Aged Leche de Luna is an imperial chocolate milk stout with a serious kick.

News: Do not fret, Berry Cider is still on tap, but since it is now a year-round offering, we will no longer be listing it with the seasonal/specialty brews and ciders here.

Live Music (Wells Park): Thursday—Julian Dossett Trio, 8 p.m.; Saturday—Live Jukebox, 8 p.m.

Live Music (Nob Hill): Today (Wednesday)—Todd Tijerina, 8:30 p.m.; Friday—Screen Door Slammers and Jimmy Deveney, 8 p.m.; Saturday—Still Closed for Repairs, 5 p.m.

Live Music (Four Hills): Saturday—Nathan Fox, 7 p.m.

Weekly Events (Wells Park): Tuesday—Kamikaze Karaoke, 7 p.m.

Weekly Events (Nob Hill): Today (Wednesday)—Writing Wednesdays, 5 p.m.; Monday—Tractor Tune Up, 7:30 p.m.

Weekly Events (Four Hills): Today (Wednesday)—Geeks Who Drink, 7 p.m.

Also, every first Monday of the month at both Tractor locations is Beer for a Better Burque night. For every pint you buy $1 can go to one of four charities that have partnered with Tractor. You can also opt to purchase a special growler with the logo of your favorite charity.

Happy Hour/Discounts: Tractor now has a late happy hour from 9 p.m. to midnight on Mondays with $2.25 classic beers and $3.25 seasonals.

Turtle Mountain Brewing Company — (505) 994-9497

(Kitchen hours: Mon–Tues 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m., Wed–Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Sun 10:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Reminder: TMBC closes early when business dictates. Please call.)

Beers: Lil’ Shelly (Pale Ale), Cosmic Yum Yum, Can’t Catch Me Copper Lager, Arsenal Porter, Pour les Abeilles, Capspackler Imperial IPA, Depravity Barleywine. An archived keg of Depravity has been tapped for a limited time. The Capspackler (9.5% ABV, 125+ IBU) and Arsenal Porter are the two most recent additions.

Cask: Tuesday—TBA

Santa Fe breweries

Blue Corn Brewery — (505) 438-1800

(Open daily 11 a.m.–10 p.m.)

Beers: Farmhouse Funkalicious, La Santa Oscura, Ginger Braggot, Conspirator Doppelbock. The La Santa Oscura is a holiday spiced dark lager. The Funkalicious is the most recent addition.

Chili Line Brewing — (505) 500-7903

(Mon–Sat 4–11 p.m., Sun 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m.)

Beers: El Jefe (Rauchweizen), Antonio Bandito (Dunkelweizen), Llorona Lager, La Bamba (Rauchbier), Stara Baba (Oak Smoked Polish Gratzer), Jacona Stout, P.G. (Pinche Guey) IPA. The Jacona and P.G. are the most recent additions.

Live Music: Every night at 7 p.m.

Happy Hour/Discounts: Reverse happy hour after 9 p.m. includes $1 off pints, $6 appetizers, $10 entrees and pizzas.

Duel Brewing Company — (505) 474-5301

(Brewery: Mon–Sat open at 11 a.m., Sun open at 1 p.m.; ABQ taproom: Mon–Thurs 2 p.m.–midnight; Fri–Sun noon–midnight)

Beers: Bad Amber, Marcel, Fantin (Double Pale Ale), Duchamp (Sour Wit), Cezanne Magnifique, HMWWA FIACFW, Cezanne Verite, Fiction (IPA), Lourd of Funk, Titian, Dark Ryder. This batch of Cezanne Verite is barrel aged and it is also for sale in bombers. The Titian and Dark Ryder are the most recent additions, available on tap and in bombers. Grunewald (Imperial Porter) will return on tap and in bombers this Friday.

Live Music (ABQ taproom): Friday—Ceekay Jones, 9 p.m.; Saturday—Feliz Navidad Concert with Buddhafunk and James Whiton, 9 p.m.

Weekly Events (ABQ taproom): Tuesday—Bike-In Brew, 7 p.m.

Happy Hour/Discounts (Brewery): Happy hour Mon–Fri, 4-6 p.m. (discounts for all draft beer), Growler Saturdays ($3 off growler fills).

Happy Hour/Discounts (ABQ taproom): Happy hour Mon–Fri, 5-7 p.m.

Rowley Farmhouse Ales — (505) 428-0719

(Open all week from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

Beers: Fields of Rye, Saison du Sarlacc, Agent Scully – Season One, Episode Four (IPA), Germophile (Berliner Weisse), Fruhschoppen (Hefeweizen), Little White Lies (Belgian Blonde), Conduit (Belgian IPA), Bosco P. Coltrane (Chocolate Brown). The Agent Scully is a new series of IPAs which will vary by hop combinations. Episode 4 is the most recent iteration. The Coltrane is the most recent addition to the lineup.

Santa Fe Brewing Company — (505) 424-3333

(Main taproom: Mon–Sat 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun 2-8 p.m.; ABQ taproom: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–11 p.m.; Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–midnight; Sun 11 a.m.–10 p.m.)

Beers: Adobe Igloo, Hipster Union IPA, Oktoberfest, Bobcat Dynamite (Kolsch), Wet Hop Pale Ale (ECS). With the colder weather almost upon us, Adobe Igloo makes its annual return. Hipster Union is also back, while Bobcat Dynamite is the most recent addition.

Happy Hour/Discounts: $1 off growler refills in the tasting room on Mondays. $2 pint Tuesdays at the Eldorado Taphouse. On Wednesday, there is a $2 pint special in the tasting room. On Thursday, there will be $1 off growler refills at the Eldorado Taphouse.

Second Street Brewery — (505) 989-3278 (Railyard), (505) 982-3030 (original location)

(Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Sunday noon-9 p.m.)

Beers: Kolsch, IPA, Cream Stout, Pecos Porter, Cherry Wood Smoked Imperial Porter, ESB, Rufina Amber, Summer Rain Sour, Boneshaker Bitter, Pivotal IPA. The most recent additions are the Pecos Porter and the Cherry Wood Smoked Imperial Porter.

Live Music (Original location): Friday—Mystic Lizard, 6-9 p.m.; Saturday—Swing Soleil, 6-9 p.m.

Live Music (Railyard): Friday—Kodama Trio, 6-9 p.m.; Saturday—The Busy McCarroll Band, 6-9 p.m.

Live Music (Rufina): Today (Wednesday)—K.Dutch, The Outstanding Citizens Collective, DJ Cap, 7:30-11:30 p.m.

Events (Original location): Thursday—Cask n’ Curry, all day

Weekly Events (Railyard): Today (Wednesday)—Geeks Who Drink, 8 p.m.

Other breweries you need to visit

Bathtub Row Brewing — (505) 500-8381

(Mon–Weds 2–10 p.m., Thurs 2–11 p.m., Fri–Sat noon–11 p.m., Sun noon–10 p.m.)

Beers: Kutthroat Kolsch, Kaboom Quad, Wit Rock, Catherine’s Historical Stout, Little Bird Blonde, Anderson Amber. Well, look at that, an updated beer list for BRB. The Wit Rock and Little Bird are old favorites, the rest are more recent recipes.

Sierra Blanca Brewing — (505) 832-2337

(Mon–Thurs 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Fri –Sat 11 a.m.–9 p.m.)

Beers: Cranberry Sour, Interstella Vanilla, Cherry Wheat, Single Hop IPA, Whiskey Stout. The Whiskey Stout is the most recent addition. The Cranberry Sour is the most recent addition. Oktoberfest is now available on tap. Cherry Wheat is available in bottles and won a gold medal at GABF this year.

Live Music: Friday—Sloan Armitage, 6 p.m.

* * * *

That’s all for this week! If you have any questions or comments, leave them below or contact us on our Facebook page.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

Random thoughts on the 10th annual Hopfest

Posted: August 29, 2017 by cjax33 in Hopfest 2017
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Another Hopfest is in the books.

Yeah, this story should have run Monday, but Sunday featured soccer in the morning, work in the afternoon, and Isotopes coverage in the evening. Anyway, just figured the Crew could share a few of our thoughts on the latest edition of Hopfest, which was held back on Saturday at Isleta Casino.

Wherefore art thou, 377?

One of the weird little moments was the fact that The 377 Brewery had a space reserved but never showed up. No word was ever given as to why. That, plus the sudden closing of Chama River, left one corner of the main room somewhat barren. They were supposed to be right next to each other. (Before anyone panics, The 377 is still open and doing fine, by all accounts.)

A little light on the crowd

One thing that was quickly apparent was a visible drop in attendance. Two mitigating factors could have been all the people who were elsewhere, preparing for the Mayweather-McGregor fight, or more likely all the folks on the West Side of ABQ preferred to attend Summerfest in their backyard. Of course, with fewer people, things seemed to go much smoother. Most importantly, the bathroom lines were short if not non-existent. That alone is a victory.

NM weather is not your friend

The side room that used to host a lot of breweries was instead reserved for the Dukes of Ale and the NM Brewers Guild Educational Pavilion, which meant a lot of breweries had to go outside beyond the patio. Many of these were local breweries, which meant they had to endure a fair amount of wind, plenty of heat, and even some rain. It would not be the late summer in New Mexico without some wacky weather (as I type this on Monday, the Isotopes are in a rain delay, which means I may be filing this from the ballpark at some point in the weird hours).

As Crew member Shawna put it best: “Hopfest was a lot of fun! (But) it was disappointing to see so many local breweries outside. The outdoor situation seemed like a hot mess (literally).”

Hail to the Dukes

Franz Solo’s next project is to assemble a kit like this one.

AmyO got to hang out over at the Dukes of Ale display, which included the ultimate homebrew setup (pictured). She added this: “Really liked getting in to that first room early just before extra hoppy (hour) and having the Dukes of Ale over there. I enjoyed that coconut, etc., vanilla, etc., etc. beer, but there was a little too much going on — so much so I can’t even remember the name(s) of what was in there.” She also enjoyed the doppelbock, but one of her friends liked the IPA better than she did.

Shawna chimed in: “I really loved the Dukes of Ale setup. My favorite was the dopplebock.”

Our picks for best beers of the fest

I will let the ladies go first.

AmyO: “You know my favorite beer was that imperial red (Ol’ Lassy) from Enchanted Circle. My second favorite was, strangely, Lava Rock’s Hefeweizen. Now, one reason might be just plain uniqueness when you kind of get fatigued from the same old beers sometimes. I thought the Blueberry Stout at Ponderosa was nice, and not too overpowering on the blueberry.”

Shawna: “Bow and Arrow had a very good IPA (Hazillionaire). I also enjoyed Ponderosa’s Blueberry Stout! I’m proud to see Antonio (Fernandez) making so much progress! Oddly enough, considering I lean towards darker beers, I kept going back to Flix Brewhouse’s So It Gose. That was a very well rounded gose, not too sour or too sweet.”

As for me, I kept the sampling to a minimum since I had to give a seminar on the history of brewing (yes, shameless book promotion moment). The top six that I tried were:

  • Bathtub Row Krosscut Kolsch: If there was a perfect beer for the scorching temps outside, it was this one. Wonderfully sweet and refreshing. If they canned or bottled this and shipped it down to ABQ, I would buy it every summer.
  • Bow & Arrow Hoodoo Monster Imperial Red: Fairly tasty red, without the hop kick of Marble’s Imperial Red. Both sweet and yet dry. Overall, solid.
  • Bow & Arrow Desert Dynamo IPL: Fresh batch was tapped later in the session. Sweet, floral, fairly juicy. I was impressed by the B&A offerings, definitely gotta revisit the brewery as soon as baseball season ends.
  • Duel Oui Lourd: I was initially skeptical, but curious, about a sour Scottish wee heavy. I don’t know if I would drink a full pour, but it was pretty good, and this is coming from a non-sour guy. If nothing else, it was different.
  • Quarter Celtic Bruce (Black IPA): This batch was done in a hazy New England style. Yes, a hazy black IPA. Lots of flavors at play here, with the roasted malts coming through even amid the hops. It was just tapped that morning, so it will be interesting to see how it settles in at the brewpub.
  • Rowley Farmhouse Ales Agent Scully – Season 1, Episode 3: The latest in a series of revolving IPAs from RFA, this one is a sweet, floral delight, with berry/melon flavors. I have no idea what the hop combo was, but man, I hope they use that again.

Apologies to those local breweries that I did not visit. I will make it up to you at your actual location or an off-site taproom.

A special thanks to Marne Gaston (and her mom), John Gozigian, Angelo Orona, and Carlos Contreras.

Even if I didn’t sell many books (people had beers to drink, I understand), it was still a good festival. I only rambled on at the seminar for about 20 minutes, too, which is remarkable considering how long-winded I can get. Anyway, until the next major festival (GABF!), it is back to the regular grind. Let us hope that there will be no additional brewery obits between now and then.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

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