The “sweet” 16 entries of the 2022 New Mexico IPA Challenge has been finalized after representatives from 38 breweries met at Boxing Bear Firestone on Saturday afternoon and cast their blind taste test ballots. Rather than attempt some sort of long-winded recap first, here are the beers. Bosque Brewing (won in 2014 and 2015) Boxing…
Tag: New Mexico Brewers Guild
Beer Notes: IPA Challenge returns, new brewery updates, brewer shuffle
Catching up on all the things we missed, and we are still probably forgetting a few, seemed like a prudent thing to do this week. Also, the feature I planned will have to wait until next week. These things still happen from time to time. NM IPA Challenge is back with a couple of changes…
Great NM Beer Festival holds a first competition between local breweries
For the first time in a long while, an all-New Mexico breweries competition was held in advance of Saturday’s Great New Mexico Beer Festival. Local breweries competed for three medals in each of four categories, with a different brewery claiming gold in each category. Well, almost, since no gold medal was awarded by the judging…
Craft beer fans will have opportunity to participate in NMBG Conference in June
The New Mexico Brewers Guild had big plans back in 2020 for its own version of the annual Craft Brewers Conference, a combined educational event and trade show for members of the industry within the state. COVID, of course, wiped out both the New Mexico version and the national version that year, but after CBC…
La Cumbre Brewing ascends to the top of the 2022 NMBG Stout Invitational
It was a close vote at the 2022 New Mexico Brewers Guild Stout Invitational on Saturday, but at the end it was La Cumbre who came out on top. With 29 votes, the longtime Albuquerque heavyweight prevailed over a field of 16 stouts in a blind taste test held over three sessions at Bathtub Row…
Stout Invitational returns with a twist to Los Alamos after 1-year COVID hiatus
Before the dark times arrived in March 2020, the last great beer event held was the New Mexico Brewers Guild Stout Invitational at Bathtub Row Brewing in Los Alamos. Flix Brewhouse took home the trophy in the February competition, a blind taste test of 16 stouts from around the state. And then, COVID, and darkness,…
New Brewers Guild executive director stoked to return to her home state
If the new executive director of the New Mexico Brewers Guild looks familiar to anyone, it would probably to the former loyal customers of one of our state’s classic brewpubs, Chama River, that is sadly no more. That alone is the first sign that a lot has changed since Tess Vidalis left New Mexico, and…
WinterBrew returns in 2022 with plenty of beers to keep everyone warm and cozy
Sadly, I had missed my first WinterBrew in 2020 because I was on the road. How could I know I wouldn’t get a chance to return to my favorite festival the following year in 2021? I have to admit, I was pretty bummed about the whole thing. I saw all the great pictures. Late last…
New Mexico Brewers Guild executive director moves on to her next chapter
The first time I met Leah Black was when she was slinging beers at the long-gone Hallenbrick Brewing, where she was gutting through the process of pouring brews despite a broken wrist suffered recently on the ski slopes of Northern New Mexico. Then, months later, there she was, sans air cast, doing the same at…
Turtle Mountain North nearly ready for its grand debut in Enchanted Hills
The penultimate New Mexico Brewers Guild Social of the year took place Tuesday night in a unique spot, as those of us in attendance got a first look (or in my case, a second look) at the forthcoming Turtle Mountain North in Enchanted Hills at the far end of Rio Rancho. Owner Nico Ortiz said…
DARK SIDE BREW CREW 