Hopfest 2016: The first fest of the season keeps it fresh

Newcomers and summery, fresh-tasting, hoppy beers helped to keep interest alive for the ninth annual Albuquerque Hopfest. Each year the crowds get larger, and each year I wonder how in the world Marne Gaston puts on such a large production. But, she does, flawlessly, and I am in complete awe of her. I would be…

Eighteen NM breweries will pour their finest at Hopfest

Ah, late August, when the hints of cooler weather arrive, the kids go back to school, football (both American and international) revs up, and Hopfest takes over Isleta Casino. Hey, at nine years old, we can pretty much declare Hopfest an annual tradition. The largest beer festival in New Mexico returns this Saturday from 2…

ABQ Beer Week 2016: Aiming for a perfect Day Ten

The party isn’t over yet, so it’s time to gear up for one last Saturday full of events. There are two big fundraisers today, one at Tractor Wells Park and the other at Marble Westside. Throw in some more beer releases, special tappings, sampling events, and more, and you should stay plenty busy as we…

ABQ Beer Week 2016: Crushed under the weight of Day Eight

Welcome to the single biggest day of Beer Week. Don’t believe us? Scroll below. Yeah, that’s 23 events. Twenty. Three. Now more than ever, you need a plan of attack. Go by time. Go by geographic location. Go by whatever you can do safely (if driving, or even Ubering). Just remember to carve out some…

ABQ Beer Week 2016: Get your kicks on Day Six

Now that the holiday has come and gone, things are starting to rev up again. From a competition, of a sort, between two breweries, to lots of new food-and-beer pairings, more samplings/tastings, a beer dinner, and an educational class on off flavors, the afternoon and evening are packed with lots of fun. Good luck picking…

Breaking down the beers at Blazin’ Brewfest

The unofficial kickoff to festival season is upon us once again as Blazin’ Brewfest returns to downtown Las Cruces on Saturday. This annual event, put on by the NM Brewers Guild, is definitely the biggest and most important festival for craft beer lovers in Southern New Mexico and surrounding areas. The festival runs from 5…

Beer Notes: On name changes, another new brewery, and more

There was some beer news that popped up last week while yours truly was out of town. Throw in the fact that I am greatly limited by Isotopes coverage this week, and well, this is our news article for the week. We will follow up on some of these articles as warranted in the weeks…

Ponderosa plows ahead even after changing brewers again

Ponderosa Brewing has endured a fair amount of change since opening in September 2014. They are already on their third head brewer, yet have managed to build up a strong following in the Sawmill District and from beer lovers all around town. To tackle how 2015 went, and what 2016 holds for Ponderosa, it took…