Posts Tagged ‘Quarter Celtic Brewpub’

Quarter Celtic Brewpub taps a new location with the same quality

Posted: June 27, 2019 by cjax33 in Taproom Preview
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The opening date is just around the corner.

Folks from the neighborhoods along Juan Tabo have been asking us for some time when the long-awaited Quarter Celtic taproom was going to open. While we still do not have an official opening date, we did get to enjoy an invite-only sneak preview Monday night.

The new spot is located at 1930 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, on the east side. It is just north of Indian School. The taproom is smaller than the original brewpub at Lomas and San Mateo, but it has the same beers on tap, and a full kitchen with the same menu.

You know it’s a Quarter Celtic staff when they don’t take themselves too seriously.

The staff was up to the task of taking care of everyone in attendance Monday. There were a few faces who will be familiar to customers of the original, but all of the newcomers have been prepared for the task at hand.

Most of the space is the dining area, with the kitchen in the center. It is not quite as open as the kitchen at the brewpub, but you can still smell the food as it is cooking, so if you are not hungry before arriving, you will be after a few minutes. Hmm, it’s almost like they planned it that way.

That cool old-timey lamp post over there caught our eye.

The bar is over in the south side, where a few small TVs are on the walls above. The taproom is still more of a place to eat and talk to people than a sports bar, which is just fine with us.

Quarter Celtic has kept the same vibe at the new location, but it still feels a bit different, which is just fine. If you are a fan of the original, but it was a little too far away to visit frequently, then this should be a perfectly good option for some corned beer and cabbage, and a pint of Crimson Lass.

The bar area makes for a cozy corner.

Thanks to Ror and Brady McKeown for the invitation. We will enjoy our second Winchester in ABQ.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

The quick guide to every brewery and taproom that recently opened

Posted: June 20, 2019 by cjax33 in News
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These guys are gonna be the next brewery to open in Albuquerque this Friday!

All of us in the Crew figured we would have a nice, relaxing June after ABQ Beer Week ended. Then, a new brewery opened. And, another one. And, another one. It has left a lot of people’s heads spinning, trying to remember what is open, and what is still on deck. To help out everyone else, and maybe even to help ourselves, we present the great guide of everything that has opened since about May 20, will be open soon, and what is much further down the road.

ALREADY OPEN

Ex Novo Brewing, Corrales: If you have not been to this most excellent NM version of the popular Portland, Oregon brewery, you are missing out. Its beers are now popping up at bars and restaurants around town, and you can pick up six-packs and four-packs, but really, you should drive up Corrales road a ways and enjoy the most excellent taproom that is adjacent to the big production brewery. It is right across the street from the fire station and Corrales Bistro Brewery (which does not, alas, brew its own beer). Just please remember to adhere to the strict 30 MPH speed limit.

Enchanted Circle Brewing Taproom, San Mateo and Osuna: The Angel Fire brewery’s taproom also opened during Beer Week. They have a full kitchen, and all the beers from up north. They are tucked into the same shopping center as Amy’s Donuts, right near Cliff’s amusement park.

Blue Grasshopper Brewing Taproom, Second Street and Summer: The latest addition to the Wells Park brewing scene is almost a carbon copy of the other two Blue Grasshopper locations, and that is just fine. Enjoy a wood-fired pizza and a huge beer list (mainly guest taps). They are still working on building the brewery in the other half of the building.

Hops Brewery Taproom, Los Ranchos: Located at 7226 Fourth Street, north of Osuna/south of Paseo del Norte, this charming little spot has a lot of beer, not much parking (carpool, please), and a limited food menu, but it often has food trucks pulling up for special occasions.

Thirsty Eye Brewing, Broadway and Gold: The neighborhood pub for EDo (East Downtown) is now open, serving coffee starting at 7:30 a.m. and beer in the afternoon/evening. We got a full preview of this spot from the good group of people who have made it a reality at 206 Broadway SE.

La Reforma Brewery, San Mateo and Alameda: We got to chow down in advance of the opening of this brewery in the old Bosque taproom space at 8900 San Mateo. The taqueria food, done Mexico City-style, is excellent, the beers are tasty, and as a result we think this is gonna be a popular joint for a long time to come.

Brew Lab 101, Rio Rancho: We did a full preview a while back, but now this long-awaited addition to the RR scene has opened as of Tuesday night. Featuring beer and cider, it is just west of Turtle Mountain on Southern, past the post office and before you get to Joe’s Pasta House. Speaking of which, you can bring in food from there and other local establishments so that you do not drink on an empty stomach.

ALMOST BUT NOT QUITE OPEN

Black Snout Brewhouse, Juan Tabo and Menaul: The good news is that we will be able to move these guys to the open list as of Friday night. The grand opening is set, so make sure to head on over and tell us what you think of the beers, the space, the whole thing. One of our writers is planning on a review to run early next week, just in case you want us to test the waters first.

Quarter Celtic Brewpub Taproom, Juan Tabo: Just around the corner from Black Snout, the QC taproom is very close to opening. How close? We just got invited to a soft opening/trial run for the spot. It should be ready for everyone well before July 4 rolls around.

FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD

Among those breweries still in the planning/built-out stages are the B2B Garden Brewery, on Comanche just west of Wyoming; Turquoise Trail Brewing, on Central near Juan Tabo; Hausammann Brewhaus, on Central across from UNM; Looking Glass Spirits & Long Lost Brewing, on Sixth Street just a few blocks south of Bow & Arrow; Desert Valley Brewing’s taproom on San Mateo, just a block south of where Enchanted Circle opened; and Tractor Brewing’s taproom in Los Lunas.

Breweries outside the ABQ metro area still on the docket include 575 Brewing (Alamogordo), Boogie’s Brewery & Distillery (Deming), Lauter Haus Brewing (Farmington), Piedra Blanca Brewery (White Rock), Public House 28 (Anthony), and off-site taprooms from Boese Brothers (Los Alamos), Icebox (Northeast Las Cruces), Lost Hiker (Downtown Ruidoso), Picacho Peak (Alamogordo), Red Door (Roswell), and Truth or Consequences (Las Cruces). Oh, and then of course there are the new Bosque taprooms coming to Santa Fe and Las Cruces (yes, a third one), but those do not have pending licenses yet with the State of New Mexico.

Got all that? We will do our best to keep you continuously updated. In the meantime, enjoy the new ones, support the old ones, and just in general have fun with the vast variety of breweries that we have across New Mexico.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

The Week Ahead in Beer: Get dad a brew or two for his day

Posted: June 12, 2019 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 seven breweries, one in Los Alamos, one in Moriarty, one in Red River, one in Silver City, and one in Truth or Consequences 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.

This Sunday is Father’s Day, just in case you had not checked the calendar in a while, and thankfully there will be some pretty good brew-and-food options if you have a dad like mine who loves beer. Luke has a preview of the Crab and Pilsner Festival at Second Street Rufina, which runs all day Saturday and Sunday. We would just recommend you go early Sunday, in case they run out of crab (this inland state loves its shellfish). Down in Silver City, Little Toad Creek has a Blues Brunch at 1 p.m. with live music from Joe Neri and Blues Dawg. Canteen has Beer and a Brat at both locations starting at noon. Get a pint of Laid Back Lager and a bratwurst for $8. Quarter Celtic is grilling up ribs on the patio, with special pours of Dark Pedro and barrel-aged MacLomas Stout starting at noon, plus live music from Canyon Standard time from 3 to 5 p.m. If there are any other Father’s Day-centric events that we have missed, please let us know!

On the new beer front this week, there are a few options to check out. Bosque has a new saison, Ocha. Canteen has its anniversary beer, Citranova, on tap and in cans Saturday. Ex Novo looks at some Aperture Pale, plus it also has its collaboration with Steel Bender, Saison de Luxe, available in bottles. La Cumbre releases its collaboration IPA with Colorado’s Cannonball Creek Brewing, Woodland Paradise, on tap and in cans on Friday. Marble was able to Czech in with Pilsner Burquell. Ponderosa has a fresh batch of Oatmeal Stout. Red Door rolls out a slew of new seasonals, with Cascade SMASH and Lemonade Stand up first, followed by Picture Rock Porter, a collaboration with Beer Creek, on Friday, and Nitro Double Vanilla Cream on Sunday. Tractor hits the mark with Sorachi Ace IPA.

Up in Santa Fe, Second Street brewed up an Imperial Pilsner for its festival. Over in Los Alamos, Bathtub Row stacks up some Brick City IPA.

Continue reading for all the news that is fit to blog for the week of June 10.

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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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ABQ Beer Week: Day Six wants us all to say cheese with our brews

Posted: May 28, 2019 by cjax33 in ABQ Beer Week 2019
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Take the cheese at Trator Westside, or pick from one of the other events today.

It’s a relatively quiet day by Beer Week standards, but that’s just fine, since for far too many of us it was back to the grind of work after the three-day weekend.

There’s a special beer release, a sampling of a new brewery’s packaged offerings, a different sort of beer-and-cheese pairing, a full beer dinner, a twist on your usual happy hour, and some fun and games with your beer. Take your pick of one or more and dream of next weekend.

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: Beer and Grilled Cheese Pairing with Cheesy Street. Where: Tractor Westside. When: 5-8 p.m. Cost: $13.

Details: This fun annual event shifts taprooms from Nob Hill, where food trucks are no longer allowed by Tractor’s landlord, to the Westside location on McMahon near Unser. You get a tray of four specialty grilled cheeses paired with a flight of four Tractor beers. As a bonus, here are the pairings — extra sharp cheddar with Almanac IPA, ham-havarti-mustard with Haymaker Honey Wheat, American cheese-green chile-bacon with with New Mexican Lager, and raspberry cheesecake with Berry Cider.

Why you should go: Grilled cheese and beer. It should not be that hard of a sell.

All the other great events

What: Special Release of Mangose. Where: Quarter Celtic Brewpub. When: 11 a.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: QC went ahead and made a new batch of the popular mango gose. How popular? Well, the staff had none left quite a while before Blues & Brews ended on Sunday. Why you should go: Grab a pint with some lunch or dinner.

What: Ex Novo Sampling. Where: Jubilation. When: 4 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Taste many of the new Ex Novo beers coming in cans to the New Mexico market, including Mass Ascension IPA and The Most Interesting Lager in the World. Why you should go: If we didn’t tease you enough with our Ex Novo preview, then this should really get you excited for the brewery’s offerings.

What: Rowley Farmhouse Ales Beer Dinner. Where: Farina Alto Pizzeria & Wine Bar, 10721 Montgomery Blvd. NE. When: 6 p.m. Cost: TBA. Details: Enjoy RFA beers paired with a delicious meal from Farina. Why you should go: One makes great, unique beers, and the other makes great food, so even though we’re a bit scarce on details, this one seems like a winner. — UPDATE: This event has been canceled.

What: Scholarly Happy Hour with Asa Stone. Where: Canteen Brewhouse. When: 6 p.m. Cost: $15. Details: We will have a separate full preview of this special event featuring the only advanced cicerone in the state. Why you should go: Get some education with your beer.

What: PuttSlope and Putt Putt Competition with Upslope Brewing. Where: Nob Hill Bar & Grill. When: 6-8 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Join a mini-golf competition on the patio while enjoying the Upslope seasonal, Tea Shandy. You can win prizes and swag from Upslope, plus other beers will be on tap. Why you should go: Beer doesn’t always have to be serious, as this event will prove.

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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

ABQ Beer Week: Day Three offers up plenty of tasty treats

Posted: May 25, 2019 by cjax33 in ABQ Beer Week 2019
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There’s just a few food items to pair with your beer on this day of 15 events.

Every day of Beer Week seems to have a different underlying theme that covers most of that day’s events. If there is one to be found today (Saturday), it is food.

Yes, today is the day of beer and food pairings galore. There’s a brunch with beer, two separate donuts-and-beer pairings, more beer-and-cheese pairings, and a food truck “battle” for the ages. You will not go hungry while enjoying the vast variety of beers on tap today (and just about every other event that is taking place today is somewhere that also serves food).

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: Mini Cask Fest. Where: Quarter Celtic Brewpub. When: 11 a.m. Cost: $5.

Details: Once again, Quarter Celtic harkens back to its British-style brewing roots by embracing cask ales. There will be four special beers available — Chai Tea Irish Red, Dry-Hopped Gose, Double Dry-Hopped MorBuck, Bourbon Barrel-Aged MacLomas Stout — and you can order that little sample wheel of all four. Once you’ve picked your favorite, snag a pint of that while enjoying the German DFB Pokal final (at noon) and the Spanish Copa del Rey final (at 1 p.m.) as the European soccer season nears its fateful end.

Why you should go: Those beers are just too hard to pass up, and if you mix in QC’s food and soccer on TV, it all comes together just perfectly.

All the other great events

What: Marbelous Modern General Brunch Pairing. Where: Modern General, 1720 Central Ave. SW. When: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost: $20. Details: Two special courses from Modern General, located in the former Draft Station space, will be paired with two 8-ounce Marble pours. Why you should go: Fill that belly before you dive into all the other great events today.

What: The Breakfast of Champions with Bristol Doughnut Co. Where: Steel Bender Brewyard. When: 11 a.m. Cost: $12. Details: We covered this one in our roundup of all Steel Bender events, but suffice to say, it’s four special donuts paired with SBB beers and cider. Why you should go: Donuts and beer, need we say more? Just arrive early because the supply is limited.

What: Brewery Yoga with SavaYoga. Where: Kilt Check Brewing. When: 11 a.m. Cost: $5. Details: Stretch yourselves out and get ready for the long day ahead, with a beer waiting for you right after class. Why you should go: Fit beats fat, or so they tell us.

What: Beer and Donut Pairing with Rebel Donut. Where: Kilt Check Brewing. When: Noon. Cost: $10. Details: Get a flight of beers paired up with special offerings from Rebel. Why you should go: Donuts and beer, need we say more?

What: Ciderday Night Fever. Where: Tractor Nob Hill. When: Noon to close. Cost: No cover charge. Details: All day long, enjoy a wide variety of ciders from Tractor and other breweries and cideries. Or, stop in at 8 p.m., as DJ Dave 12 will be spinning up some classic disco tunes. Just stick with the Travolta instead of the two brawling girl scouts from Airplane. Why you should go: If ciders are your thing, this is your event. Plus, you can bust out those platform shoes that had been hiding in your closet!

What: Fourth Annual Food Truck Battle. Where: Red Door Candelaria. When: 1 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: We already covered this fun event that pits four food trucks against each other for some bragging rights, all while you fill your belly. Why you should go: Awesome food paired with Red Door beers and live music from Reuben Krussick of Wholehearted.

What: Bosque Beer and Cheese Sampling. Where: Albertsons Market at Enchanted Hills. When: 3 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Free beer and cheese. Why you should go: Free beer, and you can buy some cans to take home.

What: Sierra Blanca Beer and Cheese Sampling. Where: Albertsons Market at Ridgecrest. When: 3 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Free beer and cheese. Why you should go: Free beer, and you can buy some bottles to take home.

What: Santa Fe Beer and Cheese Sampling. Where: Albertsons Market at 10131 Coors NW. When: 3 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Free beer and cheese. Why you should go: Free beer, and you can buy some cans to take home.

What: Where the Magic Happens Brewery Tour. Where: Casa Vieja Brewery. When: 4 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Take a trip into the Corrales brewery and learn more about the brewing process, after which you can listen to Van Roper play some tunes on the patio. Why you should go: Take a break from the craziness on one of the most chill outdoor spaces in the metro area.

What: Ex Novo Release Party. Where: Sister Bar. When: 6 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Ex Novo opened to the public Friday night, but if you want to try the beer before you drive to Corrales, this is your opportunity. Why you should go: The Ex Novo beer lineup is worth the trip downtown, or Corrales, or anywhere.

What: Comedy Quiz Show. Where: Red Door Downtown. When: 7:30 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: No details were available, but we think this involves comedy, and a quiz-type contest of some sort. Why you should go: Solve the mystery of what this event is all about.

What: Under Covers. Where: Tractor Wells Park. When: 8 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: A plethora of local musicians — JD Nash Harding, Michael Moxey, Still Closed For Repairs, Austin Morrell, Bellemah — will be performing covers of their favorite songs. Why you should go: After the long day, unwinding with some tunes sounds like a great idea.

What: Comedy Night. Where: Canteen Brewhouse. When: 8:30 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Laugh it up with host Zach Abeyta and other local comedians while enjoying some of Canteen’s finest beers. Why you should go: A little laughter is an excellent way to close out the evening.

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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

Rio Bravo earns bronze medal Down Under for its next can release

Posted: May 17, 2019 by cjax33 in News
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We are firmly of the belief that beer labels should be fun.

Timing is everything in life, in brewing, in beer awards, you name it. Rio Bravo Brewing was in the process of canning its Freak Juice Hazy IPA for a Friday release when it received word that the brew won a bronze medal at the Australian International Beer Awards on Thursday.

“Yeah, we got an email from Australia saying the preliminary results were in and we won a bronze medal,” head brewer Ty Levis said. “I just replied, ‘Oh, sweet, we just finished packaging it yesterday afternoon.’ We were just getting the cases ready for Admiral (Beverage Company) for distribution.”

Freak Juice (6% ABV, 40 IBU) was made with 60 pounds of hops, and then an additional 60 pounds on the dry hop. Citra, Mosaic, and Amarillo are the hops in question. I got a quick sample and it is an aggressive hazy IPA, with a big aroma.

“We came up with a completely different package design (too),” Ty said.

Yup, that’s a hazy one.

It is definitely an eye-popping design on the 16-ounce can. The beer will be available in four-packs wherever Rio Bravo is sold, and there will be a release party today (Friday) at the brewery from 4 to 7 p.m.

In additional AIBA news, Quarter Celtic also got two medals, a silver in the Chocolate Beer category for Mocha Hipster Bomb (a collaboration with Palmer Brewery which won a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival last year), and a bronze for Crimson Lass in the Irish-style Red category.

Congrats to all the winners.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

ABQ Beer Week returns in just 10 days so here is a not-too-early preview

Posted: May 13, 2019 by cjax33 in ABQ Beer Week 2019
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It’s go-time, again, and we will help prepare you for all that is to come.

Some mornings you glance at the old beer calendar and try to figure out what to write about. Well, at least that’s how it works for us, and our glance today brought us to the stark realization that ABQ Beer Week 2019 is just 10 days away. Guess we should probably get our annual early preview up, right?

Most of these events can be found here at the official site, but if we list any below that do not appear there, fear not, someone just has to upload the final details. For each day we picked at least one event to highlight. When Beer Week starts next Thursday, we will have a daily preview for each and every day, plus some breakout features on certain events.

As we do every year, we seriously advise saving up some money for Lyft/Uber usage, or take this opportunity to cash in any owed rides from friends/family.

Thursday, May 23

This is definitely a double-event day, at minimum. Start your day at Marble Heights for the annual Beer, Cheese & More. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online. It sells out, so get ’em early. You get a tray of delicious Marble beers paired with select cheeses and other foods from Whole Foods Market. The event runs from 5 to 7 p.m. When you are done, grab a ride down to Tractor Wells Park for Sour Hour with Rowley Farmhouse Ales. This one also starts at 5 but runs until 10, so they should have plenty of beer left after you are done at Marble. Grab a tray of select RFA and Tractor sours and enjoy the sounds of McMahon & Littlebird, who perform at 8.

Other events to consider: Firestone Walker tasting at Stone Face Liquors, 4 p.m.; Bell’s Brewery tasting at Jubilation, 4 p.m.; Laid Back Lager Jogger 5K at Canteen Brewhouse, 5 p.m.; Beer Making 101 Class at Casa Vieja Brewery, 6:30 p.m.; Drinking Songs Themed Karaoke at Red Door Candelaria, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 24

The opening weekend is pretty packed, in case you have not looked at the schedule yourselves. Once again, we have two events in two different parts of town that are both worth checking out. The order you go in is up to you, but for these two, we definitely recommend you do not drive. Nob Hill Bar & Grill is hosting the 21 and Over event this year (it was at Sister last time), which features a collection of national craft breweries that are 21 years old or older (get it?). Each will be offering up some of their rarer one-offs rather than just the same old stuff. The one that has us the most excited is Firestone Walker’s Maple Parabola Imperial Stout. We will unveil the other seven entries soon. Meanwhile, at the same time over at Tractor Wells Park, Truth or Consequences Brewing is engineering at tap takeover and bomber sale. If you have not made it down to T or C to try this excellent brewery, now is your chance, plus you can take home beers like Truth Serum Barleywine.

Other events to consider: Social Capital Key-Lime Pie release at both Canteen locations, noon; High and Dry Brewing and Taos Energy Bar collab release, noon; Wild & Sour Beer Tasting with Steel Bender, Rowley Farmhouse Ales, and Bow & Arrow at Jubilation, 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 25

This day is nice, as the events are more spread out across the day. Start your day off with the Mini-Cask Fest at Quarter Celtic, which starts when it opens at 11 a.m. Four select QC beers will be served in firkins, and you can sample all for just $5, and/or grab a pint of your favorite. Don’t fill up too much on food, though, as the Annual Food Truck Battle is going down at Red Door Candelaria at 1 p.m. After a potential afternoon siesta, head downtown to Sister for the Ex Novo Brewing Release Party at 6 p.m. If you have not been lucky enough to try the beers from the original in Oregon, enjoy the first tasty offerings from the new Corrales brewery.

Other events to consider: Donuts & Beer Pairing with Bristol Doughnut Co. at Steel Bender Brewyard, 11 a.m.; Cider Day Night Fever at Tractor Nob Hill, all day

Sunday, May 26

There’s really just the annual Blues & Brews Festival at Sandia Casino. We will have a full preview of that one soon.

Monday, May 27

Double up on the Memorial Day activities with Marble’s annual music festival at 2 p.m. You can also hit the all-day Smoke-Out at Steel Bender, though that only goes until the delicious smoked meats run out. We would honestly recommend you fatten up at Steel Bender first, then dance it off at Marble later.

Other events to consider: Tamarind Sour Release and Karaoke at Cantero Brewing, 11 a.m.; Karaoke for a Cause at Red Door Downtown, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, May 28

Things start slowing down a bit now that the holiday weekend is over. If you missed Ex Novo at Sister, head over to Jubilation at 4 p.m. for a tasting of their packaged offerings. Then motor down to Canteen Brewhouse for a Scholarly Happy Hour with Asa Stone at 6. She is the only certified advanced Cicerone in the state, so she might have some insight into taking your love of beer to the next level.

Other events to consider: Special Release of Mangose at Quarter Celtic, all day; Beer and Grilled Cheese Pairing with Cheesy Street at Tractor Westside, 5 p.m.

Wednesday, May 29

Another relatively quiet day, so kick back and relax with the Rebel Donut and Beer Pairing at Tractor Four Hills at 4 p.m. This one ran out of donuts in a hurry last year, so while more will be on hand this year, do not expect them to last. Then you can head down to Red Door Candelaria for a lecture on hops and climate in New Mexico at 7 p.m.

Other events to consider: Steel Bender Tap Takeover at M’tucci’s Market & Pizzeria, all day; Founders Barrel-Aged Beer Dinner at the Salt Yard, TBA

Thursday, May 30

This is another busy day. Start it off at any time at Steel Bender for the Saison de Luxe release party. This collaboration with Ex Novo is a barrel-aged brett saison. There’s a Bell’s Brewery Tappening at O’Niell’s Heights from 5 to 7 p.m. You can also sign up for two beer dinners featuring La Cumbre at Nob Hill Bar & Grill and one at Toltec Brewing on the westside, starting at 6 and 6:30, respectively.

Other events to consider: Upslope Brewing tasting at Jubilation, 4 p.m.; Odell Pint Night at Billy’s Long Bar, 5 p.m.; The Great Gatsby Edition of Gin & Jazz at Tractor Wells Park, 5 p.m.

Friday, May 31

Close out the month of May with all sorts of beer-and-food-pairing events. Marble will have a beer and cheese pairing at Jubilation at 4 p.m. Canteen Brewhouse is hosting a beer and taco pairing at 6 p.m. Dialogue Brewing is hosting at beer and food pairing with M’tucci’s at 6 p.m.

Other events to consider: Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout tapping at Two Fools Tavern, 5 p.m.; Drag Queen Bingo: Pride Edition at Tractor Wells Park, 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

The new month begins with Kaktus Brewing hosting the Farm House Ale Event at Loretto Park in Bernalillo from noon to 6 p.m. We will have a full preview of this mix of beer, food, live country music, and more.

Other events to consider: Worthogs Homebrew Club Demonstration at Casa Vieja Brewery, 1 p.m.; Pop Fizz Paleta Pairing with Rio Bravo and host High and Dry, 2 p.m.; Beer, BBQ and Bites Pairing with Asa Stone at Canteen Brewhouse, 6 p.m.; Steel Bender Beer Dinner at Artichoke Cafe, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

It all wraps up, finally, with plenty of concluding events. If you still have a hankering for cask beers with some mangy jazz, hit up Le Cask Lunatique at Steel Bender at noon and enjoy some brews with Le Chat Lunatique.

Other events to consider: Hoppy Birthday to Us! anniversary party at Casa Vieja Brewery, noon; Bike Part Drive benefiting Esperanza Bike Shop at Canteen Brewhouse, 2 p.m.; Green Jeans Farmery Beer Week Event, TBA

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That is all from us for now, but look for a lot more info starting next Thursday. We will see you all out and about during Beer Week.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

Beer Notes: The brewery taproom boom is not slowing down

Posted: April 30, 2019 by cjax33 in Beer Notes
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Say hello to the forthcoming Thirsty Eye Brewing, under construction now at Broadway and Gold. (Photo courtesy of Thirsty Eye)

It is a relatively quiet week out there, spring winds aside, so it felt like a good time to dust off the old beer notebook.

New brewery updates

We keep waiting for the number of forthcoming breweries to dwindle down, but that has not happened yet. There are currently five breweries with active small brewer licenses around the state which have yet to open their doors, another nine with pending licenses, and a handful of places adding a brewing license to an existing business.

  • 575 Brewing, Alamogordo (pending): This new brewery is being built from the ground up, with foundation construction having commenced on April 19 at 234 W. 8th Street.
  • B2B Garden Brewery, Albuquerque (pending): We do not have any updates on this space, located on Comanche just west of Wyoming.
  • Beer Creek Brewing, outside Santa Fe (pending): Our last trip out there found that business was going well and the brewing system was finally in place. For now, stop by and enjoy a pizza, guest beers, and even some collaboration beers made at other local breweries.
  • Black Snout Brewhouse, Albuquerque (active): The Crew will be stopping in early next week, which means that this brewery is nearly ready to open its doors on Menaul just east of Juan Tabo.
  • Boogie’s Brewery and Distillery, Deming (pending): There are no new updates for this long-awaited successor to Mimbres Valley Brewing.
  • Brew Lab 101, Rio Rancho (active): The projected timetable is for a late May opening. For more info, see our last story.
  • Ex Novo Brewing, Corrales (active): The first test batches are now running in the brewery hall, while renovations continue on the adjacent taproom building across the parking lot. We expect to return soon for a final preview story.
  • La Reforma Brewing, Albuquerque (active): The goal of opening in early June in the old Bosque location, on San Mateo north of Alameda, has not changed.
  • Lauter Haus Brewing, Farmington (pending): Progress continues on this new brewery, spearheaded by former Three Rivers head brewer Brandon Beard. The fun news? They have purchased some vintage arcade games for the taproom.
  • Looking Glass Spirits & Long Lost Brewing, Albuquerque (pending): We finally dug up an address for this newcomer, which will be located at 1803 Sixth Street NW, just three blocks south of Bow & Arrow. There is still no social media with which to follow the progress, so we will remain patient.
  • Piedra Blanca Brewing, White Rock (pending): We have no updates at this time on this brewery located in the town next to Los Alamos.
  • Public House 28, Anthony (pending): Other than the fact that this newcomer has already joined the NM Brewers Guild, we have no new info. It will be located outside Anthony at 10108 Highway 28.
  • Rail Brewery, Santa Fe (pending): We have no new updates.
  • Thirsty Eye Brewing, Albuquerque (active): The Crew has made contact with the owners and we hope to make our first trip over to 206 Broadway Blvd. SE sooner than later. You can follow their progress on Facebook.
  • Turquoise Trail Brewing, Albuquerque (pending): We have no new updates on this brewery, located on Central near Juan Tabo.

In addition to those breweries with pending or active licenses, we did learn more about the mysterious Context Brewing that popped up on the Brew to Do list that we wrote about recently. It is apparently the brewery going into a space at 816 Third Street NW. Former Brewers Guild executive director John Gozigian tipped us off to a possible brewery going into that space, but again, there is no pending license yet, so it figures to be a ways off.

New taproom updates

The home of the future Truth or Consequences Brewing taproom in Las Cruces. (Photo courtesy of T or C Brewing)

Yes, there are also more off-site taprooms still in the pipeline. Because of course there are, right?

  • Blue Grasshopper, Albuquerque (pending): Located in Wells Park, we wrote on this one before, and when there is more news to share, we will head back. We assume a license for the brewery half of the building is still in the works.
  • Boese Brothers, Los Alamos (pending): Our man Reid still has not figured out where this taproom is going to be located.
  • Desert Valley, Albuquerque (active): Progress continues on Wyoming near Comanche, which is where this taproom is replacing the former Red Door spot.
  • Desert Valley, Albuquerque (pending): Wait, what? There are two DV taprooms in the works? Yes, we have now confirmed a second one is indeed happening at 5231 San Mateo Blvd. NE. Located a block south of Osuna and the next taproom listed below, this space was under construction/renovation the last time we drove by.
  • Enchanted Circle, Albuquerque (active): The last batch of construction photos show the bar is in place, and states that the taproom is about two weeks away from being ready for opening at Osuna and San Mateo, in the shopping center on the northwest corner of the intersection.
  • Icebox Brewing, Las Cruces (pending): Even though the main brewery opened only recently, an off-site taproom is already in the works, though its exact location has not been revealed.
  • Picacho Peak, Alamogordo (pending): We have no new updates on this first off-site taproom for the Las Cruces brewery.
  • Quarter Celtic, Albuquerque (active): Construction continues apace up on Juan Tabo between Menaul and Indian School, but no opening date has been set.
  • Truth or Consequences, Las Cruces (pending): Yes, T or C is heading south to Las Cruces for its first off-site taproom, as that city is suddenly filling up fast. It will be located on East Lohman, not too far west from Interstate 25.

We will do our best to keep everyone up to date on all of these forthcoming places, as well as keeping an eye on the news at the existing places. May is going to be one heck of a busy month, including the Blazin’ Brewfest in Las Cruces (which will now be preceded by the new Las Cruces Beer Week!) on May 17 and then ABQ Beer Week, which begins May 23. Throw in some expected openings from some of the places above, and there will be no rest for the weary Crew this coming month.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

The Week Ahead in Beer: Just don’t go full McGregor this weekend

Posted: March 13, 2019 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 seven breweries, one in Los Alamos, one in Moriarty, and one in Red River 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.

St. Patrick’s Day is this Sunday, so as one would expect, there are gonna be a whole lot of themed events and Irish-style beers coming out this weekend. Just try not to overdo it; people really don’t like the “jolly, drunk Irishman” as much as pop culture likes to pretend (or worse, act like a certain infamous MMA fighter who hails from Ireland). Quarter Celtic, naturally, is one of the best places to enjoy a proper NM twist on the holiday. The brewpub celebrates its anniversary party on both Saturday and Sunday. There will be a limited menu of Celtic fare only (so no nachos, folks), with lots of delicious beers available, of course. Outside there will be a tent and a separate beer station, plus live music. Get there early for the barrel-aged Irish Handcuffs Imperial Stout. Marble is bringing music back to the downtown stage with a St. Paddy’s Day Festival on Saturday featuring the Squash Blossom Boys, The Riddims, The Moon Thieves, and Red Light Cameras, plus of course Paddy McNitro Stout will be back on tap at all three locations. Canteen will have a St. Paddy’s Celebration with bagpipes at 3, music by Beloved at 4, and plenty of beer and food specials. Remember, you can also take six-packs of Irish Red home. Rio Bravo will host a St. Paddy’s Brunch and Beer Pong starting at 11 a.m. Tractor has Adam Hooks playing a selection of classic hits by The Pogues at the Nob Hill Taproom on Saturday at 5 p.m. Second Street will have the Albuquerque & Four Corners Pipe ‘N Drum Band at the original location on Sunday at 4:30 p.m., with a full menu of special Irish foods available all weekend at all three locations, plus plenty of special beers on tap.

There is also the big Steel Bender second anniversary party, which we previewed in a separate story. It will include a very Irish-themed Sunday in terms of food and beers.

On the new beer front this week, there are a few options to check out. Ale Republic has switched up quite a few taps, with Brown Bear Brown, Blonde, Trail Head DIPA, and Lone Wolf (American Light Ale) now available. Bow & Arrow has the new Coyote Cool (Red Saison) in bottles and on tap. Cantero has a new Lager and Mango Fria on tap. Dialogue drops some Munich Dunkel and Belgian Dark Strong with cherries, along with Dry Irish Stout this weekend. Flix Brewhouse is feeling Marvelous with a new oatmeal stout, plus Saison De Walt makes its annual return. La Cumbre added an Irish Red and Pogue Mahone stout. Marble recently introduced Chicansima, a Mexican dark lager brewed in collaboration with the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Ponderosa tapped the long-awaited Belgian Golden Strong, and Cocoa Puffs Baltic Porter should be on tap by this weekend. Steel Bender has Daydream Belizer, a chocolate-and-coffee Belgian ale, available on Friday, plus Los Ranchos and CE-1 Ciders on Saturday, and Mulvaney’s Irish Red on nitro on Sunday.

Up in Santa Fe, it’s quiet again, but that won’t last long. Over in Los Alamos, we got an update from Bathtub Row with plenty of seasonal brews available, including an Irish Red and an Imperial Stout.

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

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