La Reforma hires a familiar face as 2022 head brewer shuffle gets underway

After a relatively static period during the height of the pandemic, a new shuffle of head brewers is underway in New Mexico. “There was very little mobility during the pandemic,” said La Reforma co-owner John Gozigian, who has just hired a new head brewer/distiller. “Now that things are getting back to normal, for a long…

Rio Bravo readies a rebrand as part of an ongoing return to normalcy in 2022

The good folks at Rio Bravo Brewing had already given me a list of possible interview times for our Look Back/Look Ahead Series when I learned that their newest limited beer release, Putin’s Mistress (Rum-Barrel-Aged Coffee Imperial Stout), was due out right in between those possible dates. Luckily, director of brewing operations Austin Giorgetta also…

Local breweries get their GABF competition entries ready early this year

The Covid-19 pandemic has continued to have an effect on annual craft beer events around the country, whether pushing things back or postponing them outright until 2022. One big example is the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, which usually happens the first weekend of October ever year at the convention center. Instead, the annual…

The Week Ahead in Beer: The can-slaught returns with a vengeance

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 eight 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….

Rio Bravo Brewing boldly marches forward under current restrictions

After more than 20 entries in our annual Look Back/Look Ahead Series, there seem to be three things that have kept breweries going during the pandemic. First, it really helps to can your beer. Second, a kitchen can be awfully beneficial. Third, the bigger the patio, the better. Rio Bravo Brewing checked off all three…

The Week Ahead in Beer: A blast of winter cannot stop the hops

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 eight 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….