Posts Tagged ‘Rio Bravo Brewing’

ABQ Beer Week: Day One is loaded with almost too much fun

Posted: May 25, 2017 by cjax33 in ABQ Beer Week 2017
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Here we go again. Eleven days of beer goodness starts today!

All right, people, it’s go time!

Make sure you have your Lyft and/or Uber accounts up to date, and then start checking off the events you can’t miss. The Crew will be here for you every day with info on every single event.

We also have separate previews for the events at Ponderosa Brewing, Tractor Brewing, and everything involving Upslope Brewing.

We start off with the most event-packed day of all, including a certain person (me) having his first book signing alongside an excellent beer-and-food pairing from one of our finest breweries.

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: Albuquerque Beer Book Signing AND La Cumbre Beer and Cheese Pairings. Where: Jubilation Beer Wine and Spirits. When: 4-6 p.m. Cost: No cover charge.

Details: Shameless self promotion time! Yours truly spent last year writing up the history of brewing in Albuquerque, and now Albuquerque Beer: Duke City History on Tap is ready. I will have a limited number of copies available for purchase at Jubilation. But, since you might need greater incentive to come on by, La Cumbre will also be on hand with many of their best beers paired up with all sorts of artisanal cheeses, and that won’t cost you a dime.

Why you should go: Learn all about Albuquerque’s beer history while enjoying some of our city’s best present-day beers.

All the other great events

What: Boxing Bear Special Beer Tapping. Where: Gecko’s Nob Hill. When: 11 a.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: We are working to find out just what beer(s) will be available. Why you should go: A Boxing Bear beer with your lunch. How can you go wrong?

What: Special Beer Release. Where: Bow & Arrow. When: 3 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: They are releasing a special dry-hopped sour farmhouse ale (name TBA). Why you should go: Pucker up with a new local brew to get the ball rolling!

What: Beer and Tapas Pairing. Where: Ponderosa. When: 3-6 p.m. Cost: $7. Details: A different beer and tapas pairing will be available each day. Why you should go: You need some food in your belly to go with all this beer.

What: Mother Road Sampling. Where: Total Wine Cottonwood. When: 3:30-5:30 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Sample Mother Road’s packaged lineup. Why you should go: Free beer!

What: Upslope Special Tapping. Where: M’tucci’s Moderno. When: 4-7 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: In addition to happy hour food and beer specials, there will be a specialty keg tapped. Why you should go: Solve the mystery of the mystery beer, and devour awesome M’tucci’s food.

What: Alaskan Sampling. Where: Total Wine Cottonwood. When: 4-6 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Sample Alaskan’s packaged lineup. Why you should go: Free beer!

What: Alaskan Tap Takeover. Where: Bubba’s 33. When: 4-8 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Multiple Alaskan beers will be on tap. Why you should go: Burgers and beer.

What: Mother Road Sampling. Where: Total Wine Uptown. When: 4-6 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Sample Mother Road’s packaged lineup. Why you should go: Free beer!

What: Beer, Coffee, and Chocolate Pairings. Where: Rio Bravo. When: 5-8 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Rio Bravo will be pairing up its beers with items from NM Pinon Coffee and Chocolate Dude. Why you should go: Get your dessert before dinner.

What: A Cigar, Food and Beer Evening on the Patio. Where: Jinja West. When: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Jinja is pairing up cigars from Jake and Harley with the special tapping of three Alaskan Brewing beers, Raspberry Wheat, Summer Kolsch, and the awesome Perseverance Russian Imperial Stout. Why you should go: Perseverance alone should get you across the river.

What: La Cumbre Beer Dinner. Where: Torino’s @ Home. When: 6-9 p.m. Cost: $45 per person. Details: A four-course dinner paired with four classic LC beers. Check the Facebook event page for the full menu. Why you should go: Delicious food plus delicious beer.

What: Beer, Cheese, & More. Where: Marble Heights. When: 6-8 p.m. Cost: $25. Details: Five 4-ounce beers will be paired with five 1-ounce portions of different cheeses. There were only 75 tickets available as of Monday afternoon. Get them quick at the taproom. Why you should go: It’s annually one of the best Marble events, and that is saying something.

What: Upslope Tap Takeover. Where: M’tucci’s Italian. When: 6-10 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: They are busting out the rare beers for this event. Why you should go: Rare beers. Need we say more?

What: Big Sipper IPA Can Release. Where: Tractor Wells Park. When: 7-10 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Tractor will release Big Sipper for the first time in cans, made especially for July’s annual Pork & Brew in Rio Rancho. The Silver String Band will provide the music. Why you should go: You can’t live on big beers alone, so a nice session IPA will help get you through this busy day.

What: Sierra Nevada and Girl Scout Cookie Pairing. Where: O’Niell’s Nob Hill. When: 7-9 p.m. Cost: TBA. Details: Enjoy delicious Sierra Nevada beers and some of the best cookies in the world. Why you should go: Oh, come on, you’ve always wanted to know what the perfect pairing is with the cookies you bought.

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

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

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

The Week Ahead in Beer: Breweries line up special beers for Cinco de Mayo

Posted: May 3, 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.

Cinco de Mayo, or Drinko de Mayo, is this Friday, just in case you had not checked the calendar in a while. It is a holiday I usually sit out, not because I dislike it or anything, but it falls the day after my birthday, so my hangover tends to keep me grounded. This year, though, the breweries are putting out some unique new beers for the holiday that might just get me off the couch. Boese Brothers will be throwing a party for the re-release of Cherry Bomb, their popular summer wheat beer. There will be an art show by Quetzal, food from Disk-O-Dawg, and live music from Dos Gatos. That all kicks off at 7 p.m. Bow & Arrow is going a darker route with El Breakfast Stout. It is a Mexican chocolate version of the popular coffee stout genre, and will be available all day. Ponderosa is bring back its ever popular Spanglish, the Mexican/American hybrid lager, and it will also be available all day. Rio Bravo and Lizard Tail are releasing their new collaboration, an imperial German Kolsch, Funf de Mayo, which likewise will be available all day at both breweries. Duel is having quite the event at its Albuquerque taproom. The downtown location will have Cinco de Cezzanne starting at 5 p.m., with the new Origine spring saison alongside all four seasonal saisons from last year. Marble does not have a new beer release, but it does have Crave, a pop-up beer dinner in its fermentation hall downtown on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. Chef David Gaspar De Alba of Artichoke Cafe is creating a four-course meal paired with four special Marble beers. Tickets are available at the taproom and cost $60 for the general public and $55 for brew club members.

On the new beer front this week, there are a few other new options to check out. Boese Brothers also has Betchin Pale Ale available. Bosque goes dark, and light, with Mumbai Night Sessions, a session black IPA. Canteen has fresh batches of Sundance Kolsch, Raspberry Wheat, and the new Super Smalls Session IPA. Flix Brewhouse rolls out Flora Colossus, a special new double IPA. Marble has a slew of new, with Bronco Blanco IPA, Saison De Burque, Indian Bone’s Raider of the Lost Ale, Pina Pale, and Josh Bullard, the collaboration with Bosque. Nexus brings back the popular Blood Orange Worf-a-weizen, and Vienna Lager should be on tap later this week. Ponderosa’s Vienna Lager is also available after a long wait. Starr Brothers introduces Johnny, a cashmere IPA. The new Misfitter Altbier and Goose is Loose Berliner Weisse are now at Steel Bender. Turtle Mountain unveils Stuccon Saison, and Can’t Catch Me Copper Lager will soon be back to join the main beer lineup.

Up in Santa Fe, Rowley Farmhouse Ales has a fresh batch of Erin Go Bragh Dry Irish Stout on nitro, while Germophile, a new Berliner weisse, debuts today (Wednesday). Second Street has fresh batches of Coffee Porter, Boneshaker Bitter, and Pivotal IPA.

Continue reading for all the news that is fit to blog for the week of May 1.

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: Pine Juice IPA, Golden, Brune, Wheat Wine, Strong Dark and Handsome, Lone Wolf. The Strong Dark and Handsome (8.7% ABV, 23 IBU), a Belgian dark strong, is back on tap. Lone Wolf (3.5% ABV, 13 IBU) is a new Belgian ale that, as that ABV might imply, is quite sessionable.

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: Contact the brewery for an updated list.

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

News: The Blue Grasshopper taproom on Coors, just north of Montano, is now open! We will have more soon.

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 Hatcher, Zeus Juice White IPA, Betchin Little Pale Ale. The Betchin is the newest, at least until Friday when Cherry Bomb returns. The Zeus Juice can also be purchased in bombers.

Live Music: Friday—Dos Gatos, 7 p.m.; Saturday—Spankey Lee, 9 p.m.

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.

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: Witbier, Mumbai Night Sessions, Lemondrop SMASH, Citra SMASH Lager. The new kid this week is Mumbai, a session black IPA checking in at 4.8-percent ABV. It offers up sweetness up front and the hops on the back end. The light, sweet Lemondrop and Citra are also recent additions. They fit great with the weather, sunny or rainy or whatever the heck this state throws at us next.

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: Flint & Grit (British Mild), Sun Dagger (Saison), Crossed Arrows (Scotch Ale), Hoka Hey (IPA), Jemez Field Notes Lager, Bucking Brown-co, Autumn Archer (Marzen), Wayward Arrow Hefeweizen, Radical Aim IPA, Sun-Bleached Berliner Weisse. The newest addition to the lineup, and first under B&A’s new brewer, is the Sun-Bleached Berliner Weisse. Next up, El Breakfast Stout debuts Friday.

Events: Sunday—Bard Crawl: Twelfth Night, 1:30 p.m.

Happy Hour/Discounts: Bow & Arrow has happy hour every Monday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. Get $1 off pints. A new late happy hour starts Thursday at 9:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 10 p.m.

Boxing Bear Brewing Company — (505) 897-2327

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

Beers: Vantablack Russian Imperial Stout, Chocolate Milk Stout (also on nitro), New Mexikolsch, Bearzen, The Red Glove, Black and Blue Sour, Ekuanot SMASH, Barril De Oso. You can still buy bombers of Chocolate Milk Stout and The Red Glove, which both took home gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival back in October, and now Black and Blue Sour, available in bombers for the first time. The Barril De Oso is a wine-barrel-aged version of the Oso Otono brown ale.

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, Double Black IPA, Pepe the Mule. OK, fine, Pepe the Mule counts as a beer, even though it is basically a Moscow Mule, but it was made with beer. Double Black IPA is the first hop-forward beer from Broken Trail.

Events: Friday—Margaritas, Movie (Nacho Libre), & Tacos, 7 p.m.

Weekly Events (main location): Today (Wednesday)—Cards Against Humanity hosted by 10 Drink Minimum, 7 p.m.; Sunday—Build-your-own Mule bar, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Tuesday—All house beers are $2 a pint

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: North 14 Pale Ale, Sundance Kolsch, Piedra Red, Raspberry Wheat, Social Capital, Super Smalls Session IPA. Say hello to the Sundance, Raspberry, and Super Smalls, the most recent new additions. This version of Social Capital was made with orange peel, cardamom, and vanilla.

Live Music: Thursday—Still Closed for Repairs, 6-9 p.m.; Sunday—The High Desert Playboys, 3-6 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.

Chama River Brewing Company — (505) 342-1800

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

Beers: The Lighter Fare (ESB), The Darker Fare (Nitro Irish Dry Stout), Seasoned Strop Belgian DIPA, Vermilion, Crema Anejo. The Lighter Fare and Darker Fare are delicious collaborations made with Nexus. The Crema Anejo (6% ABV, 26 IBU) is a cream ale aged in tequila barrels.

Dialogue Brewing — (505) 585-1501

(Open daily noon-midnight)

Beers: Belgian Citrus IPA, Berliner Weisse, Dark Helmet (Swartzbier), American Dark Sour, When in Doubt (Session Stout), SCH Scotch Lager, Panza Mexican Vienna Lager, Biere de Mars, SCH Scotch Lager, Soulless (Tart Ginger), Golden Ale, Sour Raspberry, ODB Sour Brown Ale, Dennis Hopper (Hoppy Wheat), Filth Peddler (Sour Lager). The most recent additions are the Biere de Mars, Golden, Sour Raspberry, and ODB. It’s quite the variety.

Events: Friday—Jeff Hayes Elemental: Hyper-surrealism, 8 p.m.

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, McWabbit Pale Ale, Campbell Toe IPA, Obliviscaris Oatmeal Stout, McRojo or No (Irish Red). Brewer/owner Mike Campbell has five of his own creations on tap at 4814 Hardware Dr. NE, including the Campbell Toe (no snickering). The Obliviscaris is a burly throwback to the stouts of old.

Weekly Events: Tuesday—Geeks Who Drink, 7 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: January Embers English Barleywine, 50 Shades of Schwarzbier, Stuntman Lager, So It Gose, Mr. Cutty Fingers, Saison de Walt, Baby You’re Much Too Fast (Irish Red), Flora Colossus (DIPA). January Embers is a delicious, hefty (9.9% ABV) beast of a beer. Get it while it lasts. Mr. Cutty Fingers is a loganberry IPA brewed up for the movie Logan, if you could not guess. Flora Colossus is a wine-infused double IPA.

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: Umlaut Stout, Irish Red, Wheat, Blonde Ale, Helles Lager, Imperial Stout, Honk Ale, Oaxford IPA, D’Golden Amber, Walnut Cider, DjinnJar Kombucha. The most recent additions are the Irish Red, Wheat, D’Golden Amber, Honk Ale, and the burly Umlaut Stout, which is not for the faint of heart, er, palate.

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, Dry Irish Stout (on nitro), Farm House Ale, IPA, Red, Scotch Ale, Session IPA; (seasonal) Rye Pale Ale. The recent change in ownership at Kellys has led to some seriously improved beers and food, so we decided it was high time to add it to the listings.

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: Blanche de Burque, VMO #2, Hans Cholo (Schwartzbier), Pogue Mahone (on nitro). The VMO #2 is a lovely Marzen. Hans Cholo is a collaboration schwarzbier brewed with Marble. The Blanche de Burque is back for another run.

Live Music: Saturday—The Rudy Boy Experiment, 6-9 p.m.

Weekly Events: Tuesday—Lego Night Build Off, 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: DANG Pale Ale, Maibock, Berliner Weisse, Hans Cholo, Cherry Chingon, American Porter, 7 Horsemen (Downtown and Heights), Super Session IPA (Downtown and Westside), Saison de Burque (Downtown and Westside), Stout Americano (Heights and Westside), Wheat Out (Heights and Westside), Gin Blossom Ashlar (Heights and Westside), Brown Rye (Heights and Westside), Choco Mole Lager (Heights and Westside), Bronco Blanco IPA (Downtown only), Indian Bone’s Raider of the Lost Ale (Downtown only), Nitro Stout Americano (Westside only), Woodshed Double Red (Westside only), Bacon’s Best Friend (Westside only), Crystal Pale Ale (Westside only), India Wheat Ale (Westside only), Nitro Brune (Westside only), Pina Pale (Westside only), Josh Bullard (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 new additions and/or fresh batches are Saison de Burque, Bronco Blanco, Indiana Bone’s (name of the year candidate), Pina Pale, and Josh Bullard, a collaboration pilsner made between Bosque’s John Bullard and Marble’s Josh Trujillo.

Live Music (Downtown): Today (Wednesday)—El DUB, 7-10 p.m.; Thursday—Michael Moxey and the Easy Sinners, 7-10 p.m.; Friday—Concepto Tambor, 8-11 p.m.; Saturday—Na’an Stop with Policulture, 8-11 p.m.

Live Music (Heights): Friday—Julian Dossett, 7-10 p.m.; Saturday—Sol De La Noche, 7-10 p.m.

Live Music (Westside): Friday—Last Call, 8-11 p.m.; Saturday—Richard Mittelstet, 8-11 p.m.

Other Events (Downtown): Friday—Crave Pop-up Beer Dinner, 7-9 p.m., $60 per person ($55 for brew club members)

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: Milk Stout, Irish Red, The Darker Fare, Blood Orange Worf-a-weizen. The Worf-a-weizen is back for another run, but be warned, it went fast last time. A Vienna Lager should be on tap by the end of the week.

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), Pale Ale, Cockness Monster (Scotch Ale), Palmergranite Wit, Cafe Pale Ale, Switch Stance Stout. Palmer shares a building with Left Turn Distilling on Girard south of Candelaria. We got the full story on their origin and what’s to come in 2017.

Ponderosa Brewing Co. — (505) 639-5941

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

Beers: Ella Single-Hop Pale Ale, Baltic Porter, Berliner Weisse, New England IPA, Vienna Lager. The Baltic Porter is officially Ponderosa’s 200th distinct beer, and it’s quite the robust beast of a beer. The Vienna Lager is the most recent addition, at least until Spanglish returns Friday.

Live Music: Today (Wednesday)—The Draft Sessions, 7-9 p.m.

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: Kill or be Kilt, Clark IPA, Czech it Bro, Single Action Kolsch. The Clark, a hazy IPA, and Kolsch are the most recent additions.

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.)

Beers: Draft Session IPA, Peach Patersbier, Open Saison, Bock to Basics (downtown taproom only). The Peach Patersbier is a Belgian dark ale brewed with peaches. The Draft Session IPA was brewed to honor the open mic hosts. Open Saison is the most recent addition.

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

Weekly Events (Taproom): Tuesday—Geeks Who Drink, 7-9 p.m.

Rio Bravo Brewing Company — (505) 900-3909

(Mon–Thu noon–10 p.m., Fri–Sat noon–11 p.m., Sun noon–9 p.m.)

Beers: Rio Bravo Amber, Weizen, Randy’s Shandy, Dirty Rotten Bastard IPA, Snakebite IPA, Randy’s Red Ale, La Luz Lager, Old Town Porter (regular and barrel aged), Vanilla POrter, Cereza Loco (Cherry Sour), NM Pinon Coffee Porter, Oatmeal Stout, Barrel-aged Belgian Strong Golden, Marzen, Level 3 IPA, Grab ‘Em By the Putin, Lemongrass Wit, Peach Gose. The Level 3 (7.5% ABV, 120 IBU) should satisfy any hophead. The Putin is, in case you could not guess, a Russian imperial stout, checking in at a whopping 13-percent ABV. The Peach Gose debuted last weekend, and Funf de Mayo, a German Kolsch, debuts Friday.

Live Music: Today (Wednesday)—Shane Wallin, 6 p.m.; Thursday—Sloan Armitage, 5 p.m.; Friday—Hub City Sound System, 8 p.m.; Saturday—Revolution Radio, 8 p.m.

Weekly Events: Today (Wednesday)—Movie Night, 7 p.m.; Friday—Philly Friday, all day; Tuesday—$2 Taco Tuesday, all day

Sandia Chile Grill — (505) 798-1970

(Mon–Sat 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun 8 a.m.–6 p.m.)

Beers: Call the brewery for an updated list.

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: Sidetrack Pilsner, Railhead Red, Coal Bank Stout, Switchgear IPA, Pub Ale, Strongarm Pale Ale. Strongarm was the newest addition to the lineup, at least until Railhead and Switchgear made their triumphant returns.

Cask: The Pub Ale and Strongarm are in the firkins.

Events: Saturday—Movie Night, 8:30 p.m. (movie is TBA)

Weekly Events: Tuesday—Taco Tuesday, all day

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, Phantom Limb Black Rye IPA, Electric Sun American Wheat, The Green Manalishi, C10H15N (Crystal Pale Ale), Johnny (Cashmere IPA). The most recent additions are the C10H15N and Johnny, which ought to offer up quite different hop-forward flavors.

Weekly Events: Saturday—Premier League Viewing Party, 8 a.m.

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) The Village Idiot (Saison), Smith Hopper Centennial Extra Pale Ale, Goose is Loose Berliner Weisse, Misfitter Altbier. Say hello to the new Goose is Loose and Misfitter. It’s good to see more and more seasonals rolling off the line at the new joint.

News: Red Iron Red and Sparkfitter Amber are temporarily out, but new batches are fermenting.

The 377 Brewery — (505) 934-0795

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

Beers: English Best Bitter, Session IPA, Black IPA, Robust Porter, Kolsch, Hefe, Imperial Cream, IPA, Fully Booty Oatmeal Stout, Funky Punky Swartzbier, Red Horse NM Lager, SCH Scotch Lager. The most recent additions are the Red Horse (4.5% ABV, 14 IBU), IPA (7.2% ABV, 98 IBU), Oatmeal Stout (7.5% ABV, 62 IBU), and Funky Punky (5.5% ABV).

News: The Swartzbier won a gold medal at the recent Denver International Beer Competition. Congrats to The 377!

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

(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)

Beers: Vulgar Display of Porter, Chocolate Milk Stout, Goathead Hador Doppelbock, Stein Wine, Barnstorm Ale, Holstein & Hops, Berliner Weisse, Cascade Pale Ale, Minute-4, Berry Cider, Cascara Cider, Turkey Drool (Nob Hill only), Melissa (Pink Boots Society Fundraiser, Wells Park only), Flanders Red Ale (Wells Park only), Milk Stout on nitro (Wells Park only). That there Vulgar Display of Porter (8.8% ABV) is a Baltic made in collaboration with a certain group of beer writers. We hope you all enjoy it. The most recent additions are Cascade Pale Ale and Minute-4, a lightly smoked lager brewed to honor the Carlsbad Fire Department.

News: The New Mexican Lager is now part of the main beer lineup at both Tractor locations.

Live Music (Wells Park): Thursday—Jacob Metcalf, 8 p.m.; Saturday—Hails and Ales with Jagged Mouth and more, 8 p.m.

Live Music (Nob Hill): Today (Wednesday)—Matthew Frantz, 8:30 p.m.; Friday—Keith Sanchez, 7 p.m.; Saturday—Holly Durante, 5 p.m.

Other Events (Wells Park): Today (Wednesday)—Poetry and Beer, 7 p.m.; Thursday—Carlos Contreras Art Opening and Glass Release, 7 p.m.; Friday—1st Friday’s Comedy Contest, 8 p.m.

Other Events (Nob Hill): Friday—Movie Posters: Art Opening, 7 p.m.

Weekly Events (Wells Park): Monday—Better Call Saul Watch Party, 7 p.m.; 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.

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: Hard Bock Life, Oaked Depravity, Consensual Sensations DIPA, Stuccon Saison, Snakedriver (on nitro). Depravity (10% ABV) is a beast of a barleywine, and the oaked version is the last one on tap. Consensual Sensations (8.2% ABV, 125-plus IBU) is a beast of a DIPA, brewed up for TMBC’s 18th anniversary. Stuccon Saison (6.5% ABV, 21 IBU) is the most recent addition.

Cask: Tuesday—Honey Hopshell IPA

News: Can’t Catch Me Copper Lager will join the regular lineup soon, taking the place of McDay’s Cream Ale.

Santa Fe breweries

Blue Corn Brewery — (505) 438-1800

(Open daily 11 a.m.–10 p.m.)

Beers: Triple IPA, Belgian Tripel, Belgian Pale Ale, Back to Cali Common. The Back to Cali and the Triple IPA are the most recent additions. Light and malty or big and hoppy, take your pick.

Chili Line Brewing — (505) 500-7903

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

Beers: El Jefe (Rauchweizen), sIPApu (India Pale Lager), Antonio Bandito (Dunkelweizen), Llorona Lager, Pineapple IPA, Porter, Vienna Lager, La Bamba (Rauchbier), Stada Baba (Oak Smoked Polish Gratzer). The last five beers there are the new additions to the lineup, but more beers are on the way. Look for a Stout and Pinche Guey IPA to debut soon.

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, Pulp Fiction (IPA), Fantin (Double Pale Ale), Cezanne Verite, Rye Goya (Imperial Stout), Stocious (Wee Heavy), Suor Nelli (Barrel-aged Scottish Sour), Manikin (Scottish), Monomyth (Imperial IPA). The most recent additions are the Pulp Fiction, Cezanne Verite, Manikin, and Monomyth.

Events (ABQ taproom): Friday—City of Roses: La Reina, 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 Two (IPA), Kentucky Fried Common, Erin Go Bragh Dry Irish Stout (on nitro), Good on Ya (Pale Ale), Germophile (Berliner Weisse). The Agent Scully is a new series of IPAs which will vary by hop combinations. The Germophile and Erin Go Bragh are the newest additions.

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: Freestyle Pilsner, Western Bloc IPA, Hipster Union Red Rye, Adobe Igloo, Nuevo (Blonde Ale), Dysphotic Stout (ECS), Red Dawn Saison (ECS), Melissa (Pink Boots Society Fundraiser). The latest entry in the Ever Changing Series, Red Dawn Saison, will have you yelling “Wolverines!” or something of that sort. Western Bloc IPA is back, now part of a series of seasonal-themed IPAs called the In-and-Out Series. Freestyle Pilsner is back on tap and in six-packs.

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, St. George IPA, Pivotal IPA, Golden Ale, Coffee Porter, Boneshaker Bitter, Rod’s Steam Bitter. The Boneshaker, brewmaster Rod Tweet’s favorite, is back for another run. Coffee Porter will get your revved up for the upcoming Bike & Brew Festival in Santa Fe.

Live Music (Original location): Friday—TBA, 6-9 p.m.; Saturday—TBA, 6-9 p.m.

Live Music (Railyard): Friday—TBA, 6-9 p.m.; Saturday—TBA, 6-9 p.m.

Other Events (Original location): Friday and Saturday—Annual Crawfish Boil, 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: The Tripel Lindy, Wit Rock, Crazy Mother IPA, Betty on Brett, Spearmint Stout, Jarrylo Pale Ale, Beedle’s Apple Ale, Catcher ‘n the Rye, Double Barrel Bourbon Brown. The most recent tap turnover went down in Los Alamos with Crazy Mother, Betty, Spearmint, Jarrylo, Beedle’s, and Catcher making their debuts. The Bourbon Brown (8.7% ABV) has now joined them.

Sierra Blanca Brewing — (505) 832-2337

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

Beers: Barrel-aged Whiskey Stout, Cherry Sour, Interstella Vanilla, Cherry Wheat. The Whiskey Stout is back for a short time. The Cherry Sour is back for another run. Cherry Wheat will also now be available in bottles.

* * * *

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

Charting out an early plan of attack for ABQ Beer Week

Posted: April 24, 2017 by cjax33 in ABQ Beer Week 2017
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Set your calendars!

We are T-minus one month and one day until the annual madness of ABQ Beer Week is upon us once again. The Crew received a copy of the final printed schedule that you will soon be able to find (almost) everywhere there is craft beer. More events figure to be added between now and May 25, but those will appear online only. Fear not, as we done every year since 2012, we will have full coverage every day, previewing every event and recapping the big ones.

As we have done in years past, we are also gonna unveil a way-too-early preview of the events that jump out to us. These are our picks, and merely suggestions. In the end, chart your own Beer Week path. Just enjoy it safely and responsibly.

Day One: Thursday, May 25

  • Event: Girl Scout Cookie & Beer Pairing Flight at O’Niell’s Nob Hill — Sierra Nevada beers paired with Girl Scout cookies? Uh, yeah, we’re down for that.
  • Others to consider: Pork and Brew Big Sipper IPA Can Launch with The Silver String Band at Tractor Wells Park; Beer, Coffee & Chocolate Pairings at Rio Bravo; Upslope Special Release Tapping and Beer Week Kickoff at M’tucci’s Moderno

Day Two: Friday, May 26

  • Event: Sour Hour with Rowley Farmhouse Ales plus Hops and Dreams Beer Week Edition at Tractor Wells Park — This is your opportunity to try RFA’s unique beers in ABQ, plus you can stick around and watch the Desert Darlings shimmy their way to glory.
  • Others to consider: ABQ Trolley Co. The Hopper — Hop-on, Hop-off Brew Cruise; Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout and Cooper Project tapping at Nob Hill Bar & Grill

Day Three: Saturday, May 27

  • Event: Beer Olympics at O’Niell’s Juan Tabo — We have no idea what a Beer Olympics looks like, but if it’s something like the movie Beerfest, the Crew may have to assemble a team.
  • Others to consider: (This day was insanely hard to pick just one event, FYI.) Mother Road and Tractor Collaboration Beer Release with Le Chat Lunatique; Pig Roast and Marble Special Release Keg Tapping at Freight House; Santa Fe’s ABQ Beer Week Bash at Green Jeans Farmery

Day Four: Sunday, May 28

  • Event: Blues & Brews — It’s back at Sandia Resort & Casino, and the best part this year is you do not have to pick between it and BearFest, which has been moved to June 17. You can do both, with plenty of time to recover in between!
  • Others to consider: Founders Barrel-Aged Beer & Cigar Pairing at Imbibe; Mother Road Sampling and Special Keg Tapping at Sandia Saloon (Whole Foods Academy)

Day Five: Monday, May 29 (Memorial Day)

  • Event: Beer Geeks Trivia at Tractor Nob Hill — Shameless self promotion time! The Crew is hosting this five-round test of your beer knowledge. There will even be a tasting round. It’s never too early to start studying. Our archives are a good place to start.
  • Others to consider: Memorial Day Music Fest at Marble Downtown

Day Six: Tuesday, May 30

  • Event: Beer Geek Trivia Night at Marble Westside — Just in case you miss us the day before, you can join the Marble staff for their version. We may even send a team to see if their questions are harder than ours!
  • Others to consider: Firestone Walker Beer Dinner at Nob Hill Bar & Grill

Day Seven: Wednesday, May 31

  • Event: Quarter Celtic Mini Cask Fest — We don’t know what constitutes “mini,” but it’s a cask festival, and those are far too hard to pass up.
  • Others to consider: Marble Brett IPA Tap and Bottle Release at all locations; Tractor Beer vs. Wine Food Pairing with Gruet

Day Eight: Thursday, June 1

  • Event: Battle of the Beer Geeks at Tractor Wells Park — OK, here we go again with the shameless self promotion. Come join us, The Babes in Brewland, The Dukes of Ale, and more local groups to see how our beers stack up against each other. The Babes have taken the last two titles after we won the first in 2014. This time around, there will be a twist, every beer will be a variation of a wheat beer. Be warned, we still went overboard.
  • Others to consider: Cascade Tapping of Sang Royal and Elderberry at Nob Hill Bar & Grill; Upslope Beer Dinner at Freight House

Day Nine: Friday, June 2

  • Event: Tower of Sour at JC’s NYPD Pizza and Back Alley Draft House — We know how much some of you love the beers that make you pucker up, so rejoice, this annual event is back. The organizers have already told us you should expect a very different lineup than what was at Tart at Heart 3, but equally good.
  • Others to consider: Oskar Blues Secret Stash at Nob Hill Bar & Grill

Day Ten: Saturday, June 3

  • Event: Yappy Hour with Watermelon Mountain Ranch at Cazuela’s — This is another brutally tough day to pick out one event, but then Cazuela’s went and held a fundraiser/adoption event for the animals rescued by the good folks at WMR and, well, how could we resist?
  • Others to consider: 3rd Annual Food Truck Battle at Red Door; Ladies Loving Beer Luncheon at Marble Westside; Quarter Celtic “Mangose” Release; Jodie Herrera Art Opening, Glass and Beer Release with Blank Tapes at Tractor Wells Park

Day Eleven: Sunday, June 4

  • Event: 9th Annual Brewers Guild Golf Tournament at Santa Ana Golf Course — Dust off those clubs and hit the links in support of the Guild. For more info, go to the official site.
  • Others to consider: Goose Island Sisters Brunch at Nob Hill Bar & Grill; End of Beer Week Brunch with Upslope at M’tucci’s Italian; Joe S. Sausage Super Sunday Sampler at Marble Downtown

OK, before any of you panic and scream “Where is the 505 Collaboration beer release?!” fear not! The exact release date has not been scheduled, but we have confirmed they will be brewing the 505 this coming Saturday at one of our local breweries. It will be back.

Once again, there are a lot of events still to be posted to the website. Keep checking back there or with us for more info.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

Beer Notes: New label guidelines, Bacon Fest lists and more

Posted: April 14, 2017 by cjax33 in Beer Notes
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It sure looks like Hops Brewery is getting close to opening in Nob Hill.

Goodness gracious, beer notes on a Friday. Whatever has come over me?

Brewers Association takes a stand against offensive labels

An emerging point of contention for craft beer has been the use of blatantly sexist or offensive labels and imagery by certain breweries. Luckily, New Mexico breweries have largely managed to avoid these sorts of things, but it has become a battleground issue in other states.

Well, the Brewers Association weighed in on all of it at the just-wrapped Craft Brewers Conference in Washington D.C. To say that the BA brought the hammer down might be a bit of an over-simplification, as it remains to be seen how it will all play out in terms of penalties and the like, but it is a big step forward to getting craft beer away from a juvenile mindset. Craft beer is still an industry dominated by white males working on the production side. That does not mean it should act like a stereotypical bad college fraternity.

Here is the exact wording the BA sent out in a press release Thursday:

“The BA updated its Marketing and Advertising Code to help brewers maintain high standards and act as responsible corporate citizens. New language has been included to address that beer advertising and marketing materials should not use sexually explicit, lewd, or demeaning brand names, language, text, graphics, photos, video, or other images that reasonable adult consumers would find inappropriate for consumer products offered to the public. Any name that does not meet the Marketing and Advertising Code that wins a BA produced competition including the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) or World Beer Cup will not be read on stage or promoted in BA materials, and will not be permitted to use the GABF or World Beer Cup intellectual properties in their marketing. Additionally, the BA has convened an Advertising Complaint Review Board should an issue arise that warrants further review and action.”

This should make for a fascinating GABF in October, especially if multiple medal winners are not read aloud during the awards ceremony. More information can be found on the official BA website.

If you want to share your thoughts or ask questions about all of this, please do so via any of our social media outlets. Or, if you would prefer to contact us directly, use nmdarksidebrewcrew@gmail.com.

Southwest Bacon Fest returns

We almost completely forgot about the Bacon Fest until Marble shared the fact it is taking the aptly named Bacon’s Best Friend to the event, which runs this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Balloon Fiesta Park.

Unlike the Food Truck Festival organizers, we were never contacted by the Bacon Fest P.R. people, so it slipped through the cracks. In a late scramble, we sent out an email to 11 of the 14 attending breweries for whom we have current contact information. Unfortunately, many key brewery staffers are still en route back from the aforementioned CBC, so we only heard back from three (so far). If any others update us with their lists, we will add them here.

  • Marble: Bacon’s Best Friend (Rauchbier), Double White, IPA, Red Ale, Pilsner, DANG Pale Ale
  • Quarter Celtic: Pedro O’Flanigan, Crimson Lass, Quarter Porter, Clark IPA
  • Rio Bravo: La Luz Lager, Snakebite IPA, Lemongrass Wit, Cherry Sour, Pinon Coffee Porter

We still hope to hear back from Bosque, Boxing Bear, Canteen, Chama River, Kaktus, Palmer, Starr Brothers, and Tractor. We do not currently have contact info for Abbey, Cottonwood (Desert Water), or Santa Fe.

Hops Brewery looks like its almost ready

Based on that photo way up at the top, it sure looks like Hops Brewery is getting ready to open soon in Nob Hill. The current Albuquerque Rapid Transit construction should not get in the way too badly, so the Crew will be keeping an eye out if an official announcement appears. It has been a long, long road for Hops, which we first heard about as far back as early 2013. Let us hope only a few final touches need to be applied before they can start serving beer.

Otherwise there is nothing new to report on the new brewery front. We have not heard that Bare Bones Brewing has found a new home in the Cedar Crest area after their initial space fell through over issues with a new landlord. Bombs Away Beer Company has joined the NM Brewers Guild, but beyond that and a physical address near Moon and Central, there is nothing new there, either.

Oh, and Desert Valley Brewing officially has an active small brewer license. The main operation is still located next to the Craftroom near Menaul and the I-25 frontage road. The old Stumbling Steer space they are taking over will be an off-site taproom. They have a pending license for that with the state now.

If anyone out there hears about news involving new or forthcoming breweries, please send it to us using the usual ways (email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

See some of you downtown Saturday for the Easter Beer Hunt and/or Tart at Heart 3.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

Rock & Brews jumps into the beer festival fun

Posted: April 6, 2017 by cjax33 in Events
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The taps will be flowing with some special beers this Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Rock & Brews)

It is spring, so slowly but surely the beer festivals are popping up. Our friends over at Rock & Brews are hosting a Spring Beer Festival this Saturday, with a mix of local and regional breweries in attendance.

The event kicks off at 2 p.m., and tickets cost either $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Participants get a commemorative sample glass and then a chance to try beers from 11 breweries, six local and five from outside the state.

Participating breweries from beyond our borders include Dogfish Head, Left Hand, New Belgium, Sierra Nevada, and Upslope. The locals are Boese Brothers, Ponderosa, Rio Bravo, Santa Fe, and Sierra Blanca.

In addition to many of the usual favorites, Rock & Brews shared a few of the specialty one-off kegs that will be tapped.

  • UPDATE: Boese Brothers Zeus Juice White IPA
  • Left Hand Honey Saison AuMiel
  • New Belgium Tartastic
  • Ponderosa 200th Brew Baltic Porter and New England IPA (making its debut here before going on tap at the brewery)
  • Rio Bravo La Luz Lager
  • UPDATE: Rowley Farmhouse Ales Good on Ya (Motueka single-hop pale ale)
  • Santa Fe Western Bloc IPA

If we receive news of any additional specialty kegs, we will share them before the event kicks off.

There will also be live music from Chris Ravin (2-5 p.m.) and special door prizes and giveaways.

Stop in, have fun, and you will still have plenty of time to get to Isotopes Park for Dukes Retro Night and the Albuquerque Baseball Hall of Fame induction for pitching brothers Pedro, Ramon, and Jesus Martinez.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

Food Truck Festival returns with more craft beer options

Posted: April 4, 2017 by cjax33 in Events
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The 3rd Annual New Mexico Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival returns this Saturday with 20 breweries in attendance. (Photo courtesy of Food Truck Festivals of America)

The 3rd Annual New Mexico Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival returns this Saturday with 20 local and regional craft breweries providing their beers at Balloon Fiesta Park. The event kicks off at noon and runs until 6 p.m. It will feature some 25 local food trucks. The cost is $5 online and $10 at the gate.

Tickets to buy beer will be sold for $6 apiece at the festival, or attendees can purchase a four-pack of beer tickets for $20. They can also purchase a general admission ticket with three beer tickets online for $18.50.

More information on the trucks and the like can be found via the event’s Facebook page or at the website linked above. Since we are a beer website, the most important information we can provide for all of you is the list of attending breweries and the beers that will be served. There are seven New Mexico breweries/cideries represented.

  • Abbey Brewing: Monks’ Ale, Monks’ Dark, Monks’ Tripel
  • Avery Brewing: Ellie’s Brown, Liliko’i Kepolo, White Rascal
  • Ballast Point: Longfin Lager, Mango Even Keel, Sculpin IPA
  • Breckenridge Brewing: Nitro Vanilla Porter, Dry Irish Stout, Mango Pale Ale
  • Dogfish Head: SeaQuench Ale, Flesh & Blood IPA, 60 Minute IPA
  • Great Divide Brewing: Colette Farmhouse Ale, Yeti Imperial Stout, Titan IPA
  • Green Flash/Alpine: Pure Hoppiness DIPA, Tangerine Soul Style IPA, Passion Fruit Kicker
  • Guns and Oil: Wild Bill (Wheat Bock), American Lager
  • Lagunitas Brewing: IPA, 12th of Never Ale, Hop Stoopid DIPA
  • Nuevo Brewing: Nuevo, Bloody Maria
  • Pecan Brewing: Hoppin Wheat, Pecan Beer
  • Rio Bravo: Roadkill Red, New Mexico Pinon Coffee Porter, Snakebite IPA
  • Sandia Cidery: Apple, Watermelon, Cherry
  • Santa Fe Brewing: Happy Camper IPA, Freestyle Pils, Pale Ale
  • SanTan Brewing: Mr. Pineapple, Devils Ale, Sex Panther Chocolate Porter
  • Sierra Blanca Brewing: Cherry Wheat, Alien Amber, Outlaw Lager
  • Sierra Nevada: Pale Ale, Sidecar, Torpedo IPA
  • Ska Brewing: Modus Mandarina, Mexican Logger, Pinstripe Red
  • Upslope: Citra Pale Ale, Craft Lager, Guava
  • Wasatch/Squatters: Hop Rising IPA, Ghost Rider White IPA, Off Duty IPA

In addition to all of that, Food Truck Festivals of America is offering up a special giveaway to Brew Crew readers for a four-pack of tickets and $40 in truck bucks. Rather than just pick one of you, we would like to test your beer knowledge. The first person to correctly answer the following question will get the tickets (your name will be at will call).

Q: Which New Mexico brewery has won the most medals (gold, silver, and bronze) at the Great American Beer Festival? (As a tiebreaker, give us the exact number.)

Email your answer to nmdarksidebrewcrew@gmail.com.

UPDATE: We have a winner already! It took just 10 minutes from the time this story was posted for someone to correctly guess Canteen/Il Vicino, which is the current leader with 12 medals. Thanks to all who participated!

Have fun at the fest!

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

Rio Bravo issues a bold challenge to start 2017

Posted: February 14, 2017 by cjax33 in Look Back/Look Ahead Series 2016-17
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No beer recipe was safe in a year of change for Rio Bravo.

No beer recipe was safe in a year of change for Rio Bravo.

For this edition of our annual Look Back/Look Ahead Series, I caught up with Rio Bravo head brewer Ty Levis at the end of last week. Ty is seemingly always in motion, befitting his position. Rio Bravo has endured its share of ups and downs since opening in late 2015, but he and the rest of the staff remain optimistic for the future.

“It’s been a pretty crazy year around here, just like you could imagine,” Ty said. “(It was) our first full year of operations under our belt, getting things figured out, what’s working in the market. And then, really just focusing on super high-quality beers, driving people in here.”

Rio Bravo went big from the beginning, even putting multiple beers into cans as soon as its line was up and running. In retrospect, Ty noted that the brewery may have overreached.

“We went to market with six different products at once, just because we could with labels,” he said. “But, we found a much more focused approach on two or three core brands is how we’re going to continue forward. Those two main brands right now are our Snakebite IPA and the Pinon Coffee Porter, which are selling extremely well for us and helping to get out name out there.”

Rio Bravo will still offer up a wide variety of beers, but those will stay home, so to speak.

“Then, on premise, the sky’s the limit,” Ty said. “Thirteen-percent alcohol (imperial beers), plus wood aging, plus sours, plus everything we’ve done in the last six months, just really pushing the quality. Because in this market, you’re just not going to make it if you don’t have that quality there, if you don’t put your best effort, beers that blow people’s minds. It’s a crucial aspect that just because you’re good at technical brewing doesn’t mean that you’re going to be able to get out there and wow people with what you do.”

Ty said the plan is to eventually have 23 different beers on tap at the brewery, plus one cider from Sandia Hard Cider.

“We still want to get more warm chairs,” he said. “I feel like having the killer variety of really crazy, good beer is going to help drive that. My challenge to people is if they haven’t set foot in here in six months, then they owe it to themselves to come in and check it out, because things like this imperial stout (Grab ’Em by the Putin) and things like the Level 3 IPA that aren’t available anywhere else. We’re not planning on canning a beer that has $1,500 worth of hops in nine barrels. We would never make any money on that. We can break even over the bar, at least.”

Cans of the Pinon Coffee Porter have taken off for Rio Bravo.

Cans of the Pinon Coffee Porter have taken off for Rio Bravo.

Ty has definitely embraced the company motto, “Live Bold,” in challenging beer drinkers around town to return to Rio Bravo and re-try his beers. A number of recipes have been completely redone, with one beer being completely renamed.

“From the original (recipe), we revamped the (Karl’s) Sommerbier,” Ty said. “We dried it out quite a bit more and basically renamed it La Luz, because it could sort of fall into any generic light lager category the way it’s brewed. We got a silver medal at Best of Craft Beer. This is the second time we’ve brewed this exact same recipe with a slightly drier character.”

The plan is now to get La Luz as that third beer in cans, as Ty said he felt it would sell quite well in the warmer months coming up.

“We’ve been focusing on pushing sales for our core brands now,” he said. “We’ve decided what those are. We’re in the middle of trying to get new labels going that will more closely match what the Pinon Coffee Porter looks like, on our Snakebite and our future cans. That way we can tie the branding together. The silver, while it looked cool, it’s too washy when you get on a shelf, it doesn’t stand out, it doesn’t have enough contrast.”

Rio Bravo is working on improving just about every aspect of presentation, from the look of the cans to how they handle social media and more.

“We feel like that’s one of the things we’re learning — marketing and image are crucial parts of what we do,” Ty said. “If you want to make the best beer, you have to see where your market is, you have to make sure you’re figuring out what your customers are looking for. We’ve done that with the Pinon Coffee and we’re doing that with the Snakebite. We’re getting it up there.”

Of course, with every beer success story, there have been some that have not lived up to expectations. Ty said the Duke City Pilsner will likely bite the bullet so they can focus on La Luz as their light lager offering. The Amber will no longer be canned, though it will remain on tap at the brewery, where it has sold well.

“The Amber is doing so well on draft-wise over our own bar, but we just didn’t really move a lot of cans of it,” Ty said. “We’re probably pulling the plug on Amber cans, even though it made a second-round judging at GABF and just got a silver medal at Best of Craft Beer in the American-style ESB category. It’s a top-notch, high-quality beer with just the right balance of hops and malts to be that kind of British chewy style. But, we can’t give it away (in cans). That’s harsh to say, but that’s the reality in this crowded marketplace with so many products out there that are world class. How do you get people to notice?”

That silo out back should be a game-changer for Rio Bravo in 2017.

That silo out back should be a game-changer for Rio Bravo in 2017.

Rio Bravo also earned a bronze medal in the Fruited Wheat Beer category at the Best of Craft Beer Awards with its Rubus Ruckus. The brewery technically considers it a sour, but it was only the second sour Ty has made so far. He has a peach sour, name TBA, due up next. Another beer debuting this week will be the Salted Caramel Belgian Strong Golden, which has been aging in the barrels upstairs. Overall, expect more sours and more barrel-aged offerings to come in 2017, Ty said, as Rio Bravo will keep the taps flowing with as many unique styles of beer as possible at the brewery.

“I think when you first came here to this empty shell and we talked when we were under construction, I had 182,000 miles on my car,” Ty said. “Right now I’m at 261,000. I’m a good 80,000 miles into this project here in Albuquerque, and I still look forward to coming to work every day to see what we can do better with a little bit more quality, with a little bit more flavor. Because, I want to make sure everybody knows that whatever we came out with at the very beginning — conservative, malty — we were still learning our system. Now we’re at a point where it’s kind of no holds barred and we’re really putting it out there.”

The next time you get the chance, stop in at Rio Bravo and take Ty up on his challenge to retry his beers. He is looking for as much feedback and constructive criticism as the public is willing to provide. What kind of adventurous beer drinkers would we be in Albuquerque if we just left him hanging?

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

Stout Challenge VI: A Starr rises above the rest

Posted: February 6, 2017 by cjax33 in Beer Battle, Stout Challenge 2017
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Our sixth annual Stout Challenge brought about a sixth different winner.

Our sixth annual Stout Challenge brought about a sixth different winner.

Amid all the seriousness of the weekend, the Brew Crew was still able to gather to hold our annual Stout Challenge before the start of the Super Bowl. While the game featured an improbable rally by the favorite, our blind taste test featured an upset by one of the newer breweries in town.

For the sixth time, we have a new winner. A past winner came oh-so-close to becoming our first two-time champion. We structure the event similar to the IPA Challenge, but with variations. We go around the day of the event, fill our half-growlers (or full growlers for last year’s top finishers), and then bring them to Franz Solo’s house. Our friend Margaret then pours them into numbered glasses out of sight, and we try them one by one, rather than put all on a tray. We take notes and score them from zero to five points in the categories of aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, and finish, and add them up.

We were short quite a few Crew members this year. Illness knocked out Brandon, Luke, and Shawna. E-Rock was unable to make it back from his musical adventures in Texas in time. Shilling was studying. Porter Pounder was on the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise again. Thus, only myself, Franz, Mrs. Solo, Kristin, and guest judge Tim (Margaret’s husband) were available.

Also, after reporting 16 stouts Friday, we ended up two shy, as Bow & Arrow did not open until it was too late for us to pick up their Storm & Hearth, and Twisted Chile was unable to deliver their Irish stout from Socorro.

As always, these are our opinions. We could be wrong.

14. Cazuela’s Beer for my Horses (19.5 points): This was the only truly disappointing stout among the batch. The flavor was almost sour (my opinion) or salty (Franz’s opinion). It was too thin in the mouthfeel. We have no idea what happened with this batch.

13. Santa Fe Dysphotic Stout (45.5): None of us disliked this robust, almost hop-forward stout, it was just that when stacked up against a field of mostly oatmeal variants, it stood out almost as more of a black IPA than anything. Basically, it is a stout that stands alone in the current available field in the ABQ metro area.

12. Rio Bravo Oatmeal Stout (46): While it did not move up in the standings that much, Rio Bravo’s entry scored much better this time around. The aroma scored the highest, with some mixed feelings on the flavor and mouthfeel. Overall it just came off as a bit light for what we look for in a stout.

11. Boxing Bear Standing 8 Stout (47.5): Every year there seems to be one of the top stouts from the previous year that falls way down the ladder. The main complaint here was in the bitter, overly smoky flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel. It was similar to Dysphotic, but with more malt and less hops.

10. Bosque Driftwood Oatmeal Stout (48): We found this batch to be a little on the thin side, with the most negative marks coming in terms of its mouthfeel, or lack thereof. The flavor was good, quite a bit sweet up front, but it faded pretty quickly.

9. Turtle Mountain Stauffenberg Stout (52.5): This was the first stout we sampled, so in many ways, it served as the base line for all that followed. In general everyone liked it, though it was noted as being just a tad short in all four categories. Still, we would call it perfectly drinkable.

8. Sidetrack Stoker Stout (53): A significant improvement on their stout from last year, this batch was quite a bit smokier and more roasted. Those were probably the biggest attributes, good or bad, with our voters.

7. The 377 Full Booty Stout (56): The top word used to describe our newest brewery’s oatmeal stout was “dry,” which accounted for much of the flavor and mouthfeel for folks. Some scored that well, others did not. The thickness of the mouthfeel scored the highest with most of us.

6. Chama River Sleeping Dog Stout (58): The 2016 champion could not pull off the repeat. The flavor and aroma this time around was sweet, with a pronounced vanilla element, but otherwise it lacked enough mouthfeel and overall complexity. It remains quite good, but not quite on par with last year.

5. Marble Oatmeal Stout (59): If there is a stout deserving of the title of “old reliable,” it is our 2012 champion, which still ranks among the best in town. There was a sweet, almost vanilla flavor and aroma at the front. The mouthfeel and finish saw some contrasting opinions with the five of us.

4. La Cumbre Malpais Stout (61): Unlike most La Cumbre beers, this did not have much of an aroma to draw you in. It did have a smokier, heavier flavor, scoring highest in mouthfeel and finish. The 2013 champion remains one of the best in town, though it is definitely not for those who like their stouts sweeter.

3. Canteen Dark n’ Lusty Stout (62.5): No stout has yo-yoed up and down more in our Stout Challenge the last six years than Canteen’s staple. It has finished seventh (out of eight), fifth (out of 10), 10th (out of 10), second (out of 14), 11th (out of 14), and now it’s third. This batch had a lot of chocolate flavor. It was sweet and solid, but just lacked the flavor complexity to claim its first title.

2. Tractor Double Plow Oatmeal Stout (70): My personal favorite in the bunch, it came up just short of being our first two-time winner (2014 was its previous victory). That cookie dough-like flavor was back at the front, with lots of chocolate up front and hints of smoke on the back end. The mouthfeel was solid throughout.

1. Starr Brothers Foggy Monocle (71.5): First Stout Challenge, first victory! Brewer Rob Whitlock said he actually prefers his Roisin Dubh, an Irish dry stout, to this. Guess he will have to change his mind now. The flavor (roasty coffee) and mouthfeel (thick and creamy smooth) scored especially high with our group.

We will have our Stout Challenge helmet trophy ready soon to be presented to Starr Brothers. Congrats to Rob and their entire staff!

As always, here are our individual point totals for each beer, to see where we agreed and disagreed on each.

  • Stoutmeister: 1) Tractor 13.5, 2) Chama River 11, 3) Canteen 10.5, 4) La Cumbre and Marble 9.5, 6) Boxing Bear and The 377 and Starr Brothers 9, 9) Bosque 8.5, 10) Sidetrack and Turtle Mountain 8, 12) Santa Fe and Rio Bravo 7, 14) Cazuela’s 3
  • Franz Solo: 1) Tractor 16.5, 2) Starr Brothers 16, 3) Canteen 15.5, 4) La Cumber 15, 5) Boxing Bear and Sidetrack 13.5, 7) The 377 12.5, 8) Chama River and Turtle Mountain 12, 10) Marble and Santa Fe 11, 12) Bosque and Rio Bravo 7, 14) Cazuela’s 3
  • Mrs. Solo: 1) Starr Brothers 16.5, 2) Tractor 15.5, 3) Canteen and Sidetrack 12, 5) La Cumbre and Marble and The 377 and Rio Bravo 11, 9) Bosque 10.5, 10) Chama River and Turtle Mountain 10, 12) Santa Fe 7, 13) Boxing Bear 6, 14) Cazuela’s 4
  • Kristin: 1) La Cumbre 16.5, 2) Starr Brothers 16, 3) Marble 15, 4) Chama River 13, 5) Rio Bravo and Turtle Mountain 12.5, 7) Bosque 12, 8) Boxing Bear and Canteen 11.5, 10) The 377 and Tractor 11, 12) Sidetrack 10.5, 13) Santa Fe 10, 14) Cazuela’s 5
  • Tim: 1) Starr Brothers 14, 2) Tractor 13.5, 3) Canteen 13, 4) The 377 and Marble 12.5, 6) Chama River 12, 7) Santa Fe 10.5, 8) Bosque and Turtle Mountain 10, 10) La Cumbre and Sidetrack 9, 12) Rio Bravo 8.5, 13) Boxing Bear 7.5, 14) Cazuela’s 4.5

Once again, these are just our opinions. We invite everyone to go out and try all these stouts, whether it’s for the 100th time or the first time. Our local breweries are doing a great job with the darker side of beer, and we couldn’t be happier on the whole.

We will have more on the weekend’s serious news about Senate Bill 314 and the contentious town hall meeting on Tuesday, once we put everything together.

Until then, keep supporting local breweries!

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

Beer Notes: Tart times at Rio Bravo

Posted: October 14, 2016 by cjax33 in Beer Notes
Tags:
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The Raspberry Sour makes its debut today at Rio Bravo.

The Raspberry Sour makes its debut today at Rio Bravo.

Rio Bravo head brewer Ty Levis said, long ago, that he fully planned to take advantage of the many barrels in his possession to branch out beyond simply doing standard barrel-aged stouts, porters, and barley wines. A sour program was coming, at least as soon as things finally settled down in terms of production at the brewery at Second Street and I-40.

“The pressure of regular production kept us from doing this until now,” Ty said. “We have volume considerations that have to come first.”

The quiet time of year, when brewers can get back to their mad scientist roots, is now upon us. Rio Bravo will release their new Raspberry Sour today (Friday) at the brewery.

“This beer is really cool,” Ty said. “I’m definitely happy with it. I started out by talking our pilsner and aging in it wood barrels for nine weeks. We had about 120 gallons up there.”

From there, Ty added the raspberry puree to the fermentation process. For the souring process, he took notes from other breweries in the area that had produced kettle-soured beers in the past.

“We used Nancy’s Pro-Biotic Yogurt,” Ty said. “It worked really well. We saw a pH drop from 5.1 to 3.5, which is just crazy.”

The resulting beer can almost serve as an entry-level sour ale. It has the color and aroma of raspberries, while the flavor is more tart than truly pucker-ish.

“We used the right yeast, too, a dry, British pale yeast,” Ty said, which helped keep the fruit sugars in check.

A Cherry Sour is also in the barrels upstairs and should be ready in about two weeks. That should offer up a considerably different flavor profile, with even stronger sour elements.

“I’m super happy with how this (the Raspberry) turned out,” Ty said.

Surprise layoffs at a craft beer heavyweight

The news that Stone Brewing was laying off 75-plus employees in Escondido, Calif., shocked the craft beer community on Thursday afternoon. So, what does that mean for New Mexico’s breweries?

Absolutely nothing.

Stone is not the start of some trend, not the beginning of the feared bursting of the craft beer bubble. The company sent out an official statement, clearly written by a team of lawyers and publicists, that said Stone is reorganizing/restructuring. These things happen to breweries, just like any other business, though usually not on such a large scale. Then again, for most breweries, getting rid of 75-plus employees would be impossible as few in New Mexico employee nearly that many people.

We have seen past instances of brewers, owners, and managers quietly departing from our local establishments. The great Marble re-branding/restructuring of 2014 saw the departure of co-founders Jeff Jinnett and John Gozigian, but it did not lead to the mass upheaval that many feared. It was handled professionally and life continued normally.

For now, the Stone layoffs can be treated as an isolated incident. If it starts becoming a trend, then people can start to panic. For now, all is well, let us move along.

Sampler tray

  • One of our readers informed us that a small brewing operation will not be renewing its small brewer license the next time that comes up, which is actually next week, as it turns out. Instead, the business will function simply as a bar/taproom. When we receive official confirmation, we will reveal the name.
  • Construction has begun at last on the newer, larger Las Cruces taproom for Bosque Brewing. The existing taproom will stay open until the new one is ready to go. Both are located in the same complex across from New Mexico State.

That is all for now. I gotta get back to work on the beer history book. Oh, OK, I can share one little bit of history for you all …

Ty was telling me how his father, Mike Levis, who founded Santa Fe Brewing, liked to claim that it was the first brewery to open in New Mexico since Prohibition was enacted in 1920. Well, not quite, as it turns out. The New Mexico Brewing Company operated from the summer of 1936 until January 1937 in a building at Second Street and Marquette in downtown Albuquerque. It went bust and was sold at auction to a new owner, who renamed it Rio Grande Brewing Company. That brewery was up and running from 1937 until 1939, when it went bankrupt with an astounding $120,000 worth of debt (think of the era, that was a lot). From there, the state was silent on the brewing front until the Levis family brewed up Santa Fe Pale Ale in 1988.

Oh, and once again, if anyone out there has any pictures or images from the ABQ beer scene in the 1990s or early 2000s, I would love to scan them and use them in the book!

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

Eighteen NM breweries will pour their finest at Hopfest

Posted: August 26, 2016 by cjax33 in ABQ Hopfest 2016
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Just embrace the beer and the metal and everything will be just fine during your stay in Albuquerque.

Due to work commitments, most of the Crew will not be at Hopfest this year. Raise a glass and the horns in our honor while you are there.

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 to 6 p.m. If you not bought your tickets yet, get them now, particularly if you want VIP or extra hoppy hour, which we highly recommend. For tickets and info, click on the event website.

There are 18 breweries from our state that will send beers to the event this year. We did our best to get you the beer lists, or at least confirm if the event program has the right beers listed. We will update this post if we get any late corrections/additions.

  • Albuquerque Brewing: Imperial Red Ale, Duke’s Pale Ale
  • B2B: Coconut Porter, Raspberry Wheat
  • Bathtub Row: Red Hammer Ale, Hoppenheimer IPA, Wit Rock, Green Chile Pilsner
  • Cazuela’s: Agave (American Wheat), Acapulco Gold, Panama Red, Papacabra DIPA
  • Duel: TBA
  • Enchanted Circle: Hells Bells Lager, ESB, Red River Red Ale, Session IPA, Glory Hole IPA
  • Eske’s: Rat Queen DIPA, Wheat IPA
  • Kellys: Amber, Session IPA, Apricot Ale
  • Marble: Double White, Imperial Red, Dang Pale Ale, Stout Americano
  • Oso Loco Brewery (Sandia Chile Grill): Irish Red, Chocolate Brown
  • Pi: Discordia IPA, Scotty Doesn’t Know, Pineapple Express, Cardinal Sin
  • Ponderosa: Berliner Weisse, Cascadian Pilsner, Wry Ale, Crosscut Kolsch
  • Quarter Celtic: Pedro O’Flangan, Dusk’s Early Night, MacLomas Stout, #GFF
  • Red Door: Trapdoor Belgian Wit, Roamer Red, Threshold IPA, Paint It Black Milk Stout, Unhinged Cider, Vanilla Cream Ale, Blackberry Hefeweizen, Nieuwe Bruin
  • Rio Bravo: Karl’s Krystal Weizen, Duke City Pilsner, Rio Bravo Amber, Dirty Rotten Bastard IPA, Snakebite IPA, RoadKill Red, Old Town Porter
  • Santa Fe: Oktoberfest, Autonomous Collective IPA, Imperial Java Stout
  • Sierra Blanca/Rio Grande: IPA, Pancho Verde Chile Cerveza, Sun Chaser Pale Ale, Bone Chiller Brown Ale
  • Tractor: Farmer’s Almanac IPA, Farmer’s Tan Red Ale, Milk Mustachio Stout, Delicious Red Hard Apple Cider, Dank Johnson DIPA, Hillario DIPA, Kolsch

Definitely take the time to try Enchanted Circle, they just opened in Angel Fire back in April. Eske’s has new ownership, so it might be interesting to see what that has done to their beers. Otherwise, among the beers worth trying are Hoppenheimer IPA (Bathtub Row), Stout Americano (Marble), Scotty Doesn’t Know (Pi), MacLomas Stout (Quarter Celtic), Nieuwe Bruin (Red Door), Old Town Porter (Rio Bravo), Autonomous Collective (Santa Fe), and Dank Johnson DIPA (Tractor). Or, try as many as you safely can, and let us know what were your favorites.

Also present, of course, will be the Dukes of Ale. You need to visit their booth to try all the excellent home brews and help vote for a winner.

Broken Trail will also be there, but they are only listed as bringing their rum and vodka, no beer. If you are into ciders, Sandia Hard Cider will be present.

As for the many, many national brands, a few have some beers worth checking out. BJ’s has Hop Pact IPA, a collaboration with Green Flash. Boston Beer (Samuel Adams) has the new (?) Toasted Caramel Bock. Firestone Walker, still fairly new to our state, has the wondrous Luponic Distortion. Mother Road usually brings something extra from Flagstaff beyond the usual beers, though Tower Station IPA and Lost Highway Black IPA are worth your time if you have not had them before. If you have been remiss in checking out the Imperial IPA from Upslope, here is your chance. Also, new to the state is The Dudes Brewing Co. No beers were listed for them in the program, but I tried a DIPA at the brewery in Torrance, Calif., two months ago and it would stand up to our local hop bombs. There are many other beers to try, as well, from old favorites to seasonals to new ones, so please, sample away and let us know which are your favorites.

Above all else, have fun, try not to go overboard, and celebrate craft beer this Saturday. Do it because I cannot, since the Isotopes suddenly decided they want to win their division and I have to be out here covering them.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

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