Part 2: The Good, the Bad, and the Oldery

In 2022, Keeping Together’s Averie Swanson and Pat Fahey had just decided that the town they wanted to set down roots in and build their new brewery would be Santa Fe, New Mexico. While searching for a good space that would serve as a brewhouse and taproom, Second Street Brewery’s original location at 1814 2nd…

The season begins just in time for SummerFest in Los Alamos

Summer took its time getting going this year, but now that the heat has arrived, it feels like the right time to head to the mountains to cool off. The timing is perfect, because Pajarito Mountain in Los Alamos is hosting its annual SummerFest this Saturday, with the beer festival from 1 to 6 p.m….

Second Street finds its bittersweet spot away from the original in 2024

Lately we’ve been hearing a great deal about the worsening state of craft brewing on the national stage. Since 2020, increases in shipping, supply, and labor costs have completely changed the landscape for breweries all over America. For many New Mexico breweries, this new landscape feels less like the exciting undiscovered flora and fauna-rich beer…

Fate of the Fests: Brewery staff members discuss future of off-site events

The times, they are a changing, particularly when it comes to off-site beer festivals. We picked up on it pretty easily just by attending events around Albuquerque this year. The 2022 enthusiasm for the return of festivals was pretty obviously tilted towards the beer drinkers, and not the beer producers. It was an aberration, right?…

Atalaya RescueFest 2023 is this weekend and you should find yourself there

This Saturday RescueFest returns to Second Street Rufina for Atalaya Search and Rescue’s annual fundraiser event, and it’s going to be a fun time for a good cause that you should definitely check out. On Wednesday evening, I met up with volunteer rescuers Ryan LaMonica and Matthew Smith to reacquaint myself with this great local…

Ullr Fest this weekend marks the end of summer (finally!)

It felt like it was regularly 150 degrees right up until this week, so you may have been caught off guard by the first beer festival of the fall season. Now it’s cool and rainy, and heck, there may even be prospects for snow someday. Ullr Fest at the Pajarito Mountain lodge above Los Alamos…

Year five of One for 5 once again holds promise of hope for those in need

One of the best annual charity campaigns involving breweries is back for another run. The One for 5 campaign, now in its fifth year, returns starting today (Thursday) at the three participating breweries and Albertsons Market and Market Street locations throughout central and northern New Mexico. One for 5 features three breweries — Second Street,…

Beer Notes: Pint Glass day is nearly here and more brewers are on the move

Just a few rapid-fire items from the old beer notebook for this week. We kick off with the New Mexico Brewers Guild’s third Pint Glass Day, this time featuring a design with the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout. The glasses will be released at multiple breweries statewide this Wednesday. Second Street’s creative director, Mariah Cameron Scee,…