Posts Tagged ‘Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery’

A few thoughts on the Santa Fe round of the NM IPA Challenge

Posted: July 22, 2019 by Luke in Beer in Santa Fe, IPA Challenge 2019
Tags:
0

After all’s been done, there’s just a bit left to be said before we head on to the next and final round of the 2019 New Mexico IPA Challenge.

I hope everyone enjoyed themselves on Saturday. There was a really nice turn out this weekend for the Santa Fe leg of the competition. Tumbleroot proved to be a perfect location to host the event. For all competition-goers, there was plenty of seating. All beers remained out of the sun, and at a nice cool temperature while the populace poured over them, and there was plenty of food on hand to keep stomachs full of something other than hops.

Hello, hops!

As far as the competition went, on Tumbleroot’s end, they did everything to make sure the crowd had cold, clean, and fresh beer to judge.

The Tumbleroot staff gathers for a quick huddle.

As mentioned in my last article, all lines were cleaned by the Guild the morning before. Tumbleroot even built five brand-new taps just for the event, making sure none of the beers were poured in a different manner, such as from Jockey Boxes. The folks in charge were all friendly and very capable of making sure that everyone got their beer in a timely manner. The whole thing was smooth. No lines. No wait.

I caught up with Tumbleroot brewer Andy Lane. He had a few thoughts to share about the competition and his beer.

“The IPA challenge in Santa Fe at Tumbleroot went off without a hitch. The beers flowed smoothly and everyone seemed to be very pleased with the service. We were extremely happy to host this event and we look forward to doing so again in years to come!

As for The Keymaster and the votes it took home, I am very pleased with how it is being received. I do wish we were higher in the pack but with this being my my first beer ever entered in the challenge, I am just extremely satisfied that it has been given the chance to compete against some of the biggest and most established beers in the state. That being said, I look forward to next Saturday where I imagine we’ll take home even more votes!”

As far as the results went … That’s a whole ‘nother story.

Yeah, we know, 2009 is quite the typo.

While the event was fun and smoothly-run, almost no one I spoke to was pleased with the results. There were folks from Albuquerque who were surprised “that Elevated hadn’t made it further.” And some Santa Feans certainly thought there would be more support for the Santa Fe beers, what with homefield advantage. But, to be fair, aside from brewers and a few beer geeks that travel to all the events, the crowd was new to me, and I drink here in Santa Fe.

Hi, Tom!

The results pretty interesting. I won’t get into which brewery brought what (of course), or who voted for what, but as for my experience, I think some of the mixed results could be attributed to the fact that so many hazy beers were on the list. Personally, at the end of my list, I had very few beers to choose from, simply because I wasn’t going to choose a hazy IPA. No offense to the hazies. I’m not against them. I’ll enjoy them, but they’re not the IPAs I’m looking for. And, this competition is still people’s choice.

Hi, Alanna and Jamie!

It’s the public opinion that matters. And, the public may be leaning in the hazy direction, or that also may just be something that’s happening a lot more, further away from Albuquerque, at venues like Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Taos, etc. In the last two years, the results showed us that the hazy IPA had moved in for good. But, would it stay?

Hi, John!

We always say this, but it’s true. It really is all going to come down to Albuquerque. They have the numbers. They’ll bring the votes. But, is New Mexico leaning away from the bright and bitter of the West Coast style? Or, are we sliding towards the sweet and juicy of the New England style?

This will be one of the most interesting finales yet. Is the West Coast IPA dead or dying out in New Mexico? What will stay on tap everywhere in three months? See how it all shakes out on Saturday!

Hi, Paul and Andy!

To more smooth and fairly run competitions, and the new East Coast/West Coast hop battle, cheers!

— Luke

IPA Challenge: Boxing Bear extends its lead in Santa Fe

Posted: July 20, 2019 by cjax33 in IPA Challenge 2019
Tags: , , , , , , ,
0

Yeah, we know, the 2009 at the top is worth a laugh. But, the results are all 2019, particularly since 13 of the 15 breweries didn’t exist a decade ago.

Our man Luke was at the second round of the New Mexico IPA Challenge on Saturday afternoon, but we will cut him some slack and let him enjoy all those hop-forward ales while we do a quick recap of the competition.

Boxing Bear, which edged out Icebox 17 votes to 16 in the first round in Las Cruces on Wednesday, added another 32 votes at Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery to take a commanding 19-vote lead into next Saturday’s final round at Bow & Arrow (get those tickets ASAP!).

Bosque added 23 votes to its total to move into second place with 30 overall. Last year’s winner, Blue Corn, tallied 19 votes for 20 overall, good enough for a fourth-place tie. Between them, Blue Corn (2013, 2018), Boxing Bear (2016, 2017), and Bosque (2014, 2015) have won the last six trophies.

Sneaking into the mix are Ex Novo, which added 14 votes to get to 22 overall, good enough for third place, and the aforementioned Icebox, which now has 20 votes. Bow & Arrow sits in sixth after adding 11 votes Saturday to get to 19 overall.

A total of 163 voters took part Saturday, well up from the 65 on a weekday at Picacho Peak in Las Cruces. There is a good chance that the final round will more than double the Tumbleroot total, so nothing has been decided yet.

At the very least, every brewery shut out in Las Cruces picked up anywhere from two (Enchanted Circle) to 12 (Toltec) votes on Saturday. Bombs Away (10), La Reforma (seven), and Marble (three) also managed to avoid a second straight shutout.

Luke will share more thoughts about this round on Monday, and we will preview the final round later in the week to make sure everyone is prepared, whether you are a veteran or a first-time participant.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister

Tumbleroot digs deeper during their first year (Part 2) and hosts the IPA Challenge

Posted: July 19, 2019 by Luke in Beer in Santa Fe, Interviews, IPA Challenge 2019
Tags:
0
01de10bbca38f3be88e0a2abe47d1d3daa91408063

You do not have to be the Gatekeeper to enjoy the Keymaster.

For part two of Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery’s first year in Santa Fe story, it would be a huge disservice to only talk about the beer. Yes, we’re all about the beer in the Dark Side Brew Crew, but when we talk to a brewery and distillery, with its main taproom doubling as an upscale craft cocktail lounge, and then tripling as a huge family-friendly event and music space — one that will be playing host to Saturday’s Santa Fe round of the IPA Challenge — I would be remiss to skip over such a huge part of the story, especially when it involves putting something interesting and craft into cans.

For the complete Tumbleroot story, I called, emailed, and hunted down director of front of house operations and mixologist, Joseph Haggard, to talk craft cocktails and what they’ll be soon putting into cans. I also tracked down owner/director of business operations Jason Fitzpatrick, to talk music and whether Metal Mondays will stick around, and then I circled back to head brewer Andy Lane to talk about his IPA Challenge beer named Keymaster.

(more…)

The Week Ahead in Beer: Hop over to try some IPA Challenge entries

Posted: July 17, 2019 by cjax33 in The Week Ahead in Beer
Tags: , ,
2

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.

Well, in case anyone missed it over the weekend, the 2019 New Mexico IPA Challenge got underway with the preliminary round narrowing down the field from 45 to 15 entries. A big question we annually receive is how many of those IPAs are currently on tap at breweries around the state, so folks can try them before the competition gets to their city. Well, there are a few that have been publicly identified and are on tap, including Blue Corn’s Gatekeeper IPA (which won last year), Bow & Arrow’s Wassabro Hazy IPA (on tap Friday), Boxing Bear’s Bear Knuckle II, Icebox’s Icebreaker IPA (if you are in Las Cruces), La Reforma’s El Combi NEIPA, and Toltec’s Guapo Hoppo, and Tumbleroot’s Keymaster IPA (releasing Thursday). Rowley Farmhouse Ales is holding back its supply of Thrace IPA until the staff knows for sure they have enough to get through all three rounds of the competition. If anyone out there spies the entries for Bombs Away, Bosque, Enchanted Circle, Ex Novo, Marble, Rio Bravo and Starr Brothers on tap, please let us know. In the meantime, if you are reading this and are within easy driving distance of Las Cruces, head to Picacho Peak Brewing today (Wednesday) after 4 p.m. for the first round of the NMIPAC. Otherwise, head on up to Tumbleroot for the second round on Saturday at noon, and then make sure to get a ticket now for the final round at Bow & Arrow on July 27! UPDATE: Enchanted Circle’s entry, Mr. Dankenslip, is on tap at both the brewery in Angel Fire and the taproom in ABQ at San Mateo and Osuna. UPDATE 2: Lost City of Gold Hazy IPA is Starr Brothers’ entry, and it’s already on tap.

On the new beer front this week, there are a few options to check out. Black Snout scored with Hat Trick Red. Bosque has a big release Friday with Weekend Trails West Coast Pilsner on tap and in cans. Boxing Bear has added Razz-Bearry Gose and AlbuMurky. La Cumbre is putting Sun Fade Hazy IPA back in cans and on tap this Friday. Marble is feeling Radler awesome. Palmer and Starr Brothers teamed up for 2 Robs Make a Rita. Starr Brothers also has Armadillo Trousers, a single-hop pale ale, due out this weekend. Steel Bender goes big with Skull Crusher IPA. Toltec is still feeling summer with Cherry Limonada Gose. Tractor brings back Ebony & Ivory Pale Stout, as well as Boot Girl IPA.

Up in Santa Fe, Blue Corn added Nebulous Nectar IPA. Rowley Farmhouse Ales flips ahead to Agent Scully – Season 2, Episode 9 (IPA). Tumbleroot added a Hazy IPA. Down in Truth or Consequences, TorC Brewing is dealing with the heat by releasing Cerveza Gold.

Continue reading for all the news that is fit to blog for the week of July 15.

(more…)

Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery digs deep during its first year in Santa Fe soil

Posted: July 11, 2019 by Luke in Beer in Santa Fe, Interviews
Tags:
2
01dc651d80796ffa4e5aa15b1054105642fbd52736

Head brewer Andy Lane, left, and brewmaster Jason Kirkman get to the root of the issue.

Tumbleroot has been open to the public at both of its locations in Santa Fe for more than a year now. And, in that time, they’ve built a name for themselves in the local beer industry, established several haunts around town for their crafted spirits, and reshaped the landscape of Santa Fe’s nightlife scene, I would say, for the better.

I recently sat down with co-owner and co-founder Jason Kirkman and head brewer Andy Lane to talk about how far exactly Tumbleroot has sunk its roots into Santa Fe’s craft beer scene.

Tumbleroot has  two separate locations in Santa Fe — a brewing/distilling facility and taproom and a taproom/concert hall/event space — one of the only breweries to try such a feat right out of the gate.

It’s been a great learning experience, Kirkman said.

“I think that with our model of doing a full from-scratch brewery and distillery with a full lineup on premise, doing draft and (putting) bottled beer and spirits into distribution, it put a lot on our plate right off the get-go,” he said.

(more…)

NM IPA Challenge goes private before public gets to tally its own votes

Posted: July 11, 2019 by cjax33 in IPA Challenge 2019
Tags: , ,
0

Once again, it is time to test those tastebuds with an onslaught of hops, only this time it’s after the professionals whittle down the list of candidates.

The 2019 edition of the New Mexico IPA Challenge kicks off this Saturday with the annual preliminary round, but there are changes afoot. The biggest change is that the preliminary round is no longer open to the public.

“This year, they wanted to make it a little more along the lines of GABF judging,” said Guild executive director Leah Black. “Where it really is blind tasting who gets in the top 15. That’s what we’re going to start with. We had just under 50 entries, and for whatever reason, they didn’t get their check in on time, but we ended up with 45 breweries. From 45 (down) to 15 this Saturday, then for each public round there will be the same 15 breweries there. It will be a buildup to what the hopheads love. You can go to all three rounds if you want to drive. It should be a lot of fun.”

(more…)

Summerfest returns to Pajarito Ski Area with 13 breweries on hand

Posted: June 6, 2019 by reidrivenburgh in Beer in Los Alamos, Events
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0
2019-SummerFest-Poster-rev5

Summer, and beer, return to the mountain.

Pajarito Ski Area outside of Los Alamos has a handful of big events throughout the year, and it’s time for another as Summerfest will be held this Saturday.

If you haven’t been up to visit yet, this would be a great time to do so. If summer finally kicks in, you can rest assured that temperatures will be much cooler on the mountain. (I always warn people to be prepared for anything when it comes to the weather, though.) Throw in the natural beauty of the mountain and forest, and it’s a stunning setting for a beer festival.

There will be plenty of things to do throughout the day. There will be a mountain bike race, a disc golf tournament, hiking and biking (made easier by running chairlifts), the band Iron Chiwawa playing classic rock, good food, and yes, plenty of beer. More than a dozen New Mexico breweries will be in attendance, including:

  • Bathtub Row: CojonHaze IPA, Cali Common, Little Bird Blonde, American Wheat
  • Blue Corn: Oatmeal Stout, Gatekeeper IPA, Road Runner IPA, Peach Gose, Lager than Life
  • Lost Hiker: Blonde, Mosaic SMASH, Belgian Rye Pale Ale, Amber
  • Red Door: Unhinged Cider, West Coast IPA, Vanilla Cream Ale, Hopical Storm (Pineapple Milkshake IPA)
  • Red River: Lazy Bear Blonde, Peach Campfire Cream Ale, Desperado Mexican Lager, Catskinner IPA
  • Second Alarm: Porter, Kolsch, IPA (one keg)
  • Second Street: TBA
  • Sierra Blanca: Alien IPA, Green Chile Cerveza, Bone Chiller Brown Ale, and either Desert Pilsner, Vanilla Milk Stout or Cherry Wheat
  • Steel Bender: Skull Bucket IPA, Raspberry Dynamite, Rosy Nosy, Lloyd’s 3 O’Clock Kolsch
  • Taos Mesa: TBA
  • Tractor: Berry Cider, Mustachio Milk Stout, Acreage IPA, plus cocktails Kentucky Mule, StraJarito Tonic, The Vodka Blues
  • Tumbleroot: TBR (Light American Lager), Old School Pale Ale, Hefeweizen, New School IPA, plus a cocktail or two
  • Turtle Mountain: Wooden Teeth, Darker than Darkness Schwarzbier, Maibock, Doppel Equis Steinundator, Table Manners Session Brut IPA, Yum Yum Breeze

We will update this list with specific beers from the breweries as we receive them. The beer portion of the event runs from 1 to 6 p.m. Iron Chiwawa will be playing from 2 to 5, and food will be served at the lodge cafeteria from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets are $20, which we believe entitles you to a souvenir glass and unlimited sampling. Be sure to bring a valid ID, or you won’t get in.

As always, if you’re going to be enjoying the beer, take the free shuttle that runs every half hour from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. from the high school parking lot in town. It’s a several-mile drive up the mountain, so save yourself some gas and possible grief.

For more information, visit: https://www.pajarito.ski/events/summerfest/

Cheers!

— Reid

The Week Ahead in Beer: Charitable causes take center stage at multiple breweries

Posted: April 24, 2019 by cjax33 in The Week Ahead in Beer
Tags: , , ,
0

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, 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.

The final days of April seem to have a theme of giving back to good causes. It starts this week at Dialogue with Finola’s Fight Benefit Concert featuring the Memphis P Tails and Sex for Admission. There will be a raffle and a silent auction during the concert, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m. It all benefits Finola, a friend of the brewery who is battling cancer. Then on Friday, our friend Carlos Contreras wrote a guest post on a special Art Fusion for a Cause at Ponderosa, benefiting the New Mexico Autism Society. Sunday will feature a pair of events, one in Albuquerque and the other in Santa Fe. The former will feature the release of One Albuquerque shirts benefiting the Albuquerque Police Department at Canteen at 4 p.m., with live music from Todd Tijerina. The Santa Fe event will be at Tumbleroot at 4, as Soldier Songs and Voices hosts a benefit concert for veterans. Special guest Susan Gibson will also perform at this free event, with donations accepted at the door.

On the new beer front this week, there are a few options to check out. Bombs Away hits the mark with version five of its Hazy Chain DIPA. Bosque puckers up with Re Re’s Shandy. Canteen brings back Fill in the Blanco and Coffee Lager. Cantero is feeling the season with Jelly Bean Sour and Chocolate Bunny Marshmallow Stout. Kaktus kicked out some German Pilsner, Maibock, and Lemongrass Blonde. Marble still has some celebratory beers on tap like the Malbec Zinfandel Saison. Ponderosa doubles down on Doppelbock. Quarter Celtic introduces Rosemarie, a rosé ale with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and hibiscus. Sidetrack has more Turntable IPA and Co-Mo IPA. Steel Bender walks a mile with The Whole Shoe Belgo IPA.

Up in Santa Fe, Blue Corn added Santa Muerte Collab IPA. Second Street takes it to the Chin-Gose, while also adding Kohatu Pale Ale. Tumbleroot has just filled bottles of Sour Golden Ale with apricots. Down in Truth or Consequences, T or C Brewing is adding four new beers during Thursday’s beer fiesta, including a pale ale, a wheat ale, and two lagers.

Continue reading for all the news that is fit to blog for the week of April 22.

(more…)

The Week Ahead in Beer: Metal, belly dancers, Easter eggs, 4/20 fests and more highlight a zany weekend

Posted: April 17, 2019 by cjax33 in The Week Ahead in Beer
Tags: , , , ,
0

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.

Hey, remember last week, when we barely had anything to write about? Yeah, that is so not this week. Thursday through Saturday is just kinda bonkers, and that is leaving out all the Marble anniversary events we previewed separately. First up, there is some truly blackened black metal descending upon Tumbleroot’s Agua Fria location in Santa Fe this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Local heavyweights Dysphotic are joined by touring bands UADA and Wormwitch for a head-banging good time. Then on Friday night, keep that Game of Thrones buzz going in advance of the next episode on HBO, as the Desert Darlings return to Tractor Wells Park for the GoT edition of Hops & Dreams. Need to get out and move more? Then head downtown Saturday afternoon for the third annual Easter Beer Hunt. It’s a grownup egg hunt, and the different colors of plastic eggs correspond to the three participating breweries — Boese Brothers, Red Door, Sidetrack — with different prizes inside that can be redeemed at each brewery. Only three eggs can be redeemed at each location, and please do not start until noon. For those who do not drink beer, you can also redeem some of the eggs at The Brew for coffee. Saturday will also feature a slew of 4/20 events, including special ones at Rio Bravo (market and live music), Turtle Mountain (smoked BBQ), and Truth or Consequences (cannabis education).

On the new beer front this week, there are a few other options to check out. Bombs Away finds itself in Condition Red Ale. Bosque recently rolled out Sunshine Stout, Mango Mujer, and W-Altbier White. Canteen has Cabana Lager back on tap to get you ready for Cinco de Mayo a little early. La Cumbre has Father Nelson back on tap and in bottles this Friday, plus Hell Froze Over Brown Ale and Chew & Swallow Oatmeal Stout are on tap again. Marble has Cerveza on tap now, and it will come out in 19.2-ounce cans on Saturday, plus you can also get Mountain Fog and Tea Gary IPA on tap. Red Door gets a little funky with Rickety Cricket. Tractor resurrects Acreage IPA. Turtle Mountain has a smoky little marzen called The Rauchette.

Up in Santa Fe, Blue Corn is feeling ruthless with Cutthroat Rye Pale Ale. HoneyMoon unveils Pearsephone, a pear elderflower kombucha. Rowley Farmhouse Ales has moved on to Season Two, Episode Seven of Agent Scully IPA, while also bringing back Biere de Mars and adding Oyster Stoutish. Tumbleroot is feeling the season with Maibock. Further north in Red River, RRBC has Raspberry Campfire Cream Ale. Down south, Truth or Consequences hops to it with Deep Space Dankety-Dank.

Continue reading for all the news that is fit to blog for the week of April 15.

(more…)

Beer Creek goes with the flow as it prepares to start brewing on-site

Posted: March 21, 2019 by cjax33 in Beer in Santa Fe
Tags: , , , ,
2

Beer Creek co-owner Rich Headley is one of the most enthusiastic, upbeat persons you will meet in the industry.

Seeing as how it had been a while, last summer to be exact, that anyone from the Crew visited Beer Creek Brewing, I headed out to the charming little stop on Highway 14 to catch up with co-owner Rich Headley on a recent rainy afternoon.

Rich was his usual boisterous self when I arrived an hour before regular opening hours. He certainly has reasons to be in a good mood, not the least of which was the arrival of the 5-barrel brewhouse and full equipment in recent weeks (brought up from Arizona during one of our recent snowstorms, no less). Up until now, Beer Creek has lived off a beer-and-wine license, though the staff has collaborated on three beers with other area breweries, all of which are currently on tap.

Before tasting those, Rich offered me a tour, since a lot had changed since Franz Solo and I visited long ago, shortly after Rich and his partners had taken over the property.

(more…)

Older Entries