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 four breweries and a pair of newcomers, one down in Socorro and the other in Los Alamos, also joining the party.
In case you could not tell by the weather outside, fall has definitely arrived. OK, so it pretty much happens every year with the Balloon Fiesta, which pretty much guarantees us our first batch of cold, wet weather. Along with the arrival of the season comes one of those seasonal beers that truly divides the craft beer community — the pumpkin ale. All around ABQ and parts beyond, pumpkin beers are now appearing on tap and, for the first time, in bombers. La Cumbre brought back Witch’s Lit (yes, we know, they changed the name, but they had to for bottle labeling purposes) on tap and this year it is available in bombers. Challenging it for supremacy is Bosque’s The Rabble, an imperial pumpkin ale also available in bombers and on tap. Getting in on the party (at least on tap), you can also head to Nexus today (Wednesday) at 4 p.m. for a release party for Equinox, their pumpkin spiced brown ale. Cazuela’s Calabaza has been on tap for a while now, while Ponderosa’s Pumpkin Butt (that’s really its name), Canteen’s Calabaza, and Chama River’s Pumpkin Ale join the fray this week. Blue Corn has a Pumpkin Porter nearly ready, as is Turtle Mountain’s Gourd Dammit, which will at the very least be available this Saturday at New Mexico Brew Fest 6 (full preview coming soon). Most of us in the Crew are willing to drink pumpkin ales, and Porter Pounder has announced plans to brew his annual version soon. But we want to know what you think, dear followers. Yay or nay on pumpkin ales? And yeah, you need to explain yourselves either way.
Meanwhile, there are a few new, non-pumpkin beers worth checking out around town. We have the full lineup below of Albuquerque Brewing’s offerings from their new brewer. Back Alley added Octoberfest and two old favorites, Cali Common and Poth’s Pilsner, to the lineup this week. Oktobearfest should put you in the season at Boxing Bear. Canteen teamed up with Left Turn Distilling to create Dutch Courage. Chama River also has Wet Hop IPA and Wee Bit Loco, their awesome Scottish Wee Heavy. Kaktus has unleashed the big, bold Umlaut Stout. Marble went and put their IPA on nitro and also has a sessionable pale ale, Get Stoked, and their new Scottish ale, Mick’s Mac. Tractor went retro with Pear Bear Cider.
Up in Santa Fe, Blue Corn has their Oktoberfest on tap with two more seasonals soon to follow. Duel introduces their fall saison, Cezanne Denouement, plus Bad Amber is back. Second Street has fresh batches of Palisade Pale Ale, Red Comet, and Boneshaker Bitter.
Continue reading for all the news that is fit to blog for the week of October 5.
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
ABQ 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: Imperial IPA, Red Ale, Cherry Sour. ABP carries beers from Rio Grande/Sierra Blanca. Several times a year, ABP serves up the latest creation by local brewing hero and winner of the Samuel Adams Longshot competition, Ben Miller, or seasonal releases by Monks Brewing. Adam and I recently got to try two new brews from Benjamin Couger that are on tap at ABP. The Imperial IPA is a big old blast of hops, but not the usual suspects like Simcoe or Centennial (at least, we didn’t think so). The Red Ale is a smooth, biscuit-y delight. The new addition is a Cherry Sour, the first sour ever produced by the folks at RG/SB.
Albuquerque Brewing Co. — (505) 797-1842
(Mon–Fri 1-10 p.m., Sat 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun noon-8 p.m.)
Beers: Inaugural Blonde, Dukes Pale Ale, Possessive IPA, Rezerection IPA, Tom’s Green Chile Beer. Welcome back, ABC. Their new brewer, Carney (formerly of Santa Fe), sent us his updated list. He wants everyone to hurry over and try the Green Chile Beer, because it is going fast.
News: Next up are a stout and an imperial Irish red, both of which Carney hopes will be ready this weekend.
Back Alley Draft House— (505) 766-8590
(Sun–Weds 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Thurs–Sat 4 p.m. to midnight)
Beers: Cali Common, Hefen or Hell, Poth’s Pilsner, Berliner Weisse, Octoberfest. New brewer Peter Moore, who is taking over from Brandon Venaglia (bound in turn for Cazuela’s), shared a list of his newest offerings. The Cali Common and Poth’s Pilsner are back after a short absence. The Octoberfest is proper for the season.
Events: Sundays are Service Nights at Back Alley, with $2 off all beers for service industry workers. Bring your server’s ID and you will be rewarded. All beers are $1 off on Tuesdays.
News: Take note of BADH’s new winter hours above.
The Blue Grasshopper — (505) 896-8579
(Noon to 11 p.m. most days, call for more info)
Beers: Beach Bum Pale Ale. The popular Beach Bum is back for another run. BG goes through their beers fast, so hurry out to try it. If you have not made it out there yet, the Grasshopper is located at 4500 Arrowhead Ridge Road in Rio Rancho, just off Highway 528.
News: Click the link above to check out the new Blue Grasshopper website, with updated lists of guest beers, a full menu, and a full music listing.
Events: The Grasshopper has live music from 6 to 9 p.m. every Tuesday through Saturday.
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: Patriot Porter, La Onza White Ale, Old Shonie Scottish Ale, Dr. Strangehop XPA, Amarillo Pale Ale, Oktoberfest. Welcome to the listings, Boese Brothers! We got a chance to sample their beers in advance of the recent grand opening. The Porter (6% ABV) is a pre-Prohibition style of American porter, more brown than black with strong roasted flavors smoothed out by the nitro pour. La Onza (5.4% ABV) offers up a big, citrusy kick for a Belgian-style witbier. Old Shonie (4.5% ABV) is also available on nitro; it is lighter than most of the other Scottish beers in the ABQ area. The Dr. Strangehop XPA (6.5% ABV) debuted recently, offering up a wonderful mix of the piney Willamette and more floral Mosaic hops. Amarillo Pale Ale takes the place of Steampunk Lager as the current rotating specialty beer. Also available for a limited time is the Oktoberfest.
Events: 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.
News: They are still working on building their website. You can follow them on their Facebook page.
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: Scale Tipper IPA, Shellback, Spoondriver DIPA, Acequia IPA, Oktoberfest, The Rabble. All three Bosque locations are now up to date. Right now it is all about the hops, with a couple fall seasonals thrown in for good measure. The big monster is Spoondriver (8.5% ABV, 100+ IBU), a massive DIPA made with Nelson and New Zealand hops. The hop bite is massive, but it also has a smooth, sweet malt finish that has become the standard at Bosque (and a big reason, in our opinion, why their IPAs are so popular). Acequia, which just claimed a gold medal at GABF, is back on tap and is available in bombers as well this year. In our humble opinion, it is a near-perfect wet-hop IPA, even better than last year. If you need a break from the hops, Oktoberfest (5.1% ABV, 25 IBU) is a tremendous Marzen lager, one of the best brewed in this state, or at least in my humble opinion. The Rabble is an imperial pumpkin ale, available on tap and for sale in bombers. You can also find it on nitro in Las Cruces only. Scale Tipper (6.5% ABV, 95 IBU), the two-time NMIPAC winner and current National IPA champion, is on tap until supplies run out. Another recent addition is Shellback (5.6% ABV, 45 IBU), a single-hop pale ale made with Dr. Rudi.
Cask: From now on, Bosque will have their firkin filled every Wednesday, available only at Nob Hill. There does not appear to be a cask this week, but we will update this if they tell us otherwise.
News: Congratulations to Bosque for winning their second straight NM IPA Challenge with Scale Tipper. Earlier this year, Bosque also claimed the Brewing News National IPA Challenge with Scale Tipper. It marks the second year in a row a New Mexico brewery won the NIPAC, following La Cumbre’s Project Dank taking the title last year.
Bombers of Scale Tipper are once again on sale at Bosque locations and over at Jubilation.
The Bosque Public House is now open, located on Girard just south of Central. Bosque has also opened a taproom in Las Cruces, located in the former Mimbres Valley space across from New Mexico State at the corner of University Ave. and Espina St.
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.
Boxing Bear Brewing Company — (505) 897-2327
(Sun-Thurs 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-11 p.m.)
Beers: Body Czech Bohemian Pilsner, Oktobearfest, Umbers Cucumbers, Cream Pale, Not Your Mother’s Cream Soda, Noble Pale Ale, Body Slam Imperial Pilsner. Recent additions include the Oktobearfest (4.9% ABV, 27 IBU), Noble PA (5.8% ABV, 30 IBU) and Body Slam (7.4% ABV, 60 IBU). Before that came Not Your Mother’s Cream Stout (5.4% ABV, 10 IBU), the Cream Pale (5.5% ABV, 18 IBU), a hybrid of the two styles, and Umbers Cucumbers (5.6% ABV, 22 IBU), which as the name might imply is a cucumber beer. The Body Czech (4.3% ABV, 40 IBU) is a great way to start your flight. The Standing 8 Stout (6.3% ABV, 45 IBU), which is on tap at all times, claimed the 2015 Stout Challenge, held by the Crew before the last Super Bowl. Head on over to indulge in this beast of a beer.
News: Boxing Bear now has a happy hour. 10-, 16-, and 22-ounce beers are all discounted from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Growler Happy Hour then runs from 6 p.m. to close on those nights. Get $2 off a growler fill and $1 off a half-growler (they call ’em “squealers”). Also, 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.
Events: Geeks Who Drink will now be held every Wednesday from 8 to 10 p.m. at Boxing Bear.
Canteen Brewhouse — (505) 881-2737
(Sun–Thurs noon–10 p.m., Fri–Sat noon–midnight)
Beers: Irish Red, Oatmeal Stout, Dubbel, Cascade Pale Ale, Canteen Calabaza, Dutch Courage. The most recent additions are the Calabaza, a pumpkin ale, and Dutch Courage, a gin IPA made in collaboration with Left Turn Distilling. Before that came the Cascade, Dubbel, and Oatmeal Stout (which is quite wonderful this time around).
News: Canteen has begun filling Crowlers, 32-ounce aluminum cans that can be filled with any beer on tap. They get sealed up and can last for a lot longer than a regular growler. Then you bring back the Crowlers to be recycled and get some fresh ones.
Events: Live music is back with the Alex Maryol Duo on Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. and then the Cali Shaw Duo on Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m.
Cazuela’s Seafood & Mexican Grill— (505) 994-9364
(Open daily 8 a.m.-10 p.m.)
Beers: Papacabra (Double IPA), Panama Red, Acapulco Gold (Mexican Lager), Chupacabra IPA, Piedra del Fuego Stoned Cream Ale, Beer for My Horses (Oatmeal Stout), Inebriator (Doppelbock), Kilt Kicker (Smoked Scottish), Calabaza (Pumpkin Ale). E-Rock and I had a chance to sample the Piedra del Fuego (5% ABV), which we both recommend. According to Cazuela’s menu: “This cream ale uses red-hot stones to super caramelize the sugars, creating a nutty, toffee-like flavor.” The Inebriator (8% ABV) and the Papacabra (9.7% ABV) are the biggest beers in the lineup. Cazuela’s was the first local brewery to tap a pumpkin ale, in their case the Calabaza, which was created by new brewer Brandon Venaglia.
Chama River Brewing Company— (505) 342-1800
(Sun–Thurs 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–midnight)
Beers: Wee Bit Loco, Hank Brown Ale, Wet Hop IPA, Pumpkin Ale. Three-fourths of the taps changed this week, so you know there is fresh beer at Chama right now. Wee Bit Loco (7% ABV, 25 IBU) is a delicious, malty Scottish Wee Heavy. The Wet Hop and Pumpkin also fit the season.
Distillery 365 — (505) 221-6281
(Mon-Thu 3-9 p.m., Fri 3-10 p.m., Sat noon-10 p.m., Sun 11-8 p.m.)
Beers: 365 ESB, 4th of July American Ale, Trail Rider Bicycle Beer. Distillery 365 is located at 2921 Stanford Dr., just south of Candelaria and not far from La Cumbre and Canteen. The 4th of July is their first beer to highlight the native Neomexicanus hops. It is a highly aromatic strong ale with very little bitterness. The ESB a simple English ale. This second batch offers up more flavor from the hops and malts. The Trail Rider, a radler, was so popular at recent events it’s now on tap full-time. They are also serving their house-made Holy Ghost Vodka and Horsethief Rum, a 100-percent molasses-based silver rum, plus guest taps from Red Door.
Events: 10 Drink Minimum will host a Cards Against Humanity night every Wednesday at 7 p.m.
This Friday will mark the final Outdoor Movie Night of the year. Starting at 7 p.m., pull up a chair, grab a drink, and enjoy the awesomeness that is “Young Frankenstein.”
Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Distillery 365 has a build-your-own bloody mary bar. You can purchase three bloodies for just $20.
News: Barrel No. 1 of their Tres Pistolas Bourbon has been filled, but it’ll be another two years before anyone can drink it. Good things come to those who wait, I suppose.
Oh, and Distillery 365 will open their first tasting room over at Green Jeans Farmery, the same site that is home to Santa Fe Brewing’s ABQ taproom.
Kaktus Brewing— (505) 379-5072
(Hours Mon-Thu 2-9 p.m., Fri-Sat 11:30-10 p.m., Sun 11:30-9 p.m.)
Beers: Oktoberfest, Bulls Eye IPA, India Pale Helles, Fresh Hop Amber, Berna Brown, Umlaut Stout, Bock, Helles Lager. In advance of Kaktoberfest (see our intro above), the taps got a shakeup this week. New are the Bulls Eye, IPH, Amber, Stout, Bock, and Helles Lager. Those plus the Oktoberfest should keep everyone happy for a while, right? The Umlaut Stout may be their best stout yet, a massive, roasted, beast of a beer. Kaktus is located at 471 South Hill Road in Bernalillo, for those who have still not made the trek.
News: Kaktus has several new weekday specials including $3 pints on Monday, $9 growlers on Tuesday, $6 bison nachos on Wednesday, and $8 Frito pie and beer on Thursday.
Events: The Desert Darlings belly dancers perform from 6 to 8 p.m. on almost every Sunday. If you’ve never seen the Desert Darlings in person, you’re missing out.
Every Sunday, Kaktus is hosting a brunch special from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., with breakfast pizzas and drink specials.
La Cumbre Brewing— (505) 872-0225
(Open every day at noon)
Beers: Miles from Cologne, Summer Strong, Full Nelson, VMO #3, Witch’s Lit. The monster here is an old favorite in Full Nelson, the DIPA from the hop gods, back for another run. The newest beers on tap are the Witch’s Lit, the awesome, slightly renamed pumpkin ale, and the VMO #3, a malty Marzen for those who can’t handle the hops or just want a seasonal change of pace. Before that came Miles from Cologne, an awesome kolsch, and Summer Strong, a massive, beautiful pale barleywine that debuted at MWBF. We should also note that the current batch of Project Dank, which debuted on tap and in bombers recently, was the first wet-hopped Dank they have ever done. The reviews are, well, off the charts.
News: La Cumbre’s new and improved website is now up and running. Check it out by clicking the link here. Their online calendar now includes what food trucks will be serving, plus live music and a current draft list.
Events: The live music this Saturday at 7 p.m. will be provided by Odd Dog. Yoga is back at the taproom every Sunday at 10:45 a.m.
Lizard Tail Brewing — (505) 717-1301
(Mon–Weds noon-9 p.m., Thurs–Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-7 p.m.)
Beers: Long Nosed Tripel, Legless DIPA, Frilled Irish Red, Earless English IPA. During a recent visit I made sure to write down the updated seasonal list. The Long Nosed (9.2% ABV, 30 IBU) is one of the biggest beers on the menu. The Legless (8.5% ABV, 100 IBU) offers up quite the hop kick. Earless (6.4% ABV, 50 IBU) is in the classic English tradition. The Irish Red (5.3% ABV, 24 IBU) has the perfect malt profile, not too sweet, not too dry.
News: Lizard Tail’s happy hour runs seven days a week from 3 to 6 p.m. You get $1 off food, flights, and pints. Take note that Lizard Tail now opens at noon every day.
Events: Lizard Tail will host Geeks Who Drink every Tuesday at 8 p.m. Every Thursday will now feature karaoke from 8 to 11 p.m.
Marble Brewery— (505) 243-2739
(Mon–Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–10:30 p.m.)
Beers: Both locations — Double IPA, Farmhand Pale Ale, Get Stoked; Downtown only — Mick’s Mac, Nitro IPA; Westside only — none. We now have a breakdown of which seasonals are available at both Marble locations, Downtown and Westside. Get Stoked (4% ABV) is a sessionable pale ale, while Nitro IPA is of course the regular IPA served on nitro. Before those came the Farmhand PA (5.8% ABV). Double IPA is now for sale in bombers as well as being on tap. The new Mick’s Mac is a Scottish ale brewed with lager yeast for a one-of-a-kind flavor.
Events: Brewery tours occur at the Downtown Pub every Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
On the live music front downtown, Marble will host the Ghana Flood Disaster Relief Benefit tonight (Wednesday) with Jade Masque and Wamba performing.
Todd & the Fox follows Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m. The Blue Hornets drop in Friday from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday features Let it Grow and Sunday features Turkuaz, both from 6 to 9 p.m.
At the Westside Taproom, Joanie Cere & Darin Goldstein take the stage Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. Joe and Vickie Price perform Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m.
Nexus Brewery— (505) 242-4100
(Sun–Thurs 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–midnight)
Beers: Kaylynn’s Altbier, U.S.S. Saaz, Plum Imperial Cream, Equinox. The Plum Imperial Cream debuted recently; the name pretty much says it all. Back for another run is the beer so good it’s named for its creator, Kaylynn’s Altbier (5.9% ABV, 22 IBU). Another recent addition is the Saaz (6.4% ABV, 30 IBU). As the name might imply, the Saaz is a single-hop beer made with, you guessed it, Czech Saaz hops. Equinox (6.5% ABV, 16 IBU) is back for another run of pumpkin-spiced brown ale goodness.
Events: Nexus serves up Happy Hour All Day on Tuesday featuring $3 pints. Also on Tuesday, Nexus will be hosting their comedy open mic, Young Dumb and Full of Comedy, starting at 7:30 p.m. in the Sun Room.
News: The recent renovation/remodel at Nexus is complete and they are fully open for business.
Pi Brewing at Nicky V’s Neighborhood Pizzeria — (505) 890-9463
(Sun–Thurs 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–10 p.m.)
Beers: Amarillo Red, Robust Porter, Pi Vapor, Challenge IPA, English Summer Ale, Pre-Prohibition Pilsner, Belgian Pumpkin Ale. The Robust Porter and Pi Vapor, a California Common, are the newest additions to the lineup. Before that the English Summer, Pilsner, and new Belgian Pumpkin Ale jumped on board. The ESB and Tropical IPA are out for the time being. While Pi Brewing is not open to the public yet, they are able to brew and serve their beers next door at Nicky V’s. We’ll keep tabs on when Pi itself opens.
Ponderosa Brewing Co. — (505) 639-5941
(Sun 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Mon–Sat 11 a.m.–11 p.m.)
Beers: (Regular) Ghost Train IPA, Rip Saw Red, Crosscut Kolsch, Bellamah Brown, American Wheat; (Seasonal) Spanglish Mexican Lager, Walther IPK, Jubilee, Pumpkin Butt. Ponderosa is located at 1761 Bellamah NW, which is just east of Rio Grande and due north of the NM Natural History Museum, in the bottom floor of a swanky-looking apartment/retail complex (they have a sign atop the building now that you cannot miss). Congrats to Bellamah Brown and American Wheat for joining the regular beer list, all by popular demand. Recent additions to taps arePumpkin Butt (5% ABV, 20 IBU) and Jubilee (5.4% ABV, 18 IBU), which was brewed for the recent anniversary party. It is a hybrid of a malty amber ale and a smoked beer. The Walther IPK (6% ABV, 60 IBU), an India Pale Kolsch, and Spanglish (4.6% ABV, 18 IBU) were other recent additions.
Red Door Brewing — (505) 633-6675
(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.)
Beers: (Regular) Gateway Blonde Ale, Roamer Red, Threshold IPA, Paint it Black Milk Stout, Unhinged Cider, Trappe Door Wheat. (Seasonal) Broken Arrow Pale Ale, Vanilla Cream Ale, Ryeson Sun Saison, Anniversary Double Red. The most recent addition is the Anniversary Double Red (7.7% ABV, 67 IBU), which has a deceptively low IBU count for a beer this hoppy. It’s got bite, it’s dry, it’s fierce, it’s right up there with the other best imperial reds in town. Before that came the Ryeson, which has to be the first rye saison we have ever of. The Vanilla Cream should get you in a summer mood. The Broken Arrow (5.4% ABV) was made with just Equinox hops for a rather unique, yet multi-faceted, flavor profile.
Events: Live music is back with Marty York on Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m., followed by The Draft Sessions open mic on Monday from 7 to 9.
Saturday morning will mark another round of Beer and Breakfast, with Barclays Premier League soccer on the telly! From 7 to 10 a.m. you can gather with friends for some food truck-supplied goodies with a pint of beer.
There is also yoga at the brewery every Sunday at 11 a.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, Karl’s Hefeweizen, Dirty Rotten Bastard IPA, Snakebite IPA, Black Angus Stout, Roadkill Red, Duke City Pils, Oktoberfest. You can find Rio Bravo at 1912 2nd St. NW, which is just south of I-40. The Amber (5.7% ABV, 53 IBU) offers up a more flavorful kick than most of its genre. The Hefeweizen (4.6% ABV, 26 IBU) has a big banana aroma, but the flavor is more balanced and smooth. Dirty Rotten Bastard (6.4% ABV, 77 IBU) is a “level one” IPA. Columbus is the primary hop in the DRB. Snakebite (7.4% ABV, 99 IBU) is the bigger “level two” IPA, armed with Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial, Columbus, and Crystal hops. Another addition to the regular lineup is the burly Black Angus Stout (5.9% ABV, 25 IBU). It is not a milk stout, cream stout, chocolate stout, or coffee stout. It is just a stout, thick and strong with prominent roasted flavors, somewhat similar to Deschutes’ Obsidian Stout. Roadkill Red made a solid debut at MWBF. Want to learn more about Rio Bravo and their plans for the future? Check out our in-depth look.
Sandia Chile Grill— (505) 798-1970
(Mon–Sat 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun 8 a.m.–6 p.m.)
Beers: Son Ranger Irish Red, Barb’s Barrel Hefeweizen, Rio Negro Milk Stout, Rattlesnake IPA. These are the four core beers of SCG’s lineup, though we cannot guarantee they are on tap at all times. Give them a call to check and see which beers are available.
Tractor Brewing Company— (505) 433-5654 (Nob Hill Tap Room), (505) 243-6752 (Wells Park)
(Nob Hill is open Monday-Wednesday 3 p.m. to midnight, Thursday 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., Friday-Saturday 1 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday 1 p.m. to midnight; Wells Park is open Monday-Thursday 3 p.m. to close, Friday-Sunday 1 p.m. to midnight. Last call 30 minutes before close. No package after midnight. Brewery tours Saturday at 1 p.m.)
Beers: Jack the Sipper, Traktoberfest, Pear Bear Cider, Big Sipper IPA, The Ruggles, Cowboy Blend Coffee Stout, Chocolate Milk Stout, Berliner Weisse, Summer Ale, Kristal Hefe, Dark Horse Lager, Pear Cider (Nob Hill only). The newest additions are perfect for the season in Jack the Sipper (7.8% ABV, 18 IBU), Tractor’s pumpkin ale that was made with 440 pounds (!) of real pumpkin, and Traktoberfest, which is back and just as good as ever. Before that came the Big Sipper IPA (5.8% ABV, 71 IBU), Chocolate Milk Stout (5.1% ABV), Cowboy Blend (5.5% ABV, 25 IBU), Summer Ale (7% ABV), and Kristal Hefe (6.6% ABV). Another recent addition is the Ruggles (4.4% ABV), a California Common-style beer that’s sweet and light and great for beating the heat. Berliner Weisse (5.1% ABV) is still available at both locations.
Events: Kamikaze Karaoke is back at Wells Park tonight (Wednesday) at 7 p.m. Thursday will feature a pLOUD music event as Alien Space Kitchen performs at 8 p.m. The In the Mix Series is back Saturday at 9 p.m. with DJ Clout. Returning on Tuesday is the Poetry and Beer Open Mic and Slam at 7 p.m.
If you are in Nob Hill tonight (Wednesday), check out Solos on the Hill with Kyle Martin at 8:30 p.m. Friday will feature a special art opening, All Our Worlds’ Future, at 7 p.m. Setting the Tone is back on Saturday with Buddha performing at 5 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.
You can grab your own musical instrument and head to Nob Hill for the ultimate jam session. Tractor Tune Up, hosted by the Virginia Creepers, is now an official event happening every Monday starting at 7:30 p.m.
Also, every Monday at Nob Hill features each of Tractor’s canned beers on sale for just $2.
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: (House) McDay’s Cream Ale, Oku Amber, Parasol White IPA, Hopshell IPA, Heidelberg Helles, Stauffenberg Stout. (Seasonal/specialty) Oktoberfest, After Midnight, AmeriKriek, Slack Tide Session IPA. To help us out for now and the future, brewer Tim Woodward broke down what will be the regular beers on tap (under House) and the current list of seasonals. New to taps is TMBC’s take on an Oktoberfest. Before that came the Slack Tide (5.3% ABV, 75 IBU) and AmeriKriek, a kettle-soured beer dosed with cherries. Another recent addition is After Midnight, a schwarzbier dosed with black currant berries.
News: 22-ounce bombers of Wilde Jagd, Turtle Mountain’s first bottled beer, are still for sale at the brewery.
Santa Fe breweries
Blue Corn Brewery— (505) 438-1800
(Daily 11 a.m.–10 p.m.)
Beers: HALT!-bier, Brown Paper Bag, Oktoberfest. The most recent addition is the Oktoberfest. Another recent addition was Brown Paper Bag, an unfiltered malt liquor. HALT! is of course an altbier with a clever name and a great flavor.
News: Brewer James Warren said his Pumpkin Porter and McLeonard’s Single Malt Scotch Ale should be on tap quite soon.
Duel Brewing Company— (505) 474-5301
(Mon–Sat open at 11 a.m., Sun open at 1 p.m.)
Beers: Bad Amber, Manikin (Scotch Ale), Marcel (Witbier), Fiction (IPA), Fantin (Double Pale Ale), Titian (Golden Strong), Grunewald (Imperial Porter), Dark Ryder (Dark Strong), Stille of the Night (Belgian Dark Sour), Cezanne Denouement (Fall Saison), Ara Pacis (Barrel-Aged Imperial Golden Sour). The Bad Amber is back after a short absence. New to taps is the Cezanne Denouement, described as a fall saison.
Events: Happy-hour Monday through Friday 4-6 p.m. (discounts for all draft beer), Growler Saturdays ($3 off growler fills).
News: Duel is opening an Albuquerque taproom that will be more than twice the size of the mother facility in Santa Fe. We’re on the case to get you all the details about the downtown location and its projected opening date.
Santa Fe Brewing Company— (505) 424-3333
(Mon–Sat 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun 2-8 p.m.)
Beers: Black IPA, Chicken Killer, Highland Heath, Santa Fe Gold, Autonomous Collective IPA, Oktoberfest. Welcome back, Oktoberfest, even if it does not even remotely feel like October out there. The third entry in the ECS (Ever Changing Series) is now available on tap and in bombers in the form of Highland Heath, a barrel-aged Scottish ale that is just heavenly. The Freestyle Pilsner is now available on tap and in cans across the state. The Autonomous Collective would have been SFBC’s NMIPAC entry, but things did not go so well at VIPA. Instead, everyone will just have to drink it at the brewery while the supply lasts. The Santa Fe Gold is now for sale all around the state in six-packs.
Events: $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.
News: The SFBC taproom is now open at Green Jeans Farmery in Albuquerque. Want details? Here is everything we learned from our visit.
Also, it is time for home brewers to starting submitting entries for the annual 12 Beers of Christmas at SFBC. They can start signing up Oct. 3 by emailing their proposal to leif@santafebrewing.com.
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, Brown Ale, Boneshaker Bitter, Trebuchet Imperial IPA, Palisade Pale Ale, Red Comet. The most recent additions are fresh batches of Boneshaker, Palisade, and Red Comet. Before that came the Brown Ale and Trebuchet. The Pivotal IPA and Boneshaker Bitter are often available for purchase in four-packs of cans.
Events: On the live music front, the original location will host The Alpha Cats on Friday. Saturday will feature The Shiner’s Club Jazz Band. The Railyard will play host to Lone Pinon on Friday and Swing Soleil on Saturday.
Every Tuesday night, the Railyard location will have Open Mic Night hosted by Ben Wright. Every Thursday night, Geeks Who Drink will be at the Railyard at 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: Hoppenheimer IPA, Kappa’s Saison, Wildewood Amber, Black Point Stout, Wit Rock, Little Bird Blonde, Honey Vanilla Porter. We are proud to have Los Alamos’ first brewery amid our listings. The newest beer on tap is the Honey Vanilla Porter. Other recent additions are the Kappa’s Saison, a cucumber saison, and the Wildewood. Fresh batches of Black Point, Wit Rock, and Little Bird are on tap.
Events: Bathtub Row hosts an Open Mic Night every Thursday at 6 p.m.
Twisted Chile Brewing — (575) 835-2949
(Mon–Thurs 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun noon-8 p.m.)
Beers: Schwarzbar Black Lager, Pilabo Pale Ale, Zia Pilsner, 790 IPA, Quebradas Sunrise Amber, Hose Co. 1 Red Lager, Twisted Black (IPA), Venom IPA. Located in Socorro at 115 Abeyta St. W, Twisted Chile is the first brewery there to brew on site since Socorro Springs outsourced their brewing to Eddyline in Colorado several years ago. I got to head down there recently and enjoyed all the beers I sampled. Kudos to Twisted Chile for bring quality craft beers back to a town that needed ’em. The newest beers on tap are the Pilabo PA, Venom IPA, Twisted Black, Hose Co. 1 Red Lager, and Zia Pilsner. The popular Irish Stout, which came in third in our Stout Challenge, is temporarily out.
Events: Twisted Chile will have their own music stage at Socorrofest this weekend. Live bands will perform Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to about 7:30 p.m. Twisted Chile beers will also be available in the beer and spirits tent.
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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
