Finding Good Beer In NM

Santa Fe & La Cumbre?

 

Are you looking for breweries or bottle shops? Selection definitely isn't that great, but it's not terrible either.

 

I agree with russpowell, right now Project Dank is tasting great.

 

I was there during New Years and found plenty of BCBCS and Marble Imperial Stout on the shelves to keep me happy. I also found a lot of Old Hanssens Lambics too.

 

Good because others say its good? yes, we may lack in that... Good because it may be under reviewed, or not reviewed at all, and its something you like? Quite a nice variety is here.

Bottle shops... It's gotten better with more variety. Total Wine entered the state and brought some new beers to try. Blame the distribution system ultimately. Other local places then stepped up their selection. AZ and TX get many other great brands that skip over us. So yes, I would say some are still stuck wondering where NM even is.

If you are outside the ABQ metro area, options may be really limited.

I'm not sure where you're coming from.. Care to expand?
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Dajtai007, how many shops would you say got BCBCS? You don't have to name names. I was able to pick up enough to have some fun with it. Even Abyss, I saw it around for a couple week. Lagunitas Sucks just sits here. Marble IS, and Reserve.. I've seen year old bottles still on the shelves.. Stone RIS just sits.

We have it good. I wouldn't say great. But local brewery options lessen the blow of a lack of distribution variety.

 

Yup. Just outside of Santa Fe, Kokomon Fine Wines. About 2 cases on the shelf.

 

Distributership is somewhat limited in NM, but you can definitely find some good stuff here. In Abq, Jubilation is by far the best package craft beer store. You can find some dusty bottles at The Bird of Paradise, but check the dates. Kelly Liquors carries a lot as well, but Jub by far has the best package selection - and they're a local business. As far as breweries in Abq: Il Vicino, La Cumbre, Marble are all awesome. Nexus, Bosque, and Kaktus are all newer and have potential (and food). Blue Corn in Santa Fe won NM's 2013 IPA Challenge. Durango is about three hours outside of Abq, and you can get a really good package selection at Star Liquors if you are motivated.

 

Blue Corn also won silver medal at GABF for their Oatmeal stout and Brown ales! Both really delicious! They also make a beefy BA Impy Stout.

 

When available, Il Vicino's Panama Joe's coffee stout (2013 GABF gold (coffee category)) is something else. It had been available for the past two months or so.

Unless a beer is able to be distributed in a bottle/glass beyond the state, it doesn't appear there are enough NM BAs to rank up the top notch local beers that deserve it. I'm guilty of it as I was a lurker for the longest time, and I still haven't reviewed/ranked anything.

Get out there and sample these great NM beers.

As far as restaurants/bars with extensive taps of local/regional beer, where are you all drinking? I'm tired of going to these places that have one Marble (usually red or WF wheat), happy campera IPA, one Sierra Blanca branded beer, a Shiner brand, and then the macro giants. I guess a few locals is better than none or one.. That seems to be the one area that is lacking in our area... Do any places do food pairing with beer? A nice burly stout offered with a chocolate cake would be an instant buy on my end.