New Mexico Beer Guide 2016 updated

Been a lot of movement in New Mexico---especially Albuquerque---since I put up the original guide for visiting New Mexico, so an update is in order.

Some general drinking info:

* I'm not sure what official laws are, but most New Mexico breweries will fill any growler. (And assuming the governor signs the bill, we'll soon be able to get growler fills at liquor stores and grocery stores!)
** A 50 minute to 1 hour drive separates Albuquerque and Santa Fe. 2 and a half hours separate Albuquerque and Taos. 3 hours and 15 minutes separate Albuquerque and Las Cruces.
*** Most breweries in New Mexico (if not all) are open daily and generally starting at noon. Breweries with restaurants often open even earlier.
**** There's no place in Albuquerque or Santa Fe in which you can walk from brewery to brewery, but biking to Marble, La Cumbre, Il Vicino, Tractor, Bosque, Chama River, and Nexus is common. Similarly, biking from Second Street to Santa Fe Brewing in Santa Fe is a good bike ride.
***** La Cumbre, Santa Fe Brewing, Marble, Bosque, Second Street, Duel, and Tractor package their products and they are available on-site or in stores (except Second Street). Canteen does crowler fills. All others do growler fills.



New Mexico's Must-Hit Breweries:

Bosque Brewing (Albuquerque, NM)- Their head brewer John Bullard has racked up IPA medals in state and nationally. They are releasing bottles on what appears to be a monthly basis and in general are just killing the game. Bosque has two Albuquerque locations (San Mateo & Nob Hill) as well as a taproom in Las Cruces (for all y'all that are driving I-10). In my eyes, these guys can do no wrong right now (okay, Scale Tipper bombers are still too expensive, haha). Plus, Bullard is one of the most approachable, cool brewers in the country (no disrespect to any other local or national brewers).

La Cumbre Brewing (Albuquerque, NM)- Chances are this brewery is why you even know New Mexico is a state. I won't bother to list the accomplishments and I don't need to tell you you should visit here if in Albuquerque.

Marble Brewery (Albuquerque, NM)- They've been doing lots of expansion and I've personally neglected their taprooms and beers, but these guys are still titans here in New Mexico and a must-visit. They have a West Side taproom, downtown location, and will eventually be opening a taproom with a pilot system on the East Side of Albuquerque.


Worthwhile-Visit Breweries:

Second Street Brewery (Santa Fe, NM)- Pretty damn close to a must-hit as far as I'm concerned. Great food, first of all (get the Alien Burger). They also make some consistently good beers that suffer from being styles that the BA crowd doesn't fawn over (bitters are their bread and butter and they make German-style brews too). The Railyard location in Santa Fe is a must-stop for me. They have two Santa Fe locations.

Boxing Bear Brewery (Albuquerque, NM)- Future must-hit, I'd say. They continue to improve and the fact that they are bottling is very encouraging. Honestly, these guys are well-worth a trek to Albuquerque's West Side (plus they're really not far off from Bosque's San Mateo brewery).

Canteen Brewhouse (Albuquerque, NM)- These guys were once a must-hit for me and many others, but their long-time head brewer set off to open his own brewery and that seemed to disrupt some of the creativity and highly-desired beers the place was once known for. The quality of their beers, arguably, has remained true. However, Canteen just took on a new brewer with a proven track record (and some notable beers) at Chama River, so I'm convinced this ship will right itself. Oh, and the food here (sandwiches and soups and munchies) is always on point.

Santa Fe Brewing (Santa Fe, NM)- Again, these dudes were once a must-hit for me. A big factor in that is their veteran and pioneer status in the state. I think they still make some great beers, but I think they leave a lot of New Mexicans expecting more in that they have stuck religiously to their core lineup and have been eclipsed by various newcomers. They have a taproom in Albuquerque now and it is worth a visit for the cool setup (reused boxcars) and excellent food options in the same structure.

Nexus Brewery (Albuquerque, NM)- Great soul and New Mexican food. The beer runs the gamut from good-but-unremarkable to good. Word is they'll soon have a new location on Albuquerque's West Side.

Chama River Brewing (Albuquerque, NM)- A long-time presence in Albuquerque. They don't have the elite reputation or command weekly visits, but they do have a strong core lineup and do experiment enough to keep folks interested. Their location has an extreme chain feel and this can be a deterrent to visiting and as can be the pricey food.

Blue Corn Brewery (Santa Fe, NM)- If you're in Santa Fe, these guys are worth a visit. They have full restaurants at both of their locations (downtown near the plaza and on Santa Fe's south side) serving decent pub food and the beers are consistent and diverse enough to pique occasional interest. From time to time, they will knock it out of the park with a certain beer.

Tractor Brewing Company (Albuquerque, NM)- Some might consider this a generous inclusion. I think they do some solid beers and they've indisputably improved with the opening of their Wells Park location. The brewery itself is one the most pleasant to drink at and they manage to always have some event or another going. These guys have two locations, Wells Park and Nob Hill (which I personally would avoid like the plague).

Turtle Mountain Brewing Company (Rio Rancho)- They are way out in Albuquerque suburbia, so I can't speak much to the beers. However, their brewer is a Chama River Brewing alum and his beers tend to get good response on Untappd (and he's a good dude).

Ponderosa Brewing (Albuquerque, NM)- They have had some solid beers since opening maybe 2 years back. A couple of goses and a few coffee stouts have really stood out to me and I actually think they've done some fine lagers. Oh and a fine cream ale. They also have a nice play area for kids plus a full-kitchen, making it probably the most family-friendly brewery in the whole state.


All of the Rest:

Well, first off Duel Brewing gets a big downgrade. I had high hopes for these guys and do think highly of Goya Imperial Stout (I consider it a must-try), but otherwise, I can't say much positive about them (I haven't even heard great things about their new taproom in Albuquerque).

@denver10 reminded me of Boese Brothers. Here are his well-put thoughts: "Boese Brothers in Albuquerque, NM. Young brewery and it comes across in their beers. Have tried a few of their beers and would revisit only one again. Biggest disappointment for me was their Duke City Lager, I think I like the recipe but it was under-carbed like crazy and tasted like a sweet, syrupy mess as a result. They are located a block away from me so they are super convenient, only reason I have been back there more than once at this point (and will, most likely, be back again)."

Kaktus Brewing started in Bernalillo and has taproom in Albuquerque across from Bosque's Nob Hill taproom and the University of New Mexico.

Also, I will say that Albuquerque is now home to The Firkin Brewhouse, Starr Brothers Brewery, Side Track Brewing, Rio Bravo Brewing (they blocked me on Twitter, haha), Bow & Arrow Brewing (I hear the brewers include a Siebel Institute grad, so that's good) and will soon have Quarter Celtic Brewing (the old Canteen brewer who knows his stuff). Visitors to Albuquerque will have to let me know how these places are because I have not been yet.

If you're in Taos, you have Taos Ale House, Taos Mesa Brewing (definitely a cool venue and they get some great live shows) and Eske's Brewpub. On the way to Taos (from Santa Fe/Albuquerque), you can stop in Española or Embudo at Blue Heron Brewing.

Farmington has Three Rivers Brewing. If for some strange reason you're in Las Cruces and don't want to drink at Bosque's taproom, you can visit High Desert Brewing.

There are other breweries I may have failed to mention, but for that, there's this beer map.


Best Liquor Stores:

Jubilation (Albuquerque, NM)- Head and shoulders above the comp. They collab with Bosque, for chrissakes. They will have all the beers you want, from New Mexico or otherwise.

Susan's (Santa Fe, NM)- Apparently they have new ownership or some other shenanigans and that's made for some really odd posts on their Facebook page, but this is still the spot to go in Santa Fe.

The Whole Foods on Cerrillos in Santa Fe and the Carlisle and I-40 location in Albuquerque are also excellent spots to buy beer. There are two Total Wines in Albuquerque if you really must. Trader Joe's in Albuquerque and Santa Fe have good local selections (Marble, La Cumbre and Santa Fe brewing), though they don't refrigerate.

Celebration in Las Cruces is the spot(s) to go down there. There's one place in Farmington that will have La Cumbre but I forget the name.


Best Beer Bars and Gastropubs:

Nob Hill Bar and Grill (Albuquerque, NM)- Great selection here that includes some locals and lots of good out-of-state stuff. Probably appeals more to locals looking for one-offs or draft stuff from elsewhere. Grub is okay but way too pricey for my blood (and Albuquerque in general).

Violet Crown Cinema (Santa Fe, NM)- Great selection of beers that includes local and national. Plus you get to watch a movie. Grub ain't bad. Right next to Second Street's Railyard location too.

Draft Station (Santa Fe, NM)- All New Mexico beers and usually has Chama River and Blue Corn beers on heavily, as the owner for all three is the same. They are right next to a good pizza spot that will deliver to the bar and it overlooks Santa Fe's plaza (used to be a Marble taproom).

New Mexico Hard Cider (Santa Fe, NM)- Just visited for the first time recently and was impressed. Great beer selection of New Mexico beers in addition to their house ciders. Wines too. Bang Bite food truck posts up outside (great burgers) and it's right next to O'Hori's Coffee (excellent brewed coffee and roasted beans).

Fire & Hops (Santa Fe, NM)- Surprisingly good tap and bottle list and good food. Close to the plaza (kinda).

Anodyne (Albuquerque, NM)- Hipster flow on 100. Solid taplist and great bottle selection. Occasionally they'll get a really cool keg of something (Baladin Baciami Lipsia!) and they'll serve it to you, no matter what the beer, in a 16 ounce shaker for a pretty cheap price. Pool tables and hipster music, also.

Sister (Albuquerque, NM)- Right below Anodyne. Solid beer list, though similarly dispassionate about the beer. Good music venue and a good spot to see young folk.

Whole Foods Piñon Pub (Santa Fe, NM)- Really awesome lineup of beers inside this Whole Foods on Cerrillos in Santa Fe.

I had previously mentioned O'Niell's (Albuquerque) and Cowgirl Hall of Fame (Santa Fe), but feel things have improved enough that I think visitors can skip both for better options.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

I couldn't fit everything in one post, so here's the rest of the guide, with lots of help from @denver10 and @Oktoberfiesta :

@Oktoberfiesta offered this additional guide:

Here is a comprehensive brewery list for the Albuquerque Metro area:
- Albuquerque Brewing Company
- Back Alley
- Boese Brothers
- Bosque
- Boxing Bear
- Bow & Arrow
- B2B Bistronomy
- Canteen
- Chama River
- Distillery 365
- Firkin
- Kellys
- La Cumbre
- Lizard Tail
- Marble
- Nexus
- Pi
- Ponderosa
- Red Door
- Rio Bravo
- Sandia Chile Grill
- Sidetrack
- Starr Brothers
- Tractor
- Quarter Celtic

And this:

I do want to add.. Walking/biking to breweries is feasible. There are four general areas, two of which are in industrial areas, so its a bit out of the ordinary.
Downtown: You have a Chama River MicroBar (i think it's still open), Duel ABQ Taproom, Red Door Taproom (coming soon I believe), Side Track, and Boese Brothers. Side Track and Boese are about 0.4 miles apart. Now no two breweries are complete neighbors (yet). So this is the best you will get as far as walkability.
Nob Hill: Bosque taproom a bit emphasis. Kaktus taproom, Tractor Taproom, Kellys (I guess I have to include it. But not a high priority at all) and B2B Bistronomy, And (Nob Hill B&G-not a brewery but best beer bar in area)
North Downtown Industrial: More of a bike friendly situation here. Marble to the south, with Tractor, Rio Bravo, and now Bow & Arrow all within 0.3 miles of one another. Marble your outlier and more important visit. You also have Ponderosa near Old Town, which is about 1.5 miles northwest of Marble
"Brewery district" Industrial: La Cumbre should be your main focus. Canteen, Firkin, Distillery 365, and to a lesser extent Red Door all within a short distance of one another.

Other Beer Bike Ride options:

Start at Marble Brewery. Bike to the diversion channel on Indian School (you can always take Broadway all the way to Candelaria too, but more exposure to traffic) and head north until Candelaria to cover your Brewery District. Get back on the Diversion Channel to Nexus. After Nexus, back on Diversion and bike to Balloon Fiesta Park, cut through it via the bike path and hit Bosque San Mateo. After Bosque, back through the Balloon Fiesta Park and catch the Alameda path westward. Take it to Boxing Bear. After Boxing Bear get on the Bosque Trail south and take it to Mountain. Head east on Mountain and stop in at Ponderosa or continue on to Marble.

In Santa Fe, one can take the Rail Runner to the 599 stop. Bike from there to Santa Fe Brewing. Head towards Santa Fe Community College and access the dirt trails on Richards Avenue. You can stay on these for around 5 miles till you hit the trail that runs parallel to the Rail Runner tracks. You can stop in at the original Second Street and continue down to Blue Corn's plaza location, New Mexico Hard Cider, or Draft Station.


@Oktoberfiesta also shared this Google map of Albuquerque breweries.

 

Also, any and all should feel free to include your thoughts on must-try beers in Albuquerque, here's my inaugural list of suggestions from the previous post:

New Mexico Beers You Must Try While Here (February 2016):

These are one-offs and seasonals (of which Dank and Elevated are neither, so I won't mention them here).

Bosque's Simcoe Pils
Bosque's Southwest Session
Bosque's Scale Tipper
Marble's Brett IPA
Second Street 4 Hour Lunch
La Cumbre Grange's Session (edit: Grange's is gone, but in its place is Cascade Hop Back, which is very good)

@denver10 added: "As for 2016 beer releases, I thought the Marble Brett IPA was very nice but I definitely wasnt about to spend $20 for a bomber of it. Wish it could have been priced in line with their BBA Imperial Stout. One of the only wine barrel aged beers where i found the wine barrel to enhance the beer for me.

And speaking of it...their BBA Stout was quite nice. Tried it on tap at the taproom and have a bottle just waiting to be opened at home.

From La Cumbre, Café con Leche was quite good. I also really enjoyed my pour of their Munich Dunkel."

 

Give them some time. Old brewer was great and I think the new brewer---think he has less than a month there---has some talent.

 

I too will avoid breweries when they're packed. I'd rather drink in the comfort of my home. But I love the vibe at Bosque, Canteen, La Cumbre and Marble and have found lots of cool employees at all of these places, so I like to go in as much as possible. The key for me is to go during slow hours---better interaction with employees which allows for conversation with them and other customers. I understand not everyone has the luxury of an afternoon visit, but when possible, I would suggest that is by far the best time to go. That or close to closing when things have died down.

 

I noticed they had their soft opening on Friday night, but it's not clear to me whether they are now open to the public. I would like to visit ASAP.

I have to wonder, how do all these new breweries factor into this year's ABQ Beer Week collaboration? That is, assuming their is a collaboration this year and also assuming they would factor in.

 

I hadn't heard of Flix or the ABQ move until your post, but found this:

http://www.abqjournal.com/659474/ne...mixed-use-development-on-citys-west-side.html

 

Biked to Boxing Bear yesterday and tried their Vantablack Imperial Stout. Highly impressed. Very good brew and shows some Founder's Imperial Stout qualities, which for me is awesome as I have long felt that one of the best of the style.

Afterward I dropped into Nexus on my bike ride south and tried their U.S.S Simcoe, Equinox and Barleywine. I thought the Equinox was a reference to the hop variety but I then realized it's in fact a spiced brown ale. I wasn't impressed by the Simcoe or barleywine and opted not to drink there. I did get down on a frito pie that was delicious though.

From there I headed to Boese Brothers and tried the Galaxy Double IPA. The sample showed promise, but I couldn't finish even half of my full pour. Too much malt presence and lacking any hop punch, bitterness and the tropical notes I was getting from the sample. Not sure what to attribute that last part to. I'll revisit in six months I guess.