Albuquerque, New Mexico (4 breweries, 2 days)

I have to say that my trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico surprised me. It reminded me how easy it is to fall into misguided perspectives, and hold your own ‘hood up on some arbitrary pedestal just because that is where you live–that is where you are experiencing the revolution. It is so easy to fall into that way of thinking–that just because I’m surrounded by top notch Craft Breweries and a truly committed community, other places in this country can’t possibly live up to what my neck of the woods has to offer (especially some place in the middle of the Desert).

Boy was I wrong. Enter: Chama River Brewing Company, Marble Brewery, Santa Fe Brewing Company, and 2nd Street Brewery. These are just four of the numerous breweries and brew pubs that are now and have been for some time gaining popularity in New Mexico.

Marble Brewery

I’ll start with Marble Brewery, because it happens to be my favorite of the four. The itsbeer-o-clock reader is probably familiar with the name, since Marsh has posted numerous times about this particular brewery, and I went into the place with the hope and excitement of a 4 year old going to Disney Land. We called ahead of time, confirming that “the TIPA” was still on tap–sure ‘nough it was.

Marble Brewery’s Triple IPA was the holey grail in pursuit of an excellent brew in New Mexico; a well balanced 11% India Pale Ale that could be considered a session beer, if it wasn’t so damn strong–and therein lies the danger of this beer.  Personally, the hop-head that I am, would like for this beer to be pushed a little more in the hop flavor/aroma category, but this would also compromise how truly balanced this Triple IPA is.  The TIPA is a brewer’s special, and I’m not sure if it will ever be on tap again, but I feel privileged to have been able to sample the masterpiece.

We tasted several other beers on the list including their Barley Wine, Marble Bock, Imperial Stout, and possibly others, and they were all well designed and passionately brewed beers.  My only complaint–which seemed universal to the table–was their Simcoe Pale Ale (a single hopped Pale Ale) that smelled okay, but tasted like someone’s arm pit–I mean somehow they figured out how to bottle B.O. and it was awful.

The interior of Marble Brewery is your typical bar atmosphere with friendly service, and patrons searching down for meaning in their pints, but as you exit out the side door, you are greeted by a stupendous patio with stage and plenty of picnic table seating.  During the day, this was the place to be in Albuquerque.

Chama River Brewing Company

From first appearance, Chama River Brewing Company looks like a strip mall chain store with an interior that pays homage to any-restaurant-USA.  Luckily, what it lacks in decor, is made up for in amazing service, and a first-class beer list.  My favorite beer of the entire trip was Chama River’s Porter called 3 Dog Night.  I believe they called it an Imperial Porter on the menu, and they just took Silver with it in the World Beer Cup under the Baltic Porter category.  A smooth and roasted Porter with liquorice hints and a perfect mouthfeel.

They also had what was probably my 3rd best beer of the trip (2 of the top 3, not bad) which was (I believe) a double IPA called blushing bitter.  From what I remember, it was heavy on the caramel and nicely hopped.

Santa Fe Brewing Company

There are two things that Santa Fe Brewing Company knows how to do: Fun and Facts.  As you walk into the Taproom, immediately you face the full tap selection of SFBC beers, and behind the bar are clear glass windows looking into Hot Liquor Tanks and the Brewery internals–nicely done.  Upstairs is a lounge like area complete with a Ping Pong table, foosball,  Dart Boards, music, and many feet of comfortable couches.  We ordered two sample trays that came with an extra beer that was a experimental 5-gallon “home brew” batch.

I guess the positive thing I can say about Santa Fe Brewing Company’s beers are that they hit every style mark on the dot.  Sadly, this tended to make them bland and boring.  In my opinion, it is the responsibility of the craft beer industry to create unique beers that push the boundaries of styles that you can find in the everyday beer isle.  This is not to say that they need to be 1500% abv or brewed with ancient hickory root, but rather a beer that has “that something extra” that makes it stand out from the crowd–that makes the everyday consumer want to choose it over buying a beer from In-Bev.

Out of the 9 samples I had that day, I preferred their Belgian over the rest.  It had a unique malt composition that complimented the Belgian yeast.  I have to say though, what impressed me most was their openness about how the beer was made, and their brewing stats were readily available on the serving tray.

2nd Street Brewery

The 2nd Street Brewery in Santa Fe had a nice layout with plenty of seating up front and the bar in the back.  There was a solo guitarist playing cover tunes when we arrived.  We all unanimously ordered their Double IPA, but to our dismay they did not have it.  I honestly don’t remember what anyone chose after that, but I do remember that we all thought they were above average.  I think mine was a Stout and everyone else either got a Pale Ale or an IPA.  For no other reason than their beer selection being a tad limited and predictable, this was my least favorite establishment of the four.

New Mexico 2010 World Beer Cup Awards

Bronze: State Pen Porter, Santa Fe Brewing Co., Santa Fe, NM

Silver: 3 Dog Night, Chama River Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM

Bronze: Wild Ale #4, Santa Fe Brewing Co., Santa Fe, NM

Bronze: Saint Bob’s Imperial Stout ’06, Il Vicino Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM