I always knew that those two years of German I took back in high school would eventually pay off. I had the chance to take Spanish, but thought, "When would I ever need that?". Smart guy.
Marble held its second Septemberfest on Saturday (sorry for the guy who bet it was the seventh annual), with festivities kicking off at noon. Jenn somehow talked me into not going until 2, and it was hard for me to concentrate on anything beforehand. I could barely eat lunch, though I knew I had to face the event on a full stomach. With 11 breweries (no Abbey Brewing- they must have been home, praying for us) pouring 45 beers, this was not your typical kids' beer fest.
We arrived via our safe ride (i.e. family) at 2 as planned, at which point I left Jenn in the dust, with faint cries of, "Why the HELL don't you wait for me!!!???" barely registering in my ears. I stopped short when I saw the chain link fence surrounding Marble's parking lot- was this a Swine Flu quarantine? Once I saw people happily going through the entrance I felt safer. This was Septemberfest, after all, and the patio wasn't going to be enough to hold all the people. And they have to have a boundary, lest the drunk, dancing hippies spin out of control into the street. So I ended up feeling more like one of Hogan's Heros once I passed into the fenced-in area. The beers were being poured under tents on the perimeter on the lot, with the rest of the space used for seating, which was already half-full upon our arrival.
The samples were filling up as well, as the brewers and volunteers were working at a rapid pace to keep up with demand. The samples were being served in one-ounce portions, cups so small that even a steady hand would have a hard time not spilling every other drop of beer. I personally would have gotten pissed off after and minutes and would have been drinking samples as fast as I was pouring them. That would lead me to become even more pissed off because once I was drunk, there would be very little chance of those cups getting filled properly. See, there is a good reason why I don't volunteer for these events. Knowing your limitations is very important.
I felt like we got there at the hottest time of the day, and I was wishing that I had followed through on my threat of wearing a half-shirt. After hitting up Il Vicino (and saddened to find out that Elsa's Hop Elixir had already been tapped and finished- thanks, Jenn) for some Schwarzbier and Doppelbock to start things off German style, we took respite under Marble's tent for some From the Wood #2 and Albuquerque Sour. Between a few Wood and Dopplebock samples, with a generous portion of Second Street's IPA and Cream Stout tossed down as well, the strong beers were beginning to take an early effect.
So we moved on to try a much talked about, and much needed, lower-alcohol Atomic Blonde Pils from Blue Corn. I also had the pleasure of talking to two of the legends of the beer community, Brad Kraus (pictured, at left), and Stan Hieronymus (pictured, right). Brad was brewing in Albuquerque way before it was cool, having been the head brewer at the old Rio Bravo Brewpub back in 1996. Anyone remember that place, on Central near 6th. It has been a number of things since, like a dance club that closes every other week because of a shooting or stabbing. Brad has also brewed for Santa Fe and Wolf Canyon, and is a certified Master Beer Judge. Now you get to taste his wares at Blue Corn, and his Atomic Blonde was a welcome refresher that you can get at the brewery anytime. His Green Dream Harvest Ale is a seasonal that was available at the event, and "green" is an apropos word to describe it. It smelled green in a way that would have had Nancy Reagan close the event down, had she smelled it. That's my great description. I should have asked Stan Hieronymus for a better description- after all, this is the man who wrote Brew Like a Monk, the definitive guide to brewing Belgian styles, and co-authored The Beer Lover's Guide to the USA. He also is a frequent contributor to All About Beer magazine and other publications.
And he lives right here in New Mexico. See how lucky you are? You've got Brad, Stan, and, uh, me- in your own state!
The day was winding down, but the crowds kept on coming. Feeling a second wind, we shuffled over to get some beers from Farmington's 3 Rivers Brewery. The Mother's Milk Stout and Double Barrel Amber (imperial amber) were my favorites. At Santa Fe, The State Pen Porter and Yippee DIPA stood out, the latter surprisingly so because that beer was brewed only once, and has been out for a long time now, at least in IPA years. But the beer was still hop-forward, and Santa Fe was selling the 25 oz. bottles of Yippee and State Pen Imperial Porter for $5.00, half off the normal rate. Great deal, though I heard the price went up as the night went on. That's a good strategy, because as we drink more, we are tempted to spend more or do things we normally would not. For instance, I found myself drinking some Rio Grande Pancho Verde green chile beer.
I thought maybe I had been drinking too much when I spotted the guy wearing the lederhosen. Then I figured I wasn't drinking enough. He was real, all right. Must have read the previous post and wanted in on the haute couture action. At that point, I
really wished I had done the half-shirt thing. I also wished for a Dr. Strangehop, and some Chama Red, and some Chama Oktoberfest, and how's about some Awakened Dog Stout (Sleeping Dog with a pound of Ethiopian coffee in the brew). And I had them all- this is Septemberfest, where all your dreams come true, and a man in lederhosen brings you the beer on a silver platter. I also got to try Turtle Mountain's Hoptimus DIPA before the keg kicked. Then I think I remember an Il Vicino Wet Mountain IPA pint somewhere. Then I stopped thinking, I think.
Before I knew it, Septemberfest was over, and the place was being dismantled like a prohibition-era bar with a tip that the feds were wise to it. That was our cue to hop in a cab and head home (and what a coincidence- the driver was the same guy who drove us home from the IPA Challenge. I'm sure we've made a great impression both times). I think to truly appreciate one of these fests, you need to look beyond the beers and appreciate how much work all the brewers, brewery workers and volunteers put into the event. Everyone who was a part of this did a fantastic job, and I thank you for making it a great day for us!
First, Rio Rancho homebrewer Ben Miller has won the Samuel Adams Longshot competition with his Mile High Barleywine. Longshot pits amateur brewers across the country (over 1,000 this year)against each other in a quest to find the most talented, of which we just happen to have one of the best right here in New Mexico. For his accomplishment, Ben gets his Barleywine bottled and included in the 2010 Longshot Mixed Pack, which is available nationwide. Or should be. We were skipped over in the 2009 distribution, but we damn sure should get it in Albuquerque this time! 
As great a start Ben had on the day, by the end of it all other homebrewers may have either bowed before him, or just quit entering competitions against him. This is because the GABF judges deemed Ben and Chama River brewer Jeff Erway's Herbal Joe's Columbarillo IPA the GOLD Medal winner out of the 72 entries in the Pro-Am Category! So two huge awards for Ben before 1:30 pm. All I had done by that time was spend $3.75 on a soft pretzel. 
Jeff Erway wasn't finished for the day, either. Chama's Sleeping dog Stout won a BRONZE in the Oatmeal Stout category. This beer has deservedly won multiple awards over the years, including the Abqbeergeek Blackout Stout Challenge. While the prestige gained from winning our website's challenge is high on most brewers' lists, I imagine Jeff was quite proud of this achievement as well. Notice his brother Kevin(pictured in the background) holding a Gatorade bottle. I was going to make fun of him here for drinking something other than beer at a festival with the most beers in the world under one roof. I was, until I remember that I was clutching Starbucks coffee for the majority of the awards ceremony. Hey, I'll admit that the GABF separates the big and little dogs when it comes to prolonged beer drinking, but I had to cover the event with a semblance of sobriety.
Our parade of champions from New Mexico concluded with Il Vicino taking a SILVER medal in the Aged Beer category for their St. Bob's Imperial Stout. I took a picture of the projection screen at the ceremony because there was nobody from Il Vicino there to accept the award. From what I understand, Il Vicino ownership decided to let the volunteers at the GABF do all the serving without a brewery rep on hand. Though it is normal for volunteers to staff the booths and do much of the pouring, it is nice to have the opportunity to talk to the people who actually brewed the beer you are trying. It is also nice for the brewers to go to Denver, show off their wares, and hit the events going on in town. Maybe the Il Vicino guys earned a trip to next year's event with their medal here.
