Avery's Reincarnation

Columbus, Centennial, Chinook, and Simcoe. You won't be seeing any of those listed alongside sag paneer, naan, and tikki masala on Taj Mahal's lunch buffet anytime soon, so skip the buffet and dig into Avery's Maharaja Imperial IPA. More refreshing than a lassi, Maharaja is a seasonal release that epitomizes the "best when fresh" mantra. It is only a few weeks old at this point and drinks great, though beware of the 10.5% ABV on this one. The 102 IBUs in the Maharaja will have Albuquerque hopheads doing the bhujangasana. Jubilation has this one right now, $7.99 for a 22 oz. bottle.

Running Late

I know this is last minute, but I wanted to remind the fleet of feet out there that the "Will Run for Beer 5k" is happening this Saturday, April 2. This is not the kind of race where you chug a beer every kilometer, though I didn't notice any rules saying you couldn't wear a Camelbak filled with beer. Interested parties can still register online till Thursday, though you may register at the race site as well. All participants get a t-shirt, and I like how the official website makes sure to point out, "Yes– it will be a different tee shirt from last year!" Runners LOVE showing off their conquests via the free t-shirt. The top three finishers in each age group also get a pint glass. I can always use more of these, so I think I will enter the race in "Rosie Ruiz" fashion to ensure a top finish...
What, too soon? Rosie Ruiz? Anyone?
Check out http://www.dpifitness.com/index_files/beer5k.htm for all the info.

Tee Off ABQ Beer Week!

Hey all you hackers, duffers, and drinkers out there! ABQ Beer Week is kicking the festivities off with a golf tournament at Desert Greens on Saturday, April 9th. $75 gets you 18 holes of beer-fueled mayhem with fellow Albuquerque beer lovers. The beer will be pouring freely to keep you happy while you do your best Happy Gilmore impression. There will also be a post-tournament dinner and awards ceremony. Awards. That's funny. I should get an award if I can finish a round of golf with an intact set of clubs...it hasn't happened yet! These tournaments are always well organized and a lot of fun. Call either Mel Pearson at 853-3503 or Scott Hallenbeck at 238-4882 and reserve your spot!

Sierra's Religious Experience

Sierra Nevada has teamed up with monks from the Abbey of New Clairvaux (located north of Sierra's brewery in Chico, CA) to create a series of Belgian-style beers. The first of these is the Ovila Dubbel. Actually, all styles in the series have the name Ovila, after the Santa Maria de Oliva chapter house that the monks are trying to rebuild. Sierra is donating portions of the proceeds from sales of this beer to help the cause. I won't bore you with the history of the monastery; I'll just tell you the facts about the beer: 7.5% ABV, $9.99 (saw it at Kelly Liquors on the west side), and it is a Dubbel. I'm not the most religious person, but I did wear a pretty sweet outfit to my...confirmation? communion? Some big event in church when I was 13, that's all I know. Anyway, my mom, who traumatized me every year for school picture day and every holiday by dressing me up like a little bitch, decided that a Don Johnson Miami Vice white suit with teal blue t-shirt would be a nice look for me. You can wear whatever you like when drinking this beer. Except Uggs.

Casking Call

We've got a big beer event coming up on Saturday, April 2. No, I'm not talking about the "Will Run for Beer 5k" that is happening that morning, though that is also a big event taking place at Chama River Brewing Co. I have a lot of respect for runners, though whenever I try running I make it like half a mile and then have to hitch a ride home. The event I will be attending requires no expelling of energy other than calling my mom for a ride to La Cumbre, host of the Cask Ale Festival. Starting at noon, nine New Mexico breweries will be pouring 14 different cask-conditioned beers. As is the usual formula for a NM Brewers Guild event, $20 gets you tastes of all the beers plus a pint of your favorite. I don't know if there is a commemorative glass being made for this event. If not, maybe they will be giving away glasses from IPA challenges of years past, so if you are missing any, show up for the fest. I know I have broken a 2007 glass...could use a new one. Oh, and show up for the fest if you like cask-conditioned beers, of course. Beers like Sleeping Dog and Double Red from Chama and Double IPA from Marble will be pouring, along with casked beers from all the other locals and not so locals (3 Rivers from Farmington will be making the trip down). It is sure to be a great time and a good excuse to put off those Saturday cleaning/home improvement projects you have been planning.

Welcome Back, Neighbor!

What has it been, eight months or so since Il Vicino had to shut down brewing operations after losing their lease? They thought it would just be a few months before they would be up and brewing again in the new location, but with contractors, city inspectors, mafia kickbacks, etc., things took a little longer. I'm happy to report that Wet Mountain IPA is pouring once again at the restaurant locations! The brewery's on-site pub won't be open for another month or so, but you can still go get a growler at the Juan Tabo or Alameda location. If you go to the Nob Hill location, you have to drink the beer there, surrounded by people who just came from watching a pretentious movie at the Guild theater next door. If someone is going to title a movie "The Bicycle Thief", I expect it to have lots of chase scenes and shootouts and Cru Jones from "Rad" saving the day, but Guild goers seem to be happy with a slow pace and subtitles. I chose the growler route, which costs $17 with their new style growlers. Refills are $10. Bentornato, Il Vicino!

Idiots and Dunkels

As if the big sale on Coronado's Islander wasn't enough to get you all aquiver, how about a case of the 8.5% ABV Idiot IPA for $14.99? This Double IPA was bottled on December 30th and still tastes pretty fresh. Once again, Kelly Liquors on Wyoming was the store where I spotted the Coronado deal. If they would start selling refrigerators for $14.99, I would have a place to store all this beer.

The Lips of Faith series from New Belgium is my favorite thing about their brewery. I like it even more than the fact that they power their brewery by having employees ride big red bicycles around to generate electricity. The latest release in the series is the Dunkel Weisse, which translates to "white penis". If there is a category for Imperial Dunkel Weiss, this beer would qualify at 9%. It's a big one. It's also a bargain at $6.99, available around the area stores.

Big Sale This Week

You know that Coronado Islander IPA? The one that retails for $10.99 a six-pack? What would you say if I told you that you could get a whole case of Islander for only $14.99?? Oh yeah? Well F you too! That wasn't the response I was expecting from you. I thought you'd ask what the catch was, and you'd be right to do so. You see, this beer was bottled way back on October 4, 2010. However,I felt it was my duty to get a case and let you know how the beer was holding up To my surprise, the beer was actually decent. Better than decent, even. I spotted this deal at Kelly Liquors on Wyoming, though it may be offered at other stores as well.

Beer Worth Killing For?

Been through a dry spell here in the Albuquerque area this past week. I searched around town for new beers or deals or something worth writing about but no dice. I did overhear a lady in the 7-11 who was pleasantly surprised that the "30 Pack Sale" banner outside included her beloved Bud Light. She actually said, "I never dreamed that I could get Bud Light. I just thought it would be for Keystone and stuff like that!" I guess her dreams focus more on when Big Bites are on sale two for $1.00.

But finally! Here is some beer news worth writing about. Just released here today, so far only spotted at Quarters on Wyoming, though Jubilation and the rest will have it on Friday: Odell Myrcenery Double IPA. No, Scrabble master, I didn't spell it wrong. Rather than being named for a "mercenary" killing machine type person, this is named for Myrcene, a component of the essential oils in hops. Being the huuggge chemistry buff that I am, I prefer to think of Myrcene in its molecular formula: C10H16. That's hot. Myrcenary DIPA will be available here in 4-packs only, and this 9.3% ABV beer should go for either $9.99 or $10.99.

Newcomers. Please Make Them Feel Welcome.

Couple of new beers in the area...first off is Koko Brown, the latest from Hawaii's Kona Brewery. I keep wanting to call the beer Koko Loco for some reason. Then I start thinking of Four Loko and the people who drink it, and I realize that it is a sad and stupid world we live in. Hawaii is known for Japanese tourists, Spam-loving residents, and coconut shell bikinis, so it should come as no surprise that Koko Brown has toasted coconut added into the brew. I got more of a pronounced vanilla flavor than coconut, but since I've never been to Hawaii, I obviously have no right to judge. For $7.99, way cheaper than the price of a plane ticket, you can be the judge and get a taste of Hawaii. Visit your local poi retailer and pair some with this 5.5% ABV Brown Ale for a real treat.

Looky what we have here: Highway 78, the new collaboration from the brewers at Stone, Pizza Port, and Green Flash. Ooooh, three breweries who specialize in hoppy offerings. I can't wait to try thisss...oh. Look dear, a Scotch Ale. How quaint. I have nothing against Scotch Ales; I was just expecting something totally different. The collaborators probably knew this and were out to get me, but that could just be my meds talking again. Highway 78 is a strong version, at 8.8% ABV. It is only sold in individual 12 oz. bottles at $2.99 apiece. Not bad, but that is still an $18 six-pack. Jubilation has these right now. I imagine the dude I see waking around Albuquerque in a kilt will be happy about this one. And that is the last time I will imagine anything about the guy in the kilt again.