It Ain't Easy Beer and Cheesy

The annual celebration of all things beer in Albuquerque approaches, as ABQ Beer Week begins on Thursday, April 25th. Way more events than I can write about right now, but there are a few you should sign up for now before all slots are filled.
Chama River hosts the kickoff for Beer Week with a beer dinner featuring beers from multiple breweries. Nexus Cream Ale, La Cumbre Hefeweizen, and Marble Irish Porter will join Chama River beers Noble Session Ale and The Big Lebrewski. The five-course pairing dinner takes place on the 25th at 6:30. Call 342-1800 for reservations.

If you don't feel like you're at the point where you're sophisticated enough to enjoy food and beer at the same time, you should sign up for Beer 101 at Marble Brewery. Marble's Angelo Orona hosts a two hour, 10 beer (samples, not pints. You're here to learn, not to have fun!) course on the history, styles, brewing methods, and anything else beer-related that Angelo wants to tell you about. This $15 class sold out last year and was one of the highlights of Beer Week. According to Angelo. The class takes place at the brewery from 6 to 8 pm; tickets are available at the pub.

The annual NM Brewers Guild Golf Tournament will take place on Sunday, April 28 at Desert Greens golf course. What better way to forget that triple bogey you had on the previous hole than to pull up to a keg on the next tee? the $65 fee includes 18 holes of golf, cart, dinner, plus all that delicious beer from many of NM's breweries. I always enjoy this event no matter how bad I play. Prizes are awarded for long drive, closest to the hole, low score...I've won nothing yet. Maybe this will be the year. Call Mel Pearson at 343-8593 or Scott Hallenbeck at 238-4882 to sign up.

Another highlight of Beer Week is the Marble Beer and Cheese Pairing night. If you've ever been to the Great American Beer Fest, you know that the two longest lines are people waiting at Dogfish Head to kiss Sam Calagione's hand/ass and the line for free cheese. Marble's Ted Rice meets with Whole Foods cheese experts and matches the proper cheese with house and archived beers to create this event. You may find something on the beer list that you thought you'd never get to taste again. You may also learn the difference between Stilton and Maytag. Hint: Maytag is the one you have to plug in. The event happens at the pub on Monday, April 29 from 4-7. Tickets are $15, also available at the pub.

Another event at Marble that will sell out fast is the Food Truck Rumble. $20 gets you 4 dishes, 1 from each food truck and 4 beers, 1 for each dish, paired specifically with each dish by master cheese pairer Ted Rice. Participating food trucks are Supper Truck, Soo Bak Foods, Rustic Truck, and Boiler Monkey. Zoltan the Incredible and His Royal Two Man Pirate Circus Band will be there to drown out people saying annoying things like, "This rosemary balsamic reduction is scrumptious!" Oh, and I tried to forget: this is a themed event, with the theme being 1930's speakeasy. That means it's costume time for you flapper girls and whatever guys were called back then. Leave your tommy guns at home, or stay at home and watch Tommy Gunn in Rocky V. Get your tickets at the brewery, and get 'em quickly.

More Beer Week details coming soon!