The Week That Lasts for Days and Days: ABQ Beer Week Kickoff, Apr. 25

Are there just so many Albuquerque Beer Week events that the "week" has to go from Thursday, April 25th all the way to May 4th?? Or does the beer pong tournament stretch that far so that the beer week had to be extended?
Rest assured, there all all kinds of events that are strictly for the craft beer fans here in Albuquerque. Too many for one person to do...it's way too intimidating. So intimidating that I will be in Chicago for much of Beer Week. But I will try to highlight as many events that I think you should try to hit as I can:

Thursday, April 25

Gecko's (both locations): All week at Geckos North and Geckos Nob Hill, New Belgium Brewing will be pairing Cascara Quad and Heavenly Feijoa Lips of Faith Beers with special Tapas. I wish I lived closer to Gecko's in Nob Hill. It was the first Albuquerque bar I ever went to and they make good drinks. Not really known as a beer destination but they wanted to get in on the Beer Week festivities and are pairing their small dishes with these two big beers from New Belgium.

Imbibe Cigar Bar, 4pm Santa Fe Brewing Pint Night- Specials with Santa Fe's finest on tap. In pints.

Desert Fish (all week) Hot Sunner Nights, featuring one of the few Kolsch style beers available in our state, on tap no less! Kolsch beers pair well with fish, and you may spot a Desert Fish chef in the early morn' searching for today's freshest catch at Tingley Beach.

Beer 101 at Marble, 6 pm: You get your tickets? They may be sold out! Call 243-2739 and see if there is still room for the class where you learn why you should like a beer, besides the fact that it makes you look up Daft Punk songs on Spotify.

Chama River Brewing Company, 6 pm:I wrote about this earlier in the week, but a refresher: A beer dinner to kick off Beer Week featuring beers from Chama River, La Cumbre, Marble, and Nexus. There will be brodo.


Eurotrash Tasting, 6 pm: You don't have to taste the actual Euros, but you may have to smell their homeless New Mexico kindred. Enjoy some European beers that don't come in green bottles. Mikkeller, Nogne, and other obscure breweries will be featured at Bird of Paradise in the paradise that is that shopping center on Gibson east of San Mateo. Both Mikkeller and Nogne make high priced beers, so the $15 fee is very reasonable considering the beers you will get to try. Seating is very limited so call Pete Kees at The Bird Of Paradise 5409 Gibson Blvd SE Albuquerque, NM 87108 (505) 268-1424

I'm still finishing up laundry so I can pack for this beer trip. I will have to put off Friday's highlights, but I hope Thursday doesn't prove to be too much. Pace yourselves- it's going to be a great week+++.