Boxing Bear Brewery

Boxing Bear Brewing is a hidden-gem of a pub up in the Cottonwood shopping area at the corner of Alameda and Coors and connected to Southwest Grape and Grain (our local home-brew supply store); this is definitely a great shop to check out if you're interested in learning the process and ingredients that go into small-batch, home brewing. Formerly a bar called Elliot's, Boxing Bear definitely has a very open, bright pub feeling right when you walk in. The brewery is visible through large windows, and around the corner you can find the bar wrapped around floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the awesomely large, private, and scenic patio.

Another exceptionally large flight, we broke them down into three sections; regularly offered beers, and two sets of seasonal offerings. With all the beers offered here, it was fascinating to see all the unique names of the brews, the wide variety of styles, and the flight serving trays (wooden bear paws, our favorite so far!). First up was the regular selection, the beers that should be there any time of year:

Body Czech Bohemian Pilsner

Hairymit Hefe

Ambear Ale

Paw Swipe Pale Ale

Uppercut IPA

The Body Czech Bohemian Pils was a very crisp and refreshing beer. This was a very different style pilsner than we have experienced at some of the other breweries in that it is much more full-bodied and has more wheat flavor than most pilsners.

The Hairymit Hefe was pretty weak, it didn't have enough of the unfiltered thickness or the banana flavor that you would expect from a hefeweizen. It also had an extremely perfumey, floral taste that left the beer very smooth but not a good after taste.

The Ambear was an excellent amber ale, it had all the best characteristics from the malts and the sweet caramel flavor was very easy to drink. It was crisp and smooth all at the same time, and had a really good flavor with a great finish.

The Paw Swipe Pale was very hoppy but not bitter, very close to being an IPA, but distinctly a pale ale. This was a very drinkable beer and a great start for someone looking to get into hoppy beers.

The Uppercut IPA was a very malty IPA, definitely an East Coast American style IPA. The hop taste was subtle and added an awesome flavor to the rich maltiness of the brew.

Next up was the first round of seasonals:

Bearzen

The Red Glove

Kodiak Brown

Chocolate Milk Stout

Black & Blue Sour

The Bearzen was an authentic German-style Marzen beer and was very true to style. It was a very smooth, flavorful beer that was easy to drink and not overly filling. Despite the bright, golden color of this beer, the flavor was very malty and bready.

The Red Glove was a smokey red ale that was very malt heavy and had the beautiful red color it ought to. This was a good representation of an Irish red and had great flavors, but definitely a beer for a more developed palate.

The Kodiak Brown, much like the majority of browns we've tried lately, was pretty disappointing. There wasn't much flavor to this beer and the little smokey flavor that was there seemed out of place. Not a very good beer, so good thing it's temporary.

The Chocolate Milk Stout was also pretty disappointing; although the chocolate flavor was prominent, the milkiness was very absent. This milk stout wasn't smooth enough or creamy enough to be a good example of a milk stout.

The Black & Blue Sour was named for the blackberries and blueberries used in the brewing process which gave this beer a bright pink color. This beer was not very beer-like, but definitely sour; it tasted almost like pink lemonade. The fruit flavor was very forward and tart, but still drinkable as far as sours go.

And finally the last set of seasonals:

(Unnamed) Kolsch

Applebear Cider

Standing 8 Stout

Coffee Chocolate Milk Stout

Vantablack Russian Imperial Stout

The Kolsch was similar to the pils but not nearly as much flavor and a bit more crisp and refreshing. This is definitely an easy, drinkable porch beer that would be great for a beginner's palate.

The Applebear Cider was very sour, in a good way! This cider makes your lips pucker and taste buds water. The apple flavor was very good, but you have to get passed the extreme sourness.

The Standing 8 Stout was a little disappointing, it didn't have much flavor and tasted like a smokey meat instead of the coffees and chocolates of late. This stout was somewhat watery and not creamy or full enough.

The Coffee Chocolate Milk Stout on the other hand was absolutely delicious. Somehow adding coffee to the Chocolate Milk Stout really brought out everything that had been previously missing. The milkiness and creamy flavors were very present, the coffee flavor was just right, not too much but plenty noticeable. The chocolate flavor was still prevalent and complimented everything else going on in this delicious milk stout.

The Vantablack Russian Imperial Stout was a mouthful in every sense of the word. Very consistent with the style, this Russian Imperial Stout is very high in alcohol content (10.2%) and tastes like it. The smooth, sweet stout flavor has an almost licorice taste but is overpowered by this incredibly strong imperial beer.

The layout of this brewery is nice for just about any demographic; if you have a large group there are plenty of tables to push together, if you're looking for some privacy there are tons of tables in little nooks or on the patio to really accommodate anyone. The patio is a great space to relax and enjoy a beer, but if you're looking to be in the middle of it all, the taproom is always bustling. Boxing Bear does have a menu of a variety of paninis, but they are pretty pricey for the portion size ($9 for a sandwich and chips). This brewery has something for everyone, so if you're looking for someplace new to try out, we highly recommend this one!

Megan's overall opinion: Although I was disappointed that they didn't have any Nitro offerings (they almost always have something on nitro), I was absolutely thrilled with the Coffee Chocolate Milk Stout, by far my favorite beer and exactly what I look for in a stout. My least favorite beers were the Hairymit Hefe and the Kodiak Brown, but the Coffee Chocolate Milk Stout outweighed their faults. I liked the setting a lot, it was a very comfortable venue and the variety of beer was very impressive.

Randy's overall opinion: Big props for having such a wide variety of beer styles. Not all were up to my personal palate, however I liked the variety of beers available. The Bearzen was a very easy one to drink and the Coffee Choc Milk Stout was pretty chingon. I do not like sour beers so those don't do anything for me but I'm sure there are those out there that do like that style. The patio is awesome; very spacious and outdoorsy. Overall, Boxing Bear has made its mark here in the local beer scene and continues to stand firm in position as one of NM's better breweries. 

http://www.boxingbearbrewing.com/

https://www.swgrapeandgrain.com/

Starr Brothers Brewing

Starr Brothers has been a long awaited brewery that recently opened in the northeast part of town. Although they opened the restaurant with guest taps several months ago, they only just recently released their own brews. With only four beers on tap, it's a little challenging to get a read on the quality and consistency of their brewing, but we'll give it our best! We started with the flight of four, even though they had other beers on tap, we're here for Starr Brothers' beer:

Zepplin Red

Thunder Ale

Starr Struck IPA

Lampshade Porter

The Zepplin Red was a decent beer, although we wouldn't have considered it an American red; lacking the overly hoppy flavor we expected, it was much maltier and more of an Irish or English style red and frankly closer to an Amber. The malty flavor of this beer was very good and easy to drink.

The Thunder Ale was classified as a "west-coast transplant IPA" which basically means the hops should be very prominent. Oftentimes an American IPA is characterized as west coast more so than east coast because the style is known to be very hoppy, whereas an east coast IPA has more of a well-rounded, malt mixed with hops flavor. Either way, this beer was definitely an American IPA, very hoppy and similar to Marble's IPA (review soon to come).

The Starr Struck IPA on the other-hand was very lack luster and bland. Didn't smell like anything, didn't taste like anything, and really just disappointing. The color of the beer was so golden and inviting, but the flavor just left an utter emptiness that needed to be filled by something darker...

The Lampshade Porter was just in time to take over from the not-so-Starr Struck IPA. This beer had the look, the smell, and the taste a porter ought to. It smelled pretty smokey to start, but the taste was just right. There was a slight smoke or coffee flavor at the start and the finish was very nutty, a very well-balanced and delicious beer.

This flight (and blog post) just felt too short...good thing there was food! The very full menu all looked delicious and the happy hour deals were great. Some of the food was a little pricey but there were deals to be had for sure. Pints were a little on the expensive side as well; typically a pint is about $4.50-$5.00, so paying $5.50 for a pint at a brand new brewery, you better have some good beer to back it up.

The overall venue was pretty simply designed, nothing major stood out at us except for the technology. Although it was almost hidden, Starr Brothers does have a pretty advanced beer menu (if only the beer on the menu were as advanced). Their monitors show real-time keg levels for each tap and is connected to Untappd; an app for the beer enthusiast!

There was no music playing in the background, which was a little awkward at first, but once the people started filling in, we could see why; it gets pretty loud (and we were there on a Wednesday night, we can't even imagine a Friday). The TVs were very well positioned and there were plenty of them around the room, so that was nice, and being that the owners are big soccer fans, I'm sure that will be the place to be every four years for the World Cup.

The service started out alright, but once we were finished with the flight, it was difficult to find the server, and even once we placed our order, it was difficult to get the beers. They had several guest taps which was good to fill their menu, however, the majority of their taps were Boxing Bear Brewery's (also review soon to come). Having guest taps can be great in providing more options, but have some variety; are you a Boxing Bear taproom?

Megan's overall opinion: Not my favorite. This was another brewery where the IPA (Starr Struck) was my least favorite beer, but I did enjoy the Red Zepplin. The food was very good and they had quite large portions. The high-tech menu was pretty neat, and the servers' iPads were very convenient, but nothing else really stood out. Overall, I was just kind of bored there.

Randy's overall opinion:  Ok, so they are new and it's very hard to be at the top with a new place considering the big time competition around here. However, with such a long-awaited debut, I would have liked to see their beers be more prominent instead of being lost in a sea of guest taps. The quality needs to be improved, although I did find myself choosing between the Red Zepplin and the Lampshade Porter (which I thought was very awesomely decent). Big thumbs up for having food, good food. Thumbs down for selling a $26 Ribeye; this isn't the place for that. Everything is just a tad on the expensive side. With some refinement, this place could be one in the rotation, but for now, it's just a check on the list.

http://www.starrbrothersbrewing.com/

Nexus Brewery

Nexus Brewery is one of the few breweries in town that has a full kitchen, which is a big reason to go; The southern-style "soul" food is a treat in and of itself. Upon arrival to this brewery, located off northbound Pan American between Montgomery and Jefferson, we noticed the upgrades right away. The restaurant had been recently remodeled and now has a very modern design, with a throwback to their original Star Trek theme. 

As per usual, we ordered the flight, which was again, very large. It's always fun to see what kind of serving tray the flights are served in, some are plain cookie sheets, while others are a custom design; Nexus had wooden blocks made with holes drilled for the glasses, painted blue to match the decor with their silver logo printed on the side. Beer drinker beware, the flights were pretty expensive, much more so than usual. We started with the simply-named, regularly available beers:

Honey Chamomile Wheat

IPA

Red

Scottish (Flagship)

Cream Ale

Chocolate Porter

The Honey Chamomile Wheat was a very easy to drink to beer with just enough of the chamomile flavor and a very crisp finish. Definitely a great beer to start your palate with and an excellent patio beer.

The IPA, although not stronger in flavor than the Wheat, was also easy to drink and very smooth. Lots of citrus flavor, and not too hobby or bitter tasting, this IPA is comparable to Bow & Arrow's IPA, but not quite as good. There was also something of a minty flavor to the beer that just didn't really belong there.

The Red shared surprisingly similar characteristics to the IPA, and again had that minty taste that seems to be a common flaw in Nexus' beer. The malt flavor mellowed out the hops and made for a smooth red that shouldn't really be considered an American red or an Irish red, but possibly an English red.

The Scottish again presented that subtly flawed minty flavor and really took hold of the malty-ness of the Red with no sign of the hops from the IPA. Their flagship (original) beer, although not the best so far, was a good representation of what a Scottish typically tastes like, and exhibited fair qualities of the style.

The Cream Ale was very crisp and could be classified as a pilsner for sure. Its very pale color and mild flavor makes this beer suitable for beginners, however, the Wheat would be a better recommendation. Not say this wasn't a good beer, it was, but the Wheat was just a bit better.

The Chocolate Porter was a bit disappointing; it smelled strongly of coffee, which is great for a coffee stout, but a chocolate porter ought to smell sweeter. The initial taste was very metallic but then finished with a great chocolate flavor, so somewhere in there, the beer is good, just not great.

Next up were some seasonal beers including two collaboration beers between Nexus and Chama River Brewing. The head-brewers at each both originated from a couple of the top breweries in the state and are now able to express their creativity in their own brews as well as in collaborative beers.

The Lighter Fare

The Darker Fare

The Black & Tan

Imperial Pilsner

Imperial Cream Ale

Barley Wine

The Lighter Fare was the first of the collaboration brews and a great way to start the seasonal flight. This English Strong Bitters (ESB) style beer was an excellently full-bodied, caramel and malt flavored glass of deliciousness!

The Darker Fare was also very delicious as it was a nitro-stout, meaning instead of carbonation, this beer was very smooth and creamy with not fizzy bubbles. This beer was so smooth, and so rich with coffee flavor, you could almost have it with your breakfast.

The Black & Tan is just a glass with the first half being the Lighter Fare and the top half being the Darker Fare. Although difficult to get the full taste in such a small size, the picture came out great!

The Imperial Pilsner was very strong in alcohol, which in a sense is what imperial stands for in beer terminology. It tasted a little too strong of alcohol and had almost a Belgian-wheat beer flavor.

The Imperial Cream Ale also had a strong smell of alcohol but the alcohol flavor was masked by the banana-hefeweizen taste. This was much creamier than the Cream Ale from earlier, and was a better imperial ale than the Imperial Pilsner.

Finally, the Barley Wine. There aren't too many barley wines in town, and that's alright, because this is a good one. Some barley wines end up tasting a little sour or too strong of alcohol which was a worry we had from the experiences of the last two beers, but this barley wine was very smooth and creamy and had a great flavor. Definitely a beer for a more developed palate, but once you're there, it's fantastic.

Megan's overall opinion: This brewery has a very different atmosphere, feels much more like a restaurant that serves beer than a brewery that serves food, but both the beer and the food were delicious. My favorite beer was the Lighter Fare, while my least favorite was the IPA, which for me is a rare event. I had the chicken and waffles as my meal, of course, and we shared the fried pickles to start, all of which was very good.

Randy's overall opinion: Nexus has gotten A LOT better over the last year or so. It has a more modern feel to it. Along with vanillas, I really like cream ales, which this did not disappoint. Very impressed with the idea of an Imperial Cream Ale and an Imperial Pilsner (think of an Imperial as a double). High in the alcohol content but doesn't taste like isopropyl. I like to see breweries trying things that aren't the norm.  Oh, and +1 for the chicken and waffles!
Favorite was the Cream Ale, least favorite was the Barley Wine.

                

Rumor has it that Nexus is opening a taproom on the Westside just off Coors and I-40. This is awesome since there isn't anything else in the area and shows how well local craft brews are succeeding in Albuquerque.

http://nexusbrewery.com/

La Cumbre

La Cumbre (the peak) is one of Albuquerque's most established and popular breweries. Although we frequent this brewery, it had been a long time since we ordered a flight here which really opened us up to some new and old favorites. Typically we go and ask or a sample of the latest seasonal or we just know which one we want and always stick with that one, but ordering a flight really helped us understand how our palates have changed over the years. This flight was one of the largest we've seen; you don't have to get every beer they have on tap when you order, but of course we did:

Slice of Hefen Hefeweizen

Beer American Pilsner

Pyramid Rock Amber

Elevated India Pale Ale

Project Dank American IPA

Malpais Stout

Red Ryeot Red Ale

Mind Phoq Coffee Pale Ale (Seasonal)

Cascade Hop Back IPA (Seasonal)

Not Even Brown (Seasonal)

VMO #2 Marzen Oktoberfest (Seasonal)

Guest Special: Arrogant Bastard IPA

The Slice of Hefen is a traditional German Hefeweizen which means it's a lighter-colored, semi-unfiltered wheat beer. Consistent to style, this hefe has notes of banana in both the smell and taste and is a great beer for someone who is just starting their palate. Another great thing about this beer is if you really like it, they can and distribute it, so you can find it a few stores around town.

The Beer is great, yes all of their beer is, but the one called Beer is exactly what you would expect and it's great! It smells like what you would think beer smells like, it tastes like what you imagine beer to taste like and it's very refreshing on a warm afternoon on the patio. Definitely one of our favorites and a go-to beer if all else fails, but it won't at La Cumbre.

The Pyramid Rock Amber is a more malty flavored beer, indicated by the slightly darker color and the sweeter aroma. This beer is very smooth and easy to drink and really tastes the way an amber ought to taste.

The Elevated IPA has won several awards over the years and is arguably one the best in the state if not the country. Many claim, as we did before re-trying it this weekend, that this is an outrageously hoppy American-style IPA that is a little difficult to handle if you aren't used to that sort of thing. But after trying it in this flight, our opinion, and more likely our palates, have changed dramatically; this IPA, though it is still very hoppy, it is also very smooth and quite delicious! This beer is also canned and widely distributed.

The Project Dank, as denoted in the name, is La Cumbre's ever-changing project beer. It makes it difficult for us to review because we could tell you one thing this time and in a few months it could be totally different, and that's a good thing! It's really neat for a brewery to have a beer that they can play with and have fun being creative with, it's how they improve! The overall style of this beer is an American IPA, so it's very hoppy, more so than Elevated, and like many of La Cumbre's beers, the ABV (alcohol by volume) is on the higher end.

The Malpais Stout is a very good coffee stout. This creamy, smooth, coffee-flavored beer is very dark in color and probably one of the best in town. This is another beer La Cumbre cans and distributes but tends to be a little harder to find.

The Red Ryeot is another perfectly named beer as it is both red in color and rye-flavored. This American-style (hoppy) red is very flavorful and quite strong. This is definitely a beer for a developed palate, but once you're there, it's awesome!

The Mind Phoq, also accurately named, is an unexpected beer, but very welcomed. This is a pale ale flavored with coffee; looks like a golden pale ale, tastes like a coffee stout! Really messes with your head, but sends your taste buds on ride. This beer is really fun to drink and even more fun to order if pronounced correctly. This beer is seasonal, so it on't be around forever, but hopefully it will be back often.

The Cascade Hop Back, also seasonal, was named for the type of hops used in the brewing process. Cascade hops are a very flavorful, citrus and almost juniper flavored hop that really comes out in this bold IPA. When reading these chalk boards, you may notice each beer has the IBUs (international bittering unit) listed; this typically indicates how hoppy a beer is. For this particular beer, that is not at all the case! Showing only 34 IBUs, while the amber has 55 IBUs, this beer is out of this world hoppy!

The Not Even Brown was pretty average, especially in comparison to the rest of the menu. A maltier beer with the darker brown color, seemed almost bitter for it's style. Still a likable, easy to drink beer, just not one that really stood out from the crowd.

The VMO#2 has been around before, but has surely gone through some changes. This beer is categorized as a German-style Marzen which is commonly served at Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. This was a very unique beer in the line up and have a very bold, floral taste to it. Slightly hoppy and a little more wheaty than malty, this beer seemed very true to style with just a hint of La Cumbre flare. 

Also on tap was a beer not brewed by La Cumbre, but by a very well-known brewery; Stone! Arrogant Bastard is one of the most popular IPAs in the country and it was really great to have the opportunity to try it out here in Albuquerque (instead of San Diego, CA, but we will also make that trip someday for sure!). Of course you can buy it in the store, but a bottle is really no comparison for on draft.

This visit we were able to partake in the brewery tour, which we highly recommend if you're interested in learning about the behind the scenes action and the overall brewing process. Most breweries you can see the tanks through windows, but to be able to walk through the whole process and see and smell how your beer is made is a very worthwhile experience.

Megan's overall opinion: Really great brewery, definitely an Albuquerque staple! The serving room has many tributes to other awesome breweries around the world, a lot of great artwork from their distributions, and usually has very talented local bands. The patio is new and was definitely needed as the interior is really cramped and awkwardly laid out. Being such a popular location, they really need to expand or open a taproom in another part of town. The beer is awesome! My favorite would have to be The Mind Phoq.

Randy's overall opinion: 

Being that this place is one that put ABQ on the map for the beer scene, there is a certain respect that comes with this brewery. Known for being a pretty hoppy place, it's nice to find a beer or two that cater to the other people who aren't "hop heads." It does seem like they need to step it up a little as the other local breweries are expanding like crazy and this one isn't progressing quite as much. However, the quality is what made this place what it is. Favorites are the VMO#2, Beer, and Pyramid Rock Amber.

http://www.lacumbrebrewing.com/#bottom

http://www.arrogantbastard.com/

Bow & Arrow Brewery

Bow & Arrow is a pretty new brewery, located on 6th and McKnight just south of I-40. From the outside, the building looks very large and established, a very impressive sight. Not so impressive is the parking and the patio area. Once inside, the massive German-style beer hall is very clean and simply designed with long community tables and bench seating. The brewery appears to be very large as well with many silver tanks visible through large windows. There is unfortunately no seating at the bar, but plenty of seats to be found at the large tables. Anytime we visit a new brewery, we order the flight; the flight is a 4oz taste test of each of the beers on tap usually served on some sort of platter (pictured below). The beers on tap at Bow & Arrow included:

Tumbling Waters American Wheat

Sun Dagger Belgian Saison

Flint & Grit English Mild Hybrid

Crossed Arrows Scotch Ale

Hoka Hey India Pale Ale (IPA)

(Seasonal) Storm & Hearth Stout

Typically flights are served and tested in lightest color to darkest color beers. This is because the flavors in the lighter beers are usually more mild, while the darker beers tend to have more of a bold flavor. So let's get started:

The American Wheat was not much to blog home about, the flavor was lacking and tasted a little on the watery side. Wheats are usually the go-to beer if you're just starting out in the craft brews, but at this particular brewery you might be better suited with the Belgian Saison.

The Belgian Saison seemed to be popular with the other patrons at our table and was a very drinkable, wheat beer. The saison or farmhouse style of beer usually has a sour flavor while the Belgian style beers usually taste pretty sweet. The combination of those flavors in this beer compliment each other nicely and tone down the boldness of each for a very drinkable beer.

The English Mild Hybrid is a very malty flavored beer and true to style, meaning it has a sweet almost bread-like taste. The caramel color indicates a bolder flavor from the malts, but not bitter like the hoppy IPAs. This beer is a very good step up in the pallet level if you're comfortable moving up from wheat beers but aren't quite ready for those dark stouts and porters.

The Scotch Ale was not really anything special, it was a good beer and a good scotch ale, but just not very exciting in its flavor. Noticeably higher in alcohol content, the flavor of the beer was slightly smokey but overall tame.

The India Pale Ale, more commonly known as IPA, was downright delicious. As an American-style brewery, Bow & Arrow has nailed the styles of their other beers thus far, however, this IPA just isn't hoppy enough to be considered an American-style IPA...and we're totally okay with that! The flavor was a very mild hop flavor with a bold citrus taste, by far one of the most drinkable IPAs in the city. For you hop-heads out there, this probably isn't the IPA you're looking for, but for the rest of us who like to have taste buds at the end of the night, this is perfect.

The Seasonal Stout was also very good, the vanilla flavor was noticeable but not overbearing and overall a very well brewed stout. Stouts are typically very dark in color and usually taste like coffee, chocolate, or have an almost steak-like flavor to them. This particular stout was slightly coffee with a good vanilla sweetness.

Megan's overall opinion: I like this venue, the space and design are very classy and the beer was very good. My favorite beer on tap was the IPA because it had a very unique citrus flavor and was not overbearingly hoppy. It would have been nice to have some sort of band playing on a Friday night, but it seemed plenty busy and the food truck was delicious. I would definitely go back and can't wait to test out some more seasonals as they debut them!

Randy's overall opinion: One of the better of the new breweries around. Digging the place and the beers. Parking and patio need some help though. I'm not an IPA guy but this is one place I would order that over and over. I'm a sucka for vanilla beers so props for that one.

http://www.bowandarrowbrewing.com/

The Brewtally-Honest Bloggers

Blogging about the local breweries and beer drinking experiences in Albuquerque, NM. We're not the experts, but we know what we like and what we don't.

This blog is meant for those who are curious about the craft beer scene, you like beer but aren't too sure what it all means or where to go or what to order. This blog is also meant for those who do already frequent breweries and want to know how the new taproom down the street is; is i worth the try? We'll let you know!

We have made brew-hopping a hobby and made it our mission to help the average beer drinker explore all the local crafts. Each blog post is meant to be an opinionated review of the brewery, the beer, and the overall experiences we have at all the pubs around town. There are 30+ breweries in the Albuquerque area, and it seems each week more and more keep popping up. There are some top-rated, amazing breweries in this town, but there are also some not so great breweries or even breweries you just don't even know exist here. So stay tuned, we'll be reviewing every single brewery in this town, no matter how long it takes us!

Thanks for reading,

Megan & Randy