Il Vicino defends IPA Challenge title
An interesting week for the Il Vicino Brewery. It closed. And it won the Ninth Annual New Mexico IPA Challenge.
OK, it didn't actually close. Brewing has been suspended while the brewery itself is moved to a new location. That process, including getting plans approved for the new brewery location, putting equipment in place and actually renewing brewing at 2381 Aztec Road will take months. In the interim beer for Il Vicino's restaurants in Albuquerque and Santa Fe will be made under contract at Mendocino Brewing.
Il Vicino finished strong on Saturday during the third round of the IPA Challenge at Chama River Brewing to defend its title. The Marble Brewery was second.
The rest of the standings: 3. Santa Fe Brewing, 4. Chama River Brewing, 5. (tie) Second Street Brewery, Blue Corn Cafe & Brewery, Three Rivers Brewing, 8. (tie) Turtle Mountain Brewing and High Desert Brewing, 10. Rio Grande Brewing (participated Saturday only).
Here are the numbers beers were assigned Saturday at Chama River. (Provided in case you tasted the beers and left before the order was announced.)
1. Santa Fe Brewing
2. Rio Grande Brewing
3. Chama River Brewing
4. Turtle Mountain Brewing
5. Blue Corn Cafe & Brewery
6. Three River Brewing
7. Il Vicino Brewery
8. High Desert Brewing
9. Marble Brewery
10 Second Street Brewery
IPA Challenge – Serving order for 2nd night
Here are the numbers beers were assigned at Santa Fe Brewing for the second evening of the 2010 IPA Challenge. (Provided in case you tasted the beers and left before the order was announced.)
1. Chama River Brewing
2. Three Rivers Brewing
3. Santa Fe Brewing
4. High Desert Brewing
5. Turtle Mountain Brewing
6. Marble Brewery
7. Second Street Brewery
8. Blue Corn Cafe & Brewery
9. Il Vicino Brewery
IPA Challenge – 1st night serving order
Here are the numbers beers were assigned at High Desert Brewing in Las Cruces for the first evening of the 2010 IPA Challenge. (Provided in case you tasted the beers and left before the order was announced.)
1. Marble Brewery
2. Blue Corn Cafe & Brewery
3. Second Street Brewery
4. Il Vicino Brewery
5. Turtle Mountain Brewing
6. Santa Fe Brewing
7. Three Rivers Brewing
8. High Desert Brewing
9. Chama River Brewing
2010 IPA Challenge July 27-31
The Ninth Annual New Mexico IPA Challenge begins July 27 at High Desert Brewing in Las Cruces and concludes July 31 at Chama River Brewing in Albuquerque.
The basics
For $20 drinkers/voters receive a tray with samples from all 11 participating brewers. All sampling is done "blind" (that means you won't know which beer is from which brewery). Vote for your favorite and receive a pint of that IPA in a logo glass you may keep.
When and where
Tuesday, July 27, from 4 to 8 p.m. at High Desert Brewing in Las Cruces.
Thursday, July 29, from 3 to 8 pm. at Santa Fe Brewing south of Santa Fe.
Saturday, July 31, from noon to 3 p.m. at Chama River Brewing in Albuquerque.
Participating Breweries
Blue Corn Cafe & Brewery, Santa Fe
Chama River Brewing, Albuquerque
Hallenbrick Brewing, Albuquerque
High Desert Brewing, Las Cruces
Il Vicino Brewing, Albuquerque
Marble Brewery, Albuquerque
Santa Fe Brewing, Santa Fe
Second Street Brewery, Santa Fe
Rio Grande Brewing, Moriarity
Three Rivers Brewing, Farmington
Turtle Mountain Brewing, Rio Rancho
Ben Miller living homebrewer’s dream
Does this guy look nervous or what? Ben Miller poses for a photo about an hour before Jim Koch (with Ben below) announced his barley wine was one of the Samuel Adams LongShot winners. That means he'll be heading to Boston, probably in December, to help brew the beer that will appear in the LongShot six-packs next April.
Then a few hours later he stepped on to an even bigger stage when Herbal Joe’s Columbarillo IPA won gold in the Great American Beer Festival Pro-Am competition. Both Ben and Jeff Erway of Chama River Brewing got their own medals. Hard to believe only three years ago Jeff was an "am" in the Pro-Am.
Marble Septemberfest Saturday
Septemberfest begins at noon Saturday at the Marble Brewery in downtown Albuquerque.
Admission $20, which includes a tasting glass, unlimited samples from a dozen New Mexico breweries and two full pints. Food provided by Chama River Brewing.
Festival last until 8 p.m., with music all day.
Brewers Guild golf tournament Oct. 17
The second annual New Mexico Brewer's Guild golf tournament is set for Oct. 17 at Desert Green Golf Course. The basics:
- 4-person Scramble.
- Prizes and give-a-ways.
- Contests.
- Local hand-crafted beers provided by your local breweries.
- Sign up as a team or individual.
- Several Levels of Sponsorships Available.
- Cost is $90/player before Oct. 1.
- Cost is $100/player after Oct. 1.
- No Credit Cards.
- Final Entry Deadline is Oct. 7.
Chama River shines in State Fair judging
Chama River Brewing won best ale, best lager, best specialty and Best of Show in the 2009 State Fair Pro-Am competition. The compete results.
Il Vicino regains Challenge Cup
Il Vicino edged Chama River Brewing to win the eighth New Mexico IPA Challenge.
Il Vicino's Hop Goblin IPL earned 72 votes Saturday (July 25) to 67 for Chama River's March Hare on the big final day of the competition to finish with 98 overall. Chama River, the 2008 winner, had 91. The Challenge began Tuesday in Farmington, went to Santa Fe on Thursday and finished at the Il Vicino taproom in Albuquerque on Saturday.
For the 236 IPA fans you turned out Saturday and wonder which beers were which (they were tasted blind, with the numbers only revealed at the end): #1 - Second Street, #2 - Chama River, #3 - Rio Grande, #4 - High Desert, #5 - Turtle Mountain, #6 - Scorro Springs, #7 - Three Rivers, #8 - Il Vicino, #9 - Marble, #10 - Hallenbrick, #11 - Santa Fe Brewing, #12 - Blue Corn, #13 - Eskes.