Guest Post by Ethan Diness:
With our Scovie Awards judging coming up in only a couple weeks, here is a Scovie update. One of our judges, Chad, is managing the Rio Bravo Brewing Company which opened its doors on August 13th of this year with a grand opening to follow on September 23rd. This spacious new brewery located at 1912 2nd Street in Albuquerque. Construction started just under a year ago, directed by owners by Randy and Denise Baker of DRB Electric. Their brewers are John Seabrooks, formerly of Miller-Coors operations and Ty Levis, formerly of Santa Fe Brewing Company. These folks are currently featuring 6 beers of their own; and 4 housemade Shandys. The beers are a Hefe, Pilsner, Amber, Stout, and 2 IPAs. A barley wine is on the way. My friend Dave and I tasted the 4 different Shandys and found them wonderfully refreshing and perfect for a warm New Mexico day–make sure to ask about their seasonal styles.
Rio Bravo Beers
My favorite of the beers was the Snake Bite IPA @7.4% which as bold as need be for this hoppy New Mexico market. Dave chose the Black Angus Stout @ 5.9% and this is a notably wonderful “mellow” stout. Also featured are 8 guest beers from other New Mexico breweries, 4 Gruet wines as well as soft drinks are offered and be sure to try the house-made Lemonade. Not sure what to order? Try a flight of beers, 4 tasting size glasses of your choice. 32-ounce Grizzlers and 64-ounce Growlers are available to go, kegs are are available and a canning system is on the way. This is a sizable operation which plans to produce barrels on a large scale as explained to us by Ty Levis. Parking is not a problem here and a pet-friendly patio is soon to open for those of you who drink with your pet gorilla. There is also a spacious beer garden on the east side of the facility.
There is live music planned for the brewery which will be welcome in our beer-loving community. Outside in the beer-garden and inside with the spacious newly designed facility with tall ceilings and a spacious bar. Hungry? check the website at www.RioBravoBrewery.com for the calendar of food trucks which will rotate and provide food service at this time.Folks may also bring in food of their own.
And come on down for the GRAND OPENING September 23rd.
