Beer

A Pit Stop along I-70 (Yes in Western Kansas)

Posted on by sophicpursuits

lb brews

For those of you traveling along I-70 through western Kansas, you might consider a pit stop in Hays.  Yes, Hays, Kansas, the home of Fort Has State University and the Sternberg Museum of Natural History.  It also is now home to two different breweries – Lb. Brewing Co. and Defiance Brewing Co.

You have to do a bit of planning to sample Defiance’s offerings. Their Taproom is only open, Thursday and Friday from 4 to 7 pm and on Saturday from 1-5.  They don’t serve food in the Taproom, but they do boast craft sodas for those that are under age if accompanied by an adult.

Lb. Brewing is associated with Gella’s Diner, which features a full menu of American Brew Pub Fare. Many of the dishes feature Lb. Brews as an ingredient and you are sure to find something for everyone as there are a number of vegetarian items on the menu. They also have a really good root beer.

But, now the beers – their house brews include Pale Ale, American Wheat Ale, Amber Ale, Oatmeal Stout, and a Brown.  There is usually a Hefeweizen and a variety of seasonals.  You need to check out the Events calendar on their website as these are very active folks in the community.  They feature a Thursday event monthly – New Beer’s Eve, which introduces a current seasonal.  The New Beer when we stopped was a honey wheat.  In June, there is going to be a maple wheat.  (You should expect wheat beers in western Kansas. I must say while I am not the biggest fan of wheat beers, these folks have really changed my mind.)

So, you might consider a stopover in Hays, rather than just passing through.

A Detour along I-25 in Santa Fe, NM

Posted on by sophicpursuits

Traveling along Interstate-25 through New Mexico?  Want to take a bit of a detour to sample some great food and brews?  Then here are some stops to make while traveling to through Santa Fe.

Our afternoon started from the south.  Our first stop was the Santa Fe Brewing Co.  You can see their brewery from the interstate (Between exits 276A and 278A). They host a variety of beers including the Santa Fe Pale Ale, the Happy Camper IPA, and the State Pen Porter.  Their brews come in bottles, cans and growlers.  On Saturdays, small batches are featured.  There is a music venue across the parking lot from the Tasting room, so you need to check out the calendar.

blue Corn pic
Lunch at the Blue Corn Cafe

We stopped for lunch at the Blue Corn Café & Brewery.  They have two locations, one near the old town and the one on Cerrillos.  Both are excellent.  (Parking is a challenge for the one in Old Town, but it is a great place to sample beers and the food of New Mexico.)  Their menu features a number of brew pub items with a New Mexico flair as well as your traditional New Mexico favorites.  You can choose either red or green sauce (or both) and won’t go wrong.  The brewery is the home of the Atomic Blonde Lager, the Road Runner IPA, the End of the Trail Brown Ale and the Gold Medal Oatmeal Stout.  We were there during the Bike and Brew Festival, and got to try their Velo IPA which featured a blend of hops.  It was a wonderful change of pace.  And, they have a nice root beer as well.

Duel brewing is a bit different.  It features Belgian-style beers in a bit of a different atmosphere.  There are a number of different waffle offerings on the menu – from the waffle Cristo to waffle desserts.  The beers are definitely in the Belgian style, from a Witbier to the Imperial Porter.  The Stille of the Nite is one to try.  It is a non-carbonated sour dark ale.  Our take was that it was more of a port or dark sherry rather than a beer.  Challenges what we normally think a beer should be.

Our day ended with a stop at the Second Street Brewery.  (There are two locations in Santa Fe and the location where we stopped was the one on Second Street.)  Their normal tap offerings include a Kolsch, an IPA, the Tres Equis Lager, a Brown Ale and a Cream Stout.  As we were there during Bike and Brew, they were featuring a Boneshaker Ale.

It would be hard to go wrong with any of these selections. So, whether you are planning on staying in Santa Fe, or just passing through.  Be sure to stop and enjoy the hospitality!

Santa Fe Detour
The Detour Map – Addresses and Approximate Locations of Breweries

 

A Place to Start, Taos, NM

Posted on by sophicpursuits

high road to TaosWant a great way to begin exploring craft brews, new distilled products, great wines, and participate in local activities?  Then this New Mexico loop is just for you!  This loop can be started in Angel Fire, Santa Fe or Taos and can be done in a day or over a weekend.  While here, you can experience a number of restaurants, shops, art galleries, music, great scenery, and maybe a festival or two. In addition, there are lots of great wines, beers, and a distiller to experience as well. Here are some highlights:

The Food

New Mexico is known for its cuisine.  Taos and Santa Fe have lots of different restaurants and types of fare – from the burgers and pizza to global cuisine fit for heads of state.  For those that want a great evening try Sabroso.  It is located in little town outside of Taos, Arroyo Seco.  It is nestled in a grove of fruit trees and vines.  (The fruit when in season is featured as part of the menu.)  You can dine inside or out.  Our visit to this restaurant was memorable and the reviews of others have indicated that this is one of the best in the area.

The Beers

Taos features three brewers – Eske’s, Taos Ale House, and Taos Mesa Brewing.  In addition to the locals, many of the restaurants and eateries feature beers from other parts of New Mexico.  Eske’s is located near the Plaza in Taos and is located in a 100-year-old adobe home.  Their signature beer is made with green chiles, but while we were there they had a Scotch Ale, an IPA and a Red Rye on Tap.

Taos Mesa Brewing is just outside of the city located on the way to the Rio Grande Bridge on US 64.  It is set up for larger events.  They have a variety of beers including: the “Fall Down Brown”, “Lunch Pale Ale”, “Kolsch 45”, and “Superstitious Stout.”  There are a number of different IPAs and seasonal brews.

Eske’s and Taos Mesa Brewing feature live music, so be sure and check their websites for the current music offerings.

The WinesWines

Along this loop, you can visit the tasting rooms in Taos for Black Mesa and La Chiripada or visit their wineries down the road a bit.  The area also features Vivac and Estrella Del Norte (and Santa Fe).  As New Mexico is known for the reds – these are must try.  La Chiripada has a nice cabernet and merlot.  Estrella Del Norte is generally known for their Pinot Noir.  However, a New Mexico Pinot Noir is a bit different than what you may be used to from Oregon or California and it does vary a bit from year to year.

While New Mexico may be known for its reds – the whites are very enjoyable as well.  Blue Heron Brewery (which features some great Ales and a nice root beer) also had a lovely white that can be enjoyed on the porch.  The Primavera from La Chiripada is a lovely white that can be enjoyed on a summer evening.  Estrella Del Norte has a great pinot grigio.

The Distillery

bourbonDon Quixote Distillery and Winery is located in Pojoaque just a bit outside of Santa Fe.  They are the oldest distillery in New Mexico.  They have a blue corn bourbon and vodka.  They also feature a number of wines and ports.  They have a sherry as well.  While the wines are unique, it is clear that they are really headed to the ports and sherry.  These are very nice.  The bourbon is delightful.

When planning your trip be sure to do a bit of research before you go to learn about the galleries, and activities that are going on in the area.  Even if there is nothing “special” happening, the views along the “high road to Taos” and the Rio Grande Bridge are spectacular.  And if that doesn’t excite – in the winter there is skiing and in the summer you can take a rafting tour on the Rio Grande.  The key is to get out and explore.Coyote Loop

Welcome! And I hope you enjoy the adventure!

Posted on by sophicpursuits

As a lifelong traveler, I have always been enjoyed taking the road less traveled, the backroads, and those that provide a unique experience.  Because my background had me traveling across the United States before I was out of first grade (I went to 13 different schools between Kindergarten and 12th Grade), I have had my share of interesting encounters, adventure stories, and have made stops at places most people pass by.

My family taught reading via historical markers, and my children have learned that way as well.  We have seen the geographic center of the United States, the 50 States, and North America.  We have tried hot chocolate in France and Spain.  We have made the detour to see the world’s largest ball of twine; as well as Fred Smith’s Concrete Park.  As part of these adventures, I have been on the hunt for unique wines, craft beers, and now the new craft distilled products.

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Photo from Fred Smith’s Concrete Park while looking for Craft Beers.

Back in the 80’s there were some niche’ locations, Napa, New Mexico, some in Pennsylvania, and some in Virginia.  Craft beers were very limited (and if you go to the National Brewery Museum in Potosi, WI you will find that there was a drop and now a steady resurgence of the local Brewer.)  And, even your distilled products such as bourbon, and whiskey had limited sourcing.

Today, you can go to many locations and learn the history of the specific industry, for example, there are Arkansas Vintners that have been in business prior to Prohibition (they made sacramental wine to get them through).  Some locations are new such as Oklahoma.  Similar trends can be found with beers and now the custom distillers are beginning to appear in some unusual locations – Moore, OK, and Wyoming.

So, join me in exploring the wide variety of spirits that can be found across the United States as well as learning about some wonderful places to visit when you are on that adventure!