The Great American Ale Trail - Christian DeBenedetti [91]
Founded in 1958 in nearby Española by the Atencio family, there are now seven locations in this miraculously talented family’s minichain. Santa Fe’s oldest (of two) is an unassuming little cinder block drive-through on Cerillos Boulevard; you may also walk in to order, which can be quicker when the cars are backed up or you’ve called ahead. The tender pork and beef tacos are sublime, but there’s simply no way to adequately describe how good the burrito with roasted white meat chicken and guacamole with green chile tastes. Don’t miss a bite of this New Mexico road food paradise.
Embudo
BLUE HERON BREWING CO.
2214 Hwy. 68 • Embudo, NM 87531 • (505) 579-9188 blueheronbrews.com • Established: 2010
SCENE & STORY
Housed in a tiny adobe overlooking the Rio Grande along the road up to Taos (the main road, not the “High Road to Taos”), this adorable little brewery was founded by dedicated home brewers in a building formerly used as a gas station, vet clinic, and art gallery. It’s a teeny affair, with colorful framed art, track lighting, a little three-tap bar for the three beers on at any given time (brewed in a back room on a 100-gallon system), and at least three little kids with brewing in their futures. Parent-owners Kristin Hennelly and her husband, Scott, a biochemist, use locally grown hops.
PHILOSOPHY
This is community brewing with a sense of history—and humor. Scott Hennelly characterizes the clientele and the mission with a wink. “It’s an art community, it’s an old Hispanic community, it’s a kind of a hippie community, and it’s kind of a hipsters-escaping-the-world community. There’s writers and artists from a couple of generations here. Kristin’s parents have a winery—one of the earliest in New Mexico. It’s probably one of the main reasons we’re doing this, because they want to corner the local market in sin.”
KEY BEER
Embudo Gold, using Perle and locally grown Cascade hops.
Taos
ESKE’S BREW PUB & EATERY
106 Des Georges Ln. • Taos, NM 87571 (575) 758-1517 • eskesbrewpub.com • Established: 1992
SCENE & STORY
New Mexico’s oldest brewpub is still one of the oddest and most fun to visit. Founded by ski patroller Steve “Eske” Eskebeck in a little old adobe house a short walk from the plaza, it’s just a few booths and tables and a small outdoor patio served by a nanosized brew house down some stairs next door. But there’s something very comforting about the whole lack of pretense here. The food is good, homey, and cheap (try the green chile stew), and the best way to see what’s been brewing is to order up a sampler and chat with the servers.
PHILOSOPHY
Eske is a local character who has seen the entire history of New Mexico’s craft brewing industry unfold through recessions, booms, and waves upon waves of tourists. “I set out to capture what I thought would be a European-style brew pub or English brew pub, because I hated American bars,” Eske says. “Dark and dingy and sometimes weird. We wanted a place where we could have friends and family over and have a good time. We still don’t filter, we don’t pasteurize, and with good healthy food, not too much frying going on, all ingredients are fresh, especially during summer from local markets. We have Hula-Hoops for kids outside, a sandbox, ping-pong tables, and board games. Anybody can come in and you don’t have to drink.”
KEY BEER
A long-lost narrow-gauge railroad in the area was called the “Chili Line,” running from Antonito, Colorado to Santa Fe, with a branch near Taos. Eske’s homage to the local favorite tradition is Eske’s Taos Green Chili Beer (4% ABV, a bronze medal winner at the 1993 GABF), made with whole roasted Sandia Hatch green chile added just after the yeast is pitched.
DETOUR
RIDE ON THE WILD SIDE: THE SOUTH BOUNDARY TRAIL
Gearing Up Bicycle Shop • 129 Paseo del Pueblo Sur • Taos, NM 87571 (575) 751-0365 • gearingupbikes.com
Taos is world famous for mountain biking trails, none more vaunted than the South Boundary Trail, twenty-two miles of serpentine roller coaster