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Coffee Tasting

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  Anybody that has followed this page knows that I love coffee and visiting local coffee shops. One of my favorite shops to visit though has been Castle Coffee and their roastery Cornerstone where they take coffee to a new level in terms of fermentation, anaerobic coffees, and flavor profiles. This is not the cup of coffee that most people are used to, instead it is craft coffee. Recently I had the chance to do a coffee tasting with their owner and roaster where we tried the same coffee with 4 different brewing methods, and the taste and differences were amazing and eye opening. The coffee of the day was the Natural Honduras, a naturally fermented bean with notes of cherry, purple grape, and honey. The brewing methods were pour-over, Aeropress, immersion, and cupping. The first method was using the Aeropress which I was not familiar with, but it uses a plunger and pressure to separate the steeped grounds from the end coffee. This produced a very well-rounded cup of coffee. The coffee
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IPA Challenge

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  Since living here I have really come to love the craft beer scene that New Mexico has. There are a lot of great breweries, and events you can attend to support these small businesses. But there was one event that I have always wanted to attend, and finally this year was the year. I love the concept that 16 breweries put forth their best IPA and leave it up to the fans to choose their favorite for a years’ worth of bragging rights. So, when it was announced that the finals would be in Albuquerque, I quickly got my ticket for the IPA Challenge. The venue itself this year was very interesting as Flix Brewhouse was the host. I was expecting it to be in their bar area, but we were quickly ushered into one of the theatres itself. At first it seemed odd, but it was great with the comfortable chairs, the table for our flight, and a slide show on the big screen showcasing this year’s event and highlighting past winners. As for the flight itself, at first it seemed daunting looking at 16 dif
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Gravity Bound

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  One thing that makes most cities great is that each one has a strong craft beer culture, and Albuquerque is no exception. I love that no matter where you are in any city a brewery can be anywhere. This is no more true than in downtown Albuquerque right down the street from Marble where a small brewery lies hidden among the large buildings downtown. With a small brewhouse, and small tasting room they are producing some big flavored beers in all styles. In addition, this is a eco-friendly brewery that utilizes solar panels, and captures rainwater. So when driving downtown and craving a beer, seek out Gravity Bound Brewing.  Located on 3 rd Street this is a drive by and miss it brewery, the building is that small. However even before you walk in the exterior has a great patio, and great murals all along the outside. The inside is very comfortable with bar and table seating, great artwork, and the brewhouse is divided only by a small wall so you are very close to where your beer is be
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New Food Trucks

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  The past few weeks have been a great time to be a food lover in and around Albuquerque. We have been lucky enough to have 2 great new food trucks open, and both are unique with what they are offering. Even more lucky for me is that I have been able to try both and was very impressed by both. Love at First Slice: If there is one food I have been missing since I moved down here it is a good pizza. While I have had some good ones, there is always room for another good one. Thankfully Love at First Slice makes a great pizza, that is also wood fired. While the menu is extensive, and in addition to pizza they also offer wood-fired sandwiches, I opted for pizza. I went simple, but also ordered one of my favorites and ordered the Margherita. It was a delicious pizza that had so many great flavors going on. The crust was slightly charred, the cheese melted perfectly, and the tomatoes and basil added a great bite of freshness. I was very happy with my order and can’t wait to explore more of
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Another Coffee Blog

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  Finding new coffee shops has become more like a scavenger hunt to me recently, and it never disappoints that I am usually successful in finding a new one. Recently I came across 2 more new ones, one being a second location, and another having one of the cooler setups you will see to serve coffee. Castle Coffee: While these guys have a great establishment in downtown Albuquerque, recently Rio Rancho was lucky enough to get a Castle Coffee. Located right off Rio Rancho Blvd. this is a must stop. The inside of the building is beautiful, spacious, and a great environment to enjoy a delicious cup of coffee. The first thing you notice walking in is the massive mural on the wall which is a beautiful piece of art. From there you notice all the other artwork and plants along the walls, and within the hidden nook in the back. There is ample seating along the bar for just one person, and plenty of tables for larger groups. It is a warm, welcoming, and relaxing environment. To add to the envi
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Route 66 ABQ

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  When it comes to Route 66 in New Mexico there are so many great stops that you can see. To the east you have all the great murals and hotels of Tucumcari, and the car museum in Santa Rosa. To the west you have the iconic sign in Grants, and the famed haunted hotel in Gallup. But part of Route 66 that is often overlooked is the part of it that drives through Albuquerque. While construction and modernizing the city has left it disjointed and a shell of itself if you look closely there are still great aspects of Route 66 alive in Albuquerque that are must see items.  While most of Route 66 is now Central driving through downtown there is still plenty to see, and things to do that will remind you of the famous highway. A great place to start is at the 66 Diner where you will feel nostalgic before even stepping inside. The outside looks like a quintessential diner, and at night the neon reflects it, but the main feature before you walk in is a massive wall full of vintage signs from gas
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Farm to Glass 2

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  Last time we did a farm to glass piece the focus was on blue corn, and lavender exclusively. Well after thinking about it, I realized I had so much fun working on that piece that I couldn’t wait to do another one, only this time expand not only the ingredients, but also the variety of beverages. While this type of blog will be ongoing piece and I will be trying multiple drinks featuring New Mexico ingredients here are some of my favorites that I have had recently. To start there are 2 ingredients I was very intrigued to see in beverages, and those are pinon and red chile. Zia Soda uses both though in their Pinon Cola and Red Chile Ginger Ale. In addition, this is a high-quality soda using natural ingredients, so I was ok with drinking it. The Pinon Cola was amazing, and I was surprised by it in so many ways. For starters they don’t use caramel coloring so the cola was clear, but the taste was what every cola should strive to be. The pinon flavor was front and center making this a v
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