Local Books

 


When I first moved here and was looking for things to do one place I initially went was to the book stores. I have always loved looking through the local section at bookstores to find books specific to the area. Thankfully, there is not a lack of that in New Mexico, and I have found myself reading lots about not only Albuquerque, but New Mexico in general. This state has so much to offer and teach, and thankfully we have some great local authors to share that. Here are a couple books I’ve read so far that were both entertaining, and informative. 

Albuquerque Beer Duke City History on Tap: Author Chris Jackson does a great job of bringing the history of beer to life, while also profiling the current breweries and their stories. He details the early struggles prior to the railroad expansion, the real struggle of prohibition, and how New Mexico created their own craft beer scene through a lot of perseverance. It is amazing to read about how these breweries transformed to constantly adapt to the changing times, and sadly how some did not survive. Of course, the happy ending is the beer scene we are lucky enough to live in with great breweries and brew pubs opening to not only great beer, but also great fanfare and support from the community. By the end of the book the names of not only the brewers are familiar, but as a reader I was thirsty and craving one of these many craft beers. As a huge craft beer fan and coming from such a crazy craft beer in culture in Denver it was very insightful to see how New Mexico’s came to be, evolved, and continues to evolve. Since a lot has changed since this book was originally written in 2017, I really hope an update or second volume comes out. This is a must read for any craft beer fan, even if it is only used as a tour book to find all these great breweries. 

New Mexico Wine an Enchanting History: To say that this book was incredibly informative is an understatement, as I started learning on page 1. Did you know that New Mexico was the first part of the country to grow and make wine? Or the reason for a wine industry was for the church? From there it is a great read on the struggle to not only make wine but sustain the industry. Through government issues before New Mexico became a state, to prohibition, the temperance movement, and every weather scenario you can imagine the wine industry has been through so many ups and downs. Author Donna Blake Birchell documents all these struggles in great detail that is captivating to the reader through the present day. In addition, she also gives a brief profile on all the wineries that were in operation at the time of publishing. In a state that has so many different climates that all produce wine it makes for on of the most interesting wine industries around. While the number of New Mexico wines I have tried are limited I would love to try some from all regions to see how the elements change the flavor profiles. All this is thanks to this book, and now it is time to go exploring and find some of these amazing wines. 

History and education in books can sometimes be boring and dry to read. Thankfully with these two books the authors engaged the reader, and made you care about the industry, not just list of dates and events. I am excited to visit some of the locations listed and sample some great local drinks. If there is a way to start your introduction to New Mexico beer and wine, let these be your textbook, and your tour guide. 

To see photos of our adventures follow me on Instagram @the_nm_tx or tag me using #thenmtx
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