Albuquerque, New Mexico:
Chama River Brewing Tap Room

Sunday 12th May

Bob Thompson

I was pretty tired when I entered this pub as I had just flown from London that day and on UK time it was actually some awful time in the morning. However I had arrived in downtown Albuquerque slightly earlier than planned.

I had hoped to visit a new outlet at the airport (which is actually called Sunport), the Rio Grande Brewpub and Grill, but it was still under construction. It opened on 12th June 2012, long after I left the city. It is a branch office of the Rio Grande Brewery of Moriarty, NM.

Back to the Chama Tap Room; this is also a branch office of a brewery. In this case head office, where the beer is brewed, is in a northern suburb of the city and I visited it later on my trip. By North American standards this is a very small pub indeed, with seating for about 25 patrons. Even in the UK it would be getting close to being a micropub.

There were four beers on offer, although sometimes there are more. I passed on Class VI Lager (5.0%) and started with Sleeping Dog Stout. This is a 6.0% oatmeal stout and I liked it immensely. I thought it had a good roast flavour yet still had a good bitter aftertaste.

My next choice was not so successful. This was Rio Chama Amber Ale (5.0%), supposedly with a spicy dry-hopped taste, according to the blackboard. Well I couldn't get it and thought it tasted too sweet for an ale.

My final beer was a cracker, Jackalope IPA (6.2%), a massive concoction of American hops in the West Coast style. It contained Crystal, Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial and Simcoe. This lot provided a really fruity taste with hints of Grapefruit and Apricot. A terrific beer!

No food is served but it is possible to get local restaurants to deliver.

All in all, a recommended little pub in a very good location in downtown Albuquerque.

Important Information:

Chama River Brewing Tap Room, 106 2nd Street SW

Open: Monday to Saturday 16.00-02.00; Sunday 16.00-24.00

This pub is located in the Sunshine building which is one block from the
Alvarado Transportation Centre which contains the city's main bus station
and the New Mexico Rail Runner suburban railway station.

The Amtrak long-distance and Greyhound Bus stations are a further block south of this.
So, as can be seen, there is no difficulties with public transport at this location.