Morgan Timms/Taos News
New to the Taos cocktail and culinary scene is The Lounge by Rolling Still Distillery, which offers an array of craft cocktails and small plates made with locally sourced ingredients.
When it comes to liquor, many people associate New Mexico with tequila and there’s no doubt some of the best margaritas around are mixed here in Taos.
But the craft brewing industry in New Mexico is growing, and Taos has joined the party known as “liquid tourism.” From the popular Taos Mesa Brewing to the newest hop fermenter on the scene, the Red River Brewing Company, there are excellent handcrafted beers around these parts.
If you prefer a shaken and stirred — or not stirred — cocktail, The Lounge infuses the spirit of Taos in every sip of its signature vodka.
The Lounge, which opened earlier in 2019, is sophisticated without being stuffy. The headlining star is well-crafted vodka cocktails using locally sourced ingredients. The vodka is produced at Taos’ Rolling Still Distillery.
“We chose vodka to distill first because it lends itself well to being infused and taking on different flavors that speak to New Mexico like piñons, juniper, green and red chile, lavender, pecan, oregano and honey,” said co-owner Liza Barrett.
This isn’t just any ordinary vodka. One hundred percent organic maize is distilled with artisanal mountain water flowing from 9,200 feet. The vodka is distilled not once and not twice, but seven times manufacturing a premium product. The Lounge sits in Taos’ Historic District on Paseo del Pueblo Norte backing up to Martyrs Lane.
Keep in mind that you might feel the effects of alcohol faster than you would at home if you are visiting from a lower elevation.
Rolling Still Distillery
The Lounge
Opens at 4 p.m.
110 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos
(575) 613-0326
rollingstill.com
WHAT’S ON TAP
Blue Heron Brewing Co.
Noon-8 p.m.; Happy Hour 4:30-6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday-Friday
2214 State Road 68, Rinconada
(505) 579-9188
blueheronbrews.com
This family-owned brewery and tap room on the banks of the Río Grande was established in 2009. Check the website for live music and other special events.
Comanche Creek Brewing Co.
Noon-8 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday
225 Comanche Creek Road, Eagle Nest
(575) 377-2337
comanchecreekbrewingco.com
Comanche Creek produces small batches, continually rotating beers throughout the year on 10 taps.
Enchanted Circle Brewing Co.
Noon-9 p.m. daily
20 Sage Lane, Angel Fire
(575) 507-8687
facebook.com/enchantedcirclebrewing/
The Enchanted Circle Brewing Company located in the Moreno Valley is a split 10/20-bbl production brewery with a 75-seat tasting room.
Red River Brewing Company
11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday
217 West Main Street, Red River
(575) 770-2519
redriverbrewing.com
Red River’s first and only brewery is a full-service restaurant open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. The onsite-crafted brew styles range from the light and easy-drinking to the dark and robust, and everything in between. RRBC was voted New Mexico Brewery of the Year by the New Mexico Restaurant Association in 2018, its first year of operation.
Taos Mesa Brewing Co.
Opens at noon daily; Happy Hour 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday
20 ABC Mesa Road, El Prado
(575) 758-1900 ext. 1
Taos Tap Room
Opens at noon daily; Happy Hour 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday
201 Paseo del Pueblo Sur
(575) 758-1900 ext. 2
taosmesabrewing.com
The brewmasters at Taos Mesa Brewing have the goal of producing fresh beers as iconic as Taos. Twelve distinct house beers are on tap at all times. Called “The Mothership,” TMB’s flagship location features an outdoor amphitheater, indoor entertainment stage, dance floor and lunch and dinner menus. TMB has a second Taos location: the Taos Tap Room near Taos Plaza, which also serves lunch and dinner, including killer pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven.
