SANTA FE, N.M. — A distinctive blue corn lager will soon be on tap in Santa Fe as part of a unique collaboration between Nuckolls Brewing Co. and The Santa Fe New Mexican to commemorate the newspaper’s 175th anniversary.
Staff members from The New Mexican and others convened Thursday at the brewery, located at 1611 Alcaldesa Street in the Railyard district, to sample two test batches of the commemorative brew. The chosen version, made with cracked, roasted blue corn sourced from Santa Ana Pueblo and malt from a grower near Madrid, New Mexico, was selected as the official anniversary beer.
Jen Treu, Nuckolls Brewing’s general manager and brewmaster, announced the beer will be available on tap within weeks. A larger batch will also be brewed and canned for retail sale at Nuckolls’ soon-to-open brewpub and canning facility in Angel Fire.
Treu expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, emphasizing both the creative opportunity and the connection it fostered with the local community.
“It was a privilege to design this recipe,” Treu said. “This project helped me build new relationships, especially with Santa Ana Pueblo. Lagers are known for their subtlety, and this one will be a strong addition to our lineup.”
Patrick Dorsey, publisher of The New Mexican, described the project as a meaningful way to celebrate the publication’s historic milestone. The idea for the commemorative beer was proposed earlier this year by Dorsey and enthusiastically received by Nuckolls Brewing owner Bill Banowsky.
“This partnership is a fun and fitting way to mark our 175th anniversary and acknowledge the community support we’ve received,” Dorsey said.
In a philanthropic gesture, $1 from every pint sold and $2 from every four-pack of the lager will be donated to The New Mexican’s public service journalism fund, held by the nonprofit New Mexico Foundation.
While Dorsey acknowledged other publications may have launched similar initiatives, he underscored the importance of the collaboration in strengthening local journalism.
Banowsky praised the partnership and credited Treu with the idea of using locally sourced ingredients.
“We were honored to be selected for this collaboration,” he said. “Jen’s suggestion to incorporate grain from a local pueblo brought authenticity and regional character to the beer.”
He added that the anniversary beer represents a first for the brewery, which opened less than two years ago, but signaled that more community-oriented projects are likely to follow.
“This collaboration reflects our broader mission,” Banowsky said. “Whether through the brewery, Violet Crown Cinema, or the Santa Fe Sky Railway, our goal is to enhance the daily lives of Santa Fe residents and build meaningful connections.”
The blue corn lager will soon serve not only as a tribute to local craftsmanship and journalism but also as a symbol of community spirit in the City Different.
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