As we come into the hottest season in Northern New Mexico, we’re always looking for great ways to cool off and take a break. If you find yourself in the exciting city of Santa Fe, we love kicking back and enjoying a cooling pint of beer at the best breweries in Santa Fe. New Mexico has actually become pretty popular in the craft beer scene in recent years, as there are more than 80 breweries around the state. Santa Fe is home to several of them, many of them award-winning.
Santa Fe is about 40 minutes from our New Mexico Bed and Breakfast and just one of the many great places worth exploring while you’re in Northern New Mexico. From here, you can easily spend a day (or more) exploring all Santa Fe has to offer while still having easy access to other top attractions in Northern New Mexico like Taos, Abiquiu, Los Alamos, and more.
We have plenty of ideas for keeping you cool this summer, not least of which is savoring a cold pint at the best breweries in Santa Fe. Are you ready to have some fun with us? Book your room at our New Mexico Bed and Breakfast today!
The Best Breweries in Santa Fe
There are plenty of fantastic craft breweries all across New Mexico, all of which will delight with unique ingredients and big, bold flavors. In fact, you could probably design an entire trip around your next cold pint of locally-crafted beer. However, for simplicity, we will focus on the five best breweries in Santa Fe, which is just a short 40-minute drive from our Northern New Mexico Bed and Breakfast.
Craft breweries have exploded in popularity in recent years, growing from about 1,500 unique craft breweries across the country to more than 7,500. New Mexico alone has more than 80 of them, several of which you’ll find in Santa Fe. But craft breweries have more than just grown in number, and they’ve also amped up their creativity and flavor profiles.
Beer enthusiasts certainly won’t be disappointed here. Below, we’ve listed what we think are five of the best breweries in Santa Fe. Grab a pint this summer, and let us know which one was your favorite!
- One of the best breweries in Santa Fe also happens to be the biggest: Santa Fe Brewing Company. They’ve been in business for the past 30 years, and they produce a healthy lineup of year-round beers, plus several seasonal favorites. They also have the best-selling of New Mexico’s craft beers, with their most popular being Happy Camper IPA and 7K IPA.
- Another top choice for the best breweries in Santa Fe is Second Street Brewing, which has been around since 1996. Though their original location is permanently closed, their new locations in the Railyard and the Meow Wolf Zone still offer great places to enjoy the fruits of their labor. 6 Fruit Under is a popular choice, but their Boneshaker Special Bitter is pretty good too.
- If you’re looking for something that offers more than beer, head to Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery. All of their craft beers and spirits are produced at the same facility, which also happens to have an intimate tasting room. For something more spacious and lively, head to their Agua Fria Taproom, where live music, great bites, and plenty of beer and spirits are flowing. For something unique – and to understand the draw to this award-winning newcomer, try their Honey Hibiscus Wheat, made with hibiscus flowers.
- With a tagline like “Smokehouse Pit, BBQ, and Brew Adventure,” is it any wonder why Hidden Mountain Brewing Co. makes our list as one of the best breweries in Santa Fe? They offer a variety of exciting beers, but their Gatekeeper IPA won the 2018 New Mexico IPA Challenge. And, of course, it all pairs perfectly with their fantastic menu of food.
- Santa Fe is all about the chiles, which even extends to the beer. Head to Chili Line Brewing Co., and with one taste of their chile-infused Que Pasa Pilsner, you’ll see why it’s on our list of the best breweries in Santa Fe.
More Cool Things to do in Santa Fe This Summer
As much as we love exploring the best breweries in Santa Fe, that’s just one of many ways to keep cool this summer. Santa Fe promises to be a busy and exciting place, with the city’s top festivals and events back and operating as usual in 2022, but there’s so much more to see and do in Northern New Mexico.
Get outside for some hiking, explore the state’s top cultural attractions, explore local art galleries and studios, and otherwise experience the very best of New Mexico. When the weather gets hot, here are some other great ways to keep cool in Northern New Mexico!
- Head up the Sandia Peak Tramway. The views are beautiful, and you can be assured of cooler temperatures at such high elevations.
- Plan an adventure at any local ski resorts, such as Taos Ski Valley, Santa Fe Ski Basin, and Angel Fire. The high elevation of these places means you can get out and enjoy great hiking and mountain biking without all the heat.
- Go rafting down the Rio Grande River or the Chama River.
- Swim, paddle, and/or fish on local lakes, like Abiquiu Lake or Santa Cruz Lake.
- How about summer’s most popular sweet treat? You can find plenty of excellent ice cream in Santa Fe, but perhaps none better than La Lecheria.
- Head inside to the air-conditioned spaces at Santa Fe’s top museums.
Above all else, kick back, relax, and enjoy the summer with us at our Northern New Mexico Bed and Breakfast. We offer guests a welcoming retreat with nine guest rooms, a freshly prepared breakfast each morning of your stay, plenty of amenities, exquisite hospitality, and six acres of space to relax. We’re close to everything but far enough away for you to benefit from a real vacation. Sound like paradise to you? It is! Book your room at our Northern New Mexico Bed and Breakfast today!
