Drive north from Santa Fe into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the air thins, the adobe deepens to earth-red, and the beer gets a whole lot more scenic. Taos and the Enchanted Circle make up the most dramatic beer trail in New Mexico.
**Taos: Eskes Brew Pub**
Start in Taos itself. Eskes Brew Pub, a cozy adobe taproom just off the historic Plaza, has been a local institution since the 1990s. Order the Green Chile Beer — a true taste of New Mexico — and settle in among the skiers, rafters, and artists who make Taos one of the most distinctive towns in the Southwest. The Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is just minutes away.
**The Enchanted Circle Loop**
The Enchanted Circle is an 84-mile scenic loop around Wheeler Peak, New Mexico's highest summit. Along it, Red River Brewing pours house ales and spirits at nearly 8,700 feet in the ski-and-snowmobile village of Red River — one of the highest-altitude brewpubs you'll ever visit — while Comanche Creek brews in tiny Eagle Nest by its alpine lake.
**Beyond the Beer**
This is adventure country. Ski Taos in winter, raft the Rio Grande in spring, and any time of year, drive out to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge — the second-highest bridge on the U.S. highway system — for a vertigo-inducing look 600 feet down to the river.
**Planning the Trip**
Taos is about 2.5 hours north of Albuquerque. Make a long weekend of it: base in Taos, drive the Enchanted Circle in a day with brewery stops along the way, and toast the mountains with a green chile beer as the alpenglow lights up the peaks.