Corrales brewery to host inaugural Beer Prom with 16 breweries

Ex Novo Brewing is putting a charitable spin on prom season in Corrales, where its inaugural Beer Prom is set for Saturday, May 30, from 5 to 9 p.m. at The Corral Beer Garden. The evening will bring together 16 New Mexico breweries, eight collaborative beers and a capped crowd of 300 guests, with tickets priced at $50 plus fees and including eight drink tokens and a commemorative glass.

The event is designed as more than a novelty. A portion of proceeds will benefit Cuidando Los Niños, the Albuquerque nonprofit that has served children and families experiencing housing instability since 1988. The group says its work includes early childhood education, case management, supportive housing, housing connection, food, household items and transportation, giving the fundraiser a direct tie to families facing day-to-day instability across the metro.

Beer Prom is also a showcase for Corrales itself. Ex Novo says The Corral is its outdoor beer garden and private-event space at 4895 Corrales Road, on nearly three acres in the founder’s hometown. The brewery was founded in 2014 by Corrales native Joel Gregory and opened its Corrales location in 2019 after beginning in Portland, Oregon, a path that reflects how local hospitality brands can grow beyond their origins and then reinvest in the communities that shaped them.

Sarah Turner picked up the Beer Prom concept after hearing about a similar event hosted by the Washington Brewers Guild, which was founded in 1999 and funds its work through membership dues, fundraisers and festivals. Ex Novo says its version is a collaboration festival built around the idea that breweries asked each other to “prom” and brewed a beer together. Visit Albuquerque’s listing adds that the night will include a DJ, a dance floor, prom photos, a s’mores bar and “no chaperones in sight.”

Among the pairings, Ex Novo and Second Street Brewery will pour an English-style summer ale. With eight beers on tap for 300 ticket holders, the night is likely to test demand for a format that mixes nostalgia, local craft beer and philanthropy into one Corrales gathering.