Hollow Spirits Expands Craft Cocktail Culture into Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights
Walking through the gleaming front doors at Hollow Spirits Distillery’s new Northeast Heights location in Albuquerque, visitors are immediately met with the familiar, bustling rhythms of a brewhouse, New Mexico Magazine reported. Patrons fill the previous Bosque Brewing Co. venue as waiters navigate the industrial-casual dining area delivering modern interpretations of pub favorites such as crunchy fish and chips.
Friends crowd around tables while bartenders keep drinks moving across the bar. A portion of the glassware contains New Mexico wines and regional brews, though the majority showcase mixed drinks crafted from spirits produced directly by Hollow Spirits. For owner and distiller Frank Holloway, who began his career in the restaurant industry as a busser prior to establishing Hollow Spirits in 2018 and still actively joins the kitchen staff to master food preparation, the new establishment focuses heavily on welcoming service and accessibility.
“It’s not about us, it’s more about you,” Holloway said. “What I’m really trying to bring back is just that whole service aspect—having fun and not being too into ourselves.”
As activity and event scheduling increased at the original Hollow Spirits taproom situated on First Street in Albuquerque, Holloway recognized a distinct chance to introduce his handcrafted beverages to the East Side. Yet it was his mother who first spotted the potential in the nearly 6,000-square-foot former brewery space. “The stars kept lining up to where I couldn’t say no,” Holloway noted.
The cocktail menu draws directly from Hollow Spirits’ broad lineup, ranging from lavender vodka and barrel-aged gin to silver agave spirits, alongside a special focus on flagship whiskeys. The Salted Maple Old Fashioned serves as a starting point for many patrons, utilizing maple-finished Red 86 bourbon with a touch of saline to balance the sweetness.
The pour house’s customer-first ethos shines through a unique menu option: simply asking a bartender to “Make Me Something Good.” Diners can tell staff the flavors they prefer and leave the rest to the bar team. One variation mixes agave spirit, lime, cucumber, and jalapeño into a refreshing summer crusher, making the distillery feel less like an expanded tasting room and more like a neighborhood pub where locally distilled spirits receive the easygoing treatment once reserved for craft beer.
“We want people to get comfortable,” Holloway said. “Let’s just get a drink and have fun.”
