• Home
  • Music
  • Craft Beer
  • Phoenix Beer Book
  • About
Brewsician
A Site About All Things Craft Beer with a Musical Chaser of Hard and Heavy Rock

Phoenix Arizona

Craft Beer

Visiting PHX? Here’s 5 Must See Breweries

by admin January 22, 2019
DAVE CLARK | DECEMBER 22, 2016 | PHOENIX NEW TIMES

Craft beer is all the rage across America, and it’s no different here in the Valley. Breweries are popping up at an amazing rate and though many are still in the middle of their learning curve, the five we are featuring today produce delicious, consistent beer that rivals many larger, more established nationwide breweries. Whether you’re a local, a snowbird, or just visiting for the weekend, these are five breweries you need to check out right now.

Arizona Wilderness Brewing Company
721 North Arizona Avenue, Gilbert

What’s in a name? A lot, if you’re Arizona Wilderness. Owners Jonathan Buford and Patrick Ware create specialty beers with a local feel. Recently, they produced a saison called Connections that featured grain, hops, (and, of course, water) that was all locally sourced to produce an exemplary take on the classic saison style, a fairly complex beer style that they have mastered.

With brewers Chase Saraiva and Nick Pauley recently joining the team, quality control has reached a whole new level and the output is off the charts. Arizona Wilderness currently boasts 21 different options, with only their flagship Refuge IPA being available year round.

In October, the brew team went down to Apple Annie’s Orchard in Willcox, Arizona, to pick some apples for a future brewing project. The culmination of that project has come to fruition in the form of Biere De Wassail, a wintery Belgian strong ale made with these apples and old English mulled cider spices. The beer has a substantial base of malty dark fruit, and the tartness of the apples are a perfect counterpoint. As with most Wilderness offerings, this will be a limited offering, so it’s just another reason why you should stop in right now and check them out.

Helton Brewing Company
2144 East Indian School Road

Brian Helton has worked in the industry more than 19 years and brewed thousands of batches, including more than 60 different styles of beer. He’s a Certified Cicerone and an Ohio native who hails from the Cincinnati area, a city known for its appreciation of great beer. Helton is an unassuming, somewhat quiet guy filled with beer knowledge who is happy and eager to engage all his customers in beer-related conversation.

The bright yellow chairs catch the eye and welcome patrons to this spotless, inviting taproom. Helton typically has a few year-round beers along with some specialties and seasonal offerings. His Scotch Ale is very traditional, with a malt-forward sweetness that lingers pleasantly into the finish. The IPA has a fresh pine and citrus aromatic quality that continues through the flavor into a crisp, refreshing finish. The pilsner, a challenging style to produce, is done with pristine attention to detail, providing a crisp and clean malt. Though you’ll have to wait until next fall to try it, Helton’s Dark Munich Lager may be the best traditional-styled beer produced in Arizona. Just tapped is the Black IPA, with all the hop flavor and aromatics of a traditional IPA showcased within a dark-colored body resembling a stout or porter without the roasty character that typically accompanies those styles. They also have a milk stout available, giving you your choice of traditional carbon dioxide or nitro for that creamy, softer essence. No matter what beers you choose, do not leave without trying the Belgian waffle, which pairs well with most of the lineup.

McFate (South) Brewing Company
1312 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale

Steve McFate opened his first brewery in North Scottsdale in 2012, originally called Fate Brewing, with the intent on making finely crafted beers to pair with his delicious wood-fired pizzas. Scottsdale, and the rest of the Valley, took notice, and the popularity of the brewery necessitated opening a second, larger location at the other end of Scottsdale. The new facility, often referred to as”McFate Souths” showcases some of the finest brewpub architecture in Arizona, providing a comfortable environment to enjoy these finely crafted beers. Whether you prefer to sit inside or enjoy a breeze in the open-air bar or patio, the knowledgeable and friendly staff is ready to accommodate your every need.

McFate is also known for producing very clean, repeatable beers. The Irish Red is a style that not many breweries produce, and maybe they should, because this example is outstanding. A Southwestern take on a cream ale, the Hatch Chile Cream Ale provides delicious and clean pepper flavor without any distracting heat. This is a must try on any trip to McFate’s. A golden ale, pale ale, and an IPA are typically available and are solid. All the rage, especially this time of year, is the Candy Bar Milk Stout. Creatively infused with honey-roasted peanuts, vanilla beans, cacao nibs, and sea salt, this sweet stout features enough natural chocolate flavor to make you think someone melted your favorite bar of Ghirardelli into your glass. If you love chocolate, or have a friend who says they don’t like beer, bring them here for a Candy Bar Milk Stout and you are sure to convert them to the dark side. This beer won a silver medal at the 2013 Great American Beer Festival when the fledgling McFate (or Fate, at the time) Brewing had been open just five months.

Pedal Haus Brewery
730 South Mill Avenue, Tempe

Speaking of fine architecture, Pedal Haus opened in fall 2015 with one of the area’s nicest facilities, in the heart of Sun Devil country on Tempe’s Mill Avenue. Pedal Haus mastermind Julian Wright has already remodeled the entire facility, improving the size of the brewing system to keep up with demand and even more importantly, he created an entirely different feel to the brewpub that focused on “multiple intimate environments under one roof,” according to Wright. The new look is stunning.

Wright’s business partner and brewmaster Derek “Doc” Osbourne has been producing quality beers for decades in the Phoenix area. Though they feature some styles you’d expect, such as a quality IPA and an easy drinking lager, Pedal Haus also focuses on some lesser-known styles such as kolsch, an English porter, and this writer’s personal favorite, the Biere Blanche Witbier. Blanche features soft white wheat, orange peel, and coriander, and truly rivals any traditionally brewed Belgian example. This beer itself is worth the journey to Pedal Haus, but don’t stop there. The English porter provides notes of roast and chocolate on a fairly light body making it very drinkable. The kolsch features subtle grainy malt sweetness with a slight fruity yeast character making it a great thirst-quencher. Want to take it up a notch? Try the barrel aged quad that checks in at 10.6 percent ABV. It provides sweetness from both the huge malt bill and the pleasantly warming alcohol. If you do, take it slow, as it will catch up to you before you know it. No matter what you prefer to drink, the Bavarian Pretzels are a perfect accompaniment to any beer, and they are served with three dipping sauces including beer cheese, honey butter, and spicy mustard.

North Mountain Brewing Company
522 East Dunlap Avenue

Beer and music is a combination that is hard to beat, and at North Mountain Brewing Company, they have plenty of both. Besides frequent live entertainment, musical references are often weaved into the names of the beers. A perfect case in point is their latest offering, N.I.B. Imperial Stout, a not-so-subtle reference to the classic Black Sabbath song. Equally unsubtle is Grooving with a Pict Scottish ale, a reference to an old school Pink Floyd classic. After all, a great beer should be accompanied by a great name.

North Mountain Brewing provides a comfortable setting whether your intent is to have a meal, a few beers, hang out with a small group, or listen to some music. The full service brewpub has a solid menu, and each of the items we tried were enjoyable and paired well with the beer sampler.

Founded by Arizona native Rob Berkner and his wife, Candy, North Mountain focuses on beer and community — and they do it well. All of the beers we sampled were solid to outstanding, with the “Pict” being one of the standouts. On a chocolate kick? How about enjoying a Chocodelia Porter, which pairs wonderfully with most of the dessert options on the menu.

 
Dave is a Certified Cicerone and former professional brewer. When he’s not doing something beer-related, Dave enjoys writing, listening to and performing music, hiking, skiing, and watching baseball.
This story first appeared in The Phoenix New Times December 22, 2016.
January 22, 2019
Craft Beer

Reason #1,256 to visit PHX: Helton Brewing

by admin January 26, 2018

Brewery Review: Helton Brewing Company in Central Phoenix

DAVE CLARK | SEPTEMBER 19, 2016 | PHOENIX NEW TIMES

Drive down Indian School Road just east of Highway 51, and you’ll find Helton Brewing Company, an upstart brewery in central Phoenix that’s created and operated by brewmaster Brian Helton. At this new drinking spot, there’s a noticeable emphasis on beer education — the walls are adorned with beer and brewing information and the employees are beyond knowledgeable, even bordering on beer geekdom, which we mean in the most complimentary of ways.

Inside the tap room, drinkers can enjoy five different Helton brews, along with a few guest beers. And with one or two tastes, you’ll probably notice Helton has done his homework. All five beers we sampled were well-made, ranging from above average to excellent.

Amber Ale: 5.6% ABV, 25 IBU
This beer is very malt-forward with flavors of caramel, toffee, and toasted malt. Ambers can range from complete malt showcases to borderline IPA, and this one definitely falls on the malt side. The hops are subtle and just enough to balance. It’s a good introductory beer for those just getting into craft or a fine beer for those who tend to shy away from “hop assault” beers.

Scottish Ale: 7.0% ABV, 30 IBU
Rich malt flavors provided by authentic Golden Promise malt create notes of toasted brown sugar and toffee. It’s an initial sugar rush that transitions into a semisweet finish on the back of the palate. Though the somewhat-sweet finish could  benefit from a touch of roasted barley, this beer does feature the caramelized notes indicative of a traditional Scottish ale. There are no perceptible hops in either the bitterness or the flavor; this is clearly the malt showcase that Scottish ales are intended to be. At 7 percent ABV, this very well-made Scottish style ale actually borders on the stronger “Scotch Ale” style also known as a “wee heavy.”

IPA: 7.7% ABV, 75 IBU
Helton IPA features three of the “C” hops: Centennial, Chinook, and Columbus, which provide a symphony of hop flavor and the appropriate bitterness for the style. Individually, aromas of orange citrus (Centennial), pine (Chinook), and grapefruit (Columbus) are apparent, yet the three different hops converge to create a new, unified flavor. Medium mouthfeel and medium-high carbonation create a pleasant creamy effect with no lingering astringency despite the high hopping rate. Clear and deep gold — almost light amber in color — with a lasting head, this IPA provides a great hop nose and clean hop flavor. The malt provides a solid backbone and balance, with flavors of Italian bread crust and some lightly toasted caramel notes. It’s definitely a hop-forward beer and finishes crisp and clean.

Milk Stout on Nitro: 6.5% ABV, 35 IBU
You’ll notice deep molasses-like roastiness along with semisweet chocolate and hints of coffee in this brew. And the nitrogen provides a smooth and silky profile. The roasty notes lead the way, and are much more dominant than the chocolate or coffee notes, both of which appear to be all malt-derived, rather than coming from actual chocolate or coffee additions. This is definitely a great dessert beer.

Pilsner: 4.5% ABV, 12 IBU
Immediately eye-catching, this pilsner pours an inviting, clear yellow with a non-persistent white head. Aromas and flavors of crisp grainy malt sweetness lead, while Sterling hops provide a slight spicy and black pepper note in both the aroma and, to a higher degree, in the flavor. At just 12 IBU, the bitterness is very slight and more like a helles-style lager, although the hop flavor drinks more reminiscent of an authentic pilsner. Helton Pilsner is highly carbonated, which produces a nice effervescence. Overall, it’s nice to see local breweries willing to spend the time to make a quality lager, which can take upwards of triple the time an ale takes to produce. In this case, the wait is well worth it.

Helton Brewing Company is located at 2144 East Indian School Road in Phoenix. For more information, check the Helton Brewing Company website.

 
Dave is a certified cicerone and former professional brewer. When he’s not doing something beer-related, Dave enjoys writing, listening to, and performing music, hiking, skiing, and watching baseball.
This article first appeared in The Phoenix New Times September 19, 2016.
January 26, 2018
Craft Beer

Huss Brewing Opens New Location

by admin April 17, 2017

 In Uptown Plaza in Central Phoenix

APRIL 17, 2017    DAVE CLARK   PHOENIX NEW TIMES
 

Huss Brewing Company officially opened their new taproom in Uptown Plaza in Phoenix on Friday, April 14. The brainchild of the husband and wife team of Jeff and Leah Huss, Huss Brewing will continue to brew their beers at their Tempe Brewery and all beers available at their Tempe sampling room will be available at the new taproom.

Featuring both Huss and Papago beers, the new location has a wide array of flavors, colors, and alcohol strengths suiting virtually all tastes. Since acquiring the rights to the Papago brands last year, brewmaster Jeff Huss has really stepped up his game. Huss has quite a resume as a brewer, having spent seven years honing his skills as head brewer at BJ’s Brewery of Chandler before creating his own brewery.

A solid lineup of beers available at Huss Brewing's new taphouse in Phoenix.

 
Every beer sampled was solid and true to the designated style, with a few standouts. American Lager checks in at 4.7 percent ABV, the same strength as a typical Budweiser, but with tenfold flavor and a satisfying, lingering pilsner malt-driven finish. It’s rare to see a craft brewer delve into the lager side of brewing, as it takes triple the time and a certain technical expertise to execute. The results show it was worth the wait for American Lager, one of the finest lagers found in the Arizona craft brewing scene.

Other standouts include Huss’ bestselling Scottsdale Blonde, a German kölsch style ale that is light in body, easy drinking, with a nice balance of malty sweetness and just a hint of fruity character. Magic in the Ivy, an ode to the famous vines that grow on the walls of Wrigley Field in Chicago, Huss’ hometown, this pale ale provides a nice, crispy hop character while balancing nicely with the bready malt flavors.

Koffee Kölsch is Scottsdale Blonde with an infusion of cold-steeped coffee beans that provides all the pleasure of iced coffee with a kick. The current Husstler seasonal offering is Alt Amber, another German-influenced beer that is crystal clear and a beautiful shade of amber, showcasing the caramel-like malts. Barrel Aged Juicy Fruit Kölsch is a 6.1 percent ABV kölsch with flavors of mango, peach, and pleasant alcohol. Aged in Stranahan barrels, this beer is full of flavor and aptly named, tasting remarkably similar to the gum of the same name.

On the Papago side, Orange Blossom may be a fantastic seller but Coconut Joe is the can’t-miss. At 5.5 percent ABV and just 16 IBU, this beer is a marriage of coffee and coconut, harmoniously intertwined with the coffee leading the aromatics while the two are equally balanced in the flavor.

The beer comes in multiple shapes and sizes. Thirty-two-ounce pitchers, traditional pints, half pints or a sampler of four mini-beers give patrons plenty of opportunities to try the entire lineup. Sunday through Friday, enjoy $6 pitchers until 6 pm from the year round offerings and seasonal Husstler collection. Wine and hard cider are alternatives available for the non-beer drinkers.

Enjoy four beers for $8 as part of Huss Brewing's sampler option.

Leah Huss is a culinary school graduate and finds a way to “do as much as possible with as little equipment as possible,” according to Jeff Huss. The menu at the new taproom is simple but varied, featuring a delicious Bavarian pretzel which is served with spicy mustard and warm queso. The Crispy Prosciutto features smoked prosciutto, wild blueberry jam, and prairie breeze cheddar. The cheese board makes a great pairing with a beer sampler. Just looking for something to munch on? Check out the nosh menu, which gives you options of olives, popcorn or nuts. For those looking for a full meal, Huss allows you to order from any of its neighboring restaurants including Lou Malnati’s and Shake Shack. This family-friendly taproom encourages you to bring the kids and Huss even handcrafts its own Lola’s Sodas so the kids have something to get excited about.

The Bavarian pretzel is a great option to enjoy alongside your beer sampler at Huss Brewing's Taproom in Uptown Plaza.

The Bavarian pretzel is a great option to enjoy alongside your beer sampler at Huss Brewing’s Taproom in Uptown Plaza.
 

After neighborhood concerns, Huss agreed to not feature live entertainment and also built a wall just outside the building to reduce potential noise.

The bar at the Huss Brewing Taproom encourages conversation among its patrons.

Huss Brewing Company’s taproom is located in UptownPlaza at 252 East Camelback Road, 480-234-9944. Hours are Monday through Thursday 3 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday noon to 8 p.m. The Tempe brewery and taproom remains open, located at 1520 West Mineral Road, Tempe, 480-264-7611. Check out the Huss website for more information about Huss Brewing Company.

 
Dave is a Certified Cicerone and former professional brewer. When he’s not doing something beer-related, Dave enjoys writing, listening to, and performing music, hiking, skiing, and watching baseball.
 
This article first appeared in The Phoenix New Times April 17, 2017.
April 17, 2017

About Me

About Me

Dave Clark

Dave Clark is a beer scribe, author, Master beer judge and former pro brewer. He’s also a performing musician, singer and songwriter who has a love for all things music. Brews + Musician = Brewsician...the intersection of Dave’s two biggest passions.

Keep in touch

Facebook Email Soundcloud Spotify

Categories

  • Craft Beer (20)
  • Life (1)
  • Music (11)
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Soundcloud
  • Spotify

@2019 - All Right Reserved.


Back To Top
Brewsician
  • Home
  • Music
  • Craft Beer
  • Phoenix Beer Book
  • About

Shopping Cart

Close

No products in the cart.

Close