My recent drive last week from Los Angeles to my old stomping grounds of Tempe, Arizona, was supposed to be a simple trip to pick up my son from ASU and visit a brewery or two. It surprisingly turned into what seemed like Pandora's box...an exciting week of interviews, finding a new Tempe brewery, uncovering future opportunities and a breaking news story involving the first Arizona Craft Brewery to be bought out by the big guys.
I started my week by meeting with Rob Fullmer, Executive Director, Arizona Craft Brewers Guild. I asked him several questions, ranging from general information about the Arizona Craft Beer community, his background and role in the Guild, what the Guild does for breweries and vice versa, real estate suggestions, possible neighborhood revitalization projects, city regulations that could effect build out, and home brewing, because Rob has an extensive history. I do plan on posting this interview in January, so check back!
As I was asking Rob about home brewing, he directed me to Brewer's Connection in Tempe, where I had an epiphany about the process of blending home brewing and brewery start up. (Remember, I've never home brewed). Doug, a long time home brewer, and employee, educated me on systems from the basic food grade 5 gallon plastic buckets to stainless pots. I wasn't super excited about either. Then he showed me the Ruby Street Brewing systems, out of Fort Collins, CO. They specialize in professional quality small-batch brewing systems. I fell in love with Ruby at first site! This is it. The system I could start formulating recipes for scaling to production levels. I'll be posting about Ruby again in the near future. To my friends, who wants to help sample?
A couple more stops in Tempe led me to meet Derek Osborne, Master Brewer, Pedal Haus. This brewery and restaurant recently opened in September 2015. Derek gave me a short tour of the brewhouse, which he personally helped design prior to the opening. He invited me to come back and chat with him in detail, which of course I jumped at the opportunity! Onto Four Peaks...BIG news hot off the press! "Today, December 18, 2015, Anheuser-Busch, announced an agreement to acquire Four Peaks Brewing Company." Whoa! Another buyout by the mega giants in the craft beer world, and the first one in Arizona. I'm wondering what will the impact be to local AZ breweries? Will it effect their access to markets, raw ingredients and other resources? I guess time will tell, but you better believe I will be paying close attention to this!
Continuing into Scottsdale, I got a glimpse of Fate Brewery, who released its highly anticipated and absolutely delicious seasonal beer, the Candy Bar Milk Stout. Scottsdale Beer Company was next. It exudes tradition of the early American brewing industry, prioritizing freshness and craftsmanship, and thriving to be wholly local. All Arizona breweries serve food, which is different from many of our local Tap Rooms here in the beach cities such as El Segundo Brewing Company, Strand Brewing, and Three Weavers, to name a few. Food or no food? I am thinking no food. I don't want to own a restaurant. I want to own a brewery. I'll leave the food to gourmet food trucks, but one of the first things Rob Fullmer said was, to date, not one AZ brewery has been successful without food. Something to chew on...we shall see.
I'm taking all of this in like a sponge, keeping copious notes and documenting them in my Brewery Bible. It's so much to take in, like drinking water from a fire hose. I try not to let it get overwhelming. I keep asking questions, talking, listening, taking pictures, asking more questions, and when two tiny dots connect, it's so much fun! This trip connected several dots to where I can begin to wrap my brain around what lies ahead for me. I have a lot...no, a ton, of dots to yet connect but I believe with 100% confidence I am learning the right material, meeting the most knowledgable people in the industry, and surrounding myself with those who want to see me succeed.
Thank you again for your support and reading and sharing each week. A special thanks to John Cochran, my son Nick's college roommate, who each week reads my blog and says, "Nick did you read your Mom's blog this week yet?" John...free beer for you, my friend!