Gentle Ben’s Brewing Company, Tucson
Located basically on the University of Arizona campus, Gentle Ben’s Brewing Company has been brewing award winning beers since 1991 from their original location on University and also at Barrio Brewing Company just west of the downtown area located across from the railroad tracks.
I have had the opportunity to try all of their beers but I believe their original to be the best. The Red Cat Amber is super smooth and highly enjoyable; not too hoppy, not too thick – a perfectly balanced beer that hits on all areas but allows all beer style lovers to bask in its refreshing flavor. gentlebens.com
Sleepy Dog Brewery, Tempe
Another relative newcomer to the Craft Brew scene, Tempe’s Sleepy Dog Brewery opened up in 2007 right down the street from Arizona State University and immediately had a cult following due to its relative location to another vastly popular brewery – more on them later. Being a parent of two Golden Retrievers myself, I love the dog theme and feel right at home when I am there. Sleepy Dog is a production brewery with an intimate tasting room that boasts sports, music and they even allow you to bring in your own food from elsewhere because they focus on the beer. Thank goodness for that because their beer is phenomenal! Having tasted four of their hand-crafted brews, I am going to have to say that their Wet Snout Milk Stout was my favorite; a dark, rich & creamy stout that fills you up right. www.sleepydogbrewing.com
Sonoran Brewing Company, Scottsdale
Located at the Pinnacle Peak Patio Steakhouse in North Scottsdale, this craft brewery has been churning out some of the state’s best beer since 1996 – the old days in craft brew speak. Their flagships beers the Burning Bird Pale Ale & Desert Amber have long been a staple in my diet of not only great Arizona beers, but great beers period. I recently tried their White Chocolate Ale and although I am usually not a fan of fruit or sweet beers, this was so subtle and left a pleasant after taste that begged me to order another pint. http://www.sonoranbrewing.com
Dragoon Brewing Company, Tucson
This newcomer has been brewing and gearing up for their grand opening for the past 15 months and I had the opportunity to visit their facility for a tasting and I must say that I was blown away. With only 2 beers available for tasting, their India Pale Ale (IPA) was a beauty to behold & savor with an ABV (alcohol content) of 7.5% and 83 IBU (hop content) this beer quickly found its place in my heart. http://www.dragoonbrewing.com
