Bottoms Up

Regardless of your drinking preference (suds or spirits?), Arizona is home to a slew of delicious sipping experiences.

From Tucson to Flagstaff and everywhere in between, Arizona is home to many top-notch breweries. And the best way to experience the state’s top craft beers? A brewery tour, of course.  Arizona Brewery Tours offers various public and private options for enjoying beer flights at some of Arizona’s most popular breweries (you can expect to taste around 15 to 18 samples). Most tours comprise visiting three breweries via a chauffeured bus, a meal at one of the breweries, a behind-the-scenes look at the beer-making process—and more. AZ Brew Hops has tour packages for four levels of beer lover, from novice to pro. The company, which was founded in 2011, offers tours throughout the state.  azbrew.com; azbrewhops.com.

All 50 states currently have wineries, Arizona included. To experience all the grape goodness that the state has to offer, Arizona Wine Growers Association has three easy-to-follow, printable wine trails that span the state: Verde Valley Wine Trail, Sonoita Wine Trail and Willcox Wine Trail. arizonawine.org.

Mark your calendars: Feb. 15-21 marks Arizona Beer Week and Arizona Cocktail Week. During Arizona Beer Week, presented by The Arizona Craft Brewers Guild and kicking off with the popular Strong Beer Festival, beer lovers throughout the state get to enjoy seminars, pairing dinners, festivals and much more goodness to tap into. Arizona Cocktail Week means dozens of local educational seminars, interactive tastings, cocktail competitions, pool parties and more—all devoted to the best the spirits world has to offer. arizonabeerweek.com; www.arizonacocktailweek.com.

—Melissa Larsen 

ARIZONA COCKTAIL WEEK, ABOVE