More than a decade ago, I visited every brewery in the state for what I called Arizona Brew Quest. Since then, I’ve tried to stay generally current, through all the new openings, closings, rebrandings, and consolidations. The beer scene certainly looks a lot different today than it did even just 6-8 years ago.
Since I’m often asked for recommendations, I figured I’d list them out here and perhaps update it occasionally in the future. After all, it’s far easier to share a link that people can refer back to than to repeat a detailed conversation. I’m sure I’ve left some off, including ones I regularly visit, and I’m sure some ones I previous wrote off have improved since my last visit. But these are the ones I generally recommend.
That said, I’m not super technical about the production details, or the intricacies of styles I don’t like much. I’m more interested in tasting beer than trying to describe it. And while I log each new beer I’ve had on untappd, I don’t rate any of them, as my tastes can change with time, situation, season, or mood. These days, I’m still stuck in IPAland (with significant forays into sours), so my preferences often align with those. YMMV.
Metro Phoenix
The majority of good beer in the state is, naturally, in the metro Phoenix area. After all, that’s where most Arizonans live—and, of course, where I do too. I’ve listed others for around the state too.
Breweries
Wren House
Our favorite overall brewery in the state, they make the classic Spellbinder, which I consider the best flagship hazy in the state. The original location is in Phoenix with difficult parking, but to our great excitement, they also opened the Wren Südhalle (“South Hall”), a German/Czech-style beerhall just down the street from us. Needless to say, we’re regulars.
The Shop
The Shop makes Church Music, which is often the best IPA you can find on tap (or can) in non-craft beer bars. It’s good enough that I pocketed this hazy for our covid-delayed wedding reception and cracked it open mid-ceremony, to the crowd’s delight.
Arizona Wilderness
Arizona Wilderness made a splash when it launched many years ago in Gilbert, being named the best new brewery in America that year. Craft beer amid a wilderness-focused theme and locally-sourced ingredients? Oh yeah, I’m in. Their location on Roosevelt Row in Phoenix is always my first stop when we’re in that area. They still sport my most favorite brewery logo.
Roses by the Stairs
A relatively new brewery in central Phoenix, I’ve been impressed with their beers so far. It’s located where the old Easley’s Fun Shop used to be, it’s also next door to a “Little O’s,” a smaller version of OHSO.
Perch
Perch is on the list as much for the venue as the beers, which are decent but not great. But the venue is pretty interesting—it features both an exotic bird sanctuary and a large rooftop bar and live music venue. It’s usually our starting place in Downtown Chandler.
OHSO
OHSO was my favorite for a number of years. First, the locations are usually pretty interesting and feature great (dog and bike friendly) patios; their PV location was always my favorite, and it happened to be in walking distance. Their happy hour was a steal—an $8 small pitcher of any Arizona craft beer.
Goldwater
My go-to here is Hop Chowda, but it helps that there’s a new location within biking distance of our house. The original location is in Scottsdale, which is surprising weak beer scene.
Brewery-hopping
If you want to try a bunch of different stuff, the best place to brewery hop is Roosevelt Row in Phoenix (Roosevelt between 1st and 7th Street), where you’ll find a good smattering of breweries within a short walk. Another hotspot is downtown Chandler, and even Downtown Mesa.
Taprooms
Sleepy Whale
The best taproom in downtown Chandler. Lots of good pours, a small but decent can selection, and best of all, close to the action. It’s pretty rare that we go to downtown Chandler and fail to stop at the Whale.
The Theodore
We discovered The Theodore during the pandemic, and they always have some great beers on tap, plus a cooler of some good cans too. The nod to TR seals the deal.
Freely
Freely might be our newest favorite place. It features a good tap list, some good food, and also a decent fridge of beers.
Papago
Papago Brewing is where I had my first ever craft beer: Orange Blossom. While the old staple of the Arizona craft brewing scene in Arizona has since expired and gone out of business, its brand and recipes were purchased by Huss, which has continued to keep it alive. Eventually, a new location was opened at Mesa Riverview, which I consider more taproom than brewery (since its beers themselves are made by Huss).
Bottleshop 48
Bottleshop 48 was one of the few places during the pandemic closures that we made a concerted effort to support to help keep it open.
Chupacabra
The best taproom in Mesa is located in the suddenly-thriving downtown scene. As someone who grew up in this Mormon city, I’d have never predicted that previous sentence.
Wandering Tortoise
It’s been ages since I’ve been to the Tortoise, but that’s only because I don’t frequent that neighborhood very often.
Honorable mentions:
- Whining Pig: good tap selection, several locations
- Tap Savvy: one of few good options in the West Valley
- Hundred Mile Brewing
- Catalyst Brewing
- 8-Bit Brewing
Southern Arizona
Pueblo Vida
If you enjoy IPAs and sours, then Pueblo Vida is your jam in the Old Pueblo. The best beer in Tucson, imo.
1912
I’m not sure how much love 1912 gets in Tucson; it’s certainly less popular than some of the longtime staples down there. But we nearly always find a beer there that we personal like quite a bit, so we often try to make a stop.
Button Brewhouse
We’ve only been to Button a few times, but we’ve enjoyed the beer each time.
Tombstone
I’d have expected this to be a tourist trap with mediocre beer, but it’s one of the best in the state. In addition to its namesake location, there are also additional locations in Phoenix and Sierra Vista.
Tap + Bottle
The only taproom on our list, but it’s a good one. We didn’t spend much time in Tucson, so when we’re there we usually stick to breweries.
Northern Arizona
Dark Sky
Dark Sky Brewing in Flagstaff is our favorite in northern Arizona, perhaps our second favorite in the state.
Hops on Birch
There are a number of breweries in downtown Flagstaff, but this tap house has jumped ahead of most of them or us.
Favorites by city
Here are the spots I’d personally choose if I was heading to only one beer spot in each of these cities.
- North Phoenix: Simple Machine
- Central Phoenix: Arizona Wilderness
- Ahwatukee: Wren Südhalle
- Tempe: The Shop
- Scottsdale: Goldwater
- Chandler: The Perch
- Gilbert: Arizona Wilderness
- Mesa: Chupacabra
- Tucson: Pueblo Vida
- Prescott: Wren House (Prescott Valley)
- Flagstaff: Dark Sky
- Williams: Grand Canyon
- Kingman: Black Bridge
- Page: Grand Canyon
- Sierra Vista: Tombstone
- Yuma: Prison Hill