Text and photos by Kimberly Gunning
Twenty-one and older beer drinkers in the Phoenix valley have probably already heard of Four Peaks Brewery, if not eaten there. For those traveling through, it is definitely a stop worth making when in the mood for a crafted beer. It’s the perfect way to cool down in the desert heat.
Arizona is no where near a top microbrew-producing state. In fact, the top five states with the most breweries per capita in the country are Vermont, Montana, Oregon, Maine and Colorado, according to brewersassociation.org. Choices of microbrews in Arizona may be limited, but Four Peaks Brewery knows its’ beer and that’s a good thing for all of the beer-connoisseur, desert dwellers.
The brewpub is named after Four Peaks Mountain, a faceted Arizona landmark located east of the valley. It’s the mountain pictured on the state’s license plate as well as the brewpub’s logo.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The original Four Peaks Brewery is on 8th Street in Tempe, less than half a mile east of the Arizona State University campus. Sounds like a prime location, yet it is not a place one would stumble upon if driving around looking for a restaurant. It’s on a side-street surrounded by apartment and condo complexes and looks similar to an old-western tavern from the outside.
In North Scottsdale, Four Peaks Grill and Tap offers the same beer and food menu as the original location but shortens the commute for those driving from the eastern and northern-valley areas. Another not-so-easy-to-see establishment, it is in a plaza on the Southeast Corner of Frank Lloyd Wright & Hayden. The Grill and Tap doesn’t brew the beer on location, but I’ll go out on a limb and say that the 20-minute commute shouldn’t alter its’ goodness.
What The Grill and Tap is missing is the atmosphere the Four Peaks Brewery has. Having lived in Arizona for 13 years, the inside of this brewpub doesn’t feel a bit like Arizona.
According to the website (fourpeak.com), the building was built in 1892 and was used as a creamery/ice house by the companies Pacific Creamery and Bordens Creamery. The red-brick building, with 35-foot wooden and glass roofing, has not been updated since 1927.
The high-top table seating rooms are a little awkward, yet well done since they are worked around the brewery’s fermentation equipment. The bar extends across the entire main room, starring their line of drafts – more than almost any other local bar Arizona has to offer and far from what most Colorado bars boast.
The flat screen televisions and sport memorabilia give both locations a sports bar feeling. They host large crowds especially during football season and the owners seem to favor the Vikings judging by decor.
Most importantly, the beer and food. Here’s what we ordered and what we thought…
Beer #1 – 8th Street Pale Ale, $4 : 8th Street Pale Ale is a lighter beer, both in color and taste at 4.7 percent alcohol content. Not as bitter as others I have tasted but it does have a bite, most of all in its citrus aftertaste. It’s a ‘one glass’ type of beer for me.
Food dish #1 – Grilled Chicken Beer Bread, $9 : Grilled chicken, artichoke hearts, green peppers, onion and mushrooms wrapped in beer bread. It doesn’t look or taste nearly as healthy as it sounds and the bottom of the wrap becomes a bit soggy from the cucumber sauce. It’s pretty tasty, but I would have chosen differently if I had known how sparingly the veggies were used. Maybe a side salad instead of fries next time would suffice.
Beer #2 – Kilt Lifter Scottish-Style Ale, $4 : A darker beer, the 6.0-percent-alcohol-content Kilt Lifter is definitely a solid choice. It is not overpowering, but has a smooth, medium-bodied feel. It leaves no after taste which is one of its best qualities in my opinion. No pucker or bitterness. We liked this choice a lot.
Food dish #2 – Pub fish and chips, $10 : Battered in the Four Peaks Kilt Lifter brew, these fried fish strips are served with classic tarter sauce. When ordered with a side of deliciously crispy, beer-battered fries, this meal will satisfy any local’s craving for a taste of London.
The food at Four Peaks Brewery is a step up from the average sports bar menu. Some of their bolder items for a sports bar include the Thai hummus appetizer, salmon BLT and shrimp carbonara. It is nothing to write home about. Far from gourmet. But food is not their forte – beer is.
Best of all, the Four Peaks menu offers beer pairing suggestions for all items except their salads, soups and pizza. It could be just me, but I would say any beer goes with pizza. Maybe that’s an unwritten understanding.
The Oatmeal Stout is noted as the regulars’ choice and described in the menu as “chocolaty and very creamy.” It is said to pair well with menu items such as the Reuben sandwhich and the tap room tenderloin.
A large chalkboard inside the brewpub lists the microbrews served, as well as the seasonal selections, with their alcohol content percentage. The highest is their current seasonal brew, Double Knot, at 9.2 percent.
Our server Aracelli, sporting the classic Four Peaks uniform of short shorts and a black Four Peaks tank top recommends the 8th Street Pale Ale and the cheese puffs specialty appetizer (not necessarily as a pairing).
Overall, the service at Four Peaks Brewery was good, the food is above average for a sports bar and very reasonably priced, and the inside atmosphere is industrial yet modern. The beer is a breath of fresh air in Arizona as most bars and restaurants offer the same line of commonly named drafts and bottles with minimal change.
I am not a beer connoisseur… or a food connoisseur for that matter. But I can guarantee Four Peaks Brewery will be on my list next time I am in Arizona.
For more information/hours/directions for Four Peaks Brewery and Four Peaks Grill and Tap, visit: fourpeaks.com. (Both locations offer patio (with misters) seating and a $3 pint/$11 happy hour.)
For a list of Arizona breweries, visit: http://beerme.com/region.php?61
More statistics and information about our country’s breweries can be found at: http://www.brewersassociation.org/
# # #
