Tap That AZ - The Arizona Craft Beer Podcast

In this episode I sit down with Don Byus and Jason Rowe from Brass Tap - Gilbert to talk about their place along with the June 7th AZ Food and Beer/AZ food and Wine Taste-About in Downtown Gilbert. Erik Merkow joins as my co-host. Get to the event on June 7th! Enjoy the show.

Enjoy an amazing evening of fun and tastings at our first AZ Food and Wine and AZ Food and Beer Taste About in downtown Gilbert! Check-in will start at Brass Tap where you will receive your passes for the event and begin your taste-about adventure ( all within walking distance of each other). With over 11 participating restaurants and bars, also being the hottest restaurant real estate in the country, the night will continue as you walk from Brass Tap to Ohso, Barrio Queen, Lolo's Chicken and Waffles, Nico, Pomo's Pizzeria, Zin Burger, Sushi Brokers, Liberty Market, Peterson's Ice Cream, Oregano's, Dierk's Bentley Whiskey Row, and Snooze AM Eatery. Experience the evening in no particular order and at your leisure! In addition, there will be live music at various venues as well as live painting and art from AZ Food and Wine and AZ Food and Beer's very own artist Katia Von Kral (Art by KVK). Tickets include all tastings of food, wine, beer, and one raffle ticket for the possiblity to win the live painting by KVK! More raffle tickets will be available for purchase at check-in.

In this special Memorial Day episode we have the honor of featuring 2 military veterans on the show. Guest host Justin Cross from Earn Your Booze sits down to chat with Eli Crane a former Navy Seal about his company Bottle Breacher out of Tucson. If you haven't seen what Bottle Breacher does go check them out right now. And then enjoy the show!

On May 31st we will be enjoying our 2nd Pour Event. This one will be at Scottsdale Beer Company. Along with my co-host Erik Merkow we talk with Doug Ledger from Scottsdale Beer Co, Josh Duren from Cider Corps, and Jessica Evans from OHSO to discuss all the amazing things that will go on at the event as well as other AZ beverage related topics.

Join us for a night of food, craft beer, wine and spirit tasting with all Arizona purveyors. We'll have a number of beers, and wines along with some fantastic food. Enjoy the live music, art and podcast with Tap That AZ with 20% of the proceeds benefiting Courtneys Place Foundations

Show notes by the infamous Classy Alcoholic:

So many of the microbreweries in Tucson have made significant contributions to the hype and fame that's defined the Arizona craft beer scene for the last half-decade. 1912 Brewing Co is a place that has been producing quality beer for a couple of years but has somehow managed to fly under the radar thus far. The locals love them and they've been on the lips (both figuratively and literally) of the few Phoenix beer enthusiasts who have made the trek down south to the Old Pueblo.

But they aren't flying under the radar anymore. Because just a few weeks before this episode was recorded, 1912 Brewing was signed by an AZ distributor that is expanding their reach into every part of Arizona.

The owner and head brewer of 1912, Alan Conger, is the guest on today's episode. And instead if listening to the sweet, smooth voice of your regular host Eric Walters, this ep has been hijacked by Arizona's #1 craft beer blogger: The Classy Alcoholic.

Mr. Classy is the guest host today and his slurring, drunken fat voice will guide you through Alan's story as he shares some experiences from his time in the Marine Corps, his struggles transitioning from a homebrewer to one of Arizona's most prominent craft beer creators and his plans for the future of his business.

Just a few days before this episode aired 1912 Brewing Company successfully canned three of their best beers and they're currently available now wherever fine AZ beer is sold.

So listen in and make sure to send us some good feedback on how well The Classy Alcoholic did hosting this episode. Seriously, he needs the self-esteem boost. His parents never told him they were proud. He's sad. He's so, so sad.

The Classy Alcoholic Arizona's #1 beer and wine blogger. theclassyalcoholic.net

Social media:

Facebook.com/theclassyalcoholic

Instagram.com/theclassyalcoholic

Twitter.com/brownanddrunk

Sent from my iPhone while drunk.

What: Rhiba Farms Spring Fling Farmraiser Dinner When: Saturday, May 19th from 5pm until 8pm Where: Rhiba Farms, 40792 N Rattlesnake Ln, San Tan Valley AZ 85140Get Tickets HERE

What started off as a low voltage contracting business in Chandler is now home to a 3.3 acre urban farm known as Rhiba Farms. Noticing a void locally for wheatgrass the farm starting off with this simple crop to meet the demand across the valley for this popular health juice ingredient. The roster of crops have now grown to include aquaponic lettuce, an arrangement of fruits and vegetables, and free range chicken. Rather than bring the farm to their tables, six local chefs and a craft brewer are bringing the tables to the farm. James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Bianco headlines a fundraising dinner on Saturday, May 19 in support of RhibaFarms. Joining Bianco are Jason McGrath, Craig Plevack of Fire & Foraged, Sasha Raj of 24 Carrots, David Traina of Liberty Market, and Micah Wyzlic of Phoenix City Grille. Each course will be paired with brews from The Shop Beer Co.

The 3.3-acre San Tan Valley farm's Food Rescue program fuels the desert soil to grow amazing products people don't always associate with the climate. RhibaFarms provides the chefs and their restaurants with produce, wheatgrass, microgreens, mushrooms, eggs and flowers for the tables. In a true regenerative form of farming, the brewery also uses RhibaFarms ingredients for several of its brews and RhibaFarms uses The Shop's spent grains for compost.

Guests will get to tour the farm for a first-hand look at just how much food a small urban farm can produce for the community, then sit at tables amongst the vegetable fields. Proceeds of the dinner will go toward additional infrastructure like greenhouses, aquaponics, mushroom boxes, worm and insect bins.

Chefs are creating dishes highlighting ingredients provided by RhibaFarms like an all-Arizona sourced risotto entrée from Chef Bianco that includes Sonoran White Wheat with blue oyster mushrooms and smoked tri-color beets with pickled RhibaFarm vegetables from Chef Wyzlic. The Shop is also brewing beers like a grapefruit sour and a red raspberry and currant fruit beer that will incorporate ingredients from the farm.

Guests are reminded the location is a working farm with no paved paths. With warm weather almost a certainty, people are encouraged to take the 60s and 70s Spring Fling theme to heart with tie-dye and flower child attire. The farm also asks guests to bring a flashlight and dinner plate for a uniquely Bohemian, vegetarian-based, family-style dinner. The courses will be paired with craft beer. Non-alcoholic beverages and simple wine options will be available as alternatives.

In addition to the dinner, there will also be a blind auction fundraiser where private dinners from the chefs and other goodies are up for grabs. Seating is limited. Tickets for the RhibaFarms Spring Fling are available online at RhibaFarms.com/collections.

Videos: RhibaFarms Overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FguzN-nwVk Food Rescue Program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20THJfGpAFo

Social Media: @RhibaFarms @pizzeriabianco @fireandforaged @24carrots @libertymarket @phoenixcitygrille @theshopbeerco

#RhibaFarmsSpringFling

When I started this podcast in late 2017 my vision was much greater than just an Arizona local craft beverage podcast. From the beginning my goal was to continue add new elements (writing, photography, video, events, etc) to allow it to morph into something even better. In July of 2017 I was introduced to Erik Merkow, founder of AZ Food and Wine. With Eriks experience and our common ground on key personal and professional values I knew that we would become a force to be reckoned with.

Fast forward to April 19th 2018 and there we stood in the beer garden of Helton Brewing Company 90 minutes before our first event as AZ Food and Beer (AZFAB for the cool kids). Nervous to see if anyone would actually show up. But they did. And it was a great time. Beer provided by Helton Brewing, Helio Basin Brewing and Goldwater Brewing. Food provided by Noble Bread and Helton compliments of chef Judd Cummings. Live music from the amazingly talented Kim Capria. A stunning live painting of Muhammed Ali by Katia Von Kral. And most importantly a group of amazing friends to share in this special occasion many of whom joined in for a moment or two in this episode.

My man Chris Dodson took over hosting duties for this episode and crushed it as usual. Enjoy the show!

In this episode I sit down with Drew and the ever-elusive Preston from Wren House Brewing Company. I profess my love for their beer and we talk about stuff. Enjoy the show!

Did you know that we have one of the top mead producers in the world right here in good old Arizona?!?! And it's run by some amazing people. Today's episode features the owners of Superstition Meadery. We were truly given the royal treatment for our visit and their world class hospitality is matched by world class craft beverages they produce. Enjoy the episode but also make the short trip to Prescott to see for yourself why this place is world renowned 🤘🏻🍯🍷

In this episode Jesse Perry, aka Mr. Downtown Phoenix takes over hosting duties and hangs out with Phil the Grill from Trapp Haus BBQ along with Dustin from Helio Basin. Enjoy the show!