Tap That AZ - The Arizona Craft Beer Podcast

This is the 2nd installment of us following Justin on his journey to opening up a brewery here in Arizona.

Grab your favorite local Arizona beer and enjoy the show!

Instagram - @the_alpha_ale

The Global Brew Coalition Facebook Page

Intro/Outro music is "La Negra Tomasa" by an awesome local Arizona band called Fayuca

Want to show your support and help this show grow? Simply click here, give the show a rating and share some feedback!

You travel up the hill from Phoenix about two hours north and you'll find Nick and Ryan from Dark Sky Brewing Company doing....well, pretty much whatever the hell they want. For three years now these two have said "suck it" to what is expected out of a new brewery and forged their own path. And we thank them for that. In this episode I sit down with these dudes in one of my favorite interviews so far. Enjoy the show!

The Official Tap That AZ beer suggestion: Blood of My Enemys

Listen in on the Dark Sky Brewing Company's podcast here

More info on the AZ Food & Wine "Pour" event at Torch Cigar Bar here

Follow the AZ Food & Beer Facebook page...full website coming in October!

Intro/Outro music is "La Negra Tomasa" by a local Arizona band Fayuca

Want to show your support and help this show grow? Simply click here, give the show a rating and share some feedback!

In this episode I sit down with Fred and Carl, owners of Mesquite River Brewing Company

We talk about retirement plans and great beer. Enjoy the show!

My Beer Suggestion: Bubblin' Crude Stout

Check out the AZ Pure Brew Challenge website here

Intro/Outro music is "La Negra Tomasa" by a local Arizona band called Fayuca

Want to show your support and help this show grow? Simply click here, give the show a rating and share some feedback!

In this very NSFW episode I hang out with the legendary and infamous Classy Alcoholic, Arizona beer blogger extraordinaire. Check out his website here

Intro/Outro music is "La Negra Tomasa" by a local Arizona band called Fayuca

Want to show your support and help this show grow? Simply click here, give the show a rating and share some feedback!

In this episode I sit down with Jeff, Leah, and Chip from Huss Brewing Company. These guys have been a key part of the Arizona craft scene for years. They are all about Arizona craft beer and making the best beer they can. And they do it amazingly! Enjoy the show!

Since my first taste of Railhead Red at Beaver Street Brewery in Flagstaff I was hooked on Arizona craft beer. My wife? I'm still working on her. She has some of her local favorites like Huss Koffee Kolsch, Sonoran Brewing White Chocolate Ale, and Papago Orange Blossom but for the most part she's a work in progress. Don't get me wrong she is progressing at a rapid pace and I'm proud of her progress. But usually our ventures out involve something similar to this "let's go to Brewery X so you can have a couple beers and then we'll go to Restaurant X to get something to eat." A very reasonable request and a win-win. But I always worried that the beer choice at this so-called "food" place would be, at best, questionable.

Then we found Scottsdale Beer Company. I think the plan was "lets go have a couple beers there and then go eat at the new restaurant that was built in an old horse stable where you pick all your own vegetables from the stem yourself and then have it prepared using only sunlight and wind and then served on an copper hubcap". Hey, I love the new movement of farm-to-table restaurants that use nothing but the best local ingredients. But some go a little overboard. ANYWAYS.....on this day, everything changed. First of all, four words: giant bacon cheddar tots. If you can't tell from this episode I really love these little pieces of heaven. And Doug gave me a little pointer: order them "staff style" which basically means that are threes times as awesome. I don't really remember what was special about them "staff style because I was too busy devouring them. And wings cooked three times (actually four)? Brined, smoked, fried, grilled, and THEN sauced? Hell yeah!

And guess what else they have......BEER! I should say AWESOME beer. Brad is a wizard behind that glass. When I first got there I told him to bring me a couple of his choosing to start off with. Be brought me a sour and a mint saison. Besides horseradish mint is my least favorite flavor and I am not a huge fan of sours (though they are growing on me). I thought "damn it. I should have told him what I wanted." But I'm glad I didn't! Both were fantastic and the mint saison was one of my favorites of all their beers. Go there. Try them all. They always have a huge selection. You won't be disappointed.

My food suggestion: Guess.....GIANT BACON CHEDDAR TOTS STAFF-STYLE!!!

My beer suggestion: Mint Condition Saison

Intro/Outro music is "La Negra Tomasa" by a local Arizona band called Fayuca

Want to show your support and help this show grow? Simply click here, give the show a rating and share some feedback!

The first time I saw Fayuca was at McDowell Mountain Music Festival in 2012. In between shows on the main stage we noticed a flock of people gravitating to the corner of the festival toward the local stage. As we got closer we could feel the energy of the crowd feeding off of this 3 piece band who was just killing it. Fronted by a charismatic singer/guitarist this band instantly won me over.

The 2nd time I saw them was a few years later. By then they had grown to a 5 piece band but that same raw energy existed, and now even more so. They had grown from a raw kick ass local band to this polished amazing band that was on the path to greatness. When I started the Tap That AZ podcast I wanted intro music that meant something to Arizona. I had zero questions about where I wanted to get that music from and luckily lead singer/guitarist/founder Gabo was more than happy to allow me to use their song "La Negra Tomasa" as my theme music.

I've been following Fayuca throughout the years and when I heard they were collaborating with Helio Basin Brewing Company I was ecstatic: my favorite local band (actually one of my favorites period) and one of my favorite breweries working together. Can't beat that. And then when they reached out and asked me to be a part of it? Hell yeah! No brainer!

In this episode we talk with Gabo, his business partner BJ of "Made in Phx" and Helio Basin brewer Dustin to talk about the collaboration and Fayucas upcoming tour in which they'll play 16 shows in 22 days.

On August 24th there will be a launch party for the beer at Helio Basin Brewing Company. In addition to the "Fayuca Rizing Summer Pale Ale" release there will also be live music and awesome merch. Come to the party! It will be awesome.

Enjoy the show!

In this episode I sit down with Jason from Arizona Distilling Company in Tempe. This distillery is making amazing spirits out here in the desert and I was lucky enough to sample most of them. I was not upset about that. And their stuff is GREAT! Gin straight up? Not my normal "go-to" drink but man, their gin is amazing. I'd drink it every day on the rocks and life would be good. But they have other stuff too. And you should try it all. Enjoy the show!

My suggestion: try the Commerce Gin straight up

Intro/Outro music is "La Negra Tomasa" by a local Arizona band called Fayuca

Want to show your support and help this show grow? Simply click here, give the show a rating and share some feedback!

Helio Basin Brewing Company has go it going on! Coming up on August 12 they celebrate their 1 Year Anniversary. Make sure you get there because they are having a PAR-TAY!!! They'll have a pig roast, a special anniversary beer and a re-release of many of their most popular seasonals. Click on this link to check out more details.

A key angle (literally) of the "Bermuda Phoenix" triangle (along with Wren House and Helton) Helio Basin is quickly making a name for themselves in both the AZ craft beer scene as well as the AZ culinary scene. They were recently ranked as one of the top new breweries in the country by both Beer Advocate and Travel + Leisure. Head into their place and you'll see why.

The Arizona Craft Brewers Guild has been around for nearly 20 years. In a nutshell the organization does all that it can to promote and advance the progress of the Arizona craft beer scene. After talking with Executive Director Rob Fullmer and Communications Manager Paul Rosevear I now realize how much this amazing organization actually does on a daily basis not only for Arizona craft beer but the state of Arizona in general.

Among the many duties of The Guild is to organization and put on some of the best beer festivals in the country right here in our beautiful state. One of these events will be this Saturday, July 29th. Real Wild and Woody is geared to knock your socks off. In a responsible way. I mean, they're going to have REAL trees there. And it's inside! This event is going to be awesome: live music, vintage video games, educational stuff, amazing food, and most importantly, amazing beer. I am super bummed that I am not going to be there but make sure you drink some beers in my honor. I'll be having a real tough time staying at a beach house in Maine enjoying some of the best beers the east coast has to offer. Someone has to do it. Taking one for the team. You're welcome.

From the "Real Wild and Woody" website

Beer aficionados , clear your calendars…the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild will be expanding Real, Wild and Woody Part Tres, a one day only, exclusive indoor craft beer festival designed for those who love the variety and diversity of the Strong Beer Festival, but perhaps crave a more intimate setting. Get ready for more pre and post events, educational seminars and an insiders look at the industry.

Buy Tickets - First 500 people to purchase tickets will receive a special limited edition "30 years of brewing in Arizona" glass.

Intro/Outro music is "La Negra Tomasa" by a local Arizona band called Fayuca

Want to show your support and help this show grow? Simply click here, give the show a rating and share some feedback!