Best place to grab a post-hike craft beer

[JoelHazelton]

Inspired by the mexican food/pizza posts, I'm wondering about good places around AZ to grab a beer after a hike or backpack trip. The smaller/more obscure towns would be especially appreciated, because I'm used to only coming across only the cheap domestics at those places.
Some places I've stopped at post-hike:

Prescott- Prescott Brewery. The Petrified Porter is good, but their seasonal "Achocolypse" (which is Petrified Porter brewed with milk chocolate) is absolutely amazing.
Flagstaff- Lumberyard Brewery. Imperial Red was awesome.
Sedona- Oak Creek Brewery. Boo. Not a single redeeming quality here. Chicken quesadilla was mediocre, beer was watery.
Tucson- Nimbus Brewey- Though I love Old Monkeyshine from a bottle,it was twice as good on tap.

In Tempe we'll frequent Boulders on Broadway and Four Peaks after gym climbing. Actually, we're spoiled here in Tempe. Example: I live next to the most ghetto looking corner store ever, but upon walking in you'd think you're in a Total Wine.

Yardhouse would be a good place to hit on the way in town from the west. I suppose Rock Bottom from the northwest, though I wasn't impressed with any of their beers.

Any ideas? I'm particularly curious about the Payson area.

[te_wa]

i don't think the lion opens before nov. 1st.

dont know.. its looking like a full restaraunt and although not open yet, they did confirm this beer list.. so how long is it just going to sit there all lonely-like?

Arrogant Pumpkin

I am failing to see a post that mentions Stone Pumpkin.. did I miss the memo?

[chumley]

HAZ filter for båstard = pumpkin

I'd like to enjoy an arrogant pumpkin while hiking along pumpkin hart ridge

[Jeffshadows]

HAZ filter for båstard = pumpkin

I'd like to enjoy an arrogant pumpkin while hiking along pumpkin hart ridge

Darn!! I was afraid of that! I was hoping it was actually a seasonal. I checked and they do have a pumpkin seasonal but they don't release it outside of CA.

[JoelHazelton]

@te-wa
Ten-Fidy on tap

[JoelHazelton]

Went to Tops yesterday and bought a few different pumpkin ales (they didn't have DFH Punkin' Ale yet, though I did see it at Papago the other day and didn't buy it). Got Wasatch, Buffalo Bill's, some other brand. They all pretty much sucked, though Wasatch was the best of the lot. Looking forward to this year's 4P Pumpkin Porter and to try DFH Punkin' Ale again. Tried the DFH last year but I think I got an old bottle or something... It tasted stale.

[chumley]

I hit up 4p at midnight last night for the first pours of the 2011 pumpkin porter. I've always liked it, but I believe that starting last year, there were some subtle changes to the recipe. Perhaps because they produce so much more of it than they used to? Anyway, while it's still a very tasty porter, I think it has a much more subtle pumpkin flavor than it used to have. I preferred it when the pumpkin flavor seemed to be a little bit stronger, several years ago.

And I also think that it's stupid that pumpkin is a flavor that is only allowed to be used in autumn. Why can't we have pumpkin beers all year?

[big_load]

Why can't we have pumpkin beers all year?

I suppose they could southern hemisphere pumpkins in the spring, but I don't know if they get them to ripen anywhere else for year round coverage. (And I wonder if it would pay to import them in any case). By the way, excess moisture from the hurricanes really put a hurt on the pumpkin crop in the NE.

[PLC92084]

@chumley

We could get it all year long... But would it be worth it!? Maybe Alex is onto something with the South America option...

[big_load]

I've been looking for a new line of work ever since cutthroat competition shut down my cat kebab stand. Maybe I should start up a Patagonian pumpkin patch.

[PLC92084]

@big_load


Yeah... the cat biz belongs to me and Alston; you might say it's in the bag... As for pumpkins, you better find some someplace with less rain (and hurricanes...).

[JoelHazelton]

I hit up 4p at midnight last night for the first pours of the 2011 pumpkin porter. I've always liked it, but I believe that starting last year, there were some subtle changes to the recipe. Perhaps because they produce so much more of it than they used to? Anyway, while it's still a very tasty porter, I think it has a much more subtle pumpkin flavor than it used to have. I preferred it when the pumpkin flavor seemed to be a little bit stronger, several years ago.

And I also think that it's stupid that pumpkin is a flavor that is only allowed to be used in autumn. Why can't we have pumpkin beers all year?

Thanks Chumley for the Pumpkin Porters last night! Tasted like pumpkin spices and pie crust swirled together in a creamy pint of happiness.

[kingsnake]

Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee makes a great pumpkin lager (and cherry lager as well).

http://www.lakefrontbrewery.com/seasonals.html

[BobP]

So....is everyone swearing about their beer or do people actually drink beer made from the orange vegetable that Linus van Pelt coveted so dearly.

[paulhubbard]

I think they're talking about that pumpkin Pumpkin Beer.

[Nimrag]

I went to Stone brewery north of San Diego last year, but it wasnt post hike I think they have more beers on tap than Yardhouse. Just glad I wasnt driving home.

[Jeffshadows]

None of the pumpkin actually converts in the brewing process and it adds very little flavor, from what I can tell. It seems like the pumpkin pie spices you're adding do most of the work in that regard. I've now made it with pumpkin and without and the results are the same...delicious!! ;)

[chumley]

Speaking of pumpkin beers, I'm stealing this from the Four Peaks Brewsletter and reposting it here:

Brewer's Blog: Pumpkin Beers

Seasons are hard to define here in Arizona, with no clear transition between summer, autumn and winter. It's more like blazing hot gives way to oppressively hot and then freeze-your-butt-off cold.

Luckily for beer drinkers, the autumnal equinox is clearly defined by the release of a seemingly ubiquitous array of pumpkin beers. It used to be that beer drinkers would patiently await the release of Oktoberfest lager beers this time of year, but now it seems, with the predominance of ales in the American craft-brewing scene, that pumpkin is the new Oktoberfest.

Pumpkin beers can either use whole, fresh pumpkin, which is usually roasted or charred to remove some of the strong vegetal taste of the pumpkin, or canned pureed pumpkin. They are also sometimes brewed with allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon or any other spice typically found in pumpkin pie.

The greatest variation in pumpkin beers comes from the style of beer that acts as the vehicle for the pumpkin and spice. Some are made as amber or brown ales, others as porters or stouts.

Here are five that stand above the rest.

Punkin Ale - Dogfish Head Brewery, Delaware
As the label says, it's a "full-bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg." I like it because the caramel malt in the brown-ale base adds a nutty flavor that works well with all the other ingredients.

Post Road Pumpkin Ale - Brooklyn Brewing Co., New York
I like this one because of the lack of spice. It is truly a pumpkin ale made in a colonial style that gains complexity from the varied use of toasted and kilned malts.

Harvest Pumpkin Ale - Samuel Adams Brewing Co., Mass.
Pumpkin flavor and mild spices in a clean, amber ale. Nothing out of the ordinary for the style except for the addition of smoked malt, which lends a cooked, almost baked flavor that reminds me of homemade fall flavors.

Pumpkinhead - Shipyard Brewing Co., Maine
Not always available in the Arizona market (check your local retailer), but this one is notable because of its light character. Essentially a golden wheat ale, it has a nice, subtle pumpkin flavor, and it's easy on the spice.

Pumpkin Porter - Four Peaks Brewing Co., Arizona
Well, I wasn't going to leave it off the list just because we brew it; it is one of my favorites. The porter base beer lends a toasty, almost coffeelike flavor that goes well with pumpkin-pie spices. It's our most popular seasonal.

If you don't find one of the above beers in your local market, I'm certain you can find a substitute. Even Miller/Coors and Anheuser-Busch have jumped on the pumpkin wagon with Blue Moon Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale and Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale. It's nice to see them branching out.

[te_wa]

http://www.phoenixbrew.com/

opens soon!

[chumley]

They've been pouring Fretzy's at Dbags games all summer. Well, at least in the high-rent seats I always finagle my way into. Not cheap, but then the cute-girl delivery must play a part in the price. It is definitely the best of the Chase Field options when it comes to bombers.

[hikeaz]

For those who may be up on the Rim or nearby this weekend, or were deciding what to do .... Rimside Grill in Pine is having Oktoberfest this Saturday, the 1st. REAL german food - REAL german beer - (Spaten Oktoberfest, Franziskaner Weissbier & Bitburger Pilsner) - prizes - auctions- raffles - roping contest (don't ask me) - stein-holding contest - DJ from 11-4 - Band from 5-close - horseshoes - volleyball.