HikeArizona.COM

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.

If you're around Pine - THAT Brewery! Monsoon Mud Stout - YUMMY!!

For the beer snobs:

Man Trapped In Budweiser Warehouse Resorts To Drinking His Own Urine

http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2015/0 ... own-urine/

The official line is the new Pedal Haus Brewery in downtown Tempe will open Sept. 25. That’s what the Valley’s TV stations and newspapers have been reporting.

The actual opening will be much sooner. Three days of “friends and family” practice sessions start tonight. Doors likely will open to the public this weekend.

@hikeaz
But they won't actually be a brewery for ... well, a while!

Dave1 wrote:Man Trapped In Budweiser Warehouse Resorts To Drinking His Own Urine

Maybe he thought it was Budweiser

@Dave1
What's a beer snob?

There's always the all new Tempe-based division of Anheuser-Busch. Formerly known as Four Peaks.

( dead link removed )

@chumley
I won't miss Four Peaks

Anheauser Busch / Miller / SAB / Inbev / you will be assimilated ...

Four Peaks makes the kind of beer you order when there's nothing better.

When Hensley started distributing them a couple of years ago that was the beginning of the end as far as I was concerned.

I stopped by the House of Hops a couple of weeks ago - it is on old-town Beale in Kingman, housed in the old 'Kingman Club'. Terry, the owner gave me the full tour of the place. They have about 24 taps and a cool frozen 'coaster' that runs the length of the bar - you place your glass on it to keep it cool (aka 'Ice Rail'). Their beer lines are glycol chilled as well, pouring at about thirty degrees or less.
They have purchased a 7 barrel system and will be brewing in a few months. He also purchased the building to the south to house the brewing equipment plus additional front end space.

hikeaz wrote:pouring at about thirty degrees or less.

Good beer shouldn't be that cold. Only Budweiser!

chumley wrote:There's always the all new Tempe-based division of Anheuser-Busch. Formerly known as Four Peaks.

( dead link removed )

That actually made the "News" category in Google Newstand on my phone.

chumley wrote:

hikeaz wrote:pouring at about thirty degrees or less.

Good beer shouldn't be that cold. Only Budweiser!

Agreed, as a dark beer fan myself, a bit warmer is tastier; but.... the real benefit comes from a good dense pour with predicable low foaming - so as an owner you don't have to watch the help pouring the profit down the drain as the over-foamy beer produced when the tap is first opened is poured off waiting for the line to settle down so he/she can fill the glass.
Like the saying goes... "Mind your P's and Q's".

Tough_Boots wrote:Four Peaks makes the kind of beer you order when there's nothing better.

Kind of like a local version of Sam Adams, on those rare occasions when I am stuck in a chain restaurant.

I used to enjoy an ice cold Rolling Rock after working in the yard during the summer. Called Rolling Rock my "lawn cutting beer". But when Budweiser shut down the original brewery in Pennsylvania and moved production the beer never tasted the same.

new place coming to surprise, State 48 brewing. mario rana, the outspoken chef of the old Mad Chef in ahwatukee, and later cuoco pazzo (mad chef) is back in the valley - i guess it would be a spot to hit after the white tanks.

we're also expecting to hit up Craft 64's new pilot beer, as they contracted with sunup to brew their first. goldwater and fate south are all nearby.

Helton brewing looks like a couple months out, in the meantime, O.H.S.O. and the Wren House (who are KILLING it). a planning stage is all i've seen of the future Indigenous Ale Works in e. Mesa. hope they finalize and open before summer.

@te-wa
I took Rowdy out and we ate at the O.H.S.O. in Scottsdale. About a month later I saw it on the dirty dining and it wasn't a good review.

well that stinks.. but this is not titled "best place to grab a post-hike plate of food"
how was the beers?