Tap That AZ - The Arizona Craft Beer Podcast
396 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 months ago - ★★★★★ - 64 ratingsHear the fascinating stories behind the exploding Arizona craft beer scene directly from the people who are making it happen.
When you live in the desert you have to stay hydrated. Or you die. Simple. But who says you always have to drink boring old lame water? There are PLENTY of options to get a tasty handcrafted beer.
**Disclaimer: Make sure you drink LOTS of water in the desert. Seriously. Don't be dumb. You need that out here. Or you really will die**
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Episodes
Brewing Beer with Dark Sky
January 15, 2018 05:30 - 1 hour - 165 MBIn this episode we travel up the hill to Flagstaff to brew an Imperial Blueberry NEIPA with Dark Sky Brewing. After we brewed (and after drinking quite a few delicious Dark Sky beer) we sit down with Ryan and Nick from Dark Sky as well Liz from Whining Pig to talk about....well, pretty much everything. Enjoy the show!
Sinagua Malt
January 08, 2018 05:30 - 34 minutes - 63.2 MBI know that this may come as a shock to many people but water in the desert is not exactly abundant. I know, crazy talk. But its true. And thankfully we have guys like Chip Norton who are taking strides to ensure the proper steps are being taken to keep the natural water flowing. Oh yeah, and Chip loves beer. His desire to conserve the Verde River and his love of craft beer led him to get together with some like minded individuals and start Sinagua Malt. The purpose of Sinagua Malt is to hel...
Fireside Chat (with no fire)
December 26, 2017 02:38 - 52 minutes - 96.6 MBIn this episode I sit down with Aaron Markus and Justin Cross to talk about how Tap That AZ came to be and whats in store for the future of the show. Enjoy! Thanks to Goldwater Brewing Company for letting us use the Goldmine to tap this episode All video production and biggest shoutout goes to Aaron Markus from 8 AM Films for just being awesome and creating amazing work. Thanks to Chris Dodson for his awesome production/editing work to help put the audio side of the episodes together. ...
12 West Brewing Company
December 18, 2017 05:30 - 1 hour - 117 MBIn this episode along with co-host Chris Dodson I sit down with Noel Garcia, co-founder of 12 West. We talk about how his obsession for making quality beer and unconcerned approach to what some people may consider failure has helped 12 West become on of the hottest and most revered breweries in the state. Enjoy the show!
Beer Research Institute
December 11, 2017 05:30 - 56 minutes - 98.4 MBIn this episode I sit down with owners Matt and Greg and their brewer Colby. We talk about opening a place where they would want to go, making the type of beer they want to drink and attracting the type of people they would want to hang out with. So far so good. Enjoy the show!
Pedal Haus Brewery
December 04, 2017 05:30 - 1 hour - 134 MBIn this episode I sit down with the head brewer from Pedal Haus Brewery in Tempe, Doc Osborne, and get educated on beer. Great conversation, really cool knowledgeable guy. Enjoy the show!
Helton Beer School 4.0
November 27, 2017 05:30 - 1 hour - 149 MBAnyone who has even met Brian Helton knows that he is a huge advocate for education in the craft beer world. He has done many types of classes including pairings food with beer as well as sensory classes to help you become a better beer taster. This also includes Beer School which is basically a handful of breweries getting together to put on mini crash to help educate people in different areas of craft beer. Plus you get some sweet swag, get to taste awesome beers and meet some of the best...
Festival de Beer y Musica at Helio Basin Brewing Company
November 20, 2017 05:30 - 27 minutes - 50.1 MBFrom day one Gabo Fayuca and Helio Basin Brewing Company has been great supports of this podcast. So awesome to see them putting together this awesome event of November 22nd to benefit Phoenix Childrens Hospital. Great beer, great music, and all for a great cause. In this episode I sit down with Dustin from Helio and Gabo to discuss the festival. Always a blast hanging out with these guys. Free admission so make sure you get there. Fayuca Rizing Xtra Pale Ale's first Beer Fest Presented ...
Adventurous Stills
November 13, 2017 05:30 - 1 hour - 114 MBI have a secret to tell you. I’ve never told anyone this before. I really enjoy beer. I know. Shocking. But I wasn’t always a beer drinker. In my early years I was surrounded by the likes of Genesee and Natural Light so on nights out I would usually opt for a Jack and Coke even though I wasn’t a huge fan of pop (as we called soda in the Midwest). But hey, I had to drink SOMETHING. Then I moved to Arizona and my life changed. In many positive ways. But in the category of alcohol consumption ...
Cider Corps
November 11, 2017 05:30 - 1 hour - 140 MBFor most of my beer drinkers out there when we hear “cider” we respond with “Oh yeah, my wife loves those”. For many of us cider is just too sweet or tart and usually just too weak. We want a little kick with our drinks especially for us hop heads whose smiles get bigger as the ABV’s go up. So when my buddy Stefan, aka AZ Beer Jedi, said “hey, there is a cider house opening in Mesa soon” I was like “cool” but also secretly thinking “ok, I’ll probably never go there”. But also in the back of ...
Lumberyard Brewing Company
November 06, 2017 11:00 - 36 minutes - 65.9 MBMy very first experience with Arizona craft beer was Railhead Red at Beaver Street Brewery. It changed my life. For better and worse. I now know what good beer tastes like. But I also gained a few pounds. Well worth it. After hitting up Beaver Street periodically over the next year or so II was super excited when word came out that they were expanding and opening a new bigger brewery and restaurant which became what is now Lumberyard Brewing Company. Owners of what is quite possibly the best...
Earn Your Booze Event - November 4th at Scottsdale Beer Co.
October 31, 2017 04:30 - 44 minutes - 81.4 MBJustin Cross is a great episode to the podcast. We are following him on his journey to opening up his own brewery here in Arizona in a mini-series called "Somethings Brewing" (listen to part 1 and part 2 so far). As much as Justin is passionate about beer he is possibly equally as passionate about fitness. So Justin did what many before him did. He thought "Hmmm. Fitness and beer. They go together like.....well, fitness and beer". When he first presented his theory to me I thought "This poo...
North Mountain Brewing Company
October 30, 2017 04:30 - 1 hour - 123 MBWhen Rob from North Mountain Brewing Company toured Europe as a young man it showed how that beer can be really good. That trip and his desire to do something different has inspired him to create certain styles that not many breweries try to tackle such as Belgian Strong Ales, Belgian Quads, and Saisons. And he nails them. And their food is awesome so so that never hurts. The food is deliberately made with the beer in mind. Official Tap That AZ Recommendations: Beer - Belay Double IPA ...
McFate Brewing Company
October 23, 2017 04:30 - 1 hour - 136 MBIn this episode I sit down with Steve McFate, owner of McFate Brewing Company. We talk about how a leap of faith propelled him into a career in craft beer and we talk about how every neighborhood should have its own brewery. Since starting this podcast I have wanted Steve to be a guest and really enjoyed our conversation. Enjoy the show! South Location/Brewery - 1312 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257 North Location/Tap & Barrel - 7337 E Shea Blvd #105, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Intro/Ou...
Goldwater Brewing Company
October 16, 2017 04:30 - 41 minutes - 75.1 MBSince it opened its doors in 2015 Goldwater Brewing Company has hit the ground running. Spawned from their dads passion for brewing Dillon and Chad McClelland have turned this Scottsdale brewery into the place to be in Old Town Scottsdale. Above ground there is a beautiful taproom and brewery that pumps out more beer than you could ever imagine from the space given. But the real gem is The Goldmine: a former underground shooting range that houses barrels currently aging some future awesomen...
Valley of the Sun Foodies
October 09, 2017 04:30 - 1 hour - 120 MBArizona is a food lovers paradise. Everything from authentic Mexican food to some of the best pizza in the country we are so lucky to have so many choices. But sometimes that can be the program. How do you decide when give so many options? Do you want to rely on the opinions of many unqualified people who mainly just use the platform to feel more important than they really are? Yes, I'm talking about Yelp. I think South Park summed that whole thing up pretty well. Enter Valley of the Sun Foo...
Craft 64
October 02, 2017 04:30 - 51 minutes - 93.8 MBBig thanks to my man Stefan Canchola, aka AZ Beer Jedi for joining me in this episode, providing the pics and for the following write-up. In beautiful and luxurious Scottsdale Arizona you will find a wonderful playground of attractions and delights to satisfy any taste or craving, from world class restaurants, resorts, shopping and entertainment, but did you know you will also find the best craft beer in all the state, literally. Tucked safely in the heart of what is known as "Old Town" ...
"Something's Brewing" with Justin Cross - Part 2
September 25, 2017 04:30 - 29 minutes - 54.7 MBThis 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!
Dark Sky Brewing Company
September 18, 2017 04:30 - 1 hour - 123 MBYou 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 ...
Mesquite River Brewing Company
September 11, 2017 04:30 - 42 minutes - 76.9 MBIn 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!
The Classy Alcoholic
September 04, 2017 04:30 - 41 minutes - 75.7 MBIn 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!
Huss Brewing Company
August 28, 2017 04:30 - 38 minutes - 70.7 MBIn 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!
Scottsdale Beer Company
August 21, 2017 04:30 - 48 minutes - 88.7 MBSince 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 ...
Fayuca and Helio Basin Brewing Co. Collaboration
August 14, 2017 04:30 - 36 minutes - 66.4 MBThe 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 sa...
Arizona Distilling Company
August 07, 2017 04:30 - 53 minutes - 97.2 MBIn 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 st...
Helio Basin Brewing Company
July 31, 2017 04:30 - 1 hour - 127 MBHelio 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 cr...
Real Wild & Woody Beer Festival
July 26, 2017 02:58 - 44 minutes - 81.3 MBThe 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...
"Something's Brewing" with Justin Cross
July 24, 2017 04:30 - 38 minutes - 70.2 MBThrough my journey of visiting and talking with some of my favorite breweries across the state of Arizona I have learned many things: I actually DO like sour beers I can drink about 12 tasters and 1 pint during a podcast interview I should NOT drink about 12 tasters and 1 pint during a podcast interview And finally, opening up a brewery is HARD WORK! If you are lucky enough to see them in action while you are visiting you can easily see that these guys and girls are busting their but...
Freak'N Brewing Company
July 17, 2017 04:30 - 38 minutes - 70.3 MBIn this installment of the podcast I head over to Peoria to hang out with 2 of the owners of Freak'N Brewing Company, Tommy and Rene, along with their sales rep Phil. I taste all of their awesome freak'n beers and we talk about all kinds of freak'n things. Enjoy the show and be sure to share with a friend! 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...
Saddle Mountain Brewing Company
July 10, 2017 04:30 - 49 minutes - 90.3 MBIn this episode I sit down with Jacob and Laura Hansen, owners of Saddle Mountain Brewing Company in Goodyear. A pal of mine Luis Herrera who also happens to be the Beer Ambassador for SMBC even joins us near the end of the episode. Up until they opened up SMBC there were no breweries in Goodyear. With a little tenacity and help from an awesome member of the city council they were finally able to make history. In this episode we talk about their journey and how this city council member now h...
Hamilton Distillers
June 26, 2017 02:21 - 44 minutes - 81.7 MBThe best thing about Whiskey Del Bac from Hamilton Distillers is, well, the taste. So thats a good start right? For those of you who like smokey whiskey this one is a must-try. I guarantee you it's unlike anything you'd tasted before. If you could drink brisket this is what it would taste like. And thats a good thing. In fact just recently Whiskey Del Bac was named one of the top 10 whiskeys in America by Esquire magazine. And it deserves it. Another great thing about it is that you can f...
Richter Aleworks
June 12, 2017 04:30 - 51 minutes - 94.5 MBI had a great time doing this episode at Richter Aleworks. Brandon, April, and Wes were great hosts and l loved hearing their story and their determination to open this place up. One obstacle after another has hit them but they keep hitting back. In fact, at the release of this episode they should be releasing their first house-made beer. Keep an eye on their Instagram and Facebook pages to keep tabs on that. Either way get on over there. Awesome people with an awesome Arizona beer selection...
Birdfish Brewing Company
May 29, 2017 04:00 - 29 minutes - 54.2 MBGrowing up in a small town in Ohio my experience with beer was nothing like what I have available to me now. To me drinking craft beer meant drinking Killians. That was some off-the-wall behavior back in my day. Pulling into the traditional annual summer Steve Miller Band concert at Starlake Amphitheater my friends and I proudly displayed our coolers full of Natty Light and Buttweiser. Jesus, how did we ever make it out of life alive?!?! Now granted, there is a proper time and place for ever...
Helton Brewing Company
May 15, 2017 04:30 - 32 minutes - 60.4 MBIn this episode I get to hang out with Brian Helton. His focus is not to make some crazy concoction or off-the-wall thing but rather to make solid beer. And be able to consistently make it awesome. Time and time again. Well, so far so good Brian. As of this writing Helton Brewing Company has been opened for just around 1 year and from what they are doing over there they are going to open for a long time. A beautiful brewery and tasting room along with a brand new beer garden make this plac...
Dubina Brewing Company
May 01, 2017 05:00 - 39 minutes - 71.6 MBSo apparently people from the Czech Republic drink more beer per capita than any other country in the world. IN. THE. WORLD. Wow, that came out of nowhere. In fact they have claimed that title for 23 years in a row! Czechs drink 142 liters (equal to about 300 pints) per person which makes us Americans look like little girls at a mere 75 liters per person. And apparently it's cheaper to get a beer in the Czech Republic than it is to get a bottle of water so at least they have their prioriti...
Crooked Tooth Brewing Company
April 17, 2017 05:00 - 35 minutes - 64.5 MBMe: "I'll do #'s 1, 6, 7, 8, and......" Dude at Crooked Tooth, without hesitation: "3!" Me: "Huh?" Dude at Crooked Tooth: "If you like those 4 you'll love #3" Me: "Well alright, alright" That was my first interaction with Ben Vernon from Crooked Tooth Brewing Company in Tucson. And you know? #3 was my favorite. I knew right then that Ben was a cool dude who truly cared and knew a lot about beer and how to make his guests feel welcome. In this episode I sit down with Ben a...
32 Shea
April 03, 2017 05:00 - 31 minutes - 57.6 MBOn the corner of 32nd Street and Shea Boulevard sits a little gem called.....well, 32 Shea. Established in 2011 this place has been changing the face of the neighborhood as well as proving how creativity and hard can break down any barriers of how you view your local espresso bar/café/lounge/drive-thru/Zen space. In this episode I sit down with owner Rebecca Golden to talk about how her vision and determination have turned this Up-Uptown* neighborhood spot into more than just another place t...
Tombstone Brewing Company
March 20, 2017 05:00 - 19 minutes - 36 MBThough somewhat of a NKOTB (new kid on the block for you non-90’s kids) Tombstone Brewing Company is raising quite a ruckus in the Arizona craft beer scene. From their bang-up Double IPA to the rumors amuck regarding their barrel-aging program owner Matt Brown and brewer Weedy Weidenthal are fetchin' to change the game. In this episode I sit down with Matt and shoot the crap about Tombstone and beer. My journey to the "Town Too Tough To Die" began just like any Old West adventure begins:...
Press Coffee Roasters
March 06, 2017 09:00 - 19 minutes - 34.8 MBIn the episode Alex and I talk about the Press coffee philosophy "from seed to cup" which means they value the quality of the coffee in every single step of the process from the time it’s a tiny lil seedling until the moment we devour it like the savages that we are. Each stop of the coffee process leaves the potential to lose quality that can never be regained. And Press ensures that this does not happen. And we thank them for that.
The Shop Beer Co.
February 20, 2017 02:54 - 55 minutes - 101 MBIn this episode I sit down with Dave Arnce and Jason Calhoon from The Shop Beer Co. in Tempe. The Shop Beer Co. started off as side project within Cartel Coffee Lab a few years ago. Today these dudes are making some really awesome craft beers including 2 of my favorite Arizona beers: F.I.T.Y.M. Double IPA (listen to the show for the acronym explanation) and DPA (Desert Pale Ale). And don’t forgot about any of their beers that feature any type of coffee. Remember these guys came from an am...
The Shop Beer Co.
February 20, 2017 02:54 - 55 minutes - 101 MBIn this episode I sit down with Dave Arnce and Jason Calhoon from The Shop Beer Co. in Tempe. The Shop Beer Co. started off as side project within Cartel Coffee Lab a few years ago. Today these dudes are making some really awesome craft beers including 2 of my favorite Arizona beers: F.I.T.Y.M. Double IPA (listen to the show for the acronym explanation) and DPA (Desert Pale Ale). And don’t forgot about any of their beers that feature any type of coffee. Remember these guys came from an am...
8-Bit Aleworks
February 06, 2017 09:00 - 43 minutes - 79.5 MBIn this episode I sit down with Ryan and Krystina Whitten from 8-Bit Aleworks in Avondale. A trip to 8-Bit Aleworks is a deliberate trip. Nestled in a business park a few hundred feet east of the shores of the Aqua Fria "River" in Avondale this is not a brewery that you happen to just come across. And that’s just fine by owners Ryan and Krystina Whitten. In fact at one point they even changed their name from 8-Bit Brewery to 8-Bit Aleworks to eliminate any possible confusion with what the...
Refresh Glass
January 23, 2017 09:00 - 36 minutes - 67.4 MBIn this episode I got to hang out Ray Del Muro from Refresh Glass. The company is redefining how we look at glass recycling in Arizona. Refresh Glass is on a mission to rescue 10 million wine bottles across the state of Arizona. At the time of this recording they were less than 3 thousand bottles away from their first million. You can track it on their website Refreshglass.com. Here's the catch: they don't just recycle the bottles, they make them into things like drink glasses and planters. ...
Peoria Artisan Brewery
January 16, 2017 14:36 - 25 minutes - 45.9 MBIn this episode I sit down with Matt Frosch from Peoria Artisan Brewery. We met at the actual brewery located in Peoria. They also have a tap room, which was the original location, in Litchfield Park. Matt was a great host giving me a tour of their process and was just a very down to Earth guy. Peoria Artisan Brewery does some great things with beer and I had the pleasure of trying some of their holiday seasonal beers. The Cranberry Gose was great. I have never found a sour beer that I lik...
Mother Road Brewing Co. - Flagstaff, AZ
January 07, 2017 15:22 - 40 minutes - 74 MBIn this first episode I sit down with Michael Marquess from Mother Road Brewing Co. Mother Road Brewing Co. has long been my favorite brewery in all the land so it’s only fitting to feature them in the very first episode. Mother Road Brewing Co. is located on the original Route 66 in Flagstaff, Arizona. Located in an old laundry building the brewery embodies the hardworking mentality of those traveling across the old Route 66 in search of the American Dream. When I arrived for the in...
Mother Road Brewing Co.
January 07, 2017 15:22 - 40 minutes - 74 MBIn this first episode I sit down with Michael Marquess from Mother Road Brewing Co. Mother Road Brewing Co. has long been my favorite brewery in all the land so it’s only fitting to feature them in the very first episode. Mother Road Brewing Co. is located on the original Route 66 in Flagstaff, Arizona. Located in an old laundry building the brewery embodies the hardworking mentality of those traveling across the old Route 66 in search of the American Dream. When I arrived for the in...