Floridian in Flagstaff – Part 2
Recently, Florida Beer News editor Mark DeNote was invited to tour the beer and breweries of Flagstaff, Arizona. You can read the first part of his adventure here, or you can listen to the podcast episodes Mother Road Brewing and with Beaver Street Brewery & Lumberyard Brewing Company.
Historic Brewing Company: With two locations in Flagstaff, Historic Brewing Company offers food and beer in an inviting pub atmosphere. Known for their Piehole Cherry Porter, Historic Brewing’s beer lineup is also anchored by Oceanfront Property Lager, Salt Rock Lime Lager, Opposable IPA, and Jack Wagon Hazy IPA (named for Northern Arizona University’s Lumberjack Mascot).
(BeerWise Tip: Historic Brewing Company offers a craft beer getaway – a place to stay at the brewery while visiting Flagstaff.)
Wanderlust Brewing Company: Named for owner Nathan Friedman’s love of travel, Wanderlust Brewing Company is situated in a friendly open space. Wanderlust Brewing’s beers are “inspired by traditional styles but with our own modern twist.” The brewery’s flagship is 928 Local, a farmhouse ale brewed with local honey and yeast cultivated from the area – a truly local brew.
(BeerWise Tip: 928 Local is a truly local beer with local honey and yeast harvested from the air around the Flagstaff area. Drinking local may be a philosophy, but it is literally possible at Wanderlust.)
Grand Canyon Brewing & Distilling: With several locations in Arizona, any qualms about Grand Canyon being a bland chain restaurant experience is dispelled with the first taste and the first look at the brewing system in the Flagstaff location. The Flagstaff location makes its mark with attentive service and unique beers brewed at the main location in Williams, AZ, in addition to thoughtful beers brewed in-house on a 5-barrel brewing system by Flagstaff brewers.
(BeerWise Tip: Pay extra close attention to the beers brewed in-house at Grand Canyon. Local brewing staff loves big, bold beers. While all the beer was good, the Flagstaff location’s beers brewed onsite were big, bold and very memorable beers.)
Dark Sky Brewing Company: Two locations in one! Dark Sky Brewing’s downtown headquarters boasts two locations – one that’s 21+ only and one that is family friendly. Both locations have similar (but not exact) tap lists. The brewery is small but fierce and the staff are pouring one of the most diverse tap lists in the country. From Old World lagers like Czech dark lagers and pilsners to high gravity barleywines and fashionable hazy IPAs, Dark Sky Brewing has something for every taste. With a kitchen and pizza restaurant Pizzicletta in the mix, no one will go hungry or need to leave too soon.
(BeerWise Tip: Don’t skim the beer descriptions on the beer menu at Dark Sky – they are full of helpful information. More often than not, there is an additional detail that adds to the beer, like “DSB Brewers hand-picked the hops for this beer” or “this beer is a blend of beer X and beer y,” or “the beer was aged in a barrel.”)
Flagstaff’s small but mighty beer scene is visitable in a day or two, but to really discover all that these breweries have to offer, a two- to three-day itinerary is helpful. (Look for an article with itinerary ideas soon.) However you decide to discover Flagstaff’s breweries, make sure to celebrate and discover responsibly.
The beauty of Flagstaff’s airport is its proximity to town and its convenient flights back to the east coast. This little airport has none of the hassle and bustle associated with larger airports – personalized service and convenience are its hallmarks. And when flying out of Flagstaff, be sure to sit in a window seat; connecting through Phoenix back to Florida will open a breathtaking view through some of Arizona’s iconic locations.
