Me an a couple of friends are coming out from Philly to do the Cactus League this year. We come out and do the following: Thu March 15th and do games at Sloan Park and maybe Hohokam Stadium at night. Fri March 16 Golf at Ken McDonald Golf Club followed by a game @ Tempe Diablo Stadium Sat March 17 Game @ Surprise Stadium followed by golf @ Great Eagle Golf Course Sun Game @ Maryvale Stadium Golf @ Grand Canyon Univ Golf Course Fly home on redeye @ 1055pm. Are there any particular places/breweries/beers we should check out?
https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/best-breweries-near-phoenix-az.544011/ Salt Rivers Field, home to Rockies and Diamondbacks is, at least IMO, the nicest Spring Training facility. If you aren't partial to any of the teams, I'd definitely try to catch a game there.
I'll let the locals chime in, but as a Royals fan who does this trip every year, there doesn't seem to be much around Surprise. I've hit Dubina and Peoria Artisan while out that way in the past but I wouldn't call either of them particularly close. The Brass Tap in Mesa near Sloan has a pretty good taplist and offers a free shuttle to and from Sloan on game days. It's a really good spot to pregame.
I'd agree, The Brass Tap is probably your spot, in this scenario. Four Peaks is pretty close too, if you don't mind supporting AB InBev. Decent food there too. Seems like this is the closest you'll be to Arizona Wilderness the whole trip. Worth the trip over there, if you haven't been. Good beer and burgers. Huss is a great place near there for beer only. Drive a little east for good pizza and a great tap list at Boulders on Broadway. If you're not stuck on the course, I'd look at Papago instead of Ken McDonald. Probably the nicest muni in metro Phoenix. Ken McDonald is decent, but the scenery is abysmal. Either way, The Shop is a great brewery in northern Tempe that's worth checking out. McFate isn't far from Papago either. I don't have much personal experience on the west side, but I don't think there is a whole lot going on, craft beer wise. You may be better off heading back to the East valley and stopping somewhere on the way, unless you're staying on the West side. Maybe someone will chime in with some suggestions out that way.
Also forgot to mention that if you do end up at Ken McDonald, Flanny's is a good craft beer bar nearby.
In Surprise, your only real option is State 48 Brewing. Haven't had anything from them, so really no opinion to help you out.
First let me say that sounds like a killer trip. I live in Glendale so I can chime on the West Valley. It would be a bit out of your way but Saddle Mountain in Goodyear is great. You can also hit up the Peoria Artisan Brewery but that is not really close to the Surprise Stadium either. North Mountain Brewing in Phoenix is midway between all of the parks you are hitting up too if you get a chance. All of the Cactus League parks have great selection of craft brews though.
Oh also San Tan has a location in Chandler and they are opening another one in Phoenix but not sure if the Phoenix location will be open by Spring Training.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Was able to stop at Stop at Brass Tap in Mesa. We rode the shuttle to the Cubs game but the cheapest ticket available was 69$ so we went back to Brass Tap for lunch. We went to Arizona Wilderness Thursday before the A's night game (place was packed). We had a round of beers and I bought a 4 pack of Refuge IPA Friday we stopped at Flanny's after golf for lunch. We met the owner and I gave him a Tired Hands beer and he game me a Tombstomb double IPA. Went to Pedal Haus and they had really good beer(had the Irish Stout, Belgian Trippel and the Modern Times collab). Service was so so. Saturday we headed out to Surpise and stopped at State 48. The beer was average and the service was not good. We asked the waitress to put CBS on so we could watch the basketball games (we got there 11am). She looked like I asked her the Ph balance of the dirt the hops are grown in. Saturday night we walked down to Boulders on Broadway had good beer and pizza. Service was good. Sunday morning I snuck out of the hotel and went back to AZWilderness to get cans that were released on Saturday. Sunday we stopped at Wren House on the way to the airport. Missed cans of Sad Boy Wally (bartender said they sold out in 60 minutes). Got 2 crowlers of Jomax. I was able to bring back to Philly, 13-16oz cans, a 12oz can, 12oz bottle and 2 crowlers from Wren House
