What Packaged Beer Should I be Looking for in AZ

Discussion in 'Southwest' started by BSW, Mar 14, 2016.

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  1. BSW

    BSW Savant (1,063) Jun 20, 2011 California
    Trader

    My father, brother, and brother-in-law all live in Arizona. Over the years I've been to just about every brewery and brewpub in the Valley from Arizona Wilderness to Wren House.

    My question is, what packaged beer should I be looking to pick up this coming weekend and bring back to NorCal to share with my friends? I'm a hop head so I'm really just talking about IPAs. I've heard good things about Dragoons and Tower Station. Is there anything else I should be looking for?

    Also, is there anything good enough to be worth doing an in-person trade for? I'm local to Russian River and I always bring a case or so of PTE with me for my brother and brother-in-law. What they won't know won't hurt them.
     
  2. Geuzedad

    Geuzedad Initiate (0) Nov 14, 2010 Arizona

    Definitely Dragoon and Tower Station provided you can find them fresh. Huss Brewing cans a Pale, Magic In the Ivy, and an IPA, That'll Do, that aren't bad either. Do you guys get Founders in Cali? Really all I can think of that are locally available and packaged. Wren House and AZ Wilderness have some decent offerings but nothing available canned right now. I love some PtE, never have much luck finding it when I go to Cali. I do however on the occasion get some really good IPA's from a trade partner back East including Seudo Sue, Heady Topper, and sometimes Tree House. If interested let me know and I would be happy to send you like for like.
     
    breadwinner likes this.
  3. breadwinner

    breadwinner Initiate (0) Mar 6, 2014 California

    Yup, fresh Tower and Dragoon for IPAs. They're kind of a nice juxtaposition too, the former a hazier, tropical, new wave kind of IPA, the latter a bold and pungent West Coast classic (for my money, I prefer the Dragoon, but these days it seems like the Tower-esque brews get all the love, so YMMV).

    Don't sleep on Huss's non-IPA cans -- lotta folks are lovin' the Koffee Kolsch (big blast of hazelnut coffee atop a blonde base beer), and I think the Husstler is a fantastic milk stout, a style too often lost among all the huge, adjunct-laden stouts out there these days.
     
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  4. Root

    Root Initiate (0) Mar 8, 2013 Arizona

    Some good suggestions above. I'll just add that Arizona Wilderness now also sells cans of Refuge IPA at the brewpub.
     
    BSW likes this.
  5. BSW

    BSW Savant (1,063) Jun 20, 2011 California
    Trader

    Thanks for the info. I will definitely pick some up.
     
    VABA likes this.
  6. BSW

    BSW Savant (1,063) Jun 20, 2011 California
    Trader

    I hit a few places around the East Valley today. GCM had 3 month old Tower Station. I passed on that and picked up some that was 5 weeks old (and refrigerated) at Total Wine. The only Dragoons IPA I've found was at the Chandler Whole Foods. It was three months old, so I'm still on the hunt.
     
    #6 BSW, Mar 17, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2016
  7. bigbelcher

    bigbelcher Initiate (0) Jul 10, 2003 Arizona

    Huss and Lumberyard should both be on your shopping list. And some of the non Arizona beers you might not get in California like Ska, Odell, and Bells. If you want to support Budweiser then Four Peaks Hop Knot.
     
  8. Root

    Root Initiate (0) Mar 8, 2013 Arizona

    It's a bit of a trek from the East Valley, but this place just posted that they received Dragoon IPA canned on 3/10:

    Craft Beer Hop Stop
    717 W Union Hills Dr
    Phoenix, Arizona

    Also check out King's Convenience in Phoenix.
     
  9. BSW

    BSW Savant (1,063) Jun 20, 2011 California
    Trader

    I made it up to CBHS today because it was on the way to Dubinas. Got 2 4 packs of the Dragoons. Then I hit AZW for two crowlers of Refuge. Thanks for the tips everyone!
     
    UtisTheLaw and Root like this.
  10. afrokaze

    afrokaze Pooh-Bah (1,962) Jun 12, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I work at Dragoon and it's disappointing to hear that we have out-of-code beer sitting on the shelf, especially since we only can a limited amount each week. I'll make sure we look into fixing this issue, thanks for keeping an eye on those dates
     
    Root likes this.
  11. JMO776

    JMO776 Initiate (0) Aug 20, 2014 Arizona

    Also, if you can find Bell Rd IPA from Dubina grab it. Great IPA
     
  12. BSW

    BSW Savant (1,063) Jun 20, 2011 California
    Trader

    Is Dubina bottling/canning?
     
  13. sportstsar

    sportstsar Zealot (562) Jan 23, 2012 District of Columbia
    Trader

    Anyone happen to know what the latest batch of Tower Station is? Was it the one from earlier in March that was posted on their Facebook page?

    Hoping to have someone pick up some cans for me before they drive to CA this weekend. Would Papago be a safe bet to have them?
     
  14. papagobrewing

    papagobrewing Initiate (0) Sep 8, 2009 Arizona

    We are out of it right now at Papago and won't be getting any until Thursday or Friday, but when it comes in it should be fresh. Cheers
     
    Root and sportstsar like this.
  15. kbudd19

    kbudd19 Aspirant (246) Oct 12, 2012 Canada (AB)
    Trader

    I'll be in town starting Monday. Looking for some fresh cans of Tower Station and Dragoon, anyone know of some Phoenix liquor stores that recently got a fresh shipment in?
     
  16. breadwinner

    breadwinner Initiate (0) Mar 6, 2014 California

    What part of town you gonna be in?
     
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  17. Tjtokar

    Tjtokar Initiate (0) Aug 4, 2015 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    I was at GCM (Gilbert Conveint Mart) last night they had cans of Tower (3/7/16) and Dragoon (3/9/16).
     
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  18. kbudd19

    kbudd19 Aspirant (246) Oct 12, 2012 Canada (AB)
    Trader

    I'll be in the Chandler area.

    Awesome. That's about 20 min from where I'm staying. I'll stop by for sure.
     
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  19. breadwinner

    breadwinner Initiate (0) Mar 6, 2014 California

    Yup, @Tjtokar probably recc'd the best spot then @ GCM. If not there, you can try @ Tops in Tempe. I got some 3/10 Dragoon a couple weeks back up in North Phoenix, so the dates he saw are probably from the most recent delivery we saw.
     
  20. AZBeerDude72

    AZBeerDude72 Initiate (0) Jun 10, 2016 Arizona

    San Tan Brewery in Chandler is awesome. Sleepy Dog in Tempe has great choices also. Huss is also in Tempe. There is so much beer in town we are floating on suds.....Cheers.
    Oh I forgot Fate Brewing in Scottsdale, soon to be called McFate due to legal issues. Previous co-workers brother owns place, really good stuff guys.
     
    Marilou61 likes this.
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