Along with a small group of friends, we have been on a quest to check out the small but growing number of microbreweries in the great state of Arizona.
Yesterday we toured the
Old World Brewery in Phoenix, and I was favorably impressed. The brewery is located in an old post office building at 25th Ave. and Van Buren. It is not a great part of town, with a mix of industrial and low-rent residential properties, but they close shop at 7pm. The interior accoutrements are pleasant but stark, and include a stage and some vintage video games.
All of that is more than made up for though, in the quality of the brews and the very informative and entertaining presentation of the tour. We were treated to a history of the brewery, a comprehensive explanation of the process and an offer to actually taste samples of the various malts and hops used for each recipe.
In my opinion and that of my friends, each of the five beers that we tasted was exceptionally well balanced and though clearly representative of it's intended style, was pleasantly unique. We were all torn between the 4 Leaf Irish Red and the Dark Knight Porter.
My least favorite, although still very palatable, was called Nitro Blonde and was described as a mildly bitter blonde. The only reason I am compelled to mention this is that the name and description bare a striking resemblance to my ex wife: an explosive and bitter blonde in her own right.
So, tell us about the brew pubs and microbreweries where you live.
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