17 July 11th-July 17th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | itself as a neighborhood staple and a draw for craft beer fans. It was Phoenix New Times’ Best New Brewery of 2023. Owner Tyler Smith and his brew team are putting together fun, irreverent, tasty sours that lean into nostalgic flavors, real and imagined. Those range from orange cream- sicle to Bantha Milk, a beer inspired by the creamy blue milk from the yak-like crea- tures in “Star Wars.” Kitsune is brewing solid traditional styles, too. Sip on Forager, a juicy, hazy IPA, or the malty Fox Diver Brown. The brewery keeps the energy going with a regular rotation of events and food trucks, and it hosted the first Tomodachi Beer Fest in the spring. Saddle Mountain Brewing Co. 15651 W. Roosevelt St., Goodyear Whether you live in the West Valley or not, Saddle Mountain Brewing Co. and its award-winning beer are worth the drive. This Goodyear destination is both a brewery and full-service restaurant with pub classics like pretzels and wings and Southwest favorites such as Pork Chili Verde and fajitas. All pair well with the brewery’s craft beer creations, including Sun Scorched Kolsch and West Coast IPA Hop Snob. Taildragger Clan-Destine, a Scottish-style ale, is the proud winner of five Great American Beer Festival medals, making this brew a must-try for beer fans in the Valley. Wren House Brewing Co. 2125 N. 24th St. Ask anyone in town about their favorite brewery, and you’ll probably hear the name Wren House Brewing Co. thrown around. This cult-favorite spot has a large following, and for good reason. It’s tucked into a cozy cottage on 24th Street that feels like a friend’s living room. Tiny plastic dinosaurs dot the back of the bar. There’s a brewery cat named Gravy, and last but not least, the beer is excellent. Keep an eye out for rotating specials and seasonal drops that sell out quick, or saddle up to the wood-topped bar for a staple brew, such as the refreshing Valley Beer lager or the multi-award-winning IPA Spellbinder. And, if you want to get your international beer-drinker passport stamped, with a side of Wren House brews, wine, cider and food from James Beard Award-nominated chef Derek Christensen, check out the brew- ery’s sibling beer hall, Wren Südhalle in Ahwatukkee. 12 West Brewing Co. 12 W. Main St., Mesa 3000 E. Ray Road, Barnone Building 6, #110, Gilbert From the outside, this storefront along Main Street in Mesa looks like a restaurant with a patio. What’s unexpected is the cavernous space that opens up just inside the doors at 12 West Brewing Co. This two- story brewery feels reminiscent of an old- school beer hall, a space where the community gathers and slides steins down the bar. Service here is a little more refined than that, but the vibe is fun, casual and craft. The space is a full-service restaurant, taproom, cocktail bar and bottle shop all rolled into one. Order a 12 West Burger, fries, and a pint of award-winning Zona Pils for a classic brewery dinner, or switch things up a bit with an order of Fish and Chips and a Blap! Blap! blood orange wheat. The Main Street restaurant opened in 2019 and is the second location of 12 West; the first is a small taproom, which opened in 2016, inside of Barnone at Agritopia in Gilbert. Wren House (top left), Kitsune Brewing Co. (with owner Tyler Smith, top right) and 12 West Brewing Co. make some of the best beer in the Valley. (Photos by Brewers Association, Sara Crocker and 12 West Brewing Co.)
