14
Neighbors
February 2018
www.GilbertSunNews.com
What’s on tap? New brewery owners spill out BY GSN STAFF
Since Arizona Wilderness Brewing Company opened its doors in 2013 and gained worldwide renown, home-grown breweries have been hopping over to Gilbert to open up shop, according to town staffers. In 2016, Gilbert welcomed 12 West Brewing Company to Barnone in Agritopia. In a few weeks, Gilbert will be home to four new craft beer establishments. Here’s what the owners shared:
Jessie Rowe III of The Brass Tap
Concept: An American craft beer bar and restaurant. Who will own it? J. Rowe Enterprises: Individual owners are Jessie Rowe III, Jessie Rowe IV, Jason Rowe, and Don Byus. Jason will be the general manager and Byus will be around the bar. On tap: Sixty-five rotating beers on tap, mainly concentrating on American craft beer with an emphasis on local craft beers. Additionally, on draft will be root beer, cold-pressed coffee, three wines, and a traditional and mango margarita. The food menu will pair well with beer and offer weekly specials. Why Gilbert? Gilbert is one of the fastest growing towns in the U.S. and the Downtown Heritage District is a hip, thriving and growing location. Other tidbits to share: Jessie Rowe III is retired from the United States Air Force. His sons Jessie IV and Jason served four years each in the Air Force and Navy, respectively. Byus worked at Santa Fe Brewing as a sales representative. The Brass Tap supports charities such as the Special Operations Warrior Foundation and the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center, and organizes events such as the Beer Mile, Autism Fundraising Golf Tournament, trivia nights, live music Fridays and Saturdays, beer schools, and Hosting New Brewery. The Brass Tap’s original location opened in 2014 in Mesa Riverview. Details: 313 N. Gilbert Road, Suite 100. brasstapbeerbar.com.
Sara Cotton of Flying Basset Brewing
Concept: The seating area will have a game room with cornhole, shuffleboard and ping pong, a dog-friendly patio and brew area. Other features include a full bar and kitchen. The menu offers burgers, sandwiches, salads and appetizers such as nachos, poutine, tots and wings. Who will own it? Husband and wife team Robert Gagnon and Sara Cotton. Gagnon has been a commercial airline pilot for the past 15 years and took off a couple years to learn the brewing industry first-hand as a brewer for BJ’s in Chandler. Sara has been an ICU nurse for the past 15 years and an assistant garage brewer for the past seven. On tap: Twenty-two taps filled with the current Great American Beer Festival medal winners and one of their own. Other tidbits to share: Their pet Basset Hounds, Lt. Dan and Angela Basset
Hound, inspired the brewery’s name. Details: 720 W. Ray Road. flyingbassetbrewing.com.
Jonathan Lane of O.H.S.O. Brewery
Concept: A family-friendly restaurant partial to dogs, bikes and oriented toward the community. On top of providing a good meal, beer, glass of wine or cocktail, it promises to create a comfortable space for a day out, business meeting or large party. Who will own it? Jonathan Lane of Frosty Gilbert will run it with the guidance of business partner Brian Roehrich. The building is owned by David Beckham’s company, Beckham Gumbin Ventures. Lane’s restaurateur wife, Carri Gardner, owns The Covenant in Phoenix. On tap: The two-story brewery will make 20 half-barrel kegs at a time and focus on lagers, IPAs and big-barrel aged
Sommer Decker of Desert Monks Brewing Co.
(Photos Special to GSN)
Jason Rowe at The Brass Tap in Mesa Riverview; he is a partner and general manager of The Brass Tap in Gilbert.
Flying Basset Brewing is named after a pair of Basset Hounds owned by owners Robert Gagnon and Sara Cotton.
beers. Of the 36 taps of beer, roughly 50 percent will be made in-house, 30 percent will be made in Arizona, and the rest will rotate with ciders, national and international beers. Why Gilbert? “Gilbert is the first place I lived in the Valley. I moved here in 1990, and we have been interested in the area since we started to expand in 2013.” Other tidbits to share: “I met my wonderful wife at our original O.H.S.O. location, and we are expecting a baby right before we open.” The brewery plans to open by April. Details: 335 N. Gilbert Road. ohsobrewery.com.
Concept: Tap room and brewery. A place to spend an afternoon or evening with a beverage for the perfectly imperfect. In European beer-garden style, the brewery will be a “family-friendly” place to enjoy a great local beer or craft soda, play a game, read a book or make a new friend. It aims to have beer styles on tap for any beer drinker, light or dark, hoppy or not. No intention to be the “hippest” place in town, just the most enjoyable. A rotation of food trucks will come by to encourage guests to purchase food. Who will own it? Partners Arturo Ruiz, Daniel Rosales-Yeomans, Jose Hinojosa, John Decker and Sommer Decker. On tap: It’s still being determined, but likely will include a hop-forward Belgianstyle blonde ale, chocolate porter, cherry kolsch-style ale that has won over wine enthusiasts, solid and smooth Belgianstyle Tripel, Smoked Hefeweizen (tastes a bit like bacon), rounded out with seasonal and experimental small-batch brews and a few tap handles shared with local craft brewers. The craft soda taps will likely include a honey vanilla cream soda, brown sugar root beer and ginger ale. Why Gilbert? “We love the growth and forward thinking of the town. The area is family- and professional-friendly, with a palpable energy. It’s also an area that is just starting to see craft breweries come to the market.” Other tidbits to share: The brewery plans to open doors in late March or early April. Details: 1094 S. Gilbert Road, Suite 1094. 480-525-7444 or desertmonksbrewing.com.