THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE JANUARY 2018
THE CRAFTMASTER
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BEER TENDERS Bartenders who really know their beer Alison Bailin Batz » The Entertainer!
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ounded in Colorado in 2013, Growler USA is a dog-friendly neighborhood pub dedicated to all things beer, with a special focus on local and regional craft beer offerings. In just three years, the company has expanded beyond Colorado to North Carolina, Texas, Oregon, Washington and even Hawaii. And now, thanks to self-proclaimed “beer nerd”/owner George Plescia, Growler USA has also found a home in the Valley.
WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES CRAFT BEER SPECIAL? Simply put, craft beer tastes better than the watered-down mass-produced beers. There’s a difference in taste, quality and the work that goes into craft beer. Craft beer offers more choices. With over 5,000 craft breweries each brewing numerous beers, there is something for everyone’s taste. Another cool benefit is, it’s easy to meet the people making the beer. Most people in the country live within 10 miles of a craft brewery. Go meet the people brewing the beer and support a local brewery. Craft beer makes for great times. Most conversations at the pub start with beer or a brewery experience and it’s great when our customers share their experiences with us. Life is too short to drink bad beer. HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN CRAFT BEER? In 1984, while in college at Chico State, I tried my first craft beer from a (then) little-known brewery in the neighborhood called Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. It was love at first sip and, clearly, I wasn’t the only one who fell for them. Today, they are one of the largest independent beer companies in the world. I moved to San Diego after graduation, just as the city was becoming a mecca for craft beer in the United States. It was perfect timing for me, by then a full-fledged beer nerd. I would spend the next three decades working in
politics in Southern California—most recently serving on the California State Assembly—before moving to Scottsdale with my family in 2013. I was pleasantly surprised at the beer movement happening all over Arizona, from Four Peaks’ juggernaut success to smaller outfits like Papago and Lumberyard earning accolade upon accolade on a national level. I wanted to be a part of it. Enter Growler USA.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT THE BEER CULTURE IN ARIZONA? While the history is not a long one— really just three decades—there is already so much depth to the local industry, and kudos. Take the granddaddy of them all, for example, Prescott Brewing Company. Though only founded in 1994, it is truly the oldest continuously running brewery in Arizona. But they never let being the new kids on the block stop them from really getting after it, garnering 32 national and international medals and awards for excellence in brewing, including the North American Brewers Association national competition, The Great American Beer Festival and the international World Beer Cup over the past 20 years. In 2011, the brewery built
a new off-site production plant to keep up with consumer demand, and then expanded again in 2015 to offer a slew of new canned beer offerings across the region. See, not a long history, but one that is writing its own story every single day.
WHY IS GROWLER USA THE PERFECT PLACE FOR CRAFT BEER? About 18 months ago, we set the wheels in motion to bring Growler USA to Arizona. Opened in September 2016 on High Street in North Phoenix (formerly City North), we boast more than 100 taps, 40 of which are dedicated to local craft beers and breweries. In fact, ten of our taps are reserved for hyperlocal breweries at all times -those that don’t even have distribution yet. Intimidated by the selection? Don’t be. We have several Cicerone Certified Beer Servers, who are on hand at all times to help guests select, sip and savor the best beers for their individual palates and tastes. We also offer several wines, sodas, kombucha tea and even nitro cold brew coffee from Press Coffee in Scottsdale on tap, as well as a full menu of lunch and dinner options. Our menu, as you would guess, features foods that specifically pair with our beers—food you actually want to
eat while drinking beer—such as freshly twisted pretzels, brat sliders and even homemade chips from spent grains at a local brewery. We also take pride in using as many locally sourced ingredients, including produce and baked goods, as possible.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BEERS? So, I have to show some love for the local ones right now. There are too many to pick one, but I really enjoy: • College Street Mariner Double IPA from College Street in Lake Havasu City • Helton Pilsner from Helton Brewing Company in Phoenix • Historic Undercover Cucumber from Historic Brewing Company in Flagstaff • Sun Up The Hoppler from Sun Up Brewing Co. in Phoenix • McFate Berlemoner Weiss from McFate Brewing Company in Scottsdale • Papago Orange Blossom from Papago Brewing Company in Scottsdale
Growler USA
5415 E. High Street, Phoenix, 480.454.4354, growlerusa.com. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM