Arizona’s Four Peaks named America’s favorite craft brewery
Oct 8, 2014, 1:54 PM | Updated: 4:17 pm
PHOENIX — There’s a new champion in the craft beer world: Tempe, Ariz.-based Four Peaks has been named America’s favorite craft brewery.
The brewery earned the nod in a three-week nationwide vote held by the Travel Channel.
“We appreciate all of the support from Four Peaks’ fans around the state and around the country,” Randy Schultz of Four Peaks said in a press release. “The recognition of our beer and brew pub is nice, and our brewers and staff in the kitchen and on the floor deserve all the credit.”
What is there to love about Four Peaks? According to the Travel Channel, a lot:
The brewery offers excellent, award-winning beer that appeals to all connoisseurs, ranging from the Kilt Lifter Scottish-style ale to the Hop Knot IPA. For seasonal beers and cask-conditioned ales, be sure to visit a Four Peaks pub. And if you love a game of darts, stop and play a game — the loser may just have to down an entire Oatmeal Stout shake.
Personally, we think leaving out the immensely popular seasonal Pumpkin Porter was a crime, but since Arizona won, we’ll let it slide.
Oh, did we mention Four Peaks beers are now available at Costco?
“We’ll toast to that,” Schultz said. “It’s nice recognition not only for us, but for the entire Arizona craft beer scene as well.”
Arizona is no stranger to good beer. Earlier this year, Wilderness Brewing Company in Gilbert was voted the best new brewery in the world.
Arizona has earned plenty of recognition when it comes to beer.
• Arizona Wilderness Brewing Company, Gilbert: RateBeer.com voted the brewery the best new brewery in the entire world for 2014. The world! What now, Colorado?
• Four Peaks Brewing Company, Tempe: The World Beer Cup has awarded gold medals to the brewery’s Sunbru Kolsch Style and Hop Knot India Pale Ale. The 8th St. English Style Ale and Kilt Lifter Scottish Ale have also won bronze.
• Lumberyard Brewing Company, Flagstaff: This company’s IPA was awarded the gold medal at the AmeriCAN Craft Beer Festival two years in a row.
• Mother Road Brewing Co., Flagstaff: Trip Advisor’s FlipKey travel site voted this brewery as the best brewery in Arizona.
• Oak Creek Brewing Co., Sedona: These brewers have consistently won gold medals from both the North American Brewers’ Association and the Great American Beer Festival.
• SanTan Brewing Co., Chandler: MensHealth magazine named SanTan the best Arizona beer in a series called “32 Teams, 32 Beers,” which highlighted the best beer for each state with an NFL team. It also released its tasty Oktoberfest.
Despite the recent accolades, Arizona was ranked the 16th-worst state for beer in the U.S. by Thrillist. Maybe the new Four Peaks ranking will convince those guys to come back, have a cold one and rethink their system.
