With the popularity of local breweries and bars near campus, a question lingers: Is there money to be made with more microbreweries in the Valley?
Phoenix Ale Brewery hopes to answer that question with the opening of their 15,700-square-foot facility. It opened at the end of September to the public but was founded in 2010.
Co-owners Greg Fretz and George Hancock are beer industry veterans. Fretz has been in the industry for 17 years and Hancock was the founder of Seattle’s Pyramid Breweries. Washington state was the inspiration for the owners. In Washington, there are at least 150 microbreweries, while in Arizona, there were only 25 before Phoenix Ale Brewery opened.
“We want to supply people with local fresh beers,” Hancock says.
Hancock says local beers are great for the local economy and they are environmentally friendly because less transportation is need. More importantly, they are fresh, and freshness is key when it comes to beer. Fretz says the brewery is trying to appeal to a demographic that drinks better beer – and a subset of that demographic is students.
“The student of today is probably more fluent than most of the population when it comes to beer,” Fretz says.
The brewery sits between the Tempe and Downtown campuses along the light rail line at the 38th and Washington streets stop – an ideal locale for students. When visiting the brewery, you can check out the vessels during a tour of the brewery, have a complimentary tasting and gain some beer knowledge.
The educational visitors center is open from 12 to 5 p.m. during the week and from 12 to 3 p.m. on the weekend. You can also purchase six-packs, single beers, growlers and kegs. If you purchase a pint for $5, you get to keep the glass.
Phoenix Ale Brewery specializes in unfiltered beers. The flavored, unfiltered beers tend to have more character, boasting a much different texture on your tongue and taste buds. Some examples of more popular unfiltered beers are Sierra Nevada and Blue Moon.
Fretz says unfiltered beers are a different category of beer no other brewery focuses on. The owners of the brewery also prefer unfiltered beers for the nutritional value.
Yes, you read that right – nutritional value.
“When you filter beer you take out all of the yeast and vitamins,” says Fretz.
If you’ve been looking for a beer that will give you less of a headache on Sunday morning, according to Hancock, the solution is unfiltered beer.
“A hangover with an unfiltered beer is a lot different than a filtered beer,” he says.
If you don’t want to stop by the brewery, many local restaurants (Coach & Willies, Filmbar and The Hermosa Inn) are now carrying Fretzy’s on tap . Local beverage stores such as AJ’s, BevMo! and Total Wine are also selling six-packs and bottles.
“I’m passionate about good beer. Beer brings people, culture and the sharing of ideas together,” says Fretz.
The brewery currently has three beers coming out of its doors right now, Fretzy’s Unfiltered Ale, Camelback IPA and Watermelon Flavored Wheat Ale. The brewers also plan on creating at least four styles of beer as well as seasonal and limited-edition ales.
Fretzy’s Unfiltered Ale Style: English Pale Ale ABV: 5 percent Fretzy’s has a clear honey gold to amber color. The immediate profile of Fretzy’s is malt-driven with a modest hop flavor. It’s a good beer for someone who is unfamiliar with microbrews or unfiltered beers because it isn’t very bitter and has a sweet honey hint to it. Fretzy’s flavor isn’t too overpowering so it could be paired with a lot of different kinds of food. Anything from a salad to seafood to rich cheeses would enhance the experience.
Camelback IPA Style: India Pale Ale ABV: 6.1 percent Its color is medium amber with a nice froth on top. Camelback immediately has a more intense flavor than Fretzy’s. It is a much spicier beer with a strong hop flavor. It is also bitterer than Fretzy’s. Because Camelback has such a strong flavor profile it would pair well with a steak.
If you go… 3200 E. Washington Street, Phoenix 602-275-5049, phoenixbrew.com.
Reach the reporter at cavohs@asu.edu
