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Dear Jim,
Phoenix and Four Peaks Brewing Company go together
like baklava and beer, don't you think? (Beer DOES go
great with anything, right? RIGHT?) What we mean to
say is, above-average temperatures, above-average
beer: truly, a pairing for the ages.
It's another hotter than h-e-double-hockey-sticks
summer here in the desert, and cold beer is good for
quenching thirst . . . numbing yourself to the heat . . .
and showering, if you are so lucky. In short, beer is
good for everything, at all times, rain or SHINE, SHINE,
SHINE. We advise you to kick back, have a cold Four
Peaks beer and read up on this month's "brews" -- fit or
unfit to print, it's too hot to sweat it, right? Enough
already.
| Dog Days Summer Ale - A "Lone Wolf Kind of Beer" |
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Four Peaks Head Brewmaster Andy Ingram has been
brewing for a long, long, long time. But he's never seen
anything like this.
In July, he will unveil a completely unique brew just in
time for the hottest days of the year: Dog Days
Summer Ale. Dog Days is light in color. It has medium
bitterness and is characterized by a big hop aroma. But
the beer is not light or small by any means. At 5.5 - 6
percent alcohol by volume, it is what Ingram calls a "big
summer ale."
A rare combination of three hop varietals -- Simcoe,
Cascade and Magnum -- give the beer the unique flavor
and aroma that land it somewhere between an IPA and
an English Best Bitter. For example, Four Peaks' Raj IPA
weighs in at 64 hefty International Bitterness Units, or
IBUs. The 8th Street Ale, on the other hand, packs a
modest punch at 22 IBUs. Dog Days possesses a
comfortable -- but very flavorful -- 30 IBUs.
Ingram's decision to brew such a beer stemmed from a
deep and nagging curiosity about the chemical reactions
that take place among the human palate, human brain
and light beer. "Everyone's brewing all this light crap.
Screw 'em," said Ingram.
Learn about the brewing process . . . »
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| Buy our beer at Basha's |
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Again, thanks to the "Luke Skywalker of Beer Sales" Ted
Golden, you can now buy Four Peaks in the bottle at 85
Basha's locations throughout the state.
According to Golden, who has managed to grow sales in
two short years by some otherworldly percent (check
last month's brewsletter for details), 55 Basha's will
carry Kiltlifter in the bottle. An additional 30 Basha's will
carry 8th Street in the bottle. Golden, once again,
proves he is truly a force with which to be reckoned.
Maybe you could shop online at Basha's and buy the beer that way? Click here to see. »
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| New Draught Handles On Their Way! |
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Our handles will be getting a facelift. Keep your eyes
peeled when you're out and about in the valley and
around the state for a
jazzed-up version of our classic original. We'll keep you
posted on the release date.
Back to the brewery . . . »
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| New Packaging for Cases of Beer! |
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We know you were wondering when this would happen.
Well, hallelujah, now the time has finally come. Not only
will the handles be changing for the better, so will our
drab cardboard case packaging for bottles. The new
cases are white with pretty artwork and are much,
much more tasteful. Rest assured they'll coordinate
better with nearly any beer cooler, fridge or recycle bin.
In a single word: sexy.
Back to the brewery . . . »
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| Uncle Bear's Bar & Grill: Come, Sit and Stay |
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One visit to Uncle Bear's Bar & Grill in Gilbert and you'll
never have to be told to "come, sit and stay" twice.
You'll do it voluntarily -- perhaps habitually -- from that
point forward. Named after co-owners Todd and Liz
Carey's black Labrador mix Bear, the restaurant puts
several unique twists on the traditional bar and grill.
Co-owner Josh Allison said the bar is designed to loosely
appear as a collection of places Bear would most likely
hang
out. Large red garage doors hover above the bar. A
corner of the bar is designed to look like the exterior of
a house -- the "backyard." Allison's and the Carey's
intentions were to build a place with a fun, relaxing
family atmosphere. Peanut shells litter the floor. Lots of
TVs -- 17 regular and 2 big-screens -- broadcast every
kind of major league and football game a sports-lover's
heart could desire. A newly-completed game room
houses shuffleboard, pool tables, darts and video games
for kids. The service and the staff also succeed in
creating a warm, comfortable place to eat some great
food, drink some good beer and enjoy the company of
friends and family.
Bear's influence is everywhere. Paw prints mark Bear's
favorite items on the menu, such as prime rib sliders,
the thai chicken pasta and the turkey avocado melt. A
special burger on the menu -- "Herd's Burger Style" --
even gets TWO paw prints. No matter what you order,
however, the food is always good. To wash it down, you
can drink either Kiltlifter and/or 8th Street Ale . . . or
any of the other five draught or who-knows-how-many
bottled beers.
Uncle Bear's Bar and Grill plans all kinds of special
events throughout the year. DJs and live bands play
there on a regular basis, and happy hours (regular and
reverse) happen throughout the week. They serve food
until 12:30 a.m. and kick into breakfast when football
season rolls around. One more thing -- if you have a
dog you're particularly proud of, you can bring in an
8X10
print in a black frame and the staff will put it up on
Bear's doggy wall of fame. Go to Uncle Bear's. Sit down.
Stay for awhile. You don't have to beg for good food,
good beer or
a good time at Uncle Bear's.
Find out more about Uncle Bear's . . .
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