USA, AZ: Eight new breweries opening soon around metro Phoenix

Good news for craft beer fans, eight new breweries are bubbling up across metro Phoenix, AZCentral.com reported on February 23.

Six of those breweries are new to the Valley and are in varying states of construction and production. Some have already started selling beer, so look for new cans at local bottle shops.

Two established metro Phoenix breweries are also expanding with new locations, bringing their beer to new corners of the Valley.

Downtown Phoenix's Roosevelt Row is fast becoming a hub for breweries, and soon beer drinkers will have a few more options throughout the district. North Phoenix and Gilbert are also in the mix for new craft beer destinations.

Here are eight new breweries coming soon to metro Phoenix:

La Pequeña Brewing Company

Omar Zamora honed his brewing skills at Mother Bunch Brewing before the downtown Phoenix brewery and restaurant closed in early 2020. Despite the closure, he hasn't stopped making beer and now has his own business, La Pequeña Brewing Company.

While Zamora is still working on a physical location for the brewery, customers can try out his beers, which are being sold in cans at Craft Beer Hop Stop and Kings Beer & Wine.

White Elephant Brewing Company

White Elephant Brewing Company is a family-owned brewery being brought to life by the Quisenberrys including dad and head brewer Joel Quisenberry and others, according to posts on the new brewery's Instagram account. His daughters, chief operating officer Becca Quisenberry and assistant brewmaster Samantha Quisenberry, are taking leadership roles.

Joel Quisenberry has been a home brewer since 2015, according to the company's website, and over the course of the pandemic, decided to turn the hobby into a business. The new brewery is set to open this summer.

Wartega Brewing

Merlin Ward and Mimi Ortega founded Wartega Brewing in New York City. The Brooklyn-born brewery, named after a combination of the founders' last names, is now moving across country to set up in Phoenix. According to the brewery's Facebook page, the beers will be "inspired by historical ales and ancient ingredients from all around the world." The brewery was originally set to open in 2020, but experienced delays due to the pandemic.

Roses by the Stairs Brewing

A brewery named after Blink 182 is set to take over the old Easley's Costume Shop on McDowell Road in Phoenix. The '90s punk rock-inspired brewery is set to fill the bright yellow building, which is currently undergoing a transformation and trading costumes for craft beer. Brewing equipment and a bar will fill the indoor space and a large, dog-friendly patio will offer outdoor seating.

The outdoors and the environment are two cornerstones of the new brewery, as the company has pledged to donate 1% of all profits to environmental causes and plans to use local ingredients. Ham started this mission by building tables for the taproom out of recycled pallets. Roses by the Stairs is planned to open in May 2021.

Safe Haven Brewing

Owned by father and son team Rykert and Gus Fowler, Safe Haven Brewing is set to open along Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix this year. The brewery and taproom will focus on community and sustainability. According to the brewery's website, the name "safe haven" reflects a desire to create a space where craft beer novices and experts can feel comfortable.

Michael Waltrip Brewing Co.

Former NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip launched three beers in March and he has plans to open a Phoenix taproom to serve them. Named after the racer's two Daytona 500 wins, Two-Time Lagers & Ales beers, including a blonde ale, coconut IPA and Mexican-style lager are available now in bottle shops around Arizona. The taproom, adorned with memorabilia from Waltrip's racing days, is planned to open in north Phoenix in early 2021, according to the brewery's website.

State 48 Brewery

The sixth metro Phoenix location of State 48 Brewery is, "getting super close" to opening, according to its Facebook page. The brewery took over the space that previously held Gordon Biersch Brewery and Restaurant at the SanTan Village shopping center. Each of State 48 Brewery's locations have a unique name such as the Funk House in Glendale and Lager House in Scottsdale. The Gilbert location will be the brewery's Tap House.

Pedal Haus Brewery

Restaurateur Julian Wright owns the popular Tempe brewery and pub Pedal Haus and its second location in Chandler. Soon, the brewery will grow to three locations with the newest iteration opening along Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix.

Head brewer and craft beer expert Derek "Doc" Osborne will continue to brew his true-to-style beers at the Tempe brewery. Each of the additional locations operates as a taproom and restaurant.

The downtown Phoenix location is set to open at the MonOrchid building on Roosevelt Street and will be accompanied by Japanese restaurant and bar Sake Haus, another of Wright's new concepts moving into the area. The brewery is planned to open in spring.

22 February, 2021