In the latest edition of our monthly series, we meet the team behind PHX Beer Co., a brewery that takes pride in pumping out more than local flavor.
Locations: Taproom in east Phoenix and restaurant in Scottsdale. They also have a spot inside Terminal 3 at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. (The 7th Street Central Kitchen location remains closed)
Founded: 2019
The Talent: Headed by brewery director Adam Wojcik, Head brewers Eric Walter and Jason “Popeye” Marhle
Story Behind the Name: The name PHX Beer Co. comes from love for the Phoenix community and the desire to represent the handful of native Phoenicians who operate the brewery.
Must-Try Beer: IPA
Walk into the brewery and taproom on 30th and Washington streets on the right day and you’ll be in aromatic heaven. There’s nothing quite like the waft of Sonoran White Chocolate Ale, especially after it was canned earlier in the day at the PHX Beer Co. facility. “The brewing days are even better,” notes Wojcik. “It smells like rain!”
The smell of rain has been a rare occurrence lately here in the Valley, but the sight of a PHX Beer Co. IPA or Arizona Gold six-pack on store shelves is not. Those two flagships along with Sonoran Brewing’s White Chocolate Ale (not PHX’s brand, but they brew it, can it and distribute it) have wide distribution throughout the Phoenix area and allow for more creativity behind the scenes.
“We pay our bills with the core beers, but we want to give the beer lovers something different to try from time to time,” Wojcik says. “That’s part of today’s craft beer world is maintaining relevance by creating new things.”
The newest addition to the lineup at PHX Beer Co. is an unnamed blood orange variant of Far Beyond Pale Ale, and it’s quickly become one of the most popular beers on tap.
“We found a way to take one of our existing recipes and infuse blood orange into the beer. It turned out incredible,” Wojcik says. Alec Barney, the bartender busy filling his countertop with full growlers agrees, adding that it might be the fastest selling new release he can remember.
“Some might confuse the blood orange pale ale with an IPA because of the hop profile on it,” Wojcik says. “It’s a little more full than a traditional pale ale would be, but we’re all about being different. We take pride in that.”
PHX Beer Co. can also be proud of their efforts to give back to the local community. As part of their “Help Our Healthcare Heroes” initiative, the brewery is asking its customers in the month of August for a $12 donation to cover the cost of a Brew Crew Family Meal to serve doctors, nurses and staff at HonorHealth hospitals.
(Food photos courtesy Liz Lastra, Evolve Marketing)
Taproom and brewery location
3002 E. Washington Street, Phoenix
602-275-5049
phxbeerco.com
Restaurant location
8300 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale
480-571-8645
A west coast-style IPA brewed with oats is due out next month and the brewers are starting to experiment with barrel-aged beers. Currently, a batch of Bird City Lager is sitting inside tequila barrels.
