In our monthly series of putting the spotlight on a Valley brewery, we stopped by Pedal Haus in Tempe where a true-to-style European beer is always on tap.
Locations: Mill Ave. & 7th St. in Tempe; Arizona Ave & Boston in Chandler; new Downtown Phoenix location coming in March 2021.
Founded: 2015
The Talent: Owner Julian Wright and Head Brewer Derek ‘Doc’ Osborne.
Story Behind the Name: There’s a big European influence to Pedal Haus. Wright was born in France and still travels to Europe frequently. “Cities there are community-oriented, they bike a lot and are overrun with bikes in a good way,” he says. “Tempe is a bike friendly community in the same way, so that’s where Pedal comes from. Haus is for our commitment to brewing German-style lagers.”
Flagship Beer: Day Drinker light lager. Although Pedal Haus didn’t brew this light beer until year two of its existence, it has become its staple. Day Drinker took home a silver medal from the Great American Beer Fest in 2018 and has won more medals than any beer they’ve ever brewed.
October is the perfect time to resume our love for patio dining in the Valley – and perhaps no one does it better than Pedal Haus Brewery. The main hub location in downtown Tempe features one of the larger patios you’ll find in the Valley. The 14,000-square-foot location allows for plenty of customers while still being able to maintain appropriate social distancing. The new location in Chandler was designed in the same style.
“I personally love dining on patios, especially if the restaurant or bar puts focus on the décor,” Wright says. “Our patio has brick pavers, lots of landscaping, firepits in the winter, cabanas in the summer, ping pong, cornhole. You can spend some serious quality time out there and not get bored.”
You won’t get bored taking the next step in the beer business, either. Pedal Haus plans to open its third location along Roosevelt Row in Phoenix next year. It’s going on the backside of the monOrchid building on 2nd Street and Wright promises it will have the biggest kitchen of his three locales.
Expanding beyond the restaurant is also in the future. Wright is currently looking for a wholesale opportunity to can Pedal Haus beer. “We sure missed an opportunity not having canned beer during this COVID closure,” he says. “A lot of people are buying at the store and drinking beer at home.”
Wright’s game plan is to get onto store shelves, but first he wants to perfect the can design.
“I’m really particular what it looks like. I want it to look like beer. I’ve seen some creative designs out there, looks like mural art. The can, in my opinion, should reflect that brand voice of looking like true-to-style beer that we brew.”
Staying true to style has resulted in a trophy case full of awards. Pedal Haus brewers create their Belgian Wit using yeast from Belgium, coriander and Moroccan orange peel. The winning recipe earned a gold medal at Copa Cervezas de Americas in 2019 and gold at the Great American Beer Festival in 2018.
“Pedal Haus feels like it’s starting to come into its own as far as a brand and a known commodity,” Wright says.
With an award-winning past and expansion on the horizon, the Tempe brewery appears poised to grab a chunk of the Valley craft beer market in 2021.
Wings are smoked in house giving it flavor and making it tender. The chef doesn’t have to over fry the wings because it’s cooked already from the smoker.
Read the Thirsty Thursday blog each week in our Desert Digest section of the PHOENIX website and mobile app.
Is there an Arizona brewery you’d like to see featured next month? Email me a suggestion at matthew.johnson@citieswestmedia.com
Cheers!
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