There’s rarely a day that goes without something happening at Hundred Mile Brewing Co. in Tempe. Whether it’s an ASU football pre-game or a Sunday morning group run around Tempe Town Lake, if you’re looking for a cool spot to hangout with your people—this is the place to be.
Hundred Mile recently captured two gold medals at the 2026 Arizona Craft Beer Awards and is quickly becoming one of the more decorated, star-in-the-making breweries in the state. We caught up with owner Sue Rigler and head brewer Nick Macal to discuss craft beer wins, community and consistency.
Congrats on the gold medals for A-Mountain Amber and Czech, Please! Tell us about those beers and how they each came to be the gold standard in their categories.
Nick: Thank you—I am extremely flattered that Hundred Mile won gold with both Czech, Please! and A-Mountain Amber.
I believe they are the gold standard because we focus on continuous improvement. Sometimes we tweak the malt; other times it’s the water profile. Because we do not distribute, we don’t have to produce thousands of kegs that taste identical month after month. We can make small adjustments over time. Occasionally, alert regulars will ask, “Hey Nick, did you change something? This tastes awesome!” It’s not that the previous batch wasn’t great; it’s that we are never done refining our recipes.
Our A-Mountain Amber delivers a fantastic drinking experience—full of caramel, toffee, and subtle citrus hop notes, finished with a yeast strain that produces a brilliant beer. Its success is a collective effort. It combines recipes, advice, and ideas from my previous head brewer, insights shared by fellow brewers, and even happy accidents along the way. It’s as much about the process as the ingredients.
Czech, Please! is equally fun and versatile, whether you want to analyze its complexity or simply enjoy it with a meal. We craft it using specialty malt from ND Malting and Hops, combined with Saaz hops from Michigan and the Czech Republic (along with a dose from Abstrax in this latest batch).
What is the beer or brewing philosophy at Hundred Mile and how has it developed over time?
Sue: We keep our beer within a 100-mile radius, so it’s always fresh and Arizona local. That is why when asked, “would I have another,” we have many guests and locals that say, YES! We realize that time and money are limited resources, so we’re honored when people choose to spend both with us. Our goal is to make every visit the most enjoyable experience possible. We call it “Iowa Nice.” Over time that’s grown from individuals coming in solo to lasting friendships being formed. We love hosting events, like our weekly Sunday 8:30am Lap Around the Lake casual run/walk.
Nick: The brewing and beer philosophy are the same at Hundred Mile. We brew clean, true-to-style, easy-drinking beers. I prefer our beers to be bright, unless the style dictates some haze. This takes a lot of time because we do not filter or centrifuge our beer. Our guest beers complement our current lineup. The basic philosophy is: Would I have another one?
Outside of beer awards, you’ve been highly decorated with various business-related honors in the past few years. Does one stand out as the most cherished and why?
Sue: Being awarded the 2025 Business Woman of the Year in Tempe was pretty awesome. Also for the past two years, we’ve been voted Best Brewery and Craft Beer in Tempe!
What will Halloween be like at Hundred Mile this year and what are some other events you have coming up at the brewery?
Sue: We’re hosting AZ After Dark Comedy Night, and we’re releasing a limited-edition peanut butter chocolate stout called Love at First Bite. Our Witches Brew specialty cocktail is on the menu all October. Before that, there’s the Witches Regatta on Tempe Town Lake on Oct 24.
What’s the future look like for Hundred Mile?
Sue: To continue being a consistent loyal brand and a community hub. Our goal stays the same…fresh local beer and the best hospitality in Tempe.
Hundred Mile Brewing is pouring at the Arizona Craft Beer Fest in downtown Mesa on October 31. Get tickets today at tickets.phoenixmag.com
