You’d be hard-pressed to find something SanTan Brewing + Distilling doesn’t do well.
Since 2007, the East Valley beer powerhouse has produced award-winners such as MoonJuice (Arizona Craft Beer Awards) and Mr. Pineapple (World Beer Cup, GABF, U.S. Open). In the past decade, international competitions have awarded top prizes to SanTan spirits including Jacob Waltz bourbon and Sacred Stave whiskey. Its original Chandler brewpub is packed nightly and there’s usually something fun happening at the SanTan Gardens location every weekend.
So what’s left to conquer? Coffee, of course!
We caught up with SanTan managing partner Jamie Hoffman to discuss the matters of medals and mochas.
Congrats on the gold medal for the second year in a row for MoonJuice! Tell us about the beer and how it came to be the gold standard in the American IPA category.
MoonJuice was originally brewed under the name I.W.A. (India Wheat Ale), with 40% wheat in the mash bill to create an IPA that was a little less malty than a traditional IPA while still maintaining its full mouthfeel. The New Zealand hops were relatively new when we first started using them and we fell in love with the flavor they brought to the beer. They’ve since become widely used in craft brewing. The back-to-back gold medals are a nice recognition of the beer and the thought that went into creating it.
What is the beer or brewing philosophy at SanTan and how has it developed over time?
Our brewing philosophy goes right in line with our serving philosophy. We’ve always believed in brewing and serving beers that people want to drink. From a brewing standpoint, we brew slightly drier, more highly carbonated beers because we feel that creates a more refreshing brew to complement our hot, dry climate. When it comes to serving our beers, we’ve always believed that if someone is spending their hard-earned money on it, we should serve it to them however they want it. It was a refreshing change from a brewery where they refused to serve beer in a cold glass or with fruit.
Is SanTan more into distilling now than it is craft beer? Or what is the blend in terms of what you’re more passionate about?
Not even a little bit. Beer is who we are and distilling is an extension of who we are. We love most things beverage and put the same energy into every product we produce, but we are and always will be a brewery first. We also recently launched an all-day coffee program at SanTan Spirit House featuring Press Coffee. It’s another way we’re branching out while staying true to our beverage roots. From craft beer and spirits to now specialty coffee, our passion for bringing people quality beverages remains the same.
What will Halloween be like at your SanTan locations this year and what are some other events you have coming up?
SanTan Spirit House will have a special Halloween menu, themed decor and music, and SanTan Gardens will host a Grateful Dead Halloween show featuring Cosmic Coyote. The Brewpub will be a great spot for families to stop in before trick-or-treating or for anyone looking for a more low-key Halloween.
We also have a couple of fun things coming up next month. On Nov. 19, we’re hosting a Winter Warmer Vertical Tasting at the Brewpub, where we’ll pour different vintages of the beer dating back to 2018. It’s a cool way to taste how the beer changes over the years. Then on Nov. 23, we’ll celebrate Winter Warmer Day, an annual tradition marking the return of our 9.5% Strong English Ale. We’ll also have a new limited-edition Winter Warmer holiday sweater available.
