A new brewery with a famous name and a lot of Valley sports firepower behind it has started its engine and is ready to race onto the Phoenix beer scene.
Michael Waltrip Brewing Company, currently headquartered in Texas, announced on Tuesday its official plan to open a brewery and taproom in the Phoenix area in late 2020. If you’re not familiar with Waltrip, just know he won the Daytona 500 twice, so he’s a pretty big deal in the racing world.
Post-racing career, Waltrip hopes to make it big in the craft beer world, stepping on the gas pedal in the Phoenix market. The brewery already has a few beers in distribution under the “Two-Time Lagers and Ales” brand. Blonde ale, Checkered Past coconut IPA and Vamanos Mexican-style lager are available at select bottle shops and restaurants around the Valley.
According to Bryan Sperber, CEO of Michael Waltrip Brewing, they’re not ready to announce the specific location for the taproom, with details still in development. More updates are expected in October. Some Valley sports fans will recognize Sperber for his tenure as president of ISM Raceway and his work on the Fiesta Bowl Board of Directors.
The company’s website also lists former ASU athletic director and Coyotes CEO Steve Patterson as a business partner.
“Michael has always loved Arizona for the racing and for golf,” Sperber says. “He spends a lot of time here and considers it a second home.”
In a press release, Waltrip’s ‘Two-Time’ beer brand promises to deliver a “better beer with a fun attitude.” The company’s social media pages show its products available at Craft Beer Hop Stop, a convenience store in north Phoenix, and at Keegan’s Grill on Camelback in Phoenix. Expect to see more on tap when the brewery opens its doors in the next few months.
“Our current lineup of beers represents Michael’s taste and are recipes that we started almost two years ago,” Sperber says. “Our intent will be to add to that lineup sometime next year. Michael and our team are already working on new recipes.”
