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The Four Peaks Brewsletter
November  II
Thanksgiving Is Nigh 
Get Prepared for a Four Peaks Holiday Season

 

Can you believe that the month is almost over?  

 

Well, with the year wrapping up in a hurry things are moving almost equally fast here at your friendly neighborhood brewery. Seriously, the next few weeks are going to be chock full of non-stop excitement. Beginning with next week...

 

Ahh, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. One of the bigger drinking non-holidays of the year which, around these parts, traditionally has meant one thing and one thing only, the day greater Phoenix stops by to fill their growlers with Pumpkin Porter.

 

That is why it is with great pleasure that I can announce to you that WE WILL BE FILLING GROWLERS WITH PUMPKIN PORTER EXCLUSIVELY ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27th!  

Yes, we are beginning to prepare ourselves for the masses that will descend upon all 3 of our locations on that day. But bear in mind that we only have a finite amount of Pumpkin Porter left so if you put off getting your growler filled until later that evening it just might be all gone.  

 Pumpkin Logo 2013

WARNING: We cannot guarantee the all-day availability of Pumpkin Porter!  

 

In the meantime, don't forget that we are still selling Pumpkin Porter in 6-pack cans at all 3 Valley locations right now and will continue to do so until we're tapped out!

Pumpkin Porter cans are the way to go if you are getting ready to travel across country. So before you pack for that trip to visit your Aunt and Uncle in Michigan or Grandpa Joe up in Fargo, make sure you leave a little space to put the Pumpkin Porter cans!

Don't forget that we will be CLOSED THANKSGIVING at all of our locations. On the bright side, for all of those folks traveling out of Terminal 4 at Sky Harbor, our Airport location will be open from pretty much the crack of dawn that morning until the final U.S. Airways departure out of their concourse that evening (somewhere between 5 and 6pm!).

We will be open our regular hours on Friday, November 29th so as to cater to all of your Black Friday Craft Beer needs... you're welcome!

We have a lot of exciting things coming up in the month of December as well! From the 2013 incarnation of the Winter Wobbler--an augmented Mexican Chocolate Porter--to the arrival of our latest 12 oz. can offering, our multi-award winning 8th Street Ale (YES!! FINALLY!!), we still have plenty of fun in store for the final 40 or so days remaining in 2013, so stay tuned!

 

 

Cheers!

 

The Four Peaks Brewing Company  

We've Got All Your "Stuff" Needs
Make It A Very Special Holiday Season With These Fine Four Peaks Products
 

Now that the 2013 Holiday Shopping Season is in full swing, it's time to start sorting out just who is going to be getting what this year. Not to worry, you can find the finest in Four Peaks merchandise at our Four Peaks Online Store and at all 3 of our East Valley locations! That's right my friends, even our Tasting Room on Wilson will be providing you an avenue to do some shopping!

 

There are always the obvious choices, our traditional Mountain Logo and Kilt Lifter T's are the perfect go-to options for anyone on your list. If you're looking for something a little more on the seasonal side we have some new and exciting winter wear for 2013! From Limited Edition Winter Wobbler apparel to our brand new hoodies and a Sweatshirt cut just for the Ladies!

 

Have you seen our new line of "can-inspired" can koozies? We have them in all of our current can beer styles... including the Pumpkin Porter. Show the world what you'd rather be drinking--if you're not drinking it already! They'll keep your beer cold and your hands warm.   

 

For that hard to shop for beer enthusiast in the family, might I  suggest a Four Peaks "Oktoberfest" Beer Stein? These 22oz. ceramic beauties look just like the ones you might find in Germany without having to travel all the way there!

 

Looking for something a little more particular? Why not get a Four Peaks Tin Tacker? We have all your favorite styles represented now including Peach! Buy one or buy them all, they are the perfect accessory for your basement, game-room, man cave, or whatever the heck it's being called this year! 

 

When all else fails there's always the ever dependable Four Peaks Gift Card. If you're ever at a loss for what to get somebody or just looking to minimize shipping costs, a Four Peaks Gift Card at any denomination is the perfect way to go! 

 

So if you're looking to purchase a gift for a friend or relative that will set you apart, look no further! A Four Peaks Beer Steins, individual can koozies, long sleeve T's, tin tackers, iPhone cases and more are just the ticket for anyone on your list!

   

We'll be adding some more items to our online store in the weeks ahead so keep checking back!

Culinary Dropout Beer Dinner Coming Up In Scottsdale
 
Four Peaks will be the featured beverage for an outstanding looking beer dinner showcasing the talents of Chef Fred Flores at Culinary Dropout in Scottsdale on Thursday, December 5th!

Please join us as we dive into a great Autumn-inspired dining experience featuring the likes of Butternut Squash Soup, Beef Brisket and much, much more! Space is limited and tickets are now on sale for only $45 per person!


Call 480-970-1700 to reserve a spot!
 

Culinary Dropout Beer Dinner @ Scottsdale Waterfront

6:30pm Thursday, December 5th, 2013
$45/Person
  

1st Course

Warm Spinach Salad

Grilled Pork Belly, Poached Egg, Bacon Vinaigrette

**Hefeweizen**

 

2nd Course

Butternut Squash Soup

Winter Spiced Squash, Spicy Chorizo, Cr�me Freiche

**Pumpkin Porter**

 

3rd Course

Smoked Brisket

Aged Cheddar Biscuits, White Bean Succotash 

**8th Street Ale**

 

Dessert

Mascarpone Cheesecake

Chocolate Hops, Kumquat Sorbet

**Hop Knot IPA**

  

Click Here To Visit Culinary Dropout On The Web

Click Here To Check Them Out On Facebook
Four Peaks "Quickies"
Interesting Items and Precious Pics Featuring Four Peaks    

 

 

Pipes and Brews, A Match Made in Tartan Heaven- There will be bagpipe music ringing through the Irish Cultural Center grounds in Central Phoenix on December 8 and Four Peaks will be there to add to the Celtic festivities. Billed as A Piping Weekend, this annual event began in 2005 and has grown to include Bagpipe and Drumming students and competitors from throughout the Southwest.

 

Sunday is the culmination of three-day series of events and it's the one day open to the public. Check out competitions in Solo Bagpiping and Drumming and a Massed Bands Circle featuring representatives from several area pipe bands. There will be vendor booths, including food and beverages available for purchase, and a silent auction of unique piping and Celtic-themed items. Visitors can also take a tour of the Irish Cultural Center and the McLelland Irish Library during their stay. Hours are from 8:30am to 3:00pm with the Massed Bands Circle taking place around 2:30pm. General Admission is $5.00.

 

For more information, visit apipingweekend.com.

 

 

Tempe Fall Festival of the Arts Coming Soon- The Great Downtown Tempe tradition continues December 6th through the 8th as the 45th Tempe Fall Festival of the Arts takes place on Mill Avenue. This year Four Peaks will once again be joined by our friends at Sleepy Dog Brewing plus 2 new additions to the Tempe Brewing Scene, Cartel and Huss Brewing! As in previous years folks can either opt for a 4 oz. Taster Mug with 5 "taster tickets" for $10 or choose an individual pint for $5. "The Art of Beer" can be found all 3 days next to the Madcap Theater. 

Four Peaks Fields 1st Movember Team- The Four Peaks family is proud to be helping to raise awareness for men's health within the craft beer community through the formation of our very first Movember Team. We encourage both men and women to participate by joining or making a donation to the Four Peaks Team! To find out more please check out our Movember Site Homepage here!
 
Fantastic Fan Photo! 
 
Ahh, Pumpkin Porter.

You know it, you love it, you can't live without it...until it runs out, that is. But some folks just aren't as fortunate as others, especially if they no longer live in the Valley and can't get their hands on this Seasonal fave. We can only speculate as to how they go about their lives without it...

Such is the case with Cameron and Jessica Gidari. Although they now live in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, NYC, they no longer have the ease of access to Pumpkin Porter that they used to. That all changed for a brief moment on their wedding day last month when their friends Michela and David surprised them with their wedding gift...


Thanks for sharing these photos of your special day with us, Jessica, hopefully the groom didn't get too jealous!

Craft Chat with The Beer Czar
Giving Thanks for Beer  

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I thought we could take a minute to give thanks for something so near and dear to us all, beer!  

 

Beer and Thanksgiving have gone together since, well, since the very beginnings of the holiday. I am sure most of us fans of beer have been asked by more then one friend, on more then one occasion "did you know the pilgrims stopped in Plymouth because they were out of beer?"' Pretty much common knowledge these days thanks in part to Jim Koch and his Sam Adams TV commercial a few years back. This is, however, at least in part very true. It was pilgrim William Bradford that wrote in his journal "We could not now take much time for further search, our victuals being much spent, especially our beer,"  in the fall of 1620, while anchored off Cape Cod, MA, premature of their planned destination of Virginia. While it may not be the only reason they stopped there, beer obviously played at least a role. After all, beer was a vital component to sea travel back then. It didn't spoil as fast as water did, and it was not nearly as intoxicating as rum was, so it was the preferred means of hydration on board sea going vessels of the day.

 

So, beer did play a part in where the Pilgrims landed, it also played a part in their every day life there as well. In fact, John Alden, one of the founders of the Plymouth colony, and signer of the Mayflower Compact, was in fact a cooper that made beer barrels. British law at the time required that "whosoever shall carry beer beyond the sea," had to bring along someone who could repair and craft replacement beer barrels.

 

Once setting foot on dry land on Plymouth Rock, where what is now Plymouth Mass, one of the first priorities for the settlers (aside from simply just staying alive) was to establish a brew house where they could make their beer. Using everything from local native corn to pine needles, whatever they could find to make it, they would use. I am sure the Pilgrims first few batches weren't very close to what we've come to enjoy today however (probably better however then my first few attempts at home brewing). In the first year, the early settlers were not real successful at much of anything, including making beer. Until, as luck would have it, early in their first spring in the new world, their first contact was made with what was left of the native population of the area (most were killed by small pox, courtesy of earlier explorers and fisherman to the area). It was on March 16, 1621, a native survivor walked out of the woods and into their settlement, and much to their surprise I am sure, said to them "Welcome, English. I am Samoset. Do you have beer?" (coincidentally, Samoset learned to speak English from English fisherman that stopped to fish around the banks off Monhegan Island, off the coast of Maine, an island I used to spend my summers on back in college).

 

So you see, beer flows deep in the veins of this American tradition. So it makes sense that we should enjoy beer on it, so  why wouldn't we, why shouldn't we? Besides, here in Arizona, we beer lovers certainly have a lot to be thankful for. It wasn't long ago, when I remember Four Peaks being a small pub, and pretty much the only local option for those of us looking to find finer beer options. Well, now, Four Peaks isn't exactly "small" anymore and there is a rapidly growing beer scene and culture here in the valley (as well as the entire state) that we should all be proud of, and especially this time of year, thankful for. Seems hardly a week goes by these days that we aren't hearing about a new brewery opening here, or another brewery expanding there. It's a great time to be a fan of beer here in Arizona, so lets not take it for granted. Let us raise a local glass, and toast not only to the wonderful brewers and brewery workers bringing us our favorite beers today, let us toast to those early settlers (and brewers) that helped us get it all started, it couldn't have been easy, they deserve it!

 

Until next time

Bottoms up my friends

 

The Beer Czar

 

 

*The Beer Czar--a.k.a.: Ken Morrison--is a local beer fan & blogger. Having lived in the valley for 20 years, and blogging for about the last 5, he is a huge fan of beer and the beer lifestyle. He tries to keep the "fun" in beer, while also giving beer the respect it deserves. He is also a huge fan of showcasing and promoting the fabulous and ever growing Arizona beer scene.

 

He lives in Gilbert with his wife Kristin, 3 daughters and his dog Lucy.... he can be found online at thebeer-czar.com

In This Issue
Thanksgiving Is Nigh
We've Got Your Stuff
Culinary Dropout Beer Dinner
Four Peak Quickies
Craft Chat with The Beer Czar
Grill & Tap Dispatch
Local Love
The Tasting Room Reporter
Food Truck Schedule
Calendar

Thursday, Nov. 28th- We will be CLOSED at all 3 locations for the Thanksgiving holiday

Friday, Nov. 29th-
WE WILL OPEN AT OUR REGULAR HOURS!

Dec 6th - Dec.8th- We'll be at The Tempe Fall Festival of the Arts on Mill Ave., drop by and check us out.

Monday, Dec. 9th- Release of Winter Wobbler 2013, more information to come 

Sunday, Dec. 15th- Our Four Peaks Holiday Party, we will be closing our doors upon the conclusion of the final NFL afternoon game so we can take out our staff

Tues., Dec. 24th-
Christmas Eve, ALL LOCATIONS WILL BE CLOSED 
 
Wed., Dec. 25th- Christmas Day
, ALL LOCATIONS WILL BE CLOSED

Thurs., Dec. 26th- Boxing Day, ALL LOCATIONS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE OPEN! 
 
Cask & Seasonals

8th Street- Tempe
Dry Hopped Raj IPA &
Kilt Lifter



Wilson Street- Tempe
Dry Hopped Hop Knot


Grill & Tap- Scottsdale
Dry Hopped Raj IPA
 

Seasonal Selections:
Pumpkin Porter & Poppin' Pils
 
Links & Resources
GRILL & TAP DISPATCH

 

Cheers!

It's such a beautiful time of year, and the perfect time to be enjoying all of the delicious Four Peaks brews that we have available at the Grill & Tap.We just tapped up some Bourbon Barrel Aged Sirius Black to keep your belly warm now that the temperature is dropping, and some dry-hopped Raj is on cask for support.Of course we still have all of your favorite Four Peaks brews including the delicious Poppin' Pils Lager if you find yourself in need of a reprieve from your holiday shopping.

As we move closer to Thanksgiving and into December, we will be loading up on all of the fashionable Four Peaks winter merchandise that you are seeing out on the streets, and you can also expect to see a winter cocktail menu including Egg Nog and Cider while we wait for this year's Winter Wobbler. We will have Pumpkin Porter cans available while it lasts so don't delay, pick up some six packs today and enjoy a safe, wonderful, warm Thanksgiving!
 
 

 
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Local Love

From the Journal of Alyssa Medina:

VinciTorio's

1835 E Elliot Rd, C-109  
Tempe, AZ 85284  
Mon-Thu: 11am-9pm 
Fri-Sat:  11am-10pm 
Sun:  12pm-8pm  

If you've been searching for some of the best Italian food in the valley, you're going to want to get over to VinciTorio's in Tempe. Handmade pasta, daily specials, live music 5 days a week, and a cozy, authentic atmosphere make this family-owned restaurant a local favorite. 

Monday through Friday from 11am to 2pm, they offer a fresh lunch buffet for under $10 that includes a wide variety of their homemade pasta, sauces, and sides. They also have hand formed dough pizzas and strombolis, paninis, and all the comforting Italian appetizers and desserts you could ever want. 

And while the wine list is impressive (over 13 pages!), they also carry a few beers to wash down all that pasta. With happy hour every day until 6pm, draft beers are 2 for $6 - so you can have two of your favorite Four Peaks brews and not feel guilty: pick from a rotating selection of Kilt Lifter, Peach Ale, Hop Knot, 8th Street, and maybe even Pumpkin Porter!
 
The Tasting Room Reporter and Wilsonian

 

Don't forget, we're holding two daily brewery tours exclusively at our Wilson location on Saturdays!

 

Here are the details:

  • Saturdays as 2:30 and 4pm. Tour take approx. 30 minutes.
  • Tours are $10 per person
  • Closed toed shoes are required - NO SANDALS OR FLIP-FLOPS!!
  • Each tour includes 2 Tour Tokens good for either 1 Sample Tray or 2 pints--excludes Seasonal and Specialty beers
  • Space on these tours will be limited on "first come first served" basis, Sign Up upon arrival
  • Tours are available exclusively at our brewery on Wilson, NOT at our 8th Street location 
The November Food Truck Schedule

 

Thursday, Nov. 21st:

Paradise Melts - 5-8pm

 

Friday, Nov. 22nd:

Short Leash - 5-8pm

 

Saturday, Nov. 23rd: 

 Island Loco - 5-8pm 

 

 Sunday, Nov. 24th:

Emerson Fry Bread - 5-8pm 

 

 Monday, Nov. 25th: 

 Sweet Magnolias Smokehouse - 5-8pm 

 

Tuesday, Nov. 26th:

2 Fat Guys - 5-8pm

 

Wednesday, Nov. 27th:

Rock-A-Belly - 5-8pm

 

Thursday, Nov. 28th:

CLOSED

 

 

For the Entire Calendar Click Here