Tap That Az

BlackRock Brewers opened in 2017 and have been steadily kicking ass since. Taking home awards from local festivals is quickly becoming the norm for this small but powerful Tucson brewery. Owner/brewer Tony Williams joins the show to tell us how his focus on quality lays the foundation for the long-term success of this neighborhood favorite. From award-winning IPA's and crisp Pilsners to experimentals like a roasted green chili wheat there's something for everyone at BRB. Enjoy the show!

On July 10th Wren House Brewing Company will release Black Excellence, an Imperial Stout with African ingredients brewed by assistant brewer Akil Abdul Zakariya as a collaboration with Brewz Brothaz out of Detroit. The beer will raise funds for the NAACP. Akil and Preston Thoeny from Wren House joins as well as some amazing folks in the Michigan beer scene including Harry Weaver and Wayne Phillips from Brewz Brothaz, Dayne Bartscht of Eastern Market Brewing Co., and Ken Konarzewski Jr. of Better on Draft Media.

In this episode I catch up with owner/brewer Allan Conger from 1912 Brewing Company in Tucson. They have been steadily winning folks over since they opened in 2015. Whether it's with a sour created to taste like a dessert, a delicious hazy IPA with a hilariously long name or spot-on traditional Irish red it's hard to not find something you like from 1912. Every year they celebrate their anniversary on July 4th and this year is no different. Enjoy the show!

Huge thanks to Crescent Crown Distributing for sponsoring this series. This is the 7th and final episode in this miniseries we did with the great guys over at InkleDeux training to get our Certified Beer Server designation by Cicerone. In this final episode Brando, AJ and I reflect on this entire experience as well as how we did on the actual exam. We also talk about how we can use some of this new info to add value to our local beer community. Huge thanks to everyone who helped us out during this! You know who you are! Much Love :)

Currently there are around 100 breweries in Arizona. In this series we’ll travel throughout the state to get an idea of where all of the breweries are in a given region of the state. In this second episode we head south to get a taste of Sonora with some of the best breweries in the state. Downtown Tucson is one of my favorite food/drink spots but hidden gems lie even further south including a brewery who grows 14 different hop varieties. Enjoy this southern AZ beer adventure!  

Thanks to Crescent Crown for sponsoring this series. This is the 6th episode in this miniseries we did with InkleDeux to get our Certified Beer Server cert. In the words of Sinatra "...you can't have one without the other!" Although I'm sure it wasn't his intent it makes me think of food and beer. Every. Single. Time.  Luckily for us, we have one of the best chefs in the universe here in AZ. Tamara Stanger from Cotton &Copper joins AJ, Luke and I to school us on the art of pairing food with beer. 

Currently there are around 100 breweries in Arizona. In this series we’ll travel throughout the state to get an idea of where all of the breweries are in a given region of the state. In this first episode we jump around the north to some of my favorite breweries of all. What I love about much of Northern Arizona is its contrast to the low desert setting of Phoenix but it also has some great breweries. Enjoy this northern AZ beer adventure!

Huge thanks to Crescent Crown for sponsoring this series. Welcome back to the 5th episode in this miniseries we did with the great guys over at InkleDeux training to get our Certified Beer Server designation by Cicerone. In this episode we sit down with Marshall Norris, co-owner and brewer for Simple Machine Brewing in Phoenix. Marshall schools us on the art of the brewing process and the importance of using the best ingredients. Plus we get to have some of InkleDeuxs legendary coffee!

Huge thanks to Crescent Crown for sponsoring this series. Welcome back to the 4th episode in this miniseries we did with the great guys over at InkleDeux training to get our Certified Beer Server designation by Cicerone. For all the beer "review" experts out there this episode is for you. Properly evaluating and grading beer is more than just an uneducated "I hate this". Its about knowing the difference between bad beer, beer you just don't like, and knowing what you don't like it. In this episode Brian Helton once again guides us as Liz, Brandon and I learn a thing or two. 

There comes a time when you gotta shake it up a little. Sometimes it takes a thing like a global pandemic to do that. With the launch of our new show "A Taste of AZ" that focuses on all things Arizona food and drink I have the opportunity to fine tune this show even further. I want you to be involved. Let me know what you'd like to hear. In this episode I break down the different directions we can go to make an even better experience. Feel free to reach out at eric@tapthataz.com with any questions/comments/feedback.

This episode was originally released in August of 2018 and features Mickey Salem, owner of Kings Beer & Wine in Phoenix. This is the most downloaded episode of Tap That AZ Podcast to date. Enjoy!

Welcome back to the 3rd episode in this miniseries we did with the great guys over at InkleDeux. Our girl Liz Limberg hosts along with AJ from InkleDeux. They talk with Alec Johnson and Paul Rosevear to gain insight into even more beer styles. Enjoy the show!

In todays episode I get to talk with Steven Prager from the National Audubon Society for Arizona. Through a series of programs him and his team work tirelessly to bring awareness and assistance to some of the most at-risk aspects of our beautiful state, our water and our birds. One program is the Western Rivers Brewers Council which brings together like minded breweries to help protect the Colorado River Basin. Enjoy the show!

If you’re a long time listener you know Chef Brett Vibber.  AZ cuisine is lucky to have him. I talk with Brett while he’s out in the field and we discuss how his whole life has been centered around being prepared. This one is not so much about beer as it is a discussion on life and stuff. So grab a beer anyways and enjoy. 

Welcome back to the 2nd episode in this miniseries we did with the great guys over at InkleDeux. Our guests for this episode are Zach Fowle of Four Peaks and Alec Johnson of Kings Convenience. To say these guys know their beer is a gross understatement. Zach covers the intricacies and benefits of knowing how to properly treat your beer while Zach begins to dive into all the different beer styles. Enjoy the show!

A while back the guys from InkleDeux and I connected and hit it off immediately. These guys run a great show and blog AND they roast amazing coffee so be sure to check them out here. We decided to do a series on the topics covered in the Certified Beer Server exam, the first certification by Cicerone. This is the first episode of that series and features Matt Louie and Doug Tansley of Crescent Crown Distributing. Huge thanks to Crescent Crown for sponsoring this series. Enjoy the show!

The AZ Strong Beer Festival is one of the top beer festivals in the country. With thousands attending every year this celebration of craft beer brings all walks of life. This episode was recorded on stage with a range of guests and some feedback from the crowd. Oh, and I heckle some passersby as well. Enjoy.

Hand sanitizer is in-demand now more than ever leading to some major shortages. Enter distilleries. They create ethanol which is the active ingredient in hand sanitizer so when the alert came that there was a shortage our Arizona distilleries stepped up. In this episode I talk with Town Under Black Distillery in Tucson about what they’re doing to help in some very in-need places in Arizona. We also talk about the future of this distillery who is taking creativity and craft in spirits to a whole new level.

In todays episode my guest Mike Mallozzi talks about how solidarity needs to be a cornerstone of making it through this unprecedented time. The co-founder of Borderlands Brewing and one of the most intelligent people I’ve met, Mike guides us through some of the valuable resources available to help you navigate these treacherous times. Enjoy the show!

This episode was recorded live during beer week at a wild food beer dinner at North Mountain Brewing Company featuring Chef Brett Vibber. The amazing food he created was then paired with North Mountain beer and Arizona Sake. We actually had a special guest co-host for this one: Food Network star and Crepe Bar owner Jeff Kraus. Enjoy the show!