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All Good Things Must Come To An End
The school year is winding down and the temperatures are slowly rising. It seems like only yesterday I was writing about welcoming in the new flock of students. Where does the time go? Ahh well, no matter; I do know that there are a bunch of college kids out there  stressing about 20 page term papers, long answer/essay question finals and reading that entire text book that has yet to be open... FEAR NOT! We have your Wi-Fi technology, outdoor patio seating to meet with your study group and a never ending supply of your favorite local beer to get you through these trying times. With us conveniently opening at 11 am on weekdays, our bar coincides almost exactly with the time you plan on skipping your first class of the day! See you here!
If you can't make it here, there is a plethora of places on Mill Avenue that can meet your Four Peaks beer quota. You are all probably aware that Rula Bula, The Tavern, and Cafe Boa carry Kilt Lifter or 8th Street; but did you know they are also carried at The Library, Vintage Bar and Grill, Suite 301 and Regions Bistro and Bar amongst others? It's true, check them out next time you're down there and give them some 4PBC love!
Is everyone ready for this Friday? Wow! We here at the Brewery and the Grill & Tap are literally percolating with anticipation, but I don't have to tell you that do I? I know, I know, it's not like anyone would forget that Friday is May Day! What you weren't aware of it? Yeah, we weren't either to be honest. It seems to have a long, rich history  however; feel free to check out more details HERE. Any further questions about this or any other holiday should be directed to owner and Chief Obscure Holiday Historian, Randy Schultz. He has a degree in Anthropology and is interested in all varieties of human behavior.
Enough with the preface, let's get on with the real deal. This week we explore some new areas and see how far a Brewsletter can really go! First off we check in on one of our favorite accounts, Mac's Broiler & Tap in Tempe. Next the Brewers want to dispel a few myths and clear up some misconceptions about the one thing they enjoy most in life. Mr. Mike Kruchko keeps us updated on current events and shares a little gossip about Tupac. Lastly, in this week's edition of The Further Adventures
Of James "Wild Card" Scussel, we catch up with our hero as he parties near
Belinda Carlisle, evades the crowd rousing fanaticism of his arch nemesis
"Kentucky Waterfall" Jesse and still finds the time to be a loving and devoted
husband and father. With so many new directions we gave our staff a week off from the 5 Questions, but I guarantee someone won't be so lucky in seven days! Now a nugget of wisdom from Mr. Cal Naughton Jr.:
I like to think of Jesus as an Ice Dancer, dressed in an all-white jumpsuit, and doing an interpretive dance of my life.
Your Friends at The Four Peaks Brewery and Four Peaks Grill & Tap |
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1340 East 8th Street #104
Tempe, Arizona 85281
480.303.9967
480.303.9964 fax
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15730 North Pima Road
Suite D5-7
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
480.991.1795
480.991.1796 fax
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It is in our blood here at Four Peaks to support fellow small businesses in and around the Valley as well as throughout the state. If we really like a place we tell our friends and associates with the hopes that they do the same. I, however, have the luxury of spreading the good word to several thousand people at once thanks to the wonderful world of the  "interwebs" on my computer machine. Seeing as I like to use my powers for good and not for evil, I would like to do my part and tell you about one of Tempe's treasures, Mac's Broiler & Tap.
Nestled snuggly between Hoodlum's Records and Changing Hands Bookstore on the Northwest corner of McClintock and Guadalupe, Mac's Broiler & Tap may be small but they have a broad and expansive menu. The legendary Ted Golden and myself stopped in on a Tuesday afternoon to sneak a Sunbru (don't tell our bosses!) and grab a bite to eat.
First off, let me say that they have one of the most well rounded menus you could ask for in such a tiny place. Pastas, burgers, seafood, steaks, baby back ribs and almost every variety of sandwich (hot or cold) you can think of. Our server that day, Jen, was very well versed in the goings on in front of and behind the scenes. She informed us they cut their own steaks in house and ground all the beef for the burgers that day. Sound fresh enough for you?
She recommended quite a few different items that were both staff and regular favorites. The French Dip and the Cheese Steak Sandwich were quickly brought up (and was verified by the kindly young woman sitting behind us!), we were informed the Cobb Salads and the Chicken and Candied Pecan Salads were both crowd pleasers as well. That's all fine and good, I'll take her word for it; we were looking to try something a little different.
Appetizer: Santa Fe Quesadilla
-Chicken/green chilies/tomatoes/cheeses/side house salsa
Diagnosis: Very impressive. I like spicy food. I come from Minnesota where when you want to "spice something up" they give you catsup and a pepper shaker, I want FLAVOR people. Seriously, it was fantastic, not an over abundance of cheese and serious pepper hotness on the backside, highly recommended.
Round 1: Seafood Stuffed Tomato Salad
-seafood salad stuffed in tomato (what part of that didn't you get?)/swiss/egg/avocado/cucumbers
Diagnosis: Also quite good. Had an excellent summer feel to it and I really liked the presentation (I can still taste the seafood salad, and I mean that in a good way). Great choice for the upcoming 100 degree days.
Round 2: Mac Daddy Ribeye
-12 oz. of love/roasted onion/veggies/fries
Diagnosis: Very good. We got it medium  rare and it was done to specs just perfectly. The grilled onion looked great and accompanied it exquisitely. We chose the steak fries, but your choice of baked potato or mashed would have worked better (it's a steak for the love of God!). Leave the fries to the sandwiches and you've got a winner!
This is a Four Peaks co worker hangout in a way. I've been informed by Trevor "Hey Four Peaks!" Schultz that the Cajun Shrimp Saute and BBQ Pork sandwich are sure to satisfy as well. Check them out whenever you are in the neighborhood, and while your at it try a dish with a Sunbru, Kilt Lifter or Hefeweizen, you'll be glad you did!
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CASK-CONDITIONED AND SEASONALS
IN SCOTTSDALE THIS WEEK:
Hop Knot I.P.A: You know it, you love it, you want to be with it. Do yourself a favor and stop in and have now!
IN TEMPE:
Raj I.P.A.: The I.P.A.'s always sell quickly this time of year so we have a Hop Knot cask ready to take it's place in the event of a quick departure!
SEASONAL DU JOUR:
Currently In Development!
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The Further Adventures of James "Wild Card" Scussel
We now join our story already in progress...
It had been more than two weeks since infiltrating the
mountain stronghold of Can-Nor and James "Wild Card" Scussel felt that his time
in hiding was more of a nuisance than anything else. With his stint in seclusion finally at an end
he felt that he was due to make up for lost time, first up Zoo Brew at the
Phoenix Zoo Friday night. Being no
 stranger to taming wild beasts, he was able to blend in with the local handlers
with little effort. As he carefully
looked around to locate all the exits in case he needed to make a quick
departure, he was able to procure a Kilt Lifter and settle in for a cozy
evening with the soothing sounds of the 1980's.
"Jane Wiedlin still looks really good but Belinda is still
easily the hot one, but she could use a good pair of spanx," Wild Card mused as he took in an incendiary performance by pop
legends The Go-Go's.
After enjoying Four
Peaks beer after Four
Peaks beer as the
sun slowly crept past the horizon, our man Wild Card was taken in by a solid
set by the all female super group.
"All things considered," he thought, "they still seem to be
as tight as they were back in the day... except this time I can watch them with a
Kilt Lifter in my hand!"
Upon returning to the Brewery later that evening, Wild Card
decided it was in his best interest to put up a smoke screen to throw any
potential enemies off his trail.
"Yes," he started, "I think I am going to spend the weekend 'doing
things around the house' so I probably won't see you until Monday."
When Wild Card says "doing things around the house" this
involved single handedly toppling a Central American Drug Cartel, dismantling
weapons of mass destruction in North Korea, thwarting the assassination of a
top level American political figure and enjoying a delicious Peanut Butter
Crunch Blizzard in a lesser known Canadian province.
When he returned to the United
States on Monday Wild Card was able to enjoy
a baseball game at Chase Field in Phoenix. Upon learning of who they were catering to,
the top Chase Field execs offered Wild Card and 35 of his closest friends the
pool level area for the Diamondbacks/Cubs game.
Not long after getting a feel for his accommodations, Wild
Card found himself stalked by his arch nemesis, "Kentucky Waterfall"
Jesse. A criminal mastermind of such
nefarious proportions it is rumored that he once utilized kittens and baby
seals to make his "old, family-style" moonshine.
Pretty sick stuff. Just how was "Wild Card" going to get himself out of this mess? Tune in next week for the heart-pounding, shocking conclusion of: "Wild Card " Scussel
And The Pool Party of Terror
in 3-D!
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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Sunday, May 10th: Mother's Day Brunch at both locations!
Monday, May 25th: Memorial Day
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The Brewers Blog
Nancy Pelosi wants Truth Commissions, huh? Well here we go. Let's do a little myth busting of our own.
We'll start with some common beer myths; that is, some of
the more out-there things we've been asked or told about beer.
"The darker the beer the more alcohol it contains."
This couldn't be farther from the truth. We'll say it unequivocally so this nasty
rumor stops; color is in no way related to the alcoholic strength of a
beer. So, when your friend says they
won't drink Guinness because it's too strong have them distinguish between
strength of flavor and strength of alcohol.
When they say alcohol tell them that Guinness is only slightly stronger
than that Corona Light they're choking down.
So, again, for the newbies; color and alcohol have absolutely no
relation.
"Ales are stronger than lagers."
Again, untrue. Think
of ales and lagers as being the top two branches of a beer taxonomy tree. Under ales you have many styles of varying
strengths; the same goes for lagers. Strength
has more to do with styles than with which side of the family they come
from. A good example is Doppelbock, a
very strong German lager, which is magnitudes stronger than, say, your average
pale ale.
"Beer is better served ice cold, preferably in a frosty
mug."
This is the telltale bleating of someone who probably
doesn't like beer. Why? Well when beer is served close to freezing
temperatures the cold will anesthetize their tongue and they will not be able
to taste anything. For people who like the
 flavor of beer the best temperatures are around 40 deg F for lagers and as high
as 55 deg. F for some ales. Let's think
about this. Refrigeration is a fairly
new development if you look at it in the context of the last several thousand
years of beer production. Most beers
over that time were served at cellar temperature, that is, a bit warm (and dare
we say, probably damn good). And yet
people clamor for little blue mountains on their beer cans to tell them when
their beer is almost frozen (because how else would you know, really?).
"Beer makes you fat."
Well, OK, but so does eating that whole bag of non-fat
cookies you had last night. To many
people the issue is the carbohydrate.
There are some carbohydrates in beer but most of them get metabolized by
the yeast (that's what they do), and, besides, carbohydrates are essential for
our diet. The main culprit is
alcohol. Some people call alcohol empty
 calories but all calories have at least some value. We would argue that the big reason beer makes
some people fat is because (unlike most sports drinks) it is consumed in
(sometimes) large quantities in rather sedentary situations. Drink beer, just stay active.
"Cold-filtering and triple hopping"
Empty marketing terms.
All beer is filtered cold (and we mean ALL). And adding hops to beer at three different
times during the boil, wow, this technique probably revolutionized brewing, oh,
say, 700 years ago... Call us when you're adding hops five times during the boil
and to the whirlpool, hopback, and fermenter; then we'll be impressed.
Well, this Truth Commission stuff is fun, we'll continue
next week. Until that time, from your
humble brewers, cheers.
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The Grill & Tap Dispatch
with Mike Kruchko
What day is it anyway?
I feel like I'm starting to lose track of things with this time of the
year! Don't get me wrong, I'm not
complaining...I'm really enjoying it. I
was going to say "loving it", but I'm pretty sure that's a catch phrase of a  certain
mega fast food giant and the last thing I'm trying to do is get sued for
copyright infringement. Ok, apparently I
get side tracked easily...so, let's get back to business and on to this week's
Swine Flu free issue of the Dispatch.
I want to thank all
of you that came out to the Taste 2009 on Sunday (formerly the Taste of
Kierland, now the Taste of Phoenix). Not
only did we have a great time, but it was nice to dust off the cuff links and
get a little dressed up for a good cause.
Besides eating my bodyweight in great food brought over to us by all our
friends around the area, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to talk about our beers
with so many people. So, thank you again
to everyone, plus it was nice to hang at an event with Marie, Tim and Teddy for
a change. It's hard to put the A Team
together for events, but this time was quite successful.
Less than 24 hours later we found ourselves getting more
than our fair share of jumbo-tron shots at Chase Field while chillin in the
Ride Now Pool Area. Although I decided
that if you really want to get some serious baseball watching in at the
ballpark, than the pool are might not be for you, but if you're up for a super
fun laid back atmosphere while at the game, than there's no better place than
that area in right center which is unique to only Chase Field! Since I received  numerous text messages the
whole evening of people noticing us on TV, I'm waiting for Hollywood
to give me a ring for my big break....but I won't be holding my breath. Well, that being said; thanks to the
Diamondbacks for showing us a great time and thanks to Tucker for thinking
ahead and bringing out the sweet sign that gave us some free
advertisement. Nothing like 39,000
people seeing that Sunbru now available in cans on the big screen!
Enough with recapping, let's look at what's ahead. Other than the news that TMZ broke this
morning that Tupac is alive and well and seen this weekend in New
Orleans (there's actually pictures and everything!),
we're left with a smaller handful of events this weekend to stimulate your
spring time enjoyment. For our "inked
up" Four Peaks'
fans, this weekend is the AZ Tattoo Expo in Mesa. Even though we aren't part of this, I'm sure
it will be one of the more "unique" things going on this weekend. Since tickets start as low as $16, it might
be right up your alley.
If you're into a little more subdued-low key crowd, maybe
Saturday's Taste of the Nation is
your kind of thing. Much like this past
weekend's Taste 2009, taste of the nation is a fundraising event which will
benefit childhood hunger in Arizona. Located up in DC Ranch, this will be in Grill
& Tap territory, so make sure to come in and say hola.
That should be enough to get you warmed up for Cinco
de Mayo. Most of us look forward to May
for that lone reason, but don't forget, we are about a month away from seeing our
beloved Kilt Lifter and Sunbru Kolsh available in their very pool friendly
cans! Until next time kids....
You can contact us in
Scottsdale at 480-991-1795 or at Scottsdale@fourpeaks.com
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A Few Parting Words...
How's that for new and exciting? What a great week for throwing out a good piece of fiction. How about our Brewers installment of myth busting? And you can't get more topical and current than "Swine Flu" and Tupac sightings? How about that amazing restaurant review, these are some talented folks that work here, let me tell you! Don't forget about our Mother's Day Buffet with the 15 item (m)omelette Station, prime rib, shrimp, and... well you get the picture, the full menu can be found HERE. Oh yeah, don't forget to invite your MOM!
Customer Comment Of The Week...This weeks CCOTW comes from John Lachmann from the Illinois area (I am speculating, but his email address has "blackhawks" in it, so I am reasonably sure). It is always a pleasure to leave such a good impression on a first time visitor to not only our brewpub, but to the fine state of Arizona... "I had never been to Phoenix before last year, but
heard a tip that the beer was good at Four Peaks, so I booked my hotel within
walking distance. The place is incredible. Food is tremendous, service is
friendly and efficient, atmosphere is awesome, prices for everything are
extremely reasonable. But most importantly the beer is outstanding. The Peach Ale, the Oatmeal Stout, the Kilt Lifter and the Winter Wobbler at that time
were some of the best beers I've ever tasted. The inside design is an
excellent touch. It's not a dance club, it's not a sports bar, the bar
itself is huge, all of which encourage people to appreciate beer, which is
exactly what a brewery should do. Please don't change a thing and I can't
wait to come back next spring!"Check back in 7 days for another edition of facts, half truths and whatever we feel like... Cheers!
Well let me just quote the late-great Colonel Sanders, who said..."I'm too drunk to taste this chicken."
- Ricky Bobby from the movie "Talladega Nights"
Ladies And Gentlemen, May I Introduce To You Our New 4PBC Boy Band...The S-expeditors!
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