Bars & Breweries

Dubina Brewing Co. in Glendale produces beers that range from halfway decent to very, very bad.

Welcome to the indecisive mind of a reporter: it’s never a matter of how would I introduce a guy like Travis Nass — a sort of fabled mixologist, tucked away in a cabin-in-the-woods-like setting, a couple turns on a dirt road wandering from Paradise Valley’s, let’s say, “lustre,” manning the…

The Spot: The District All American Burger Bar 7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale 480-664-0356 districtbaraz.com The Hours: Happy hour is normally 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, but during March Madness it is all day Monday through Friday Perfect for: Cheap eats and watching the game outside, while not…

The recently retired president of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company talks summer seasonals, brewery mergers and the changes he’s seen during his 40 years in the beer industry.

One of the questions I like to ask bartenders is what they throw on the stereo while they’re opening or closing — when no one, save for their co-workers, are listening. Because what really speaks more to the essence of a bar: the curated playlist for paying customers — you…

The Spot: Sumo Maya Mexican-Asian Kitchen 6560 North Scottsdale Road 480-397-9520 sumomaya.com The Hours: Happy hour is daily from 2 to 6 p.m. Perfect for: Bringing anyone to happy hour, if they don’t mind standing. Interior: As my happy hour companion noted, you could bring anyone to Sumo Maya and…

In the past several weeks, Stone Brewing Co. has announced the death of several of the brewery’s most beloved ales. Here, we remember the beers that were.

Want firm proof that Phoenix’s cocktail scene is growing? The hot new openings are cool, sure, but if you read last week’s Spring Cocktail Guide with The Clever Koi’s Joshua James, I’m going to connect some dots…

The Spot: Caffe Boa 398 South Mill Avenue 480-968-9112 cafeboa.com/wordpress/ The Hours: Happy Hour is daily from 4 to 7 p.m. in the bar only. Perfect for: Impressing the pants off someone without breaking the bank. Interior: Tempe is not exactly at the top of the list when we think…

I can pour what the guys who handle marketing for Guinness call the “perfect pint.” I can take a cool, clean, dry, Guinness-branded glass and hold it under the tap at a 45-degree angle. I can pull the handle forward until it’s horizontal and fill the glass all the way…

Like many restaurant teams in town, the guys at The Clever Koi may not have slept much recently, with a weekend of Devoured under their belts and media types knocking on their doors to ask about Spring menus. All the same, Joshua James, co-owner and Beverage Director, was dressed for…

The Spot: Ten Handcrafted American Fare & Spirits 2501 East Camelback Road, #40 602-374-2611 www.tenfareandspirits.com Perfect for: A cheap, quick bite and drink before a movie at the nearby luxury (read: overpriced) movie theater. Interior: While sitting inside Ten, we couldn’t help but think about the small, private parties we…

Beer: Achocolypse Brewery: Prescott Brewing Co. Style: Porter ABV: 5.6 percent Hello, chocolate! White and milk chocolate do a sweet dance in the nose before subtler notes of weak coffee and some sour grain become apparent. There’s not a ton of depth to the aroma, but it’s very sweet and…

I’ll have to begin by saying that I was completely oblivious to orange wine — yes, I’ll explain myself here in a moment — until nearly a season ago while surfing Instagram, a wonderful place where I learn new things from my favorite tastemakers (I like the personal and off-the-cuff…

The Spot: Barrio Urbano 5632 North Seventh Street 602-287-9000 www.barriourbanophx.com The Hours: Happy Hour is Monday through Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. Perfect for: Sipping on a top-notch margarita while watching cornhole bags fly through the air next door. Interior: We thought that Lola Coffee at the Yard, which…

Beer: Sriracha Hot Stout Beer Brewery: Rogue Ales & Spirits Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer ABV: 5.7 percent The red chiles grown at Underwood Ranches in Camarillo, California are very important vegetables. Every day, 30 semi trucks packed with peppers journey east to the L.A. suburb of Rosemead and deposit their payloads…

The Spot: Goodwood Tavern 7330 East Stetson Drive 480-990-2388 www.goodwoodscottsdale.com The Hours: Happy Hour is daily 3 to 7 p.m. Perfect for: Satisfying that bar food craving while indulging in some Old Town people watching. Interior: Without a doubt, Aaron May has turned the old Shotgun Betty’s into the coziest,…

A first look at the beers, burgers and beakers at Mesa brewery Beer Research Institute.

Since the weather is idyllic around here, let’s ditch the winter drinks and pull out something bright and summery…

Last Week, Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing Co. held what it dubbed the “Sour Symposium. Hosted at The Yard in Tempe, the $50 session included presentations from Eric Salazar, New Belgium’s cellar master, and Lauren Salazar, the brewery’s sensory specialist and beer-blender; a sampling of fancy meats and cheeses; and a…

The Spot: The Upton 7216 East Shoeman Lane, Scottsdale 480-991-6887 www.theuptonaz.com The Hours: Happy Hour is Tuesday through Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. Perfect for: Happy Hour for one — you know, if people actually did that. Interior: Sitting on The Upton’s beautifully renovated, shady patio feels nothing like…

Here’s the good news: At this year’s Arizona Strong Beer Festival, a record number of breweries (140-plus) will be pouring more than 400 different beers, the widest variety that’s ever been available at the 15-year-old beer fest. The bad news: a general admission ticket only gets you 40 two-ounce tastings,…