Summertime in the desert isn’t for everyone. It takes a certain life form to inhabit this tough terrain but for those of us just stubborn enough to endure this “dry heat”, we are constantly vigilant of refreshing concoctions that will help soothe our parched throats.
Enter Four Peaks Desertini. This cocktail is a blissful blend of Four Roses bourbon, strawberry puree, basil, Four Peaks White Ale, and has a hint of bubbly. Elegant enough for a martini glass yet delectable enough to enjoy with dessert, as a dessert or even as an aperitif!
*Four Peaks White Ale syrup can be made ahead of time and is much like the Hop Knot syrup.
White Ale Syrup One part White Ale One part sugar Mix until sugar dissolves. The syrup is good for two weeks but will need refrigerated. (The sugar stabilizes the alcohol.)
Fill a martini glass with ice and a splash of water to chill. Set aside. In a bartender tin, muddle three basil leaves with Four Roses bourbon, strawberry puree, Four Peaks White Ale syrup, and sparkling white wine. Shake vigorously until frothy. Dump water and ice from the martini glass. Strain contents of tin into the martini glass. Garnish with one basil leaf on the side.
Mix until sugar dissolves. The syrup is good for two weeks but will need refrigerated. (The sugar stabilizes the alcohol.)
If home-bartending is not your style, we got you covered! Stop by the original Four Peaks in Tempe or Four Peaks Grill & Tap in Scottsdale and have one of our talented bartenders whip you up one to enjoy with a selection from our traditional menu items or a selection from our lunch or dinner specials!
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or Snapchat (@FourPeaksBrew) to keep abreast of all the Four Peaks shinanigans!
Summer is, in fact, in full swing. And while we may want to wear driving gloves so we can actually touch our steering wheels, Four Peaks has a better idea. Cool down with one of our Summer Craft Cocktail Series!
A real mango
In this edition, we will discuss (read: give away the recipe to) one of the newest editions to the Summer Craft Cocktail lineup – Four Peaks Mangorita.
Who doesn’t love mangoes, right?! Especially when they are in-season! I mean, they can be tough to peel and cut, but I found this quick vid to help you out. Peel, cut, and puree them for the freshest iteration of this libation OR just get some Real Mango puree (pictured).
Real Mango Puree (not a paid endorsement, just a product we like.)
And if it doesn’t, who cares? So long as it tastes good, right?!
If you don’t want to foot the effort, that’s ok with us. Just stop by Four Peaks in Tempe or Four Peaks Grill & Tap in Scottsdale and one of our friendly bartenders will make one for ya!
Looking for more recipes? Follow us on Pinterest where we’ll be giving away the goods! Or you can partake in the conversation we’re having on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! We ❤️ shenanigans!
Not directly related to the brewing process, just a cool light we have at the Tempe location…
The brewing world is an alphabet soup of acronyms. It can be tough to navigate through them at first, but as a new brew aficionado becomes familiar with these acronyms, a whole new world opens up to them, and a flood of information is bestowed upon them.
In this edition of Behind the Brewery Scenes, I take a closer look at IBUs, what it means, and how it affects the beer in your hand.
International bittering units (IBUs) are used to tell how bitter your beer is (higher value means more bitterness). The IBU scale starts at zero for beers with no bitterness (fruit beers) and goes up to 120 for the super bitter and hop rich beers like Imperial IPA and American Barley Wine.
Bret the Brewer dry hops a brew at Four Peaks in Tempe.The pellet form of hops.
On an average, beer is typically hopped three times, but they can be added up to six times – depending on the profile and the complexity of the beer the brewer is looking to achieve. Hops come in three forms – leaf, plug, or pellets and each different hop plant lends a different flavor or aroma, yet there are no dedicated plants to an addition time in the cycle.
Typically, three stages of hop additions are timed out throughout the boil. The timing depends on the recipe and should be followed carefully. The first addition of hops is for bittering, the second for flavoring, and the third for aroma. IBUs rely heavily on this first addition of the hop addition and is done, by and large, to balance the sweetness derived from the malt and grain used to make the wort. Brews with high IBUs mean a whole bunch of hops have been added in the first stage of the hop addition, and there were a high amount of alpha acids (the makes hops hoppy) from the hops were isomerized (broken down) in the boil.
Rob the Brewer posts a helping of hops used in the Black IPA.
Hops haven’t always been one of the four ingredients outlined in Reinheitsgebot, or German purity law. The first documentation of this addition surfaces from a Benedictine abbot in about 822 AD. Before then, other bittering agents included (but are not limited to) heather, ground ivy, juniper, ginger woodruff, and a super secret, special blending of such ingredients called gruit. And that’s another conversation for another time. It’s sort of fascinating.
Bret the Brewer stops to smell the flowers.
Does that mean every IPA needs to have high IBUs? Not at all! IBUs give the indication of how bitter the beer will be – you know, that feeling that kind of hits the back of your throat when you take your swig of it and leaves you wanting more. Multiple additions of hops give dimension to a beer that also include aroma and flavoring (spice, floral, boutique, citrus) and the types of hops used relate to the style of beer (i.e. English IPA, West Coast IPA, Pilsner, Stout families).
With IBU levels reaching 100+, one can be left missing some of the malty sweetness to counter-balance the bite of that hop. Low levels of IBUs result in a biscuity, malty, or sweet brews.
The additions of hops are carefully calculated (more math) and, like every style of beer a brewery puts out, intent and ingredients are what makes that brew… that particular style of brew.
A member of our sales team, Scott Kinard, breaks it down like this:
To me, the term “hoppy” could mean different things. I use hot sauce as a gauge to fit the person asking into exactly what they are looking for and as a way to describe IPA differences.
Some hot sauces have tons of big flavor but with a very low heat factor. The IPA’s with bright citrus and floral/piney aspects, with a nice easy finish are these.
Others hot sauces are low on the bright flavor, but will burn a hole through your face. I equate this with beers that have that high hop “bitterness” that hang on your tongue and make it tough to really taste much else for the night. Both descriptions are versions that fall into the category of “hoppy”. People tend to have a favorite and whether you’re a bartender or in beer sales, the customer always appreciates the time taken to put them into the right beer.
Scotty K FTW.
Share with us! Are you a Hop Head that embraces high IBU brews or are you on the path to discovering your favorite style? Hit us up on Twitter and share your experience!
Around here, we love beer. We live and breath craft beer. Our name is synonymous with Arizona and Arizona Craft Beer. While we have plenty of gifts for the Craft Beer Lover in your life available in-house and in our on-line store, giving the gift of Four Peaks doesn’t mean you have to wrap a six-pack of Kilt Lifter cans. A Gift Card is a one-size-fits-all option for everyone. Gifting a friend or family member Four Peaks will allow them to experience an Arizona tradition.
Here are three things the non-craft beer lover may appreciate about Four Peaks Brewery.
Pub Cuisine
Lunch Special, Mexican Beer Bread
The original Four Peaks in Tempe and Four Peaks Grill & Tap don’t offer bar food. Nope. Never have, never will. Arthur Craft oversees our culinary team and is a proud graduate of the Culinary Institute of America out of NY. Arthur brings decades of experience in the realm of good eats to the table.
Abe Froman pizza
In addition to favorites such as Green Chili Pork Poutine, the Popper Brewery Burger, Bahn Mi, and of course, hand tossed personal pizzas, both locations offer lunch and dinner specials daily; not to mention a daily delectable, house-made soup selection. I mean, these soups are unbelievable! A meal in itself!
Pumpkin Gorgonzola Soup and Double Pumpkin Porter
What more is that brunch is offered each Sunday too. Tucker’s Big Bloody Marys make special appearances in the summer months, but even a traditional Bloody Mary or a Mimosa hits the spot with the brunch menu.
Big Bloody Mary
Each craveable dish that is offered pairs well with our beer offerings but they also pair well with a cocktail or a glass of wine.
Chilled Anejo, Four Peaks Cold Brew, The Ginger Hot Toddy
Speaking of cocktails, our Craft Cocktail program is gaining some much-appreciated attention as of late with flavors that compliment both the season as well as the specialty beers that are offered in-house. Each cocktail is carefully constructed to reflect the same passion that shines through in each of our crafted beers. Additionally, we strive to continue to #supportlocal by offering several local and crafted liquors including Roger Clyne’s Mexican Moonshine Tequilas, AZ Distilling “Commerce” Gin, and AZ48 Resort Vodka.
Arizona Pride
Bar Manager, Alison Atkinson, notes, “It was paramount to be able to source and offer the same quality of liquor to our guests that our guests expect from our beer. We’d be doing our guests a great injustice if we didn’t offer other spirits that were as unique to Arizona as our beer.”
Blackberry Manhattan
Recently added seasonal cocktails include The Ginger Hot Toddy, with Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon, and Blackberry Manhattan, with Monkey Shoulder Scotch.
Dos Cabezas, AZ
In addition to our craft cocktails, we offer a full bar including a wine list that is for wine lovers. Look for our local offerings of wine to expand in the future too!
Guest Beers and Ciders
The next time you visit Four Peaks Grill & Tap in Scottsdale, check out the guest beer list. In addition to impressive bottled beers like Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin
or Victory at Sea, there is a rotating draft handle that has hosted such brews like Knee Deep Citra Extra Pale Ale, Black Market Holiday Triple Black IPA, and Golden Road Double IPA. We also like to keep a tap handle flowing with Woodchuck ciders for those who care for a gluten-free option or just aren’t in the mood for a beer that day.
To craft beer fans, Four Peaks Brewing Co offers delicious beers, seasonal favorites, weekly cask offerings and even experimental brews through the Single Tank Series. Beyond that, each visit to the pub or brewery offers everyone a different experience each time with an extensive traditional menu, daily specials, soups, craft cocktails, wine, and Arizona pride.
Four Peaks Desertini
Marie at Four Peaks 