Your Guide to 19 Tucson Breweries

What started as only a handful of breweries around town has blossomed into almost 20, with more on the way. Many of these have opened within the last few years. It has gotten to the point where being on any side of town means having at least one brewery nearby. If you haven’t yet caught on to the craft beer craze — or just haven’t checked out all of what Tucson has to offer — here’s a guide to all the local Tucson breweries and where to find them:

1912 Brewing Company

2045 Forbes Blvd. #105

A specialist in gose, 1912 is also one of the few breweries to offer wine and mead (from guest vineyards). Above all else, however, 1912 is quickly becoming a hub for families and kids.

Recommended:

• Baya Gose – sour gose made with Marion berries, raspberries, blueberries, toasted coriander, and Oregon sea salt
• Mescalero – stout with chocolate and Presta coffee

More info at 1912brewing.com

The Address Brewing 

1702 E Speedway Blvd.

You might not immediately recognize The Address, but this brewery’s home base of operations is a Tucson institution: 1702. The Address operates as the in-house brewery label for 1702, which means its the best place to try any of their new brews on-tap. Primarily known for their IPAs, The Address has been churning out a multitude of different styles of beer, including a Dark Rhubarb Saison and an Imperial Double Porter. Although they are without a dedicated tap room as of this writing, we can easily look past that technicality given it’s providing yet another reason to check out 1702. Delicious pizza and refreshing beer? Yes please.

Recommended:

• Rainy Day IPA – a west coast-style IPA with Chinook and Citra hops and honey
• Down Pourter – a chocolate imperial porter brewed with Warrior, Northern Brewer, and Cascade hops

More info at 1702az.com

Barrio Brewing Company

800 E 16th St.

Depending on the season, Barrio may have from 10 to 12 of their own in-house brews on tap at any given time, and they run the gamut in styles. There’s something for everyone to enjoy, from their Barrio Blonde to their Mocha Java Stout. You can also enjoy a limited selection of Barrio’s brews at their other taproom, Gentle Ben’s Brewing on University Boulevard, and their Rojo Scottish Ale is available in can form around town (and even outside of Tucson). Ideally though, you’ll want to visit their main location and sit outside, which provides an optimum view of a Tucson sunset or a train rolling by on the nearby tracks. They serve a wide variety of food as well. Enjoying a beer and burger while sitting on the porch watching the train go by is not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

Recommended:

• Barrio Rojo – a low hop malty Scottish Ale with notes of caramel brown sugar and cinnamon
• Barrio Indian Pale Ale – traditional pale ale brewed with two row pale malt and Columbus hops
• Mocha Java Stout – mildly sweet Stout brewed with Euro-espresso roasted coffee, flaked oats, and milk sugars

More info at barriobrewing.com

BlackRock Brewers

1664 S. Research Loop, Ste 200

BlackRock’s current four core beers are the Admiration IPA, Vanilla Infused Porter, Lil Naranja Pale Ale, and Summer Dream Cream Ale. Prices range from $5 – 8.

The balanced beers match their styles with no over-aggressive characteristics, while maintaining no shortage of flavor.

Recommended:

• Summer Dream – 17 IBU cream ale with mango, apricot, and raspberry variations available
• Vanilla Infused Porter –  porter with a roasty profile
• Admiration IPA – IPA with citrusy apricot notes

For more information, visit blackrockbrewers.com.

Borderlands Brewing Company

119 E. Toole Ave.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Well, when in the Southwest, you’ll want a Southwest-style of beer and that’s exactly what Borderlands provides. Their brew recipes are directly inspired by the community and are therefore ideal to be enjoyed in Tucson’s desert climate. Most native Tucsonans have likely already sipped on one of Borderlands’ Prickly Pear Wheat beers while trying to escape the 100º heat our summers bring. But for those that — heaven forbid — have never been to Borderlands, there’s a lot to discover, including a stable of five-or-so non-rotating taps as well as specialty releases. Their taproom has also had a recent addition to its wide-open courtyard: a Bocce Ball court. Just be careful if you plan to drink and bocce.

Recommended:

• Noche Dulce – a vanilla porter with cocoa and espresso notes, roasted barley and real Mexican vanilla
• Prickly Pear Wheat – wheat beer balanced with prickly pears and subtle flavors of lemon and grapefruit
• Citrana Wild Ale – a tart and fruity Gose with a salty finish

More info at borderlandsbrewing.com

Catalina Brewing Company

6918 N. Camino Martin #120

Just as Dragoon Brewing is not located in the Dragoons, Catalina Brewing is not located in Catalina. It’s close, though, kind of. Situated near Ina and Oracle, Catalina Brewing features a unique lineup of beer, including a Mesquite Agave Ale and a Mesquite Smoked Pecan Dopplebock, among others.

Other standout brews include:

• La Rosa – cream ale with prickly pear fruit
• Teacher’s Aide – Scottish ale with apple and cinnamon

More info at catalinabrewingco.com

Copper Mine Brewing Company

3455 S. Palo Verde Rd.

One of the newest breweries, Copper Mine features ten taps and food trucks such as House of Brats to pair with their brews.

Recommended:

• Copper Ale – malty red ale
• Hibiscus Blonde – blonde ale infused with hibiscus
• Nitro Stout – American stout with coffee notes

Keep up with Copper Mine Brewing Company on Facebook.

Crooked Tooth Brewing

228 E. 6th St.

Crooked Tooth set up shop in an old auto repair shop and features a super-sweet buildout. The handcrafted furniture and lights create a unique environment along with the spacious patio perfect for cool nights.

Recommended:

• Strawberry Milk Jugs – smooth sweet stout that goes down easy like strawberry milk
• Bulbasour in the Melon Patch – sour gose with watermelon and lime
• The Quaker – New England pale ale with copious oats

More info on Crooked Tooth Brewing Facebook page

Dillinger Brewing Company

3895 N. Oracle Rd.

The hidden brewery features bolder beers such as the Serrano Deduction, occasionally featured in a michelada. Their barrel-aged events are definitely worth the trip.

Recommended:

• Serrano Seduction – desert wheat ale with serrano and Hatch peppers, not overpowering
• Public Enemy Imperial Stout – medium-bodied imperial stout with notes of dates, toffee, roasted barley
• Key Witness – witbier with key lime pump, lemon peel, and orange peel

For more information visit dillingerbrewing.com.

Dragoon Brewing Company

1859 W Grant Rd. #111

If your beer drinking motto tends to be, “the hoppier, the better,” then Dragoon is where you want to be. Their flagship beer–and one of two that is on-tap year-round — is their Dragoon IPA, and while that’s certainly enough to keep a pale ale enthusiast content, it’s only one of many. Dragoon features a number of seasonal and specialty brews (seriously, check out the list on their website) that will hit the hoppy-heart of any craft beer drinker. Their taproom is also consistently visited by a number of rotating local food trucks, so there’s no better way to enjoy your new favorite beer while also discovering your new favorite food truck as well.

Recommended:

• Dragoon IPA – a traditional pale ale with herbal and citrusy hop aroma and a bitter malt finish
• Stronghold Session Ale – an American mild lighter on alcohol (4.8% ABV) but still malty and chocolaty
• Pony Express – a very dry Brett pale ale with tropical notes

More info at dragoonbrewing.com

Green Feet Brewing

3669 E 44th St

Green Feet’s website is still in progress, but the brewers have been brewing away steadily since opening mid-2016. Even though their beers are smooth, a hefty amount of them are over 6% ABV, so be careful.

Recommended:

• Nightwater Black – roasty Cascadian dark ale with notes of grapefruit
• Brevity Pale Ale – malty American pale ale

More info on the Green Feet Brewing Facebook page

Iron John’s Brewing Company

245 S Plumer Ave. #27

It takes an air of confidence to make such a proclamation as “Damn Good Beer,” but the brews from Iron John’s certainly live up to their moniker. Operating as a small-batch nanobrewery, Iron John’s rotates their beers out on a weekly basis, so it’s best to stock up and buy a bottle or two (or three) when visiting their cozy tasting room. Every Saturday is a brand-new tasting event featuring that week’s creations. Considering some of the latest offerings have included the Dad’s Slice Pumpkin Pie Ale and the I Don’t Give a Damn Bourbon Stout, it’s bound to be a palette-bending experience even for seasoned beer veterans. They’ve recently added a dart board to their tasting room as well, inviting those that come in to stick around for a while and enjoy some damn good beer.

Recommended:

• Pedro Double IPA – West Coast-style DIPA with bold hop bitterness and notes of toasted almonds
• Summer Solstice – chocolate dulce de leche Palo Santo porter with aromas of peppermint, clove, and cedar
• The Salty Goat – gose brewed with cultured goat yogurt, black & oolong teas, mango, apricot, and palm sugar

More info at ironjohnsbrewing.com

The Littlest Pub

627 W. St Mary’s Rd.

This mysterious nanobrewery doesn’t even have a phone number listed on their website, but you can find their bottles at Tap & Bottle once in a blue moon. Bottles are a local collector’s item.

For more information, visit caskaleprivatereserve.com.

Nimbus Brewing Company

3850 E 44th St.

Nimbus has been around for nearly two decades. Drawing inspiration from European-style brewing, Nimbus prefers to brew and bottle ales rather than traditional lagers and they offer seven different variations on tap at all times. You can get most of their bottles around town, but as is usually the case, getting it directly from the source is always the best practice. Nimbus’ south side taproom is usually a lively, welcoming atmosphere with karaoke and live music, plus a full menu of food options for either lunch or dinner.

Recommended:

• Old Monkey Shine – an English Strong Ale made with seven varieties of specialty malts and brown sugar
• Red Ale – a medium-bodied American-style amber ale with a lightly sweet taste from malt and flaked barley

More info at nimbusbeer.com

Public Brewhouse

209 N Hoff Ave.

Public Brewhouse opened its doors in August 2015 at the former home of Whiskey Del Bac’s Hamilton Distillers. Locating their tasting room can be a bit tricky for first-timers — it’s tucked away behind Ermanos Craft Beer & Wine Bar down on Fourth Avenue — but finding Public Brewhouse is like uncovering a secret meeting place for fellow craft beer aficionados. Experimental brews line the menu board, utilizing such ingredients as hibiscus, Meyer lemons, and elderberries to craft a variety of constantly-rotating beers (and even house-made sodas!). When a batch of beer is gone, it’s on to the next idea, though Public Brewhouse does tend to keep at least one of each style of beer on tap during each brewing session, so coming back again and again is not only suggested, but a must.

Recommended:

• Hoppy Poppy IPA – IPA with abundant tropical flavors
• Belgian Brick – Belgian-style pale ale, malty with notes of coriander

Visit Public Brewhouse on Facebook

Pueblo Vida Brewing Company

115 E Broadway Blvd.

Though Pueblo Vida is beloved for their award-winning Northwest IPA or their delectable Bavarian Hefeweizen, one main draw of becoming a regular is their weekly infusions. These beers are where Pueblo Vida runs wild, imparting all sorts of flavor combinations into their already tasty offerings. Love their traditional Milk Stout? You’ll love it even more when Pueblo Vida infuses chocolate and coconut flavors into the batch. Early birds will want to take note of Pueblo Vida’s Pints & Poses, a yoga class offered at the tasting room each Sunday at 10:30am. It’s only $5 and includes a pint of beer afterward.

Recommended:

• Northwest IPA – a pale ale with intense grapefruit and citrus flavor balanced with sweet malts
• Bavarian Hefeweizen – a German-style wheat beer with the traditional flavors of bananas and cloves
• Breakfast Stout – a complex stout made with Yellow Brick Coffee’s cold brew and roasted cocoa

More info at pueblovidabrewing.com

Sentinel Peak Brewing Company

4746 E Grant Rd.

Sentinel Peak prides itself on being Tucson’s midtown beerpub. Their renovated taproom has expanded to include both indoor and outdoor seating — perfect to catch a Tucson sunset while sipping on a refreshing brew. Sentinel Peak typically keeps at least nine of their own beers on tap, retaining four “flagship” beers on a constant basis to satisfy those looking for a traditional IPA, Dunkel, Blonde, or Amber selection. These beers are perfect to pair with their selection of menu items ranging from small bites (make sure to try the Bavarian Soft Pretzel Sticks with their Dew Point Dunkel) to soups and sandwiches. Sentinel Peak even has a Kid’s Menu so no one in the family is left out.

Recommended:

• Salida del Sol Amber – a Mexican-style Vienna with a smooth and spicy flavor, infused with local ingredients
• Icebreak IPA – American IPA with a floral aroma, lighter on the hop bitterness

More info at sentinelpeakbrewing.com

Ten Fifty-Five Brewing 

3810 E. 44th St.

Another small-batch brewery, Ten Fifty-Five keeps six of their own beers on tap at all times with a specialty release that rotates out every month. All different styles of beer are represented on their menu board, from stout drinkers to those that prefer something light and crisp. Located on the south side of Tucson, the brewery prides itself on the community in which it resides.

Recommended:

• Two Sons Citra – hoppy imperial IPA with tropical and citrus notes
• Lazy Duck  – American wheat, crisp for Tucson sipping
• XOXO Coffee Stout – a stout made with Exo Roast Coffee and dark cocoa flavors

More info at 1055brewing.com

Thunder Canyon Brewery

220 E Broadway Blvd.  • 7401 N La Cholla Blvd.

Thunder Canyon has been serving Tucson its craft beer since 1997, and their reach is the furthest of all the breweries in town. Whether it’s their downtown location just off Congress or their Foothills Mall location on Ina and La Cholla, a Tucsonan is never far from having a Thunder Canyon brew in their hands. Checking the daily menu board in-house is the best way to know what they’ve currently got on hand as some beers are rotated in-and-out at a constant rate, though a staggering eight beers remain on tap at all times. If getting one of their tasty brews the traditional way is not enough, Thunder Canyon does offer a hefty menu of food options, some of which are made with their in-house beer (like the Chocolate Stout Shake).

Recommended:

• Doble Diablo – an American strong ale with a copper color and toasted malt flavor
• Sky Island IPA – an IPA the hop intensity of West Coast-style with the haziness of East Coast-style
• Sunrise Wheat – an unfiltered wheat beer lightly infused with blood orange, passionfruit, pineapple, and mango

More info at thundercanyonbrewery.com