Sonoita brewery and restaurant Copper Brothel Brewery quietly opened on March 6 after a few months of delays. Although they don’t have their own beers on tap for another few weeks, diners can come in and enjoy guest taps, mostly from Arizona breweries, and eat from the restaurant.
“We are really excited to open and support our community here,” said Samantha Jesser, head brewer and co-owner of CBB. “Not a lot of places available, but we’re excited to have an option for people to come in and have some fun.”
The 5,000-square-foot space with 140 seats was built from the ground up. Ceiling lamps and windmill-inspired ceiling fans hang from the 27-foot high ceiling alongside five televisions playing sports games. Handmade wooden tables, mostly high-tops, are branded with the brewery’s logo. Behind the copper-accented bar, tall hand-hewn solid wood beams frame the liquor selection and 20 beer taps. Outside, the patio offers a sweeping view of the Santa Rita, Mustang, and Whetstone mountain ranges — a mezzanine will be completed in a few weeks.
Samantha moved with her parents Robert and Cheryl Jesser to the Sonoita area from Colorado in 2013. Samantha co-owns the brewery with Cheryl, while Robert works as the business manager and pitmaster.
While Samantha has seven years of homebrewing experience, this will be her first position as head brewer. She thanks Dragoon Brewing Co. lead brewer Shawn Cochran and Barrio Brewing Co. founder and brewmaster Dennis Arnold for their advice along the opening process. Although she personally gravitates towards porters and stouts, she wants to make sure her brews are accessible.
“I really am into drinkability,” Samantha said. “Drinkability for people who don’t necessarily like beer. We have a little bit of anything for anyone here around here. Beer-wise and food-wise, we tried to make everything diverse.”
A lime hefeweizen, pale ale, red kölsch, and oatmeal stout are among the first beers scheduled for release. Patrons can also choose from wine or liquor at the full bar.
The menu features pub fare with southwestern influence. Options include soups, salads, fried appetizers, sandwiches, and more.
Copper Brothel Brewery Menu Highlights
- Chile Relleno Bites ($8) – flame roasted green chile strips, cheese, egg roll wrapper, served with pork green chile and ranch dressing
- Wisconsin Cheese Curds & Bottle Caps ($9) – served with homemade raspberry chipotle dipping sauce
- Chicharróns ($6) – tossed in the house barbecue rub, served with hot sauce
- Pulled Pork Sandwich ($14) – served with homemade coleslaw and fries or chips, choice of Brewhouse BBQ, Bourbon Pineapple BBQ, or North Carolina Mustard
- Chimichanga Plate ($13) – shredded beef chimichanga smothered in pork green chile, sered with cilantro-lime rice and black or refried beans
- Sam’s Mac & Cheese ($9) – cavatappi in homemade cheese sauce
- Sopapilla Bites ($6) – tossed in cinnamon sugar, served with honey or caramel
Operating hours are 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Friday – Saturday.
Copper Brothel Brewery is located at 3112 Highway 83, Sonoita, AZ 85637. For more information, call (520) 405-6721. Keep up with Copper Brothel Brewery on Facebook.
Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
