Tucson Hop Shop Opens Friday; Dragoon Releases IPA Cans; Ninkasi Brewing Takeover Today

You can drink a pint of India pale ale from a glass or eat it in fluff form as part of Friday’s grand opening of the Tucson Hop Shop, 3230 N. Dodge Blvd.

The Old Pueblo’s latest craft beer locale, following in the footsteps of Tap & Bottle and Arizona Beer House, has joined forces with local cotton candy producer Fluff It Up for its launch, which will run from 6 to 10 p.m.

Fluff It Up has perfected an IPA flavored cotton candy that it will sell during the event, says Hop Shop co-owner David Zugerman.

“It is kind of crazy how much it tastes like IPA,” he said. “The malt and hops are there. They nailed it.”

David and his wife Jessie opened Tucson Hop Shop last Thursday in the old home of Big Moe’s Coffee Emporium in midtown’s Metal Arts Village.

The Shop sports 20 rotating taps. Two are nitro beer taps and a third serves Presta nitro cold brew coffee.

David said, so far, the Metal Arts Village has been a good fit.

They hope to collaborate with the artists who have studios in the facility as time goes on.

“We were thinking of having some sort of sip-and-sketch drawing classes in the bar,” he said. “Hopefully, we will bring more business to them and they bring more business to us.”

In addition to the cotton candy, Friday night will feature Wooden Tooth Records keeping the beat in the beer garden and, of course, food trucks.

Find out more about the festivities at facebook.com/tucsonhopshop.

Upcoming Beer Events

• Dragoon Brewing Co. will celebrate the release of its Dragoon IPA cans today from 3 to 10 p.m. in its taproom, 1859 W. Grant Road. The first 200 customers get a commemorative pint glass. Limited edition shirts also will be available. More info.
• Oregon’s Ninkasi Brewing Co. will be the focus of a Tap Takeover at Tap & Bottle today, with ten taps serving Ninkasi creations, including Ground Control Imperial Stout and its IPA Sandwich. The fun starts at 5 p.m. More info.