Crooked Tooth Brewing Company and Friends of Saguaro National Park return Thursday, Sept. 4, with the sophomore release of their limited-edition Mesquite Amber. The First Cheers! launch party begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Crooked Tooth taproom, 228 E. Sixth St. The taproom opens at noon and pours run through 11 p.m. Guests at the launch party will be among the first to try this year's batch, alongside representatives from Saguaro National Park and Friends of Saguaro National Park. Four-packs cost $22 and are available in the taproom and at select locations throughout Tucson while supplies last.
Co-owner Ben Vernon refined the recipe this year while keeping the lager character in place. The beer reveals the Sonoran Desert through a rich amber profile with hints of mesquite, and Vernon's adjustments build on what already worked.
"We could have brewed something new this year," Vernon said, "but Mesquite Amber earned its place at the table. I made a few small adjustments and left the character alone, because when Tucson beer lovers say that they can taste the Sonoran Desert, you refine it."
Click here for Tucson Foodie's coverage of the original Mesquite Amber release last year.
The beer and the cause
Mesquite Amber functions as outreach for Friends of Saguaro National Park as much as it does a beer release. FOSNP is the nonprofit philanthropic partner of the National Park Service at Saguaro National Park, funding trail rehabilitation, environmental education, and youth programming, much of it outside public view. A can on a shelf or a tap handle at a local bar puts that mission in front of people who love the landscape but may not know the organization working to protect it.
Fred Stula, Executive Director of Friends of Saguaro National Park, said the partnership builds on something both organizations share.
"I want to thank Julie, Ben, David, and everyone at Crooked Tooth Brewery,” Stula said. “It’s great to partner for another year on something we both love: beer and protecting our amazing national park.”
Last year, the Mesquite Amber poured at the 27th Annual Dinner and Auction, which drew 210 guests and raised more than $88,000 for trails, park improvements, and support programs at Saguaro National Park.
The can and the brewer behind it
Lead brewer and principal can artist Emma Rogers designed the artwork for the second year running. Rogers has held her dual role at Crooked Tooth since 2024, and every label she creates starts as tactile media, including acrylic on canvas, paper collage, or linocut, before it goes to print on an aluminum can. The Mesquite Amber label reflects the same layered attention she brings to the brew itself.
Crooked Tooth Brewing Co. operates out of a converted 1940s auto garage in the Railroad Arts District, producing gluten-reduced craft beers that draw on Sonoran ingredients and flavors. The taproom at 228 E. Sixth St. offers a rotating lineup of house beers alongside a patio, live music, and community events.
Where to find it and what's coming
Mesquite Amber is available on draft and in four-packs at the taproom and at select Tucson restaurants and retailers while supplies last. The Sept. 4 launch also kicks off the countdown to the 28th Annual Dinner and Auction benefiting Friends of Saguaro National Park, set for Sunday, Oct. 18 at Tanque Verde Ranch. Tickets are $125 per person, available by calling (520) 733-8610. Saguaro National Park drew 847,749 visitors in 2025, the eighth-busiest season on record for the park.
For more information, visit friendsofsaguaro.org.
