Tucson's Post-ride Indie Beers
Indigenous Maize y Muchos Good Vibes
Pretty much anywhere you go today in the good ole U S of A, for sure in big cities, you’ll find a local, independent craft beer scene. Sure, people snarl at it: uppity, pretentious, snooty, nerdy. Yep, it can be and is all of that.
It’s also what macro beer lacks: creativity and a being a thread in the social fabric of the community, beyond simply saying “we offer jobs, pay taxes, and donate to causes,” which is pretty much the macro position statement, emoting an insecurity complex of some degree. The small, indie, craft breweries do the same thing and so much more.
Enter Borderlands Brewing Company of Tucson and their head brewer and Director of Production Operations, Ayla Kapahi. She is a leader in speaking and acting on the notion that there’s plenty of room for women to be in leadership positions in the brewing industry. Too, she builds community that crosses the US/Mexican border and transcends nations. When I stopped in for a beer, I drank all of that in the form of their Blonde Ale brewed with corn, but not just any corn. They use 60-day maize from the Tohono O’odham Nation.
https://www.borderlandsbrewing.com/
While there, I had a local guest beer that was on tap: Victory or Death IPA by Moto Sonora Brewing Company: https://motosonora.com/
While a winner of local/regional beer awards, it didn’t “wow” me, which is entirely okay. Who needs their socks knocked off every time they try something new? I’ll drink it again when I go back, for sure.
Pueblo Vida Brewing Company in downtown Tucson had all the good vibes. They allow you to bring your bike inside and will show you where to put it so you can hang out and not worry about your bike, which would be locked to the rack that’s on your car, which is parked on the street where you probably cannot see it.
I had a few and they all tasted great, which likely was enhanced by the positive energy flowing through the place. It was a super welcoming neighborhood brew pub. No matter who you are, if you want to sit back and enjoy a beer, go here.
https://www.pueblovidabrewing.com/
I also bought a to-go pack of their Explore Outside simply because purple is my favorite color and I liked the name, despite not being a big fan of hazies.
1912 Brewing Company is right off the I-10. I made a quick stop and found the place empty of people. I had it all to myself, save the bartender and other staff. Honestly, the lineup was missing a good bit, waiting to be refilled. I went with their suggestion.
Not my cup of tea, but I drank it. When will the haze craze end?
Most importantly, 1912 Brewing is owned and operated by Tucson natives/husband and wife and he is a military veteran, as in ... he was a Marine who served in Iraq. The brewery supports veterans needs, and it especially focuses on suicide prevention amongst veterans. ‘Nuff said, buy 1912 beer.
Dragoon Brewing Company’s IPA cans were in my cooler. Yep, it’s solid enough to drink while relaxing after a ride and not look at it and say, meh.
Next time I’m in Tucson, I’ll check out some of the other breweries. There are many.
Cheers!
To support independent writing about mountain biking and indie beer, as well as receive discounts to MTB-related businesses and breweries, use this link below to get the $10.20/year subscription rate. You’ll receive upwards of 75 newsletters in your email inbox throughout 2024, bringing it to about 14 cents for each email/musing/post: