What do you do in Prescott Arizona if you are Woody? Why of course! You look for breweries. You ask Mr. Google. You peruse the websites. Then you go and sample the brews.
But
wait! One of them is funded with Kick Starter. Now that gets my attention. A
brewery funded with local money, and exceeded their goal. This is definitely
worth a closer look.
Sally
and I dropped in one afternoon during the Prescott arts festival and found the
GMB quiet and not crowded. Very casual seting with comfortable easy chairs,
seating groups and a beer garden out back. And, a nice locally made bar. The
brewery is behind the bar where everybody can watch
Michael, the brewer, work his magic. We tasted the IPA and ordered a pint each. Nice color, hoppy up front, nice nose and mouthfeel. Hmmm, I thought, this is a good start. We sat in the beer garden and enjoyed our brew with an order of GMB nachos. Good combo. I talked a bit with Audra while we were up front and she enthusiastically explained the origins of the brewery. She is the “business" partner and everything else too. She keeps the books and keeps the whole operation on the rails. I asked to talk to Michael when he had a break (cleaning kegs).
Michael, the brewer, work his magic. We tasted the IPA and ordered a pint each. Nice color, hoppy up front, nice nose and mouthfeel. Hmmm, I thought, this is a good start. We sat in the beer garden and enjoyed our brew with an order of GMB nachos. Good combo. I talked a bit with Audra while we were up front and she enthusiastically explained the origins of the brewery. She is the “business" partner and everything else too. She keeps the books and keeps the whole operation on the rails. I asked to talk to Michael when he had a break (cleaning kegs).
He
joined us in the garden as the samples of their dark brews arrived. We chatted
about his background as a home brewer turned nano brewer. Guys like Michael
have a passion to brew, and when the combination of supportive spouses, funding
and community come together it is a beautiful thing to see. Audra and Michael
now work full time at the business while their partners have real jobs. Well,
they go to work and earn a salary while Audra and Michael go to the brewery and
play. Don't get me wrong here: running a business and making barley magic is
very hard work, but, the passion I see in these young entrepreneurs glows, and
that is what makes their work "play".
And, the spice also help out at the brewery from time to time.
Back
to the dark brews. We tried the Muddy Wash Milk Stout, Mr. Smith's Espresso
Stout and Honey Vanilla Porter. All had a rich dark color, nice mouthfeel and
lingering tastes. The milk stout was flavorful and just a slightly sweet but
not cloying taste. The porter delivered its promise with subtle aroma and taste
of honey and vanilla. Personally, I would save this brew for a snifter after a
good meal, but many drinkers will make this their first choice.
The
final surprise of the day was the espresso stout. Brewed with locally roasted
organic beans, this is a masterful blend. It is richly flavored and malty with
a slight hoppiness that combines to really please the pallet. It is the kind of
brew you want to swirl around in your mouth forever, dreading the moment when
the glass is empty. I noticed that Michael won a gold medal as a home brewer for
a vanilla bourbon porter. So, he knows the beauty of bourbon and brew. I would
love to see him get a freshly drained bourbon barrel and fill it with Mr.
Smith's Espresso Stout. After a few months of marriage I believe this would
produce a nectar worthy of the gods. Worst case? Fifty gallons of good coffee
bourbon stout.
All
in all, Sally and I had a great afternoon at Granite Mountain Brewing, had some
fine brew and met some dedicated and nice folks. Couldn't get any better. Don'
miss it if you get near Prescott Arizona. You won't be disappointed.
Images
©Granite Mountain Brewing, used with permission
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