Four Peaks Brewing Company

Best Brew Pubs in America

Luxist readers nominated their favorite brew pubs around the country as part of the Luxist Awards for best in entertainment. One brew pub is located in Vemont and the only way to sample its beer is to go there yourself. The second brew pub has won countless awards while the third one features hand-crafted beer. The fourth brew pub brews its award-winning beer on the premises while many consider the beers made by the final brew pub among the best in the world.

The Alchemist Pub and Brewery

Waterbury, Vt.

About halfway between Manchester, N.H. and Montreal, Quebec sits the sleepy town of Waterbury, Vt., home to The Alchemist Pub and Brewery. The geographical details may seem trivial, but the only way to get a beer at this Luxist-nominated brew pub is to go there yourself – all ales flow from The Alchemist's own basement brewery. The only beer that's "to-go," they like to say, is the beer in your belly.

Perhaps things would have been different if the The Alchemist had been founded a few decades earlier – the brewpub is located Waterbury's original post office, which would have made for quite the convenient distribution network. Instead, the building was renovated and reopened as a brewpub in 2003 by proprietors Jennifer and John Kimmich. The pair has been brewing handcrafted beer onsite ever since, using only the best imported malts and domestic hops.

Every Friday, new casks of beer are debuted, but four stalwarts are always available on tap alongside the newbies. There's Donovan's Red, a medium-bodied and malty ale named after Waterbury's 19^th Century Irish restaurant. Light beer drinkers will appreciate the appropriately-named Lightweight, a crisp pilsner that took third place at the 2006 World Beer Cup. For hops lovers, Holy Cow I.P.A. is an aromatic blend of six different malts and five different hops. And finally, there's Pappy's Porter, a dark and deep ale that's great for bitter New England evenings in the winter.

Gallery: The Alchemist Pub and Brewery in Waterbury, Vermont

Beer Taps at The Alchemist Pub & Brewery

Beer and Food at The Alchemist Pub & Brewery

Art on Display inside The Alchemist Pub & Brewery

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Four Peaks Brewing Co.: Award-Winning Beer in Arizona

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Spirits

Four Peaks Brewery is nominated as best brew pub

For over a decade, Four Peaks Brewing Company in Tempe, Ari., has been among the best destinations for beer in the Southwest. In the wake of countless awards at the likes of the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival, it's no surprise that the brew pub responsible for the victorious liquids is a Luxist nominee in the best brew pub category.

Four Peaks' building started out as something quite different from its current incarnation. Back in 1892, the warehouse was first constructed to store milk for Pacific Creamery and Bordens Creamery. Today, the red brick walls and high wooden ceilings surround a different kind of libation: the delicious ales of Four Peaks Brewing Company.

Gallery: Four Peaks Brewery in Tempe, Arizona

In addition to seasonal varieties, the brewpub boasts a handful of mainstays. There's Kilt Lifter, an award-winning Scottish-style ale, amber in color and smoky in taste. For Anglophiles, there's 8^th Street Ale, an English-style bitter beer made from rare Kentish hops. Those looking for something a little sweeter will enjoy Arizona Peach, a subtle and fruity beer. Hops-lovers will enjoy Hop Knot I.P.A., named for the weaving of four different types of hops at four different times during the brewing process.

Solid nourishment can also be had at Four Peaks – the accompanying restaurant offers a full menu of lunch and dinner items. And if a trip to Tempe is too long a trek, try the brewpub's second location, Four Peaks Grill and Tap in Scottsdale.

Vote for the brew pub that you believe is the best of breed. The voting period runs through April 30 and winners will be announced on May 1.

Tags: Ariziona, awards-main, beer, best brew pub, Four Peaks Brewing Company, luxist-awards, microbreweries, nigthlife, scottsdale, scottsdale az, Tempe