WHAT’S ON TAP?
Anthem business offers patrons chance to brew own beer, wine
Marc Buckhout ~ Managing Editor ~ 2/17/2010

Are your favorite beers the ones that don’t make it into television commercials?
Do you fancy yourself a wine connoisseur, easily distinguishing among red wines like cabernet sauvignon and a merlot or white wines such as a chardonnay and Riesling?
Whether North Valley residents are interested simply in purchasing their favorite national and local libations or are looking for something more adventurous, the opportunity to brew their own beer or wine, chances are they’ll find what they are looking for at Hops & Tannins in Anthem.
The business, which opened in January at 4220 W. Summit Walk Court, Suite 1201 in Anthem, offers 150 different beers and 160 different wines.
“Right now we’re probably 50/50 in our sales between people that are simply coming in to buy beers or wine as opposed to those that decide they want to brew their own,” owner Bill Bailey said. “A lot of the time people come in and they want to brew, but they also want to take some home to enjoy in the meantime.”
For the beginners Bailey strongly encourages a pre-made kit that offer pre-measured ingredients and instructions to make five gallons worth of beer, good for 53 bottles.
“The kits run anywhere between $32.99 and 56.00 depending on what type of beer they want to make,” he said. “Right now we’re getting the two extremes as our most popular sellers. We’ve got those that are looking for something very dark and malty, a porter or a stout and then those that want a Belgian style, much lighter.”
The common trait is the desire for a higher quality drink.
“The advantage of brewing your own beer is you’re getting beers with more body, that haven’t had additives that can affect the taste added,” Bailey said.
With easy to follow instructions Bailey said brewers will put approximately four and a half hours of work into a three week process, one that includes boiling grains, hops and flavoring, fermenting, bottling and aging among others.
Before brewers attempt to make their own beer Bailey said he points them toward a bottled beer in the store with a comparable taste.
“If you’re going to make 50 gallons of something you at least want to have a pretty good idea that you’ll like it,” he said.
Once brewers make a batch using a kit, Bailey said they generally feel more comfortable branching out, buying their own ingredients and trying any of numerous recipes that they can get from books, ones provided by Bailey in the store, or online.
As for the in-house selections of beer Hops & Tannins sells buy the bottle, with prices ranging from $1.39 - $7.29 for 12 ounce bottles. Bailey said a 10 percent discount is available for those that buy a six pack.
Bailey said customers have particularly enjoyed the products produced by local Arizona breweries including: Oak Creek, Four Peaks, Old World, Sonoran and Nimbus.
He said they also rotate their wines, stocking the latest releases from many Arizona producers including Arizona Stronghold, Pillsbury Wine Company, Page Springs Cellars, Callaghan Vineyards, Keeling-Schaefer Vineyards and Kokopelli Winery.
Hops and Tannins is open from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Saturday and from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday. For information about the store go to www.hopsandtannins.com. Beer and wine brewing equipment can be ordered online, while the list of available beers and wines in stock can also be viewed.