Friday 6th of September 2013 04:00:36 PM

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Flagstaff Brewing is tucked away - a bit out of sight - and yet on the main drag through town, old Route 66 ("Get your kicks on route 66." I'm showing my age!)

But if you're looking for atmosphere to go with your brew, this is THE place in Flagstaff.

Walking in, the place kinda envelopes you and says, "Hey! We've been waiting for you."

I visited on a Friday morning, just after opening. I like those times because it gives me a chance to talk with the barman/maid without anxious and impatient customers demanding to be served. This day was no different.

Asking to take pictures, the bar-gal said, "Sure...just of me." "Of course," I replied. "I respect my subjects." At that, she laughed and proceeded to tell me of a once-past customer who asked the same question and then pulled out a majestic Nikon with automatic film advance function and started shooting a thousand photos - clickclickclickclickclickclickclick.

My shared a chuckle and I asked for a sampler of the 4 beers on tap, explaining that I only need a half glass. "I don't understand," she said. "Instead of 4 ounces, just pour 2." She recoiled as though I had slapped her up side the head. "Really?" she said. Smiling, I replied "really." "I've never had that request before but sure!"

As she poured, a fellow came behind the bar and he looked haggard. "Ah, the brewer I would guess." He turned to me, gave a slight smile and grabbed a iced soda. A bit of sparing back and forth and Jeff and I had a grand conversation. Not a home-brewer (and a rarity that in the beer "biz") but rather a micro-biologist who got fed up with forestry and, with friends, ventured into this beer venture. 19 years later and he's still going but after hefting 4000 pounds of product by himself this day, he spoke most of his Oregon home-town and love of the Pacific Northwest...a subject near and dear to my heart having spent 20 years there raising a family. He spoke too of how he had helped get the folks from Four Peaks Brewing off the ground...his good relationship with the operators of Beaver Street and Lumberyard...and his brand new patio seating (which sits in an outdoor "mall" but still provides a sense of privacy. Don't what it's like on a weekend night but I would suspect that beer locals would rate this place high for the atmosphere alone.

We sat, I sipped. Although his selection is limited to just the 4, the Hefe / Wheat was different with a hint of sweet and very tasty....the Kolsch as well and, not being a big fan of that style, I was happily surprised. This was refreshing on this warm Friday morn. The porter, too hoppy...the pale ale, typical. Did not try the food but it appears to be normal brewpub fare.

When it came time to pay up, I asked "how much?" Bar-Gal replied, "Well let's see....4 samples, half full, good conversation....how about $2?"

How about $2 -- and my 2 cents worth. Their website decries they have "beer like Mom used to make." Well, not my Mom....but I could come "home" any time.

Thursday 14th of April 2011 10:12:44 PM

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The FBC is a small, friendly, somewhat comfortable bar with a nice patio. It also happens to brew its own beer. I'm being deliberate there about where the beer falls in with the bar. This place gets a lot of tourists, who simply wander over, so they don't get a ton of interest in their beers, it seems, and that may be the problem.
The bar is a long half log, bringing the pine forest atmosphere into the establishment. The rest of the tables are high tops with rickety seats. It's best to sit at the bar.
They don't have many beers. What they had was pretty standard and the quality wasn't enough to hold my interest. Honestly, I don't remember any of the beers at all about 8 months later, and can't pull up their names on their site currently as the link is broken, which kind of says something.
We had lunch here. It's very much bar food: sausages, burgers, pizza, etc. Not bad but not great.
Service was okay. The bartender was more a bartender than a beer guy, so he didn't seem to know a lot about what they had aside from the names.

Thursday 7th of October 2010 11:48:17 PM

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Great atmosphere and the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Tried the sampler of the four beers they had on tap:
Bubbaganoush Pale Ale (IPA)
Sasquatch Stout
Dunkel
The Great Golden Ale
All four were very good. The IPA was good, but not as hoppy as other IPA's I have had. (i.e. Stone Brewing)
The stout was very good. The dunkel was done well, but as was the Golden Ale. The staff was great and very friendly. For those so inclined, they have a great selection of Scotch and know them well.
All I had to eat were some fries, but they were excellent and served with a chipotle mayonnaise. Lots of locals, so you know they have something going on.

Thursday 29th of July 2010 07:51:57 PM

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this place makes beer like your mom used to make. with abandon and for all types of paletts. food is very healthy and original, happy go lucky staff, great outdoor patio. tons of live local and underground bands play thru here. they sport a ping pong table some evenings and also have a variety of guest taps and bottle beers from all over including the lion stout from sri lanka. very low key and laid back, hippie place if there ever was onr in flagstaff. i recommend because of the intensity of brews and variety of beers, solid food menu and eager staff.

Wednesday 28th of July 2010 11:53:39 AM

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This person needs 3 or more reviews on the site for their scores to start counting.

Visited this location on July 26 2010 and sat on the patio. Only 4 house beers are available at any given time. Ordered the pale ale and when it came out had no foam, resembled a cider, and had what looked like a small detergent film on the top. I'm not sure how a brewery could ever allow such a poor presentation of their own beer to go out to customers. Finished our appetizer and beer and decided to move on. Don't think I'll be back unless I hear things have changed.

Saturday 16th of May 2009 02:15:26 AM

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flagstaff brewing is awesome.

the beer is great and the food is good as well.

if you are there in october/november- the spruce tip ale is my favorite. this is a seasonal beer.. i went back the next day to get a couple growlers and it was gone... visited again in april and they told me to come back in october.

the blackbird porter is also pretty good.

as far as the atmospher- they have a great outdoor patio-- frequent live music... the brewery shares a courtyard with several other businesses downtown.. a hippy drum circle came parading through one day--- scared the dog.. but luckily they moved on ... much prefer the smell of hops to patchouli.