Goldwater Brewing Company Scottsdale Review
| Location | 3608 N. Scottsdale Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85251 |
| Phone Number | 480-350-7305 |
| Hours | M-Th 2pm-10pm, F-Sat 12pm-10pm, Sun 12pm-8pm |
| Website | https://www.goldwaterbrewing.com/ |
Goldwater Brewing Company in Old Town Scottsdale opened their taproom in May, 2015. This family-owned brewery produces many styles of craft beer sold onsite as well as in over 100 local bars and restaurants.
We have visited the taproom several times since they opened. Our most recent visit took place in the summer of 2022 and it did not disappoint!
The Place
Goldwater Brewing Co. in Scottsdale is one of the most charming, well-designed taprooms in the Phoenix metro area. It is located in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale on Scottsdale Road just north of Goldwater Boulevard.
They occupy the end space in a commercial building shared with Brat Haus. Sip Coffee & Beer Haus is located across the shared parking lot that has only 7 spaces. If you’re not lucky enough to get a spot in the free lot, you can usually find metered parking on a nearby street.
Goldwater Brewing now has a humongous outdoor patio space behind the taproom. On the patio, you’ll find enough tables to seat dozens of people, some shade umbrellas and colorful murals for decoration.
You can even get a bird’s eye view from the rooftop patio located on one end of the outdoor space. They regularly host movie nights, barbeques and TV sporting event-viewing parties in their outdoor space.
The outside of the building is covered by a modern-style, rusted metal siding. The entry facing the parking lot is covered by an awning and features some really nice green plants in planters. It reminded us of wine tasting rooms we’ve visited in California.
The interior of the taproom has a glass-partitioned brewing facility on one end and a copper-top bar stretching down the center of the space with about a dozen stools. There are four high top tables in the remaining space, but the bar takes up the majority of the industrial-modern room.
There is no doubt you’re in a craft beer taproom. Stainless steel brite tanks gleam behind the bar. A whimsical hand painted beer menu is posted above the taps. And a huge, colorful beer character mural points the way to the restrooms. Only one big-screen TV hangs in the taproom, so there’s not much to distract from drinking great beer.
There is another taproom downstairs called The Goldmine Underground Tap & Barrel. The space was once a shooting range but according to OpenTable, it is now used for serving “specialty one-off brews, barrel-aged beers & craft lagers.” Unfortunately, we’ve never visited when this space was open.
Goldwater Brewery in Scottsdale does not offer food. You are welcomed to bring in a meal you purchase elsewhere. They sometimes have food trucks outside. You can also hit up Brat Haus next door and nosh while you quaff one of Goldwater’s fermented masterpieces.
They were playing reggae music on the sound system at a reasonable volume when we visited. All in all, the vibe is relaxed and casual but still somehow upscale. They’ve done a great job of creating a branded-but-subtle ambiance you won’t find in many other local taprooms.
The Beer
Goldwater Brewing Co. has a reputation for producing reliably high-quality, true-to-style craft beer. There is always something new to try–the day we stopped in there were 21 taps flowing. They had 9 light beers (lager, saison), 1 hefe, 6 IPAs, 3 dark beers, 2 sours and 1 cider from Cider Corps.
Beers are high quality across the board with certain styles shining more than others. Well curated list of styles. Overall, beers are BOLD and many have a certain tangy quality that makes for a lively drinking experience.
Goldwater Brewing Co.’s Machine Gun Teddy won the Great American Beer Festival’s bronze award for American-Style Brown Ale against 90 entrants in 2017. We whole-heartedly support that decision–it was one of our favorite beers we tasted during our visit.
Beer Reviews
| Beer-ABV/IBU | Notes |
|---|---|
| Birthday Suit West Coast IPA 7.3%/95 | Slightly hazy; med. gold; hop forward–grassy with malt underneath; light-med. body, moderate carbonation; bold WCIPA. |
| Hefeweizen Wheat Beer 6% | Slightly hazy, medium golden; aromas of clove & warm spice with banana underneath; big flavor without being too fruity; smooth, med body. Bold hefe. |
| Hop Chowda IPA (New England/Hazy) 6.4%/35 | Med gold, mod hazy; aromas of hops!, orange; flavors of orange citrus, fresh hay, bitter finish but not too strong; medium body; super tasty NEIPA. A Favorite of the Day |
| Hundred Dollar Pils German Pilsner 4.6%/18 | Clear, light golden; aromas–lemon, bread; flavors–light, tangy fruit balanced by malt; light body. Flavorful light beer. |
| Machine Gun Teddy American Brown Ale 6.7%/19 | Dark red-brown, clear; aromas toasty, caramel; flavors–high notes with fruity chocolate, followed by slightly sweet malt but still well-balanced, dry finish; light-med body. Really good brown ale. A Favorite of the Day |
| Stinger Farmhouse Ale/Saison 6.3% | Clear gold, 1-inch tight white head; floral hops, spice; flavors–tangy high notes, dry; light-med. body. Bolder, more aggressive flavor than expected. |
Here are our friends Eric and Marcus tasting/describing Goldwater’s Machine Gun Teddy brown ale on an episode of Tap That AZ…
Overall Impression
Goldwater Brewing Company in Scottsdale is a charmingly designed taproom that will appeal to craft beer lovers and folks just looking for a fun experience in the Old Town area. They consistently turn out a wide variety of well-crafted beers with bold flavors.
This spot would be an excellent choice for a weekend hangout with your pals. You can sit inside when during the summer heat or enjoy the lovely beer garden patio during milder weather.
Additional Details
A few more helpful tips for your visit to Goldwater Brewery in Scottsdale, AZ…
- They have another taproom in East Mesa on E. Longbow Parkway
- They offer 5 oz. beer samplers and half pours of any beer
- Dog-friendly patio
- Free wi-fi available
- Parking in the adjacent lot is very limited so plan ahead
- Make a craft beer crawl with Craft 64 and Fate Brewing in Scottsdale
Map
Sources
- BrewCruizer, Inc. (n.d.). Goldwater Brewing Co., United States, Arizona, Scottsdale | BrewCruizer. Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://brewcruizer.com/brewery/goldwater-brewing-co.html
