Simple Machine Brewing Company Review
| Location | 701 W Deer Valley Rd Ste 1 Phoenix, AZ 85027 |
| Phone Number | (623) 469 9199 |
| Hours | M Closed, T-Th 3 pm-9 pm, F 2 pm-9 pm, Sat 12 pm-9 pm, Sun 12 pm-6 pm |
| Website | https://simplemachinebrewing.com/ |
After having lived in north Phoenix for 15 years without any craft breweries nearby, we just about leaped out of the car when we first spied Simple Machine Brewing Company. We made a note of it and vowed to return and sample their wares soon.
We finally made a visit to the tasting room in March 2022. I tried to manage my expectations since this was, after all, an honest-to-God craft brewer practically in our neighborhood. I was just happy we had a place like this less than an hour away!
The Place: Simple Machine Brewing Company in North Phoenix
We visited Simple Machine Brewing Company in North Phoenix in March 2022 and again in May 2022. Located in the Deer Valley Airpark center, the tasting room sits at the southwest corner of Deer Valley Road and 7th Avenue.
Simple Machine Brewing opened in early 2020–what a tough time to start a hospitality business! But they’ve weathered the storms of the last couple of years and come out smelling like a rose. It helps that these beer-makers have some serious chops behind their product. It’s no surprise they were named Best Brewery by Phoenix Magazine in 2022.
According to Phoenix New Times their head brewer, Marshall Norris, has worked with PHX Beer, Helton Brewing Co., and Borderlands Brewing Co. in Tucson. They are also members of the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild.
It’s easy to find since it sits on the corner of a group of industrial-looking buildings facing Deer Valley Road. They have a large sign over the entry so you’ll know you’re in the right place.
Free Parking and Cool Patio
The building is surrounded by a private, free parking lot. There were plenty of open parking spaces when we visited but I imagine it could be a challenge to find a spot when they’re busy on the weekend.
Out front, there is an uncovered patio with about 10 tables that looks like a nice place to toss back a few bevvys, but it might be too hot out there in the summer. We didn’t see many patrons sitting outside the brewery when we visited. I noticed they had heat lamps that would make it habitable on cool winter nights.
Welcome to a Casual Industrial Minimalism Vibe
The front of the building has a bank of huge windows that let plenty of light into the casual industrial space. A large bar crosses the back wall of the public area and brewing equipment is visible behind the tap area.
Walking into the bar, the vibe was pretty casual with 2000’s-era alternative rock music and half a dozen big-screen TVs playing sports or light entertainment videos. And to add to the fun, they attract quite a crowd for trivia quiz nights on Wednesdays.
A very pleasant grainy/malty aroma reminded us they do their brewing right here.
We visited mid-week around 3 p.m. and there were few other patrons there when we arrived. The bar seats about 20 and there are about a dozen tables in the public area of the facility.
I also noticed a small section to one side with a few smaller high-top tables that might be for private parties.
The Beer
We perused the digital menu displayed above the bar. The barman told us that we could also look at the current selection list on the Untappd phone app by scanning a QR code on the bar.
Simple Machine Brewing Company had 18 beers on tap during our first visit and 15 available on our second visit.
Many Different Styles
Their signature brew, Helical Haze New England/Hazy IPA is always available. They are always making up a new recipe or two to keep it exciting.
On our first visit they were serving seven (!) IPAs, some ales, lager, pilsner, cherry Kolsch, and a stout. But they have a TON of different beer styles in their arsenal–nitro coffee blonde, radlers, fruited sours, and lagers just to name a few.
We took advantage of the beer flight offering (4 x 4oz glasses) on one visit and drank a few full glasses on the other. They had several serving sizes available including 13 oz., 16 oz. and 20 oz. glasses for $4 to $7 when we visited.
If you want to take some of their delicious brew home with you, you’ll find many cans to choose from. There are two small refrigerators packed with many of their popular beers.
Beer Reviews
We sampled quite a few Simple Machine Brewing Co. beers between two visits and a couple of to-go orders.
You can see we favor the IPAs, especially the hazies. I suppose we’re following the current popular trend, but how can we resist when there are so many great brews offered by Simple Machine Brewing Co.? They really know what they’re doing!
Let me share a few notes we took…
| Beer-ABV/IBU | Notes |
|---|---|
| Bangin Chains American IPA 7%/70 | Lighter style, crisp, hoppy. |
| Camper American Red Amber 4.9%/25 | Dark, roasty caramel, grainy/malty, heavy mouthfeel |
| Dark Side of the Mash Black IPA 6.3%/85 | Dark, thick, medium bitter, smooth. Reminiscent of root beer! Super malty, sweetish. Like a bitter stout. |
| Helical Haze NE Hazy IPA 7.6%/30 | Tropical fruit, citrus, medium bitter, balanced, very hazy |
| Mission Imhoppable IPA Triple 10%/100 | Clear gold, very bitter, sharp with noticeable alcohol zing. |
| OHSO Simple NE Hazy IPA Session 5.8%/? | Collaboration between O.H.S.O. Brewing and Simple Machine Brewing Co. Hazy, juicy berries, moderately hoppy, hazy gold, lower carbonation, medium to heavy mouthfeel. favorite of the day |
| Simple Machine 3 Amigos NE Hazy IPA 6.3%/55 | Collaboration w/PHX Beer. Slightly hazy, rounded big flavor, citrus, juicy |
| Simple Tortuga NE Hazy IPA 8.2%/50 | Darker gold, very hazy, fruity, juicy, refreshing. |
| Tap That AZ Hazy Imperial Double NE Hazy IPA 8.2%/48 | Light, punchy, fresh juice, hazy, fruity. favorite of the day |
See our ratings for some of these beers on Untappd.
Overall Impression
We were surprised and very satisfied with the quality and variety of beer we sampled at Simple Machine Brewing Company. There were plenty of styles to please every drinker’s preference.
The facility is clean and casual with attentive servers. I could see wasting an afternoon trying half the menu and calling an Uber car to get home.
This is a great place for serious craft beer drinkers (especially IPA lovers) and dabblers alike.
Additional Details
Here are a few more helpful facts I uncovered about this incredible north Phoenix brewery:
- Happy hour specials: Tuesday–all evening, W-F from 3 pm-6 pm
- Payments accepted: Cash, Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express
- Free wi-fi provided
- They may accept reservations, depending on circumstances
- Food trucks available Weds., Fri. and Sat. in the summer, most days in winter
- You can bring your own food from elsewhere (Habanero Fresh is nearby)
- Live music on the second Sunday of each month
- Trivia quiz game every Wednesday night
- Dog-friendly patio
- Children friendly
- Events are posted on their Facebook page
- Canned beer sold in a few local restaurants, bars and bottle shops
