Wren House Brewing Company Review

Wren House Brewing Company opened in 2016 in an old central Phoenix bungalow. Situated on the east side of 24th Ave. north of McDowell, the tap room is located in the main house while the beer-production facilities are in the outbuildings behind. 

The name Wren House is a bit of a hat-tip to Arizona’s state bird, the cactus wren and the location of the taproom in a historic house. (2)

Head brewer Preston Theony is a Phoenix native. He spent some time in Montana at Big Sky Brewing before coming home to brew at Wren House (2,4,5,6)

WHBC is intentional about embracing environmentally friendly production methods. From their use of recycled water, local citrus and malt from local AZ growers they focus on local ingredients and conservation.

The Place

The location of Wren House Brewing is in the Green Gables/midtown area of Phoenix, an area that’s a bit gritty. Most patrons end up parking on the street next to the drive-through liquor store since the brewery’s own small lot is usually full. 

But the tap room itself is quite charming. Located in a restyled 1930’s bungalow, the interior is decorated simply with wooden tables, metal stools and subway tile. An old-school felt letter board displays your daily beer selections behind the 10-seat bar. 

Although WHBC ranked in the top 10 best selling taprooms in the Mountain West region in 2021 (3), the taproom is pretty small. There are 6 tables that seat 2-4 people and one larger community table. 

Another very interesting aspect of Wren House Brewing’s Phoenix tap room is that there are no televisions. That’s right! No football, basketball, baseball, golf or auto racing to distract from enjoying all that delicious beer. 

We also didn’t notice any cornhole, pinball or other games we see in other breweries. Lack of entertainment is not necessarily bad, it encourages you to talk to other patrons and focus on your beer. 

We enjoyed listening to something other than hits from the 80s and 90s… They were spinning a laid-back variety of mellow 60’s rock including hits from The Grateful Dead and Young Rascals.

So, you decide–is this a simple social space that encourages communing with your neighbor? Or is it a strictly utilitarian drinking facility catering to those with a single-minded focus on the intricacies of stellar craft beer?

The Patio/Outdoor Facilities

The day we visited, it was a typical summer day in Phoenix: nothin but sun and the mercury topping 100 degrees. All the patrons were sheltering in their thermoneutral zone inside the tap room. 

But out back, between the brewing facility and the tap room is a lovely patio with shade umbrellas, misters and trees. They can seat more than 20 people at the large wooden picnic tables.

The outdoor patio looks like a great place to hang out in cooler times. And your canine companions are welcome to join you while you hang out with your glass of Spellbinder IPA.

The Beer

Wren House has become one of the most revered beer makers in Phoenix. They’ve won numerous awards including Phoenix New Times Best Brewery 2021 (1), as well as awards for individual beers. You can find their beer at many restaurants and bottle shops throughout Arizona and southern California. 

You can’t order a flight here, per se, but you can get small pours of any beer for $2-3. 

Here’s what we’ve tried so far…

Beer Reviews

See how we rated some of these beers on Untappd.

Overall Impression

The highlights: Wren House Brewing Company’s midtown Phoenix tap room is a comfy, distraction-free place to taste some superlative craft beer. 

They have a sweet outdoor space where you can quaff in peace under the trees. Take home a four pack to enjoy one more of their excellent recipes tomorrow. 

There are a few challenges to keep in mind if you’re planning a visit. Parking usually requires you to leave your car on a side street up to a block away. 

You won’t find TVs or corn hole games here. The focus is really on drinking craft beer. If you’re looking for a hangout with food and entertainment for non-beer enthusiasts, check out some of the bigger places up the road like O.H.S.O. Brewery+Distillery.

Finally, Wren House is quite popular and it gets pretty busy. Servers might not have time to walk you through the nuances of the menu.

Additional Details

• Dog-friendly outdoor patio
• No food available but you can bring your own to eat there.
• Flagship beer, Spellbinder IPA beat 377 other entrants to win the title of Best Juicy or Hazy IPA at the 2020 Great American Beer Festival. 
• Check out their Prairie Patio in Prescott– open F-Sun and soon-to-open Ahwatukee tap room.
• Make it a beer crawl with a short drive to Craft 64 Scottsdale and Huss Brewing Co. Uptown.

Map

Sources

1. Best Brewery 2021. (2021). Phoenix New Times. Retrieved August 15, 2022, from https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/best-of/2021/food-and-drink/best-brewery-12113344
2. Becker, D. (2019, January 29). Podcast EP 121- The Most Easy Going Brewer Award Goes to Preston Thoeny. The Full Pint – Craft Beer News. Retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://thefullpint.com/podcast/podcast-ep-121-the-most-easy-going-brewer-award-goes-to-preston-thoeny/
3. Grant, S. (2022, May 1). Taprooms. The New Brewer, 39(3), 66–71. Retrieved August 18, 2022, from https://mydigitalpublication.com/publication/frame.php?i=425132&p=&pn=106&ver=html5
4. Holl, J. (2020, October 17). Episode 25: Preston Theony and Luke Wortendyke of Wren House Brewing. Beer Edge. Retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://www.beeredge.com/2020/03/25/episode-25-preston-theony-and-luke-wortendyke-of-wren-house-brewing/
5. Koeppel, G. (2022, June 21). Wren House to open Euro craft beer hall here. Ahwatukee Foothills News. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://www.ahwatukee.com/business/article_f160fa5e-ec24-11ec-9b31-1bc8a9ecd225.html
6. Tirion Morris, The Arizona Republic. (2019, October 22). Fans line up for this Phoenix brewery’s limited releases. Meet the man behind the beer. The Republic | Azcentral.Com. Retrieved August 15, 2022, from https://eu.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/dining/beer/2019/09/18/preston-theony-wren-house-brewing-company-central-phoenix/1970928001/