Everyone loves a good beatdown, don’t they? The Arizona Rattlers are again rolling — as of this writing, our boys are sitting on a 7-3 record, just half a game back from the Western conference-leading San Jose Sabercats. The Pittsburgh Power, in contrast, have been less than electric, recently extending…
Beer: Hopsauce Brewery: Rubicon Brewing Co. Style: American Double IPA ABV: 8.2 percent Though few things in the world are completely black and white, the spectrum of beer lovers can pretty much be broken up that way. On one side you have the grainiacs, who seek out the darkness of…
For most restaurateurs, it’s simply about gluttony. But James and Wendy Porter of Petite Maison in Scottsdale are gluttons for punishment. There’s no other explanation for why they would invite Chow Bella contributors to work both the front of the house and the kitchen on a weekend, and during Arizona…
What’s your favorite beer? We at Chow Bella get this question a lot, and though it may seem a simple choice for the uninitiated, it can be much harder to answer for those who have tried a multitude of brews. Even among the relatively small selection of beers made in…
Coke is misused as a mixer. While we often employ it as a cheap, sweet vehicle for carrying bottom-shelf rum or whiskey, cola is better-suited for pairing with less powerful alcohols. In a Diesel, it can bring life to a dull lager; in the Calimocho, it covers up the inadequacies…
For the live taping of a podcast to be something fun to watch, the hosts gotta be pretty damn entertaining. Fortunately, that doesn’t seem to be an issue with Hollywood Babble-On. Host one, Kevin Smith, is not only the director of film classics like Clerks and Mall Rats, but has…
Beer: Noche Dulce Brewery: Borderlands Brewing Co. Style: American porter ABV: 7.1 percent There’s an old joke that says the best thing to ever come out of Tucson is the I-10. But, while hilarious, it’s only mostly true. The craft beer revolution is sweeping over Tucson in a big way,…
Beer is a big deal in the Valley. From tastings and tappings to pairing dinners and more, there’s a different beer event to attend pretty much every night. Every week, we curate upcoming brew-related goings-on and lay them out for you here. Your calendar will be as full of beer…
Last time we talked with Micah Olson, he was mixing drinks and running the wine program at Jade Bar, Sanctuary on Camelback’s acclaimed cocktail lounge. He’s now part-owner of the new Italian eatery Crudo. What’s different about this place? Well, I’m the owner, so there’s that. Compared to Sanctuary and…
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: The can is the ultimate in beer technology. Not only does aluminum completely keep out sunlight and oxygen — beer’s mortal enemies — but it’s also easier to ship and store, better for bringing on a hike or to the beach,…
Beer is a big deal in the Valley. From tastings and tappings to pairing dinners and more, there’s a different beer event to attend pretty much every night. Every week, we’ll curate upcoming brew-related goings-on and lay them out for you here. Your calendar will be as full of beer…
Beer: Wookey Jack Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Style: Black IPA ABV: 8.3 percent Beer names and the stories that inspired them fascinate me. Take Firestone Walker’s beers, for example. Was Sticky Monkey named after a pet Capuchin that got into the glue? Did they designate Good Foot as such…
Seems like Arizona’s brewers are finally getting some of the respect they deserve. At this year’s World Beer Cup — the largest commercial international beer competition on Earth with 799 brewery entrants from 54 countries — Tempe’s own Four Peaks Brewing Co. took home two gold medals and a bronze…
Beer: Imperial Russian Stout Brewery: Stone Brewing Co. Style: Russian imperial stout ABV: 10.5 percent Around this time of year, long days of sun and hot weather inspire drinkers to reach for refreshing, quaffable beers, so most breweries choose the summer season to release their lighter, low-ABV brews. Not Stone…
May 5: Big day this year. While Cinco de Mayo — the yearly celebration of the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces in 1862 — lands on the same date annually, only occasionally does it also match up with the Kentucky Derby, held the first Saturday in May. The…
Beer: Mr. Pineapple Wheat Brewery: SanTan Brewing Co. Style: Fruit wheat beer ABV: 5 percent Last week, I bought a pineapple. It was an impulse buy, driven in part by its alien appearance and by the realization that I rarely eat the fruit. I bet I can make some interesting…
Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day. Instead it commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over the occupying French. In America, however, we use it as a celebration of Mexican culture. By that, we mean we hold Chihuahua races. The City of Chandler’s annual Cinco…
In 2009, National Beer Examiner writer and Brewers Association President Charlie Papazian created the BeerCity USA poll. Designed to judge the strength of a city’s beer community, the online poll drew thousands of voters to throw their support behind their hometowns and the brew culture therein. As you can imagine,…
Beer: Tart Lychee Brewery: New Belgium Brewing Co. Style: American Wild Ale ABV: 7.5 percent To get to know many of New Belgium’s sour ales, you must first acquaint yourself with Oscar and Felix. An odd couple of beers (see what I did there?), these two act as the base…
On Thursday, we told you about the PDT Cocktial Book, the awesomely illustrated, if overly complex, book of recipes from PDT owner Jim Meehan. Today, we’ll share one of our favorite recipes from the book: Benton’s Old-Fashioned, which combines three of our favorite ingredients: maple syrup, bourbon, and bacon. Created…
Generally, cocktail books are easy. Slap a few recipes together, pair each one with a drool-inducing photo, put out a few thousand paperback copies, and you’re bound to make some cash. Providing value — and doing it stylishly — is another task entirely. The PDT Cocktail Book was released in…
It seems unfair that only kids get to have play dates. Why should they be the only ones who get to party with entertainers like Flash the Magician!, Dizzie the Balloon Artist, and James Reid, Juggler Extraordinaire? Yelp Phoenix’s Ultimate PleyDate brings the awesomeness of kids’ entertainment to an adult…
