Four Peaks Brewery

Lore & Background

Four Peaks Brewing Co. was founded by Andy Ingram, Jim Scussel, and Randy Schultz in 1995 and opened its doors on December 11, 1996. The brewery's primary location, the 8th Street Pub, is housed in the historic former Borden Milk Co. Creamery and Ice Factory, a building originally constructed in 1892 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The building is rumored to be haunted and was featured on season 28, episode 13 of Ghost Adventures, titled 'Terror in Tempe.' Four Peaks occupies nearly the entire building, though a portion on the far west side is controlled by Infusion Tea & Coffee. In 2016, the brewery expanded into a former creamery office built on-site in 1915, which also served as the former location of Uranus Recording Studio, owned and operated by Gin Blossoms lead singer Robin Wilson from 1994 to 2015. The company opened a second restaurant location in Scottsdale in 2004, which closed permanently in 2020. An additional brewing-only site opened in 2012 on Wilson Street in Tempe, and a location inside Terminal 4 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport opened in 2013.

Reader's Guide

Four Peaks Brewing Co. holds significance as a pioneering Arizona craft brewery that grew from a small pub in a historic creamery to a regional brand acquired by AB InBev in 2015. Its flagship beer, Kilt Lifter, a Scottish-style ale at 6.0% ABV, has won multiple World Beer Cup medals, including a gold in 2016 and a bronze in 2014. Other notable beers include Hop Knot West Coast IPA, Desert Daydream New England–style IPA, and WOW Wheat, as well as Pumpkin Porter, the most popular seasonal beer in Arizona. The brewery's 8th Street Pub, located in a building on the National Register of Historic Places, adds cultural depth with its rumored hauntings and connection to the Gin Blossoms via the former Uranus Recording Studio. Four Peaks' legacy includes a strong award record at the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival, with medals for beers like Hop Knot, Sunbru, and Hopsquatch across various styles. The brewery expanded production with a second site in 2012 and an airport location in 2013, though its Scottsdale restaurant closed in 2020. Its acquisition by AB InBev marked a notable transition for a brewery rooted in Tempe's local history.

Did You Know?

• The building is rumored to be haunted and was featured on Ghost Adventures season 28, episode 13 'Terror in Tempe.'
• In 2016, Four Peaks expanded into a former creamery office that was once Uranus Recording Studio, owned by Gin Blossoms lead singer Robin Wilson.
• Four Peaks' Pumpkin Porter is the most popular seasonal beer in the state of Arizona.