Arizona's largest brewery

O.K. Any idea on what Arizona brewery at the height of their production produced more than 25 times the amount of beer that Four Peaks brewed last year? Nimbus? No. McFarlanes? No. Sonora? No. Rio Salado? No, Mogollon? No. Rock Bottom? No. No idea? Well how about a hint. This breweries first brewer once brewed for Pilsner Urquell in the Czech Republic and their second brewer was a graduate of Weihenstephan Brewing University in Munich. Still no idea? How about that in order to have ever had one of their beers you would have had to have been born during World War II or before. The largest brewing company ever in Arizona was Arizona Brewing Company. Maker of such fine lagers as Arizona Apache Beer, Sunbru, Elder Brau and their eventual flagship, A-1 beer.

The repeal of Prohibition in 1933 gave birth to scores of new breweries throughout the United States. Eight brewing companies would attempt to open in Arizona after prohibition. Only one, the Arizona Brewing Company, would be successful. The Arizona Brewing Company would produce over 250,000 barrels annually at the height of their production in the late 1940's and 50's. Four Peaks last year was the states largest brewer with 9950 barrels produced. 10000 barrels is the current maximum allowed in the state right now.
It is somewhat hard to believe now but before Phoenix became the huge metropolitan city that it is now they say that the water here was actually good for brewing. Today no brewer would ever think of trying to use the local water without treating it themselves, mostly through reverse osmosis. But supposedly the water here used to be good and was perfect brewing water for brewing Pilsner style lagers. Arizona Brewing Companies first beer was called Apache, and then right before World War II they made a poorly timed decision to come out with a new brew called Elder Brau. Well, That decision to make a German sounding beer right before World War II started and grain shortages during World War II almost put them out of business but they did manage to survive the war and came out with a replacement beer for Elder Brau called A-1 beer which is what they are most remembered for today.
So if this brewery was so successful whatever happened to them? Well. a number of things happened. First, as so many breweries around the world have done, they ran into the lawyers from the evil empire, AKA Budweiser, who went after them to change their labels because of the use of an eagle on it. Then another mega brewer, Coors, decided to go after the Arizona market with a marketing practice that would be illegal today but who were giving away kegs of beers in order to get draft accounts and that is what really killed the brewery. Eventually they sold themselves off to Carling from Canada in 1964 and were eventually dismantled. If you happen to go up to the Pinnacle Peak Patio you can see a fine collection of A-1 cans and memorabilia and while you are there you can drink some great Sonoran and Papago brews served on tap there.