Crooked Tooth Brewing, 228 E. 6th St. Tucson, AZ. 85705.   phone: 520-403-2721   website: CrookedToothBrewing.com

Experience before you go............

It's early Friday afternoon, some items on the master "to do list" are done. We're walking our dog Darby for the second time. I ask my wife Kat, "What would you like to do later today"? After a slight pause she says, "Let's do a brewery tour"... I love this lady!!!

Back at the house, I do a quick search and up pops a dozen or so local Tucson breweries. Nimbus, Borderland, Dragoon, Crooked Tooth.......Crooked Tooth, I like the sound of Crooked Tooth! I pull up their website and I really like what I see. "Kat, we're going to the Crooked Tooth"! Located close to the University of Arizona campus and about a 30 minute drive so Kat and I freshen up and hop in the car.

We really love Tucson and one of the reasons is because there aren't any major freeways within the city, once you're off I-10 which is the 2 hour Tucson/Phoenix lifeline. Most of the main streets either run east/west or north/south, but one of the problems with no freeways is the traffic....especially during rush hour!! So easy does it, right lane at the speed limit and let the commuters, crazy lane changer and the, "Hey I can get there before you" drivers go right by. I love retirement!!

Lightbulb, this is the first brewery tour I've done alone with my wife Kat. My wife and I, (side note....a couple we used to know early in our 31 year marriage always used to say "my wife and I", in kind of a southern drawl accent and Kat and I would always laugh and get the biggest kick out of that, so I just had to use it), anyhow we've been through a lot together and retirement is an adventure we're on and another chapter in this beautiful journey together. I know, kinda sappy but what the heck!!

We plug the parking meter and look around. It's supposed to be right around here. We're on 6th street and 4th avenue. Now 4th Ave is a way cool street with a light rail and modern streetcar track running down the middle and all kinds of eclectic little "Haight-Ashbury" like shops. I'm checking my phone, Kat says, "you're looking like a tourist"....*gasp*!! Two U of A students are walking by and I do the tourist thing, "Do you know where the Crooked Tooth Brewery is located"? 10 seconds on her phone, "Walk to that corner, take a left and it's 2 blocks down"......Millennials to the rescue!

Success, The Crooked Tooth is front and center. Kat and I walk around the corner where the front door is and it's time for the patented Hoppin Brewery Tour front signage selfie. Up walks a guy who came from the open garage door production area asking if we wanted him to take the picture. Come to find out, his name is Ben and one of the owners. Ben is a local Tucsonian, born and raised. Attended U of A, and became a Environmental Scientist, traveled too much for having a young family, started home brewing because it was cheaper than buying, and finally parlayed his skill into a full blown, bona-vied, way cool brewery......and as of this visit, 2 months old!!! The American Dream is alive and well folks!

As we walk in the front door you have production to the right and over the door is a black on white metal sign that's says "Begins". Straight ahead is a long high top that Ben made by spitting a 8-10 ft tree down the middle making two 3"-4" thick identical planks with a barked edge and all.....way cool! More hand-made furniture front and center and to our immediate left there's an open 2 ton 5 foot tall safe with board games stacked on top. I looked inside to see if Ben's secret brew recipes were there but no luck. Also to the left we have a high top bar running the full length of the wall with bar stools and an open air area in the middle to the street and sidewalk action.....luv it!! The main bar is along most of the back wall with a metal sign hangin over the brew pouring area saying "Ends". The Beginning and Ending of some fine brews that I can't wait to taste.

Kat and I belly up to the bar. Me more than her since I'm working hard on my slight retirement, so close to 60 years old, belly.....and boom, Hoppin Brewery Tour strikes again at the Crooked Tooth!! It's 4:30 on a beautiful Friday afternoon in Tucson so we have 2-3 folks at the bar, and a couple 3 more spread out as Ben number two behind the bar greets us with a big smile, a welcome and a what would you like to drink. I ask, "Do you have to be named Ben to work here"? I do the Hoppin Brewery Tour introduction loud enough for not only, behind the bar Ben can hear but probably the rest of the patrons.....my wife Kat gives me the "REALLY" look. Kat orders the lightest beer which turns out to be Its Always Sunny in Amarillo - Vermont Blonde...funny thing I dated a Vermont Blonde in college but that's a whole other story....(4.4% ABV), described as grassy with a touch of papaya...very nice! I order up the Crooked Tooth flight and fasten my seat belt ....incoming, an actual skateboard on wheels with five drilled holes filled with a mix of fabulous looking 4 oz. brews. The mix includes The Quaker w/Mango - Vermont Pale Ale (6.5%) juicy with injected mango, Mermaid Pterodactyl - Vermont Saison/IPA (5.0%) citrus and peppercorn, Refugees Welcomed - Vermont IPA (6.2%) pillowy and juicy, Charlie's Home for Dinner- Black Saison (4.7%) dry cinnamon and cranberry and of course I finish up with It's Always Sunny in Amarillo and that Vermont Blonde again......with all the Vermont influence I'm thinking someone has spent some quality time there.

To my left we have Charles, whose neighbor told him about the brewery and he works at the University of Arizona Library. He loves the open air street noise and the lighting at the Crooked Tooth....very relaxing! Charles is a nice guy and likes his neighbor who referred him but says he's had some bad neighbors.....haven't we all. Charles and I talk some more and then he gets up to leave and I ask him if it's alright if I mention him on the HoppinBreweryTour.com website and he said no problem and you can call me Chuck! Cheers to you Chuck and wishing you nothing but good neighbors in the future.

Ben behind the bar is really a nice young guy. U of A grad, getting married very soon and he shares the crooked tooth story. He said they wanted to be different so crooked tooth it was. Everyone has a crooked tooth, or had a crooked tooth before braces, or even after because of bad retainer management. So what it's saying is nobody's perfect in this world....ain't that the truth!

Kat and I agreed we love this place, crooked tooth and all! Ben, you've got the Begins and the Ends of something great here. Wish you all the luck in the world and good fortune on your brewery!!

Until next time and remember.......

Go get'cha one!!