Crooked Tooth and Borderlands Go Mad For RAD

With Arizona Beer Week quickly approaching, you might be overwhelmed with all of the incredible beer events happening around the valley, but fear not my friends, I’m here to save you; kind of like a craft beer Superman but with a growler instead of a cape. One of the upcoming collaborations I’m most excited about is taking place in Tucson at a brewery that just passed their 1-year mark and is already making a name for themselves: Crooked Tooth Brewing. Co-owners Ben and Julie Vernon along with their business partner Armando Basurto are the masterminds behind this awe-inspiring brewery.

Located in Tucson on 6th Street and North Arizona Avenue, you will find Crooked Tooth Brewing’s rad industrial-style brick facade and square glass windows, accompanied with the brewery’s logo painted artistically on the side of the building. While talking with Ben, it’s easy to see why this brewery has grown a loyal group of regulars and is always welcoming in a steady flow of new patrons. Their mantra is basically this: why conform when being your oddball self is way more badass? We like this. And we also like how they serve their flights on skateboards. How sick is that?!

Now let’s dive into that collaboration I mentioned earlier between Crooked Tooth Brewing and the one and only Borderlands Brewing which is less than half a mile jaunt down the road. These two teams of crafty geniuses have created RAD, an abbreviation for Tucson’s Rail Arts District, aka local craft at its finest. RAD is a juicy, sour, and hazy IPA that will make you weak in the knees boasting the heavenly hops, Mosaic and Amarillo. One of the coolest things about the craft beer community is how tight knit it is. Egos don’t exist and pinkys don’t go up in the craft beer community.

When I spoke with Ben, he had nothing but admiration for all of the Borderlands crew and mentioned that whenever a collaboration happens both breweries walk away having learned a thing or two from one another and carry that on with their future brewing. When you have good people making great beer, taste buds will be heightened, your taste palates will expand, and you will be left in a euphoric state of amazement. Thankfully for Tucson, that experience will be coming your way February 12th by none other than Crooked Tooth Brewing & Borderlands Brewing. To put it simply, RAD IPA will be a solid mix between Fergie & Jesus so do yourself a favor and clear that schedule of yours. As Craft Beer Superman, it’s my duty to help guide you to the best beer Arizona has to offer.

Crooked Tooth Brewing has been putting in the work leading up to Arizona Beer Week which means Tucson will be getting a healthy dose of the beautiful beverages being made out of their brewery. On the first day of Arizona Beer Week, February 8th, Crooked Tooth Brewing has another collaboration on the way with Thunder Canyon Brewstillery. They have brought back an old German Style beer with Pineapple Gose’n Ya.

Source: Untappd

You can anticipate this Pineapple Gose to have a hazy yellow color with the perfect amount of crispness that will have you rolling that empty skateboard back up the counter at Crooked Tooth Brewing asking for more. As for everybody in the Phoenix Metro area don’t you worry, you will be getting your fix of Crooked Tooth juice at the 2018 Strong Beer Festival this Saturday on February 10th.

Keaton Arnlund

Keaton has had a passion for beer ever since he can remember. From dark stouts to light and crisp lagers, Keaton's palate can appreciate a beer of any style. In early 2017, Brewz Traveler was born and has become his passion project dedicated to helping lift up small independent breweries by showcasing their delectable hoppy concoctions. In late 2018, Keaton and his fiancé will be hitting the open road in a motorhome with their puppy Lily to explore North America, checking out all of the awesome breweries along the way.