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| - My girlfriend and I were "regulars" at Oak Creek Brewery, when we lived up North. Once we moved down here, we started pining for the brewery scene. We gave Sonora brewhouse a shot.
Granted, our expectations are very high. OCB is THE social hub for the locals. We knew we weren't going to find the same thing here, being that Phoenix has so many cool haunts available.
What we were looking for was a good patio, good beer, and a good atmosphere. Sonora Brewhouse delivers on all counts. The good food was a bonus. It's not great food, but it'll do. We've learned to stick to a few select items.
The chips and salsa are wonderful. If you're lucky, the flour tortilla chips will still be warm. They are fluffy, light, and delicately crisp. The salsa is the traditional smooth style, with just the right amount of heat.
The other go-to food item is the American Kobe beef burger. It is so juicy, so flavorful and delicious. It's big enough to share, if you're more interested in sampling the beer, but want a snack to keep you going -- which is my usual strategy.
I'm not really wowed by the beers. I think I have tried four or five of them, and of those, only two stood out for me. The seasonal vanilla porter is lovely and luscious, like a creme brulee in a pint glass - but without overdoing it. Typically, I am a dark beer drinker, but the Light Rail Cream Ale won me over. For a light beer, it has surprising amounts of body and flavor. One could easily wile away a warm Winter's afternoon kicking those back.
As for the atmosphere, it is casual, but I wouldn't say friendly. I've been there probably six or seven times, and haven't had a single conversation with a stranger.
Also, they play great music -- if you can hear it! Often, I can make out faint notes of Janis Joplin or the Doors. I'm told that the patio speakers are as loud as they can get. Too bad.
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