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SNEAK PEAK: Tempe's Pedal Haus goes from restaurant focus to brewery focus; reopens Oct. 15

Posted at 11:55 AM, Sep 30, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-30 19:08:51-04

Three months ago, Pedal Haus Brewery in Tempe closed its doors for a major overhaul.

Since then, its main visitors consisted of construction crews, contractors and likely the occasional passer-by curious about the renovations.

Owner Julian Wright said the initial Pedal Haus design felt too much like a restaurant that served beer rather than a brewery that served food. He wants to be the latter.

"We're making the brewery the star," he said.

Earlier this week, ABC15 was given a sneak peak behind-the-scenes tour and an initial look at the revamped menu. Construction crews were knee-deep in the project still, but there is enough completed to get a good sense of the brewery's concept.

Portions of the brewery opened to the public on Thursday, Sept. 29 amid construction. A grand Opening party is scheduled for Oct. 15. I'd recommend visiting their Facebook page for day-to-day updates.

Below are some of the highlights (view more photos in the gallery above):

EXPANDED BREWERY AND MORE BEER

The brewery was expanded further into the dining room to make it one of the focal points, said Wright. It will also allow Pedal Haus to brew more beers.

There will be 24 beers on tap. Twelve to 14 of those taps will be Pedal Haus brews, while the remaining taps will be dedicated to guests brews. He currently has two barrel-aged brews ready: a Shandy IPA and a Belgian-style quad.

A VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES

By design, the dining room has fewer seats than the original. In making the brewery the focus, those large fermenting tanks can be seen from almost any angle.

Still, Wright wanted to give his guests a variety of experience to choose from whether they're looking to grab a quick drink, have a typical sit-down meal or make it a late-night event.

In the center of the dining room, you'll find a large community room completely surrounded by glass that looks to the beer vats. There are three separate bars: a smaller, more intimate bar in the dining room that over looks the pizza oven; a slightly larger bar when you first walk in, and a third bar in a cocktail area.

Outside, Wright has redesigned the patio to include five semi-private bungalows each with a fireplace and TV, and a large area with several community tables. Games and live music will also be in this area.

THE FOOD

The menu has been revamped to be more approachable for guests, said Wright. It'll have those comfort brewery favorites, but with an elevated quality.

The dishes we photographed: Guacamole Plate, Chili Chicken Verde, Brewers Grain Salad, and Mussels & Wit.

View the menu below:

IF YOU GO:
Pedal Haus Brewery, 730 S. Mill Avenue, Tempe (Opens Oct. 15)
www.pedalhausbrewery.com