Late in 2009, Taste of Tops opened in Tempe attached to the venerable Tops Liquor. Despite being close to Arizona State University, this really isn’t a place to pick up a 24-pack of frat boy swill. It’s a place for for hardcore brew fans to find stuff to hit the taste buds hard.
Taste of Tops took the Tops inclination for craft brew further – they offer about a dozen taps, all connected to kegs of high-quality offerings. You won’t find Bud here. Ever.
You will find a somewhat high price tag, as noted in the Brew Dork Times. I differ from that post about ToT in a few ways: I’ve always found the service friendly, and I get recognized by the staff every time I visit (being a long-haired dude kind of helps). I’ve had great conversations with the staff, too. As for the “sterile” feel of ToT … well, it’s brand new. I don’t think anyone has a right to expect a place to feel lived in from the day it opens. And really, customers are a huge part of the atmosphere. I have no problem getting a good chat going with strangers, and that means more to me than decor.
Now, there’s been an unexpected consequence of ToT’s opening: It’s really forced Papago Brewing in Scottsdale to pick up its game. Before ToT started drawing people, I could often go to Papago and find barely anything interesting on tap. I’ve noticed a marked change in this. Now, I have a [...]
