Julian Wright's Pedal Haus Brewery in Tempe Will Open Later This Month — Here's What You Can Expect

It's been about four months since we told you that local restaurateur Julian Wright would open Pedal Haus Brewery in Tempe. At the time of the announcement, Wright called the project his "crowning jewel" — and from what we can tell (though the building's still under construction) the statement's not just hyperbole. 

Located at 730 South Mill Avenue, near AMC Centerpoint 11 movie theater, Pedal Haus is impressive based on size alone. The brewery encompasses a large patio, covered beer garden, dining room, and, of course, room for brewing. Wright's designed the space to be contiguous but also compartmentalized, which gives diners and drinkers the option to customize their experience.

Those looking for a sit-down meal can grab a seat inside the dining room, where tables provide a front-row view to the brewery in action. Inside you'll also find two bars — a front bar that opens out to the patio and a second, larger bar with seating inside the dining room. A foyer will also house a small selection of retail goods, Wright says — the usual items such as Pedal Haus shirts and hats, but also dog collars, bowls, and custom-made Pedal Haus beach cruisers.

Outside, you'll find a patio with high tops, booths, and a large community table. But the highlight of Pedal Haus' exterior space is definitely the beer garden. Shaded by a giant wooden structure, the beer garden offers its own full-service bar and a kitchen that's housed in a converted shipping container. In the beer garden, drinkers will be able to seat themselves, grab a beer at the bar, and order from a limited menu of food from the kitchen (think, burgers, brats, and fries). The dog-friendly area also includes a stage (yes, there will be live music) and a grass-covered space for games including corn hole and ping pong. Already, Wright's scheduled an outdoor performance from The White Buffalo. The event will be on Saturday, October 17 at 8 p.m.; tickets are on sale now and cost $29. 

As for the beer, Pedal Haus brewer Derek "Doc" Osborn says he should be able to start brewing as soon as next week. That means there won't be Pedal Haus beers ready to go on the opening weekend, but Osborn expects to have beer ready by the first week of October. He plans to start with a few quick-turnaround beers including a Witbier, Kölsch, and English ale. Once he's able to get up and running, however, Osborn will be focusing on making Belgian ales and European-style lagers. (There have also been talks about a stout made with maple syrup.) 

For those who aren't familiar, Osborn comes to Pedal Haus from BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse, where he helped oversee brewing for the entire company. He's got lots of experience in large-scale brewing — fun fact: he was also a chiropractor before making a career switch and getting into beer. 

"It was hard to leave BJ's," Osborn says. "But Julian started explaining what he was going to do here and it was slightly genius and slightly crazy. I wanted to be a part of it." 

We also got a peek at the working dinner menu, and while Wright's saying the food will be European-inspired fare, there's much more than just European influences on the menu right now. Smaller "with bier" plates include a fried mortadella panino and Belgian croquettes, but also papaya sashimi, potstickers in broth, and a smoked brisket “egg roll.” Expect entrees, ranging in price from $13 to $20 and up, like a burger, cappelini pasta, stout braised beef, and trappist-confit pork osso bucco. 

Pedal Haus Brewery will host a grand opening on Friday, September 25 with festivities including contests (stein holding, brat eating, and etc.), live music, and special beers from Sierra Nevada Brewery, whose barrel master will be on-site for a meet-and-greet. 

For updates and more information, check the Pedal Haus Brewery Facebook and website.