Wren House Brewing Company To Celebrate One Year Anniversary This Weekend

This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of Central Phoenix's Wren House Brewing Company — and the brewery's first-ever limited bottle release. The celebration officially begins Friday, June 17, with a special tapping of fan favorite Kit Kat Jomax and the inaugural release of the Double Jomax, a 13 percent ABV specialty brew made with the addition of Dutch syrup during the aging process that will be poured straight from the barrel. 

Saturday, June 18, doors will open at 9 a.m., with the brewery offering the newly-bottled Barrel Aged Who Hit John. The beer's name stems from old Western slang for a strong whiskey, and, fittingly, the imperial porter has been aged for one year in honey whiskey barrels hand picked specifically for the event. Patrons can also look forward to limited release specialty swag, including anniversary glassware and T-shirts.

Over the last year, with an unapologetic attitude about brewing great beer, Wren House Brewery owners Drew Pool, Bill Hammond, and head brewer Preston Thoeny have fostered a sort of underground vibe at the small tasting room. A multitude of influences help determine the brewery's ever-changing offerings, including the fact that Wren House beers often undergo longer-than-usual aging processes.

Inspired by time spent in Portland, Oregon, Pool always wanted to open an brewery, and upon meeting Hammond, finally felt comfortable establishing a business partnership. When the duo met Thoeny, a friend of Pool’s wife, the brewery dream team was finally formed. Three years later, Wren House Brewing Company opened its doors for the first time.

“We want to connect Phoenix as a community,” Pool says. 

As far as the beer is concerned, all decisions are collaborative. The three owners like to try all kinds of beer, decide what they like, and go from there. The future holds semi-regular bottle releases, an increased barrel-aged lineup including stouts and sours, as well as some collaborations with local businesses such as Chateau Tumbleweed and Superstition Meadery.