The Spot: Fate Brewing Company , 7337 East Shea Boulevard #105 Scottsdale, 480-994-1275, fatebrewing.com.
See Also: - Brews and Chews at Fate Brewing Company - Happy Hour Report Card: San Tan Brewing Company
The Hours: Happy Hour is offered Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.
The Interior: Fate Brewing Company, the newest addition to the Valley's craft brewing family, has a definite sleek, hip vibe in its décor. Unfortunately, the hipness doesn't make up for the fact that it still feels like drinking in a strip mall. The atmosphere is a bit too stiff and the wood chairs are too uncomfortable for a relaxing experience.
The Food: While Fate only offers one happy hour menu item, their pizza bread is good enough to satisfy our hunger. The crispy, cheesy bread with marinara dipping sauce and chili oil on the side is basic enough so that even picky eaters will be happy, but it's also well done and adult enough to make boozed up foodies smile. Plus for only $5, you can pretty much hog a whole order to yourself.
The Drink: Fate does offer a discount on their glasses of wine during happy hour, but you'd have to be crazy to get a glass of wine when you can get a $3 pint of Fate brews. Plus Fate beer is currently only offered at this location, so it'd be silly to not try a few while you're there. We brought a friend and tasted them all. Our favorites were the cream ale and the rye ESB. Although the odd bubblegumy aftertaste of the Belgian saison and the intensity of the smoked porter were interesting too, they definitely weren't winners for us.
The Conclusion: While the ambiance is lacking at the newly opened Fate Brewing Company for a truly relaxing happy hour experience, we'll likely be back for new beers Fate releases on tap only at their bar. We also have to give props to that pizza bread because it really is yummy.
Grade: B-
