Four Peaks Brewing Company is one of America’s largest craft breweries. We visit Arizona to see how they brew craft beers using solar power, and learn more about their community and sustainability initiatives. Oh, and taste some great beer!
25 years ago four students at ASU got together and decided to start a brewery. They found the perfect spot in a run down old ice factory built before Arizona became a state. With blood, sweat and tears, and a whole lotta beer, they restored F.A. Hough’s Ice Factory into their rightful home. Named after a nearby mountain range, Four Peaks Brewing Co. has been perfecting history ever since, using centuries-old styles like Scottish ale, Hefeweizen, Stout, IPA.
In 2020, Four Peaks Brewing did something they’d never done before. They installed more than 500 solar panels on the roof of their production brewery. And then… they did something nobody in the entire country had done before. They brewed an entirely solar-powered hard seltzer. To this day, Sun Day Seltzer is one of the world’s only sustainably produced hard seltzers. All of the energy used in its production, from cooling the fermentation tanks to powering the canning line, comes from the Arizona sun.
The ethos behind Sun Day Seltzer, to create a sustainable and spectacular drink for America, infuses all they do at Four Peaks. From recycling, composting, local sourcing, and loads of community givebacks, Four Peaks is taking care of their namesake – the great Arizona mountains – while delivering good vibes and good beer to all.
In 2015, Four Peaks Brewing took a big step in bringing Arizona’s #1 beer, Kilt Lifter, to the world by partnering with Annheiser-Busch. Through this partnership they’ve expanded to 8 states, all the while maintaining their unique Four Peaks brewing philosophy, a #thirstforadventure, and pride in the land.
