NovemBEER!!!!! (Every Saturday in November)

526 Mill Ave

Tempe, AZ 85281

(480) 638-2337

http://wobusa.com/

Last Saturday we headed over to World of Beer on Mill Street in Tempe for NovemBEER.  We find ourselves in World of Beer failry often. Probably too often.

The establishment has been packed since it opened in August (it is finally possible to find a seat if one goes in during the day now).  Once the site of a bank, the space has been remodled with an exposed brick, industrail feel complete with firehouse doors to enjoy the fall weather and the original bank vault (available starting at $25 an hour for events). 

WOB boasts a selection of 500 beers with a rotaing selection of 50 beers on tap.  As a native of Louisana I'm often pleased to see an Abita selection on tap--Purple Haze, anyone?.  The bottle menu offers good beer education, so even if you doesn't know much about beer it is possible to figure out what kind of beer you like and branch out in the same style.  If you have no idea what to order (and the selection is overwhelming), the bartenders are amazing and usually offer tastes.  There are  $8 flights of four daily selections if you can't make up your mind.  There's also an ap that works with the WOB loyalty card ($15) and can track what you've had and randomly pick new things for you to try.  The loyalty cards also offer swag for trying (a lot) of different beers--on the third day the establishment was open I saw a couple getting their t-shirts for trying 50 different beers (yes, the loyalty cards should come with a Surgeon General's warning).

The down side of WOB, the prices are a little high especially on the fancier bottled beers--$14 for a gluten free St. Peter's Sorgham (the Yard House in Scottsdale has a similar draft selection at slightly lower prices, though it doesn't offer the bottled selection), the place is often standing room only, there's no food selection though you can order in from half a dozen places on Mill (though if you pay at WOB there is a mark up), and my understanding is the bathroom attendedent who sells single cigarettes and only stocks Torjan Magnums is a bit creepy (men's room only).

NovemBEER is a New Times/Howard Air sponsored event every Saturday in November at WOB.  Last Saturday featured wheat beers, November 10th is Stouts/Porters, November 17th is IPAs and Pale Ales, and November 24 is Seasonals.  For the Wheats (in theory) the was a selection of 14 beers and you can try a 4oz pour of 10 for $10 (though some vendors including Goose Island, the one I was most excited about, didn't show).  You can then vote for your favorite beer, though the announcement of the winner seemed to have gotten lost in the tipsy shuffle (or we left too soon?).  The upside of NovemBEER, you can taste a number of beers for the low price of $10 and the New Times folks are a blast--never has "May I punch your card?" managed to sound quite so dirty.  The downside, the tasting is from 2-4 and the 10 tastes add up to some serious day drinking.  I know it would be a sin but dump buckets (and rinse water) would go a long way.

You can find more information on NovemBEER here.