Where to buy oak creek beer

The Beer: Nut Brown Ale, 5.5% ABV; 30 IBU
The Brewery: Oak Creek Brewing Company, Sedona, AZ

You don't need an excuse to make a day trip or weekend getaway to Sedona, but if there's inspiration needed to make the two hour drive north, Oak Creek Brewing Company just might be the answer. Located in the historic Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village in the heart of Sedona, Oak Creek produces a series of fine hand crafted beers that appeal to myriad tastes. The brewery's Nut Brown Ale, also known as Village Nut Brown Ale in the brewpub, may be the best of the bunch as it packs a lot of flavor and complexity into a very drinkable package at just 5.5 percent ABV.

Aroma: Very toasted pumpernickel bread leads with sweet caramel aromatics supporting. A slight cherry-like fruity ester is also present in the background lending an additional note of complexity.

Appearance: The beer is dark brown with garnet highlights when held to the light. The head maintains a decent persistence with small, tan colored bubbles. The beer appears quite clear, though it's hard to see through due to the dark color.

Flavor: Rich, flavorful toasted malt is front and center. Some nutty character reminiscent of almonds and pecans is also present. This is clearly a malt forward beer, though it's not all that sweet since the beer is properly fermented to achieve the proper balance for a Nut Brown Ale. There is a rich complexity to this beer, but it maintains its drinkability. Just enough hop flavor and moderate bitterness give it balance. One smell and taste transports the drinker to a forest during fall.

Food Pairings: The Nut Brown Ale would pair great with grilled red meat of any kind, such as burgers, steaks or BBQ.

Overall Impression: Oak Creek Brewing Company has produced a fantastic representation of a traditional English Nut Brown Ale. It is, effectively, a well attenuated malt showcase that's full of flavor yet finishes clean and refreshing despite its complexity. The beer is a two time winner in the North American Brewer's Association competition, claiming bronze in 2002 and gold in 2004.

Oak Creek's beers are found at many fine craft beer stores; this one was purchased at Total Wine in Gilbert. To learn more about Oak Creek Brewing Company or their beers, please check out the Oak Creek Brewing Company website.

The Kraus family came to Sedona in 1993 with all their worldly goods and a dream, to brew great fresh beer the way Fred learned at the Gasthausbrauerei Hufeisen, or Horseshoe Brewery, in the picturesque village of Pottenstein, Germany. The dream became reality when they opened the doors of Oak Creek Brewing Co. in west Sedona.

Since February 1995 Sedona’s only Microbrewery has been known to locals and tourists alike as the place to enjoy delicious handcrafted brews in a relaxed, unique setting.

In 2001 the Oak Creek Amber Ale was awarded the Silver Medal by the North American Brewers’ Association, a recognition that sets Oak Creek apart from hundreds of micro beers.

For more information on Oak Creek Brewing, click here.

Enjoy hearing a few stories about the founders of Oak Creek Brewing Co. & their brewing process.

Fred & Rita Introduction

Fred’s Apprenticeship

Our Natural Brewing Process

The Importance of Fresh Beer

Fred’s Pet Peeve

Not sure what beer to order? Try our SEVEN DWARVES beer sampler

OAK CREEK BEERS

Brewed on premises

14oz • $6.5 / 20oz • $8

(GOLD MEDAL WINNER, NORTH AMERICAN BREWERS’ ASSOCIATION)
A rich, gold-colored lager with a crisp hop note. It maintains its zest and balance of hops and malt from start to finish.

(GOLD MEDAL WINNER, GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL)
A traditional unfiltered Bavarian wheat beer with aromatic hints of banana and clove.

(SILVER MEDAL WINNER, GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL)
Our American pale has an excellent malty richness balanced by a generous amount of Centennial and Cascade hops for pronounced hop bitterness and aroma.

An American style IPA with massive amounts of Centennial, Cascade, Citra, Simcoe and Amarillo hops which produces profound hop bitterness with a touch of grapefruit.

(SILVER MEDAL WINNER, NORTH AMERICAN BREWERS’ ASSOCIATION)
A deep copper-colored medium-bodied ale. Its fresh flavor is smooth with a nice mellowness and a hint of caramel malt balanced by medium hop bitterness.

(GOLD MEDAL WINNER, NORTH AMERICAN BREWERS’ ASSOCIATION)
This northern Arizona Favorite has consistent nutty flavor with just a hint of spice in its depth. A slowly emerging bitterness crops up along the way and is unobtrusively incorporated into the smooth flow.

A very dark, full-bodied ale, its rich flavor coming from caramel and dark roasted malts. This traditional English ale exhibits coffee-like taste notes combined with definite hop bitterness and full malty flavor.

Not sure what beer to order? Try our “seven dwarves“ beer sampler. A highly entertaining presentation of our beers in miniature 4 oz steins. The ultimate introduction to Oak Creek Brewery and Grill craft beer.