Hip Hops: Tucson craft beer filters into mainstream

Craft beers can now be found all over Tucson, including some unexpected places.

Casa Video at 2905 E. Speedway opened its Film Bar in December with 20 taps and 300 bottles of craft and local brews for patrons to enjoy while watching films and perusing rentals.

Dragoon Brewing Company, which started brewing west of Interstate 10 four years ago, today distributes throughout the state.

Tristan White, general manager of Dragoon at 1859 W. Grant Road estimates 80 percent of consumption remains in Tucson, including ultra-local watering holes like the Golden Nugget Tavern, 2617 N. First Ave.

“We actually took down the mighty Blue Moon at The Buffet once,” says White. Kicking the Coors -owned brew off its tap at the beloved dive, 538 E. Ninth St., “was the one that I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that was an amazing score.’ ” White says.

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White was born in Phoenix but came to Tucson to attend the University of Arizona in 2002 and never left.

He partnered with father and son team Bruce and Eric Greene when Dragoon opened in 2011 “because it’s home, and it’s a good market.”

The market has indeed been good to them. From humble beginnings producing about 500 barrels their first year, Dragoon now sells around 700 a month, employing 20 tanks and 21 people.

“I remember one time when we sold three kegs in a week and were like ‘That’s awesome! That was a good week,’ ” White says.