Beer lovers are over the moon for Dark Sky Brewing Company in historic Downtown Flagstaff. After establishing its first taproom in 2014, Dark Sky expanded into the building next door in May 2021 to offer an additional taproom, Atmosphere Kitchen and a spacious outdoor beer garden.
Offering both traditional recipes and unique beers with out-of-this-world ingredients, Dark Sky Brewing Company has something for everyone. While Dark Sky’s original location boasts a large taproom and highly popular Pizzicletta pizzas, the new beer garden allows visitors to enjoy one of the best things Flagstaff has to offer: the weather! The outdoor patio provides a breath of crisp air and fire pits to keep you warm. (If you’re interested in enjoying Dark Sky’s beer garden, make sure to book a sitter as it’s only available for adults 21-plus.)
With offerings like lager, pilsner, sour, ale and stout, Dark Sky Brewing Company’s tap list is extremely comprehensive. We sampled almost every beer on the menu and were delighted by the wide variety. Some of our favorites include:
- Rainy Daze: A New England-style Hazy IPA that is made with a rotating blend of dry-hop additions that keep it fresh yet smooth and balanced.
- Corpse Awakening: Rested for 16 months in Blis Maple Syrup barrels and Templeton Rye Whiskey barrels, this imperial stout has the distinct flavor of coffee and decadence.
- Purple Sun: This bright-hued sour is as gorgeous as it is delicious. After living in gin barrels for 12 months, blueberries are added to make it bright, acidic and fruity.
- Ghosts of Perdition: This brew would make Germans proud. A mix of German Schwarzbier and Rauchbier, Ghosts of Perdition provides a smoky, campfire flavor that is perfect for the mountains.
Atmosphere Kitchen at Dark Sky Brewing Company unleashes new specials to tempt and tantalize every Friday. We were blown away by the innovative and intriguing items on the menu. We started with caviar tots, which are tater tots made with duck fat and topped with caviar, creme fraiche and chives. This fancy take on the traditional tater tot absolutely melts in the mouth and is so unexpected. Next, we ordered the black lime-cured tuna, which is made with preserved citrus and served alongside squid ink crackers. For being in a land-locked area like Flagstaff, the tuna is extremely fresh and flavorful and could have been served in any coastal town. Our last treat is the chevre pate, which is truly a sight to behold. Half of the dish holds chevre cheese and the other, quince jam; little beets are carefully planted into the spread and topped with pepitas and honey. Spent grain sourdough is provided on the side for slathering the delicious dips. When we tell you we almost licked the dish clean, we aren’t exaggerating.
Dark Sky Brewing Beaver Street with Pizziceletta is open Thursday to Monday from noon to 10 p.m.; Dark Sky Brewing Beer Garden is open Tuesday and Wednesday, 4 to 10 p.m.; and Thursday to Monday, noon to 10 p.m.
For more information about Dark Sky Brewing Company, visit www.darkskybrewing.com.