Came across a fun map of places in the US that get bagged on by people in their own state. Just poking fun, as I have no ill-will for any of the towns identified in the five states I’ve lived.

Although I get why people hate Pueblo.  Its the origin of “the slopper”.

This is my review of Walter Station Brewery Hazing Arizona IPA:

There are a lot of towns on this that I haven’t been to, so I will withhold judgement until I hear from somebody that actually has been there.  The town identified for Arizona, Apache Junction (AJ), is sort of correct.  While most people in Arizona live in the Phoenix area, and quite frankly just make fun of Tucson for various reasons.  Both cities however, can agree on AJ.

AJ is a smallish farm community on the eastern outskirts of the Phoenix-Mesa metro area.  Just go east on the US-60 from Mesa and you’ll run into it.  During high school I had the unfortunate circumstance of having to play football out there—twice.  Freshman and Varsity had a home game against AJ and while I was on JV we had to go on the road.  My junior year this was reversed and we did not play them senior year due to redistricting.

Yes, they sucked.  AJ unfortunately gets a bad rap for being exactly like the stereotypes found in the movie Raising Arizona.  A bunch of trailer parks, a bunch of hicks with guns, all in the middle of the desert circa 1987.  More unfortunately, all of this was real—except the accents.  Arizona is too transient to have a discernible accent and just winds up sounding like California before the “uptalk” became a thing.  A decent enough movie that actually holds up pretty well today since its just a goofy, modernized Western about honest outlaws.

AJ today is a very different place.  To use an example from the movie, the final scene was filmed at Reata Pass.  There was a steakhouse there that was pretty good but that part of town is now a good spot to find a home with a $1 million listing.  AJ is the same way  but for half the price because …there are still trailers.

 

I was asked to explain my scale (h/t: Chafed).  If you are capable of brewing something that can be classified as beer and can get it on the shelf at one of the 6-7 places I typically buy beer, you get at least one point.

  1. Bland or flavorless swill you were conditioned by a government-industrial complex that constantly lies to you on behalf of its own interests out of hatred for you—to believe is actually beer
  2. Tastes like ass; probably just another an IPA
  3. Balanced, sometimes maybe even boring or unusual but misfired
  4. Unusual, but done well or its probably a stout.  I will not apologize for liking stouts

This one is a hazy IPA.  It more or less tastes like orange juice since the bitterness is a sweet citrusy blast that pretty much nails it if that’s what they were going for.  Phoenix wine moms suggest to use it as a mixer with sparkling white wine to make a mimosa.  This way “mommy’s special juice” is even more special.  I believe they have it on tap at the airport. 6.4% abv, ≈60-70IBU. Walter Station Brewery Hazing Arizona IPA: 2.2/5