College Times

Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Nightlife

Media Credit: Ryan Ruiz Bartender Jarrod Baer serves up fresh brew at Dave's Electric Brewpub in Tempe.

Considering its name, College Avenue is pretty sleepy.

Slicing right through Tempe's ASU campus, College Avenue has always been at the center of it all, but by geographical standards only.

Unlike the bigger, badder byway to the west, Mill Avenue, and the bustling Rural Road to the east, College Avenue is, and always has been, a rather quiet place to be. But sometimes, and pardon the horrible pun, all it takes is a spark.

Right on the corner of College Avenue and Fifth Street, in a spot vacated long ago by a bar we can't and don't care to remember, Dave's Electric Brewpub seems to have something going.

The original Electric Dave's Brewery in Bisbee is small, but of historical significance, having opened in the late '80s as the first legal micro-brewery in the state since Prohibition.

Upon first impression, Dave's has all the makings of a fair-weather bar. The inside is rather small, a long narrow room with an extended bar, limited seating and hip, industrial-chic décor.

But when the weather's right - as it is right now, conveniently - an entire wall is rolled away, revealing a handy two-sided bar facing both inside and to the spacious patio outside.

For a bar to quickly more than double its capacity with such ease is impressive, especially considering the joint's proximity to Sun Devil Stadium and Wells Fargo Arena and recognizing sports fans' taste for pre and post-game booze.

And, like any micro-brewery, it's all about the beer. Dave's serves up its four staples, all brewed in Bisbee - a traditional lager, light and amber ales and an oatmeal stout - plus plans to dish up specialty beers brewed on-site in the big metal drums visible through a wall of windows facing College.

Dave's has a full food menu, too.

It's not drunken, late-night cheap, but still reasonable American fare ranging between $7 and $10 a dish.

Dave's Electric Brewpub, 502 S. College Avenue, Suite 103, Tempe, 480.967.5353


OTHER BARS: MICRO BREWS

FOUR PEAKS
A dependable stable of beers and delicious food, plus specialty seasonal brews (Pumpkin Porter!) make Four Peaks our favorite micro-brewery in the state. 1340 E. Eighth Street, Tempe, 480.303.9967

BJ'S BREWERY
BJ's is up to four Valley locations now, with its Chandler outlet among the biggest. Seriously, this place is humongous. 3155 W. Chandler Boulevard, Chandler, 480.917.0631

GORDON BIERSCH
With restaurants from coast to coast, Gordon Biersch has an extensive selection (and huge volume) of on-site brews and gourmet food. 420 S. Mill Avenue, Suite 201, Tempe, 480.736.0033

SUN UP BREWING
Taking place of the defunct Sonora Brewhouse, SunUp's Light Rail Cream Ale is a sweet, delicious nod to public transporation. 322 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.279.8909

SANTAN BREWING CO.
Along with a full lineup of beers and food, SanTan serves up the fruity Strawberry Wit, a local favorite. 8 S. San Marcos Plaza, Chandler, 480.917.8700

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