There is a particular kind of afternoon in Phoenix — the kind that arrives in late October or early March, when the air finally relents and the sky turns that impossible shade of copper-blue — when all you really want is a cold, thoughtfully made craft beer and a place that feels genuinely like home. Huss Brewing Co.’s Midtown taproom, tucked along the lively stretch of North 7th Street, is exactly that place.
Founded by Jeff and Leah Huss in 2013, Huss Brewing has grown into one of the Valley’s most beloved craft beer institutions, and for good reason. The Midtown location — their flagship taproom — sits in a neighborhood that pulses with life: local coffee shops, vintage furniture stores, and art galleries all within easy walking distance. The moment you step through the doors, the vibe is unmistakable. It is neither too polished nor too divey. It is simply comfortable, the way a place feels when it was built by people who actually live in the city and genuinely care about who walks through the door.
The beer list is where Huss really earns its reputation. Their Scottsdale Blonde is a perennial go-to — crisp, clean, and dangerously easy to drink on a warm Arizona evening. The Papago Orange Blossom Wheat, brewed with real orange blossom honey sourced locally, manages to taste like a Phoenix sunset in liquid form: subtly sweet, fragrant, and refreshing in a way that makes you want to order another before you have finished the first. For those who lean darker, the Copper State Amber delivers a rich maltiness that holds up beautifully alongside the kitchen’s rotating food offerings.
Speaking of food — do not skip it. The taproom menu skews simple and satisfying: elevated bar bites like smoked brisket sliders, warm soft pretzels with beer cheese, and rotating seasonal specials that pair deliberately with whatever is freshest on draft. It is the kind of menu that knows its role and plays it perfectly.
What separates Huss from the growing crowd of Arizona craft breweries is the sense that the people who work here actually want you to have a good time. The bar staff can walk you through a tasting flight with real enthusiasm — not a rehearsed speech, but genuine conversation about how a beer was made and why it tastes the way it does. That kind of engagement is rarer than it should be.
The taproom itself has indoor and outdoor seating, with a sprawling patio that becomes the social center of the neighborhood on weekend afternoons. Local food trucks rotate through regularly, and the brewery hosts trivia nights, live music sets, and tap release events that draw a crowd as diverse and spirited as Phoenix itself — young professionals, longtime Midtown residents, visiting beer tourists, and everyone in between.
If you are planning a visit, aim for a Thursday or Friday evening when the taproom hits its social stride. Parking is easy along 7th Street, and the light rail stops within a comfortable walk, which means you can responsibly work your way through a full flight without a second thought. Bring friends, bring curiosity, and bring an appetite. Huss Brewing Co. is one of those places that makes you feel like a local from the moment you arrive — and in a city as big and sprawling as Phoenix, that feeling is worth seeking out.
