A Valentine’s Day Full of Craft Beer, Pizza, Cigars, and Good Company

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Here we talk about the Arizona Strong Beer Festival, Trevor's Liquor, and everything else that we enjoyed on this perfect day.

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to mean fancy dinners, crowded restaurants, or the same predictable routine every year. For us, the perfect way to celebrate was simple: great craft beer, delicious food, a relaxing atmosphere, and spending the day together doing things we genuinely love.

This year, that meant heading out to the Arizona Strong Beer Festival in Scottsdale and later making our way to Trevor’s in North Scottsdale for pizza, whiskey, and cigars. Safe to say, it turned into one of those days that reminds you why experiences can be so much better than gifts.

Starting the Day with a Solid Arizona Beer

Back in the studio, we cracked open Ringtail, a double dry hopped hazy IPA from Wren House Brewing out of Phoenix, Arizona. It was the perfect beer to kick off the conversation—easy drinking, flavorful, and a solid reminder of why Wren House has such a loyal following in Arizona. It is one of those beers that doesn’t need to do too much to impress. It just works.

Wren House is one of those breweries that has built a reputation not only because of quality, but because of consistency. Their Phoenix location has a small-house feel that creates a cozy, personal atmosphere, and that seems to match the beer itself—comfortable, approachable, and memorable.

Valentine’s Day, Craft Beer Style

Instead of roses and a candlelit dinner, we spent Valentine’s Day at the Arizona Strong Beer Festival, hosted by the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild. If you are into craft beer at all, this festival is one of the better beer events in the state. The weather was perfect for mid-February in Arizona, and that alone made the day feel like a win before we even had our first pour.

Once we got there, it was game on.

There were a ton of breweries represented, with a strong Arizona presence as expected, but there were also some well-known names from outside the state. That mix made the festival especially fun because it gave us the chance to bounce between local favorites and breweries we do not always get to try in person.

First Stop: Oskar Blues

One of our first memorable stops was Oskar Blues. The Dale’s Pale Ale was exactly what you would want from a dependable pale ale—clean, refreshing, and easy to enjoy. But the more surprising beer from their booth was a strong lager, something we do not come across often. It stood out immediately because it felt different from everything else being poured around it. It was smooth, flavorful, and had enough strength to make it memorable without losing drinkability.

That is one of the fun things about beer festivals. You may arrive thinking you know exactly what you want, but sometimes the beer that leaves the biggest impression is the one you did not expect to like as much as you did.

Barrel-Aged Beers, Hazy IPAs, and Expanding Palates

Like a lot of beer lovers, we each have our own preferences and our own beer journeys. One of us leans harder into barrel-aged stouts, while the other is still more at home with hazy IPAs. That dynamic always makes events like this more interesting because we are constantly comparing notes from two different palates.

One standout was King Snake from Wren House, a barrel-aged vanilla stout that brought all the richness and weight you would expect from a big beer. It was bold, heavy, and absolutely packed with flavor. If you are someone who loves barrel-aged stouts, it is the kind of pour that gets your full attention.

At the same time, the festival reinforced how easy it is to get overwhelmed when you are moving from hazy to hazy all afternoon. At a certain point, even good beers can start blending together. That is when the beers that break the pattern really stand out.

Unexpected Surprises: Seltzers and Smoothie Sours

One of the most surprising drinks of the day was not a beer at all. It was a cucumber-watermelon seltzer that completely defied expectations. For people who are not usually drawn to seltzers, this one managed to feel clean, crisp, and refreshing without the overly fizzy or artificial quality that can sometimes make seltzers a turnoff. It was especially welcome during the warmest part of the afternoon.

Then there was Drekker, which delivered exactly the kind of sour experience we love: thick, smoothie-like, fruit-heavy, and bold. If you know Drekker, you already know they do not make delicate little tart beers. Their sours feel like full-on creations, and at a festival where many beers begin to run together, that kind of distinct flavor profile is a great reset.

We also ran into favorites and notable pours from breweries like Toppling Goliath, New Belgium, Bone Haus, Dark Sky, Shop Beer Co., High Tanks, and Everywhere, which made the event feel stacked from beginning to end.

Beer Festivals Are About More Than the Beer

Of course, festivals like this are not just about what is in the glass. They are also about atmosphere and community.

There is something fun about wandering from booth to booth, catching up with brewers, seeing familiar names, meeting new people, and hearing everyone’s recommendations in real time. The Arizona beer scene has always had a sense of connection to it, and that came through all day long. Whether it was chatting with brewery staff, running into people from the local beer community, or simply hearing people geek out over what they had tried so far, the social side of the festival was a huge part of the experience.

And yes, there was even amateur wrestling happening at the festival, which only added to the weird, entertaining, unforgettable charm of the whole day.

After the Festival: Trevor’s Delivers Again

After several hours at the festival, we made our way to Trevor’s in North Scottsdale. For us, it is hard not to stop there when we are already in the area.

Calling Trevor’s just a liquor store feels incomplete. It is part bottle shop, part bar, part cigar lounge, part restaurant, and part adult playground for anyone who appreciates good food and drink. This location has a strong whiskey selection, beers on tap, a pizza kitchen, a cigar lounge, and even a golf simulator. It is the kind of place that feels like it was built by people who understand exactly what their customers want.

Pizza, Whiskey, and Cigars

We started with cigars and old fashioneds, and Trevor’s nailed the drinks. Old fashioneds can go wrong fast when they are too sweet or overdone, but these were balanced and clean—exactly what you want with a cigar. From there came whiskey pours, including a favorite: Weller Full Proof.

Then came the pizza.

We have eaten pizza all over Arizona, and Trevor’s continues to rank near the top. On this visit, the pie was a little softer on the bottom than expected, something that can happen with brick oven pizza, but it still delivered on flavor. Even when it was slightly messy to eat, it was still the kind of pizza that reminds you why you came back in the first place. For us, it has become the automatic order every time.

There is also something to be said for the overall comfort of the place. Between the lounge seating, the relaxed cigar area, the ability to have food brought right into the lounge, and the helpful service, Trevor’s makes it easy to settle in and stay longer than planned.

Why Days Like This Matter

What made the day memorable was not just the beer festival or the pizza or the cigars. It was the combination of all of it—good weather, good drinks, good food, and time spent together doing things we actually enjoy.

Sometimes the best celebrations are the ones that feel most natural. No pressure, no overplanning, no trying to force a perfect moment. Just a day built around shared interests and a willingness to enjoy it as it unfolds.

That is really what this kind of lifestyle is about for us. Exploring breweries. Trying new beers. Revisiting favorite places. Talking about what stood out. Laughing about the little things. Finding those moments that are worth repeating.

And honestly, that is exactly what this Valentine’s Day turned out to be.

Final Thoughts

The Arizona Strong Beer Festival delivered with variety, atmosphere, and plenty of memorable pours. Wren House once again proved why it is one of Arizona’s best-known breweries. And Trevor’s closed out the night with the kind of food-and-drink experience that keeps us coming back.

If you are into craft beer, Arizona food spots, or just building great weekends around things you enjoy, this was one of those days that checked every box.

And if you have recommendations for beers, breweries, or places we should hit next, we are always looking for the next stop.

Cheers.

Craft beer adventures