The Sedona Craft Beer Vortex

Sustainability and Keeping it Local with Sedona Beer Company

While the Sedona area was stunning, our Sedona-ness wasn’t quite met until we met Kali and Mac, owners of the first brewery, Sedona Beer Company, to open in Sedona in over twenty years. With commitment to sustainability and the local community, Kali and Mac are innovators, yes, but more importantly they offer the only beer vortex in the world. Visiting on Halloween, we found ourselves surrounded by the spirituality of the season along with true Sedona-ness.

Many snowbirds and retirees know this quaint little town in Arizona like the backs of their hands for the shopping, restaurants, and art. But did you also know there are many mountain biking trails, OHV trails, BLM lands everywhere for camping in tents, RVs, cars, or whatever gets you to the beauty of the red rocks and vortexes in the Sedona area? What’s a vortex? Simply put, they are centers of energy thought to help with discovering the self and spirituality.

Sedona is fast becoming known to more and more people, and with a plethora of beauty, this town is worth the visit, even if it’s just a pass through on 89A from Flagstaff. But do yourself a favor, and don’t pass through too quickly. Hit one of the trails, wander the streets for some people watching, and stop by Sedona Beer Company for some beers from a craft brewer and a burger from a craft chef.

Your inner soul (along with your taste buds) will thank you. After all, this is the land of vortexes.

Video Notes to Highlighted Topics

2:57 Local & Sustainable
Born and raised in Sedona, living in Colorado for ten years, Kali and Mac ended up back in Sedona with a dream of creating something that, although may look like a Colorado brewery, matches the community and needs of the Sedona community. With a focus on water conservation and local malts (Sinagua Malt, Camp Verde, AZ and Hauser and Hauser Family Farms) and, produce, and art, Sedona Beer Company is leading the way for other breweries.

5:51 Partnerships, Sustainability, and of Course, Beer
Sustainability is not cheap, but it matters. Beer made from local grain, real terroir beer, is hard to come by, and Kali and Mact pride themselves for their efforts in keeping things as local as they can while still making great beer, regardless of if it is a lager or an horchata beer.

10:15 What the Hell is a Squarrel?
Using a square metal type of barrel that is lined with wood is very similar to aging in barrels, but more of a sustainable way to barrel age. Barrel Aged Horchata beer? Yes please. Also, please an 11.4% Lager?! How do I make this for for our area and our grain? That’s how Mac thinks, so their brews are made to match their community.

13:19 Changing Careers
Mac used to be an engineer and Kali still works as a social worker. Moving back home to Sedona from Denver for family reasons, they both knew they wanted to build something sustainable, not just careers, but something for their community and something that matched their passions. And no, they aren’t even close to retirement age.

16:25 Local Craft Beer Pairs Well with Local Art
Kali talks about how Sedona is a well-known art community, but if you’re not a famous artist, it’s hard to get into a gallery, so she has collaborated with local artists such as The Melting Point to help with the decor of the brewery, dealing with many interesting mistakes along the way.

19:10 Sedona-ness and Vortexes
Being from Sedona, you don’t usually the play the Sedona game, but Kali embraces it when it comes to beer – The Beer Vortex. What’s a vortex? According to VisitSedona.com, Sedona itself is a vortex, but there are vortexes all throughout the region. Vortex defined? “It’s thought to be swirling centers of energy that are conducive to healing, meditation and self-exploration.” You can decide if you believe or not, but Kali’s story is hilarious. As a teenager, growing up in small town touristy Sedona, she loved to mess with the tourists and send them off on crazy goose chases for vortexes.

21:18 A Stout Life
Kali is always interested in building upon community, so building her baby (the brewery) is pretty high on her list of Stout Life living.

24:07 Beyond the Taproom
Utilizing space as best as he can, Mac works hard to create a variety of unique beers.

We’d love to hear from you.

Kali, like many us, had some fun in her teenage years. What’s something you did when you were a teenager that makes you wonder how you ever managed to grow up? Let us know in the comments below.