You’re driving east out of Flagstaff, the air is thin at 7,000 feet, and the Ponderosa pines are blurring past. If you’re a beer drinker in the Southwest, you’ve probably got a silver can with a vintage-looking map tucked in your cooler. It’s Tower Station. It’s everywhere. Honestly, it’s become such a staple in Arizona that people kind of forget there’s an actual, living, breathing brewery behind the label.
Mother Road Brewing Company isn't just a "Route 66" marketing gimmick. It’s a massive operation that almost didn't happen because of a real estate crash and a $50,000 loan from a grandmother.
The 1982 VW Van That Started It All
Back in 2010, Michael Marquess was stuck in a cubicle. He was a real estate appraiser, which, if you remember the 2008-2009 economic climate, was basically a front-row seat to a slow-motion car crash. He’d been homebrewing on his stovetop since 1999, mostly just to stay sane.
The "aha" moment happened in the back of an '82 Westfalia. Michael and his then-wife Alissa were driving back from Colorado, kids asleep in the back, and they started talking about their grandparents. These were people who survived the Great Depression and actually lived with joy despite the hardship. They decided right then to ditch the corporate safety net.
Marquess quit his job on July 31, 2010. By the next day, he decided his new job title was "Brewer." That’s a bold move when you’ve only got a stovetop setup. He borrowed $50k from his grandma at a 7% interest rate—because she knew exactly how risky this was—and started gutting an old laundromat on Mike’s Pike in downtown Flagstaff.
The Tower Station Phenomenon
If you walk into a bar in Phoenix, Tucson, or Kingman, you’re going to see Mother Road Brewing Company on the tap list. Usually, it’s Tower Station IPA.
🔗 Read more: Curtain Bangs on Fine Hair: Why Yours Probably Look Flat and How to Fix It
What’s wild is how much this one beer defines the brewery’s identity. It’s an unfiltered IPA, 7.3% ABV, and it hits that sweet spot between a classic bitter West Coast and a juicy modern hazy. It’s named after the 1936 Tower Station in Shamrock, Texas.
Some people call it a "gateway IPA." It’s not so bitter that it rips your tongue off, but it’s got enough tangerine and pineapple notes to make it interesting. According to Nielsen data, it’s been the #1 independent craft beer in Arizona for years. It’s so popular that the brewery sometimes struggles to make anything else because the tanks are always full of Tower Station.
Brewing at 7,000 Feet (It's a Nightmare)
Flagstaff is high. Not "I had a great time in college" high, but "physically difficult to boil water" high.
Brewing at altitude is a technical headache. At 7,000 feet, beer wants to foam and gush the second it hits a can. For a long time, Mother Road was losing about 12% of their beer just to canning line "spillage" and foam. That’s a lot of money literally going down the drain.
They recently dropped serious cash on a 20-head PSA rotary canning machine. It sounds like boring industrial talk, but it slashed their canning loss from 12% down to less than 1%. That move alone saved about 400,000 cans of beer a year without them having to buy a single extra grain of malt.
💡 You might also like: Bates Nut Farm Woods Valley Road Valley Center CA: Why Everyone Still Goes After 100 Years
It's Not Just About the Booze
Most breweries talk about "community," but Mother Road actually puts their money where their mouth is regarding the Arizona landscape. They have this beer called Conserve and Protect Golden Ale.
They partnered with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. A portion of every can sold goes directly to helping manage over 800 species of wildlife. They aren't just writing a tiny check; they’ve helped fund on-the-ground conservation and even created a "Wildlife Watching Map" for the Flagstaff area.
Then there’s the waste. Brewing produces mountains of "spent grain"—the soggy leftovers of the malt. Instead of tossing it in a landfill, Mother Road sends over 2 million pounds of grain a year to local cattle ranchers. If you eat a steak in Northern Arizona, there’s a decent chance that cow was raised on IPA leftovers.
The Two-Taproom Tale
If you’re visiting, don't get confused. There are two spots in Flagstaff.
- The Downtown Experimental Lab (7 S. Mike’s Pike): This is the original 1920s laundromat. It’s cozy, wood-heavy, and usually packed. This is where they play with small-batch stuff. If you want to try something that isn't Tower Station, go here.
- The Butler Production Facility: This is on the east side of town. It’s a 12,500-square-foot beast. It smells like a giant bowl of cereal (that's the malt) and it's where the heavy lifting happens.
The "Hidden" Truth About Their Beers
Most people think they only do IPAs. Not true.
📖 Related: Why T. Pepin’s Hospitality Centre Still Dominates the Tampa Event Scene
Their Kölsch is actually one of the few original recipes from 2011 that they still brew. They use an Eastern European ale yeast and keep it super traditional. It’s crisp, light, and basically the antithesis of a heavy IPA.
They also have a "Daily Driver" Low-Lo IPA which is only 4.8% ABV. It’s for when you want the hop flavor but still need to be able to hike Humphrey’s Peak afterward without falling over.
Why It Still Matters
Mother Road Brewing Company survived the craft beer "bubble" by focusing on one state. While other breweries tried to ship their beer to 40 different states and went bankrupt doing it, Marquess and his team stayed focused on Arizona.
They are currently the third-largest independent craft brewery in the state. They produce around 25,000 to 29,000 barrels a year. That’s a lot of pints for a company that started in an old VW van.
How to Do Mother Road Like a Local
- Skip the grocery store 6-pack: Go to the Mike's Pike taproom and ask for whatever "pilot brew" is on the board.
- Check the bottom of the can: They print "Born On" dates. Freshness matters with IPAs. If it's over 90 days old, leave it on the shelf.
- Pair it right: If you’re at the downtown spot, grab a pizza from Pizzicletta next door. They’ll usually bring it right over to your table at the brewery.
- Look for the "Conserve and Protect" cans: If you’re torn between two beers, pick the one that helps the Arizona wildlife.
Mother Road is basically the liquid version of a road trip through the Southwest—a little rugged, very authentic, and best enjoyed with the windows down.
Next Steps for Your Visit
If you're planning a trip to the Flagstaff taproom, aim for a Tuesday afternoon for "Pint Night" to support local charities, or hit the Butler Avenue location if you want to see the massive Forgeworks brewhouse in action. Check their current tap list at motherroadbeer.com before you head out, as the small-batch experimental pours change almost weekly.