Tap Dragon Craft Beer & Wine Bar is now open in Gilbert. What to know
“I am madly in really like with craft beer, the entire marketplace, every little thing about it,” said Jennifer Gallego, operator of the newly opened Faucet Dragon Craft Beer & Wine Bar in Gilbert.
After shelling out a long time understanding about beer, tasting distinct varieties, finding up shifts at bars and even brewing it at dwelling, she manufactured the decision to flip her obsession into a career and leave the company entire world driving. In 2020, she nearly signed the lease on a assets where by she prepared to open a taproom. Then the pandemic hit.
Her plans ground to a halt as she, and the rest of the globe, experimented with to figure out how to move forward.
About two yrs later on, her taproom has turn out to be a truth. In November 2021 the beer began flowing. A lot of beer. 32 different taps, to be precise, with wines coming in at a close next with 31 selections obtainable.
Gallego and her group of experienced bartenders now pour pints and glasses at Gilbert’s latest beer destination, Faucet Dragon Craft Beer & Wine Taproom, positioned at the southeast corner of Gilbert and Warner streets.
Faucet Dragon is now open up in Gilbert
Strolling through the glass double doorways into the taproom, two matters are probable to capture your notice. Initially is a huge black silhouette of a dragon painted from floor to ceiling, which stands out against a burnt orange wall. The dragon’s tail snakes away from the mural all the way onto the entrance door.
2nd is a vibrant smattering of chalkboards saying the present beer menu. Neon pink, shiny inexperienced and orange names point out distinct styles of beer, Gallego defined.
There are plenty of regional Arizona solutions brewed almost everywhere from Tempe to Tucson along with craft brews from all around the state. And the menu is continuously evolving. Whenever a person beer runs out, Gallego replaces it with a little something new.
“Each and every time I set a new beer on, I cannot wait around,” she reported. “I’m so excited when we blow kegs.”
Gallego’s favorites, IPAs, are the most well-liked, she explained, closely followed by cider. She serves Crush Craft and Cider Corps between others.
Wines are also proving well known, she reported, noting that she carries bottles from Chateau Tumbleweed, an Arizona vineyard identified for its creatively created labels.
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“The selection is creating me a location,” she explained, incorporating that men and women are fired up to return and see what is actually new on the menu.
How an ‘obsession’ turned a small business
While she’s been a admirer for quite a few decades, Gallego has not constantly labored in the world of craft beer. Till July 2021, she worked as a C-degree executive assistant, most not long ago for a microchip know-how company.
She credits her buddies for pushing her to get the subsequent move. After obtaining bored with her relentless desire to go to taprooms and breweries, her close friends started asking when she was likely to start out her personal.
“My girlfriends identified as me out on it. So I formed an LLC and then it was like, game on,” Gallego claimed.
When she commenced developing the taproom, she held her day task for as very long as possible, she mentioned. But sooner or later, the development routine turned all-consuming and she took the leap.
“Doing work a entire-time occupation even though opening a organization, it was 24/7. It definitely was blood, sweat and tears,” she stated.
When she was handed the keys to the corner store in a Gilbert strip shopping mall, the area was “fully gutted,” she stated, describing the bare-bones inside with a concrete ground and unfinished partitions. She ripped up some of the concrete to include plumbing for the extensive faucet technique and established out to construct a bar, seating spot, roll-up garage door and big patio.
The ongoing pandemic added an extra layer of difficulty, from obtaining labor to increased expenditures and provide shortages.
The home furniture for the taproom was delayed for 4 months, Gallego explained, together with an further a few-thirty day period wait around for the out of doors symptoms. When she held her comfortable opening event in November, the garage doorway hadn’t arrived but, she explained.
Right after many years of planning and months of operate, she ultimately scheduled her grand opening for Saturday, Jan. 29.
“I come across myself just standing in this article staring at the area,” Gallego claimed, gazing out in excess of her small business. “It was a massive obstacle and I’m pretty proud of myself.”
Lifting up some others by means of collaborations
As a girl entering the usually male-dominant entire world of craft beer, Gallego explained she has knowledgeable some obstructions and intimidation.
“They are slowly finding far more and additional ladies in the sector, but from the outdoors wanting in, I could inform there was a struggle for women to achieve their place in the business. I was energized to be a portion of that and be a part of that struggle,” she explained.
A person way she’s doing that is by supporting other females and first-time enterprise entrepreneurs in the Valley.
“It really is pleasant to see a lot more females standing up and grabbing the planet by the reins and making their possess path,” she reported. “There had been people that supported me and I am spending it forward.”
She’s partnered with local foodstuff firms for bar treats and the dragon mural, which was painted by area artist Mackenzie Schneider. She stated that the dragon represents two factors. Initially, Gallego preferred a symbol that incorporated something legendary to represent her tagline that “fantastic beer isn’t a myth.” 2nd, the dragon represents energy.
“I wished to be a impressive woman in the craft beer industry and I wished to showcase incredible beers,” Gallego explained. “The dragon signifies that. She’s phenomenal, she’s highly effective, she is self-confident and she knows what she wants.”
Faucet Dragon Gilbert
Facts: 835 S. Gilbert Road, Gilbert. 480-841-5566, thetapdragon.com.
Food obtainable: Popcorn and bar treats are available at the taproom. Customers can also purchase from neighboring cafe Taco Santo and have their food stuff sent proper to their seat at the bar.
Grand opening party: Tap Dragon’s grand opening occasion will be celebrated on Saturday, Jan. 29 from noon to 11 p.m. The celebration will include stay songs all working day, exclusive beers and distributors with samples and swag.
Access the reporter at [email protected]. Observe her on Twitter at @tirionmorris, on Fb at Tirion Rose and on Instagram at tirionrose.
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