Four Peaks wins Thrillist's Best Brewery in America

Four Peaks Brewing Company has edged all 63 of its competitors to win Thrillist's Beer Madness bracket. On Wednesday, the Tempe brewery was named the best craft brewery in America based on online voting.

Four Peaks made it to the finals against Founders Brewing Co. from Grand Rapids, Mich., and narrowly won with 51.12% of the votes.

Thrillist, a culture website that explores food and drink nationwide, launched the bracket last month to align with NCAA March Madness. Breweries across the country were given seedings and readers were asked to vote.

Four Peaks was the 13th seed, going up against competitors including the well-known Dogfish Head and Bell's, and ones with rabid followings such as Hill Farmstead.

Four Peaks opened its original Tempe location in December 1996, when craft beer was in its infancy, and has gained a dedicated following. The brewery has grown significantly, becoming one of the best-known craft-beer brands in Arizona. Four Peaks now has brew pubs in north Scottsdale and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport International Airport, and a 60,000-square-foot distribution facility in Tempe.

The brewery most recently was named best brewery in a national contest by Travelchannel.com last October. Four Peaks has received many awards for its beers, including five Great American Beer Festival medals for its flagship brew, Kilt Lifter.

View the contest page here: www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/the-best-craft-breweries-in-america.

Four Peaks: fourpeaks.com.